Another Year Older and Wiser too....

....... Happy Birthday (clap) to ME!

I'm not mentioning it to draw attention to it by any means. But I do have to acknowledge it because people I love did nice things for me and I have to acknowledge THEM. I'm blessed with wonderful family and friends and it made the event a little easier. It was a big one.... the big 4-0 (A shudder just went down my spine as I typed the numbers) and I would have just stayed in bed and skipped the whole day altogether if I'd had my way. Turning 30 was worse, but turning 40 is by no stretch of the imagination a pleasant experience. It's just a lame thing.

The night before my birthday my mom and dad called from Salt Lake, out of the blue, and offered to take us to dinner. I already had dinner cooking but appreciated the offer nonetheless. We just don't get to spend one-on-one time with them very often and it's nice to visit with them when there's nothing planned. They did agree, however, to join us for dinner and family home evening. Caitlyn gave the lesson on the plan of salvation and it thrilled me to see her practice teaching gospel principles. I think the best way to learn something is to teach it! She'll be a great mom someday as she teaches her family things that are important to her.

On my actual birthday Brook took me to lunch at my favorite restaurant, Kyoto. If I knew that I had one last meal, it's wbere I would eat. It was nice that Brook took time out of his hectic day to spend some time with me. I knew that he had a crazy day at work, but he insisted that we go anyway. I'm lucky to have him.

Birthday night was fun also. Brook's mother, Lola, called and told us that she and Max were bringing down dinner. When I got home from Brynn's swimming lessons I walked into a kitchen spread out with food! She had a cake, steak, potatoes, rolls, salad, and whatever else she dreamt up. She was just cutting and cooking her heart out. It was entirely over the top, but so thoughtful and kind of her. We had a little birthday party and played games until it got late.

I appreciated so much the phone calls from family and friends wishing me happiness on my birthday. Thank you because little things mean a lot. My favorite well-wishing came in the form of a card from my Colorado girlfriends (Jeni Rhees-the ringleader-, Connie, Kelli, Kristie and Katie). It was completely unexpected and it made my whole day. It's really a blessing in life to have good girlfriends! Nothing can replace them. I'm so lucky to have friends who are the best people in the world. They are thoughtful and kind and amazing gals who always make me want to try a little harder to be a better person. I love you all!

Twenty One in Dog Years

Happy 3rd birthday to Sophie, our family pet.

Before you begin to think that we're some kind of weird, over-the-top dog people, we're not. The only reason we remember her birthday is because she was born on the same day as one of Brook's neices. We probably won't have a doggy themed birthday party for her tonight (although we might now that I think of how fun it might be). We don't call ourselves Mom and Dad as in, "Sophie, come to Mommy." And we don't schedule playdates for her with other neighborhood dogs. But she is part of the family and we enjoy having her around. We joke that she isn't much to look at but that she's got a sweet spirit and good personality. And she does! She's the perfect family dog.

I debated whether to even mention Sophie in a post, but as I pondered about it, I realized that pets are part of our lives also and share a spot in our family. I have many fond memories of Dot, my family dog as I was growing up. She was around for my entire childhood practically and when she passed away it was a sad day for everyone. Likewise, my children will have many memories of Izzy and Sophie.

Sophie is our second family dog. Our first family pet was actually Izzy Belle, another shih-tzu that we got when we still lived in Pleasant View. Caitlyn had begged and begged for a dog for months and months. Brook finally gave in and brought home the cutest little puppy. She was white and grey, tiny and cute, and very feminine. It was fun to put bows in her hair and dress her in sweaters in the winter. I know-weird dog person alert, but we've learned!

She was just over a year old and we had been living in Colorado for about 4 months. One night my family from Utah was visiting and one of Izzy's legs began jerking uncontrollably. Obviously something was wrong because it didn't stop. She was panicked and I was even more so. Zach told us about a friend's mother in our neighborhood who was a vet. We called her up and she was so gracious and invited us to her house immediately to look at her. Upon examining her she sent us to an all-night clinic in town to be evaluated. Long story short - the next couple days were spent with different vets and tests before we had to have her put to sleep. It appears that she had distemper, even though we had done everything right in her vaccinations and health care.
Our friend Debbie offered to come to our home and put her to sleep for us and it was such a gift. We were able to bring her home from the clinic and have a few final hours with her before we had to say goodbye. We went out on the lawn and just played with her, took pictures, and enjoyed our time with her before Debbie came. It was a miserably sad day for us, but it was a life lesson for our kids which wouldn't have been learned had we never had her.

I can see us always having a dog of some kind although I don't know that Brook will agree with me on this.

Lost in Translation

When watching the cooking segment on the Today Show, the following words and phrases were used to describe a chicken and rice dish:

"simple and delicious"

"cozy"

"family favorite"

"we always ask dad to make a double batch"

"perfect for winter nights"

When I cooked it up to perfection and presented it to my family, the following words and phrases were used to describe the same dish:

"Ok, get the small plates out (as opposed to the regular dinner sized plates we usually use, I suppose)"

"Ew"

"I don't mean to be rude or anything........... but I understand that it's rude and I'm saying it anyway"

"Can I just have some cereal instead?"

"I'm really not that hungry"

And my favorite, spoken with enthusiasm by my dear husband, "Let's just try and eat it guys, and then we'll go for a treat after Family Home Evening."

".....For Then I'll Be Baptized, You See."

I LOVE being a mom. I absolutely love the three children that were sent to me and the special ways they make my life richer. I love their laughter and their jokes and the way they keep me on my toes. It's fun for me to look through old photo albums and remember times and places and events throughout the years. And as a parent, I recognize that I only get a handful of those really, really special occasions that happen when raising children. Saturday was a special day for us because one of those really, really special occassions happened. Brynn chose to follow in Jesus' footsteps and be baptized. She has been preparing for this day for a while now. She's watched a cousin and a close friend be baptized in the past few months and she was more than ready to turn 8 and get baptized herself.

What a special day for us! There were four children from our ward who got baptized this month and Brynn got to choose someone to give prayers. She chose her grandmothers who each gave sweet and sincere prayers and invited the Spirit in such a wonderful way. I am so thankful for Brook who was able to baptize Brynn. What a blessing the priesthood is in our home and family. Brook and Brynn had their own little moment in the baptismal font and when she was done, she came up the steps to me with the most angelic, giddy smile on her face. As I took her aside to prepare her for her confirmation I couldn't help but tell her how truly proud I was. I was so happy to be her mom at that moment and was so excited for her and her decision.

I think the moment that most touched me that day, however, was before Brook confirmed Brynn and gave her a blessing. The bishopric member asked for all those who were worthy to stand in the circle. As I looked around the room at family and friends, I realized that every man in that room was able to stand up and join in the circle. I feel so blessed that my family doesn't have to look far for good, honorable men in their lives.

Afterwards we had dinner at our home and were able to visit and enjoy one another's company. I'm so touched and humbled that we have such suppportive and dear families and friends. It's truly heaven on earth to be surrounded by such wonderful and selfless individuals. We love every one of them!