Monday, November 23, 2009

Count your many blessings....









Like most of you, this week I am counting a lot of my blessings. Not surprisingly, just like one of my favorite hymns suggested, after counting my blessings, I was surprised with what the Lord has blessed me with. Growing up, I thought blessings were pretty simple to comprehend - they were the good things in our life. In my advanced age I have discovered that, while blessings are good things in our life, they sometimes might stem from something bad.

This year a lot of wonderful things happened to our family. At the same time, this year has been one of my most difficult. When compared to real tragedies, our struggles might seem trivial, but let me tell you - they were pretty hard to deal with. However, after every challenge, something better arose. For instance, Alyssa lost my engagement ring. Todd spent his very last dime on that ring ten years ago when he proposed to me. I was sick when I couldn't find it. Luckily, Todd didn't have to spend his last dime when he bought me another set of rings , which are beautiful. The ring thing was the least of our problems though.

The terrible economy directly affected Todd. This summer was hard. We had to endure situations I naively thought we would never have to. Yet still, there still were good times to be had. We protected our children from the situation as best we could. My family was a source of refuge. With their support we survived. We even had a lot of fun. Todd and I became better friends than ever before. When the summer was over, things were looking up for Todd. In fact, we are probably in a better situation than before.

My Mom likes to remind me that we have to take the good with the bad, that without the bad, we will never know the good. As hard as it is to swallow this, it is true. That is hard for me to understand sometimes. I get panicky if things are good because I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. This year has taught me to stop that silly thinking and just enjoy the happy moments when I can. This will always be a struggle for me, but this year has taught me.

I am grateful for this past year and it's lessons. I am also grateful for my wonderful family. When I would get down, I would look at their faces and think, "How can I be sad when I have them in my life"? My wonderful friends are a huge source of gratitude for me. I have been blessed with wise and truly good people for friends, just being in their presence brings me peace. I am grateful for the gospel, it's principles have kept me safe. I am also grateful for the challenges I face, they are shaping me into a better person, whether I like it or not!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

A to Z

My Favorite ABCs...

A - Alyssa
B - Brennan aka Boonga, Boongs, Boongalisicious
C - chocolate
D - Diet Coke
E - Easy Hair Styles
F - Favorite Family and Friends
G - Gavin
H - Harrison
I - Ice, crushed or cubed
J - Jam, homemade
K - Karly
L - LOST
M - Mom
N- Nordstrom (Rack)
O - Olive Garden - anyone up for a ladies lunch?
P - Pappy
Q - Quirks, mine and Todd's
R- Record button, for the DVR
S- Salsa, homemade
T - Todd
U- under arm deodorant
V- Visiting Teaching
W- water
X- the "X" on Harrison's treasure maps
Y- youthful innocence
Z- Zoo

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

SPING BREAK, thus far.....

has been an adventure.  After returning home from a Californian wedding, we wanted a "stay-cation" this week.  Phoenix has lots to offer in that department.  So far we.....
  • hiked "A" mountain
  • went to Gavin and Karly's reception
  • had a BBQ at Grammy and Pappy's, poolside
  • had rootbeer floats with Grandma and Grandpa
  • checked out 139,023 books, DVDs, and CDs at the library
  • went to Fountain Park and saw the fountain turn green with Robin and her kids
  • went to "Mickey Dee's" with Robin and her kids
  • Mom had a girl's night
There are a lot more adventures planned this week.  I love when my kids are out of school!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

A Good Day

Today was a good day.  It was the first Saturday in months where I didn't have to think about mileage or fueling....I ran the half -marathon last week and am quite pleased with myself and the outcome.  I have found I am an addicted to running though!  Which is good, I guess.  But back to today, today was good.  I did go for a short run and then hurried back to get our new abode ready for a bridal shower.  

See, my younger brother is getting married!  I have been waiting for this for a long time.  Selfishly, I want a new sister.  She is a jewel.  I am thrilled for my brother, Gavin.  He is happier than I have ever seen him.  As soon as he proposed, I mentally started planning the shower.  Again, selfishly, I wanted to host it at my new house and invite all of our extended family and long-time family friends.  I wanted my new four walls filled to the brim with laughter and smiles and love from generations of women I love.  I wanted Karly to feel the love we have for Gavin and for her as well. 

To accomplish this feat, I decided to have simply sweet decor and delicious food served in my Nana's crystal.  I did not document the spread with photos, but it did look sweet and simple.  I left some decorations up and will take a picture when I get a chance.   I made a salad simply entitled The Good Salad and boy is it ever good!  My mother brought cut up fresh fruit and my father made his famous chocolate chip cookies.  Everyone loved the food and yummy food lends itself to a fantastic party atmosphere.

Games were not a part of this shower.  Our family does not need silly games for entertainment.   We are quite fun just as we are.  The funnest part of all is that all of my Dad's living aunts came from far and away to meet Karly for the first time.  Both of my Dad's sisters came.  My cousins came.  Nana came.  Second-cousins came.  Family friends came.  Gavin and Karly, you are so loved.   After great conversations with these amazing women and the opening of gifts, an improtue advice session from the married ladies began.  Karly got some great advice ranging from sweet to scandalous:

Say prayers with each other every day.  
Don't go to bed mad, stay up and fight all night.
Double think before you speak.
Make sure he knows you're in charge.
Love him.
Keep his belly full and his privates empty!  (That was from my Aunt Kimmy, not me)

As the shower drew to a close, Todd came back home with the groom and our kiddos.  Some other male cousins showed up to pick up their wives.  I love how the male presence affected this shower.  I yelled, "Here's the entertainment" when one of the male cousins walked in and he started showing us his moves.  Gavin took his place, right at Karly's side, with a huge grin on his face.  Todd snacthed Mandy's new born baby girl out of her arms and held her and cooed and baby talked for a long time.  He is a natural with babies, I tell ya.  I took all of this in and smiled to myself.  This was the shower that I had envisioned.  At that moment, and for the two hours that preceded it, our humble home was filled to the brim, bursting at the seams with love.  

I pray that the love at this shower will follow Gavin and Karly into their marriage.  I also hope that a little of it stays here too.  I want to keep this feeling in our home, after all, it was a really good day.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

I'm Back!

Well, after a long break from blogging, I am back.  I have realized that this really is the only tool that I can succesfully use to journal family happenings.  I need to dust off my camera and start documenting our lives.  If anyone else wants to take a peek too, you are more than welcome.  

The past few months have been jammed packed:

Alyssa started school
Christmas!  Harrison's big gift - bike, Alyssa's - scooter
Grandma and Grandpa back from their mission in Hong Kong
Grandma and Grandpa announce that they were called as mission presidents and will leave in July and be gone for the next 3 years
Gavin and Karly get engaged
Brennan comes back from his mission
Mom gets strep throat, another nasty infection, and yet another nasty infection and has had to scale back the marathon training and will now run a half with her Dad - so that's good too
Thanks to school, Alyssa is talking better and better!


Well, that is it for now, but I will be back with a vengeance, soon.