So Very Thankful

This has been a week of highs and lows, but always a time for thanksgiving. On Tuesday, I arrived at the airport to a scene I hope I never forget. There was my older sister, Heidi, standing in the middle of the airport, facing the escalators. She was 'dancing' from foot to foot, clasping and unclasping her hands. She saw us and said, "Her plane just landed." My other sister, Sarah, and I just laughed. We asked her if she slept at all, "I was up at 4," she told us "and 3 the day before." I was in charge of the video camera, so I zoomed in and watched as Amanda finally came down the escalator. My sister started walking, then when Amanda got the the bottom, Heidi broke into a run. I don't know how long they hugged, but no one complained. My sister has 4 girls and they are incredibly close. After mom, each of the sisters got a turn., then both of the dads. (My sister is remarried and the girls are very close to her husband, Jerry.)
I just stood there filming and cried. It was an amazing experience, one that truly reminded me of what our Heavenly homecoming may be like. Anxious parents waiting for their faithful children to come home again.
Mom and daughter.

The sisters, Lindsey, Amanda, Ashley & Rachel.

The low of the week was that on Tuesday morning, right before we went to the airport, my mom went to the hospital. She'd been sick for over a week and finally ended up in the ER. They discovered that she has bleeding ulcers and had lost 3 pints of blood. Scary times for all of us. She had a transfusion and happily was able to come home just in time for Thanksgiving dinner.

My gratitude post today is for my family. We spent almost the entire week together. You'd think we'd get sick of each other, but we don't. I'm so very, very, very grateful to my niece Amanda, for serving her mission. She is such an incredible example to my kids. It's been a huge blessing for us to pray for her everyday, (we'll miss that) and to talk about her and what she's been doing.

I'm also grateful for my mom. I think I take her for granted alot, but I don't know what I'd do without her. She taught me how to cook and sew and all the homemaking things I needed. She also has a strong testimony, and is a great example to me of how to live the gospel. Most of all, she has taught me the importance of being involved in your childrens' lives and how to raise kids who actually like each other and want to be together.
I am so greatly blessed. If you listen to the song I have on here, it's one of my favorites by Kenny Loggins. Every time I've heard it over the last few weeks, (yes, I've been listening to Christmas music since the day after Halloween), I've thought of Amanda and my family. It's called, "Celebrate Me Home"

Home for the holidays,

I believe Ive missed each and every face,

Come on and play my music,

Lets turn on the love light in the place

Its time I found myself,

Totally surrounded in your circles

Whoa, my friends

Please, celebrate me home

Gratitude Post

I didn't get to do this yesterday, because it was crazy! I cooked dinner for my in-laws and then had Sadie's 'Evening of Excellence' for young womens. So, here goes.
I am grateful for my mother and father-in-law. I know there are lots of jokes about in-laws and I've probably told a few. My in-laws couldn't be more different than my family. Where my family is loud and boisterous, Guy's family is quiet and restrained. My family is very open about showing affection and saying 'I love you'. Guy's parents don't hug (except the little kids) and I don't think I've ever heard them say 'I love you' to anyone. The thing is, they are good people. They are kind and generous to a fault. Their home is always open. They never yell or say anything bad about others.
They may be different, but I love them and am grateful to them for raising their son to be the man I married. Besides, being different is good. If everyone were like my family, it'd be a little overwhelming.

Busy, busy, busy

On a friend's blog, she listed all that she's been doing and asked what keeps us busy. (She is a tireless person and her lists make me feel a little lazy.) But, I happen to have an incredibly busy month coming up, so I thought I'd list my future activities, starting with this weekend:

• Saturday-clean house, go to the temple, watch BYU football game (Go Cougars!)



• Sunday- have 'Thanksgiving dinner' at my house with my in-laws.



• Monday- breathe



• Tuesday- my niece Amanda comes home from her mission to Chile. The excitement factor in our family is over the top!



• Wednesday-get ready for Thursday.



• Thursday- Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's house in West Valley. I only have to take salad and pies, so not too bad.



• Friday-breathe, again.



• Saturday- Bridal shower for my sister-in-law-to-be, Terah.



• Sunday-Wednesday- not too much, except Adam's 16th birthday on Monday (that's a subject for another day!)



• Thursday-Wedding Dinner



• Friday-My brother Marc's wedding to Terah. Reception that evening.



• Saturday- 8am-Ward Christmas party, 10:30am- Hunter's baptism with lunch at our house following, 2pm-Twilight movie with Sadie, Adam and Jake.



• Sunday- Mine and Guy's 17th anniversary

Then, we are fully into the Christmas season and all the craziness that brings. I'm determined to make it less hectic and more service-oriented. Not sure how I'm going to accomplish that. By the time January gets here, I'll just want to sit in front of the TV and veg!

On Becoming a Night Owl

Think back to when you were in jr. high. (Painful, I know, sorry.) Did you go to sleep-overs? If you did, do you remember the girl who fell asleep first? The one everyone played pranks on? Yeah, that's me. I got it all, the hand in warm water, (never worked, thank goodness!), shaving cream and a face tickle and my personal favorite, the bra in the freezer. Really, that one went past prank in my book. I mean, you finally get a bra, which you don't need, but wanted soooo badly. And you go to a sleep-over with other girls you want to impress with the fact that you have said braziere, and they go and get it wet and put it in the freezer. So, in the morning, instead of feeling all grown up because you have a bra, you have to retrieve it and take it home all wet and cold. That's not a prank, it's just mean. (Maybe I need a little therapy?)
So, here's my point, I could never stay up late. I tried, oh, how I tried. Even at girls' camp, I was the first one in my sleeping bag, while everyone else sat up and talked about boys and such. I got a little better at staying up late when Guy and I were dating. (Sorry, honey, you're in my blog again.) But, having babies ruined it for me. I needed sleep! So, I'd go to bed when I could. The news was like a bell for Pavlov's dog- oh, ten o'clock, time for bed.
The thing is, I've never liked mornings, either. "Are you a morning person, or a night person?" Some one recently asked me. "Um, neither?" Can you be an afternoon person?
I got up today at 4am to go work out. It was awful! And there were all these people there. What the heck? The only reason I did it was because my husband leaves for work at 5 and I wanted to see if I could go before he left. I did it once, don't think I'll do it again. I've been so tired today. Yet, here I am after midnight, wide awake. I've decided my body clock must be changing. I'm becoming a night person. I came home from grocery shopping at 10 and looked around and thought, hmmm, I could clean house now and not have any interuptions. So, I did. You know me, I hate cleaning. I just had all this energy. It's great. I'm not going to fight it. I'll enjoy the quiet time I have and get more things done. And, I'll set my alarm for 6:15, the latest I can. If you notice bags under my eyes, you'll know why. Don't mention them, or I might freeze your bra.

Conversation with my Husband

"You're not blogging about me again, are you?"
"Babe, I hardly ever blog about you."
"I know, and that's way too much!"

Gratitude Post

"Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more." -Brother David Steindl-Rast

(This was an idea from my sister, to do a gratitude post every Sunday. I liked that, plus it gave me a reason to go on my computer on Sunday.)

Today, I'm grateful for repetition. We talk about that alot in church, how we're taught the same things over and over. In Relief Society, we were discussing how we learn different things from the same lessons at different times in our lives. Even the songs we sing again and again. Last week, we sang "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet". I can't even begin to count how many times I've sung this in my life. But, as we sang, some of the words really hit me like they never have before.
'We doubt not the Lord nor his goodness. We've proved him in days that are past.'
'Rejoice in his glorious gospel, and bask in its life-giving light.'
These sentences gave me so much hope and peace. I'm so grateful for the hymns. I can't carry a tune at all, but I love to sing and I figure Heavenly Father hears my voice differently than anyone here does. Hopefully, to him it's beautiful songs of praise, because that's how I mean them. Our high councilman today said that the music should come at the end of the meeting, because it's usually the best part. I agree. My friends, Randilyn and Megan, sang today and it was so wonderful. I don't know the name of the song, but it was about taking care of our little sheep. I'm also grateful for people who can sing, who are willing to share their talents with us.

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." -Buddha

Addicted to Blogging?

Here are 11 signs that you may have a problem:

1. You feel a little guilty, when you checkout blogs of people you don't know (can you say blog stalker).

2. You bring your camera where ever you go in hopes of a good post, pictures prove you have a life.

3. You average an hour (ok maybe 2) reading other peoples blogs and creating your own posts.

4. You customize your blog at regular intervals.

5. You compare how many friends and family links you have, with how many your buddies have.

6. You have started a post with the words " So I".

7. You have read someone else's post more than once, twice, three times even.

8. You have read your own posts more than once, twice, twenty times and it brings a smile to your face every time.

9. You are not always sure of the comment etiquette, so you often just read the person's post and then pretend you were never there.

10. You practice posts in your head, and then forget them when you sit down at your computer.

11. You spend more time creating the post about an activity, then it took to actually participate in the activity.

I'm not addicted. I can stop anytime I want to, I just don't want to. -Yeah, check the time I posted this. :}

If I could have one wish....

"To get back to my youth, I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable." -Oscar Wilde

Yesterday, I was asked to rate my body image on a scale of 1-10. Ha. Is that a trick question?? It didn't help that the girl asking me was a personal trainer and obviously, her image is a full 9 points above mine. I went to meet with her, because with my new gym membership, I get 5 training sessions. I wasn't surprised that she was thin, (of course) and young (of course). I was a little surprised with her nose 'earring' and her lip ring and her tongue stud. (Do you know how hard it is to not look at something like that when you're talking to someone? I kept thinking, where would I normally look? I couldn't remember.) So, it made think of being that young and how differently I felt about myself.

Last Friday, I had lunch with my friend, Lynette. We haven't seen each other in about 12 years. We first met when we were both nannies in Washington D.C. We had another friend and the three of us were inseperable. We were talking about how it just isn't possible that we have children who are this old. Her oldest is a senior and mine is going to be driving and dating age in a mere 3 weeks. Uck, gag, choke.

Here is a picture of us. See our smiles, that's because we have no idea that when we talked about 'old' people, we would someday become one!

That was back when I was young and pliable. Seriously, I think one of the worst offenders of getting older is the skin. It used to be soft and smooth and tight. That was when it had elastisity. Have you ever had a pair of sweats for a really long time and the elastic in the waist is shot? Yeah, that's me, just all over. Where once it was lithe and perky, we have sags and stretch marks. (OK, a word on those. My husband says they're an honor badge for having born him seven, very large children. I say, bull. If you want me to have an honor badge, then make me a badge that says 'Honorable Mother of Seven Large Children'. The stretch marks are ugly!) Where once my face was firm and smooth, I have pores the size of moon craters and, must I say it, wrinkles.

I miss those days, when I could stay up till all hours and still get up in the morning and go to work or school. Nap, who needs a nap? I had energy! And a metabolism. The only thing about chocolate that worried me was if it would make me break out. I miss having few worries or stresses. Of course, I wouldn't trade that for what I have now. I love my family and am happy with the journey of life that I've traveled. And, heaven knows, I wouldn't want to have to go through it all again. I'd just like my 20 year-old body back. I'd appreciate it so much more now. I had no idea what a good thing I had. Now, I'm just an old pair of sweats that belong in the back of the closet. Oh, sure, those sweats are comfy and familiar, but you wouldn't be caught dead in them in public!

Happy Birthday, Hunter!

Hunter turned 8 yesterday. I was trying to remember his birth, more like trying to distinguish it from the others. (Not always an easy task.) We were worried about his weight, since Spencer had been 10lb. 15 oz. So, my doctor induced me, about a week before my due date. We were pleasantly surprised that he only weighed 8lb. 13oz. I had exercised during my pregnancy and tho' I hadn't tested positive for diabetes, I tried to cut out sugar as much as possible. It worked. We can easily pick out his baby pictures because he looks so small. He was a sweet, easy-going baby.

He didn't talk until after he was 3, Spencer hadn't either, so we weren't too concerned. (It wasn't until he was 4 that he was diagnosed as Autistic.) He had many signs, tho'. He wore the same clothes for months at at time, not wanting to change. (I would strip him after he fell asleep and wash them.) One time, he decided he didn't want to wear his shoes and he wore Blues Clues slippers for a month. Not nice, conswervative ones, the ones that look like a stuffed animal. I finally covinced him to get some new shoes. Good thing, since he'd worn holes in the bottom of the slippers. He would have a melt-down if I changed the furniture around.

He has definitely improved. Change isn't such a big deal anymore, though he thrives on structure. He LOVES school and is doing very well. He's in 2nd grade and reading at a 4th grade level. I'm so pleased that he's progressing. He loves scouts and is excited to have graduated from Tiger's to 'real' cub scouts. He's also looking forward to getting baptized next month.
He memorizes things easily and can repeat the entire script to most of the Spongebob cartoons.

He loves playing video games and Pokemon. What he wants to be when he grows up changes alot, right now, it's a policeman. I have great hope for him and what he can acomplish. I'm so grateful to have been entrusted with his care. He's amazing.

Is My Face Red?

I haven't been on the internet in a few days. It stopped working on Saturday. I didn't realize how much I would miss it. Here's the deal. On Thursday, our phone began having problems. When you picked up the receiver, you would hear this awful noise, it would go away, but then there'd be static. By Friday, you couldn't use it at all. But, by the time I realized it was so bad, it was too late to call Qwest. So, I called them on Monday morning. (I was hoping it wasn't an inside problem, since we don't have that linebacker thing.) They informed me that it looked like an outside problem. Yeah! I asked about my internet, because it had stopped working on Saturday night. They said they didn't know why it didn't work, but after the phones were back on, if the internet didnt' come back on to give them a call.

The phone came back on yesterday, but the internet didn't. I tried it several times. So, this morning, I decided to try it one more time before I called. Still nothing. The 'help' on my computer said that a line wasn't connected. I checked the DSL box and everything was there. Then, I noticed that the Qwest logo wasn't lit up, (it normally is), so I checked the power cord. Unplugged. huh. No wonder I don't do anything technical for a living. I'm not as bad as the people who can't find the 'any' key, but almost.