Earthquake

On March 18, Utah experienced an earthquake. The epicenter was just outside Magna, Utah. It was a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hitting at 7:09. I had been having a weird dream that woke me up right before it hit. The next thing I knew, my bed was shaking, the mirrors were hitting against the wall, and then it was over. It was over before my brain could comprehend that I had just experienced an earthquake. Dad and John text me and had me go check on the dogs. I think it's safe to say they slept through it. There wasn't any barking and not one of them even woke up when I went to check on them. There have been several aftershocks since the initial quake. The only other one I felt was that same afternoon. I wish the best of luck to those having to repair homes and lives after this. My prayers are with you.

Grandma Gardner

Georgia Humphrey Gardner, our loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2020 at her home.

Georgia was the third of four children born to Ray Bailey and Cristy Rosalyn Poulsen Humphrey. She was born on George Washington’s birthday (or as her father always said, George Birthington’s wash day), February 22, 1927, thus the name Georgia. She married Van Johnson Gardner on October 3, 1946 in the Salt Lake Temple. Georgia was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She and Van served a full-time mission to the South Dakota Rapid City Mission from 1993 to 1994 and were ordinance workers in the Manti Temple. She also served in many other Ward and Stake callings.

Georgia was a member of the Buckhorn Promenaders Square Dance Cub with her husband, Van. She also belonged to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and the American Legion Auxiliary.

Survivors: Lyndon and Shauna Lee Gardner, Castle Dale; Joyce and Victor Staley, Orangeville; Earl and John Landreth Gardner, Ogden; Beth Gardner, Altamont; Darrell (deceased) and Natalie and Jay Mark Humphrey; 15 Grandchildren; 14 Great Grandchildren and 1 Great-Great Grandchild; and her Gardner in-laws that aren’t in-laws at all!

Preceded in death by her husband, Van; daughter, Kathryn; son, Darrell; her parents; three sisters and 1 grandchild.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday March 10, 2020 at 12 noon at the Orangeville LDS Church 45 West 100 South in Orangeville. A viewing will be held at the Church Monday evening from 6-8 and 1 hour prior to service. Interment, Orangeville City Cemetery.

The family wants to thank everyone who has helped take care of grandma during this precious time and a very special thank you to her granddaughter, Cristene, who was there for grandma when she needed her. As a family, we wish to also thank mom’s Symbii family; especially Doctor Cameron Williams, Sandy Jensen, RN and Mandy Bennett, CNA with a very special thank you to her hospice angel, Shauna Colonna. They all went above and beyond in her care and in everything they did for mom. We also want to thank her many family and friends that took time out of their busy lives to visit with her, show kindness and compassion to mom.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and share memories of Georgia at www.fausettmortuary.com.

My Blessing 1993

 Grandma Gardner is an incredible example of enduring to the end and finding joy in the journey. I have been lucky to call her my Grandma. I thought I would share a few memories I have of her.

Grandma always supported my young wants. I remember being at her house as a child and my cousin D'Lee and I would put on shows. She would always come and watch our performance and encourage us to keep putting on the shows, even if they were painful to watch.

D'Lee and I would also wake up early in the mornings to make breakfast for everyone. It was usually pancakes. Even if they tasted bad (which I don't recall happening too often), Grandma was would eat them and tell us how wonderful they were.

She was great at diffusing cousin fighting/disagreements. D'Lee and I would get into an argument and I remember both of us would sit on Grandma's lap and she would help us to calm down and make-up.

Who can forget the best slushy cups and the sugar cookies. I remember one of the first things I would do as I got to Grandma and Grandpa's house is to go into the kitchen and help myself to a cookie or two. I would also go to the freezer and grab a slushy cup and find juice, punch, sometimes soda and pour it into the slushy cup and wait for it to freeze. It took much scraping for it finish freezing.

As I got older, she continued to support me. She and Grandpa would come to my performances and graduations in Elementary, High School, and College. At the end of each performance she came to, she would greet me with open arms, give me a hug and tell me how proud she was of me.

She loved hearing me play the piano and often would request that I play the piano while visiting, which I loved doing. Music has been a big part of my life. I'm grateful for the chance I had to share my talents with her.

After Grandpa passed away, I had the opportunity to visit with Grandma once a week after my piano lessons for about a year. She often would ask how she was going to go on. Although I didn't have answers for her, I would cry with her and just be there to support her.

One of my favorite Christmas Eve's is the Christmas Eve of 2013. We had Christmas in Price that year, due to Mom's house in Altamont being remodeled. We invited Grandma, since it was the first Christmas without Grandpa, and my cousin Rachel to have Christmas with us. We had fondue for dinner and then we played our movie exchange game. Grandma got the movie Beaches with clues a bucket of sand and a toy microphone. She held up her microphone and gave us a quick, only a few seconds of a performance.

One of the last memories I have of Grandma is from November. Meg had gone down to help out/watch Grandma for about a week. I went down for a few of those days, to help support in any way I could. It was the last night and Meg and I were getting ready to put Grandma to bed. She was convinced that my cousins were still at the house. She kept yelling into the back room for them to come. She would ask why they weren't coming. Earlier my cousins had come, but they had all left and gone to their own homes. Finally Meg and I told Grandma they had already fallen asleep and we shouldn't wake them because they would be upset. Grandma said okay and she decided we need to say a prayer. I was nominated to say the prayer. I said a quick little prayer. After the prayer we stood Grandma up to go to the restroom before putting her into her bed. At once Grandma said, "Well I'm not kneeling!" Meg and I just looked at each other and Meg said, "Well I'm not either." In my mind I was thinking, "We wouldn't make you kneel to go to the bathroom Grandma..." Grandma was like, "Oh..." She then bowed her head and said, "Dear Heavenly Father..." Meg's and my response in our heads were, "Oh, we're praying." We folded our arms and listened to Grandma's prayer. It was a very heartfelt, Grandma kind of prayer. I'm going to miss hearing my grandam's prayers, even if at times they seemed long.

Grandma was a woman of faith. She taught me to trust in Christ and God, to say my prayers, both personal and family prayers, read my scriptures, and to find joy in the journey.

Thanks for all the lessons and memories Grandma! May you have a wonderful reunion in heaven with Grandpa, Uncle Darrell, Aunt Kathryn, your sisters and parents, and other family and friends!

Top Photo: Grandma and Grandpa at my Junior Prom March 2010
Bottom Left: USU Eastern Graduation April 2012
Bottom Right: Christmas Eve 2013

Ogden Temple

Today March 4th I went to Ogden Temple and participated in sealing's for the first time. It was an interesting experience. The group I was with did them for about 1 hour. I was able to be a witness for some of them. The sealer told me a story about doing a sealing he did once. The girl was pregnant and she fainted from kneeling too long and lack of blood circulation. She came too and said she was fine and to keep doing. The sealer told her to wiggle her feet back and forth fast. He said he got distracted often and would have to start over. He said he didn't get distracted anymore and that I could wiggle my feet as much as I needed. 

I won't get into the details of why I went to the temple, but I was looking for some peace from some things going on. After a blessing from Rob Gordon, Becca suggested I come to the temple. I took her up on that and even though I don't have the answers for everything, I know it will all work out. I did find some peace there. 

"I know your lives are busy. I know that you have much to do. But I make you a promise that if you will go to the house of the Lord, you will be blessed; life will be better for you."

—Gordon B. Hinckley

Recreation Therapy Conference

Conference was held at the Davis County Conference Center March 2-3. It was a great conference. It helped me remember why I chose to become a recreation therapist in the first place. Work has been a bit stressful recently and I have questioned myself and decision to become a recreation therapist. It was a nice reminder.

I thought it would be fun to share some of the things I learned at conference:

• ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) can also stand for Anxiety, Stress and Depression. Many with Autism experience those feelings often.
• A group doesn't have to have processing to be considered an effective group.
• Group therapy isn't for the group. It's for the individuals in the group.
• There are no norms in processing.
• When we practice mindfulness we need to not judge what we are feeling.
• We all have 6 needs
• Certainty: Assurance you can avoid pain and gain comfort
• Uncertainty: A state of being unpredictable
• Significance: Receiving recognition or to be noticed
• Connection/Love: Fostering relationship with family, friends, significant others, and a higher power
• Growth: The act of intentional (I didn't get the rest of the definition)
• Contribution: Sharing your skills
• The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
• How do I not take others trauma and place it on myself?
• Ask, "Is this working for me?"
• Choosing our focus
• Where am I putting my focus?
• What is my plan B?
• Building Compassion and Community
• Finding/creating a microculture
• Practicing compassion for myself and others
• What can I do for large-scale systematic change?
• Finding Balance
• Engaging with our lives outside of work
• Moving energy through
• Practice Gratitude
• Daily Practice of Centering Self
• Create an Intention for the Day
• Meditation, Prayer, Etc. 
• IDEAL Response
• Immediate, Direct, Efficient, Action-Based, and Leveled at the Behavior
• Suicide Prevention
• We need to focus on culture, systems, and public health.
• SAVE
• Signs, Ask, Validate, Encourage
• Things to Consider When Talking
• Remain Calm
• Listen More than you speak
• Eye Contact
• Act with Confidence
• Don't Argue
• Apps
• Virtual Hope Box
• My3
• SAMHSA Suicide Safe
• Objective Zero
• SafeUT
• Trauma Responses
• Overwhelmed
• Inability to cope
• Current situation is experienced as a threat
• Disassociate
• Inadequate
• Podcasts can be used as an intervention
• Podcast Platforms
• Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Listen Notes, Pocket Casts, Overcasts
• Why do we go back to unsafe behaviors?
• That is where we feel safe.
• It is what we know.
• 4 Principles for Safety and Connection
• Safety: The ability to open and be vulnerable without risk
• Connection: Improves physical health and psychological well-being
• Community: It takes a village
• Purpose: We all have an individual power to make a difference
• What's Your Why?

First Break-Out session. I'm third row up in the grey sweater.

Cohort and Professor
Front to Back/Left to Right: Paige Lopez, Dr. Z (Ramon Zabriskie), Dani Chapdelaine, Karen Clark, Me (Cassy Gardner),
and Shaile Taylor

One of several items for interventions I bought at the conference at a discounted price. 

Meg's Birthday

Happy Birthday Meg! I hope that this upcoming year is a good one for you!

We celebrated Meg's birthday a week late when we could all get together. I went home on the 28 first to my eye appointment (which went well and my eyes haven't changed. First time that's happened!). Then I stopped by the quilt shop (Miss Annie's Quilt Shoppe) where Mom was working that day. When I got there Charla was there too. I got to visit with her for a few minutes before she had to take off. Meg also stopped by later.

After that I went home and made Evil Chicken Dinner. I have been craving that for several weeks now. Carol stayed for dinner. We all just visited and I played the piano. It was a nice evening.

The next day mom had a funeral. She had joked to the Rudy and Julia Monsen (Home ward bishop and wife/neighbors) that I would play the organ for the funeral. I declined that invitation from Mom and let her play. I did make the salad we took for the dinner. On a side note, Julia asked me at church the next day why I didn't play. I told her I told Mom that she can't sign me up for things without me knowing about it ahead of time.

That evening we all came together for a dinner of homemade Cafe Rio and chocolate cheesecake. Meg opened her gifts and she got photography items and quilting items. We had lots of laughs and a great time with each other.

The next day I was able to attend my home ward. It was nice to be home. I was able to visit with Kent and Gwen Remington, see but not  really talk to Mindy and Greg Remington and their kids (they were visiting the ward), Olie Olsen, and Jackie Tucker. I said hello to several others.

My favorite part of testimony meeting is when Gavin Remington shared his testimony. He said something along the lines of, "Hi, my family use to live here. One day my mom and dad told us we were moving. That night I said a prayer and asked if it was a good thing that Dad got this new job. I got the answer yes, it is a good thing and good job." He said one more thing, but I can't remember it. It was sweet and I can't believe how much he has grown.

All too soon it was time to come back to Ogden. I have a Rec Therapy Conference the next two days. I hope it's a good one!

RT Month

February is National Recreation Therapy month. So in honor of that I thought I would share some photos that share what Recreation Therapy is and some products of my interventions. 

Photo Curtesy of URTA and Myself

Distress Tolerance Skill ACCEPTS
Activity/Leisure Education

Mindfulness Word Cloud

A-Z Coping Skills

Petersen Homecoming

They are back in U.S. Welcome Home!

I was able to attend the Petersen Homecoming on Sunday Feb. 16. It was so good to see them. A few days before I got a text from the Hatfield's asking if I was still in the Provo area, and if so they were going to offer me a ride. Very sweet of them! I told them I was not, but I would see them later that day. 

On Sunday I drove to South Weber and originally I was going to sit with the Hatfield's. I couldn't find them before the meeting started. I sat in the back and just listened to the Petersen's. It sounds like this mission was a wonderful experience for them. They were able to draw closer to our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and each other. 

We stand for Sunday School and I sat with Debbie Hatfield through it. It was an interesting lesson. Too bad I'm writing this after it happened, because I don't remember everything discussed. 

After the meetings we went over their house. It was an adventure getting there. I didn't get directions or an address because when they said it was going to be at their house, I thought they meant their old house. Nope, it was at their daughter Kim's house, which the Petersen's are staying in her basement for now. I went to the old house and luckily another daughter Dani (I think that's her name), came to grab some food and I was able to follow her to new house. 

It was a lovely afternoon spent catching up with some amazing people!