Friends

THIS IS A PICTURE OF ME AND MY BEST FRIEND

This is so weird, but today I have come to the conclusion that I have missed out. I do facebook and I have reconnected with tons of people. Some I didn't know so much and others I knew well, but lost contact. With some of the people I bump into on facebook I realize I wish I still knew them or that they were my next door neighbor. Through conversing I feel like I know them better now than I ever did. I had them in my grasp at one point in my life and I let them go. Well some of the times I let them go were because I moved away, or they moved away. Are these feelings I am having because I am lonely? I did move recently. When I get ripped away from what is familiar. Is that when I realize what I have lost?

This reminds me of this poem...

Around the corner I have a friend

In this great city that has no end;

Yet days go by and weeks rush on,

And before I know it a year has gone;

And I never see my old friend's face,

For life is a swift and terrible race.

He knows I like him just as well,

As in the days when I rang his bell,

And he rang mine. We were younger then;

But now we are busy, tired men...

Tired with playing a foolish game;

Tired with trying to make a name.

"Tomorrow," I say, "I'll call on Jim,

Just to show that I'm thinking of him."

But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes;

And distance between us grows and grows.

Around the corner...yet miles away.

"Here's a telegram, sir"... Jim died today;

And that's what we get, and deserve in the end

Around the corner, a vanished friend

-Charles Hanson Towne

I hope I can realize what I have while I have it , and find those relationships that I have lost with others in the friends I have now. Or... I can just have my dream come true and have them all move to one area and I would be surrounded by them.

Jeff is my best friend and I have not lost him! My family matters more to me than friends. But it still is important to have a few friends.

School Days

I met Jeff's class on Thursday. I think he is so lucky to be in a nice school. I can't believe he has taught for 7 years. I love to be involved in Jeff's job and to know what is going on and what is coming up. We have a long standing joke, that his classroom is mine in the summer and his throughout the school year. Jeff's first principle was an actual blessing in our life. She gave Jeff the job, and gave us many opportunities throughout the years. Maybe she just had pity on us. I guess what I am trying to say is that Jeff's job has been a special part of our marriage and family. I think the word is out that teachers don't make very much money. Sure I have wished that we had more money and that we didn't have to have stomach aches over our finances. But I wouldn't trade it for anything, really. A few years ago I couldn't have said that. Jeff's job gives him daily practice on how to be a good father, even though I have hindered the process at times. If it wasn't for jeff, our boys may be quite different. Jeff's job has brought us close together and taught us all a lot. I am not saying everyone needs to be a teacher to be happy. And I am definitely not saying that we are perfect because of jeff's job. But it sure is teaching us and forcing us to grow. The coming 3 years are going to be rough with jeff going back to college to finish his administrative license. I think Heavenly Father wants to teach me to be more independent. "You mean I have to not depend on Jeff so much?"

Miss California

I do not follow the Miss USA Pageant, but while watching the news today I found something very interesting. When it was the final 5? and they were asked their responses to questions. Miss California was asked by a gay judge what her thoughts on gay marriage were. She responded something like this, " Me and my family do not believe in same sex marriage." She came in as first attendant. So now there is all this talk that she probably would have won if she said she agreed with same sex marriage. The Today Show brought her on the show today and asked her if she would do it again and answer with more of a pleasing answer. She said NO. I would say the same thing again, I believe in standing for what you believe not being a fence sitter. She said how she wanted to be biblically correct more than politically correct.

This really touched me. I am so glad that this happened and that the world has heard what this lady had to say. So we have all had peer pressure, but this to me is immense peer pressure. It was her life long dream to be miss usa. But she did not change her standards for the world to achieve her dream. .... to bad she doesn't have a modesty in dress standard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LPv9L6sy5c

A FUN TIME-GOOD MEMORY

My parents came for a visit, and have just left. I can't explain very well how I feel. I just have so much love for them, and yet I feel angry at myself for not telling them how I feel about them. And then I have this grateful heart feeling because of how much they blessed us by coming.

We had fun with them, just to talk and be close and eat together. My boys hearts and souls have something like batteries... and to have my parents come has really recharged those hearts and souls like nothing else could have.

My mom taught me how to make my own laundry detergent. And I had just been thinking about how expensive laundry detergent was to buy and how I was destined to buy this expensive stuff for the rest of my life. Then my mom comes along and shows me a cheap healthier detergent. How great!

Then my parents brought with them a few things that I had made growing up and just to be reminded of those memories was special.

Thank you so so much mom and dad for coming and blessing us.

VISITORS

This is a picture of Cole while at Grandma and Grandpas. Summer of 2008. Cole (Gina) got into this situation a number of times.

This weekend, my parents are coming up from Mt. Pleasant , UT. for a visit. I am so excited. But my boys don't know about it, because I want it to be a complete surprise. You know when you are told something is going to happen, you get really excited and can't wait. Then when it finally does happen, you don't show your excitement, because you already did. Does that make sense at all? Maybe my mind has a little to much extra time. I guess I just want my parents to see how happy it really makes my boys to have them come and visit. Now I will just hope it does not backfire on me.

So, the last time we saw my parents it was mid July. I am so grateful that my parents are coming, and sacrificing their time and money to come and see us. I promise to treat them well.

Family is Forever

I have enjoyed conference. This is the first year the boys mostly stayed in the same room with us and did some activities to participate in gen. conf. We were very impressed by their goodness. Jacob and Ben are good play mates, they still argue and get in fights sometimes but I am glad they are friends. It may have been how I was raised, but I feel it is important to have your bestest and closest friends be your brothers and sisters. My sister Emily was my best friend growing up, we were blood sisters in fact.
I was at deseret book one day and I saw this mini statue figurine and it inspired me so much. I bought it to remind me and my boys that their brothers are important, and they can give each other the support and love that they each need. Joseph and Hyrum Smith were very close and if they had not had the closeness and goodness to each other growing up, then his brother hyrum would not have been there to get him through the many trials he would go through and to give him the support to do such a great work.
There is that saying, "friends may come and go, but family is forever".

Spring Break me off a piece of that kit kat bar

I don't have too many inspirations happening lately. I think my main goal lately is to get enough sleep. We have been having spring break this week. I love it. For those who don't know... my husband is a teacher. So spring break means having him home with me all week. Right now he is getting caught up with his grading. But we have done some fun things this week, and we have more fun things planned for the rest of the week. I can't believe that it is general conference this weekend and Easter the next! It just gives me so much hope. Hope that warmer weather will be here soon. Warm to me is at least sixty degrees. Maybe higher? Yes, I think higher.