New Year...new ???

Happy New Year 2010! I hope everyone has a good year and that the memories good and sad of 2009 inspire you to do something better and different in 2010.

Look at me Nimmie...new songs for the new year...
all by myself! :-)

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today my mom would have been 73. Last year she celebrated her first birthday without her mom. She didn't like it very much she reported. I guess her secret birthday wish was to not have to spend another without her. Her wish was granted.

I miss you mom. I appreciate your example and the legacy of love you have left for your family. I don't like that I can't call you and sing an off-key version of "Happy Birthday to you," or take you to Appleby's for lunch, or buy you another DVD or new shirt. So what am I doing to honor you today? I'm going visiting teaching! One of your favorite things to do. I'm going to mail all of my Christmas cards (which dad has done, very well I might add, already). I wrote a quick note to Bro. Haught to let him know that as he misses his dear wife on her birthday (how did I not know you two ladies shared the same birthday?) he is being thought of too and going to help Nimmie, another of your favorites...helping others.

I love you mom...thanks for everything!

Real power

Today I'm thankful for priesthood blessings. Emerson woke up from his nap yesterday broiling hot! He's been on antibiotics for a week so this was a surprise. His daddy and grandpa gave him a blessing. Emerson understands already what this is. You'll see him often laying his hands on Ella Mae giving her a blessing. He knows it is to help you feel better. Thankfully the temp came down and didn't quite come up as high in the night. We'll see what today brings.

Don't you love Sundays?

Yesterday was an enlightening day. At church one of the speakers talked about Christmas. Not surprising since it's getting closer. He mentioned Christ's birth...yep that's why we celebrate Christmas. Still no surprises. Then he talked about the gifts we usually bring to birthday parties and how he was saddened to realize that "not once had he brought a gift to Jesus' birthday party." Surprised? I was/am! It still makes me cringe to think that after all my years (quite a few more than his) this concept hadn't really crossed my mind. Maybe once...when someone talked about it at a relief society dinner or something like that. This time it's sticking. I can't stop thinking about it. This year there will be gifts of an eternal sort given. Maybe too personal to share but from now on I won't be forgetting why I celebrate Christmas. As I watch with great joy and happiness gifts being given and received Christmas morning my heart will be giving with gratitude a gift to Christ.

On another note....I love singing in the ward choir. I'm not very confident but with a group of fellow singers I can sing anything! Last night was our Stake Choir Concert. Each ward sang a song or two for Christmas. We had one man and about five sisters show up. Surprised? Yes, and sad for our chorister. We sang one song. She said "it's so hard to keep going when you put so much into it." I saw the tears in her eyes. Another member was there with us. We told the chorister to not give up on us. You see the main reason I sing is this...I'm going to be singing with the choirs of angels when Christ comes again. I can't wait to sing His praises. I feel the spirit so strong when I'm singing and listening to music. I know that is the avenue that will keep me looking and preparing for His coming. So dear chorister...please don't give up! We all need to be there singing praises!

For your listening enjoyment

Hey....check it out....we've got music now. Thanks Nimmie for the help. Now I'll have to blog more huh? Enjoy the tunes while you think about all the fun we're having. I'll try to get more pictures soon.

White pearlies!

Finally...Jake is braceless! This is all I got but I think he's pretty excited. Next stop? Was Burger King, of course, to see what it fills like to eat without getting food stuck in the braces.

"Pretty good!"