Rainy Day Schedule

The weather guy said it would but to be honest I NEVER believe them, but this morning we have RAIN!! Olivia was so excited. She told me she wanted to go out in the rain. I said ok get your shoes and you can go stand in the rain. She looked at me as if to say "Duh" and then said "Mom, I need the unbrella (that is what she calls it.)" I quickly got the umbrella and out she went. Since we hardly ever get rain, I thought I better grab the camera to take some pictures in case it is another 3 or 4 months before we get rain again. I hope it rains and rains and rains! The only thing better would be to be snuggled up in bed with Sal and the 3 kids watching movies.

Lorin's Mission Call Came Today

This morning when I woke-up I checked my email as usual. In my inbox was an update on Lorin Merkley. An MRI was done to determine why he has been having difficulty breathing. The results were what everyone had feared....he had tumors in his lungs. The doctors advised no more chemo and they decided to send him home today with hospice. This morning as I read that news I wanted to gather my 3 little kids and snuggle in bed with them all day. Of course that is what any mother would want to do. I prayed that they would have more time as a family but that Lorin would be free of the pain he is in. I just received a call that Lorin died just about 20 minutes ago.

Lorin was made an Elder on Sunday. Isn't that what always happens? A missionary is set apart on Sunday and leaves for his mission on Tuesday to check into the MTC on Wednesday. Lorin was right on schedule. I am sure today will be spent greeting grandparents and those gone before him, and tomorrow he will start his training as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Lucky him.... he will train with Christ by his side and with Prophets as his teachers. Of course, my heart breaks for LeAnn and Craig, his parents, who are left behind with empty arms. I know they have the faith to endure yet another test. I now pray that their family may be comforted, that Brandon, who is serving an Earthly mission, will be able to decide to either come home or finish his mission. I can't imagine making that kind of decision!

Tonight I will be thinking of Lorin and wondering if he will say hi to all those people I know on the other side.

NO KIDS ALLOWED

We just returned from a couples weekend in Rocky Point Mexico. Jill and Mark Woolley, Doug and Heather Evans and Sal and I rented a 3 bedroom 3 bath condo at Sonoran Sky. It was right on the beach and it was HEAVEN for 2 days. The weather was perfect, the food delicious and the company priceless. We made memories that will last a lifetime. We laughed so hard we cried. Sunday afternoon came WAY too soon!


Here is the view from our balcony..... Heather was the hairdresser for the weekend!

Of course the girls were happy to sit on the beach, read and soak up some rays and Sal taught Doug and Mark to fly kites. I think they are officially hooked!

Here is the one string kite we always have up......

We even talked Sal and Heather into renting a wave runner for an hour. Sal and Heather are deathly afraid of the ocean and the SHARKS that will jump out of the water to EAT them..... LOL Can you tell they have watched too much TV?

Here are Jill and Mark enjoying the surf.......

And my VERY OWN Baywatch Babe......

And what would a relaxing weekend be without a trip to the spa.......

You guys are the best neighbors and friends we could have ever hoped for. Where are we going next?

Words to Live by

Happy Veteran's Day DAD!

Every Veteran's Day I always think about you and wonder what you think about on Veteran's Day. I have been HONORED to edit your words about your time in Vietnam and the thoughts you have now looking back. You are my HERO and I hope you think of yourself as one! For the SACRIFICE, for the FAITH, for the COURAGE you had to heed a call to serve your country. For the years of enduring the reminders of a YEAR spent at war. For the person that you are today. Someone once told me that "we are who we are because of the things we have seen and the experiences we have had." I know this is true of my life. My greatest wish in life is to travel with you back to Vietnam so that we can have another experience to shape who we are. I LOVE you Dad and I hope you have a great Veteran's Day!

A truly INSPIRING Testimony Meeting!

Today was one of those Sunday's where you sit in Church and realize that there is no other place you would rather be. Sal was home with our sick Cole, but Hayden, Liv and I made it to church early enough to sit in the comfy Chapel seats! A feat that never happens for us. Hayden was thrilled! Anyway as testimony meeting started I watched as a loving Brother Merkley pushed his wheelchair bound son up to the podium to bear his testimony. Lorin Merkely is 18 years old, graduated from high school in May and was diagnosed with cancer in August. The doctors at Phoenix Children's Hospital don't know what kind of cancer it is and neither does any other doctor in the world. They have sent his biopsy results to every corner of the Earth and no one can diagnose it. They have found tumors in several spots in his body, but the one most painful is one on his spine. This has limited his movement and for now has taken away the use of his legs. Today he bore his testimony about all that he is experiencing. He said it is a wonderful experience for him to watch the power of prayer and fasting. He said the doctors expect him to die but his Patriarchal blessing says he will serve a mission and so he knows he is going to live. My eyes filled with tears as I thought that he might be called to fulfil a much different mission along side our Father in Heaven. He said "people say I look worn down, but this cancer is building me up." He said how important it is for him to come take the sacrament EVERY week and there are times he can only stay that long. Lorin added that he tries to stay positive no matter what. He was truly inspiring!

His Father spoke next. He said that Lorin was his HERO. He admired his determination and his trust in Heavenly Father. Not once has Lorin complained or asked WHY me? Bro. Merkley talked about being on his knees in prayer pleading with Heavenly Father because he can't bear watching Lorin in pain. He said he doesn't know how Lorin handles it all so well because as a father he can't. He said he tries to remember that the Lord won't test us beyond that which we are able to endure. He testified of a loving Heavenly Father that does lift the burden and helps them endure.

As I sat listening, I was of course overwhelmed with tears and my heart was full. I could feel the Spirit. It reminded me to have an ETERNAL perspective in all things and to ENDURE and WELCOME the trials that Heavenly Father sees fit to put in my way. It may not be cancer, but sometimes the "little" trials are trying enough. I feel BLESSED to have been in Sacrament meeting today and to have felt Lorin and Craig Merkley's spirit and to have heard their testimonies. It filled me up for another week!

To be a part of HISTORY!!

I have never been a political person. Sure I have voted in EVERY election since turning 18, but I have never CARED..... not as much as I did this year. Sal and I voted weeks ago so we didn't have to stand in the long line, but I would have done it if I had to. I felt that strongly about Barack Obama. I have felt that way for a very long time. As a registered Republican, I had nothing to do with Barack winning the Democratic nomination, but on this day, I had a part in electing him President of the United States of America. It sounds silly, but as I watched his acceptance speech last night I was moved to tears. I believe he is an EXTRA-ORDINARY man, one that will lead with integrity and with honor. One that will think about my family and the struggles that we face in raising kids, in paying bills, in staying employed. I cried as I watched him with Michelle and their daughters. His love and support for them. I cried as he talked about his parents and grandma who were unfortunately not here to celebrate with him. I cried as he talked about the 106 year old woman in Alabama. To think about all that she has seen and been through in our Nation's history. For the first time in a VERY long time, I am proud of our Country and the direction we are heading. I believe in our future and we have an amazing man to lead us!

A Charles Schultz Halloween for Hayden

Hayden reminded me yesterday that I forgot to blog about his FAVORITE Halloween find. As we were going through the kids candy you will never guess what Hayden found in his pillowcase. It was right out of It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. You guess it ROCKS! What else can you do but laugh.... Hayden was not thrilled, but he laughed about it too.

A not so SPOOKY Halloween

Halloween has NEVER been one of my favorite holidays. But this Halloween was one of the BEST we have ever had! Sal was home by 5pm to help me get the kids ready to go. (That was a treat for me.) Just as I was thinking, "What should I feed the kids?" Doug and Heather called and asked if we were hungry, when we asked why they told us to come over for a BBQ. When I asked what we could bring they said "Nothing because you always do all the food." I must say it was a treat to just show up and have an amazing spread at our disposal. They had hamburgers and hot dogs with all the necessary fixings, a veggie tray with dip and chips. Oh I forgot, we did supply the Diet Coke and Dr. Pepper. I think every year we should do a neighborly BBQ. It was great to hang out and eat while handing out candy.

Sal and I always try to talk Hayden into being really wacky characters for Halloween. Sometimes we can convince him (Sumo Wrestler) and other years we can't (Grim Reaper). This year was one of those years where we were successful. He convinced him to be the guy on the Tapatio bottle. Tapatio is the hot sauce that Sal and Cole put on everything. I think Hayden's friends tried to talk him out of it, but in the end he listened to his parents! :o) This year Hayden wanted to go with friends to get a pillowcase FULL of candy. It was the second year that we let him go alone. He took my cell phone and RAN, and I mean literally RAN through the whole neighborhood. He didn't get a pillowcase full, but he did get enough candy to last until Easter. Don't you remember when you wanted to go to EVERY house on the block and you knew all the candy would FILL an entire pillowcase?

Cole is our AVID Star Wars fan. Every year as we talk about costumes he always has to be some Star Wars character. One year it was Darth Vader, another year it was a Clone Trooper, and this year is was Jingo Fet. I have absolutely no clue who that is, but WAY back in July or August he said that is what he wanted to be and he never changed his mind. Cole was bummin' this year because Garrett wouldn't be home to trick or treat with and I wouldn't let him go with Hayden. SO I called his good friend Olivia to see if Cole could go with her. Olivia lives around the corner from us and she and Cole are great friends. I must say the boys in the neighborhood tease Cole about being friends with a girl, but I reassure Cole that it is ok to be friends with a girl and in a few years they will all WANT to be friends with girls. Cole and Olivia had a great time trick or treating and got TONS of candy too.

Olivia was so excited to go trick-or-treating. She kept saying, "Mom, it's dark! Time to trick-or-treat." Once I got the boys off, we got her ready to go. She came with us to eat and then she was READY to go! Liv and Kennedy started our strong, but Kennedy quickly faded. She got tired but not Liv. She kept saying, "Let's got to the next house." There were a few houses that I thought would be too scary for her, but she wasn't even afraid. She marched right up to the door. As we walked along she would say how important it is to say thank you. Near the end of the block, she said her bucket was SO HEAVY. I asked her if she wanted me to carry it, but she said "nope, I got it." Olivia, THANK YOU for hanging out with your dear old Mom on Halloween. I wish I could freeze time and you could be 3 forever!