London's Calling

Two more days and we're off on a long-awaited adventure!  

Yikes!

I hope all this stress is worth it.  

We leave Thursday afternoon, and arrive Friday morning.  

5 Days in London

3 Days in Manchester

2 Days in the Lakes District (don't quite know where yet)

I am super-excited and nervous at the same time.  I haven't been away from my children for that long ever!  I am so, so, so grateful for my family to come stay at my house and take care of everything here for me!  I seriously owe them big time!

Now if I can just find the time to pack, prepare my talk for Standard's Night (tomorrow!), combat this cold that's brewing.  No, nothing to stress about.

Stay tuned for updates!

Happy Birthday Brooke!

The Birthday Fairy strikes again!

This time with a room full of helium balloons.  The ribbons woke her up at 4:00 this morning tickling her face.

Brookie was a beautiful baby, with a gorgeous head of dark hair.

She must have loved life and her family so much that she didn't want to miss any of it . . . she rarely slept at all. 

Our little Sunshine.

Two Years Old 

Such a little performer . . . doing Good Ship Lollipop on stage at only two, and starting piano lessons at four-years-old. 

Brookie loves being active...even when it means an occasional boo-boo.

She is enjoying her 3rd year of soccer.

Brookie is a beach girl!

Nothing slows her down . . . even a broken leg.  Her leg broke while ding-dong-ditching!

Again, she is our Little Sunshine!

We love our Brookie Boo!

Happy Birthday to our Big Seven-Year-Old Girl. You are wonderful!!

Train Wreck

I'm sure most of you have heard about the horrific train wreck that occurred Friday afternoon.

Horrific is an understatement.

I used to ride that same train, nearly every day. 

To think that it was caused by human error, human negligence, is beyond comprehension.

Life is so fragile.  

My prayers are with those who are recovering, those who are mourning loss,

and those whose lives will no longer be the same.

This is a picture of my brother Steve (on the left) helping a victim out of the train.

- his expression is displaying disgust not for what he's doing, but for the photographers that were surrounding him . . . people were dying and yet there were many, many photographers just wanting to get the gruesome shots and not bothering to help save lives.   Although this picture is scary, it is nothing compared to the carnage he had to deal with that day.

My Mia Maids

I've watched these girls grow and change and learn and become more beautiful in the last two years.  I've had them all since they were just new from Beehives (12-13 yr olds).  Oh how I'm going to miss them!  This is one time that I'm glad that I need to get a babysitter for my kids . . . so at least I can still have any of these great girls over!  

I have been their Mia Maid Advisor (teacher of young women at church ages 14-15) for nearly two years and will soon be released (sniff).  

I love the Young Women; 

I love the fun;

I love teaching them; 

I love how they participate; 

I love the relationship I have them each of them;  

I love how they have matured spiritually.

But, I HAVE NOT YET BEEN RELEASED I keep saying. I am still going to teach this Sunday. I still want to go to mutual every Wednesday night. Can I, please, pretty please? Can I? It's so fun! It's like a party, an escape, and excuse for a night out of fun and laughter! And these girls are so fun! I also love my partners-in-crime, the other leaders. Such wonderful women from whom I have learned so much. 

Tonight they planned a class activity to come over to my house (John wasn't home so I couldn't attend mutual), and they brought dessert and we had a fun little sort of going away party because we know I will be released soon.  BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE RELEASED!  Did I mention that yet?

I bet you all are wondering WHY I will be released soon.  What new adventure awaits . . . Well, I'm actually excited about this, but I can't have my cake and eat it too, so they say, but who is 'they'?  

What makes me have to leave these darling girls and move on to another learning experience is  a great opportunity to serve, and learn, and grow as a member of the Stake Primary Presidency (in charge of kids aged 18 mos - 12 yrs old throughout the area).   Another fabulous group of ladies, including Susie and Denise and Michelle that I am looking forward to working with and learning so much from them.  They are truly amazing and I have a lot to learn!