Anna Mary Robertson Moses Quotes

Her boys were growing up, too. William would start nursery school in January of 1987 at four and a half. The most exciting part for William was the uniform, "which he is thrilled to bits about, especially as Harry is very envious of his big brother!" The next year would find Diana and Charles in Portugal, Spain, and Germany. "It never stops and it's certainly no holiday package tour!" How true. I'd seen that for myself in Washington.
I had been thrilled to catch a television documentary on the royal couple and had said so in my letter. Diana wrote, "An awful lot of money was raised for very worthy causes so that made the intrusion much more worthwhile!" This comment exemplified the conflict Diana faced between her desire for privacy and her desire to do good. ~ Mary Robertson

The cheerful trumpet strains of Purcell's "Prince of Denmark March" sang out as Prince Charles, flanked by Princes Andrew and Edward, strode confidently up the aisle, smiling and nodding to his friends in the congregation. He seemed very much at ease as he took his place to await his bride.
Then . . . we heard the trumpet fanfare that heralded Diana's entrance. We could not see her arrival from our seats to the side. Very clearly, though, we could hear the murmurs and gasps of approval inside the church along with the cheers and applause outside, as the entire world first glimpsed the bride in her fairy-tale dress.
Diana looked an absolute vision in her cloud of tulle, taffeta, and lace, with the Spencer diamond tiara sparkling above her veil. Lovely, innocent, and demure, she more than met her subjects' expectations that glorious morning.
Holding her father's arm, Diana progressed slowly and beautifully up the aisle to the rustle of silk and the scrutiny of the congregation. I recognized the processional march as Jeremiah Clarke's "Trumpet Voluntary" from my own wedding. She appeared outwardly composed, almost deadly calm, with an endearing tentative quality to her smile. I felt certain she was trembling inside. I was quaking in sympathy for her.
It may have been simply the effect of the artificial light, but I thought Diana looked rather pale and tense under her veil. Even Pat noticed. He turned to me and whispered, "She looks as nervous as you did, almo ~ Mary Robertson

When we arrived in England, we could almost feel the excitement in the air. Banners, pictures, and other decorations hung everywhere, and the streets were packed with people waiting to celebrate the wedding of the century. The formal party in honor of the royal match was held on the evening of Monday, July 27--two nights before the wedding. That day I felt nervous with anticipation as I lunched with a friend and went to the hairdresser. Pat met Exxon colleagues for lunch near their office in Mayfair. As he described our plans for the upcoming ball and wedding, Pat began to feel totally overwhelmed by the importance and glamour of these royal events. So my darling husband excused himself, walked over to Green Park just across from the palace, and simply collapsed with nervous strain to nap on a quiet patch of grass for the afternoon. I've always envied his ability to tune out and relax when he's under stress; I get tense and can't eat or sleep. ~ Mary Robertson

The British public had quickly and sincerely taken the new princess-to-be to their hearts. Diana had high expectations to live up to and she was still very young. She had barely turned twenty. Her birthday was July 1. I wondered if some part of the reason for the late July wedding date was so that she would be comfortably out of her teens when she married. I thought mischievously about the palace's reaction to possible headlines such as "Prince Weds Teenager. ~ Mary Robertson

Finally, in late May or early June our breathlessly anticipated gilt-edged invitation to the July 29 wedding arrived. Soon after, we received a silver-edged card inviting us to a private formal ball at Buckingham Palace two nights before the wedding. We had been expecting the first invitation but were totally surprised by the second one. For both invitations, we had to reply to the Lord Chamberlain, Saint James's Palace, London, SW1. For the wedding, dress was specified as: Uniform, Morning Dress or Lounge Suit. For the ball, dress was: Uniform or Evening Dress. Tiaras Optional. We had no idea what a "lounge suit" was, nor did I have a tiara handy - fortunately tiaras were optional. Help! ~ Mary Robertson

I breathed a sigh of relief once the mutual pledge of vows was over. At this point, stewards brought up red and gold benches so the new couple could sit down as the ceremony continued. Prince Charles and Diana also seemed relieved to have completed the critical part of the proceedings. We could see them smile at each other and exchange quiet comments to relieve the tension. ~ Mary Robertson

One cannot live from one day into the next without changing. It is the nature of life. Small choices are always necessary even when large ones do not loom. I will change what I choose to change and retain what I choose to retain. I will even listen to advice since it is foolish not to, provided the adviser has something of value to say. But I will not choose between Anna and Lady Anastasia, for I am both. I merely have to decide, one choice at a time, how I will somehow reconcile the two without rejecting either. ~ Mary Balogh

'The Hunger Games' isn't for everybody. But neither is 'Anna Karenina.' ~ Mary Schmich

As the pressure on her built up, she shared some of her concerns with me, asking for my advice. I'd learned to give her my immediate and full attention when she wanted to talk.
First of all, she was terribly worried about making a misstep with the press. She knew she had to be pleasant and polite at all times but could not afford to say a word. "My sister, Sarah, spoke to the press and frankly, Mrs. Robertson, that was the end of her. ~ Mary Robertson

Another morning Diana and I sat together on the window seat in our second-floor living room, looking out at a chilly, gray November day. She cleared her throat gently and asked, "Mrs. Robertson, I wonder if I might ask your advice on something, since you're so much . . . er, older and . . . wiser, I mean." She said that her grandmother had suggested to Diana that she seek help from Buckingham Palace in dealing with the press. Diana did not tell me that her grandmother was Lady Ruth Fermoy, a lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother. Diana wanted to use our telephone to discuss this further with her grandmother. In the meantime, "Do you think I should ask Charles for help, Mrs. Robertson?" She was quite calm and in control; she simply wanted another opinion.
I thought for a minute, then told her, "I wouldn't ask for help if I could possibly manage without it. If the palace thinks you can't handle the pressure now, they might think you couldn't handle it once you're part of the royal family. If you're serious about this romance, you should try to struggle along on your own." That conversation took place in early November on the day that the photograph of Diana pushing Patrick up the mews in his stroller was taken. It is my favorite photograph of the two of them because it reminds me of the trust she demonstrated that day.
I clearly recall thinking at that point, "This child needs a mother for guidance. ~ Mary Robertson

We were in the middle of a game of cards when I noticed a figure out of the corner of my eye. It was Maxon, standing at the open door, looking amused. As our eyes met, I could see that his expression was clearly asking what in the world I was doing. I stood, smiling, and walked over to him.
"Oh, sweet Lord," Anne muttered as she realized the prince was at the door. She immediately swept the cards into a sewing basket and stood, Mary and Lucy following suit.
"Ladies," Maxon said.
"Your Majesty," she said with a curtsy. "Such an honor, sir."
"For me as well," he answered with a smile.
The maids looked back and forth to one another, flattered. We were all silent for a moment, not quite sure what to do.
Mary suddenly piped up. "We were just leaving."
"Yes! That's right," Lucy added. "We were-uh-just..." She looked to Anne for help.
"Going to finish Lady America's dress for Friday," Anna concluded.
"That's right," Mary said. "Only two days left.
They slowly circled us to get out of the room, huge smiles plastered on their faces.
"Wouldn't want to keep you from your work," Maxon said, following them with his eyes, completely fascinated with their behavior.
Once in the hall, they gave awkwardly mistimed curtsies and walked away at a feverish pace. Immediately after they rounded the corner, Lucy's giggles echoed down the corridor, followed by Anne's intense hushing.
"Quite a group you have," Maxon said, walking into my ~ Kiera Cass

Diana came over to see us off the morning we left for the airport. The four of us stood in our lower hallway saying good-bye with lots of hugs and good wishes. Diana and I were both in tears, as she held Patrick close and said she would miss him "tremendously." We promised to write to each other and keep up our friendship.
Not until later would Diana realize that the past year of being on her own in London and caring for Patrick would be, as she was to say, "the happiest year of my life." I hugged her and assured her, "We'll think of you every day and pray for good news from London soon. But," I continued, "we care very much for you and will help you in any way we can, whatever happens. ~ Mary Robertson

For our part, we thought we would be following her path from a distance in the press. Our friends called to tell us when the photo of Diana pushing Patrick in his stroller appeared in Newsweek, or when our name was mentioned in a news magazine or paper. We were generally mislabeled as the Robinsons. Everyone asked if we would be going to the wedding, and we would reply, "Us? No, of course not." We truly never expected to hear from Diana again, so her January letter became especially precious to us.
We were stunned when a letter from Diana on Buckingham Palace stationary arrived in late March. She was clearly happy, writing, "I am on a cloud." She missed Patrick "dreadfully." She hoped that we were all "settled down by now, including your cat too--." Diana had never even seen our cat. We'd left him with my brother because England requires a six-month quarantine for cats and dogs. How did she ever remember we had one?
Then, "I will be sending you an invitation to the wedding, naturally. . . ." The wedding . . . naturally . . . God bless her. Maybe we weren't going to lose her after all. She even asked me to send a picture of Patrick to show to "her intended(!), since I'm always talking about him." As for her engagement, she could never even have imagined it the year before. She closed with her typical and appealing modesty: "I do hope you don't mind me writing to you but just had to let you know what was going on."
Mind? I was thrilled and touched and amazed by h ~ Mary Robertson

We never saw a single one of the other Americans. I had read they included Mrs. Reagan, her California friends Alfred and Betsy Bloomingdale, the American ambassador, and only three or four others besides ourselves. The only person in the entire crowd we knew was Diana. ~ Mary Robertson

Ten days later I was amazed to receive a letter from Diana written just days after she'd arrived home--in fact, before I'd written her a thank-you letter. I was mortified by my delay in writing to her. I had managed to fire off proper thank-you notes to Ambassador Wight and Ms. Gillett, but I had so much more to say to Diana.
Her letter was the most heartwarming one I have ever received--even more so, now that I know what personal strain she was under then. After thanking us "a million times" for coming to see them in Washington, she wrote, "From the beginning to the end I had a lump in my throat looking at what a special little man Patrick had grown up to be--Goodness, you must be extremely proud of him and if either of my boys turn out like Patrick I will have no worries and I really mean every word." I had a lump in my throat as I read this. I was very proud of Patrick and deeply touched by Diana's praise.
Diana added that, for her, the high point of the visit to Washington was seeing Patrick and me. She explained, "Being able to get in touch with a v. happy and memorable part of my past meant a tremendous amount to me and kept me going for days!" Seeing the world-famous Diana in such a warm and personal way after five years and realizing how much she still cherished our friendship kept me going for months, even years! ~ Mary Robertson

I was their friend! I mean, "Mary D is a jerk"? "Amanda sucks"? Why
would I write a bunch of mean stuff about my friends?! Using such generic insults?! ~ Anna Kendrick

Historic American Buildings Survey - HABS for short - was one of FDR's greatest New Deal investments. Jobless folk fanned out across the country, seeking old buildings, photographing them and sketching their floor plans. Many of the structures they recorded in the 1930s were caught in the act of falling down. Some of them were documented in no other place. ~ Mary Anna Evans

After I returned from that morning, our telephone rang incessantly with requests for interviews and photos. By midafternoon I was exhausted. At four o'clock I was reaching to disconnect the telephone when I answered one last call.
Thank heavens I did! I heard, "Mrs. Robertson? This is Ian Hamilton from the Lord Chamberlain's office."
I held my breath and prayed, "Please let this be the palace."
He continued: "We would like to invite you, your husband, and your son to attend the funeral of the Princess of Wales on Saturday in London." I was speechless. I could feel my heart thumping. I never thought to ask him how our name had been selected. Later, in London, I learned that the Spencer family had given instructions to review Diana's personal records, including her Christmas-card list, with the help of her closest aides.
"Yes, of course, we absolutely want to attend," I answered without hesitating. "Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much this means to me. I'll have to make travel plans on very short notice, so may I call you back to confirm? How late can I reach you?"
He replied, "Anytime. We're working twenty-four hours a day. But I need your reply within an hour." I jotted down his telephone and fax numbers and set about making travel arrangements.
My husband had just walked in the door, so we were able to discuss who would travel and how. Both children's passports had expired and could not be renewed in less than a day from the suburbs wh ~ Mary Robertson

Diana held Patrick's hand and settled him on the sofa between herself and her husband. I sat facing them and the closed door to the hallway beyond. We all had a cool drink and continued to talk.
I could hardly believe my eyes as I watched Patrick nestled on the sofa between the most famous couple in the world. As I carried on my conversation with the royal pair, I kept thinking, "I can't believe this! I simply can't believe this! ~ Mary Robertson

Then the door opened and Diana entered…with Prince Charles. I held my breath as she gave us a brilliant smile and briskly crossed the floor.
The new Diana was truly breathtaking--beautiful, self-assured, polished, and stunning in her scarlet suit. She looked even more radiant in person than in her best pictures. She was absolute perfection, with her flawless complexion, starry blue eyes, and confident carriage. A remarkable and complete transformation from young nanny to global sensation--and she was only twenty-four!
Before either one of us said a word, Diana and I exchanged glances for just an instant. I didn't even try to hide my amazement and admiration. My eyes and smile said, "Wow! I'm speechless." Diana's impish grin replied, "Yes, I've done pretty well, haven't I?" It was an unforgettable, private moment. ~ Mary Robertson

The only one of the early investigators who carried the exploration of hysteria to its logical conclusion was Breuer's patient Anna O. After Breuer abandoned her, she apparently remained ill for several years. And then she recovered. The mute hysteric who had invented the "talking cure" found her voice and her sanity, in the women's liberation movement. Under a pseudonym, Paul Berthold, she translated into German the classic treatise by Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, and authored a play, Women's Rights. Under her own name, Bertha Papenheim became a prominent feminist social worker, intellectual, and organizer. In the course of a long and fruitful career she directed an orphanage for girls, founded a feminist organization for Jewish women and traveled throughout Europe and the Middle East to campaign against the sexual exploitation of women and children. Her dedication, energy and commitment were legendary. In the words of a colleague, 'A volcano lived in this woman... Her fight against the abuse of women and children was almost a physically felt pain for her.' At her death, the philosopher Martin Buber commemorated her: 'I not only admired her but loved her, and will love her until the day I die. There are people of spirit and there are people of passion, both less common than one might think. Rarer still are the people of spirit and passion. But rarest of all is a passionate spirit. Bertha Pappenheim was a woman with just such a spirit. ~ Judith Lewis Herman

Because the various strands of hope for redemption converge on this single person, He becomes the unifying focus of all Scripture. Both "kingdom" and "covenant" unite under "Immanuel."
It is not "the" blood of the covenant that he administers, as does Moses. Instead, he solemnly declares "this is my blood of the covenant…" (Matt 26:28). As kingly covenant mediator, he does not administer merely the laws of the kingdom. It is Himself that he administers to the people. ~ O. Palmer Robertson

The Monday before we left on our trip, I wrote a note to Bonnie Clarke, Patrick's teacher, telling her Patrick would be missing school on Friday, November 8. I said only that we would be visiting friends in Washington. While Patrick waited in the car-pool line, Mrs. Clarke had asked him whom he was going to see, expecting him to name cousins or other relatives. He had replied, "My mom and I are going to visit Diana." When I arrived, Mrs. Clarke said, "This is so cute. You won't believe what Patrick just told me. He said you two were going to see Diana. It couldn't possibly be true!" Patrick and I both thought Mrs. Clarke was an exceptional teacher, but I was a little miffed that she would think he was fibbing. While I normally never talked about Diana, I couldn't let it pass. I explained, "Patrick never lies. We are, in fact, going to visit Diana. She was his nanny while we lived in London." Mrs. Clarke apologized quickly and exclaimed, "Oh! So you're that American family. I had no idea. ~ Mary Robertson

As Pat and I made travel plans, we simply couldn't believe Diana had remembered us and invited us to what was already being called "the wedding of the century. ~ Mary Robertson

I needn't have worried about our welcome. As soon as Diana spotted me, she cried out happily, "Mrs. Robertson, I'm so glad you're here!" and gave me a huge, spontaneous hug.
I assured her, "We wouldn't have missed this for the world!" I was touched by her genuine warmth and by her evident surprise that we'd traveled so far to share in her triumph.
She turned quickly to exclaim, "Oh Charles, look! it's Patrick's parents from America!" and formally introduced us to the Prince of Wales. Pat bowed and I curtsied and murmured "Your Royal Highness" just to be on the safe side. Prince Charles radiated tremendous charm and graciousness. His eyes twinkled as he smiled at us. His voice was deep, warm, and resonant, as he said, "How very nice of you to have traveled so far." I loved his voice! He seemed genuinely pleased to meet us. I thought he was absolutely terrific. I was so excited for Diana, about to marry this perfect prince. ~ Mary Robertson

When Diana returned to work on Monday, September 16, she came directly to my bedroom and announced, "Mrs. Robertson, I have something important to tell you." I could see out of the corner of my eye that she had a slight, mischievous grin on her face.
"Go right ahead," I said as I continued to blow-dry my hair in front of the mirror above the dresser.
"No, Mrs. Robertson, I'd like your full attention." I switched off my hair dryer and faced her as she stood in the doorway. "When you leave for work this morning, you'll notice a lot of reporters and photographers at the entrance to the mews."
I wondered aloud if the press were following either Lord Vestey, a notorious international financier, or John Browne, a bright young M.P. known as one of "Maggie's boys," both of whom lived on our small street.
"No, actually, Mrs. Robertson, they're waiting for me," Diana said with a great deal of blushing, staring at the floor, and throat clearing.
"Good heavens, Diana, why?"
"Well . . . I spent last weekend at Balmoral."
"With Prince Andrew?" I asked, remembering my friend Lee's comment on the way to Glyndebourne.
"No, actually, I was there to see Prince Charles." More blushes and throat clearing, quickly followed by her disclaimer, "But he didn't invite me. His mother did." Hearing Diana speak of Her Majesty the Queen as "his mother" certainly gave me a clear picture of the circles in which Diana moved.
I gasped and asked, probably rather tact ~ Mary Robertson

When Lee arrived to pick me up, I introduced Diana simply as Diana Spencer. They exchanged a few brief words while I kissed Patrick good-bye, and off we went. As we struggled through the southbound traffic in Lewes, Lee and I had a conversation about Diana that seems both remarkable and humorous in retrospect.
I started out by saying, "Lee, you'll never believe who my nanny is." Then I told him about Diana's title and background and how amazed and grateful I was that she was looking after Patrick so sweetly and carefully. Lee and I agreed that she was awfully pretty and down to earth.
I mentioned that she did not appear to have a steady boyfriend, and perhaps Lee might want to give her a call. Lee had a very respectable background - a good public school, university, solid career prospects, and a father who'd retired from the foreign service. Lee chuckled at my naiveté and explained that in England the social gulf between the daughter of an earl and a commoner was so great that he would never presume to ask Diana out. He reiterated that her social position and lineage were as exalted as they could possibly be. "In fact," he added, "with her background, she'd be a suitable match for Prince Andrew."
Direct as usual, I replied, "Forget about Prince Andrew. If her background's as impeccable as you say, she ought to be a match for Prince Charles. She'd be perfect as the next queen of England!" Then touching on a critical qualification for any future queen, I added, " ~ Mary Robertson

In all my years in the wild, I've never met Mother Nature or Mr. Photosynthesis. Humans tend to try to make sense of things and are always searching for scientific reasons to explain the world's riddles. But if you do not believe in a Creator, your options are limited in trying to explain the functions of Earth, let alone the universe. Who built this place? Where did I come from? Where did you come from? As Hebrews 3:4 says, "For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." The Hebrews writer was actually comparing Moses and Jesus, but he delivered principles that I have come to believe are fundamental to life's questions. To me it would be silly to claim someone's physical home might not have been built just because you didn't see it being built. We know someone built our homes, neighborhoods, and skyscrapers because of their design, even though they may have been constructed before we were even born. ~ Jase Robertson

We kept our fingers crossed and eagerly scanned the newspapers and magazines for news of an engagement between Diana and Charles.
Then, late in the morning of February 24, I answered the telephone in my bedroom and heard the voice of a friend in London… "Mary, it's Dena. Your girl made it!" I knew she meant that Diana's engagement to Prince Charles had just been announced. I gave a big shout and literally jumped for joy, banging my head on the low dormer ceiling. I couldn't have been prouder of Diana if I'd been her mother. I was so happy for her I could have burst! I knew how desperately she had wished for this outcome. The past fall, she had told me that she would "simply die" if the romance didn't work out. How wonderful that her dream had come true.
Almost immediately, a mischievous picture popped into my mind of the future and royal Diana, scheduled for an official day of handshaking, ribbon cutting, or tree planting and wishing she could have a friend call to cancel those tedious engagements. As Princess of Wales, she would not be able to cancel on short notice, if at all, as she had when she was baby-sitting for me. I wondered how the lively, spontaneous, and very young Diana would adjust to her official duties. I felt a bit sorry for her as I dimly realized how rigid and structured her new life might be. ~ Mary Robertson

H.L. Mencken once said that Puritanism is the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be having a good time. As she looked down at her dead child, Mary Beth realized that the unbearable sense of loss she felt was tempered by gratitude and a kind of relief. There would be no more boyfriends now, no more weekend parties. Ruby would remain pure forever, and for that her mother was deeply grateful. Catholicism is the haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be having a good time ... with your daughter. ~ Anna Quindlen

While Diana remained poised and calm in front of the press, in private she cared desperately about Prince Charles and the outcome of the courtship. She expressed her concern to me: "I will simply die if this doesn't work out. I won't be able to show my face. ~ Mary Robertson

Anna Arkadyevna read and understood, but it was distasteful to her to read, that is, to follow the reflection of other people's lives. She had too great a desire to live herself. If she read that the heroine of the novel was nursing a sick man, she longed to move with noiseless steps about the room of a sick man; if she read of a member of Parliament making a speech, she longed to be delivering the speech; if she read of how Lady Mary had ridden after the hounds, and had provoked her sister-in-law, and had surprised everyone by her boldness, she too wished to be doing the same. But there was no chance of doing anything; and twisting the smooth paper knife in her little hands, she forced herself to read. ~ Leo Tolstoy

Phil and Jase hunt more than anyone else in the family and take hunting more seriously than the others, so Miss Kay totally understands how I feel once duck season starts. She has said more than once, "I sure hope I don't die during duck season because none of the men in the family would come to my funeral!" I have to say, she has good reason to be concerned. ~ Missy Robertson

A man will gain power and efficiency as he accepts the responsibilities that God places upon him, and with his whole soul seeks to qualify himself to bear them aright. However humble his position or limited his ability, that man will attain true greatness who, trusting to divine strength, seeks to perform his work with fidelity. Had Moses relied upon his own strength and wisdom, and eagerly accepted the great charge, he would have evinced his entire unfitness for such a work. The fact that a man feels his weakness is at least some evidence that he realizes the magnitude of the work appointed him, and that he will make God his counselor and his strength. ~ Ellen G. White

It didn't even help that I had a man watching the house.I suppose he can be forgiven for not thinking Mary Pearson could be a threat."
"I knew about him," Rebecca replied. "I found him hiding in the garden this morning. I took him some cookies."
Rupert laughed. "Did you? How embarrassing for him, but that was probably my mother's spy.Mine would have been better hidden! ~ Johanna Lindsey

His mama put down the bag and headed for the door, her mouth a thin line.
"Wait! What are you doing? Don't go over there and yell at her." Paul jumped off the stool and tried to beat her to the door.
"Oh, honey, I would never do that." His mama stepped into the hallway. "I'm fixin' to invite her for dinner. ~ Mary Jane Hathaway

It is only when parental feelings are ineffective or too ambivalent or when the mother's emotions are temporarily engaged elsewhere that children feel lost. ~ Anna Freud

Life without emotions is like an engine without fuel. ~ Mary Astor

But you're everything I want. Remember that. I love you, Lia. Not a title. And not because a piece of paper says I should. Because I do. ~ Mary E. Pearson

Where woman has taken her place in business she has found her method ready-shaped for her, and following that, she does her work,if with a certain amount of monotony, yet without undue fatigue. Her hours are fixed, and as a rule she gets needful change of scene as she goes to her business and returns to her home or the place where she lives. But the "home- maker" has not, nor can she have, any such change, and her hours are always from the rising of the sun beyond the going down of the same. ~ Anna Brackett

Child of mortality, whence comest thou? Why is thy countenance sad, and why are thine eyes red with weeping? ~ Anna Letitia Barbauld

If you are an entrepreneur planning to start your own company, I can't think of a better place to begin than by operating your business by the Golden Rule. Make this a high priority; never make a decision that contradicts the Golden Rule. ~ Mary Kay Ash