Get Set....

I HAVE THE BEST FAMILY EVER!!!

Pictures printed, quilt looking good, boxes packed for the open house, paper goods purchased, lights up one way or another, chair covers delivered and on, bows tied, pictures framed and hung, tables up and decorated, sign in book and backdrop ready and food waiting in the kitchen....

Now just need the flowers and balloons

The photographer

The music

The relatives

The videographer

The guests

The family

And

The bride and groom!

Then we will have the perfect wedding day for my darling daughter!!

I am so blessed to have Charly for a daughter! 

And received THE BEST message from the man that I love!

"Tomorrow's the anniversary of a very good day, the first time we met in person. :)

I say we celebrate by attending a wedding, ok?"

I am the most blessed!! And I have the most caring husband too!

Get Ready....

1) Do we have enough brownies?

2) Buy lemons.

3) How long will it take to set up?

4) Pack boxes for the open house.

5) Will I have help tying those bows? Yikes!

6) Borrow key to the church.

7) What should I use to serve the salsa?

8) Print out pictures.

9) Is the quilt finished 'enough'?

10) Cut Luke's hair...

Etc.

Etc.

Etc.

I hope that Charly is enjoying all of this!

Oh, and do we have a key to the church?!

April Shower!

A few more days and my little girl will be married!!!

My lovely niece, Alyssa, gave Charly the best shower ever! 

It was more fun than this pic makes it look!

Charly surrounded by little girls... as always!

 Charly's quilt just needs the edges- plus had to make throw pillows!

 And what a great MIL my Charly will have! Her future MIL gave her the family recipes!

 I am so blessed to have this girl in MY life!!! Love you forever, Char!

One Long Short Year!

Just one year ago today, I received notification that a man named Luke had sent me some questions on eHarmony...

Now just one year later, as Luke says. "Life is good!"

And it really is!!! Here are some selected snippets of our oh so great profiles (at least we think so!)

L: 

The most important thing I am looking for in a person is:

Loves the Lord with all her heart, might, mind, and strength, & to whom I can be sealed. Inspires & encourages with gentleness, positive communication, and love. Shares my desire to live with an eye single to the glory of God, by having balance & joy, building His kindgom patiently first at home, and then wherever His service leads whether in family history & temple service, or missionary service as health & resources allow. We work together & support each other in whatever is best for the Kingdom or in our trials. There should be allowance for learning & study (as I must do), laughter, and music, and projects (our Father is a creator).

D:

The most important thing I am looking for in a person is:

I am looking for an open, honest person. Someone who will become my best friend. Someone who enjoys spending time with me but is also able to have his own interests, and perhaps share those with me sometimes. A person who loves his God, his family and his life.

L:

The things I can't live without are:

• prayer and the whole gospel plan
• the scriptures
• food. Everything else is negotiable, but...
• a computer, lots of reading material
• variety in life (example: now learning unicycling)

Three of my best life-skills are:

• Understanding local, national, and world events
• Maintaining an organized life
• Continuing to expand my knowledge and awareness

D:

The things I can't live without are:

• my children- they are amazing people!
• my extended family- I love family get-together's!
• my Father in Heaven and my testimony of Him.
• My tennis shoes- I love to walk, rain or shine!
• My eyesight- I absolutely love to read!

Three of my best life-skills are:

• Raising and/or caring for children
• Continuing to expand my knowledge and awareness
• Maintaining a network of close friends

L:

The three things which I am most thankful for:

• God. Our Savior is and should be at the very center of our lives. He is everything to us, and in Him we can find peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. Everything else must be in harmony with this. Closely tied with this is my deep gratitude for agency, and the physical/mental faculties to exercise it: to think, pray, take action, learn, grow, and move forward. What a great thing! And the scriptures and all opportunities to learn & serve, with the resulting feelings of joy.
• Family. They are a source of connectedness, mutual service (I hope I do my part, there are many things to balance...), and wholeness in life. And they are all so good to me.
• Country. Having lived elsewhere and read much about history and current events, I see that we have great reasons to be grateful. Our constitution, our history, the good aspects of our traditions, our freedoms, and so much more.
  
  
  D:

  The three things which I am most thankful for:

  
  

  • I am thankful for my children.
  • I am thankful for my extended family.
  • I am thankful for my religious beliefs.

  
  

  I can SO see why I fell in love with this man... and now I must amend my #1 thing I am thankful for: I am thankful to be sealed to my dear husband for time and all eternity and to our children!!!! I am blessed indeed!!!

So Often He Smiles....

Written with permission and because I feel compelled to be open and honest here... Not quite sure why it is important for me to write this, but I am sure I should write this. Also hoping it does not sound like complaining...

I am so grateful to be married! But not just married but married to Luke! He is such a kind and caring man, and he truly loves me. For anyone reading this who has experienced less... Well, the magnitude, for me, of Luke truly loving me and treating me the way he does every day... It is a greater blessing than any I could possibly describe!

However, life was never meant to be easy. 

Luke has what the doctors categorize as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  It's hard to describe how difficult it is trying to find a way to cope with this, to find a 'cure' for this... I watch him go through so many ups and downs. He has found ways to be pleasant around others, to push through the tired and worn out for our kids, our friends, our family.  But it leaves him so mentally and sometimes physically drained... And there is nothing I can do to help except wait and pray. 

It gets so hard to watch him day after day. I know he wants to do so many good things in life. He wants so much to work, to accomplish good- some days to accomplish anything at all. And he so wants to  contribute to our marriage and our children's lives... 

But even with the tiredness and the frustration of doing less than he wants, so often Luke smiles...

And his smile lights up my life!