Many Feelings

This will be a bit long. I apologize now.
I am not a really religious person. I have my beliefs and I live my life the way I have been taught. I love the gospel, don't get me wrong. I just don't go yelling it from the rooftops. I prefer to let my actions speak for me.

I have so many thoughts and feelings going through me!
I have to tell you the funniest story!! I had to be in my wheelchair for the weekend. yuck. LOOONG week. anyways, Reed and I were coming back from lunch and I was telling him I wanted to get Kenneth Cope's autograph for the kids, on his CD, as we were entering the doors. Reed says "Let's go through this one so we don't run into anyone. . . . " as we run over Kenneth Cope! Poor guy winds up in my lap! I am laughing so hard. I know, it isn't funny. But, it is. Reed tells him "We were just looking for you she wants your autograph." He is the sweetest guy ever. Then he poses for a picture. He will have a bruise for sure!

It was such a great weekend. Listening to these speakers was so nice to hear their stories and it lifted me up. One thing about being sick for a long time is you start to feel down. Pretty much all the time. I was definitely there. Then we went to time out. It was exactly what I needed. Sheri Dew is amazing. Do you think she is always like that? Life is crazy, but she never shows how hard life can be. I am still, a week later, pondering all that she said. Each talk was so comforting. I enjoyed all the speakers and music groups. Like a reassurance that we will be ok. Yes, life is hard, but that is what we are here for. To grow and learn then return home to our Father in Heaven. Why do we forget that?? I am trying to hang on to that thought. The ultimate goal.

I want to hug my children more. Make sure I tell them how much I love them and be a better person all around. It was such a great weekend. I am so thankful I was able to go. I will treasure it for along time.

Time Out!

I am going to Time Out this weekend. Reed is taking me to Houston for the weekend. Conrad and Ben will be home and Ali is going to a friends. I am so excited! Sheri Dew will be speaking Fri. night she is one of my favorite speakers ever!!! Then Sat.S. Michael Wilcox, Jericho Road, Kennith Cope, and a ton of others I can't remember right now will be speaking. I am so excited!!! It is exactly what I need. It has been too long since I've had some uplifting thoughts and music. Sheri Dew is giving us her new book free. :D! This is as great as conference. My kids are just as excited. Conrad is being super sweet about it. He offered to watch the littles for us. He knows I still can't drive so he volunteered. It was so cool. I love that kid! Then Ali asked if she could go to a friends. She would have more fun, so- Yes.

The doctor said my MRI was fine. There is nothing to worry about. I will be trying out this book Mom told me about on chronic pain. I will let you know how it goes. I just got it today. I will probably start doing the exercises next week. Time to start taking matters into my own hands. I was looking at it and I bet I will lose some weight too. Won't that be nice!
I'll let you know how my Time Out is! :D
Love Ya!

This Week

This week was a little crazy. Cassia wound up in the ER. She has the flu and she got dehydrated. Joey took very good care of her. He earned big kudos! She was given some meds. to help with the nausea and is doing much better. It is very hard for me to be so far away. But, Joey was there and he was great. :) Thanks Joey.
Conrad became a member of the German National Honor Society on Thursday night. We are very proud of him. It is the National Honor Society through his German class. It was fun. They spoke in German for the whole meeting. Way to go Conrad!!
Ben is in the play "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". It is through the community. Being a community production it isn't very good, but Ben has had a lot of fun. He got to hang out with his friends until 10:00pm every night. It goes until the weekend of the 22nd of March. LONNNG time. He is so cute. :) He will hate that I said that. hahaha!
Ali is a typical teenager. She spends a lot of time on the phone and at the mall. She is there now. She is NOT typical because she is so sweet still.
Emilie is doing really good at school. She just started a weight training class that she loves. She found an apartment for next year. She, Cassia, and Ashley get together once a month for dinner. With all their schedules being so busy it is their time to catch up. I love that they make the time to do that. I wonder if Kyara will want to do it when she gets there.
Reed and I are doing good. He is working hard all the time. He still gets to fly 2 or 3 times a week. Thankfully! :) He really missed that when we moved here. He flies out to oil rigs and inspects them. It is still a scary job. Those platforms are so tiny!!
I go see the Dr. Tues. I'll let you know what he says.

Memories

So I've been going through my pictures and scrapbooks lately. These are some that I found. I thought you all might enjoy them too. This was just before Shelli left on her mission.
Enjoy!

What's new?

I had my MRI last week. It was horrible. They had to give me an IV and I freak with needles. It was a huge one! yuck! It still have the bruises and puncture. My neurologist is in town Mondays & Tuesdays. It's hard to get an appointment because of that. So I go in on March 10. I have been feeling pretty good. Physical therapy has been great. I can walk now with little help! :) It's wonderful. I still get some pain now and then but, nothing like it was. Yay!

I love to read all your blogs! They make me laugh. It is great to "talk" about our lives and catch up this way. Especially with all of us spread across the US. I miss you! Family and friends have become so important to me. Life is nothing without you. I'm so grateful for all the friends we've made being in the Coast Guard. So many great people whom we never would of had the chance to know and love if Reed weren't in the CG. The adventures we have had! So fun! My children have had very interesting lives. They have experienced many different cultures. They got to live those cultures! My family is amazing. Mom is the most courageous and strong person I know! What an example she and Dad have been to all of their children AND grandchildren. Thank you. I love you. My sister's and brother's are awesome. We all have such different lives but we are still family and there is a lot of love between us. I love each one of you and miss you terribly. Thanks for being there for me.
I am so glad we are a forever family!

Reed and I have a joke about Charlie Brown.

Whack A Mole!

Do you ever feel like your life is like that game? You try to stand up but some giant hits you on the head with a giant hammer and you fall back down. Well, that's how my life has been.
Ali's leg is healing. She will have a scar about 4 inches long down her leg. But, we got all the staph infection out. She will be on antibiotics for a month. Her stitches come out on the 11th.

I go in next week for more MRI's. I am tired and depressed. So that's all I'm going to say about that.

Ben is 12. He is my baby. He was ordained a Deacon on Sunday. That is a big deal at church. Reed and Conrad were there with him.

Emilie is seriously thinking about a double major. Archeology and Geology. School is a lot better this semester. She has some good roommates. But, really her classes are just better.

Cassia is all about the wedding. We spend most of our time online looking at dresses, flowers, cakes, and all kinds of decorations. I am going out to see her in April so we can actually do some of this stuff in person! It is hard doing it all long distance. Did any of you ever do it like this?
Mom, your the wedding planner, your advice would be appreciated!!! ;)