The Real ME!

I wonder when I die, if all the answers to my questions will just flood to me all at once, if I will be just as confused as I am here, or if I'll be resigned to care since life is over and done with, what’s coming will come, eventually.
It will be no surprise to know that my whole life I have had an issue with authority, let me correct that... undeserving authority. In 7th or 8th grade I had an English teacher who didn't care for me at all and wasn't shy to let everyone know. She had a few talks with me about how I needed to show her respect because she was my teacher, my elder, and just plain superior to me. My mom always taught me to respect my elders. She taught me by word and action. My whole life I have never seen her disrespect someone older, even if she knows they deserve it. I just figured out early, that I cant be like that, I cant give my respect to someone just on the basis that they are older than me or they hold a higher calling in the church or they are my boss, if they don't respect me, then they don't deserve my respect. Plain and simple! That middle school teacher assigned a creative writing paper, in the format of a real News Paper. Can you guess what my main article dealt with??? Yes, respect... I think I won a contest with that paper, and after she graded it and gave me a shining A+, she promptly apologized.
I have a tendency to rub adults wrong... I'm not shy to tell people what I really think. Why is that a bad quality? Why cant everyone just come out and say what they really feel instead of pushing it under the surface? What does that help? Nothing! But I am looked down on for telling people how it really is, and they are glorified for secretly screwing me over, because on the surface they seem to be so righteous. Self righteous is all I see... There are people who are good at smoothing over the surface so they look great and grand but underneath is nothing but empty words and fake smiles, why are they the ones who everyone wants to be like?
On the trek I learned a lot, and had a really spiritual experience. I worked my butt off quite literally to help, and do the very best I could at my responsibilities. I care about the people I serve, not just on the surface, but to my very core. I worry and pray about them constantly, hoping that I will be able to make even a small difference in their lives, and I think I have. Yet I am the one kicked to the side, because I look rough around the edges, because I cant speak eloquently, and because I must have missed the line to receive my halo. I'm sorry if I am obscene, if I'm too loud, and if I make you uncomfortable, but this is me and I like who I am. I feel I can make a difference and it most likely will be with the people that are turned off to the Gospel, by people like you.

Issue #11 (Trek!)

Okay, so this week I have managed to finish nothing... except keep the chillins alive. 5 minutes after you left I decided that this sucks! This issue is a depiction of the awesomeness of my week. If I didn't have to feed anyone I would have slept until Friday. KayBree and Daimen were really good, as usual, but without you we were SO DEPRESSED! Wow, I don't know how you do it babe.

Thank you for raising my spawn,

Josh

Off to Trek!!!

Well tomorrow at, oh my gosh thirty in the morning, I'll be meeting at the church to head to Martins Cove, Wyoming.

I told KayBree and Daimen that I would be gone all week. After they both finished gasping for air we had this conversation...

KayBree ~ "Who's going to watch us?"

ME ~ "Daddy will be here to watch you, only mommy is going."

KayBree ~ "Oh mom, we are going to be so starving!!!"

ME ~ "Why, Daddy knows how to cook you guys good food."

KayBree ~ "I know but every time we ask him to eat something he says 'we'll have to wait till mommy gets home,' We are surely going to starve!"

ME ~ "I will buy you guys lots of good food while I'm gone and I'll tell Daddy you can have anything you want, does that sound good?"

KayBree ~ Oh yes, but........ do I have to tend Daimen when Daddy goes to work?"

ME ~ "No Grandma will come before Daddy leaves to tend you."

KayBree ~ "OH, THANK GOODNESS!!!"

I think that she thought that she was going to have to take care of everything while I was gone. She is such a little worrier! So if by chance you see my kids this week and they look like starving, sickly little kids from Ethiopia, you'll know why! :)

Issue # 10 (Awesome Pirate Eye Patch)

*~UPDATE~*

July 14th, 2008

Daimen's eye is better, we took him to the doctor today & he couldn't even tell which eye it was. He tried to convince us that it was the right eye, but in the end we made sure he checked the left (hurt) eye, & it was doing just fine. YAY what a relief... I'm glad he wont be going blind anytime soon... hopefully.

Daimen was up all last night screaming that his eye was hurting, so I took him to the doctor today & we found out that he has scratched his cornea. The doctor gave him some antibiotics eye drops but said if he's not better by Wednesday that we'll have to take him to an optometrist so his eye doesn't scar & leave him with blurry sight in that eye. Needless to say me and Josh are freakin out. We have no idea how he did it, I guess he was just being a boy. It's really sad because he is in so much pain, but he loves his pirate eye patch! Josh is drawing a comic right now I'll post it when he's done! :)

AND HERE IT IS........

Isn't this the most awesome cartoon!

Let me just tell you that my husband is the MOST talented man!!!

Happy Fourth of July!

"We believe in peace," President Hinckley said. "We work for peace. We pray for peace. But we are all citizens of the nation, and we meet our responsibility as that responsibility is defined by our leadership."

I just have to say that I am really proud to be an American! I am so proud of the rights and liberties that I receive as a citizen of this country. I know that this may be some what controversial, but I am glad that George W. Bush is our President! I know that he has faults, but man, who doesn't? I am so thankful that he has had a personal relationship with the religious advisors around the world especially the late President Hinckley, and that he has turned to them for advice and guidance in the major actions and decisions he has had to make. What more could we ask for than a President that believes in a Higher Power and lives his life the best he can? I know that everyone is against this war in Iraq and believe me, it has not been easy for my family, but I am grateful that we have just leaders who look out for the well being of others even in the face of criticism. . I am so thankful that I am part of this ‘Nation under God...’

Last but not least I am thankful for Josh, and for all he did in Iraq. I am thankful that he is my husband and that he loves me unconditionally even when I mess up (which I do TOO MUCH). Thanks for serving our Country babe!

Cute Cousins!

Spencer, KayBree, Daimen, and Connor dancing on the stage!

The Chief Hot Air Balloon guy picked Daimen up and set him on top of the basket to watch while he set up the Balloon. It was very interesting how they did it!

I needed a picture of both my cute kids... right?

This is the inside of the Balloon. It was HUGE!!!

After watching them set up this Hot Air Balloon, my Dad had a sudden bit of inspiration that he should invest in a Hot Air Balloon, so we went to talk to the Chief Hot Air Balloon guy and after hearing him spout off the long line of numbers in which it would costs to get it started, I think my Dad started to have some doubts... Oh and the fact that when he mentioned investing in a Hot Air Balloon my mom YELLED a definite NOOOOO... Sorry Dad... I was up for it, (if we were gonna use your money that is!!) ;)

All in all it was a fun 4th of July besides the fact that Josh had to work ALL DAY!!!

We missed you babe! :)

P.S. Thank you Amy and Harley for letting me and the kids hang out at your house all day. We had so much fun. We really do love you guys and all you do for us. Our kids would rather live at your house then ours but hey, we cant blame them, we would too! Love you guys!

Issue #9 (Sunday Dinner @ Ruby Tuesday)

So this post is going to get me in trouble with many people... especially my Mother, but it was too cute not to write down so we can remember.

A few weeks ago, after church, we came home to a house with no food... (OK so there probably was something we could eat in desperation, but I didn't want to find it) So we headed to Ruby Tuesday. We ordered our food & while we were waiting, KayBree asked, "Mom, why are we here on a Church day???" In my head I was thinking, OH CRAP she is old enough to remember what is right and wrong, what should I say, to maybe make this a learning experience?

I said, " Mommy is being naughty because we shouldn't go to stores on Sunday, but we forgot to go shopping for food on Saturday so we didn't have anything to eat in the house."

There was a long pause...

"Mom, maybe Jesus knows you're trying to be good, but we were just so stinkin hungry."

Man... she is perceptive!

Lesson learned... No breaking the Sabbath