Splinched

For those of you who are not Harry Potter fans,
Splinching takes place when one travels by appirition but appirates incompletely leaving part of oneself behind - painful and not pretty (as Ron learned in Book 7 when he accidentally left his ear or was it a piece of his arm behind?).

I am beginning to know what if feels like to be splinched.
In June I traveled to Sacramento and left part of me there.
Now I will travel to Champaign Illinois and leave another part of me there.
Leaving a missionary at the MTC is a kind of splinching
but you know they will return and be close by a little longer...
so it's not quite the same as what I'm feeling now.

(this is not to be confused with creating a Hoarcrux -
which I am definitely NOT doing)

I also feel splinched when I leave family still at home to help a child move. Glad I can be helping but missing my family at home.

(It seems I'm kind of a mess doesn't it?)

Our family moves into a new and different state as our children begin to reside more permanantly in different states.

It feels odd.

I often feel incomplete without my children close by.
I suppose I will get used to it...
but then again I'm not sure It's something I want to get used to.

I need a plan.
Something I can count on.
Someway to count the days until we'll be in the same room again.
Able to play games together, to share a meal together, to crawl on the floor with our grandbabies again, and gather our own children and their spouses in our arms, even if it's only for a few short days.

Until then I remain splinched.
Unless someone knows how to fix it...
Anyone?

Party ON Some more

We have the joy of having Amy with us on her Birthday this year..

Amy is an amazing young lady. She is a loving sister and daughter.
She is an awesome mother and devoted wife.
She is one of my best friends.
She has a tender heart and strong testimony of the gospel.
She inspires me to do and to be better.
Happy Birthday Amy!
We love you!

Party ON!

In order for me to leave girls camp early there must have been a really good reason.
And there was.

Mark's 50th birthday.

Born 7 August 1959
Hard to believe isn't it. He doesn't seem a day over....

well, he isn't your typical 50 year old that's for sure.
Not many 30 year olds are in such great shape

He's still as sweet and handsome as ever.

He still knows how to dress for the occasion.

He has a great love for nature, God and his fellow man.
And he still makes me laugh.
He is my best friend.
His mom flew in from Tucson and then
we surprised him by flying Amy and Ruby in too.
I'm not able to surprise him very often but we pulled it off.
Happy Birthday Mark!

Catch up and looking forward

First item - Girls camp

I love girls camp.
Our stake goes to a dedicated camp for the young women of the Provo and Orem Stakes called Mia Shalom. It's near Scofield. Simple A frame cabins. No electricity. Running water and flushing toilets - even showers if you don't mind ice cold water. Most of us pass.
It's about 8000 feet high in the pines and aspens.
The weather was cool and beautiful.
Our stake fully embraces the experience.
Each ward is assigned a value and its coordinating color.
This year we were blue - divine nature.
We go shopping at the local thrift store to find all kinds of outrageous blue clothing to wear during our 5 days at camp. Lack of electricity and showers plus crazy clothes serves as a great equalizer.

We did confidence courses.
(It's Jenn in the overalls)

Leaders included

A game of Quiddich on the lake.
(we traded brooms for canoes)
I was completely soaked but it was sooo worth it!

We had morning and evening gatherings as a stake.

As well as Race for Life where the girls get to practice their first aid skills on young women involved in a jeep accident, lightening strike, bear attack, bee stings, hypothermia, choking and severe burns, snake bites, rock slide and heatstroke.
No first aid experience would be complete with out the appropriate make up. If you're not squeemish look closeup at the picture - yes that's a compound fracture.

Each ward gets points based in their profiency treating the patient and we won!
Check out the pinata prize.

We also had skits, tie died shirts, cooked lots of yummy food - two meals during thunder storms.
We used our trailer to get all our gear up to camp and when we went to back it up to unload it the wheel was making a terrible scraping noise. Turns out the bearing went out.
Richard Ohran (a friend from Provo), Mark and Christian came up and fixed it.

I left early - before singing in the trees, stake president devotional, solo time and testimony meeting because of a very special event in our home...
which I'll tell you about tomorrow.

But just a few miles after I turned on to the paved road this is what I saw...
about 10 feet off the road just walking around. It wasn't injured but stayed long enough for me to turn around and take a couple of pictures. Then it flew away.
I love girls camp.

Flash Back Friday: Dedicated to the one I love

About 28 years ago I met this man.
I knew instantly there was something exceptional about him.

The day I met him I was drawn to his sense of humor.

There was something true and genuine about him.
Something in him that brought out my best self.

27 years ago we were sealed together.
Today I love him more than I every thought I could love another.
I have learned so much from him.
He has become a part of me and I of him.
I have experienced more joy and growth in the last 27 years than I ever thought possible. I can't imagine being without him. I'm glad we are together for eternity.
I love you sweetie!
Happy Anniversary

Making Progress

Sometimes it feels like I am spinning my wheels.
Working hard but nothing really to show for it.
So many ideas that I've been suffering from a lack of focus.
Stuff I see that I like and want to do, yet still drowning in the stuff I saw yesterday that I'm trying to implement. Is it every really finished?
Time to sit back, breathe deep and get some perspective.
Time to dig out too.
Get ready for girls camp
a 50th birthday celebration
helping Aaron and Celisa move
and school starting
All in rapid succession.

But first a few pictures of what I've been up to:

The hallway
It took forever to find the little pictures to fit in the collage and not cover faces with the words.
Finished is good.

Dining Room - actually in progress.

This picture shows the new light fixture as well as the sliding glass door that replaced the smaller window.

Not finished but as it stands today.
Much more roomy.

This china hutch was passed down to us from Marks' mom and will now pass to Aaron and Celisa as we share the love. The buffett that matches it is already at home with Amy and Jordan and holding Grandam T's china.

New built in makes it so we can get around the table now.

These shadow boxes took some time too but I love the way they turned out.
If any other descendants of Grandma would like to do something similar I have some more of her monogrammed silver (forks and spoons only) that's a partial set and you are welcome to have a few pieces.

The family room before

and now.
The wall to the left is quite big and blank but I have plans for a family tree with pictures.
If you are related to us - I would love a recent picture (.jpg file) of your family to put on the wall as well as pictures of great (or great great great) grandparents.
Or I'll use an old one or pluck one from facebook...

I also need some input about the eating area and a wall in the living room but those pictures will have to wait until it's not so bright outside.
Until then... I'll go get my shovel and start digging...

Oh yea happy birthday to my sister Lisa, you're awesome!
want to be inspired check this out and this.

Transferência

Dear Family,

Another week has flown by here in Santa Maria and I'm feeling excited but nervous. My best companion is going to the "worst" area in the mission! He isn't very excited about it. I've have gotten really tired this last week. I got a cold and it was super cold outside and President didn't want us to leave the house. So this week the work has suffered a little.

We have been going through some pretty tough times here in Salgado Filho but even in the mists of problems we had two baptisms yesterday. Janete and Cristina. Clailton and Luana aren't completely prepared to be baptized but they are really showing a lot of progress. The only problem is that they have a few doubts and beliefs that we have to work out before they will become strong converts in the church.

My new companions name is Elder Monteiro. He is really new in the mission. Only 4 and a half months! President has a lot of confidence in him and he might even take my place here as district leader when I am transferred.

I just wanted you guys to know that Elder Branco has been my Best companion! He is in the mission because of your prayers! We had a really good day when he decided to pray to know if he would stay in the mission. Our prayers were answered! He received a response! Thanks so much! I'm so proud to tell everyone here that you guys are always praying for them! Keep up the good work.

I want you all to know also that it has never been an option for me to go home before my time. But it's not always easy here. Just wanted to thank you all for your love and support that slaps me in the face every day at 6:30 and helps me sleep when at 10:30! Without you all I couldn't do it!

Don't think that I'm not having the best time of my life but the best things in life don't come for free!

Love you guys, YOU'RE IN MY PRAYERS!