Thankful in November

I Love this picture and it is of the number one thing I'm thankful for. My tiny, darling little family. After four years of living with lung fibrosis I am still tempted to put them both up for adoption as NOTHING is ever easy for us, but we are happy and thriving. I'm also very grateful for the following:

My friends, Kristie and Lisa and Heidi and Nan and Terry and Jenifer especially this week!

My Mom for keeping me in style and needing me and my Dad for being there, making me book the Ranch an extra time and getting a new plane to take me to interview transplants hospitals (the U is not the best choice after all).

Trips, I just love em! Dar and Jade laughing together in Disneyland in August was precious to me. The trip to Cancun was a dream come true. Cellcept, it's still keeping me going! Exercise, without which for me there would be no energy, Word of Wisdom-had I smoked I surely would not be here and my brother's and sister's are all cute to point that out. Jade has a good Dad, and I have a good husband. He cleans, cooks and takes care of "his princesses". Dates, as in I really need one, I want to eat mexican food on Friday nite and laugh hard at the movies! New babies in our family, Kristy we can't wait for you to have her! My home, Ugh it needs some work but so many are losing theirs. Pets, ok Clue our one year old baby just gave us a scare and cost us a ton this week but she and Sox and Boo are so fun and worth it. Creativity, it banishes loneliness, I just am finishing a new scrapbook. Having a good kid, Jade thx for coming home and cleaning today, being my legs and being cheerful and a good student! You make being a mom such a joy and so easy! Prayer, without which I doubt I could face each day with courage living with such great uncertainty. The gospel, I can't even imagine where I or we would be as a family. The scriptures, reading them as a family has brought much peace. Fun, oh my gosh fun is definitely NOT overrated. As in, I had so much fun checking out Jade's haul of candy and picking out the stuff I love and she hates. Have a little fun everyday, for sure! Holidays, Oh I am excited for Christmas, not the stuff but the tree and the traditions and the happiness that is still the same. My Honda, I am driving a lot, I'm so grateful for this SUV. TV ok I love to just zone out to I love Carly with Jade or Cuddle upwith Dar. Books, even better, they take me away. Nature, I love to appreciate it in our beautiful Utah each day and take pictures. The list goes on forever so I bet your grateful I decided to stop. He, He, He!

Oh My! Jade won at the District Science Fair!

Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! I exclaimed as each name was called for fourth place in environmental entries because it was not Jade's name. We got clear to first and her name was NOT it! She stood there, very alone in front of everyone. Turns out they made a mistake and finally after she sat back down up front they called her name for third. I was thrilled! She got a medal and a very warm hug from our darling principal Mrs. Wagner. She was beaming. This project was a challenge from the first. Dad was tired the day we did the experiment. Jdegot sick right before it was due, it got away from us and Dar said, let's just get it done. I said ok. But... Jade and I were at Michael's (Dar was desparately trying to find a deal on a new printer, which he did get, go babe) I got this feeling not to do that. So, I said Jade, we're exhausted, crying and been through too much, but, I have a feeling your project is a winner and besides, if we are going to do it, we better do a good job. It was the least amount of money we ever spent on the board but we used our cricket and she called me the next day she called me (disappointed I was not there yet) and told me, by the way, I won third. Now on the day of the district fair I was very sick, up all night. Jade found a ride to the hotel but they were delayed. At the fair Cindy Burtz noticed Jade's absence and sprung into action. She was Jade's fairy godmother who got her to the ball! Love you Cindy! She made sure Jade had lunch money and brought her home. Last night I got to hug her and we took pics of our girls and their medals (Dar has those) and dished about hand bags. That same day I was sick, Heidi checked on me and brought a yummy dinner to us and took Jade to young womens. So, there it is, a great experience, difficulties and all. And, we got by with a little help from our friends! Thanks, Guys!

Love Your Family? Fix Dinner, an overdo Valentine's Blog

Chuckle, Chuckle, Chuckle. What I am about to say is tongue in cheek but actually quite true. I cannot tell you how many times other moms, teachers, leaders and coaches have commented on what an exceptionally great kid I have while looking at me and tilting their heads a little and looking a little surprized. Because, if you know me, really know me, I'm kinda a trainwreck. I'm creative (a good thing usually), chronically ill, somewhat disorganized, a little messy and definitely emotional. How I managed to be one of the longest married, grad school educated, PTA board nominated, children adoring (to the dismay of my furniture) real, true blue, died in the wool, appreciate every day, died in the wool, made to be a mom, I will never know...really. Except two things, the gospel and family time (including family dinner). I will explore this but first a couple funny examples of the shock I have witnessed at my ability to be a good mom over the years.


1. 1999 with my sisters at Trolley Square: I have 3 sisters and we had just lunched together with our toddlers. My youngest sisters jaw dropped to the floor when I refused to let toddler Jade ride unrestrained in the back of my sister's beemer suv unrestrained.

2. 2001 my mother-in-law, a former principal, tells me I'm just a great mom. This time my jaw was on the ground, she has witnessed my organization skills.

3. 2003 Jade's kindergarten teacher, the beloved Jill Chambers, calls me super-mom, even though I cannot manage to get the right materials for each child into their Tuesday folder.

4. Always my husband and I who are very different, and debate lots, defers to me usually when it comes to Jade. I still cannot believe this twelve years later.

5. I have one child but was unable to allow myself to purchase an SUV without the "third" seat, and we use it often. You would not believe the caliber of moms that have allowed my to transport their precious cargo...it's perplexing, even to me.

6. Anything I cannot bring myself to do (like take care of myself) for me, I can do for a child's sake, especially mine.

7. I cried last night because Jade could not have a certain snack because it was not chilled, I had left it accidentally in the bag, on the counter. Typical for me.

Anyway, I became a mom, the original plan was to be a business tycoon, my Dad and I even discussed how Dar would be the more present parent, while I entertained clients at dinners. I went to MBA school, then suddenly inexplicably left it, built a home in Layton, embraced the gospel more than ever and got blessed with Jade.

Long before Stouffer's said so, I heard about a study about family dinners and how great they were, I was very impressed. I am an even bigger believer in family prayer, meetings, scripture study and prayer. But say a little prayer for me because the rules have changed. Now that I have a tween, being a good mom means being at the ready (cell phone cannot be off or lost or not charged). Having an always picked up home helps a lot, organization is job one ( if you miss a beat, you lose their trust and confidence). And you can never get away with being a "bum" for a couple days because you are really sick, had a really bad day pain-wise, and just don't feel like doing your hair and making the bed. Your daughter, my daughter Jade, needs THAT kind of mom now. I have to be an example and invoke confidence. HEAVEN HELP ME!!!! But, I was a really neat kid before my parent's divorce, everything was in place. I can do it. I can do it for her, because she is great, and deserves a good mom at every stage. Just don't mention boys or junior high or heaven forbid college and marriage or I will cry because I miss her already.