Pioneer Day

I braved the Yakima roads by taking the girls to their Primary Activity on Saturday. The GPS didn't get a signal until I passed my first turn so I ended up on all these random side streets. I ended up staying for the whole activity because I was afraid I'd get lost driving home. I figured I could follow someone home after we were done. Why not use the GPS again? Well, our location is so new it is not an address in our GPS.

It was a fun Primary Activity. They had taffy pulling, relay races, and other pioneer-ish activities. My cousin gave me some pioneer bonnets awhile ago and I was finally able to put them to use. No one else was dressed up so the girls were a little embarrassed at first. Miriam HATES it when people look at her so her stress level went through the roof. Once they started playing games she was fine.

Miriam informed me they weren't correctly dressed because they weren't wearing boots. Pioneers did NOT wear flip flops. Agreed, but I bet their shoes were pretty floppy by the time they reached Salt Lake.

Relay Games---I wasn't paying attention when Miriam's group did their relay. Oops!

Pulling Taffy----My kids, not fans.

Making S'mores--thankfully someone else was helping my kids, it was TOO hot to go over by the fire.

I'm so grateful I have all my current comforts of home and freedom of religion. I'm so thankful to those who were willing to give all they had, even their lives, for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the prophet Joseph Smith and I know he was a true prophet, sent here to restore the gospel to the earth for this final time. What an amazing example of faith, courage, love---basically he is someone we should pattern our lives after. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ, and I feel so blessed to be part of His church. I'm going to try to be more like my pioneer ancestors, more willing to share the gospel, more willing to sacrifice all I have, more willing to go where the Lord wants me to go.

We are in Yakima Washington Now

Sorry for the slow blogging. I just copied my mother's blog to ours since not everyone checks her blog. These are some photos of our new place for a while and the girls on the ponies at the 4th of July in Idaho.

UPDATE SINCE MARCH 2010

In case people are still checking our blog.......
We are finally back together again. Things couldn't be better with the exception of being home with the Miriam and Shay. Here are some, meaning LOTS of pictures of the things we've done (Gettysburg, Ocean City, etc.)

Mallena and Lindsay

Gettysburg

We didn't eat here, but thought it was a funny name for a business

Mallena and Abe in the rain

Mallena imitating Miriam when she had her picture here

Mallena trying to climb the tower, after 3 flights of stairs. There were 8.

Good try honey. Maybe next time.

The Devil's Den

Rita's at Ocean City.

On the Downward Slide

Doug was complaining the other day that he was tired of seeing "The Wizard of Oz Christmas" on our blog. Well, it's true, I'm behind on my blogging. Not only have I not posted lately, I also haven't been good at checking other people's blogs. Sorry! I really am interested in all of your comings and goings, but it just seems like time has started to fly past me at an alarming rate. I won't complain because life is so great (most of the time).

I can't believe that Doug is back in Philadelphia on his last rotation. I have felt every 294 days that he's been gone (minus the few days we've seen him). I won't say that the time has flown by because it hasn't. Some days have been VERY long, some days have been very short, some days have been filled with tears, some days have been full of sheer joy. The only constant in this whole ordeal has been the love and support from my Father in Heaven. I would be very ungrateful if I did not acknowledge where my strength and determination to keep going came from. I truly feel like the Footprints poem where it tells of how the Lord carried the man during his hardest times. There have been many times where I just didn't know how I was going to make it one more day with such loneliness in my heart. Our Father in Heaven has designed for us to live as families, to support and love each other. This separation has been a trial, but I have such a strong testimony that the Lord knew that with His help, I could make it.

I'm determined to make this experience be a positive influence on me. I want to be a better friend, a better neighbor, a better sister, the first one swooping in to give service, the first one to sit by someone new at church, a better confidante, a better listener, someone who gives healing hugs, someone who carries the Spirit with them so that people can feel our Father's love.

Hmmmm.....I'm not sure why I just wrote all that. This was not the direction I was planning on taking with this post. Oh well, I'm to lazy to delete it and try to come up with something else. Hopefully my rantings may be helpful to someone else.

These are Doug's rotations away from us. Sorry, I didn't realize it was going to cut off part of it. It all started in May 2009.

This is what our time looks like now. We went from four sections down to one. As of tomorrow Doug will be 1/4 of the way done with Philadelphia!

To my hunny bunny: I LOVE YOU! Thanks for working so hard so that we can have a pleasant perspective of the future. WE MISS YOU, but are so proud of you. No one will be cheering louder at graduation than me. Well, that probably isn't true, I'm not one for shouting or using blow horns. Just know my heart will be bursting with joy and pride. Only two months and three days until I'm with you in person again. Keep up the good work!

A Wizard of Oz Christmas

Miriam decided she wanted to try out for Glinda the Good Witch in her school's production of "A Wizard of Oz Christmas". I was hesitant to let her because I was afraid she wouldn't get the part and then she'd be devastated for days. It's hard to deal with her constant emotional outbreaks and I wasn't sure I was going to be up to the task. I was able to talk her out of it because it sounded like they'd have a lot of early morning practices and Miriam DOES NOT do mornings well. However; the next day she came home and said she'd signed up to audition. Apparently she'd told her teacher she wanted to so they went and signed her up. It was the first grade teachers who were putting the play together so I figured Miriam must have a little bit of a chance if her teacher didn't try to talk her out of it.

We practiced her lines for the audition over and over again, and we also talked about how we would be happy for whomever got the part of Glinda. The day of auditions came, Miriam dressed up in her fanciest dress, and gave her lines beautifully (or so she says--I wasn't allowed to go in the room). She was a little sad because during the audition they had to read lines for a different character. She was afraid that meant she didn't do well with her Glinda lines. I'm going to brag for a minute though, she was the only one WITHOUT her script. She memorized EVERY line she was given for the audition. Granted it was only a couple of sentences, but still, I was very proud of her.

About a week later we found out she had gotten the part! We got a call from the school saying the lists were up and we could go see what her part was. We jumped in the car and took off. I was prepared for the worst and we talked about it in the car on the way there. We couldn't stop smiling when we saw that she was one of the Glindas. I say one of the Glindas because they divided the play into six scenes so that everyone who auditioned could have a part. Miriam was the Glinda at the very end when she helps Dorthy get home.

After having practices every day after school for about three weeks they were ready for the play. I might be a little biased, but Miriam was one of the best! She said her lines very clearly and carefully so the audience knew what she was saying. She looked SO beautiful and everyone just oohed and ahhed when she came on stage. It was fun listening to everyone's reactions. Thanks to my mom who made her dress and the capes for her and the other Glinda. Thanks to Katy (sister-in-law) who made the wands, arranged for the crowns, and showed me how to do Miriam's hair fancy. Also thanks to Melina who let us borrow her "real crown" from her pageant days. Miriam felt like a real princess. I appreciate all the family members who came to show support. My parents came to the dress rehearsal the day before and then Mary Ann, Melina, Brigham, and Jaz came the day of the performance. I can't thank you enough for your support!

Thanks to Melina, I have some pictures of Miriam during her play. Somehow I totally spaced getting any pictures of her BEFORE the play. Her poor costume was falling apart and hair was drooping badly. They did two performances the day of the play, and about three dress rehearsals. Her poor cape had definitely seen better days and her hair was so big and pretty before the last performance.

***WARNING*** There are a lot of pictures. I just couldn't decide which ones to post.

When Miriam came on stage she stood behind the rainbow (kids dressed in each color). When it was her time she walked onto the stage to talk with Dorothy. It was so funny to watch her looking around, trying to entertain herself while she waited. I was proud of her though, she was so poised and proper while she waited. I think she did wave to Melina though when she snuck up to the stage and started recording her.

Waiting to go on stage

Saying her lines

Leaving the stage (Look she's holding her dress to walk--SO cute!)

Waiting to take her bow

After the Bow (Aren't they the cutest Glindas?)

Group Photos

Thanks for coming Jazzy!

Miriam LOVES flowers so my mom went to the store the night before and bought her a bouquet. Miriam's eyes popped out of her head when she walked towards us and realized what I was holding.

I'm so proud of Miriam for not letting my fears get in the way of her accomplishing her goals. She was right, I was wrong. This was a good lesson for me about releasing the reigns a little bit and letting my children risk their hearts a little bit. That's how we grow. I can't protect them forever.

If you're interested, I'm posting a video of Miriam saying her lines and a video of her and the other Glinda taking their bow.

Christmas 2009

With a lot of help from Doug's parents we were able to get Doug home for Christmas. The doctor he's working with in Omaha was going to be gone the week after Christmas so Doug got permission from his school to be gone as well. He flew home Christmas Eve and went back to Omaha on January 4th. We were able to have him here for his birthday which made it extra fun. It's been really hard having him gone again this time because Shaylynn realizes what is happening now. Before she was content having him here and then gone again, but now she continually asks when we're going to go see daddy. Miriam usually breaks down once a day in tears wanting her daddy. Pay attention because this is the only time I'm going to admit this, are you ready? This. Is. Hard. There, I admitted it and I never will again.

Anyway, on to better and more fun topics. We had a wonderful Christmas with family. My brother Hyrum arrived home from his mission to Bulgaria on the 18th of December. I took Miriam out of school early and so we were all there at the airport to see him. My mom and I went to Idaho Falls earlier in the day so we could run some errands and so I could tell Doug's grandmother goodbye from the two of us. Funny side note: Miriam was a little late getting to the airport with my dad and Kirill, so when Hyrum saw Shaylynn he picked her up, gave her a hug, and said, "Miriam, you're getting so big!" It was pretty funny. To his defense, he didn't have Miriam there to compare the two before deciding who was who.

It was a day of very mixed emotions. I was sad because Doug's grandmother was passing away and he couldn't be there in person, but I was also so excited to see my baby brother (biologically speaking that is). I was able to hold the phone to Luella's ear while Doug told her goodbye and said how much he loved her. I lasted about a second and then broke down so Larry (Doug's dad) had to hold the phone the rest of the time. The funeral was held on Christmas Eve. Another day of sadness and joy (Doug arrived a few hours after the funeral was over). Death is never any fun to experience, but it is so wonderful to KNOW there is life after this, and that our new life is even better than this one. This is the second funeral I've attended as a representative of Doug. His grandfather passed away right before he left to interview in Chicago for Optometry school. This time it was his grandmother and he was living in Omaha. At least his grandparents are together again.

Doug's grandmother was buried Christmas Eve. After the funeral the girls and I spent the afternoon at my house with my family. Daniel flew home from Texas to spend a couple weeks with us. My girls ADORE their uncles! All of them are so willing to run around the house chasing them, catching them and tickling them, and then starting the process all over again. We spruced up and then drove the short 30 minutes to Idaho Falls to pick up Doug. After the FANTASTIC reunion at the airport we went to Melina's house for a Christmas Eve party. There was yummy food, GREAT company, and lots of laughs. It was then home so Santa could come before it got too late.

Waiting at the Airport

Idaho Falls Airport

Seeing Daddy

It's tradition for Doug to help the girls put the star on the tree. We had the star sitting BY the tree until Christmas Eve when Dad could come home and help them. We had to do it twice so each girl got a turn. Doug had to fix the star after their turns.

Modeling their new pajamas

The girls slept in until 9:00 a.m. and then we opened presents. Well, Doug and the girls opened presents. When you're the one in charge of Christmas giving it's easy to forget yourself. :) Oh well, maybe next year. After opening presents here we hurried to Menan to do a gift exchange with Doug's family. We had fun seeing everyone again. We played a few games and then came back to Rexburg to open gifts with my family. It was a fun day, but we were glad to finally get home.

Opening Presents at Home

Shay clung to Doug the whole time he was home.

My nephew Jake being weird

One Nation Under God

I think this painting is absolutely beautiful. I was raised in a home where we were taught patriotism and respect for our country and our founding fathers from an early age. I'm so grateful to Heavenly Father for allowing me to be born in this amazing country. May we all stand up and shout for what we believe. Our founding fathers KNEW that God was behind their work, we should be just as sure and just as vocal about our love and gratitude for Him.