"Farewell" Talk

Today was Gary's "Farewell" at Church. All that means is that he gives a talk in Sacrament meeting before he leaves for the MTC and his mission. Thank goodness that the family doesn't have to prepare the whole meeting, talks, musical numbers, prayers...any more. (However, the girls sang when Andy left on his mission and I accompanied on the piano. The girls and I sang when Andy came home with my friend Debbe Balling accompanying on the piano.)

So now that Gary is leaving the girls and I were doing the musical number. Their cousins on the Jenkins' side had informed Morgan when Andy came home that she had to play the violin this time. So we were going to pick a song, but Gary said he had one he wanted us to do. He had picked 'Have I Done Any Good?' We couldn't find an arrangement for the violin, so Drew's most wonderful roommate, Emily Sorenson, wrote a whole arrangement for soprano, alto, piano & violin. So we had Emily-piano, Morgan-violin, Drew and Leza-soprano, Lexie and myself-alto.

Who ever planned the program put Gary speaking first and THEN us singing!!! Seriously? How were we going to do that? Drew was crying, Lexie had tears, I just plain flat didn't listen to his talk so I wouldn't be crying along with the shaking! Then a miraculous thing happened. Mike, the speaker after us, got up to talk as soon as Gary was done. We all sat down and I planned on just speaking after he was done. The counselor conducting (his dad!) had him sit down. He was so embarrassed, but it was just exactly what we needed. He will probably never know how he helped us get rid of the nervousness. We got through the song without me quitting because of tears and I think we hit mostly close to the notes we were supposed to.

After Sacrament meeting, we came home for the luncheon. Now, remember all our preparation of yesterday? It was sprinkling, then started to downpour! We had to have it inside. (When it snowed when Andy left and we had to move it inside, we were in a different house with bigger rooms.) This house is a decent size, but the rooms are very small. We took it all in stride and set up as much of a buffet style as we could in the kitchen. Then everyone took their food to whatever room and visited and had a nice time. What troopers, because with about 50-60 people in this house at a time it was a bit cramped. Tanner's cousin Lacey and her husband Luke even ate in Tanner's bedroom and played with his trains. So did my brother-in-law Tom and his grandbaby Liam. I have 3 wonderful sister-in-laws that and numerous friends that helped bring salads and desserts. What would I do without all of them?

After pretty much everyone had left, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day. A few of his friends lingered and is best friend (not girlfriend) Chelsey left a while later. It was the most wonderful day with close friends and family. Gary so appreciated everyones thoughtfulness.

(Drew took a couple of pictures of him on her camers. So when I get them from her I will post them on here.)

Getting Ready

Tomorrow is Gary's "Farewell" for his mission. He will be speaking in Church and then we will be having numerous people at the house for food and well wishes. There will probably be between 80-100 people here off and on throughout the day. For this reason we are having it in the backyard. We have mowed and trimmed the lawn and made sure the plants/flowers are looking good. We swept the sidewalks and driveway to make it pleasant looking. We have scrubbed inside and out. Major cleaning (but not too major, that would take WAY more time than we have!) to have major company. Then the wind blew and we swept and cleaned up again, a couple of times.

After having Gary's birthday celebration we did one more thing to prepare for next Wednesday and his leaving for the MTC....We put up his mission poster! We will put a sticker on it for every day that he is gone, starting with next Wednesday as day #1. We've decided that we will take pictures at the end of every month just to see the progress. So here is picture #1.....

See? No stickers yet.

It's empty now, but it will fill up faster than we think. Those 2 years will be done before we know it and then the wall will be empty again. Unless one (or more) of the girls decide to go on a mission, we won't be doing this again until Tanner turns 19 in 11 1/2 years!!!

Happy Birthday Gary!!!

Gary and I have a shared memory. It's just that I remember it and he, well, doesn't. I know that sounds odd, but it's one that we laughingly debate together. Of course since he has no way to remember this memory, my version is the correct one...well, that and the fact that it IS the correct one.....He says I almost killed him (wink, wink) and I say I saved his life.

One week before Gary was born, I realized I hadn't felt him move in over 24 hours. I started to get worried so I did all the things they had told us to try if this ever happened. Push on him to get him to move, drink cold water or orange juice, push on him harder....It didn't work, nothing. It was time for Wynn to get home from work so I immediately told him what was happening. He called the doctor's office and they told him to have me try everything I had just tried, he told them I had and they said to get to the hospital. It was in Jackson Hole, an hour away. I thought I felt something on the way, but it was so very slight I think it was just wishful thinking. When we got there, they hooked me up to all the many machines and found his heartbeat to be so faint they almost couldn't find it. They tried everything I had tried and nothing. That's when they grabbed the little 'life jolters' as I call them and placed them on my stomach and jolted him once, nothing, twice. His heart started beating stronger, he started moving.....and didn't quit moving for the whole next week until he was born on his due date of May 23, 1990!!! I never complained about not being able to sleep that whole week because he literally did NOT stop moving! It was the most glorious thing. See? Saved his life. And what a wonderful life it was to save and give.

Happy Birthday Gary! I love you and am so proud of you.

What do you get a Missionary for his birthday 4 days before he goes to the MTC and he has already bought himself all the things (almost) he needs? You buy him the few things that are left. Therefore:

So excited to get sheets!!!

A 4g memory card for his camera. (to go with the 1g he had)

Yes, those are envelopes from Lexie and Tanner. They also gave him....

Paper, pens, pencils and an address book, all so he can write home!

Drew wanted to make his cake so I let her. Yes, that is a bikini cake, complete with belly button. (She figured it was the last one he got to look at for a while.) It didn't turn out quite as well as she had hoped and only has the #1 candle (put in the cake backwards) because they forgot to check if we had a #9 candle! He looks like he doesn't quite know what to think!!!

Breakfast of Champions

The alarm went off early this morning. Wynn went in to work late. We needed to be at Cedar Ridge Middle School at 6:30am. Why?, you ask. I know because I asked too. But it was for a good thing. All the 6th graders that had earned a 4.0 for at least one trimester this year were invited to the Breakfast of Champions. They and their parents got a small breakfast. They had a couple of speakers (one was Sky View High Schools top student who happened to go to the Breakfast of Champions when she was at Cedar Ridge), and they each received a medal and a box of Wheaties, the 'TRUE' Breakfast of Champions.

Lexie received a 4.0 ALL 3 TRIMESTERS!!! WAY TO GO LEXIE!!!

Lexie receiving her medal and cereal.

(The guy walked there just as Wynn clicked the picture!)

She is the Champion!!!

Lexie with the Principal, Mr. Michael Thompson

Wynn, Lexie and Loretta Jenkins

Lexie's medal

Wheaties, medal and program

Day By Day By Day...

I haven't been any better at posting regularly, it has now been over a week since the last one. Knowing what my next week and a half has in store, I don't think I'll be posting regularly any time soon. So for now, I will try to do a quick update since the last post...

Friday, May 8th---We went to Salt Lake City to spend a last family day before Gary leaves for his mission. He got to pick where we went, what we did and where we ate for his "Missionary meal". (we take the whole family to a restaurant of the Missionary's' choosing. Something we don't do often because of the astronomical cost) We met my niece, Jessica, in a park by the Church Office Building and she took family pictures for us. She also took individuals of Morgan, Lexie and Tanner since I haven't had them done for this school year yet. Then we went to eat at Olive Garden. From there we toured the Conference Center and got to see an amazing display they had there of artistic talent from around the world. Then we went to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and saw the Joseph Smith movie. We all cried our eyes out at this. It doesn't matter how many times you've seen it, male or female, or age, you will be touched to tears watching what they went through. Then we went to Layton to stay with Wynn's parents to be ready for the next day...

Saturday, May 9th---This was the wedding day of Wynn's nephew Zach (Nolan and Trudy's son) and Sarah Asmundson (daughter of Blayne and Judith Asmundson of Vancouver British Columbia). It started with a wedding breakfast at 9:30am in Lehi. Yummy food of breakfast burritos and fruit. Then they were sealed for time and all eternity in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. We spent some time at Nolan and Trudy's with the family (we ate pizza) and then to the reception. Her colors were lime green and pink. Her dress was gorgeous. Morgan caught the bouquet. Since that makes 2 bouquet catches for her now, Drew figures Morgan will get married 2 times quicker than she will. I don't know that that's how it works, but Drew says it works for her!!!
--I was supposed to have my exit interview for AmeriCorps today, but since we had already scheduled this, I'm going to have to reschedule.

Monday, May 11th---back to school and work. I got an email for my AmeriCorps exit interview reschedule. It is for Wednesday at 2:45. Are you kidding me? I already have plans for that day too!!! (you'll see) I told Gary I'm not going to reschedule anything, we'll work it all in. At least I'll still be in town this time and can run over there to do it. I can't handle another reschedule!

Tuesday, May 12th---Lexie had a soccer game at 5:30. The sun was supposed to be out, but it was cloudy instead. The wind was blowing which made us grateful for the blankets we took to wrap up in, because it felt like it was coming off an iceberg! They played hard, but it ended up in a tie.

Wednesday, May 13th---I took the day off to spend with Gary. He loves the Lord of the Rings trilogy and I had only seen the first one back when it first came out on dvd. I had promised him ever since the 3rd one came out that we would spend a day, just the two of us, and watch all three. I figured we better get it done since he leaves 2 weeks from today!!! Unfortunately, it wasn't uninterrupted since this was my reschedule for the exit interview. The interview went well. I told her what I was doing at home so she hurried it up so I could get back to finish the movies. The kids were great when they got home. I gave them instructions (don't bother us unless there is blood coming out your eyeballs or bones sticking out of your skin), shut the family room door, and finished the movies, uninterrupted by them, until Andy came over and interrupted even after they told him not to. Seriously, it could have waited...no blood, no bones, seriously. But I LOVED the movies and had a much needed day with Gary.

Thursday, May 14th--back to work. I left as soon as we were done...sick!!! Tanner had a soccer game tonight. Needless to say I wasn't there. I was REALLY sick. They lost. The other kids were bigger and better, it happens.

Friday, May 15th--back to work. Felt Ok-ish. Last day of lessons for reading groups. Next week is Core testing, all week. But I will only be there Thursday and Friday. I have an AmeriCorps Conference in SLC Mon-Wed. Mixed emotions about that! The ward did an Aaronic Priesthood Commemoration at Brother and Sister Godfrey's house for the men as a father/son thing. Then Wynn, Andy, Gary and Tanner went camping up Green Canyon for a guys night while me, Morgan and Lexie had a girls night. Some girls night. Morgan went babysitting so Lexie and I went to get a Cranilla Craze at Sonic, YUM! We noticed they had a new drink called a Mango Limeade, so we got a small one to try it. MISTAKE!!! It deserved a Route 44 size. It is unbelievably good! Possibly my new fave. Morgan came home, we were watching NCIS and Lexie and I fell asleep, early. Oh well.

Saturday, May 16th---Are you kidding me! Can someone put one more thing on today? The day was calm until 11:00. Here is the day---11:30 Lexie soccer game, 12:00 Tanner soccer game, 1:00 bridal shower in Freedom, 3:00 bridal shower in Layton (for my niece!), 4:00 Morgan needs to be in Richmond for the Black and White Days Parade for Colorguard, 5:00 Parade, 7:00 wedding reception in North Logan (at our church building) And it's my nephews birthday, Happy Birthday Rian. What did we make it to? Lexie's soccer game (I'll be in SLC for the last one Tuesday), the last 1/2 of Tanner's soccer game (Wynn and Gary went to all), neither bridal shower, Tanner got sick after we got home from the game, I think it's allergies but it has a fever (yes we get fevers with that sometimes), went and looked at a house, ya...NO!, Morgan got a ride to Richmond, Wynn and Gary went to the parade, Wynn, myself and Drew (she's home for the weekend) went to the reception. Stayed up late getting chores finished (somewhat).

Sunday, May 17th--The girls (Morgan and Lexie) went out to Clarkston to where they do the Martin Harris Pageant this morning. They left the house at 6:40am. The Stake does this every year and the speaker directs their talk toward the youth. This year they are listening to the General Young Mens President. My friends son (in our ward) came home from his mission to Poland Friday night. He speaks in church today. Tanner is still having a slight fever and hoarse cough (not horse cough, hahaha) so I think I will be staying home with him. We'll see. Church doesn't start for another 1 1/2 hours.


***I need to download some pictures from my camera then I will hopefully get some added on here. Like it isn't long enough already! So...pictures to come.

Has It Been a Week Already???

I can't believe it is Thursday already. My last post was last Friday!!! What happened to this week? I guess I have so much to do and so little time to do it in. I don't seem to get much exercising in lately, and I was doing sooooo good before. But life hits in spurts, and when it hits there is no room for anything else it seems. Here is my today....

Note to self--Used to get up at 4:30-5:00 to exercise...need to start doing that again
6:00 Got up, got Tanner up, made sure the girls were up, finish waking up Tanner
6:30-6:45-ish making sure everybody is getting ready
Tanner finish waking up
Make Tanner breakfast
Girls leave for school
7:00 Make sure Tanner is eating
Get on computer to check messages on email and facebook (give myself a
time limit so I don't run late)
Answer messages
Check on Tanner
Throw a batch of laundry in
7:30 Make sure Tanner is done
Tell him to get brushed and flossed and clothes ready before 8:00...do this for
the next 1/2 hour
Put laundry in dryer, new batch in washer
8:00 Get in shower
8:15-8:50 check on Tanner
Eat my breakfast while getting dressed, make-up, hair etc
Check on Tanner
Take care of laundry
Hurry Tanner along
8:50 Leave for the school, (Tanners school and my work), 15 minutes later than I
wanted to be
9:00 Get to the school
1:00 realize Morgan has an ortho appt to add to everything else that is this
afternoon
1:30 leave the school
1:40 make lunch
1:50 Get on computer
Check and answer messages
Write on blog

What I still have left for today:

Tanners turn to take treats for soccer game, I still need to buy them
Take Lexie shopping for new capris if we can find some inexpensive enough, need them tomorrow.
4:00 Morgan ortho appt in Smithfield
4:45 Lexie soccer pictures in Hyde Park
5:00 Lexie warm up for soccer game-Hyde Park
5:30 Lexie soccer game in Hyde Park
Tanner soccer game in North Logan
before 8:00 need to sign kids up for swimming lessons in Smithfield before all
the sessions I need are filled up

And did I mention I need to balance the checkbook, write out lunch checks (and other checks), get ready for a food drive for AmeriCorps week at the school next week (Thank you Colleen for doing the collection box by yourself!!!! I SOOOOOO owe you) and not to mention....
Get ready to leave for SLC tomorrow morning to spend 2 days
---moving Drew to Kaysville
taking family pictures
Gary's missionary family dinner and day
Saturday, nephews wedding---all day

Better get off the computer. Lexie is here 3 minutes early and remember, we need to go to the stores.

What Century Is This Again????

If it wasn't that I was watching a tv or listening to the radio, I would swear we were living in a lot earlier century....1700's or 1800's maybe? No money, armed bank robberies, pirates, pandemic, terrorists...

The economy is bad. Most people don't have to be told. All they have to do is look at their paycheck and checkbook. Believe me, they know, we know. But I guess it still has to be reported. Utah is always behind the rest of the country in the economy, and Cache valley is usually about a year behind Salt Lake. So according to that, we haven't seen the worst?

Bank Robbers? Really? I guess they are on the rise because of the aforementioned economic situation? And not only banks, but ARMED robberies at banks, stores, stealing whole ATM's. Seriously.

Pirates? PIRATES? Yep. Somalian pirates. Taking ships and hostages on the high seas. I saw their pictures on the news. Not one of them looked like Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom. Darn, THAT would have been worth watching on the news!!! Not that I want anyone hurt or killed by Pirates, but at least they could be worth looking at! And Yeah for the American snipers that took them out and freed the American Captain that gave himself up for a hostage to free his crew. We got the Captain AND the ship back.

Epidemic? Pandemic? Didn't whole civilizations get wiped out by these things hundreds of years ago? Swine flu. Bird flu. Regular flu. Hmmmmm. Don't go to Mexico right now. Between murders and Swine flu, your chances of returning intact are slim. Drew went on a Mexican cruise for Spring Break, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas.....she doesn't have Swine Flu. Texas has reported Swine Flu there, Gary leaves for the MTC May 27th for 3 weeks then on to Texas. He'll be on a mission. He should be safe. I'll pray anyway.

Terrorists. They aren't going away people. We have been attacked on our own soil numerous times and on foreign soil numerous other times. They may lay low(er) for a while, but they are still there. Just biding their time. Laying in wait for Americans to get complacent, again.

Flooding in the midwest, tornados in Tornado Alley, earthquakes in Italy....

Have I not read about all this somewhere? Diverse places, wars and rumors of wars, secret combinations, strange weather.....I'm not predicting the end of the world, I'm not one of those people. I'm not seeking for signs, I'm not one of those people either. But I do know that I'm not as ready as I would like to be for something major to happen. I am more ready than I used to be, but still not comfortably so. I think I will just continue to try to be as ready as possible....

And keep reminding myself that this is 2009 and not an earlier century when I hear, watch or read the news.