It's been a busy week but it's over now!

•Ryan fixed his car! Yay!!! And even though the new part alone was going to cost him $800, he fixed it all for FREE. Using JB Weld. LOL

•I gave my talk. No one "boo"ed. That's gotta mean something. ;)

•My friend and her mom are doing better. Not 100% well, mind you. But they are definitely better. :) We had dinner together tonight and it was GREAT to just hang out and visit! Good times. :)

I am tired and so this is all you get for now. Nitey-Nite! :)

Happy Anniversary, Ryan!

15 years ago today, Ryan was baptized a member of the LDS church.  I am so grateful that he was!  If he hadn't joined the church, we wouldn't have met and the life that we have built together, including our beautiful girls, wouldn't exist. 

To celebrate, we are having one of his favorites for dinner, and because I know he won't have time to read my blog today, I feel safe in revealing what his special gift will be tonight.

"The Prayer at Valley Forge" by Arnold Friburg

This is a picture that we have both always loved and now Ryan will have it for his office.  I hope it will help him to remember that no matter how crazy or hectic it gets there at work, he can take a few moments to say a little prayer and the Lord will guide him with the things he needs to do.  I'm a little jealous that this will be at work and not here at home! lol  I guess I'll have to go visit him for lunch more often!

FYI, this is what the artist had to say about this painting:

"Since I was a boy, I have revered General Washington. At age twelve I drew what I thought a fine picture of him astride his white horse. Along with learning the American legend of his praying at Valley Forge, this deep inspiration of boyhood was never to leave me.

And so it was that I waited many years to picture him again, in prayer now, in the snow, dismounted from his strong horse - only this time in the full power and richness of oil colors.

To prepare for this painting, to insure accuracy in trees and landscape, I made a pilgrimage to Valley Forge, in the dead of winter. In the summer the place is filled with visitors. But now, in the snows of February, it was deserted, the wind moaning through the great trees - silent, lonely, cold. It was a cold that chilled to the bone, a cold that froze my fingers until I could no longer sketch nor even snap my camera.

To insure accuracy in man-made things, I sought out whatever museums, collections, libraries, or informed individuals could offer on horse gear or uniform. At the Smithsonian Military History Museum, I made minutely accurate sketches from the very uniform actually worn by Washington. As for facial likeness, I studied every portrait ever sketched, carved, or painted from life, but always keeping in mind how cold and rawboned he must have looked during that winter encampment. But such research, vital as it is, provides only physical facts. What I really tried for was, through the medium of paint, to recall the pain, the cold of that cruel winter of 1777-78.

I sought to pay tribute to the tall and heavy-burdened man who alone held our struggling nation together. For while the British grew fat and warm and well fed in Philadelphia, it was the man Washington who stayed with his starving and freezing army through that dreadful winter at Valley Forge. It was in desperation that he wrote to the governor of New Jersey, "Our sick naked, our well naked, our unfortunate men in captivity naked!" With his own countrymen indifferent to their condition, where else could he turn but to God?

It should be plain to anyone that this is a symbolic picture, rather than a historically recorded event. The well known American legend is without documentation. But from Washington's own words there can be no doubt of his deep and humble dependence upon whom he chose to call "that all wise and powerful Being on whom alone our success depends."

It is my hope that coming through this picture will once again whisper the spirit of Valley Forge, of suffering and devotion and pain, of liberty, and of the hand of God in the affairs of men."

Quick Update

•Ryan's car is still not working. If/When he ever gets any "spare time", I hope that will change.


•My talk is getting there... I've written a good portion of it, but there is more to do. I've still got time though. :)

•My friend and her mom are both home and feeling better. There still aren't many answers for them, but at least they are both doing better. With continued rest, hopefully they will both feel 100% better soon. :)

•The weather is still gorgeous! I love it!!!

•Still working on keeping the house clean. Today it is looking alright, but I'm way behind on laundry, so that's my chore right now.

•Last night, Ryan and I had a nice night at the temple, and we made an earlier session than we planned, so we weren't out very late. Which is nice since I've been tired ever since the time change this past weekend.

Life is good, it's also busy... which is probably good. :)

My poor, neglected blog.

Life is busy and I apologize because even this won't be a real post. Just a list of some of the things going on lately:

•Ryan's car broke down and still isn't fixed. We had to juggle just the one car for a few days but are now borrowing a pick up from a ward member - Thank you!!!

•I am writing a talk to give in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. If I all of a sudden come down really sick this weekend, do you think anyone would suspect something?

•One of my best friends is in the hospital with incredible pain and so far, we can't figure out why. It's hard to sit there and not be able to do anything to help.

•Her mom was also in the hospital this weekend and again, they haven't figured out what is wrong. I've told this family that we aren't allowing any more family members to be admitted, two in at one time is plenty!

•I sorted through a bunch of stuff to donate to the thrift store, loaded up the minivan (it was quite the load!), and dropped it all off. I don't know what I did with the receipt though and I sure would like that write off (even if I can't claim it until next year).

•I went through one of my "junk drawers"... even weeded out, it's still pretty full. :S

•The weather has been nice so I've been wanting to be out and about more to enjoy it. Could Spring really be here to stay? Or are we just being teased?

•I'm trying really hard to keep the house half-way decent. I've given up on trying to keep it clean. Half-way decent is my only hope at this point. Case in point: I worked all Friday morning to scrub the floors and wash the floor mats at the doors, in the kitchen, and in the bathroom. Just a few hours later, two cute girls tracked mud in over my newly scrubbed floors and freshly washed floor mats. I give up!

There are other little things: I've been continuing to read my scriptures (still on track for the 97 day challenge), I finished reading the Ensign, the Friend, and the extra insert for the Ensign this month on President Hinckley, and I'm trying to practice a song on the piano that I've always wanted to learn.

I enjoy being "anxiously engaged in a good cause"... it's just tiring sometimes and pretty time consuming. Most are things I'm happy to do. Though, I could do without the broken down car and I would rather that my friends were not sick, but I'm happy to be there with them to try to comfort them, I just wish I could do more to help.

I will try harder to make time to blog, it is something I enjoy and I think it is a good thing. It's an easy way to keep in touch with friends and family who are not near and it's sometimes my best attempt at keeping a journal. So, look for another (real) post in the near future. :)

I get no love around here.

*Exaggerate much? lol*

Convo that took place 3 minutes ago:

Me: Can I have a hug?

Rori: No!

Me: Can I have a kiss?

Rori: (Runs away)

Me: Can I have a high five?

Rori: (Ignores me and tries to climb on the dining room table)

Me: Well, can I at least have a low five?

Rori: (Stops trying to climb on the table, runs over, and gives me a low five.)

Thanks, kid. At least now I know how much I'm worth. lol

I've got an extra kid for a day!

And no, I'm not talking about Ryan... though I could have been. ;)

One of the sisters in our ward is having her baby - right now! :)  Yay!!!  And her little boy needed a place to stay while that's all happening.  Things just worked out right for him to come stay with us, so he's here and we're having fun with him.  He'll be with us tonight and part of the day tomorrow.  He's a little younger than Rori and so far they have played together pretty well.  Right now it's about naptime for him and I'm not convinced that he likes that idea.  Mostly, I'm sure he's just not liking his temporary room and bed. :(  Poor guy. 



Oh good, just in the time it took me to upload that pic and post it, he's asleep. :)  Hopefully things are going well with his mommy, too! :)

I can totally relate!

Last night, Ryan and I were watching The RM and I just had to laugh when it got to the part where he was called to be the Elders Quorum President and his face broke out in boils.

Yeah, I can relate. lol

*Thankfully, I did not get boils, just an anxiety attack. lol