80--CONTINUED--28--LIFE GOES ON

I decided to write these posts so my family would know something about our lives, but decided that there was not much interest in what I had to say, but it is also for my own history and I plan to print it out and keep a record of the things that I remember.

There was a small place where the Alamosa library sent books to Manassa, as a lending library. I was asked to be in charge of it and I was at that place (it was an old building next door to the Conejos County Gas and Oil), one day a week checking out books. The county decided to build a library near LaJara. I was ask to be on the board of directors. We planned and worked on the plans for a year or two. When the time came to get books and make a library out of the nice building, I was asked to be a paid employer and to resign as a member of the board of directors. I went to Alamosa to prepare books that were given to us from their library, as they didn't need the books that had been used to loan to Manassa. I worked there for some time to prepare the books with the name of our library and to take our the Alamosa stamp, and to be taught all they could teach me about running a library. I also helped to get new books to fill the shelves. When the Library was prepared, I went to work there.

Marie DeHerrera was hired as the librarian and Vangie as an assistant. I helped Marie to learn how to be a librarian, as they had taught me. She had a degree and had not been trained to do a library. I loved my work there. It is a nice library and is well used.

I worked there for 6 years. When Arlo had surgery in Denver, I spent all of the time that he was there with him.. Larue and Harold lived in Colorado at that time and I stayed with them and rode a bus back and forth to the hospital. I worked when we were home again, and while we were waiting for him to be able to go on our mission. When we got our mission call, I was replaced and didn't work again until we returned from our mission. When I returned, I went back to work again. I was working and came home on December 7th. The house was dark and I was anxious, because Arlo was always home and had lights on. I found him in his chair. He had died. There are times when life takes a sudden change. My eternal companion and dear husband went on ahead of me.

I stayed on at the library for a year and was glad to have the work. At the end of the year, I moved to Mesa. My library days were past. That time was a special time of my life. I had spent 7 years helping to establish and run the Conejos County Library,

80--CONTINUED--27--MY LIFE CHANGED

When Arlo and I returned home from our mission, it was good to get home. Our family had redone the outside of our house and it looked so nice. We were pleased. We were assigned to talk in all of the wards in our stake. I learned things about Arlo that I had never heard before. He loved our mission and it was good for both of us.

Gordon Dean was living in our house when we got home. It was good to have him there while we were gone and it was good for him to have a place to stay. We had been home a short time,(the end of October) when he died. That was a sad thing for all of us. We loved him so.

I went back to work at the library. Arlo spent some time over at the old garage. He had a wood working machine, that he enjoyed. We went to the cabin and spent some time. It was a quiet time for us. On the 7th of December, I came home from work and found him dead in his chair. My life changed.

I was glad to have my job. It was such a change for me. I didn't sleep much. Sometimes I would read all night and get up and go to work. I raised a garden that year, too. I got myself very busy. I was on the cemetrary board for a number of years and still was. I was president of Hospital Auxiliary, I was on a genealogy board at the Alamosa Library. I was on a board of directors for a building that was to house older people. I was gone before they finished it. I was the County Republican Woman. I didn't give myself any time for thinking.

Elma and Hazel were on their mission and I felt so very alone. I was glad when Larry and Jeanette came to spend the summer with me. I look back and realize that I was not a very good hostess for them. I loved having them there and I enjoyed the children. Larry built new cupboards in the kitchen for me. I hated leaving them behind when I left. They were so nice. My home was nicer than it had ever been.

Don and Gloria were there for me too. They were so considerate of me. When I moved to Mesa my life changed. I missed my children and the family in Colorado, but I loved working in the temple. I bought the honda from my boss at the library, so I was able to go home at least once a year. If there were special things going on I went more often than that. I still enjoy going back to Colorado.

Sometimes the hard things in life help us to grow in a way that we would not otherwise. I love my life and my family. The Lord has been good to me.