The Day of Awakening

You gotta get through 18 3/4 years of the [back breaking, heart aching, mind going crazy, blue-in-the-face] daily grind FIRST, but it finally comes.....it's the day when your child realizes AND admits JUST HOW GOOD HE HAS IT!  (and always has had it.)

We got this letter from our missionary son, Ryan, this week:

The letter was partially spurred on by him receiving some family photos we had taken before he left on his mission this summer.  They finally came back from the photographer, so I sent them to him in a little album:

We were kind of surprised to have our letter addressed to us in such a way, "My Eternal Forever Family" - such an upgrade from the usual, "The Brenchley's."  ;)

Then the content of the letter provided even bigger "revelations" to us:
"I am so grateful for what a great family I have!  The pics are just too precious!  Maybe it's the great color scheme or all our great smiles, but The Pictures just glows every time I look at it.  I took the album to church with me Sunday to show to some families and it got passed around to a couple of the other sisters in the ward.  Everyone who saw it was all, "Oh, what a Beautiful family you have!"  The other missionaries around the house were all commenting how much younger my family was.  (They're just jealous because their family grew up and isn't as cute as my family!)  I love you all so much.  You are all one of the main reasons I'm serving a mission.  I KNOW the happiness I have knowing my family can be together forever and I want nothing more than to share this message with others, and have them have the same Happiness I have!  I Love You all so much!"

(I think I want him to stay with this current group of missionaries who refer to us as the "YOUNG" family amongst the group!  ;)  In fact, when Ryan was telling his companion that his parents went on a 20th anniversary cruise, his companion pointed out that he's older than Ryan's parent's marriage!  His companion was born a few months before we were married....and he's the 4th child in his family to give ya an idea of the age difference in their parents!)


So, basically, now Ryan thinks we really are great!
(That's why we send them away!)  ;)
One child down, four to go!

Now, THIS is My Kind of Camping

About five years ago, there was a motor home that Matt's work repossessed and he got permission to "try it out" and he brought it home.
(I blogged about it back HERE)
The kids were ecstatic!!!

 {Li'l 7 yr. old Haylee}

And it was perfect timing because our ward campout was already scheduled for THAT weekend!

The kids played in it, and packed their stuff in it, in anticipation to go.

WELL, it turns out that the credit union's president's definition of "trying it out" ONLY MEANT to drive it home - and DID NOT mean we could actually take it anywhere for real camping (our definition of "trying it out.") 
OH.
So, Matt drove it back to work and the kids did not take this "misunderstanding" well.  We tented it that weekend.....And they have always wished for "what could've been" five years ago.
In fact, these old photos have been coming up on our computer's screen saver lately, and the kids are all like, "Ahhhhhhh!" whenever they see them.


Fast forward to the present day:  My good friend's mom bought a camping trailer with the hopes that her kids would USE IT - but they're not.  So, after two summers of non-use, she opened it up to a broader circle of contacts; her kids' friends - which is where we come in!  She let us use it - and her truck to pull it with - AND she WAS GRATEFUL it was getting USED!  ;)
(SOOO generous!)
So, our kids previous unfulfillment can now be filled!  :)  Better late, than never!

The weekend outing was a SUCCESS because MY kind of camping now includes:

1.  THIS....

{After a few recent years of Girls' Camp, I think a camper trailer is the only way I want to camp now!  If I have my choice!}

2.  Weather that is 'just right' - not too hot, not too cold

(And the turning leaves add a nice touch, too!)

 3. Nice big rocks that provide a place to sit down.

 4. Something to keep the kids busy, so they aren't creating [dangerous or annoying] "fun."

 Brookelle really took the hunting-for-a-leaf-at-least-as-big-as-your-palm to heart!!  ;)

5. Being close enough to a town that has famous shakes. 

 {Dairy Keen in Heber City}

6. Having full hook-ups/electricity so that the T.V./VCR worked

How much can we CHEAT at camping?!? ;)

7. Also, thanks to the full hook-ups, being able to cook everything in a "kitchen" and have all the food in a refrigerator - plus wash dishes in a sink!

8. A BED to sleep on.

9. Real cover/protection for when it rains. 

10. But, I won't ax "The Great Outdoors" altogether - the camp fire part, with the s'mores, 

and the fire's relaxing, hypnotizing affect, along with the great talks/stories 

that happen as we sit around it, is still a favorite of ours!

Thanks so much to the Williams' & Badham's!

20 Years Down, An Eternity to Go

THEN:

{9/9/94}

NOW:

{9/9/14}

We've been married 20 years!

*And we haven't changed at all in the past 20 years, have we?!?*

We finally made it to The Anniversary Inn for the first time, after 20 years!

They spoiled us with warm cookies, bottled water, cheesecake, & sparkling cider in our room - and delivered breakfast the following morning...because let's face it, 20 years is cause to celebrate!

Do you notice I keep mentioning, "20 Years"??

20 Years is kind of a BIG DEAL!

I used to think 20 years was such a long time - but it hasn't really seemed that long!

(Or am I just in denial?.....because when someone has, in fact, been married 20 years, it means they're not exactly a "young pup" anymore!!)  ;)

It just so happened, that our missionary son, Ryan, was flying out to the mission field

THIS morning, and he was allowed to call us from the airport, 

so as we were nestled all snug in our bed in The Palace Suite,

the phone rang at 6:50 a.m.!

But, I didn't mind, it was GREAT to talk to him.

(I just couldn't fall back to sleep very easily afterwards.)

THAT was such a huge, important decision to make 20 years ago - it kind of freaks me out

when I consider how young people make that decision (only in their 20's!) - but, for me, it was a RIGHT & WONDERFUL one.  I am so blessed & glad that I did!

Happy [20th] Anniversary, Matt!

XOXOX

When Your Camera is Smarter than You Are

After Ryan's missionary setting apart blessing, we wanted to take a family picture, so we set the camera up on "Auto" while we all posed together.

Here is that photo:

Then Matt proceeded to return to where we had set up the camera to take a look at how it turned out.  And while he was walking there:

SURPRISE!!!  The camera flashed & took another picture.

So, Matt was like, "What the heck?" and started examining the camera (while still on it's original picture taking perch) and....

FLASH!  The camera goes off again!

At this point, Kyle thinks Matt needs some younger generation "help" (read: mocking) and starts heading over to him, when....

It happens AGAIN!

Everyone is now confused AND amused - and half of them take off to investigate (rather than stay in the right position to get our picture taken - like ME!) and then we discover....

The camera IS NOT DONE, yet!

(Notice Haylee's jeans showing under her skirt?  I told her to dress up [her least favorite thing] for the setting apart, and I didn't notice until AFTERWARDS that she'd pulled THAT stunt!)

So, now everyone (except me, who just wanted our family to pose for a picture in front of the fireplace - dang it!) wants to run to the camera's rescue - since Matt still hasn't been able to stop the possessed thing - but Kyle can't allow his sisters to beat him there, so he.....

....gets caught on CAMERA being a bully!

By, this time everyone is going, "What the.....?" and I'm hoping they can all just get back into position for a family picture!!

 When the camera goes off for the 7th time!

 Then the 8th time!

(I'm still in position)

 And the 9th time!

(I'm still in the right place.)

And, finally, the 10th (& last) time.

APPARENTLY, our camera has a function where it will "AUTO" TAKE 10 PHOTOS IN A ROW (if you push the button for THAT option, which Matt [unknowingly] did), so you don't have to keep walking back to it!  WHO KNEW?!!?  OBVIOUSLY, NOT US!

After the camera was done with it's theatrics, I managed to get The Brood lined up again and got a "planned" family picture - to appease Mom.  ;)

(Don't ask me what Miss B is doing....?)

In the Right Place at the Right Time

Ryan's day at the St. George Temple....

going for the first time to receive his own endowments.

 To find out more about temples, click HERE.

So GLAD for his choice to be there!

So GLAD to be there with him!

What a BLESSING the temple is!
It IS the House of the Lord - I could feel it!

Because of the temple, we can be a Forever Family = JOY.

------------

*For a history enthusiast like Ryan, the St. George temple holds a special meaning since the spirits of our country's Founding Fathers visited [the then President of the Church] Wilford Woodruff requesting that their temple work be performed for them.  A great painting (an artist's rendition of Pres. Woodruff's testimony) and plaque with all the men's names on it is displayed inside this temple.  Read about this interesting fact in THIS article.

Saved by My Own Stupidity

While the majority of the time I enjoy the great perk of working from home with my job at jetBlue, occasionally it is required to go into the office for team meetings, etc.

TODAY was one of those days. 

The same strict attendance/tardy policy applies for these meetings, too.  (And as a side note, I'm just one tardy away from being in SERIOUS trouble!)  It's a 30 minute drive to the office.  The meeting was at 12:30 p.m., so I planned to leave at 11:45 a.m. (just to be safe) but actually left at 11:55 a.m.  (Oooooo, cuttin' it close from the get-go).

THEN, I noticed (re-noticed actually because I'd seen it the night before, too) that the gas light was on.  Because I'm not the only driver of that car these days, thanks to a teenager, I had NO IDEA how much it had been driven, and how close the gas tank was to bone dry.

I knew if I ran out of gas on the freeway, it would be NOT be good for my "on-time performance" so I decided to take the first exit and find a gas station fast.  EXCEPT when I exited, there was no gas station to be found.  I first went down one main road, then turned around and went down another main road, and there wasn't a single gas pump in sight!  It wasn't a place I was familiar with, so I didn't know there wouldn't be one.  The only thing I knew about this neighborhood was that it was rumored to be kinda shoddy....so, I FOR SURE didn't want to run out of gas there!

So, I got back on the freeway (5 minutes lost).  This time, I figured I'd call Matt to tell me where the gas stations were in the Salt Lake area, so I wouldn't waste anymore time.  Well, by the time he looked anything up on the internet, I had already passed a few more major exits, and I was nervous about missing gas stations, so I got off on the next one.  And I found myself right in the middle of a
tear-up-the-road construction zone where ALL 256 cars were being diverted to one lane of traffic in each direction. 

THE CLOCK IS TICKING!

I finally make it up the street (it wasn't right by the exit) to a gas station.  I pull up to the pump - WHEW!  I'm not going to run out of gas! - open my purse, and NO WALLET.  I have a flashback of me taking my wallet up to my bedroom last night.  It must still be there!  I can't buy gas without money!  But, I have a check book - I know, one of the last people on earth.  I run inside and ask the guy if they accept checks for gas.  NOPE!

I get back in the car and drive down to another main road.  AND the railroad crossing barricades start coming down in front of me.  No, No, No!  My first instinct was literally to speed up and beat them!  You see these train/car accidents on the news sometimes, and we're all like, What idiots!  What were they doing on the train tracks?  Well, now I know!  ;)  But, I DID stop and waited.  Aware that more time was working itself off the clock.  I found another gas station and went inside and asked about if they were "check friendly."  NO GO!

You've GOT to be kiddin' me!  The clock now read 12:27 p.m.  I was about in tears!  Three minutes until my meeting started.  I was about 20 minutes away IF I drove straight there and didn't run out of gas.  BUT, we had been warned that if we were more than 15 min. late to the meeting, that we would not be admitted, and it couldn't be made up.  Maybe if I sped....?  I started to drive there, but I had a bad feeling I would run out of gas, though. 

Well, whatever I did, I figured I better call into the office and try to get a message to my supervisor BEFORE I was officially tardy (the one that might give me the AX!)  I spoke to the Supervisor on Duty and explained to her that I'd had a Series of Unfortunate Events and now I was going to be late for my team meeting. 
She asked who my supervisor was.  I told her.  She told me that the meeting was at 1:30 p.m.!!!!!  No, I told her it was at 12:30 p.m.
She said she hoped not because she was suppose to attend, and that would mean she was late, as well!  I said I hoped not because that would give me some time to get everything straightened out!
She looked at the master meeting schedule while she had me on the phone and verified that, in fact, my team meeting did not start until 1:30 p.m.  

OH!  I was SOOO relieved!!
It almost seemed like a dream - that I would wake up from, and still be late, in reality.

But, I swear, I had been told it started at 12:30, so I called home and had the girls look at our calendar for the time I had written down.....sure enough it said 1:30 p.m.  I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I GOT 12:30 IN MY MIND!

BUT, I was glad.  It turned out to be a blessing!

I then called Matt at work, asked him to leave and meet me at a 3rd gas station WITH A CREDIT CARD so we could fill the tank up with gas.  And he did (after he rescheduled a conference call that was about to begin).  I told him he was My prince to the rescue!  ;)

And then after that, my cell phone went dead.  Whew!  Another blessing - just in the nick of time.

Between the time I had to wait for Matt to drive over to meet me, and the time it took me to drive the rest of the way to the office, find a parking spot in a fuller-than-normal parking terrace, and walk in and sit down, I only had 5 minutes to spare.

BUT, I made it.  IN TIME.  Only because I [unknowingly] left my home an hour and 35 minutes before the meeting started), but I made it!  And that's what counts!  For ONCE, my mistake actually SAVED me!  Haha.  :)

One A Day: This MONTH'S Gratitude List

I decided to write one thing in my "Gratitude Journal" - a challenge that was given to everyone in our Young Women organization - on my blog this whole month.  (Except I ended up writing Two-A-Day during the actual Thanksgiving holiday weekend - it was too hard to limit myself.)

Here's the list in it's entirety.
{taken from the sidebar}

1. a DAY OFF school & waking up early!

2. a sweet Primary president who is looking out for Haylee (& her recent Celiac Disease diagnosis) who sent me home with a gluten-free snack for her

3. a ceiling fan...when I am feverish and overheating

4. Katelyn! She was so EXCITED and QUICK to THANK when opening bday gifts today

5. a friend called to see if she could run any errands for me because Miss B & I are sick

6. my husband brings me medication and Vick's - at 1:30 AM - while I lay in bed!

7. Cowboy Dinner

8. Warm-ish, pleasant weather in Park City for our shopping trip this year

9. I finished 3 of my main Christmas shopping lists!

10. better participation & discussion from YW in lesson today

11. I got to spend most of the day with Matt due to him having the day off work with Veteran's Day

12. a good-hearted, in tune, attentive Mia Maid advisor

13. successful YWIE - the YW who spoke did a great job by bringing The Spirit!

14. prayers were answered with our out-of-gas-on-the-freeway "fiasco" today!

15. The MTC Experience for my sons - they were high on The Spirit when they got home!

16. our friends, The Lacy's (they agreed to go out with us!)

17. my Visiting Teachers both came

18. Haylee said she liked dinner - and asked for more!

19. our home - it "works" for our family!

20. two of my YW totally planned & executed mutual

21. I can (& did) go to the temple during Kindergarten

22. a refund check from the Insurance company!

23. inspiration received from the messages of Hilary Weeks and S. Michael Wilcox at TOFW

24. my family was ON TIME to church!

25. Google

26. my supervisor eavesdropped in on a call when I happened to do/say everything right! ;)

27a. There's now a Costa Vida to eat at the halfway point on the drive down to St. George!
27b. kind, generous, (& brave) neighbors of my parents who let my family stay in THEIR house while they were out of town for the long Thanksgiving weekend!

28a. sun & warmth during my walk around the "turkey bowl" track
28b. my neice went "black Friday" (really on Thurs. night) shopping with me

29a. Matt got to baptized & confirm me in the St. George temple Baptistry - a 1st for us! (There was a total of 14 of us in attendance, including my 2 sons, from my extended family.)
29b. shakes at Iceberg ["on the house"] after our temple outing - thanks Papa!

30a. time to visit with and enjoy the company of my cousins & aunts/uncles who I hardly ever get to see.
30b. we returned home to a CLEAN house at 11:15 PM - thanks to me insisting all "Saturday" jobs were done on Wednesday before we left - it felt so good!

November 2013

The Writing on the Wall......or Mirror

I have been listening to General Conference talks while I get ready in my bathroom for the day. When I hear a line or phrase that REALLY strikes a chord with me, I have been writing it down......with a dry erase marker, in large-ish letters, on my bathroom mirror.

This way, I can see and read it again and again - like EVERY TIME I walk into the bathroom. While I'm brushing my teeth. While I'm washing my hands. While I'm putting in my contacts.......No wait, let's be honest - I can't see, let alone read, ANYTHING real if my contacts aren't in. Soooo, every other time besides then, it's a good reminder!

Here's my latest:

"There is no substitute for love."

It's taken from President Thomas S. Monson's talk titled, "Come, All Ye Sons of God"

(http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/come-all-ye-sons-of-god?lang=eng)

This one hit me because I have my children and my Young Women (12-18 yr. old girls at church, who I feel like are numbered among my children) on my mind SO MUCH - particularly while listening to the words of our church leaders.  There HAS TO BE love.  They need to know I love them.  Even - and especially - for the ones who make me super, uber frustrated sometimes!!!

I checked this book out from the library to give my more inspiration on the subject:

The other ones that have "made the mirror" so far are:

"...A still voice of perfect mildness..."

This one is taken from Sister Rosemary M. Wixom's talk (General Primary President) titled, "The Words We Speak"

(http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/the-words-we-speak?lang=eng)

It is also a quote from scripture, Helaman 5: 30.

I don't need to holler around the house like a maniac when I'm trying to find someone.  I could, like, actually get up and go to another floor or walk down the hall and speak to that person NORMALLY and calmly!!  

I can learn from that voice from heaven - it gave firm direction while giving hope.  It was not loud, scolding, or demeaning.   This is SO hard!  Even 3+ years after I first wrote on this blog about it, I don't have it perfected!  I AM practicing at it though - and I've found that when I speak even quieter than my "normal" voice, my husband ALWAYS says, "What?"  Uh Oh, he can't even tell what I said - his hearing is going!  But, my vision is going - SO WE MAKE A GREAT [disabled] PAIR!  ;)

Here's another one:

"Recognize the good in others, not their stains....always build on his or her virtues."

This was taken from Richard G. Scott's talk titled, "For Peace at Home"

(http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/for-peace-at-home?lang=eng)

This may be very beneficial to the "Love" one above.  It could lower my disappointment in others and prevent me from becoming upset or discouraged about others and what they are doing with their Free Agency!  This one is hard, too - it's against my natural tendencies (and the part of me that is "Realistic"!)

Because I erase the previous one when I write down a new one, I wanted to record them here! :)

But, I am thankful for the EASE of which we have to listen to the words of God.  It's right there on my iPad in the comfort of my own bathroom - with just a few touches!  So great!

A Silver Lining

My Mission President first taught me about "Silver Linings." As in, "Every cloud has a silver lining."
He taught that in the midst of difficulty - and there was PLENTY on the mission (our message was rejected, cancelled baptism dates, unable to receive permission from parents/husbands/friends who were opposed to and would not grant permission to their loved ones being Baptized, investigators dropping us, foreign languages to learn, WEIRD food, "No Shows" for appointments & church, The cold/wet/humid/scorching weather...on a bike, companion relationships, etc. - sometimes ALL in the SAME day! Aauuugh!)

But, then, he said, there was ALWAYS something GOOD that could come out of it.  Blessings were all around - even if we did not discover them until a WHILE after the desperate/unhappy/gloomy situations.


Soooo, in the middle of our Post- Ruptured Patellar Tendon life - and I say, "OUR" because it has totally affected our whole family...."Single parent" with one more "child" to care for, but only the same amount of [limited] time - and only ONE driver....

I found a SILVER LINING!

{compliments of our Orthopedic Dr.....I made the request, and a trip to the DMV, and voila!}

And what's better than having a handicapped parking pass?

Having TWO passes!  (One for each car.)

Being a whole foot shorter than Matt, with much shorter legs, I've always had to move along, it seems, with a slow gallop to keep up with him.  NOW.....I'm walking very S.L.O.W.L.Y. and I'm still in front of him.  So, the shorter distance he has to "walk" (what do you call it when one move on crutches?) the better!

BUT!  I will not abuse it.  I have been in the car all by myself, and I pass the front, handicap parking stalls and find one further away, even though.....legally, technically, I could get away with it.

I've noticed others do park in those "reserved" spots EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE A HANDICAP PASS.  And THEN WE have no where semi-close to park.  I'm totally bugged by that.  Don't do it!  There ARE people who really need it!!!

And it's good for 3 MONTHS!  SCORE.  (Hope & Comfort among the challenges.)  It makes my "Gratitude List."

--------------
On the same subject of "Silver Linings" - did you think I was going to write about the movie?  I'm upset that Silver Linings Playbook is rated R.  It sounds like a great idea for a movie.....that I won't be seeing.  Hey!  You movie making people!  Why do you have to ruin all these movies with crap that brings them down to a disgusting & inappropriate rated R level?  Don't do it!

(I guess it's "Opposite NIKE Day")