Right of Passage

Before

1st attempt

Pigtails and Crew Cuts

After


Father and Son

Run From Hunger

My training buddy and I after the race

My New Year's Resolution is to train and run a half marathon on Thanksgiving. My training program calls for a 5K race along the way. The perfect opportunity arose in the form of an area wide church service day. Our stake hosted a "Run From Hunger" 5K race. The admission to run and earn the highly coveted T-shirt was 10 cans of food.

I was excited. I knew I could run the distance with ease. I'm up to 5 miles on my long runs. 3.1 should be a piece of cake. I did not, however, plan on rain. I awoke to thunder and an occasional bolt of lightning. No matter, this things pass quickly. The girls, who ran the 1 mile "fun run", and I got up packed our cans and drove to the park.

We were the 10th people to sign in. The rain was not letting up. We were warriors. The girls did great. Alyssa smoked Savannah. She's pretty proud of this fact but tries not to rub it in, too hard.







The heavens opened up and the rain came pouring down. I walked to the starting line. The horn sounded and off I went. The younger kids bolted out front as fast as they could go. I caught up with them not too long after. The rain let up a bit. I enjoyed running through the trees and being so close to nature. (I train mostly on the treadmill.) The weather didn't really bother me. I think I actually liked it. I didn't get hot and the rain was refreshing. I did hesitate on the down hills for fear I would slip and fall.


I finished strong and I felt great. I did not, however, win an award for my efforts. Who knew that the 33-39 age braket was the fastest? I would have got a medal if I was 25 or 42, but not 33. Oh well, motivation for next time.


The rest of the story happened during our Young Womens activity. We delivered the cans of food to a church in our area. We were able to donate over 800 lbs. of food. The paster of the church met us and told the kids about what they do. The basement of their church is a big cellar. They get donations from lots of organizations (Kroger, Publix, Sam's ect.). Then they set up a little grocery store. People can come and do their shopping at this facility. No questions asked. It was great for the kids to see that other organizations do great things, too. Sometimes I think we get a little "high and mighty" attitude going on. But the truth is there's a lot of good in this world, coming from a lot of different places.

Some of my cute Young Women

Sunday afternoons

The girls use Sunday afternoons to work on their “Faith in God” goals. This Sunday I was surprised by a double whammy boost to my ego.
Savannah was to choose one of her personal hero’s, write a list of the characteristics this person exhibits, and then choose two to work on in her own life. She chose her Momma as her hero! I’m so honored. I know the time is not far distant that she will think me more of a nuisance than a hero, but I’m just going to enjoy today.

This is what she wrote:

Things I like about Mom!

*helpful

*kind

*not a bug

*cleans up after herself and others too

*does anything in her power to help

*does not steal, cheat, or lie

*keeps the commandments

*keeps her standards high

*keeps the gospel standards

I’m so pleased that these are the things she sees in me. Not always, but most of the time, these same things could be said right back to her. (She chose to work on not being a bug, and cleaning up after herself. Good choices.)

Alyssa needed to write a letter of appreciation to someone who has made a difference in her life. She chose me! Here’s what she wrote:

Dear Mom,

I love you soo much! I appreciate how you have helped me overcome my habit and how you always do stuff for me. I try to respect you in any why I can. I love you!!

Love,
Alyssa

My “Mommy Cup” Runneth Over.

Bury the hatchet.

Somethings have happened this week that have made me think back to a hard time in my childhood.

I was about 10-11 years old, Savannah's age I guess. My parents invited an Indian (Navaho) to live with us. I was super excited. She was Karens age. They decided that it would be hard for karen to have to share a room with her, so I got to do it. Great, no complaints. She came and I was the ultimate hostess, for a while. But servitude grows old and it didn't take too long until I was ready for her to go on home to Arizona.

We started to fight. I never wanted to have my friends over to the house because I knew that her and her friends would be in my room speaking some language that Ididn't understand. I tried really hard to be anywhere else but home. My relationship with my Mom REALLY suffered. They called her to be my primary teacher. She bent over backward trying to make me happy. I remember that she would order all kinds of cute handouts and charm bracelets to make me smile. I wasn't having any of it. I very clearly remember the Sunday we came home and she asked me if I hated her. I broke down crying, she did too. I just wasn't myself anymore. It was about this time that the Bishop asked if our family would be willing to have her back for another year of school.

My Mom came into the bathroom while I was washing my hair in the tub. (I'm quite certain I could not pull off that tricky maneuver anymore.) She asked me what I thought. I remember feeling so guilty. I didn't want to be the reason that she had to stay on the reservation. That she wouldn't get a highschool diploma. More tears. I felt very selfish. I love my Mom. She looked at me, smiled and said, "It's not really working for me either." I felt so releived that she could understand how I felt. She let me know that Dena would be fine. She would be placed with another family. She would be able to graduate. I, however, belonged to this family. I needed to be happy in my home. Phew, releif.

I knew that Dena was mad at me. She knew it was because of me that she would be going somewhere else. I have always felt bad that we couldn't be friends.

Jump forward twenty years. My Grandpa and Grandad just passed away. The phone rings one night and to my complete surprise it's Dena on the phone. She started out the conversation by saying that she was so glad I would take her call. She wasn't sure I would ever want to talk to her. I assured her that I would always be happy to talk to her. We were able to catch up with each other for a bit. She told me that she's doing great. I told her about the goings on in the family and about my sweet kids. She was really calling about a recipe I submitted to the family cookbook. (I guess my Mom gave her a copy) I didn't realize until I hung up the phone that I had been carrying a burden for all these years. It felt so great to be able to talk to her like friends. I know she has forgiven me and I have forgiven her.

This is important!

Before I forget how it all ended up, I need to record for my posterity how March Madness ended.

It was a 3 way tie between Mike, Steve (friend at work), and ME! The tie breaker comes during the final game. Everyone has to predict how many total points will be scored during the game.

Mike was way off. Steve was no better. THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS! I WON!!! I'm not bragging or anything but can I get a what, what?

Mike says he and Steve agree that wives aren't allowed to play next year. I say they're just sore LOSERS!!!

Obituary of a Tramp

Here lies the broken remains of a faithful servant lovingly called The Tramp.

The Tramps life was not a life of ease. Some might say Tramp was abused. She was jumped on, sat on, eaten on, ran, and slept on. But, no matter how hard she was pounced on she pushed back twice as hard sending her assailant rocketing toward the sky.

Tramp was subjected to very extreme weather conditions. She sat out in the snow, rain, wind, and sleet. Occasionally, during the summer, she was given the relief of a sprinkler to keep her cool.

It sounds like a horrible life, but the truth is Tramp loved her family. She loved the giggles and squeals, the tricks and games. Tramp loved every minute she got to play with the kids and watch them grow. She joined the family when Savannah was just 2. 9 years of devotion to a family that loved her very much.

But in the end her high impact life was just too much to endure.

On April 5, 2010 while surrounded by family and friends her frame gave in. Our beloved Tramp is gone.

Goodbye, our friend. Thank you for the memories. We love you.

Spring Break!

Spring Break was fun. We got to play with friends that we don’t get to see very often, we had doctors appointments that are a pain in the patella, and we got to enjoy being together.

For the past two years I have taken my big girls to a hotel for a night over spring break. Last year we went to Lawrenceville, this year we ventured all the way to Alpharetta! We stayed at a hotel that caters to “American Girls”. The hotel was full to bursting with little girls ages 6-12. It was awesome. The girls met all kinds of new friends at the pool.

My favorite thing about this tradition is that I get to say YES.
Mom, can we go shopping? YES.
Can we eat cheesecake in bed together? YES.
Will you come swim with us? YES. I know it’s 10:00 PM but I’m hungry. Can we go to McDonald’s? YES.
Will you snuggle us while we watch the Chipmunk Movie. YES YES YES.
I love it. So often the answer is NO. It’s nice to just say YES.

Egg Toss

Alyssa wins the Easter "Peace Prize"

Savannah taught Emma Grace all the tricks of the egg tinting trade

Banished to the deck during the non-washable event.

Coloring eggs is a highlight of our Easter weekend. We really should not participate in this activity as none of us will actually EAT a hard boiled egg, gross!

So the debate begins:

To waste, or not to waste.

It's a toss up.

OOH, a TOSS up. Good idea.

A new tradition is born.

The rules are simple:

1- Pick an egg

2- Pick a partner

3- Stand face to face/close together

4- Toss the egg back and forth

5- Take a step back for every completed pass

6- Whoever the egg breaks on is the LOSER.

COLORING the champion egg is important.

CHOOSING the right partner is key.

WINNING the egg toss bragging rights is...PRICELESS!

Happy Easter!

This year we had our 8th annual Easter Egg hunt! It was fun and simple to put together. It's a great party to host. We invite everyone we know and everyone we would like to know. We ask everyone to drop off a few eggs. We add a few hundred more to the pile. Mike hides the eggs. I buy the food. Friends come. fun is had by all. The best part is the great pictures.

Every year Mike prepares some "Golden Eggs" to keep the older kids interested in the hunt. They hide the eggs SO HARD this year. It took them a really long time to find them. It was great. We had a few kids that were certain that Mr. Mike was playing another joke on them. In the end all 9 Goldens were located. It was fun to have all of our friends over for a fun morning.

When I was the age my kids are I knew what Easter was really about. However, it has just been a few years since I truely appreciate what Easter is really about. I'm so grateful to know that this life is not all there is. I have faith that I will see all of my loved ones again and that we can live together as a family in the next life. I'm so grateful for this knowledge. I'm thankful for our Savior that showed us the way to return to our Father in Heaven.