Newspapers, magazines, internet sites and television stations all lisIn January I signed up for another session of t what they think are the most important events of the past year. I decided I wanted to take time to consider some of the most significant events of the past year as far as Edna Washburn is concerned.
In January I registered again for the next session of adult institute class at the Grantsville High School Seminary. The course was "Teachings of the Living Prophets." The first lesson of the year was based on Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin's last conference address, given a short time before he passed away: "Come What May and Love It." I decided this should be my theme for the year.
Two days after this class I received a new church calling: Boy Scout Advancement Committee Chairman. It was a calling not new to me, and one I enjoyed immensely in the past. I was grateful for the opportunity to help the Boy Scouts in our ward to work toward their goal of Eagle Scout Rank. This calling meant I was to be released as Webelos Scout Leader in the Cub Scout Program. These two changes were significant to me for various reasons, and within a short time the Lord's direction in these callings became evident.
January twentieth Tom was laid off from his job with Kennecott Copper. He was devastated. Although it left things up in the air for me, the feelings that I had New Year's Eve that this was the year for big change for our family, and then the reminder of Elder Wirthlin's talk ("Comoe What May and Love It") kept me from any feelings of desperation. I was anxious to see what was to come next in my life. Tom's job loss was not only a loss to him, it was a loss to me. It meant a lot of changes, some good, some hard. And it affected our family, too. Our kids were great, though. A few days after the lay-off, our Utah kids put on a dinner for their dad to lift his spirits and let him know they were rooting for him. That meant a lot to both of us.
By the first week of February Tom was seriously considering taking a job with Tech-Flow, a company based in Layton, Utah. He would be selling pumps to the mines in Northeastern Nevada, and it would most likely require a move to Elko, Nevada. At first he considered giving the job a six-month try, wherein he would spend five days in Nevada and drive home to Grantsville on the weekends. But when he went with Greg for a couple of days to be introduced to the area and the kind of work he would be doing, I knew that I couldn't stay in Grantsville while he was working somewhere else. As much as I loved living there, and especially living close to Lisa and Brandon and their family, I knew my place was with my husband, giving him support and sharing his life with him. So when the decision was made to take the job, we immediately set things in motion for selling our home and buying another in Nevada.
Our home was sold in two days to our next-door neighbor, and we found a brand new home in Spring Creek, ten miles or so south of Elko. I knew without doubt this was a good thing for us, that we had the Lord's blessing to do it, but that didn't mean it was easy. I was not happy to leave my family behind. And I had to leave our cats, Calvin and Hobbes, behind, too. I did that because I love Brandon more than the cats.
One of the things that had a big impact on me this year was that I had a very bad fall, suffering extensive bruising on my left hip. This happened when I was looking at a home in Spring Creek. I still feel the effects of that fall from time-to-time.
Lisa announced in February that she was pregnant! I was very happy for her.
This is the end of the first installment of my Top Stories of 2009. Stay tuned for more tomorrow.
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