LIFE IS GOOD

THE BOY IS BACK IN TOWN!!

2010-07-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

I have finally found a few minutes to sit down and post......My boy is back!!!!!

Sooooo Happy!!

Chris' arrival was a very happy one...as I watched him walk off the airplane it was hard to believe he was really home!! We have missed him terribly. It was amazing to have so many people at the airport with us to welcome him home, Thanks Everyone!! I especially want to thank those that traveled from Utah, Mexico and Kansas to be here with us....AMAZING DAY~! Here are a few pics of the fun!!

My Best Friend

2010-06-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to say....Happy Birthday and Happy Father's Day to my Sweetie!!

I hope you have a great day. Thanks for being an amazing father to our boys. Enjoy YOUR day...

p.s. Love you the Most!!

Completely Legal

2010-05-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CHRISTOPHER

It is crazy that my boy is having another birthday so very far from home....... I am wishing him a very HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY TODAY !!!
I was very happy that my ~~last package~~ birthday package arrived just two days prior to the big day.. and hopefully it had everything in it that he will need to get him by for the remaining month that he will be out. I can't believe I can actually say that, the remaining month, the remaining month, the remaining month......wow, sorry, that even feels good to type!!
Anyway, hope you had a great birthday Chris, we love you!!

MOM, DAD and JUSTIN

Great Weekend

2010-04-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

We have had a great weekend this week!! It was topped off by Justin being ordained a Priest by his father...It was the perfect topper to the weekend.

This Friday, Tyler Clark returned home from serving in the Tulsa Oklahoma Mission...Many family members made the trip into town to be there when he came off the plane. What a joy it was to be there to be a part of his return..... He served with honor and had a wonderful two years. Here are some pics of the oh so happy return!! We can't wait to do it all again in a couple months!!!

Here he comes!!

Family Photo


He may have grown and inch or two...

APRIL 4

2010-04-04T00:25:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BOY~!

Can you even believe my baby boy is 16!! Holy cow how does that happen so fast?
He will be driving and dating and hopefully getting a job....It will be a year of many firsts. I am blessed to have Justin as my son! I am going to miss the fact that he could not drive unless he took me with him.....I will probably have to beg for a ride now!!
Well, here is wishing him the best birthday ever.

LOVE YA JUSTIN

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY~!

Making the Move

2010-02-20T20:23:00.000-08:00

The Clark family is on the move.....again..

Welcome to our new living room...this empty space is now full. We have spent the past week getting moved to a different home. It has been a big job but with the help of great friends (Bendel family) it was bearable!!

We are now settled enough to actually sit and watch some Olympics. No telling how long we may be in this one so........hurry....come visit!!!

Let It Snow

2010-01-22T21:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it has certainly been a winter snow event around here the past few days....Justin has been out of school for the past week.....We have shoveled more the past two days than all of last winter put together!! Just wanted to share some of our pictures from this storm.....It has been interesting!! Thanks to our suburban and my amazing husbands even more amazing driving skills we have been out and about, blazing our own trails through many neighborhoods around town that the snowplows had not touched yet....crazy! although I must admit that there are times when it is just beautiful, like Wednesday(when the first two pics were taken) and there was a sliver of blue sky for a while. I'm pretty sure this snow will be around till Mother's day!!

Watch our fence disappear.........................................

These next two pictures show how some places looked that did not shovel every couple of hours like we did and they were going nowhere......the snowplows had not even been down their roads yet....they were snow bound for sure...........

Busy Work

2010-01-09T21:22:00.000-08:00

Well, Paul and I have been planning on spending a day updating some of the furniture we have and today was that day.. I was in need of something to occupy my brain so this was the perfect activity. I totally forgot to take before pictures until it was way too late. We updated the furniture that is in Justin's room; his dresser and night stand. As you can see from this picture of drawers(that is all that was still in the "before" stage sorry), they were just old and therefore in need of some updating.

Well, now Justin has a dresser and night stand that, although they are indeed still old, thy are at least a bit better looking....

So, not only did I get to do my favorite thing; spend a day hanging with my sweetie. I also had a few hours of distraction which I also enjoyed. So, what will our next project be?? There are just so many.....how will we choose.

Snow Days~!

2009-12-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

One thing you can be sure of in Flagstaff is.......Snow Days~! They have been warning us that a big storm was on the way and of course anyone of school age was excited and hoping it was a REALLY big one so they would get a snow day......last year they were out the entire week before the Christmas break and then had their normal two weeks off...Merry Christmas to them huh!? Well, unfortunately when it was time for school to start this morning the storm was just coming in and so off to school they went...only to hear an announcement during second hour that if anyone wanted(like who wouldn't) to be excused at lunch(10:45) just needed the permission of their parents and they could head for home!!!! Man would I have loved to hear that when I was in school.

Anyway, Paul picked Justin up and then headed downtown and brought ME home from work early too!!! I LOVE SNOW DAYS~!

Hope you all get to experience a "Snow Day".....I think they are even more fun if you are still a teenager and know that yes.....school has already been cancelled for tomorrow. Life Is Good~!

Rock On!!

Next Step

2009-11-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

Sorry, this is the best shot I could get.... It is all cut out, laid out and ready to pick up and get sewing!!

Wish me luck....

Project......

2009-11-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

Well, there is a new project in the works.

I am going to make a quilt....I know most of you reading this are thinking...I didn't even know she could sew?!! Well.....You gotta start somewhere right? I am choosing to start with a quilt. Of course it will be a simple quilt made with squares, nothing tricky. I can only attempt this because Terri is willing to be my helper/teacher...Thanks Terri. I thought I should hurry and post this so that I can't back out and not attempt this project. I will post the finished project and who knows....I might not even be embarrassed..

Clark Family Update

2009-10-16T22:42:00.000-07:00

It has been a really long time since I last posted. Things here at the Clark home are going well.....we are just moving along, day by day. We did have the opportunity last weekend to be in the Las Vegas Temple with my sister and her family as they were sealed together and it was A-mazing!! There is just nothing like sweet adorable kids all dressed in white. Thanks Royell and Adam for letting us be a part of your weekend.......we love you all.

While we were in Vegas we were lucky enough to meet up with some amazing girls who had just finished the Ragnar Relay......almost 200 miles in a 24 hour period.....I don't know about you but I am amazed and inspired by these ladies for such a huge accomplishment. It was great to see you all........

You better get training - 2010 Ragnar will be here before you know it!!!!!!

Justin has his learners permit and is driving Paul and I all over town!! I am amazed to say it but.......he really is a pretty good driver. It is so fun because all of a sudden he is willing to go places with us again...you know...just so he can drive:)

We are all healthy and most of the time we are happy too! At the moment we are both employed and that in itself is a great thing!! And if anyone is counting(like me) we are under 300!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Dad

2009-09-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to give a "Happy Birthday" shout out to my dad.....I hope you have a great day today and know that we are thinking of you.

We love you dad,
Paul, Leslie, Justin and Elder Clark

ENJOY YOUR DAY - EAT CHOCOLATE!!

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

We got to spend the Labor day weekend in Utah!! We were able to spend time with family and friends and it was great. Thanks everyone for making time to be with us. Do wish I had taken more pics though.

We had a BBQ at my brother Clint's home - Good Times

We gathered around Grandma Clark's table for Sunday dinner made by Karen - Delicious

We also got to have lunch with our good friends the Vincent family and Melanie Fisher at "Five Guys" burgers and fries..... - Yummy

It was a fun trip. Thanks everyone!

Tea Anyone?

2009-08-31T20:47:00.000-07:00

DID YOU SEE US ON FOX NEWS?

We spent our family night at a political Tea Party here in town. It was very interesting and we actually had a really good time. It is good to see so many people who are passionate about the things that are happening to our country.

This was my favorite sign of the night. All I can say is AMEN to that~!

Quick Trip

2009-08-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Paul, Justin and I made an unexpected quick(15hr. drive.) trip to El Dorado Kansas. Paul's stepdad, Dalin, passed away from renal failure. He has been a very sick man for a very long time including the fact that he lost his sight many years ago. He will be greatly missed but we find peace in our knowledge that he is no longer experiencing serious health issues and that his sight has been restored. We do not get to see Paul's mom Karen and his half sister Katie near as much as we would like to so it was so great to be able to be there with them. We also got to see Paul's grandmother Twila who we have not actually seen since Justin's 4th birthday and her 80th!! They happen to share the same birthday. It was also great to see her.

Karen(mom), Katie, Justin, Paul, Me

Karen, Katie and Twila

(Aunt)Katie and Justin

Our prayers are with Mom and Katie as they deal with the loss of their husband and father.

We Love You Guys~!

Crafty

2009-07-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

Well, Justin has been gone for almost a week now and Paul and I have been left home to our own devices.... Well, I decided that while Justin was away we would make a few improvements to his bedroom, you know, so he can't shoot down any of my ideas!! This is my favorite project.....Paul and I got down right crafty as we created this license plate magnet board, too fun.

We also got a really great letter from Elder Clark this week. He has been made Senior companion and he is nervous and excited all at the same time. He is excited he has come up on his "year" mark and excited for the experiences of his final year. He is also becoming very skilled in the kitchen.....................I think thy call him the pancake king~!

Gotta Love a Wedding

2009-06-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

Congratulations and Good Luck

Riley and Treesa Creps

Just last week I had the privilege of attending my nephew Riley's wedding. His adorable bride is Treesa and I am glad I was able to be there. I was able to spend some time with family and it was great fun. I went to a wedding, saw a great movie, had a sleepover and helped to build a fence. The only thing that would have made this trip perfect was if Paul and Justin could have come too....hopefully next time~!

Family Photo

Me and the newlyweds and cute nephew.

Saturday's fence building crew.

BIRTHDAY TIME~!

2009-06-20T05:16:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE~!

Here's wishing my wonderful husband the happiest of birthdays...

I LOVE YOU!! Thanks for being my best friend, have a great day.

My How Time Flies

2009-05-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

Well, today our son turns 20!!! Wow, it seems like just yesterday that he was just a little boy.

It really is hard to believe that not only is he NOT a little boy anymore(although he will always be MY little boy) but now he is all grown up and oh so far from home this birthday.

It is our first birthday apart and we are wishing him a wonderful day and hope he knows that we feel blessed to have him as our son. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRIS, ENJOY YOUR DAY~!

Parents Come to Visit

2009-04-26T22:41:00.000-07:00

We have had a fun week with my parents here visiting. We spent a day in Sedona, we walked around, did some shopping (mostly window shopping) and made a plan to go back next time they come to town, now that we know it could be a lot more fun with little extra spending money!!

As you can see from the fact that we are all wearing jackets, it was windy and cool but still a very beautiful day. Just look at the view behind us!!

Look at this amazing flowering cactus

We had a good time and invite you all to come visit us, there are a lot of beautiful things to see here in Northern Arizona.

Employment

2009-04-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on the employment status of the Clark household:

Paul was finally blessed with new employment and started his new job on Monday, yay!! He will be working for a company called Pearsall/Poole Refrigeration. He is their new sales/marketing/website guy. There are a lot of new things to learn and people to meet so he will be very busy. He will no longer have to sit in a cubicle(that is a good thing). We want to thank you for all of your prayers on his behalf. We will keep you posted.

FIFTEEN

2009-04-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN

Payton, Blaine, Erica, Terri, Leslie, Justin, Paul

We had a fun day Saturday(Justin's 15th Birthday). We spent the day in Prescott, Az.

We first went to a Mt. Bike race that Blaine was participating in, it was in a really nice area and the weather was cool yet nice, we all came home with sunburned faces. After the race, which Blaine took 3rd place, we had lunch at the Red Robin, walked the mall and just had a fun day out.

They sang "happy birthday" to Justin

Justin and his dad

We love you Justin and hope you had a good 15th birthday~!

As with most teenagers, this will probably be the longest year of your life as you anticipate being 16 so you can drive and worst yet....date!! Just know that for us, your parents, it will probably be a very SHORT year - YIKES~!

I Love Weddings

2009-03-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

Well, last Saturday we had the pleasure of a trip to Utah~! I always look forward to a trip back "home" but was especially looking forward to this one as we were attending the wedding of my niece Olivia... She was a beautiful bride. I pray that she and her new husband Zane will be as happy throughout their marriage as they were on this special day. Christopher was very bummed out that he was not here for this event as he and Olivia are the best of cousins...you know he loves you and wishes all the best for you Olivia....anyway, it was a very fun day....

We also spent a few days just hanging with family and friends, attending the 9th ward and driving around to see how things have changed since we left. It seems that no matter how long we go in between trips to Utah, there are always changes. Justin also brought a friend from Flagstaff with him and it was his first trip to Utah. He was amazed by the MANY churches on every corner! and he was able to see 3 Temples. It never used to even faze me as to how many churches there are in that area until we moved away and go back. When you pull off the freeway and look towards P.G. there are steeples everywhere!! Here in Flag we have just three... Well, for those of you that we were able to see, it was great. For those of you that we did not get to see, we hope to next time...and remember, Flagstaff is a great place to visit so come see us!!

Justin P. and Justin C.

Sometimes Life Calls for a Day in the Sun~!

2009-02-21T18:41:00.000-08:00

Well, as some of you already know, Paul was laid-off from his job on Thursday(not one of our better days!)
But this post is not about that crappy news. First I share a picture with you..........

Yes, this picture was taken TODAY and those are shorts and short sleeve shirts we are wearing!!

Today we had the pleasure of spending the day in Phoenix, out of the snow and cold of Flagstaff. We went for Blaine's bike race and it was a beautiful day filled with "sunshine and warmth", a day to forget about Thursday and just enjoy being with family. It was a great day and Blaine came in third in his bike race which was very awesome!!

Ready to race!

Race is over, Blaine is a WINNER!!

Blaine, hot off the medal's podium!!

Justin, hanging with his cousin Payton.

BASKETBALL

2009-01-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

High School basketball is so much fun~!

SINAGUA MUSTANGS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Justin and Miclaine Bendel

Justin is in the middle of basketball season and despite messing up his ankle pretty badly right before Christmas, he is back on the court and winning games!! These pics are from tonights game with a rival school here in town (Coconino Panthers) and yes, Justin's team kicked butt!! It was a great game and fun to watch. They are always more fun to watch when they win!!

Justin is the rebound KING~!

Elder Clark

2009-01-03T20:30:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR~!

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and wish you health and happiness in the New Year.

The holidays for us were only missing one thing.........Christopher. It was a strange thing not having him here with us. We did get to talk to him on Christmas day and it was AWESOME!! He is speaking Portuguese very well and had trouble with his English words! We got to talk to him for about an hour and a half. He is loving everything about his mission service and had a wonderful first Christmas away from home thanks to the wonderful people of Brazil. Here are a few pictures of his first Christmas in the mission field.

Elder Clark has been out for 5 months and he says it is going by quickly (most days). I hope to be able to say that one day as right now it seems he has been gone for a very long time and we miss him daily...

It is such a blessing that he is well and finding joy in serving the Lord. He tells us that he is aware of his daily blessings from his Heavenly Father and loves what he is doing.. Thanks for all of your love and support of Elder Clark.

21 YEARS~!

2008-11-26T21:29:00.000-08:00

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SWEETIE~!

I am so Thankful for the past 21 years!!

Just want Paul to know on this Thanksgiving/Anniversary day that I am grateful for him and there is nowhere I would rather be than right here with him. The past 21 years have been awesome! The years have flown by. I hope we are blessed with many, many, many more years together. Happy Anniversary Paul, I love you.

Payton Michele Clark

2008-11-04T20:08:00.000-08:00

Payton Michele Clark was born on Thursday October 30, 2008.

Her parents are Blaine and Erica Clark(our family here is Arizona)

Paul and I were lucky enough to be at the hospital when she was born, we heard her very first cry and got to hold her just minutes after she was born. She is adorable and this picture was taken just minutes after she was born - she was not even an hour old! She is going to be one spoiled and blessed little girl. She has wonderful parents and it is going to be a pleasure to watch her grow.

WELCOME LITTLE MISS PAYTON~!

Missing my Missionary

2008-10-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

I knew there would be letters where Chris would be having struggles. I "know" that as he struggles, it will only make him stronger! Yes, yes, yes, I know all these things. However, that did not make this letter any easier for this mom to read. I like to think that there are other MM's that have had these same feelings. This is one of those things I am handing to the Lord and letting Him be the one to watch over Chris. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THINGS.............Chris had his first baptism this past Sunday, wow, I thought that was pretty exciting and so did he!! Adjusting to a new culture and new surroundings is always a challenge. He is an amazing person and I know this is just the beginning of many baptisms to come... The Church is True and.. Life Is Good~!

NEW HOME FOR THE CLARK FAMILY~!

2008-10-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

Well, our time at the "fun house" or "Clark ark" as we called it, has come to an end. Last weekend we made the move to the home that you see above. Thanks to some great friends and family the move went well. We will miss the parties that took place in our previous home but our new home is comfortable, WARM, and has a "homey" feel to it, all of which we are enjoying!! (especially the warmth). For those of you that visited while we were in the "fun house", please come back and see us again. For those of you that still have not visited, come on, we are waiting for you and your room is......almost cleared of boxes and ready for you!!!

Well, Elder Clark is now in Joao Pessoa!! We have not yet heard from him as he just left the CTM and flew there yesterday. From what I hear on the missionary mom's website, we probably will not hear from him until his p-day next week(bummer). I have been preparing myself for a week without hearing from him but I think about him every second. Is he ok, did his flight go well, who is his new companion, was it hard to leave the ctm, how hot is it?? You know, questions like that. I just know it is going to be a very LOOOONG week as I...patiently...wait for a letter from my boy.

WHAT JOY~!

2008-09-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

THIS WEEKEND, MY BROTHER-IN -LAW ADAM PHONG AND MY NIECE McKENZIE WERE BAPTISED!!

Paul and I and many other family members just spent the weekend with my sister Royell and her family who live in Las Vegas. Her Husband Adam and her daughter Mckenzie were bapised into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Saturday!! What a wonderful weekend. I am so excited and happy for my sister and her family. I am also grateful to the missionaries for coming to their home and sharing the gospel with them. We had a great weekend enjoying this wonderful event with them and spending time with family.

Congratulations Adam and Mckenzie.

High School Project??

2008-09-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

Yep, Justin came home and announced his first project of his High School years!! and yes, this was it!!
This, my friends and family, is a......Purple Heather Bird!!
I know, you are wondering if I am serious and YES, I am. This is what the english teacher gave her class as an assignment after they read a book. They were all to create a purple heather bird. What the heck is a purple heather bird I asked Justin and all he could say was, "Mom, I have absolutely no idea" Well, this is our interpretation of a purple heather bird and this sweet looking bird cost us an amazing $9 to create. Oh boy, this should be an exciting first year of high school for Justin, don't you think??

As much as that project is so NOT Justin...... This picture is more like what a 14 year old freshman enjoys doing.....Driving!!

We went camping this past weekend, Yes, I did say camping. I didn't even complain too much and it ended up being alot of fun. Justin logged alot of time behind the wheel of our dunebuggy. He had friends come out to our camp and he drove them all over the forest. He is actually a pretty good driver. I could no more drive a stick shift when I was 14 than fly to the moon, but he is a natural. He has a bit of a lead foot like his dad and loves to take the muddy corners a bit fast with his mother in the vehicle but there was tons of muddy fun had by all. This is what happens when Justin follows Paul on the quads and eats his dust!!

I am not saying that I want to camp every weekend now but I will try not to complain too much if we go every once in a while. Life is Good~!

High School Tag

2008-09-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I have to thank my good friend Wendy @ View From The Grove for tagging me with this little trip down memory lane...So, here goes..

1. Did you date someone from your school?
Yes, I dated the same person through most of my jr.high and high school years. I can not complain, it was good times! The relationship came to an end the summer after graduation, we were able to go our seperate ways and remain friends.

2. What kind of car did you drive?
A Chevy Vega--It was green with one light green fender and one yellow fender, it was a real beauty. My dad paid $100 for it and i thought it was great!

3. Were you a party animal?
I would have to say,"NO". I liked parties as much as the next girl but i didn't go "crazy" or anything.

4. Were you considered a flirt?
No, yes, maybe, I don't think so.

5. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
Nope, no musical talent here...I was in the "Pep Club" my sophomore year, and i hated it. But I have the sweater with my name on the pocket to prove it. I should have been a flag twirler!!

6. Were you a nerd?
Gosh, I hope not!

7. Were you on any varsity teams?
No, no sports for me.

8. Did you get suspended/expelled?
Heck no. Only had to go to the principal's office one time!

9. Can you still sing the fight song?
Of course I can... All hail to you ol' PG High for you, our banner's in the sky. Our colors white and blue, etc. etc. Long song, I won't sing it all but it is a good one!

10. Who were your favorite teachers?
Teachers? I was only interested in the social aspect of H.S.

11. Where did you sit during lunch?
7-11, Taco Amigo, Purple Turtle, anywhere but school most of the time.

12. What was your school's full name?
Pleasant Grove High School

13. School Mascot?
AViking. Go Vikings!

14. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
Are you Crazy? Not a chance!

15. What do you remember most about graduation?
Our V. Principal was leaving and he used to give students that were dressed nice a quarter as they walked down the halls, so as we crossed the stage at graduation, every student gave him a quarter. His pockets were pretty full by the end of the night.

16. Where did you go senior skip day?
I will have to plead the 5th on this one!!

17. Were you in any clubs?
Nope.

18. Have you gained weight since then?
Duh!!

19. Who was your prom date?
Prom night was spent with the boyfriend of course. Only we did not go to the dance, we borrowed his dad's corvette and went to dinner in Salt Lake, good times!

20. Are you planning on going to your 20 year reunion?
It was last year and NO, I did not attend. I do not DO class reunions.

Ok, I will be passing this tag on to a few great women: Tammy @ merryweather mama and Ginger @ Joyous Day Love ya girls!

Home Again, Home Again

2008-08-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to show you all how beautiful things are here in Flagstaff right now. Every Field is just covered in Sunflowers! It truly is an amazing sight to see.

I have recently returned from a very quick trip to Utah. It was so much fun. I have a friend here in Flagstaff named Tami Bendel and she was headed to Utah last Saturday and let me jump in the car with them. I decided on Friday morning that I would come with her and we left Saturday morning!! I rode with her and her brother Tom and their niece Sandy B. The drive was one of the highlights of the trip, they are "crazy" and we laughed until it hurt.

Seeing what friends and family I could while there was great. I wish I could have seen more of you(next time). I was there Sunday and just a few hours on Monday. On Monday I had the pleasure of having lunch with Christopher's MTC companion, Elder Arnold's mom, Judy.

Don't you think that we look like we could be sisters!! Judy Arnold is awesome and she and I could be great friends. We ate breakfast at Kneaders and just talked about our boys and their experiences. I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know Judy and also for her son, Elder Arnold for being there to help Chris as they learn and prepare to enter the Joao Pessoa mission area.

Well, it is off to prepare for a weekend of camping, yippee!!! NOT! i will not complain, i will not complain, i will not complain.(sorry, i have to say that to myself once a day so i do not drive Paul nuts). I am sure it will be most enjoyable!? Maybe I will get a great picture to share on my next blog.

I hope you have all had a chance to read Chris' blog, I love it when I need a tissue to read his letters home.

http://www.elderclark.com/
Have A Great Day - Enjoy~!

I Love P-day :)

2008-08-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, so there have only been two p-days so far, but they are quickly becoming my favorite days. I sit at work, knowing that it is coming, pushing that silly refresh button and wondering what Chris will have to say. My mind is consumed with only that one thought (don't tell my boss!!) and then I push that refresh button one more time and **BAM** there it is!! What joy!!
Today I also got to talk to Chris' companion's mother. She is a wonderfully nice woman from Cedar Hills. I look forward to my next trip to Utah so she and I can go to lunch and chat about our boys. From the looks of these pictures, they are having a wonderful experience. And fun too!

I did it!!

2008-08-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I taught my first of many Relief Society lessons today and I think it went well.
I was nervous but not as totally freaked out as I thought I would be.
The sisters were talkative and helpful and I ran out of time before I ran out of material, not sure if that is good or not? It did let me know that I will have to work on my wrap up skills. When I saw that my time was (totally) up I sort of panicked. Do I press on quickly? Do I stop abruptly? How do I end without sounding like an idiot and still letting them know how I feel about the subject we have just discussed? Like I said, I have some teaching skills to work on.
Thank heavens for the Spirit and for wonderful sisters that I think really are rooting for me to be successful. And thanks to all of you for your encouragement. As scary as it is, I CAN do it!!

Justin survived his first two days of high school. No one stuffed him in a locker (as if he would fit), or gave him a swirly. They were nice and he thinks he won't hate ALL his teacher!!(that is a relief). He is just biding his time until basketball season.

Well, after worrying about when Chris would write, Justin starting school and giving this lesson today, I will have to go.....It is a rainy cool Sabbath afternoon and I need a NAP.
Take Care.

YAHOOOO!!!

2008-08-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

Finally!! I was wearing out the refresh button on my email today. I was so hoping that since we did not receive an email from Chris yesterday that today would be the day, and it was, yippee!
I was so excited to get his email today and read about how he is loving it in the CTM(thats what they call it there, they say things in reverse).
I was expecting a short little, hey mom, all is well type email and to my delight it was one and a half pages long. He had alot to say and lots of our questions to answer and he did a great job. For all of you that signed up on his email list, I am having technical difficulties with it and hope to be able to figure it out so that I can forward his letters on to you. He really should have started my computer lessons a bit earlier because I did not learn near enough to be troubleshooting.
Chris was able to go to the Camphinas Temple today and said that is was "amazing". Next week they go to the Sau Paulo temple. I can't wait to hear how he loves that temple too.
Anyway, Justin starts high school tomorrow morning and we have done NO shopping yet so I need to run to the mall. Love ya all, bye for now.. This is Chris with his companion, Elder Arnold. He is from Cedar Hills, Crazy huh!?

What Were They Thinking??

2008-08-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

What were they thinking?? I have been given a new calling and all I can say is, "What were they thinking"?
I have been called to be a TEACHER in Relief Society. A teacher? Don't they know that I am NOT a teacher...They sustained me today and I teach for the first time next Sunday, man am I freaking out our what?! I just keep trying to tell myself that if Chris can go to a foreign country and teach the gospel to total strangers on the street then I should certainly be able to teach a room full of woman that in general are very nice people that would probably never tell me to my face that I stink at teaching.
I guess the Lord figures I should be growing in the gospel too, and not just sitting on the sidelines(or on the back row where I love to sit).
Anyway, send me happy thoughts because I am having a small cow...

Within the next three days we will get our first letter from Chris and we are so anxious to hear from him. Paul was looking on the computer the other day and it was 84 degrees with 94% humidity, ouch that is sticky weather.. We can not wait to hear things like: how he is dealing with the weather, does he like his companion, is the food good, does he miss his mother, are his fingers cramping up from lack of cell phone texting?? You know, things like that. Anyway, we will keep you posted.

WHAT A DAY !

2008-08-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Well, my little boy is off!! I can not believe I put my son on a plane, to fly six thousand miles away all by himself.

They grow up so darn fast.

It was an emotional morning as we sent Chris off to serve in the Joao Pessoa Brazil mission. We could not be more proud of him. I would have felt better though, if I could have flown to Brazil with him,you know, just to make sure he gets there safe and sound. Today will be a very long day as I worry about him making connections, loosing luggage, meeting up with other Elders, eating, drinking enough fluids, not to mention he waited until 11:00 last night to tell me that he gets very painful headaches when he flies!! (he's killin me).

Anyway, I am putting him in the Lord's hands and know that he will be just fine. He is excited to be serving the Lord and Paul and I are excited to see him grow in the gospel. Hopefully you will all stay tuned and on board for the ride....

BLOGGER IN TRAINING

2008-08-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I have finally made the "giant" leap into the blogging world. It is all still very new and bit confusing, but I am going to give it my best.
Today as many of you know is one of three remaining days for us to have Chris around, so teaching mom to blog was on his list of things to do... poor guy. We just finished our lesson and he has set me loose to post my first post. He said he was going to go take a nap(that tells you how exhausting my lesson must have been for him)!!
Anyway, hopefully this will be a good way to stay in touch with all our family and friends, especially everyone back there in good 'ol Utah. We miss you all and hope you will come visit us here in Flagstaff.