Happy New Year!

2011

January
Taylor “extended” the 10 inch scar on her back. She was the proud recipient of a SECOND spinal fusion.
We are so grateful for Dr. Klatt and his great skills and even greater bedside manner.

February
The recovery from surgery is complicated by a nerve that is wide awake and delivering great pain.
Taylor endures it all so well. She is a great example of strength and courage.

March
Kylee celebrated her 21st birthday. She is quite a remarkable young woman with wonderful friends.
Her best friend Heather takes over the birthday party arrangements, while I tag along with Taylor
and the JHS Choirs as they tour Boston.

April
Taylor turned 18.
In an attempt to help Kylee find a worthy suitor... I wrote a letter to Daniel and delivered it.

May
Prom for Taylor.
Daniel and Kylee go out on a date.

June
Graduation from High School for Taylor.
Kylee receives some devastating news about her sorority… Gamma and others are being terminated.

July
The boat finally makes its debut.
A family trip to Disneyland. We made some new discoveries and enjoyed the park at a pace more acceptable to Evan.

August
Kylee starts anther semester… including this one, only 4 more to go!!

September
Taylor moves up north… BYU Idaho.
Trips with Kylee in the mountains to photograph the wonders of autumn in Utah.

October
Taylor makes a trip home for General Conference.
The last of Kylee’s friends come home from serving honorable missions.

November
Evan and I celebrated our 24th Anniversary.
Evan is called to serve in the Young Single Adult ward as 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric.

December
Traditions!!
A Christmas Carol, outings to Temple Square, parties and Caroling.

Sports related injuries...

The last surprise item that Santa delivered to the family this year was a Wii.

Since that time the family has been competing in Tennis, Bowling, Baseball, Golf and Boxing.

As a result, I have been experiencing muscle stiffness and fatigue.
I knew I was out of shape, but this is shameful!!

Defining boundaries and responsibilities.

I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, co-worker, teacher, leader.
I am struggling with knowing where a certain boundary is under one of these roles.

For work, I spend A LOT of time on the internet for job related searches.
Some of those searches include Facebook.
Often, while conducting these searches… I will take a minute and check in with people I know
…just to see how they are doing and what they are up to.

Today, I noticed a young man (in his teens) that I know 
recently subscribed to a Facebook App that is centered around bikini clad women.

I immediately thought of two things.
1] his account was hijacked (if this was accidental)
2] danger looms ahead (if this was intentional)

On the surface, bikini clad women seems innocent enough.
BUT I am concerned, and this is why:
I was reminded of an article in the New Era, October 2006.
It offers a simple definition of pornography:

…any entertainment that uses immodest or indecent images to stimulate sexual feelings. So even a mainstream television program or advertisement can be pornographic.

My thoughts continued to the subtleties of the adversary.
How often does addiction begin with curiosity.
But, when is curiosity satisfied?
Continuing down that path… curiosity can lead to interest, where addiction may follow.

So, here I am, trying to define the boundaries and responsibilities.
Do I stay out of it and let the parents parent?
Do I assume this is all innocent and there is no cause for worry?
Do I alert the mother of this young man and share my concerns?
Do I simply pray for this young man and his parents and hope that the Spirit can prompt them?

I suppose I should pray for these answers as well.

And behold I say unto you all that this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you about with his chains, that he might chain you down to everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity.
Alma 12:6

spontaneity

A couple of days ago, Evan and I made a spontaneous decision.
We called Taylor to see what she thought… she LOVED the idea!
Her last item of school business was Friday evening… singing with the University Choir.
The though of sleeping one more night, and alone, in her apartment was more than she could stand.
So, it was settled.

I left work a little early on Friday and Evan and I drove up to Idaho.
We let ourselves into the (mostly) empty apartment and we packed, cleaned and loaded.
When Taylor was done on campus, everything was ready to go.
All that was left was turning in her key and grabbing a quick bite to eat.

Evan led the convoy home, alone with his talk radio.
Taylor and I jammed to tunes and busted moves as we followed.
Everyone was happy and home by midnight.
It was an extra treat to walk into the house and finding Kylee there too.

Everyone is home, where we love to be.
Surrounded by my three best friends. How lucky is that?

On the first day of Christmas...

This morning I woke up at my usual time, the middle of the night, as Evan affectionately calls it.

I bypassed the gym because it's cold, dark, and the holidays.

I stopped at the end of our street, look both ways, and proceeded to turn.

The individual, traveling at the speed of light, was not happy with the results.

This individual, in an attempt to break the world speed record, proceeded to jet past me.

They swerved back into my lane just in time to make a quick right hand turn at the next light.

In an attempt to express their appreciation, they rolled down the window and shared with me their version of a partridge in a pear tree.

Oh, the joys of the Christmas season.

Best part

The best part of my day yesterday…

1. Waking up early and making birthday breakfast with my husband
2. Sharing breakfast with Evan’s sister and a couple of her kids.
3. My nephew Jacob, LOVING my homemade Blackberry Buttermilk Syrup.
4. Getting to know Michaela Smolíková from the Czech Republic.
5. A thoughtful, homemade gift from my oldest daughter.
6. A phone call and birthday wishes from my youngest daughter.
7. Being able to tell my youngest… you will be home in TWO WEEKS!
8. Grocery shopping with the hubby.
9. A birthday text from Tamra.
10. A text message from new friends… an invitation to join them in their traditional candy dipping.
11. A plateful of homemade chocolate dipped yumminess.
12. Still being the #1 pick of my daughter, to escort her on her errand.
13. A birthday text from Amy.
14. Birthday dinner at The Spaghetti Factory… never a disappointment.
15. Secretly video taping the “play by play” of the BYU game.
    
    
    
    
16. Laughing with my husband as I share the “secret video”.
17. Staying up late, discussing “life” with my husband.
18. Spending my day with people I love, and knowing they love me.

Spotlight

Turning another year older, for me, is kind of like Christmas time for an adult.
More in the sense of…
Is it that time again, already?
Where did that year go?

I really don’t track my birthday’s.
While the birthday’s of my husband and children are so very important to me,
I could care less about mine It is just another day.
I think this attitude stems from my allergy to being the center of attention.
I am much happier blending into the background.

What I need to remember is this:
While my birthday is not a “big deal” to me,
it may be important to those around me.
I need to be better at letting them shine the spotlight on me…
but only for a day!

Unheard

Sometimes, when your words seem to have gone unheard…
you have to put them in writing.

I’m sorry!