Celebrate accomplishments!

This week was an ending and a beginning of accomplishments. Cole graduated from Bingham High School on June 3. It was the ending of thirteen years of books, homework, assignments, projects, research, dances, games, activities and friends. He was one of 176 students from Bingham who were awarded enhanced diplomas. Cole's enhancements were for extraordinary achievements in Social Studies, Health and English/Literature. You can't see it in this photo because of the money lei but he was awarded cords to wear at graduation. He was also one of the many students contributing to the overall $4 million worth of scholarships. His scholarships total almost $500,000 although he will only be using one. We are so proud of Cole and all his accomplishments. He has had struggles and challenges but he never gave up.

While this is the end of this chapter in his life, it is also the beginning. Cole will have more books, homework, assignments, projects, research, dances, games, activities and friends. New adventures, challenges and accomplishments await him as he begins college.

Celebrate every accomplishment in life!

Celebrate Spring!

I love Springtime but only when it starts to warm up. Rain doesn't bother me as long as it is not a cold rain. Spring brings with it the flowers, birds, green grass and lacrosse! All three are my favorite parts of Spring.

This Spring we are very immersed (more so than normal) in lacrosse. Not only are all three kids playing but I am coaching the Thunder girls team (Syd's team). I have coached soccer and played field hockey, soccer, tennis and volleyball but I was worried that I didn't understand enough of the girls game (it is very different from boys) and I wouldn't be able to teach it. I think I am doing an okay job of it--I began practices in March with just 8 girls on the roster and I now have 21! My team played in the Chicks with Sticks tournament this weekend and they took first place (see the photo above)! I am so proud of how well they playing including the girls that hadn't picked up a lacrosse stick until just a few weeks ago! I am having as much if not more fun teaching them the game of lacrosse as they are in learning it. Syd had an incredible day as she scored 11 of our 19 total goals. She is extremely talented (that is from her Mom and her Coach).

This is our last Spring with Cole playing high school lacrosse so we are also sharing bittersweet moments as we realize that he has less than six weeks left before he graduates. We had an amazing Senior night at Cole's lacrosse game last Thursday. After the game, the parents were assembled on the field. Each of the parents received a letter from our seniors and the Moms were given lacrosse necklaces that our seniors had purchased for us. Spring is also a time of endings and beginnings. It is the end of Winter and the beginning of warm weather. For Cole, it is the end of one period of his life and the beginning of a new one.

Charlie has come out of his brother's shadow and is making his own name on his lacrosse team. He is a leader on the field and his teammates enjoy playing with him. At one of Cole's games, one of his coaches pointed out Cole on the field to his wife and daughter and said, "That is Charlie's brother, Cole." I had to smile and Charlie had a grin on his face as well!

So, celebrate Spring. Enjoy the warmer weather, the sun, flowers, birds and sports. Celebrate the endings and beginnings of Spring!

Celebrate Support!

Saturday afternoon we went to the Westminster/Gonzaga lacrosse game to support our friends. We have friends who play on on both teams so it was difficult to know who to cheer for--we went with Gonzaga because we were sitting on their side with friends. As we sat there I had a thought I shared with Eric, Charlie and Syd---if Cole doesn't get the Naval appointment we could be sitting here for the next four years as his ROTC scholarship would allow him to attend Westminster. With that thought hanging in the air, Eric received a call from him Mom. After months of waiting the letter from Navy was finally here. We pleaded with her to open it since Cole was still in Washington D.C. and would be for another 3 days. The news was not good. They didn't not offer him an appointment. After a few tears I called Cole and broke the news to him while I sat in the Westminster stadium. He was quiet and as a Mom I was worried about his reaction to the death of his lifelong dream of attending an academy. He was clear across the country and I couldn't be there to hug and comfort him. I prayed his buddies would be supportive and then I did the only thing I could think of---I called another Mom. Ann Jones or Mama Jones as the boys call her was on the trip with them. She waited in the lobby for Cole to return from his walk around the city. When he enter the hotel, she crossed over to him and without a word, gave him my hug. Cole looked at her and said, "You talked to my Mom!"

Celebrate support! Whether it is from your immediate family or those who walk in and out of your life, it is wonderful to have the support of those who love you!

Celebrate Talent, Part II

I have some pretty talented kids and I want to show off one of them:


Syd has found a passion for cake decorating and has been making cakes for our family and friends. Here are just a few of the recent cakes:




Baseball cake for a 6-yr-old catcher!





Red Velvet cake

Valentine's cupcakes

Superbowl cake

She is taking orders if you want to help her talent grow!

Celebrate Talent!

When I was a young woman, we used to have these talent or achievement evenings with the youth in our church. I HATED them with a passion! I believed I had no talent because I would sit through these nights as girl after girl showed their artwork, sang a song, played an instrument, showed their sewing or passed around a delicious homemade dessert. I didn't have anything! I began to believe I wasn't talented even though my parents assured me that I did have talents but they just weren't as evident but someday I would recognize them for what they are.

The only good thing about these talent nights was that they made me try things I might not have otherwise, however, that doesn't mean I was any good at them. I tried to play the flute, piano and guitar. My piano teacher told my parents that we were just wasting his time, their money and my efforts since I just didn't get it! I tried to cook spectacular desserts and meals. They didn't turn out so good! I am just a basic cook, no chef in the making there! I tried painting, drawing and sculpting. They looked like a kindergarten art (and I was in junior high)! Plus, it was really hard competing with my extremely artistic younger sister. I tried singing with some of my friends in a church meeting. I just ruined their otherwise beautiful piece. I barely passed the sewing portion of my home economics class with a C. I wouldn't have passed if my Mom hadn't rescued my final project--a skirt that was never to be worn! I struggled and struggled to find some talent in my body---I was athletic and did okay in sports. I was never going to be the star of any of my teams but my teammates knew they could count on me to work hard and contribute to the sport. I was an average student. I kept my grades in the A, B range and did what need to be done.

I spent my youth and young womanhood thinking I had no talent! Then, I got married and started a family. I discovered I had an affinity for certain things and began to realize that my parents were right---there are talents that cannot be seen but are just as important in contributing to society as those that are very visible.

Today, I celebrate those talents:

1) I am a listener. People talk to me (even perfect strangers) and I listen. Even when people aren't talking to me, I am listening. It used to freak my family out that my Mom could look at me and say, "Would you go get my thingy off of my thingy?" and I knew exactly what she was talking about! It really is a talent to be able to read not just what a person is saying verbally but physically as well!

2) I am an organizer. Give me a difficult task and I can break it down and get it down. My family called me the "Efficiency director" when I was growing up. Sometimes it was in a teasing manner and sometimes it was in an annoyed manner. When they were annoyed, it was because I was trying to get them organized and moving (being a nag) but it is kinda hard to take that from your baby sister!! Some people have the ideas and others like me have the talent to get it done!

3) I relate well with kids. Friends used to joke that kids like me because I am their same height!
Whether it is because I am on their level or not, I love kids of all ages and love to interact with them. They are the most amazing people! I have realized this is a talent as I have watched other adults struggle to relate to, help and befriend kids---sometimes you just don't have it!

4) This goes hand in hand with the talent above---I am a good mom. I'm not perfect, I admit I am not perfect and I admit I make mistakes. My imperfections make me a good mom because I don't expect my kids to be perfect either. They are who they are and I wouldn't have them any other way!

5)I am a hard worker. Whether it is my job, my home, my coaching, my schoolwork or my charity work I will do what needs to be done to make life easier for everyone.

So, I can't sing, I can't draw, I can't play an instrument, I can't sew and EVERYONE would rather my husband cook, but I know now that I have talent to celebrate everyday!

Celebrate patience!

I love the cartoon, Maxine. When I read her wit and wisdom it could be me speaking/thinking. I have a several of her "witisms" up in my cubie at work including the one that has been my mainstay for the last ten months: Maxine is sitting in her chair with her feet up on the ottoman, eating popcorn with her can of caffeine soda in her hand (see I told you it was me). Her ever present dog is standing next to the ottoman with a plate of cookies as she says, "Now that I am older I thought it was great that I seemed to have more patience...turns out that I just don't give a sh.." And, you know, I have realized that I spent way too much time worry about things that just don't matter (ask my sister, Jul, she will tell you I was the Queen of Worry) and now I really don't give a sh..!

However, with really important things I am learning the virtue of patience. In April of last year we began the process of applying for the military academies. He has had the dream of attending one of the military academies and serving his country since he was six years old. His whole life to this point has been in preparation for the realization of his dream. We applied, we got the numerous letters of recommendations (his counselor, teachers and leaders have been awesome), paid to send him to USNA in Maryland and USAFA in Colorado, we went through the painstaking medical exams and x-rays, we wrote explanation after explanation for this or that, we sweated it while Cole met with liaison after liaison from each academy and with staff from Senator Bennett, Senator Hatch and Representative Chaffetz offices and waited with anticipation through the month of December for a nomination for any one of them. We were absolutely thrilled when around the first of January we received a letter from Representative Chaffetz stating he had nominated Cole for the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and West Point. Mr. Chaffetz only has three nominations per academy and he used three for Cole! We were overjoyed when a week later, a letter from Senator Hatch informed us that he had nominated Cole for the Naval Academy. Cole now has two nominations for the academy he was most impressed with and wants to commit. So, here is where the virtue of patience is really trying my patience!

Everyday while I was on medical leave, I could hardly wait for the mail to come in hopes that a letter from the Naval Academy would be waiting for us in the mailbox. Now I am back at work and I wait for the call from my mother-in-law that a letter is waiting for us at home. Guess what? We are still waiting!!! The academies have until April 15 to notify candidates of their appointments. APRIL 15!!! That is forever away! And you know what? I am just the MOM! Cole hasn't said but I am sure the wait is killing him as well or maybe he has already mastered the virtue of patience. Meanwhile, we have been working on his back up plans. We applied for a Naval ROTC and Army ROTC scholarships and Cole has been accepted to the prestigious aeronautical school in Florida, Embry-Riddle, with a partial academic scholarship.

I don't know if I can do this again in four years with Charlie! Good thing he only wants to go to Duke!!

So, today I celebrate patience and pray that the letter comes today!

Celebrate Time!

You will notice that my focus has changed from finding reasons to celebrate in 365 to just finding things to celebrate. The reason is my reason to celebrate--Time!

We had a crazy January with my surgery, Eric being sick while nursing me, and a surprise last Sunday when we rushed Cole to the emergency room for an appendectomy. So that little thing called Time has been short this last month--you would think with my recovery that I would have more but sleep took up a large part of the first of January and by the time I was doing better, I had filled my days!

I am celebrating time because I am grateful for every little minute I get to spend doing the things I love. Things like spending time playing a game with my kids (and the fact they still want to), just sitting with my husband (sometimes we talk and sometimes we don't), spending time in the car running errands and listening to one of the kids iPods while we discuss various topics, being in Primary with my favorite little (and big) kids, scrapbooking, etc. The list could go on and on. I love the fact that I am well enough to start my new term and am back to work full-time. I am excited for the time I will have for all of my kids lacrosse games this season and hope to be well enough to referee.

I love having time to just be me!