Married!

Wow, I've been married for 3 months and I'm not sure how to catch up my life since then. You've all heard the phrase "one thing led to another...", right? Well, that's kinda how I feel about this past year. July 31, 2009, I went to Paradise Bakery & Cafe for a free lunch with this guy named Erik, one thing led to another, and now I'm living with him in a new house with 7 kids. Somehow, the middle part of that story needs more attention.

Every Mom's Worst Nightmare

It was Tuesday, March 9, about 3:50pm. I had asked the kids to walk home because I didn't know if I would make it in time to pick them up after school. I arrived on time and tried to find them, but they caught a ride with a neighbor. My neighbor offered to just drive them home, but I wanted to take them to get milkshakes at In-N-Out. As I conversed through the window, Nick hopped out of her car and ran across the street to my van. Madelyn followed behind him. Just as she came running into the street, a car rounded the corner, the driver not seeing her, and she was hit.

It all happened so fast. The car had obstructed my view and I was hopeful that she stopped in time, but as the car proceeded to move, I saw that she was face-down on the street.

I screamed, Nick screamed. We got out of the van quickly and ran to her. I heard her crying...never was there such a welcome sound. I picked her up and moved her to the curb and held her. I couldn't let go of her.

The driver of the car happened to be my neighbor and Madelyn's friend's mom. She and my neighbor who had the kids in her car tried to get me to let Maddie go so we could assess the damage. I finally let her go and it looked like her mouth to the brunt of the accident. Taking the advice of another mom who stopped to help, I took her to Stonehaven Dental.

Madelyn's right canine was hanging by a thread and her two front teeth were loose (and, yes, they were permanent). The dentist sedated her in order to extract the canine and put a splint on the two front teeth and perform a root canal on the right front tooth. Because of the excess bleeding, they weren't able to complete the root canal, but the tooth extraction was simple and the splint was securely placed.

In the meantime, my boys were taken care of by my neighbor who had the kids in her car, and the neighbor who was involved with the accident stayed with me at Stonehaven until support arrived.

The folks at Stonehaven Dental were our angels. They took such good care of both of us, especially Madelyn. I was with Madelyn as she was sedated, and was with her as she woke up. The dentist carried her to my van for me and got her situated for a safe ride home. She was really coming to in the car and insisted that we go get those milkshakes!!!

So we did.

Then the circus began. The phone rang off the hook. The door bell chimed off it's circuits. Madelyn had many visitors and received many gifts. We are so blessed to live in the neighborhood we live in. The accident was just that...an accident. And even then, there are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason and those reasons made themselves known within days.

I feel so blessed to have a healthy daughter. So blessed to have sons who want to protect their sister. So blessed to have amazing neighbors and friends who have come to our aid again and again.

You just never know the true charity and love of those around you until you need it.

COLLIN, The 10-Year-Old

April Fool's Day brought the happiness that is a birthday for my Collin. He turned 10 and I don't know how that happened. He sleeps really well, but rarely eats. I don't know what sustains that kid. He seems to only be hungry when it's Fast Sunday.

I'll share some pictures of the events surrounding his birthday...

Brrr Freezy Easter...

This entry is for those of you who are steady and determined bloggers. Jennie, Laurie, Kristi, Lyndsey....anyone else? I wish I had more time to write. How do you do it? What about your journals? You know, the burn journal for your anger, and the forever journal that your kids will read some day? How do you have time for all this writing?

Anyway, I would love to hear your systems of blogging. And maybe I can incorporate somehow...

Easter is my absolute FAVORITE holiday EVER!!! Even better than Christmas (gasp!) and my birthday (double gasp!). I absolutely LOVE the renewal that spring brings, and that Easter is nestled right in there to remind us that all things that come to an end have a new beginning. I love the idea of a long winter where anything living is pretty much frozen in time, then the temperatures start to rise, and, right on cue, little buds on the branches of trees and bushes start to bloom. The blooming is almost like a symphony. First the violins, then the cellos, then the flutes... It's synchronized and beautiful. We do our part to prune and care for the trees and other plants, then all we have to do is watch.

I was just so disappointed with how cold Easter was this year. There was snow on the ground when we woke up this morning. I'm ready for the thaw. I'm ready for warmth. I'm ready to run around the house without socks on. I'm ready need the A/C in the car and at home.

But, I guess this is what Spring brings. So, I guess what I really want is summer...

Great! Now I have to change my favorite season to Summer. I didn't see that coming.

Engaged!!

I'm gettin' married!!! Here's me and the man. We'll get married on May 5. Woohoo!!!

TGI Friday

I really like my kids. I didn't roll out of bed till 8:45 this morning and they were all dressed and waiting for me to have family prayer with them before taking them to school. Their enthusiasm was no doubt fueled by the promise of a sugar-coma which always follows a Valentine's party amongst classmates. I don't doubt that Halloween is many times worse, but Valentine's has it's own promise of comatose side effects.

Did I mention that I like my kids? We have our rough moments, but, overall, they're all growing up to be exactly who they're supposed to be. I love what my friend Lyndsey said, that her greatest desire for her kids is to know how unimportant popularity is. That the interesting kids usually eat lunch alone, and the "cool kids" end up rejects half the time. I heartily agree.

My Nick is brilliant. So brilliant that his brain works faster than his mouth can communicate the information. And he talks super fast!! It's hard to keep up.

My Collin is a sweetheart. He's so loveable and has quite a friend-following. He's easy-going, but can totally stick up for himself.

My Madelyn is a super-friend. She's naturally loyal and has a strong desire to be a trustworthy. She's also a collector of "things". And that includes, well, everything!

I love my kids!

New Year...MmmHmmm

January. So very much a favorite time of year. I love being done with the holidays and getting the kids back to school and myself back to work. Back to the realities of life. And I'm very much a realist.

My goals for the New Year? Haha!!!

Oh, wait, that's a really good idea....hmmm....goals....

OK, off the top of my head:

1. Learn how to blog! I've always been really good at talking, but I need to harness that energy and put it into this thing called a blog. Facebook is easy because the format is already there. I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna figure out how to post pictures and talk about things that no one really wants to hear!!!

2. Get certified to be a Facilitator for Processing. No, not computer processing, or anything of the like (not that it would be a bad idea to learn how to use this hunk of metal sitting on my desk). I'm taking some vocational courses that will get me certified to facilitate an emotional counseling, of sorts. Processing is an alternative form of counseling that's so much more effective than the traditional thing....I've tried both!

3. Get this single-mom thing down! The divorce has been final for almost a year (gasp!). I've been reading some books (some helpful, others not!) and I'm learning a lot about how to get more out of my kids. If only shock collars were legal for children....

4. Get the bidders lists finished for my job!!! I have 1 1/2 states down and 7 to go!!!

5. Stick with my calling directing the ward choir. I love music and I love singing, but being in charge makes me want to stop! Alas, I will perservere! And this choir will be nationally acclaimed as the best ward choir...EVER!!! Or something less grand...

6. Stay on a good budget. I have all the budgeting tools (thank you Alex) and my van is paid off in February. No reason to fail!

7. Get some sleep. 2009 was exhausting. I'm so tired. In fact....yawn....I could take a nap right now as part of my New Year's Resolu.....snoooooorrrre.

8. What? Oh, yeah. And I will be diligent in my exercising. I used to be, before the big D, and I'm determined to be a healthy thin, instead of a stressed-out, anorexic, nasty thin. Along with this comes better diet rituals. I've been doing so much better at that, but I'll always love cinnamon toast once in a while...

That's about all I can muster up off the top of my head. I would hate to expect more of myself and be disappointed. Although, I can remember what Thomas Monson said once: "It's better to aim for the stars and miss than shoot for a pile of manure and hit it!".

In short....yes, I'm short (5' 1 3/4" to be exact)....I'm SO OVER 2009!!!

BRING ON 2010!!!!