All-American

Okay,really, this is not a cheesy Christmas letter where I tell everyone how wonderful my family is but---------------Jordan made the paper today and was honored as an All-American swimmer in the 200 backstroke. In order to make All-American you need to have the top 16 times in the nation. When he swims, it is like a machine and just beautiful to watch. At the state meet a girl on his team took pictures but not mom, so I don't have any to post but will when I get them. By the way I don't post the bad news like we are eating rice and beans for the rest of the month because Logan and Mason get to go to EFY for the week for the whammy price of $800.00 or that I have so much laundry that all my baskets are overflowing or that something in my fridge has died and I really don't want to find out what it is or that I hate the price of gas (currently $4.29 9/10) and we own a truck and a family van that both get crappy gas mileage or that today is the last day of the month and I got the call from my cute visitng teacher supervisor and had to give her the news that "no I did not do my visiting teaching this month not evan a phone call or a letter". Should I go on or will it suffice if I list the good things and keep the frustrations of life to myself. Really life is good -
it could be better but it is my life and it is what the Lord wants me to deal with so I will post the fun stuff and love my life!

I hope they call me on a mission...

Paraguay Asuncion Mission-Elder Urmston reports to the MTC on October 1st!

Family Pictures

Courtney came home for the weekend and we took the opportunity to have some pictures taken. Jaime did a great job. Hope you enjoy seeing how sad it is that my kids are all grown up. Tears are flowing! When people say enjoy your kids while they are young, they mean it. I used to confuse that with thinking that I wouldn't enjoy them when they were grown. I do enjoy them now but I long for the days filled with little children running wild around the house, yard, and neighborhood.

Weekend with the Swim Team

Mason. ready for the FLY!

We spent last weekend in Fresno/Clovis for the Valley swim meet. Marc has a group of choir students who wanted to sing for their teacher so he asked me to drive them up later to the swim meet. He and Candice took two vans up earlier in the day. We left Bakersfield about 9 pm and stared the trek northward on 99. I do not love driving. I do not love driving at night. I hate driving large vehicles. Soooo, we were traveling about 75mph in the fast lane (99 is packed for the entire day and most of the night) when the large vehicle in front of me -side note I have a phobia of not being able to see in front of me. I feel claustrophobic when I am behind a huge truck or SUV with tinted windows and am blocked from seeing what is ahead.- well the large gold truck swerves and it looks like there is a refrigerator box in the middle of the fast lane. The first thought that came into my mind was you can't slam on your brakes or the kids in the back row will be killed by the driver behind you. I thought well I will just hit it. There was a cement barrier on my left and the lane to my right was already occupied with other vehicles. As I came closer I realized it was a brown couch. I swerved but clipped the edge and went into snow mode taught me by my driver's ed. teacher from Box Elder High School. We tipped a bit and were up on two wheels but for some blessed reason we did not flip. After we were back in our lane, driving straight down the road, I could not move. I had the white-knuckle death grip on the steering wheel and could barely catch my breath. About 4 minutes later I was able to pull over and had Jordan go check the damage. The large school van had sustained damage but was working fine. We drove the rest of the way in a pretty silent vehicle and I told the kids 1)if you believe in someone bigger than us then you need to say a prayer of thanks because the only reason we are here is from his grace 2) if you don't have on your seat belt put it on now. I truly feel blessed because as any of my children will attest to. I am probably in the bottom 10 drivers in the state. I get in my car and go to where I need to be and never enjoy the ride. Cars are a necessary evil in my book of getting from point A to point B. Nevertheless, I was grateful for the watchful eye of my Heavenly Father on that night to help. The remaining hour of the drive I just kept thinking how grateful I was to be driving them to the swim meet, and not calling their parents to come meet us at the hospital. Sometimes moments in life that make us grateful for simply being alive need to happen. I was also very grateful for the students in the van and their calmness during our near tragedy.

The rest of the weekend was great and I love watching swim meets. When Jordan first started swimming I thought they were long and boring. I now appreciate the amazing skill and technique involved in swimming and think it is a beautiful thing to watch their bodies gliding through the water. Mason qualified for finals with his relay team and took time off of his 100 fly so he had a good meet.

Send your quesses. Winner sings at sacrament meeting!

Jordan had his interview with the Stake President today - sooooooooooo tonight for Family Home Evening we all are posting our guesses as to where we think he might be called to. Post your guess and as soon as his call comes we will post where he is going.
Dad-Dominican Republic
Mason-Venezuela
Logan-Alaska
Courtney-New Zealand
Candice-Peru
Melanie-China
Jaime-Ireland
Taylor-Mexico
Kauner-Michigan
Hayden-Brazil
Ellie- Utah
Kristi-somewhere in South America
Lindsey-Brazil
Matthew-Albania
Leslie-the greatest mission in the world:The London England Mission
Cooper-Vermont
Kaitlin-Washington
Wyatt-Pisa, Italy
Bronson-Georgia
Addi-Disneyland

Mother's Day

Why I am grateful for the job of mother. I have to admit that Mother's Day is not my favorite Sunday of the year. I love being a mother, I just don't want an entire day to reflect on it. Once you start reflecting it automatically becomes a day of judging oneself against an impossible standard of perfection. I look at others around me and wish I was more like them. So here goes my list of mother traits I admire in women around me. I wish I was more like Abby Taylor as a grandma. She always is patient and selfless while we are camping at the beach and I don't think I have ever seen her snap at her grandchildren. I wish I was more like Elaine in working with my kid's homework. I am pretty much at the point of handling the deficiencies when they come with a week of grounding. I wish I dressed like the mom Stephanie. She always looks put together-like a mom-but not frumpy. I wish my house was a clean as Jaime's. I wish I could put together a meal like Jill. Her food is always delicious and the atmosphere inviting. I wish I acould accomplish as much in a day as Amy. Her plate is full and somehow she gets it done. I wish I had the patience of Jessica. She is soft spoken but has the ability to have her kids do things. I wish I had the passion to do things like Leslie. She jumps into projects with her all. I wish I had the ability to get my kids to do things like Maryellen. Her sons will do anything for her and it is something all the wives of the sons are amazed at. She raised some awfully fine children. I wish I had the wisdom of Linda Reed as a mother. She is amazing and she has always been one of the women I want to be when I grow up. I wish I had the positive outlook through my trials like Kathy McKeon. She finds a blessing in every situation and knows all things are for her growth. She acknowledges Heavenly Father and his plan in every situation. I wish I had the ability to laugh at things like Sara Seaney and not be so serious about things that will soon pass. I wish I had the organized home of Joy Rodriguez. It is her gift and she does it well. I wish I had the faith in all things like Michelle Lord. She has taught me so many lessons throughout the years and I love her for that. I could go on for pages so if you find yourself needing an injection of mother love, just ask for a comment and I will fill you up on what trait you shine as in the mother division.
I am grateful for my mother and the many lessons she has taught me. Not all the lessons she taught did I learn but she is a worker like no one I know. I am grateful for my older sisters and all the mothering they did for me throughout my childhood which I haven't grown out of in some ways.
I am grateful to my husband for all the mothering he does to our children. I am so overwhelmed with the task of mothering I am grateful for him stepping in to catch me the many times I fall.
Mostly I am grateful for my chldren and their patience with me as I stumble through this experince of mothering. I am learning as I go and everyday some new thing challenges me. I try to do this job as my Heavenly Father would want me to.