Thanksgiving 2009

Wow! We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. My family is healthy, and for the most part we're happy. My missionary is doing great and is due home in about 3 months.

A Senior couple from Arizona is providing some of the missionaries with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner! I'm so appreciative to those who are looking after my son for me. I hope all the missionaries and service men and women have a great Thanksgiving, even though they are far from their loved ones.

My brother-in-law had surgery yesterday, and he seems to be doing amazingly well. Thankful for that! He is a go-getter, and you just can't keep him down!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend. I don't know that I can endure "Black Friday". I value my sleep, so we'll have to see!

Thanksgiving

We had an early Thanksgiving celebration this year. Because of some unforeseen circumstances our family chose to celebrate Thanksgiving on Sunday. We had a great meal thanks to mom who always goes above and beyond to make things special for us. She lets us all converge on her house each year and no matter how much corn, turkey or gravy is spilled on the floor, she smiles and lets us have our fun!

We went to a park here in Nephi and took turns taking family pictures. We were the only one minus a body in our family picture......but the positive side to that is .....he will be back with us the first part of March!

Kamarie's husband Frankie is due to have surgery on Tuesday of this coming week. They will be taking his thyroid out. We wish him the best! He is such a neat person. He never complains. And believe me, he's had a lot he COULD complain about lately, but I haven't heard one negative word come out of his mouth!

Lyndsey and I did have a change to get our family Christmas cards ordered this past weekend! Here's a preview of the photos we choose for our cards. They are in a collage form. We're not goofy.....we did this on purpose!

How did I forget the post about the glasses?

I went to the University of Utah today for my annual eye appointment that I haven't been to for 6 years. Does that still make it annual?

According to Marty, I'm all but legally blind! He's been telling everyone that I can't see to drive! LIE! He's lying! I'm a good driver......ask him who got us to the appointment with 25 minutes to spare! Yup! That would be me!

I suppose I shall never look the same. I will from here on out be known as "four eyes". Ask me if I feel bad about all the people I called that when I was younger. Life has a way of coming back to "BITE YOU!".

New Moon, homework and glasses!

Tonight I got together with a group of gals that work at the school with me, and we had to go check out Edward and Jacob for ourselves. Not bad! They are both pretty fine, except I think I actually like Jacob more. I don't know if I root for the "underdogs" (bad pun) in life, or if I would have still taken a liking to him had he been the "leading man". Did I mention he had a six pack that put the beer companies to shame?

The movie wasn't as good as the books. Which, I don't think they ever are, so it was to be expected.

I got a very nice email from Josh this afternoon, and as usual there was homework for mom. He would like me to send a Christmas card to each and every family he has baptized since he's been in the West Indies. Sound like a small feat to you? There's somewhere between 20 and 25 families......that I've never met, mind you. Wonder what the letter will say? I only hope I can sound intelligent!

I've got one good friend that emails me every now and then from Trinidad. Her name is Catherine, and I was planning on getting their address from Josh and sending them a card. She is such a nice person to correspond with via email and Face Book.

And like I mentioned earlier, this week I got a call from a lady named Indra. Josh taught, and baptized her family, and has since become very close to them. He talks of them often. I'm looking forward to thanking them for taking such good care of Josh while he is so far from home. I'm happy that so many people look out for the Missionaries and they serve. What a blessing to a mother that is so far from her son. I will be forever in debt to these wonderful people! I can't wait to thank them!

Trinidad----West Indies

I got a pleasant surprise this morning! at 7:40 a.m. I got a call from a lady named Indra. She is the mother of the "Ice Cream" family that lives in Trinidad! She called to tell me how much she and her family loves my missionary! She also told me that her family is planning to go to the Temple in Santo Domingo sometime next August to be sealed together as a "forever family." Then she mentioned that Josh had told them that when they go to the temple, he would come back to the West Indies and go with them! It sounds like I better keep saving my money!

Talk about a phone call that can make your week! Can it get better than this! I love hearing from people who have made connections with my son. I've also made a friend named Catherine Seenath from Trinidad. The West Indian people are so nice! I'm glad my son got called there on his mission.......wonderful people, and beautiful countries! He's been able to see at least 6 different countries, and it could possibly be more!

Three months and two weeks left!

Lyndsey

Marty and I are pretty sneaky! Lyndsey decided that she needed a new puppy, since we lost Tink about three weeks ago. She has been a heart broken little gal ever since. Lyndsey told me the other day that she thought she would like a puppy for Christmas......so Merry Christmas Lyndsey! I can't decide who is more thrilled.......Lyndsey.......or Jace! The dog is a pom-poo and is full grown, and absolutely ADORABLE! He is definitely a welcome addition to this family whose been mourning the loss of our other little buddy, "Tink." Remy won't replace Tink and all the memories we have with her, but he will help open a new chapter and help this family heal from a loss. I just hope he don't whine all night........I do enjoy my sleep!

Lyndsey and Remy! Jace snuck in there too!

Happy Birthday Jace!

I'm a looser mom. I need a few more hours in my day.....don't we all. Yesterday Jace turned 17. As he was coming up the stairs he said, "I feel old. You can start calling me Grandpa." Wow, to be 17 again.

I took on to much yesterday and barely squeezed in making his birthday cake. It was a bad ugly cake.....I can usually make a cake, but not yesterday! It wasn't worthy of company. Between the ugly cake, and all the other crap I tried to take on, there was no birthday party! I need to try harder next year to make his birthday a little bit more special.......I'm not up to win mother-of-the-year award any time soon.

Happy Birthday Jace! :)

Jace placed 3rd!!!!!

I'm so proud of Jace! He participated in the FFA discussion meet tonight...and he placed 3rd overall!!!!! Go Jace! Other schools participating in the discussion meet were: Wasatch, Utah and Juab counties. The top 4 were all from Juab! Go Juab!!!!

Sick Missionary so far from home---

It's really hard on a parent to not be able to be there for a sick child.....and I still consider Josh my "CHILD".... even though he is 21.

In Josh's email this morning he told of how he had to finally go visit his first West Indian doctor. He's been very sick with an extremely high fever for a couple of weeks, and his back and neck were so stiff he wasn't able to turn his head. They thought he may have meningitis....but they eventually ruled that out. He didn't really come right out and say what he had....so of course the wheels in my head are turning, thinking possibly Dengue Fever again. He suffered through that last year. I'm not sure someone should have to suffer through that twice.

I'm a little emotional knowing that there's nothing I can do for him....he's so far away, and I can't even call him on the phone. I know he's being looked after by a higher being, but I'm still struggling. I'm hoping to get better news in the next few days. Miss that kid!