Kids

Why do we go to college?
S-"So we can learn to get married"

When picking up Miss Lou's rental violin S spotted a little one that was HIS size. He was very excited and thought he should have it. When telling him that it was to expensive didn't work Miss Lou took over. It went something like this
Miss Lou-"If you get a violin you have to take lessons so you will know how to play"
S-"No we can get it and I will play MY way"

After my mom wrote out the check for the violin Miss Lou said "Thank you so much mom." Impressed the cashier said he had never heard a child thank his parents before. My mom told him that it is very important to Miss Lou to be nice. Miss Lou told the cashier "I AM a nice girl" When my mom tells the story she adds "and so humble too."

My Aussie Dad was recently watching a BYU football game (see, football is so cool even Australians like it). He gets into watching games so he was yelling at the TV. Most likely somewhat surprised that his dad was yelling A says, "Dad, I'm right here. You don't need to yell"

Kids are the best. I am very thankful that my parents have blessed me with three cute kids that I have gotten to see grow from babies to their personality-filled selves.

A Roof Over My Head

For the last four weeks I have been volunteering as an EFY counselor throughout Utah. I have loved it. But that's not what this post is about.
Being me, I didn't realize until the day before I left for Utah that EFY does not give volunteer counselors a place to stay. GULP. I was stressed but a little voice inside my head said Go ahead and get on the plane. It will be taken care of. So off I went. I had no clue where I was going to stay and the people I had called to see if they knew someone who would let me stay with them had no idea either. Finally I got a call form my wonderful Dad N.. My cousin Bre had been going to School in Logan and I could stay with her. That was a major blessing. Three weeks down two more to go. Of course, after Logan is all taken care of I get an e-mail asking if anyone needs a place to stay while in Logan for EFY. Nope but what about Sandy. So I called the session coordinator and she said they would find me a place to stay Sunday night. Sunday night comes around and I still don't know where I'm sleeping that night. What if no one takes me? I can't afford a hotel for two weeks. Ahh. Not until the very end did someone say they cold take me. That week I also found a girl who would take me for the week after.
Why am I telling you this? Because there is a principle. I did not know how things would work out. I only knew that ths was what I should be doing. I also had to put forth the faith that Heavenly Father would take care of me before it was evident how he had planned for that to be accomplished. My help also came from others.
Just like in life we have to put forth faith before we can understand. Sometimes when we are told to do something it seems like help is not going to come but it does and most often trough other people.
I am thankful for being taught this principle.

There is no Arizona

Well that would be sad because their are allot of people I like in that state. Like my soon to be roommate Stacie.

Yep, I am moving back to Az at the end of July. I am so excited. I have never lived without family before so it will be a different sort of adventure. A more grown up and responsible adventure. I have been pinching pennies in preparation for this. I haven't pinched them this much in years. I am so happy. I have been dreaming of roommates since I was a kid. Of course I am a little nervous. I have never had roommates before. Stacie is wonderful so I know it will work out. She went to the trouble of finding us an apartment and roommates. She even made sure the apartment met my only requirement. That it be in a particular ward. In true fashion to the way my life works out that requirement won't matter by the time I get there because they are probably changing the ward boundaries. Oh well, even more new people can't be to bad.
We have two other roommates, Kristi and Mia. They are sisters. I don't know htem very well but I got to know their older sister when I was there and she is awesome. Kristi is the oldest of us all. I met her once and she seemed nice. I have it on good authority that she is. Mia is the youngest of us all. I haven't meet her but Stacie says she is nice too. Supposedly she doesn't have a bubble which is good because me and Stacie don't either. I am also told that she has lots of energy all the time. This will probably lead to lots of crazy roommate nights but hopefully Kristi will remind us of our neighbors before they remind our landlord of the noise policy. Actually I don't even know if there is one. I guess I'll find out.

My Mother

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."
-Abraham Lincoln

Here are some reasons that I'm glad my mom is my mom.

1. She has endless patience. She has never yelled at me when I do things I shouldn't. If I was her I would have yelled at me.
2. She loves her children more than anything. Even when we are annoying and stress her out.

3. She knows when I need things or am having a hard time. Even when I am states away and don't tell her about it.

4. She talks to me and keeps my secrets.

5. She understands me.

6. She is creative. I love the things that she comes up with.

7. She gives without a thought of return.

8. She is an example of living by faith.

9. She makes me laugh at myself and she laughs at the silly things I do.
10. Shes who I want to be when I grow up.

Thanks, Mom, for being the best.

Pictures

Did you think I forgot to take pictures of people while out in the snow? Nope. Here they are.

This is Serena

She is new to the high school scene and is handling it great. I am very impressed with her self confidence. She doesn't seem to care what others think. If she likes it she likes it, even if some people would see them as childish or immature. Not that they are but that high school nerves would seem to make them though. Not Serena though. Her out going, fun loving, general happy personality and dedication to her goals conquerors all.

This is Jeremy.

No he is not part Chinese. He just has the eye squinting smile like some of us in my family. Jeramey loves to help in the kitchen when it comes to cooking and, like most boys, just wants to have fun. He also seems to want to be older then he is sometimes. I have tried to explain to him that being a kid is fun and he should enjoy not having the responsibility of various things. It didn't work. Oh well.

Here is Autum.

While in many ways she is a girlie girl she has the energy to keep up with her two brothers that are close in age. She also loves one on one attention, the cat and fisher price dolls. Apart from that she has a set of lungs made for singing. At the ward party Santa came. Darcy, the lady who cut my hair, told her to go tell Santa what she wants. Autum said she didn't know what she wanted. I think in many ways Autum has the ability to be content with what she has as long as there are people to be around and interact with.

The youngest is Wes.

Don't let his size fool you. He is small but is more then capable of holding his own in a squabble.

He also has a tender heart and can be quite the gentleman. Lately he has taken to pushing my chair in for me. He will sometimes even hop up out of his chair so he can. Wes is very creative in a silly way. Sometimes he will tell joking stories about why such and such happened to so and so or they could do this next time that happens. Another thing I find so cute is that he wants nothing more then to be like Jake and Ross. I think that says many good things about the kind of big brothers they are. One of the ways Wes is trying to accomplish this is by eating allot. He is succeeding very well.

Then there are Garn and Aj. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of them. They are wonderful though. They both give excellent advice that is based on spiritual understanding and their life experiences. They have taught me so much and I am very grateful for it.