my brother's birthday

it has been YEARS since we're celebrated my brother's birthday as a family.  he is doing so flippin' well that i get getty just thinking about all the progress he's made.  he's still on the road to recovery and will be forever, but he's clean and free of the awful grasp of drugs.  he has been an example of strength to me.

"you are stronger than you realize and more capable than you can imagine" (one of my favorite quotes from president uchtdorf).  i know this is true as my brother is living proof of it.  way to go brother!  i am so proud of you.  thank you for sticking with it.  i love you.

the merriest of christmases

the mister and i didn't exchange gifts this year.  we figured we have plenty so there was really no need.  it was great!  we were able to enjoy the spirit of christmas.

i spoke in our church's sacrament meeting this month about christmas.  i chose to focus my talk on Jesus Christ, who he is and what he has done for us.  i invited my dad, step mom, mom, step dad, sister, nephew, brother and niece to attend the meeting.  my heart almost burst because every single one of them came.  even though not all of my family believe the same thing i do, they are all so willing to support me.  i can't tell you how much it means to me.  being able to speak about my Savior and share my testimony of Him was exactly what i needed this christmas season.  He is my advocate and has helped me these past few years more than i even realized.  i will always be grateful for the opportunity i was given to do that.

indie ogden awards

i won tickets to this year's indie ogden awards!  we would have gone regardless, but what a bonus.  this year was better than last year.  the community was out and ready to say thank you to our little town of ogden.  can't wait for next year!

thanksgiving

i dare say that thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  it a holiday that we actually relax.  we're not running around to a million different places.  we stay in one location pretty much all day.  and we get to visit with our extended family for longer than 30 minutes.  it's wonderful!

this year we asked if little man could sleep over thanksgiving eve.  like always, our time with him is our favorite.  we made personal pizzas, a first for little man.  he even helped me justify that pizza is good for you because it has "natural sugar".  i like the way you think, little man.  we watch wall-e and ate "colored popcorn" aka flavored colored sugar popcorn.  and in the morning we took him to the trails for a bike ride while we ran.  when we got to our aunt sally's house for thanksgiving dinner, little man was asked if he watched the thanksgiving parade.  he said "no, i was playing in the mountains!"  oh, a boy after my own heart.

baby talk

the little man asks a lot of questions.  during our last sleep over he wanted to talk to us about our baby.  first, he wanted to know when we were going to find our baby.  yes, he said find.  his momma has done a very good job at telling him about the adoption journey we're on.  and he's a smart little boy and comprehends so much more than i even realize.  he asked why i couldn't grow a baby in tummy.  then he remembered what his mom told him and proceeded to tell me why i couldn't grow a baby in tummy.  that night he told he prays for us to find our baby.  and that he was going to tell his mom when he got home to make a phone call and have a basket delivered to our door with a baby in it.

the next day, while i was getting ready for church, he sat on the toilet in my bathroom and asked more questions.  he also wanted to know what i thought our baby would look like.  and if i wanted a boy or a girl.  he made sure to tell us that we would need toys for the baby.  and that it may be a good idea to buy some toys before the baby comes.  he said that i could ask someone that had a baby that isn't using their toys anymore if we could have their toys for our baby.  he's a smart one i tell ya.  he also told grandma leeann to buy us some toys too.  toys equal a baby.

to be honest, i don't think i've thought so much about our baby then i did while talking to the little man.  he was so innocently asking me so many questions, almost like he was making sure i still wanted this.  and i do.  so much, i do.  we both do.  i think it is easy to "forget" with all the hussle and bussle in our life.  or maybe i try to forget because it seems easier to live day to day (even though i think about it at least once a day).  gordon and i are happy.  really, really happy.  our life is great.  but we want it to be greater.  and our baby will come.  and i may explode from all the greatness.

travel diary: san rafael swell, utah - the finale

and finally, my favorite part of the trip. the wedge, or little grand canyon. watching the sun rise was such a beautiful scene.   of all the places we've been and things we seen, this is in my top 5 for sure.





^^briggs and me.  i love that pooch.

the end.

travel diary: san rafael swell, utah - part five

...and on... to swinging bridge

travel diary: san rafael swell, utah - part four

...and on...
^^driving under the interstate.

^^pictographs at head of sinbad



^^lunch!

travel diary: san rafael swell, utah - part three

and on...
^^that scenery...so much beauty!  and the mister is not too shabby either.



^^hondoo arch
^^can't forget the time brandon got some air and broke a spring.  oh the joys of boys and trucks.
^^while the boys played mechanic, i explored the area a bit.  more abandoned mine remains.

travel diary: san rafael swell, utah - part two

and we continued on...
^^abandoned mine town.  a little eery if you ask me.  strange to think that this place in the middle of no where was once up and running.  but funds ran out, miners weren't going to get paid, so they up and left the place.



^^sort of in love with the wallpaper in this house.

^^camp site number two.

^^the mines.