Craig and 30th birthdays

Yesterday would have been my brother's, Craig, 30th birthday if he had not been killed by an impaired driver almost 19 years ago.

As I thought of Craig and of 30th birthdays, I thought of my own 30th birthday. It was NOT a good one for me. I really struggled with turning 30. It sounded so old to me. I loved being in my 20's. For one thing, at age 20 I had accomplished quite a bit and still had a whole lifetime ahead of me. Turning 30 somehow made that "whole lifetime" seem so much shorter. For another thing, I was the YW President at the time and as long as I was in my 20's, I didn't feel far removed from "my girls". However, turning 30 made me seem a whole generation away from them.

I think now that I should have been celebrating all the joyful moments I had a chance to experience. I know Craig is happy where he's at and doing what he's doing but we, as a family, were cheated out of enjoying some wonderful moments with him. I, in contrast, had the opportunity by the age of 30 to taste the sweetness of things like:

*graduating from high school
*attending and graduating from college
*getting married
*obtaining my first professional job and feeling the satisfaction of achievement and success in the workplace
*experiencing the thrill of airplane travel (yes, I get a rush when the plane leaves the ground)
*giving birth to three of my children
*experiencing the miracle of my children's first words and first steps
*running a marathon (wow! that was a sweet feeling of success and accomplishment!)
*buying our first home

I don't fear death, but I do hope that if God grants me a 60th birthday here on earth that I won't bemoan my age but will be grateful for the joys I had the opportinity to experience.

And Craig, you are always loved and still thought of. Happy Birthday, little bro!

Shanley's party

Last night Shanley had a sleepover birthday party. I survived! She and her friends had fun.

We started the evening off playing "the Skittle game". (Nothing like getting that many girls hyped up on sugar.)



Then, McKayla and her friends, Dakota and Brooke, taught everyone the "Hoedown Throwdown."




Shanley got some great gifts: three shirts, fun flip-flops, 5 pairs of toe socks, and lots of fingernail and pedicure stuff. Do her friends know her or what?





All the party guests posed on the porch. Front row: Josie Cole, Samantha Simovich, Kailee Varros, Abby Nebeker, and Brookelyn Ludlow. Next row: Tylan McDonald, Meagan Edmunds, Shanley, Kaitlyn Orgill, Shaylynn Lovendahl, and Melissa Conrad. Back: Brooke Barnett, McKayla, Alec, Katie Goins, and Dakota McDonald. All of them except Abby, Brooke, and Katie stayed for the sleepover.




McKayla, Dakota, and Brooke made the frosting and decorated the cake. They even slipped a hidden piece of candy in the cake and awarded the recipient a small prize.



All the girls painted their nails with the new polishes Shanley received.

tote bags

I had a nice productive day yesterday. (It is amazing what you can do when you stay home for longer than 30 minutes at a time.) I made one of these great tote bags (the other one I made a while ago). I love these totes!




I saw a lady using a tote similar to these in Relief Society one Sunday. Instead of diligently listening to the lesson (sshhh...don't tell), I was studying the tote and trying to figure out how I could make one.

I've now made 6 and I fall in love with each and every one. They are unique and I love the fabrics and colors. So far, I have given them all away. I even helped two Mia Maids make ones for themselves. I need to make at least two more for birthdays this year. Maybe then I'll get around to making one for myself. What color will I choose? Hmmm...maybe I'll have to make more than one for myself!

Shanley's Birthday

It is almost impossible to believe but today was Shanley's 12th birthday! I remember so clearly morning sickness, cravings, and labor and now here we are 12 years later...

Her desire was to go to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. Alec, Shanley, and I left the house at 5 am. It was a wonderful start to the day. It was still dark when we left the temple (about 5:50 am) thus the terrible picture quality.



One of our family traditions is that the birthday child gets to pick the meals. Shanley chose sticky buns for breakfast and Little Caesar's pizza for dinner.

Between school, soccer practices, special needs mutual, etc there wasn't a lot of "birthday time". The highlight of Shanley's evening was getting to play volleyball on the Young Women team!

Yes, Shanley is now in Young Women. She has really waited for this day! For the last month, all we've heard for every activity is "can't I come? I'm almost 12."

Funny how things come full circle. I was the YW President of this ward when I gave birth to both McKayla and Shanley. Now they are both in YW and I am the 1st Counselor. I am so very glad I get to be in YW with both of my girls! I got to go to camp the last 2 years with McKayla since I was the camp director but knew I'd get released this year so I figured I wouldn't have the chance to go to camp with Shanley. Now I will get to!

Fun things about Shanley:
1) She has always been a big-time daddy's girl
2) She would share the shirt off her back with anyone
3) She loves fruits and vegetables
4) She literally has dozens of "best" friends
5) She is my only dark-haired child but inside she's a true "blonde"

To know Shanley is to love her!

FAITH

From a BYU Education Week class taught by Hank Smith, here's 3 ways to increase faith:

1) Believe in good things to come
2) Distance yourself from the world
(don't judge through the world's eyes)
3) Let go of the past


Here's some great quotes dealing with letting go of the past:

It's not fair to judge yesterday's mistakes with today's knowledge" -Hank Smith

"Refuse to let yesterday hold tomorrow hostage." -Elder Neal A. Maxwell

"Don't create a barrier to progress by tying yourselves to past experiences." - Elder Dallin H. Oaks

"...faith is always pointed towards the future." -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

unmistakable signs of Fall

Yes, signs of Fall are everywhere and I am SO glad because I ADORE Fall! It is my absolute favorite season. Here's the unmistakable signs:

1) My children are back in school
2) Regular season soccer games have started
3) Coats are for sale in the department stores
4) Halloween candy and decor are for sale everywhere
5) My garden is on its last legs
6) My apple tree is bearing crisp, delicious, tart apples
7) The calendar says "September"

The signs are everywhere so it MUST be Fall. Now if only someone could inform he-who-controls-the-weather!


--scrappinsoccermama is so tired of 90+ degree days

why I love other people's teens

I really love teenagers! Really I do. Just not always mine.

Today I spent 3 hours at the high school handing out ID cards and picture packets. I saw several teens I know and had fun joking around with some who were complete strangers.

Here's a conversation I had with 2 strangers:

Boy #1 as he playfully shoves Boy #2 out of the way: Hey, I'm in line first. I always get to go first.

Me: Oh, so it's an age before beauty thing.

Boy #2 laughing and punching Boy #1: Yeah, that's it!

Me to Boy #1: Oh, wait. I am just kidding! I did NOT mean it. I do not want to be paying for your therapist for the next 15 years!

Boy #1 laughing: Too late. The damage is already done.

We all laugh and things are light and fun!



Contrast this with Alec arriving home from school:

Me: Hi Alec!

Alec: No! I only love dad, not you!


Teens - gotta love 'em! sigh.