Monday, November 23, 2009

1200

1200 days today. What does this mean anymore? I'm not quite sure I know. Is it that Emma has not been born yet? Is is the amount of days my heart has yearned for her? Is is my hope, my dread...my dream??? I don't think I can say right now, all I know is that for the moment I am at peace.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Fall Pictures

Here are a few pictures of Lyssie Lou we got this afternoon. Isn't she beautiful? Course I can't take credit for that, but the pictures were taken by little old me. Think of what I could do with a REAL camera.
Her comment on the afternoon..."These would be cute without my braces." LOL!!






















Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Haunt Day!

Here are the little tricksters this year

Lyssie and cousins





Handsome Ace and rider



Monday, October 26, 2009

Having a bad day?


Friday, October 23, 2009

Recent activities of the kidlet...

FALL IS FUN!



Fun at the Scarecrow Festival




Lyssie singing with her group.




This very talented young guy sang "This is your song" by Elton John. It was an awesome performance.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Red Thread Dreaming.....


"An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance.
The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break."

-Chinese Proverb

Monday, October 5, 2009

A Great Fall Day...

I know in the previous post I described the snow that came in September, but just as soon as it came...it was gone.

My awesome hubby planned a super fun day when he surprised me by driving me out to the middle of nowhere and telling me to put on my swimming suit. All I could say was "Are you serious?" It definitely wasn't warm...wind blowing and about 5o degress, but I said okay and the rest was a great adventure. Here are some pictures of the natural mineral hot springs we enjoyed pretty much by ourselves.






Wednesday, September 30, 2009

SNOW!

Can you believe it? It's not even October and we got our first snow today. There is snow all over the mountains that surround us. It even snowed on some of the bench areas! All I know is that it doesn't feel like summer any more.
It was a balmy 45 degrees outside. I was out mid-afternoon and it felt like we had skipped summer and fall. When the weather starts up like this, I just want big mug of hot chocolate, comfy jammies, a good book and the warmth from the fire.
Is it really hibernation time???

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Vegas, colds and belly button problems...

Not much has been goin' on around here so I thought I'd post about the latest EXCITING things that have happening.
First I went to Vegas with a great friend who's husband is about to deploy to Afghanistan. They have conferences to help the soldiers and their families learn about and cope with deployment. It seemed good for her to get some information that would help her and her husband cope with the stresses that come along for active military personnel.
Second, I've had a stupid stupid cold for almost two weeks now that seriously inhibited my fun having ability while in Vegas. Also, we remembered 9/11 in front of the NY NY hotel and it was moving but at the same time difficult for my friend to watch knowing her hubby is leaving. -Hugs- friend...you are an example to me.
Third, the dumbest of all things happened to me yesterday. Whilst making a quick swipe with the q-tip in the belly button for cleaning, the top of the q-tip broke off inside my belly button. I tried and tried to get the stupid cotton out, but to no avail. Now my belly button is red and sore and I just hope that this will not eventually involve any of the medical community.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Out of the mouth of babes...

Walking with my niece & nephew to the bus stop today. My niece (who is too young for school yet) picked a dandelion and said to me:


This flower is HAPPY!


I wonder how they are this wise and still so small.

I think it is because they are still more in tune with God, than with the world.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Party like it's yer birfday!


Turning 29!....again

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Numbers 1 and 2 make twelve..

So since I was gone for Lyssie Lou's birthday I thought I would post some cute...(no...they are really more adorable) pictures of her and publically wish her a Happy 12th Birthday. Sweet girl...this world and my life would feel incomplete without your fun loving, outgoing, funny and sweet personality.

HAPPY 12TH BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL...





Sunday, August 9, 2009

A New You

Last week from August 3rd through the 8th I was at a camp. A wonderful relaxing women's retreat. It was truly Heaven sent and I mean that in the complete sense of the word. I was called by a good friend of mine who I haven't seen in 9 years. We recently met up through fac#ebo*ok and it was really wonderful to talk again. So she called me and asked if I wanted to attend "A New You." I was skeptical at first because I would be going alone. My friend was in a leadership position so I had to be okay with no known 'friends' to go along. I hoped and prayed that I would be okay and I was.


Here is my wonderful, thoughtful and wise friend who to my amazement still thinks of me...


We had such a great time and I know I was there for a reason, not only for myself but to help other women, especially one get some perspective on life. One HUGE lesson I learned is that we ALL struggle with hardship and trials during life...but we are not alone in this. There are people who have very similar struggles to our own. Seeing that they were able to push along and overcome their struggles helps us(me) to know we can overcome ours as well.

We learned many different things ranging from fashion/style/etiquette to women's stress/guilt/time management to renewal/hope/our relationship with God.

Fashion/style/etiquette

1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

It's okay to follow trends but create your own style. The MUST HAVE fashion staples...

  • A little black dress, it can be dressed up or down.

  • A black blazer...fitted.

  • A white shirt, you can even wear it over a swimming suit.

  • Necklaces...layer them and wrap it differently.

  • The perfect clutch...you can wear it with jeans or a dress.

  • White Jeans.

  • One great shirt or top you love.

  • A trench coat in a neutral color.

  • Scarves.

  • A full length girdle (ex. Spanx)

Fashion changes...style remains. Choose styles suitable for your:

  • Body type

  • Individual coloring

  • Career needs

  • Lifestyle

Guilt/Stress/Time Management

We need to get rid of the guilt in our lives. One group that came to this conference was surveyed, and asked a few questions. Over 50% of women surveyed had a hard time expressing anger. We need to express our emotions and there are so many of them. The word mad does not adequately describe how we feel...are we enraged. Are we happy or can we be more detailed...are we jubilant? Can we be more specific about what exact emotions we are feeling?

Our Savior Jesus Christ has a full range of emotions, and it is okay for us to feel all of our feelings. The word Emotion is energy in motion. 60% of those women surveyed take on more than they can handle. It is okay to say NO. Saying no is a reasonable answer and it doesn't require an explanation.

Do your emotional and relational family history. We should learn our vulnerabilities or our pre-dispositions in order to understand our motivations. Over 70% of women surveyed have family members who have mental health problems and 30% are in denial.

Take responsibility for our own happiness. Over 50% of women surveyed don't have time to pursue their interests and meet their own needs. Dependency promotes hostility. The word selfless. You can't give up something you don't have. In order to help others you must have your own sense of "self." Practice being kind to yourself. I don't know who said this but, "A lack of faith in one's self is a criticism of one's maker." How poignant. Learn to ask and accept help. 83% of those women surveyed say it's easire to give help than to receive it.

Galatians 6:2: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. We can be the answers to one another's prayers.

Renewal/Hope/Relationship with God and Jesus Christ

2 Nephi 25:23: For we labor diligently to write to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are save, after all we can do. Jesus Christ doesn't just make up the difference he makes all the difference. This is His grace. Satan's deception is that if you aren't perfect then you are failing. D&C 123:17: Therefore, dearly beloved bretheren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. After all we can do, we can rest peacefully and know that the grace of God is sufficient for us.

I have learned so much, and I feel so renewed. This conference was a gift from my Heavenly Father, and I am so grateful for Him and for all the good people that he was able to work through for this to be able to happen in my life. The last picture is of me and Barbara Barrington Jones who is the founder and director of "A New You." What a wonderful woman this is. She wrote in a personal journal back in the 1970's how she prayed to the Lord that she wanted to set up a camp for women. A place for them to feel good about themselves, to feel the love of God and to know that they are in the care of Him. He who loves us all.

Can you feel the love this woman has for me? Someone she hardly knows. Do you know her Jesus?

ANewYouForWomen.com

Friday, July 31, 2009

Love you Ingrid Michaelson

Today was such a GREAT day!

Scott and I and about maybe 20 other people got to see Ingrid Michaelson and Oh was it sweet. I was maybe 5 feet from her and I loved every minute of it. Thanks to 101.9 "The End" for the invite. You guys rock!

I'll post some awesome pics I got and two of the songs she sang...ENJOY!!



Ingrid waving hello to me while she was video-taping us...I got her photo as well. Such a nice person.





Ingrid giving us her bio.






Ingrid, Me, Scott



For Lyssie Lou...she had a little freak out she was so excited!



Ingrid Michaelson waving goodbye to Scott and I. How cool is that??


Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: Ingrid Michaelson 2009
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Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: Ingrid Michaelson.Maybe
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Make a Smilebox slideshow

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

What a beautiful girl...

Lyssie Lou is growing up!


Monday, July 27, 2009

A Giveaway!

I just wanted to say that there are so many cool people in this world. I wish I could meet every one of them. I recently met one of these great people. Her name is Circe. Her sister-in-law is a wonderful artist and is having a fun giveaway. Visit her at Come Fly Over My Cuckoo Nest and enter to win.

Happy Belated Pioneer Day!

Just Us



Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Pretenses....

I am so tired, so very very tired of waiting for my girl. I know there are many of you out there that have waited longer than I have and my hat is off to you, but I am slipping. Scott and I have disscussed for months now how we just have to hang on, we are over the hump and on the downslope now, but I don't know if I can hang on much longer.

Everyone that asks how long now doesn't know it and doesn't mean it, but they open the raw wound in my heart and then I am left to stitch it back together again. When people say Wow that is a long time..I feel like saying "I know it, it's a lifetime, it's MY lifetime." I am trying to live a normal life...live my life with nothing held back but that is just a pretense. I wonder "Am I living my real life?" "the one I am supposed to live?"

I smile through the pain, the thoughts of years gone by and years yet to come haunt my dreams. Sometimes I wonder if I should just give up and stop waiting. Maybe I wasn't meant to be a mother...

Next month marks 3 years and I will stop counting the days of my life as they pass me by. It's too difficult, too painful. If she is meant to be, and I am meant to be her mother she will come.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Weekend in Idaho Falls

We had a family reunion and a celebration of an 80 year old birthday over the weekend. Here are some of the photos.


Me and the Birthday Boy. What a character!



Idaho Falls Temple


A beautiful girl

Us.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

What was I thinking?

I completely and totally forgot that it was July now. That means it was my 35th month LID not my 34th!!! I am so happy and now on cloud nine. Not like it means less of a wait, but hooray for us 35 months down!!!!


Sunday, July 12, 2009

Another LID down!

Happy 34th month LID to us! We made it this far...so we're in it for the long haul!!!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

My heart is full...but it still aches

Last night we were lucky enough to attend a BBQ filled with some of my favortie people. Local adopters and some good out of town friends. I will post the pictures and stories later, but I snapped one photo that touched our hearts and here it is.


Someday soon Lyssie Lou, it won't be a dream any more and it will

be your sister you will be holding.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Updates from Camp Hiawatha...

Just kidding, the camp isn't really named Hiawatha...in fact I don't know the name of the camp. I just know where it is. Anyhoo, Scott was up at the camp for a day and overnight to help oversee some of those giggly girls and he got some great photos. Here are a few:



Lyssie zipping through the forest.


Waking up with new friends is always fun!



Maxin' and relaxin'


Beautiful wildlife all around.

Looks like she's having a blast! Can't wait for her to come home and fill us in with all the fun activities she was able to do.