Pictures of Ross Esbern Baadsgaard

Ross as a baby with his four older sisters.

The only boy .

Ross with his seven sisters.

Ross as a little boy with his family.

Ross with his parents and sisters in their Springville home.

Ross's childhood home in Spanish Fork.

Ross as a little boy with his family.

Disneyworld Fun

Aubrey and Kyle with Alice, Griffin and Rylan.

Jacob and Teresa with Rachael, Emma and Kate.

                    Aubrey and Jacob's family just got back from a fun trip to Disney World!

Happy Birthday Josh

STARDUST

By

Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy Birthday Josh. I love you.

Josh wasn’t sure if he wanted to go to his grandparent’s cabin when his mom asked him to hop in the van on Friday evening.

“I can’t get service for my phone up there,” Josh said.

“You need a break from your phone,” his mother answered. “Put it in your pocket and let’s go. We’re barbequing hamburgers and slicing up a watermelon tonight.”

Guess if I want supper I better go, Josh thought.

As their van left the valley floor and climbed higher and higher up the canyon toward the cabin, Josh felt himself relaxing and breathing deeper. After dinner Josh’s aunts, uncles and cousins settled in for some games. Josh slipped outside and sat on the bench on the deck trying to get service for his phone so he could text his friends.

“There’s no service up here,” his grandma said sitting down next to Josh. But there’s a different kind of power up here.”

Josh smiled. Grandma was always full of words.

“Josh did you know there's power in every tree, flower, or blade of grass,” Grandma said. “We miss it if we don’t listen. Close your eyes.”

Josh put his phone in his pocket and closed his eyes. He heard the wind washing through the maples and pines surrounding the cabin the whir of the hummingbird’s wings as they fed.

“There is power in everything,” Grandma said.

“I just learned in science that almost every element was formed in the heart of a star from a cosmic explosion,” Josh answered. “Nothing really disappears; it just changes form. We’re all made of star dust.”

“Master creator at work,” Grandma said.

 “When stars get to the end of their lives,” Josh said, “my teacher said they swell up and fall together again, throwing off their outer layers. If a star is heavy enough, it will explode in a supernova. So most of the material we're made of comes from dying stars. We have stuff in us as old as the universe, and stuff from only a few hundred years ago.”

“I’m getting close to the end of my life,” Grandma said. “I wonder what I’ll leave behind when I’m gone?”

“Me,” Josh answered.

Grandma smiled.

“I remember the day you were born. Just yesterday you were a little boy and now you’re a young man.” Grandma said. “Life is so short. We have to learn all we can while we’re here.”

“Let’s make a fire,” Josh said.

Josh and his grandma stood, walked to the edge of the deck and down steps toward the fire pit. They carefully placed dried grass on the bottom of the pit and then placed a tee-pee of sticks and logs above it. Then Josh lit a match and the grass flashed with light that ignited the smaller and soon larger logs. Before long there was a warm blazing fire.

“When I die,” Grandma said, “I will throw off the layers of this earth and in a bright flame of light I will return to my heavenly home. But part of me will remain here in you. Josh, you are my place in the future after I am gone.”

Josh took a long stick and poked the dying embers in the fire.

“Yeah, like nothing really dies, only transforms,” Josh answered.

Grandma put her arm around Josh as wind washed through the trees bringing the warmth from the fire like a warm blanket all around them.

 “I love you Josh,” Grandma said. “Because I’ve experienced how much I love you and your brothers and mom and dad, I have a small idea how much God loves us. When I was your age I always pictured God above me somewhere out there in outer space. But now I know that part of our Mother and Father in Heaven is inside us. In the same way you have my genes, we have our heavenly parent’s DNA.”

Josh and his grandma looked up at the night sky as a chorus of crickets sang in the grass behind them. Suddenly a shooting star streaked across the heavens leaving a trail of glory across the black sky.

“Looks like someone just went home,” Josh said. 

Isabella's Sunshine

ISABELLA’S SUNSHINE

By Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy Birthday precious Izzy. I love you with all my heart.

When Isabella woke for school, she noticed it was still dark outside her window.

“Why is it so dark even in the morning now?” Izzy asked her mother as she walked into the kitchen looking for breakfast.

“In the winter, the sun comes up later and goes down earlier,” her mother said. “But after December 21^st each day has more sunlight because the sun stays in the sky a little longer.

“I miss the summer,” Izzy said. “I like to play outside when it is warm.”

“Me too,” her mother said. “Maybe we just have to figure out how to make our own sunshine.”

“But how?” Izzy asked.

“That is a secret that only you can discover,” her mother answered.

Just then Izzy’s father came into the kitchen with a big smile on his face.

“Look at this beautiful polished rock,” her father said. “Isn’t it amazing?”

Izzy took the smooth stone in her hand and rubbed it with her fingers.

“Daddy how do you find an ugly rock in the field by our house and turn it into something so beautiful?”

“I put the stone in a rock polisher machine where it gets knocked around lot and gradually all the rough edges are grinded off revealing the beauty of the stone.”

Daddy brings sunshine into the world by discovering the beauty in old rocks, Izzy thought.

Then Izzy heard her baby brother babbling in his car seat. First he cooed. Then he suddenly broke into a laugh. The whole family stopped what they were doing and listened. Then everyone ran over to baby Christian and laughed with him.

Christian brings sunshine into the world by laughing, Izzy thought.

Right then Izzy’s brother Daniel grabbed her leg and gave her the biggest hug of the world. Izzy smiled and reached down and hugged Daniel back.

Daniel brings sunshine into the world by hugging, Izzy thought.

After breakfast Izzy ran upstairs and got dressed in her favorite school outfit. Then her mother combed her hair.

“You sure look nice,” her brother Brad said when Izzy stepped out of the bathroom.

Brad brings sunshine into the world by saying nice things, Izzy thought.

While Izzy was waiting for her mother to run her to school she sang her favorite song. Izzy loved to sing.

“When you sing, you fill out house with sunshine,” her mother said.

I can bring sunshine into the world by singing, Izzy thought.

When Izzy jumped out of the car and ran into her school, the clouds were still dark and no sun could be seen in the sky. But Izzy felt warm inside because now she knew where to find her own sunshine.

Chad Gull's funeral

We buried my brother-in-law Chad Gull yesterday. 

This is Chad out in the mountains hunting -
his favorite activity.

Chad's sons: Brandon, Ryan and Aaron 
are the pallbearers at the far side the casket in this picture.

Daniel, Chad's 12 year old son with Down's Syndrome,
spoke at the burial 
and touched my heart to the core. 
Though Daniel did not have distinguishable words 
to express himself, 
his spirit communicated with us his love for his father.

This is Chad's wife Karen - 
my husband's beloved sister and my precious sister.

Digging For Buried Treasure

BURIED TREASURE

by

Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy 10^th birthday Mitchell - my fellow archaeologist.

Mitchell liked to dig in the back yard next to the old fence at Grandma’s house because there was an elevated mound there. Mitchell’s grandma was once an archaeology dig volunteer in Israel and she taught him about finding buried treasure.

“Always look for a rise or elevated mound,” Grandma said. “When the earth is disturbed, it always leaves some kind of evidence.”

When Mitchell took his grandma to the mound by the fence she smiled.

“Good detective work Mitchell,” Grandma said. “That is where my grandma and grandpa used to bury their garbage. Trash heaps contain lots of buried treasure for archaeologists. That is where we make our best discoveries.”

“But garbage isn’t interesting,” Mitchell said. “It’s just trash.”

“Actually,” Grandma said, “garbage contains the hidden story of a past life. Remnants of food like seeds or nuts, bits of old wool clothing, kiln fired dishes, and broken household items can paint an interesting picture and they are all a piece of the puzzle.”

“Why would I want to find old junk?”

“Because that is how we discover how people used to live . . . what they ate, how they dressed, where they worked, what was important to them and how they died. Museums are filled with rich people’s stuff. But garbage dumps tell us how the common man lived.”

“What is a common man?”

“A common man is someone like you and me. Kings, queens have their possessions preserved in museums, but the common man needs someone who will do the work to discover that their lives were interesting enough to study and learn from.”

Mitchell scratched his head and thought a while. Then he started digging. Grandma went back in the house. Before long Mitchell found a broken rusty metal tool. Next he found a broken bowl with a strange symbol in the glaze. Mitchell was intrigued. He walked back to Grandma’s house and asked her about his ancestors who lived on her land before she did. He found out that his great-grandma was a spinner and a weaver. His great-grandpa was a blacksmith.

“They didn’t have stores back then,” Grandma said. “They had to make everything they needed with their own hands.”

Mitchell showed Grandma the broken bowl with a symbol in the glaze.

“Do you know what this symbol means?” Mitchell asked.

“No, I don’t,” Grandma said. “But I have friends at the university I could ask.”

Several weeks later Mitchell went back to his grandma’s house and asked if she knew what the symbol meant. Grandma took the broken bowl from the closet and sat down next to Mitchell.

“I found a professor in ancient languages,” Grandma said. “She told me these symbols mean love in Hebrew.”

“Why would my ancestors put that word in Hebrew on a bowl? I thought they were just farmers.”

“Apparently they were something more,” Grandma said. “The professor said the Hebrew word for love is Ahava which is made of three basic Hebrew letters. Those letters are broken down into two parts: a two letter base or root, and the first letter which is a modifier.”

“That sounds too complicated for me,” Mitchell answered.

“The meaning of the gleph which precedes these two letters modifies the meaning of the base word, “give”. The meaning of these symbols is “I give” and also “love”. Apparently your ancestors knew that love is giving.”

“Farmers have deep thoughts?”

“Yes,” Grandma said. Perhaps the deepest. They are close to the earth and understand the law of the harvest.”

Mitchell scratched his head.

“I’m an old lady now and I know that loving someone gives our lives meaning and purpose. The truest relationships are those where mutual giving takes place. Without mutual giving, a loving relationship won’t last.”

Mitchell picked up the broken bowl with the Hebrew symbols.

‘I wonder how those guys knew the symbols for love in Hebrew and why it was important to them,” Mitchell said.

“One of your great-grandfathers on your grandpa’s side was the man who gave a bag of gold to Orson Hyde so he would have the means to travel to Palestine and dedicate the Holy Land.”

“Really Grandma? I had a rich ancestor.”

“He was rich because he gave his gold away,” Grandma said.

“Maybe that is where the knowledge of those Hebrew symbols came from,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell picked up the broken bowl and ran his fingers over the symbols for love. Then he noticed the large gaping crack on the side.  

“Too bad this bowl is not good for anything anymore,” Mitchell said. “I think I’ll just throw it away. It can’t even hold water.”

Grandma took the bowl from Mitchell and held it near her heart.

“Don’t throw something meaningful away because it is broken. We all need repair. The broken part of our life is still a beautiful part of our story that can always be mended with love. It is never too late.”

Grandma found some gold molding compound in her closet and mixed it with water. She slowly filled the large crack in the bowl with gold then stepped back to look at it.

“It looks beautiful Grandma,” Mitchell said taking the bowl and turning it around in his hands. “I’m glad I didn’t throw it away.”

Grandma took Mitchell in her arms and held him close.

“I love you Mitchell,” Grandma said. You are my treasure."

Christmas Box Angel Ceremony

April and Caleb
Our precious Caleb lived for seven years.
He was a sacred gift to our family.

My daughter April spoke at a special ceremony at the Spanish Fork Cemetery tonight. A Christmas Box Angel Statue was placed in the Spanish Fork Cemetery on July 18, 1999. Since that time, a ceremony has been held every year on Dec. 6 for members of the community who have lost a child. The ceremony usually consists of a musical number and a story or speaker, then each attendee receives a candle and a white carnation. The candles are lit and then the flowers are placed at the base of the statue.

Movie Stars In The Family

My daughter Arianne and her husband Jared 
were featured in a documentary 
on the "Hole in the Rock" pioneers
that aired for the first time last night.
I saw it and it was great. 
If you are interested 
it will be rebroadcast on KBYU channel 11 
on Sat. Dec. 10th at 4:30.

Happy Birthday Matthew

Dear Matthew,
I'm giving you a soft warm blanket today.  

When you wrap this blanket around you I hope you will think about how much your grandma and the Savior loves you.

Though I love you a whole bunch, He loves you more. He is your comforter, Redeemer, Advocate, Counselor and friend. 

You will never be alone and comfortless with the Savior as your covering. 

COVERING

by

Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy birthday 15^th Matthew. I love you.

You are my covering

When I am weary

My cloak

When the night is cold

You are my comforter

When I weep

My champion

When I fear

You are my mantle

When I doubt

My protector

When at war

You are my physician

When in pain

My compass

When I am lost

You are my Savior

Redeemer and friend

Christian Baadsgaard's blessing day

Joseph and Martha Baadsgaard on Christian's blessing day along with Daniel, Izzy and Brad.

All the extended family members who came to share in the blessing day memories.

Happy Birthday Sophia

Raggedy Ann’s Secret

By Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy Birthday precious Sophie. I think you already know the secret.

Once there was a Raggedy Ann doll who just wanted to be loved. She was so desperate for love that she searched and searched and searched for someone to love her. But everyone she found was too busy thinking about their own problems and looking for someone to love them.

Raggedy Ann was discouraged. Everybody around her was downhearted.

How can I find someone to love me if everybody is looking for someone to love them? This is not working. I think I need to learn more about love.

Raggedy Ann decided to go on a learning journey and find the people who knew the secret of love. First she found a newborn baby. But the baby was crying. Raggedy Ann picked up the baby and said soft words while she hugged the baby. The baby stopped crying and smiled.

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love says soft words and hugs a lot.”

Next Raggedy Ann found a toddler but the child was too busy learning how to walk. The toddler kept falling down until it stayed down and whimpered.

Raggedy Ann picked up the toddler and said, “That’s Okay. Everybody falls down sometimes. Just get back up and try again.”

The toddler stopped whimpering and tried again.

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love picks people up and encourages them to try again.”

Next Raggedy Ann found a school age child who was sitting alone at lunch time looking awfully lonely. She walked up and sat next to the child.

“Can I sit by you?” Raggedy Ann asked.

“Why sure,” the lonely child said. “Sit right here. You want some of my desert?” she answered with a smile.

“Sure,” Raggedy Ann answered.

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love looks for someone who is lonely and makes a friend. Love shares treats and smiles.”

Next Raggedy Ann found a young mother with many children but she was too busy trying to clean and fix supper. She looked tired.

Raggedy Ann walked up to the mother and said, “Can I watch your children while you take a nap?”

“Oh, thank you,” the mother said. “I am so tired.”

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love helps people when they are tired.”

Next Raggedy Ann found an old man who looked sad.

“What can you teach me about love,” Raggedy Ann asked the old man.

“If you are kind, you have lots of friends. If you are mean you have lots of enemies.”

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love is kind.”

That’s when Raggedy Ann knew the secret  . . .  She took out her notebook and wrote, “Love is a choice to be kind, pick people up, say soft words and hug a lot.”

“I can do that,” Raggedy Ann said.

Then Raggedy Ann grew up and had many children of her own. She made lots of friends. She loved her friends and family with all her heart. Some of her friends and family loved her back and some were too busy with their own problems. She didn’t let that stop her. For now she knew the secret of love.

“I can’t control how many people love me, but I can control how many people I love,” Raggedy Ann said. 

Poem for a Fourteen-Year-Old

     

              FOURTEEN

by

Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy birthday to my amazing grandson Brad. I sure love you.

                                              Today’s the day I turn fourteen.

Afraid I’m losing my summer tan.

This is my time when I’m stuck between

Being a boy and being a man.

Everyone expects so much of me

Just wish that they could see

I’m trying and trying and trying some more

To be the best person I can be.

So don’t say, “My you’re a long green bean.”

Say, “Why Brad, you are so tall and lean.

You are the most awesome eighth grader

This old world has ever seen.”

Sometimes my voice just has to crack

Right at the world’s worst time -

Like when I’m standing near to her

In a very long lunch line.

I always hope its pizza pie

My favorite lunch in junior high.

And even if she doesn’t sit by me

I breathe a sigh when she walks by.

My pants keep getting way too short

And piles of homework is a bore.

But if I win a game after school

I feel like I can soar.

Fourteen is when you start sprouting hair

In all the places where you used to be bare.

But there’s one thing I know for sure

Some days are hard and some days are fair.

Parents say, “Hurry up, don’t be late,

Teachers say, “Your paper is due on this date.”

There are school dances, Scouts and lots more tests -

Homework, housework and no time to rest.

I want to sleep in when it’s time to get up.

I want to stay up when it’s time for bed.

Mostly I’d rather be riding my skate board instead

And Mom says it’s hard to keep me fed.

But even with all the teen times I have

There’s always mom, sister, brothers and dad

A forever family we’ll always be

So I don’t have to spend even one day sad.

Pretty soon I’ll be done with school

And lots and lots and lots of rules.

But I’ll always need a great big hug

And a large, loving family around to love.

Family Halloween Pictures