Cheese and Flour Cake

"I Am A Mom"

Name: Lora S. Lund

Relation: Mom <3

Date Recieved: April 8, 2010

I Am A Mom

There are many career choices in the world for women. The options are pretty much endless. We now live in a world that women can have any job of their choosing. For me the choice was easy. I made it without hesitation or reservation. I had always known what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a Mom.

I was a little worried about finding my prince charming and becoming a wife, (which is another fairytale story all in of itself) but the Mom part never worried me.

From the time I was young I felt like there were special spirits watching me as I grew. I sometimes imagined they were relatives that had passed on, but mostly I imagined that my heavenly observers were my children. I thought about them as I made important and not so important choices in my life. I would look in the mirror and ask myself “Am I becoming the person they deserve?” I looked forward to the day that I could welcome them into the world and I wanted to do my very best to teach them all about the things I knew. There was one important thing I yearned to share with them, my love for my Savior and theirs.

When the time arrived for me to finally be able to be engaged in the career of my choice there were many people that questioned my choice. At work they tried to convince me that I was making a grave mistake. How would my husband a full time student, myself AND a baby ever survive financially if I quit working. To be honest we did not have the answer the day our first child was born. What we did have was faith and trust that we were making the correct choice - me being a stay at home Mom. A full time Mom.

I began this new career with zeal. I had been looking forward to it for years (At least I thought it had been years. I was only 21). The windows of heaven were open and we were rewarded for our faith. John got a job paying almost triple what other students were making at the time. Our little family continued to grow. After the first two I became sick and the doctors told me that the odds of having any more children looked bleak. I had endometriosis. How could that be? I was crushed. I had the distinct feeling that all of my children had not arrived. One of the children I had seen in a dream had not arrived. We moved forward with faith praying God would answer our prayers for more children. Finally our prayers were answered and another baby arrived. I have spent the years since the arrival of my children relishing being a Mom. I have loved every stage and experience of their lives. I have found more joy in this career choice than any other I could have chosen. When I am asked what I do, I say with pride “I am a Mom”.

"Many Lessons Learned"

Name: Bill L. Smith
Relation: Uncle on my Dad's Side
Date recieved: April 7, 2010

The Bill L. Smith Story, Abbreviated Version

0-8 West Covina; Family (welcome, me! welcome, brother!); Balls and books; Mom has major surgery; earthquakes.

9-12 Costa Mesa; Family; Balls and books; Cub/Boy Scouts; Bionic glasses; Church.

*10* Major car accident (boy vs. car, boy loses): many lessons learned.

13-17 Costa Mesa; Family (welcome, sister!); Costa Mesa High School; Soccer; Scouts; Church; Books; Friends.

18-20 Costa Mesa; Family; Orange Coast College; ASOCC; Soccer; Church; Edwards Theaters; Butch Summer Adventures; Sweden.

21-22 Spain Las Palmas Mission; Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands; Companions.

23-26 Chico et. al.; Family (now we’re talking: Bill + Kaari = BiKa! . . . and the Lunds); America’s Guests; World Cup; BA.

27-32 Pullman; Family (welcome, Bailey! welcome, Kasey! Bill + Kaari + Bailey + Kasey = BiKaBaKa); Wazzu; MA + Ph.D.; BiKa Summer Tours; Mexico City; Steptoe Apartments; Church; Friends.

33-42 Pullman; Family; UIdaho and the Martin; Rockaway Beach; NMUN; House and garden; Soccer; Students; World Cup; Solana’s assignment.

"Life Has Been Good To Me"

Name: Bernice Stanton
Relation: Grandma (Mom's Mom)
Date Of Interview: April 4, 2010

So we had a little bit of communication trouble at first, she thought I was going to ask her questions as we went along. That's why the first one was so short. Then we took a break between the second and third. Here they are!

"All In All, We've Had A Good Life"

Name: James Stanton Junior
Relation: Grandpa (My Mom's Dad)
Date Of Interview: April 4, 2010

"We'll Be A Family Again"

Name: John Lewis Lund
Reation: Grandaddy (My Dad's dad)
Date interviewed: April 4, 2010



This isn't an interview, but I really love it.

"I Am A Carman Warrior, I Am A Carman Saint"

Name: Ian Shepherd "Crusher" Carman
Relation: Cousin on my Dad's side
Date of Interview: April 4, 2010