Happy Brithday Alyssa

Wow I can not believe that Alyssa is twelve years old. And going into young womens at church. It just seems like not that long ago I was bringing her home from the hospital and having her sweet spirit lighten our home. She is still lighting our home. Recently I was asked what three words would describe Alyssa....Loving, caring and compassionate is what I thought of immidiately. I will add to that beautiful. And quite the young lady lately.

My dear Alyssa thank you for a wonderful 12 years of being your mommy. I hope the next 12 bring many more adventures, giggles and smiles. You are a beautiful daughter of God. I love you.

Good Morning America!

Yeah! Good Morning America came to our small town of Coeur d' Alene Idaho this morning. A lot of us crazy people got up at 2:30 am and headed downtown to ring in the lights for their program. They are highlighting towns that have the biggest light show and we were there. Yeah. I thought at first when I woke up at 2:15am that I would change my mind and then I talked myself into it and I am so glad I did. My friend Judy and I went and had a great time. Its fun to see the behind the scenes stuff before air time. We got to mingle with all the crazy people. Loads of fun. Once in a lifetime opportunity. Good times! Good times!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much to be thankful for. Blessings are so abundant if we just focus on them. Life is beautiful. My family is beautiful. Thanksgiving is beautiful. I heard on the radio yesturday that the day before thanksgiving is the most traveled day of the year. Is that not wonderful! I am so thankful today for everything. I woke up today in a great mood and because of that my children are in a great mood. It is so interesting how just my mood can have such a big effect on my whole family.

The sun is shining in my soul today! Happy Thanksgiving.

Saying Goodbye

This is Maggie. My dear angel friend. This picture was from my visit with her in September. This is how I will remember her. I just got back from seeing her again and this time she looks a little different. She was in the hospital. Her body is shutting down and within days she will leave this world. And this is how saying goodbye to her went:

Calie: "Maggie I love you so much"

Maggie: "Thank you Calie I love you too"
"Thank you for coming to see me. Calie you have a heart of gold".

Calie: "Thank you Maggie I will miss you and I love you".

Maggie: "Ok I will see you soon".


Even on her death bed she was complimenting. Always a giver my angel friend Maggie. Even the doctors she has been seeing in the hospital said she gives cancer dignity. As I watched her in her bed on oxygen and IV's in her and her body being tormented with the effects of her organs shutting down... she still looks like an angel my beautiful friend Maggie. She would go in and out of reality so getting her to have that last little conversation with me was so amazing and tender. For her to know who I was, was so beautiful. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the blessing of knowing Maggie and having our paths cross and for what she has brought into my life. Seeing her so close to passing has helped me again understand what the purpose of life is and what my priorities should be. Thank you Maggie for blessing my life so much.

God be with you till we meet again.

Temptation

Ok I did it.....I started playing Christmas music today! I could not help myself. The Christmas cds were just calling to me. I know Thanksgiving is just around the corner and thats what makes it so fun. I have a friend who never plays Christmas music untill December because she thinks that Thanksgiving gets overlooked....sorry Kay. It was too much of a temptation. Love you all. Have a good day! Joy to the world!

Fifteen

Wow how I adore this man. I have been lucky enough to be married to him for 15 years. Novemeber 7th our sealing for time and all eternity....I will never forget. Treasured and stored in my heart forever. He makes me love life no matter the trouble. We have had times of ups and times of down and through it all I can honestly say I am more in love with him now than I ever have been. This week has been our celebration week. Taking time to make the anneversary last. We have pampered and loved and treasured each other. Yesturday we went to lunch together and I brought a surprise treasure box for Keith. Inside was all our letters we had written to each other during our courtship and first year of marriage. It was so fun and exciting to read these together to see our relationship grow and progress through our notes to each other. Keith did not know I had saved all our love notes. It was a pleasant surprise and brought back all those wonderful giddy feelings of having that young new love.

The month of gratitude is upon us and I am so thankful for my patient, kind, adorable, amazing, smart, beautiful, tender, fabulous, gorgeous, strong husband. Who makes me feel special even on days when I dont get out of my jammies. Who makes me feel like the world is a better place even when the storms of life come upon us. Who draws me closer to the Savior because I want to be a better person when he sees me. Who sees in me all the good things that I can not see in myself. Who loves me for just being me... to this man I vow my everything to... I say "thank you for the amazing gift of Fifteen years together".

Honey I love you more!