21 YEARS~!

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

 

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

 

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~!

 

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~!

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??

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

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

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 :)

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!!

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!!!

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??

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 !

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

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.