The History of Maryetta Marie Abraham
I was born Maryetta Marie Abraham in Tacoma, Washington on April 19th, 1965. I was adopted when I was 2 days old. I was told that it was either me or the cupboards and apparently I won. I don’t think they ever got the cupboards. My mom had two boys and no longer could have any more children. I think she was heartbroken about that. She wanted a large family and now that that was no longer an option, she at least wanted a girl. My brother, Terry was 10 and by brother, Billy was 8 when I was born. My mom was on a bowling team with some members of the church. She mentioned about a month earlier that she was interested in adoption. She got a call one day from Dr. Richard Huish, Ob/Gyn a doctor who was a member of her bowling team. He just had a girl born to a mother that wanted to put her up for adoption. My mother called my dad. They went down to the hospital to see me and decided to take me. On the way home stopped to get diapers and a few clothes and other necessities. The next day, they picked me up and took me home. I slept in a drawer of their dresser in their closet. We lived in Ruston across from the Smelter for 2 years. We moved to Winlock for six months and then moved to Puyallup at 1416 East Pioneer Avenue for the rest of my growing up years.
My mother is Rosetta Mary Dickinson and my father is William Edward Abraham. My oldest brother was Terry Edward Abraham, born Nov 16, 1954, second oldest is William Edward Abraham, Jr. I went to Spinning Elementary from Kindergarten to 6th grade. My favorite teacher was Mrs. Martin, my first grade teacher. I remember her not really being overly nice, but I realized that I could learn things in that grade with her and I have always wanted to know things since. I went to Kalles Junior High 7th to 9th grades and Puyallup High School 10th to 12th. I graduated in 1983.
I babysat a lot when I turned 12. My first job paid $.50/hour and when some families paid me $.75/hour, I thought I was making bank! I think I did a pretty good job babysitting, always going the extra mile cleaning up and such. That probably was why I got asked a lot. During the summers I would pick berries; first raspberries in July, then blueberries in August. I was motivated to make as much money as possible because then I could buy my own clothes where I wanted to buy them and not where my mom wanted, K-mart, Salvation Army or St. Vincent De Paul. My mom was friends with someone at St Vincent de Paul, so she liked going there. That’s probably why I don’t shop at second hand stores much now, even though I do realize the value of shopping there. But I still hate K-mart.
I got a job at A&W when I was 16. I started out making $2.35/hour. That was really good after reaching the high wages of $1.50/hour babysitting, plus it didn’t have anything to do with kids and by then, I was pretty burnt out with them. I started as a car-hop. I wore a belt with a money changer on it. Every step I took, it jingled. At least we didn’t have to wear skates. I guess that probably would have been fun, but probably a lot messier. I would cook sometimes also and became shift manager which took me to $2.85/hour. My dad knew that I needed a car to get back and forth to work, so one Saturday they went to an auction to get me a car. My dad was always on the frugal side. I told him exactly what I wanted, a Chevy Nova, preferably a 1969. I thought I was very clear on my expectations. Apparently, it wasn’t as clear to him. He drove proudly up to my work that afternoon in my brand new car (at least brand new to me). The pride came from knowing that he had only spent $500 on this well running and very good conditioned car that he obviously knew that I would so appreciate. So when I saw him beaming as he pulled into one of the stalls at A&W with all my friends looking on I couldn’t do anything else but to graciously accept this gift he had given me, a 1975 baby blue full-size station wagon. One good thing, I could put a lot of people in it. The funny thing, well probably not so funny, is that I don’t think I ever filled the car up with people, that is. Is wasn’t like people were clamoring around to ride in it. But it did get me from point A to point B with extreme reliability.
I met Todd Lee Keller about that time frame. I remember a mom and a daughter coming in and asked me who Mary was. There was another Mary, Mary Whipple and I just assumed they meant her, so I pointed her out to them. I found out later that that was Todd’s mom and sister checking me out, slyly, but they got bad info that day. Mary Whipple was very cute. I’m sure they were quite pleased with his choice.
Todd and I started dating for a couple of months. He broke up with me before he went to Greece for a year and a half, but since we were such good friends before we dated, we stayed friends after. We continued to write each other while he was gone. I think my letters brought him some comfort from home and I really liked him too. It didn’t take long for our letters to become more of an intimate nature. It may be an unusual thing to fall in love through letter, but that is what happened for me. I would dream that he would take the missionary lessons while he was there and come home and surprise me that he had been baptized for a year already and that we would get married right away. It didn’t work exactly like that.
While Todd was there I got a job at Fairchild Semi-Conductor. We made computer chips via a wafer that held 100 to 1000 chips. I worked graveyard which allowed me to complete a Computer Operations and Programming course at Bates Voc-Tech School during the days. It was a year long program. When I finished, I was able to get a job at Fairchild working in the Computer Room with a VAX and an IBM. I stayed there for about 3 years then got a job at Boeing doing the same thing; a long drive but it had a lot more potential.
Todd came home from Greece in February 1984. He had started the lessons in Greece. When he returned he finished off the lessons with my dad and Br. Ralph Andrews from the Puyallup 1st Ward. My dad baptized him on April 21st, 1984. We married May 4th 1985 in the Seattle Temple.
I was pregnant by August, good thing Joe didn’t come too much earlier than he did. Joseph Aaron Keller was born to us on April 21, 1986. He was such an adorable little boy. Obedience and good naturedness came natural to him. If I told him once not to do something, then he would not do that thing. The only thing is that he then did not want anyone else to do that thing either. Things needed to be fair. He was a smart boy, but was always humble. He still is to this day. Once he fell out of the 4x4 full size pickup on Canyon Road. He must have landed on the running board, because while Todd was driving, he was able to pull on the taut seat belt to find Joe attached to it. I know he was saved for a reason. I’ve always known in my heart that he would accomplish great things if he could just set his mind to it. That was the only thing, getting his mind set on great things. I’m grateful that his wife, Hailey Hammon is good at keeping him focused on great things. They complement each other perfectly.
Rachael Elizabeth Keller was born 2 years later on July 30th, 1988. Now, I can’t describe Rachael the same as Joe. She definitely was adorable, but the obedient part wasn’t exactly at the same magnitude as his. She was very good natured as long as she was getting her way. She didn’t like to go to bed. She would keep coming out of her room, so I would have to stand at her door and hold the door closed. She would cry herself to sleep in front of the door. When she was completely asleep I would carefully push the door open and Rachael in front of it and put her in bed, every night (unless the babysitter was there, in which case, she would go right to bed!) I often said, if I had Rachael first, she may have been an only child, although she quickly wrapped her father around her finger and easily learned how to get what she wanted from him. I often reminded myself that if her natural stubbornness could be funneled into that which is good, she would never leave that path. I am now grateful for her stubbornness. She married a great man, Zachary Durtschi that knows just how to talk to her. They are alike in just enough ways that they can completely understand and support each other.
Our third baby, Mackenzie Leigh Keller was born September 3rd, 1991. She is the result of a 2 spiritual experiences. Our family was together, just the four of us, and I had an unexplainable feeling that I was missing one of our children. I looked around counted my 2 children, they were both there, but the feeling that one was missing was a little startling. I had the same experience one more time when we were down at the river taking a walk. I realized soon after that was a prompting to have another baby. I’ve never regretted following that prompting. She again was adorable. She didn’t talk much, but we almost always knew what she wanted because of her facial expressions. We thought she would have made a good silent actress. Her finger was also quite useful. She would point at whatever she wanted and she would mostly always get it. She didn’t walk very early because she got the motion of rolling down very well. She would roll clear across the room and fast too. There was no need to walk. Kenzie has rarely done anything just like anyone else, but she does it her own way. She has always been the kindest and most thoughtful of all of us. And her obedience has even surpassed that of Joe.
Eric James Keller was our last and final addition on June 5, 1995. I knew I needed to have one more baby, but Todd was not as convinced. A lot of prayers were said and I know that he came when the Lord wanted him to come. He has been a joy and a frustration; mostly a joy, but a frustration because he is a distractible young man and likes to be in charge. He gets the distracting thing from me. I remember having to do an assignment for school. Instead of just doing it right away, I would wait until the last possible minute and then spend all night working on it. It was always hard for me to begin. But I am determined to teach him better before he graduates from high school. He mostly brings joy to us. He reminds me of young Joseph that was born to Lehi and Sariah in their old age; not that he was born in our old age, but I am older and not easily riled. I can enjoy his unique personality traits much more than when I was younger. He is bright, but humble. He is entertaining and confident. He is strong and wants to be obedient. He will be a good missionary, husband, father, and leader.
I stopped working at Boeing when Mackenzie was 6 months old. I started a daycare and a dumb paper route. Everyone hated that paper route. If I learned nothing else, I really could appreciate that I didn’t have to do that anymore. The daycare was not my favorite things but it helped offset the amount of money that I was no longer bringing in since quitting at Boeing. But everytime Todd got a raise, I would drop a daycare kid. I eventually stopped doing daycare all together. I started a little business of decoration weddings. I called it Celebration Rentals. I sold that business in December, 2010.
Just when I got Eric into school full-time, I decided to start home-schooling Kenzie. My dreams of having nothing to do but be at home and get to do whatever projects I wanted went out the window. But I have to say that I probably learned more than Kenzie during those years of home-schooling.
I have quite of few memories from when I was young:
I remember having to wear pantsuits and dresses to kindergarten. I hated both. The pantsuits because no one else wore them and that was embarrassing to be the only one in polyester with a rib down the pant legs. The dresses because my mom made me wear bobby socks, the short ones that rolled over just above your ankle. I would pull them up as far as I could to make them look like knee-highs, like everyone else wore, at least all of the girls. One pantsuit that I particularly hated I hid in a closet across from my room between 2 mattresses stored in there. When my mom told me to put that on, I told her I couldn’t find it in my room. She was mad for awhile, but the pant suit never was discovered and I never had to wear it again!
I learned how to ride a bike on a Schwin bike with a banana seat. They were ones with a long skinny seat that are definitely more comfortable to ride on. I taught myself how to ride it in the grass at someone’s house. It seemed so hard to make it go forward and to stay balanced. But when I tried it on the pavement, it was the easiest thing ever.
We took vacations every summer, about 2 weeks long. We would go in June so as not to be too hot. My parents did not like the heat and since we were going to Utah or California, the earlier the better. We would go down to see my Grandma in California or the Swallow’s in Orem and my uncle in Vernal, Utah. The Roland Swallow baptized my mom. My parents always stayed in contact with them. They had a slew of kids and it was always fun to stay with them.
My Grandpa, Bernard Augustus Abraham, died when he was 93. I think that may have been the only time I have ever seen my dad cry. I remember going to visit what I remember as being every Sunday. Mostly I remember going to the nursing home on 72nd in Tacoma. We didn’t talk much, I don’t think he could talk very well by then. I do remember going to a small home, maybe an apartment with a longer kitchen. My dad would always get my grandpa for the holidays. He would pick him up at the nursing home, literally, and put him in the car and then carry him into our house. He normally would be in a wheelchair, but I think it was easier to pick him up than to push his wheel chair in our house. At least that is what I remember happening.
I wasn’t really close with my Grandma, Niana (Judy) Stopher Chadoin. She never really seem to like me much. She would come and visit every year, but she never seemed very attached to me. I remember garage sale-ing with my mom and her. My mom and I would go with her sometimes down to California with her. Nothing was too eventful, except for the time I ate a meat sandwich on Wonderbread (the best!) and it tasted funny. I complained to my mom and she told me to just eat it and quit complaining. I said something a few more times, so my mom looked and she found that the wrapper around the edge of the meat (in those days we bought the meat often at a butcher shop) was still on the meat I was eating. She said, Oh and took the wrapper off and gave it back to me. My grandma lived in the rental house my parents had in Ruston for a while. The same house that I first lived in. I stayed at her house one night and must have been sick. So she gave me a alka-seltzer and put it in Orange Juice. It was absolutely disgusting! She gave me a jewelry box with a ballerina that would twirl and play a song when I opened it. That was pretty much I really remember about her. She also liked to tell stories that everyone knew wasn’t true. She didn’t like to be called on it and would actually make the sound of “humpff” and turn her head from everyone. She also hated Carol Burnett, which I loved and it was on at the same time as the news, which she loved. I would turn on the Carol Burnett so she couldn’t watch the news, which I hated and still hate watching, but I don’t mind listening to it on the radio. I’m not sure why being so mean would bring me pleasure, but I do think that when my Grandma would visit was a time that my mom and I would bond a bit more.
My mother’s parents died when I was a young. I don’t have any memory of them. But I do remember one time going to my great-grandmother’s house. My mom was there with me, but I don’t remember any one else. I remember being in a room where there were several dogs, glass ones, porcelain ones, and I think ones that had bobbing heads, but that might be a memory from something else mixed in. I got one of those dogs from my mom that she had gotten from my Grandmother Rozetta May Baker. My mother was named after her.
My mom was a stay-at-home mom. She was always there when I got home from school. She would make lots of treats for us and home-cooked meals almost every night. Sometimes we would get Kentucky Fried Chicken; a bucket. But we always had dessert around. Mom loved to make desserts. She also made bread a lot. I loved bread fresh out of the oven so the butter would melt when you lathered it on and some homemade jam on top. All different kinds, she was always trying something new. My mom died April 26th, 2010. That was hard. I am grateful for my testimony of Jesus Christ and of the Plan of Salvation. I know that I will see her again and that she is happier now. She is pain-free and probably working with the little ones there. That is where her heart has always been.
My dad was a sheet metal welder. He always got home at 5:00. He would sit and watch the news and read the paper for a bit then we would eat dinner about 5:30 every night. Meat, potatoes and a canned vegetable was our normal meal. The meat would vary a bit, but not much. My dad did not like a lot of variance in that. No cheese, not a lot of spice and no weird veges(I didn’t know that I liked pizza, broccoli and cabbage until after I was married) On the Saturday mornings that we weren’t going to cut up wood for the fireplace or going to the rental to work, he would watch cartoons. That was when cartoons were good; Bugs Bunny, Road Runner and the Coyote, Elmer Fudd. He loved the Road Runner. I remember him eating a piece of toast folded over with peanut butter on it. He would eat on the couch in the front room over the coffee table. When something funny would happen, he would cackle and brush his hands together, probably to get all of the crumbs off of them, but I thought it was part of the laughing. I still remember that as if it happened yesterday. When he read the newspaper, he would obviously be concentrating and I would try to talk to him, thinking that he was listening, I would go through a whole spiel and then he would put the paper down and say, “Huh?”. Man, that would make me mad. Or when I would complain about something, he would pet my nose and say, “Poor little thing”. OH, that would get me going!@!
I have had several callings: The first one I remember after I first graduated was a primary teacher, but just for a little bit, I think that was with Candace Yocum. I think I just sat in the class, I don’t remember teaching.
Right after Todd and I were married, we co-taught the Valiant A’s. There were about 10 of them. I would teach the lesson and Todd was the bouncer. We lovingly referred to that class as the Violent A’s.
I was then called as the Young Women’s 1st Counselor and Miamaid advisor. That was hard. I was just 20 years old working with 14 and 15 year-old girls! I did that for about a year or so until we moved into our first house on 103rd and Canyon.
The next calling I can remember after that was the Sunbeam teacher. Joe was 3, so he was in my class. That, too, was hard. I remember Sarah Shiley telling me that she hated me! I went home and cried. I had a Jonathan Thomas, a little autistic boy, in my class. With Sara under a chair and Jonathan wandering in circles moaning, I learned to not take teaching all of the details in a lesson manual so seriously. That was also the time that Todd was not coming to church with me much. I would often come only to teach my class. They called Margaret Spencer to co-teach with me. I learned a lot from her, especially how to have fun with them.
I taught the Valiant A’s or B’s for a year or so, then was moved to the Merrie Miss class. They were the 10 and 11 year-old girls. Todd was also called as the Blazer teacher. We would co-teach once again. We did more activities with them during the week days. That was more fun.
The Beehives were my next group to teach; which were also the same ones I had in the Merrie Miss class.
Bishop Thomas called me as the Activities Chair. That was a lot of work but it was also a lot of fun. I got to know a variety of people and started to learn how the dynamics of a ward worked from attending the Ward Council meetings.
I was called as the Young Women Secretary for about 2 months, then I was called as the Relief Society Homemaking Leader. I enjoyed doing that calling mostly because I learned a lot from all of the other sisters in the ward.
I was then called as the Young Women’s President. Probably the hardest, most time-consuming job that I had, but definitely the most fulfilling calling I had. I spent about 3 years there. When I was released, I remember crying and thinking how sad it would be to not be with the girls, whom I loved very much. I forgot something at home that I needed to pass on to the next president. I left church during Sunday School and was driving home. On my way home, I had one of the most memorable experiences. I felt a physical weight lifted off of my shoulders and I realized that the responsibility of being YW Presidents was no longer mine. The tears dried up and all I felt was relief. A bitter-sweet moment for me.
I was called as the Relief Society Enrichment Leader (New name for the RS Homemaking Leader). I apparently did not get it down the first time and I then had an opportunity to try it again.
I was the 1st Counselor in the Primary with Cris Cole and Lisha Givens, 2nd Counselor and Teri Maher as the Secretary. That was a fun few years!
I got to work with Debi Waddington as her Laurel Advisor. Not very long, but I loved working with Debi.
The next calling was the Ward Activity Chair again! I really enjoyed it again though!
I was called as the Stake Young Women Secretary and got to serve with Desiree Roseborough, Becky Hinckley, and Shelly Matekel. That had to have been the most rewarding calling, because not only was I getting to work with the Young Women, which is where my heart is, but I also got to work with 3 of the most angelic women I have ever met. I don’t think there was one time where I heard them be negative or mean or demeaning or mad. They were such Christ-like examples to me. They all three taught me how to serve the Lord and balance their family life. Definitely my favorite calling for about 3 years.
But then to my joy, when I was released it was because Des was being released, so the whole presidency is released. Des was called as the Ward Relief Society President and she asked for me to be her 2nd Counselor. Stacy Williams was called as the 1st Counselor and Teri Maher was the Secretary, again, what a great presidency to serve in. I was there about 3 years.
I next was called as the Business Specialist for Stake Young Women’s Camp. It’s kind of like the 2nd Counselor or Secretary to the Stake YW Camp Director. Two years of planning camp with now 2 of my favorite people, Suzanne Bergeson and Lisa Devlin.
During that time, they called me as the Sunbeam teacher, so I could do both callings at once.
I started working about then too, at Warmoth Guitar Products, Inc.
We just moved in June 2011 into a beautiful new house, but we had to leave our ward and stake and home of 21 years. We moved to an area called Sunrise, still in Puyallup, but in a different ward and stake. We are now in the Sunrise ward and Graham, WA Stake.
My mother is Rosetta Mary Dickinson and my father is William Edward Abraham. My oldest brother was Terry Edward Abraham, born Nov 16, 1954, second oldest is William Edward Abraham, Jr. I went to Spinning Elementary from Kindergarten to 6th grade. My favorite teacher was Mrs. Martin, my first grade teacher. I remember her not really being overly nice, but I realized that I could learn things in that grade with her and I have always wanted to know things since. I went to Kalles Junior High 7th to 9th grades and Puyallup High School 10th to 12th. I graduated in 1983.
I babysat a lot when I turned 12. My first job paid $.50/hour and when some families paid me $.75/hour, I thought I was making bank! I think I did a pretty good job babysitting, always going the extra mile cleaning up and such. That probably was why I got asked a lot. During the summers I would pick berries; first raspberries in July, then blueberries in August. I was motivated to make as much money as possible because then I could buy my own clothes where I wanted to buy them and not where my mom wanted, K-mart, Salvation Army or St. Vincent De Paul. My mom was friends with someone at St Vincent de Paul, so she liked going there. That’s probably why I don’t shop at second hand stores much now, even though I do realize the value of shopping there. But I still hate K-mart.
I got a job at A&W when I was 16. I started out making $2.35/hour. That was really good after reaching the high wages of $1.50/hour babysitting, plus it didn’t have anything to do with kids and by then, I was pretty burnt out with them. I started as a car-hop. I wore a belt with a money changer on it. Every step I took, it jingled. At least we didn’t have to wear skates. I guess that probably would have been fun, but probably a lot messier. I would cook sometimes also and became shift manager which took me to $2.85/hour. My dad knew that I needed a car to get back and forth to work, so one Saturday they went to an auction to get me a car. My dad was always on the frugal side. I told him exactly what I wanted, a Chevy Nova, preferably a 1969. I thought I was very clear on my expectations. Apparently, it wasn’t as clear to him. He drove proudly up to my work that afternoon in my brand new car (at least brand new to me). The pride came from knowing that he had only spent $500 on this well running and very good conditioned car that he obviously knew that I would so appreciate. So when I saw him beaming as he pulled into one of the stalls at A&W with all my friends looking on I couldn’t do anything else but to graciously accept this gift he had given me, a 1975 baby blue full-size station wagon. One good thing, I could put a lot of people in it. The funny thing, well probably not so funny, is that I don’t think I ever filled the car up with people, that is. Is wasn’t like people were clamoring around to ride in it. But it did get me from point A to point B with extreme reliability.
I met Todd Lee Keller about that time frame. I remember a mom and a daughter coming in and asked me who Mary was. There was another Mary, Mary Whipple and I just assumed they meant her, so I pointed her out to them. I found out later that that was Todd’s mom and sister checking me out, slyly, but they got bad info that day. Mary Whipple was very cute. I’m sure they were quite pleased with his choice.
Todd and I started dating for a couple of months. He broke up with me before he went to Greece for a year and a half, but since we were such good friends before we dated, we stayed friends after. We continued to write each other while he was gone. I think my letters brought him some comfort from home and I really liked him too. It didn’t take long for our letters to become more of an intimate nature. It may be an unusual thing to fall in love through letter, but that is what happened for me. I would dream that he would take the missionary lessons while he was there and come home and surprise me that he had been baptized for a year already and that we would get married right away. It didn’t work exactly like that.
While Todd was there I got a job at Fairchild Semi-Conductor. We made computer chips via a wafer that held 100 to 1000 chips. I worked graveyard which allowed me to complete a Computer Operations and Programming course at Bates Voc-Tech School during the days. It was a year long program. When I finished, I was able to get a job at Fairchild working in the Computer Room with a VAX and an IBM. I stayed there for about 3 years then got a job at Boeing doing the same thing; a long drive but it had a lot more potential.
Todd came home from Greece in February 1984. He had started the lessons in Greece. When he returned he finished off the lessons with my dad and Br. Ralph Andrews from the Puyallup 1st Ward. My dad baptized him on April 21st, 1984. We married May 4th 1985 in the Seattle Temple.
I was pregnant by August, good thing Joe didn’t come too much earlier than he did. Joseph Aaron Keller was born to us on April 21, 1986. He was such an adorable little boy. Obedience and good naturedness came natural to him. If I told him once not to do something, then he would not do that thing. The only thing is that he then did not want anyone else to do that thing either. Things needed to be fair. He was a smart boy, but was always humble. He still is to this day. Once he fell out of the 4x4 full size pickup on Canyon Road. He must have landed on the running board, because while Todd was driving, he was able to pull on the taut seat belt to find Joe attached to it. I know he was saved for a reason. I’ve always known in my heart that he would accomplish great things if he could just set his mind to it. That was the only thing, getting his mind set on great things. I’m grateful that his wife, Hailey Hammon is good at keeping him focused on great things. They complement each other perfectly.
Rachael Elizabeth Keller was born 2 years later on July 30th, 1988. Now, I can’t describe Rachael the same as Joe. She definitely was adorable, but the obedient part wasn’t exactly at the same magnitude as his. She was very good natured as long as she was getting her way. She didn’t like to go to bed. She would keep coming out of her room, so I would have to stand at her door and hold the door closed. She would cry herself to sleep in front of the door. When she was completely asleep I would carefully push the door open and Rachael in front of it and put her in bed, every night (unless the babysitter was there, in which case, she would go right to bed!) I often said, if I had Rachael first, she may have been an only child, although she quickly wrapped her father around her finger and easily learned how to get what she wanted from him. I often reminded myself that if her natural stubbornness could be funneled into that which is good, she would never leave that path. I am now grateful for her stubbornness. She married a great man, Zachary Durtschi that knows just how to talk to her. They are alike in just enough ways that they can completely understand and support each other.
Our third baby, Mackenzie Leigh Keller was born September 3rd, 1991. She is the result of a 2 spiritual experiences. Our family was together, just the four of us, and I had an unexplainable feeling that I was missing one of our children. I looked around counted my 2 children, they were both there, but the feeling that one was missing was a little startling. I had the same experience one more time when we were down at the river taking a walk. I realized soon after that was a prompting to have another baby. I’ve never regretted following that prompting. She again was adorable. She didn’t talk much, but we almost always knew what she wanted because of her facial expressions. We thought she would have made a good silent actress. Her finger was also quite useful. She would point at whatever she wanted and she would mostly always get it. She didn’t walk very early because she got the motion of rolling down very well. She would roll clear across the room and fast too. There was no need to walk. Kenzie has rarely done anything just like anyone else, but she does it her own way. She has always been the kindest and most thoughtful of all of us. And her obedience has even surpassed that of Joe.
Eric James Keller was our last and final addition on June 5, 1995. I knew I needed to have one more baby, but Todd was not as convinced. A lot of prayers were said and I know that he came when the Lord wanted him to come. He has been a joy and a frustration; mostly a joy, but a frustration because he is a distractible young man and likes to be in charge. He gets the distracting thing from me. I remember having to do an assignment for school. Instead of just doing it right away, I would wait until the last possible minute and then spend all night working on it. It was always hard for me to begin. But I am determined to teach him better before he graduates from high school. He mostly brings joy to us. He reminds me of young Joseph that was born to Lehi and Sariah in their old age; not that he was born in our old age, but I am older and not easily riled. I can enjoy his unique personality traits much more than when I was younger. He is bright, but humble. He is entertaining and confident. He is strong and wants to be obedient. He will be a good missionary, husband, father, and leader.
I stopped working at Boeing when Mackenzie was 6 months old. I started a daycare and a dumb paper route. Everyone hated that paper route. If I learned nothing else, I really could appreciate that I didn’t have to do that anymore. The daycare was not my favorite things but it helped offset the amount of money that I was no longer bringing in since quitting at Boeing. But everytime Todd got a raise, I would drop a daycare kid. I eventually stopped doing daycare all together. I started a little business of decoration weddings. I called it Celebration Rentals. I sold that business in December, 2010.
Just when I got Eric into school full-time, I decided to start home-schooling Kenzie. My dreams of having nothing to do but be at home and get to do whatever projects I wanted went out the window. But I have to say that I probably learned more than Kenzie during those years of home-schooling.
I have quite of few memories from when I was young:
I remember having to wear pantsuits and dresses to kindergarten. I hated both. The pantsuits because no one else wore them and that was embarrassing to be the only one in polyester with a rib down the pant legs. The dresses because my mom made me wear bobby socks, the short ones that rolled over just above your ankle. I would pull them up as far as I could to make them look like knee-highs, like everyone else wore, at least all of the girls. One pantsuit that I particularly hated I hid in a closet across from my room between 2 mattresses stored in there. When my mom told me to put that on, I told her I couldn’t find it in my room. She was mad for awhile, but the pant suit never was discovered and I never had to wear it again!
I learned how to ride a bike on a Schwin bike with a banana seat. They were ones with a long skinny seat that are definitely more comfortable to ride on. I taught myself how to ride it in the grass at someone’s house. It seemed so hard to make it go forward and to stay balanced. But when I tried it on the pavement, it was the easiest thing ever.
We took vacations every summer, about 2 weeks long. We would go in June so as not to be too hot. My parents did not like the heat and since we were going to Utah or California, the earlier the better. We would go down to see my Grandma in California or the Swallow’s in Orem and my uncle in Vernal, Utah. The Roland Swallow baptized my mom. My parents always stayed in contact with them. They had a slew of kids and it was always fun to stay with them.
My Grandpa, Bernard Augustus Abraham, died when he was 93. I think that may have been the only time I have ever seen my dad cry. I remember going to visit what I remember as being every Sunday. Mostly I remember going to the nursing home on 72nd in Tacoma. We didn’t talk much, I don’t think he could talk very well by then. I do remember going to a small home, maybe an apartment with a longer kitchen. My dad would always get my grandpa for the holidays. He would pick him up at the nursing home, literally, and put him in the car and then carry him into our house. He normally would be in a wheelchair, but I think it was easier to pick him up than to push his wheel chair in our house. At least that is what I remember happening.
I wasn’t really close with my Grandma, Niana (Judy) Stopher Chadoin. She never really seem to like me much. She would come and visit every year, but she never seemed very attached to me. I remember garage sale-ing with my mom and her. My mom and I would go with her sometimes down to California with her. Nothing was too eventful, except for the time I ate a meat sandwich on Wonderbread (the best!) and it tasted funny. I complained to my mom and she told me to just eat it and quit complaining. I said something a few more times, so my mom looked and she found that the wrapper around the edge of the meat (in those days we bought the meat often at a butcher shop) was still on the meat I was eating. She said, Oh and took the wrapper off and gave it back to me. My grandma lived in the rental house my parents had in Ruston for a while. The same house that I first lived in. I stayed at her house one night and must have been sick. So she gave me a alka-seltzer and put it in Orange Juice. It was absolutely disgusting! She gave me a jewelry box with a ballerina that would twirl and play a song when I opened it. That was pretty much I really remember about her. She also liked to tell stories that everyone knew wasn’t true. She didn’t like to be called on it and would actually make the sound of “humpff” and turn her head from everyone. She also hated Carol Burnett, which I loved and it was on at the same time as the news, which she loved. I would turn on the Carol Burnett so she couldn’t watch the news, which I hated and still hate watching, but I don’t mind listening to it on the radio. I’m not sure why being so mean would bring me pleasure, but I do think that when my Grandma would visit was a time that my mom and I would bond a bit more.
My mother’s parents died when I was a young. I don’t have any memory of them. But I do remember one time going to my great-grandmother’s house. My mom was there with me, but I don’t remember any one else. I remember being in a room where there were several dogs, glass ones, porcelain ones, and I think ones that had bobbing heads, but that might be a memory from something else mixed in. I got one of those dogs from my mom that she had gotten from my Grandmother Rozetta May Baker. My mother was named after her.
My mom was a stay-at-home mom. She was always there when I got home from school. She would make lots of treats for us and home-cooked meals almost every night. Sometimes we would get Kentucky Fried Chicken; a bucket. But we always had dessert around. Mom loved to make desserts. She also made bread a lot. I loved bread fresh out of the oven so the butter would melt when you lathered it on and some homemade jam on top. All different kinds, she was always trying something new. My mom died April 26th, 2010. That was hard. I am grateful for my testimony of Jesus Christ and of the Plan of Salvation. I know that I will see her again and that she is happier now. She is pain-free and probably working with the little ones there. That is where her heart has always been.
My dad was a sheet metal welder. He always got home at 5:00. He would sit and watch the news and read the paper for a bit then we would eat dinner about 5:30 every night. Meat, potatoes and a canned vegetable was our normal meal. The meat would vary a bit, but not much. My dad did not like a lot of variance in that. No cheese, not a lot of spice and no weird veges(I didn’t know that I liked pizza, broccoli and cabbage until after I was married) On the Saturday mornings that we weren’t going to cut up wood for the fireplace or going to the rental to work, he would watch cartoons. That was when cartoons were good; Bugs Bunny, Road Runner and the Coyote, Elmer Fudd. He loved the Road Runner. I remember him eating a piece of toast folded over with peanut butter on it. He would eat on the couch in the front room over the coffee table. When something funny would happen, he would cackle and brush his hands together, probably to get all of the crumbs off of them, but I thought it was part of the laughing. I still remember that as if it happened yesterday. When he read the newspaper, he would obviously be concentrating and I would try to talk to him, thinking that he was listening, I would go through a whole spiel and then he would put the paper down and say, “Huh?”. Man, that would make me mad. Or when I would complain about something, he would pet my nose and say, “Poor little thing”. OH, that would get me going!@!
I have had several callings: The first one I remember after I first graduated was a primary teacher, but just for a little bit, I think that was with Candace Yocum. I think I just sat in the class, I don’t remember teaching.
Right after Todd and I were married, we co-taught the Valiant A’s. There were about 10 of them. I would teach the lesson and Todd was the bouncer. We lovingly referred to that class as the Violent A’s.
I was then called as the Young Women’s 1st Counselor and Miamaid advisor. That was hard. I was just 20 years old working with 14 and 15 year-old girls! I did that for about a year or so until we moved into our first house on 103rd and Canyon.
The next calling I can remember after that was the Sunbeam teacher. Joe was 3, so he was in my class. That, too, was hard. I remember Sarah Shiley telling me that she hated me! I went home and cried. I had a Jonathan Thomas, a little autistic boy, in my class. With Sara under a chair and Jonathan wandering in circles moaning, I learned to not take teaching all of the details in a lesson manual so seriously. That was also the time that Todd was not coming to church with me much. I would often come only to teach my class. They called Margaret Spencer to co-teach with me. I learned a lot from her, especially how to have fun with them.
I taught the Valiant A’s or B’s for a year or so, then was moved to the Merrie Miss class. They were the 10 and 11 year-old girls. Todd was also called as the Blazer teacher. We would co-teach once again. We did more activities with them during the week days. That was more fun.
The Beehives were my next group to teach; which were also the same ones I had in the Merrie Miss class.
Bishop Thomas called me as the Activities Chair. That was a lot of work but it was also a lot of fun. I got to know a variety of people and started to learn how the dynamics of a ward worked from attending the Ward Council meetings.
I was called as the Young Women Secretary for about 2 months, then I was called as the Relief Society Homemaking Leader. I enjoyed doing that calling mostly because I learned a lot from all of the other sisters in the ward.
I was then called as the Young Women’s President. Probably the hardest, most time-consuming job that I had, but definitely the most fulfilling calling I had. I spent about 3 years there. When I was released, I remember crying and thinking how sad it would be to not be with the girls, whom I loved very much. I forgot something at home that I needed to pass on to the next president. I left church during Sunday School and was driving home. On my way home, I had one of the most memorable experiences. I felt a physical weight lifted off of my shoulders and I realized that the responsibility of being YW Presidents was no longer mine. The tears dried up and all I felt was relief. A bitter-sweet moment for me.
I was called as the Relief Society Enrichment Leader (New name for the RS Homemaking Leader). I apparently did not get it down the first time and I then had an opportunity to try it again.
I was the 1st Counselor in the Primary with Cris Cole and Lisha Givens, 2nd Counselor and Teri Maher as the Secretary. That was a fun few years!
I got to work with Debi Waddington as her Laurel Advisor. Not very long, but I loved working with Debi.
The next calling was the Ward Activity Chair again! I really enjoyed it again though!
I was called as the Stake Young Women Secretary and got to serve with Desiree Roseborough, Becky Hinckley, and Shelly Matekel. That had to have been the most rewarding calling, because not only was I getting to work with the Young Women, which is where my heart is, but I also got to work with 3 of the most angelic women I have ever met. I don’t think there was one time where I heard them be negative or mean or demeaning or mad. They were such Christ-like examples to me. They all three taught me how to serve the Lord and balance their family life. Definitely my favorite calling for about 3 years.
But then to my joy, when I was released it was because Des was being released, so the whole presidency is released. Des was called as the Ward Relief Society President and she asked for me to be her 2nd Counselor. Stacy Williams was called as the 1st Counselor and Teri Maher was the Secretary, again, what a great presidency to serve in. I was there about 3 years.
I next was called as the Business Specialist for Stake Young Women’s Camp. It’s kind of like the 2nd Counselor or Secretary to the Stake YW Camp Director. Two years of planning camp with now 2 of my favorite people, Suzanne Bergeson and Lisa Devlin.
During that time, they called me as the Sunbeam teacher, so I could do both callings at once.
I started working about then too, at Warmoth Guitar Products, Inc.
We just moved in June 2011 into a beautiful new house, but we had to leave our ward and stake and home of 21 years. We moved to an area called Sunrise, still in Puyallup, but in a different ward and stake. We are now in the Sunrise ward and Graham, WA Stake.