Change for the Better

Summer is finally here! It's warm, things are growing, and time is moving fast (but then, isn't it always?) Now I am not the gardener my grandmother was, but my yard is finally a sight I can enjoy! Check out these before and after shots:

Just goes to show what a difference a few short weeks can make (pics taken just 5 weeks apart!) I am hoping this will be a metaphor for my life this year... been hard (as usual) in so many new and unique ways! However, if I wait just a 'few short weeks' (Lord's time), I know that things will be so much better!

My Daddy

As I sat and listened to the children singing in sacrament meeting today, I kept thinking 'how very true!'

My daddy is my favorite pal,

and I help him every day.

It's plain to see I want to be

like him in every way!

He teaches me that honesty

is best in all I do.

I'm very glad that he's my dad,

and I know he loves me too!

My dad has always been there for me my whole life- both through the great times and the tough times. I know he always will be too! I do want to be like him when I finally grow up! Despite his best efforts to talk me out of it, I have chosen to be a school teacher and a math teacher at that- just like him! And I love it! He has taught me so many wonderful things by his word and by his example- how to serve others, how to work hard, and how to always be honest, no matter what! I knew if I made a mistake (or even crashed my grandmother's car!), if I were to be honest with my dad, he would help me to fix my problem with love.

I am so blessed to have such a loving and caring dad in my life! And I am so thankful that he helped me to learn that I also have a loving and caring Father in Heaven that I can turn to at all times.

Dancing Through Life...

My most amazing daughter has once again left me in awe as I was able to watch her perform at this year's Celtic Celebration. Every year I think she is perfection, and every year she gets better! I am so blessed to have such an incredibly gifted and talented person for my daughter! I am so glad that she inherited my mother's love of dance!

These are pics from this most incredible dance performance, and although I am 'Mom', I think one particular girl stands out in each one! The links are to some dance vids that Charly did not want me to post. However, I am Mom and I think the vids are great!

Charly's hard shoe sample

Charly's soft shoe sample

Great week!!!

This has been an exhausting but amazing week!

I watched while my little girl graduated from high school! She is such a wondrous young woman. Last night I was privileged to go with Charly while she spoke to a priest and laurels group about dating ideas, her dating experiences, and what she has learned while working on her goal to date 100 different guys before getting married. Charly was so poised and confident and just so grown up! I am so blessed to be able to share all of these experiences with her!

Last week, I was able to watch my son, Eric, as he was sealed for time and all eternity to the most incredible young woman, Alison! It was so beautiful, so much more so than even the 'dream weddings' of the world. Then I got to spend the evening talking to family and friends who are the people that make life so great!

Other things in life keep happening too- said goodbye to my school after ten years (so many dear friends and students), Charly wrecked her car so we are down to one vehicle again, and so on... But there are so many blessings as well- I have a new school that promises many new friends, Charly was not hurt in her accident, being the taxi driver means more time with my kids... life is so good!

And my flowers, though a month behind schedule, are blooming!

One of the Best Days!

Today I am yet again the most blessed mom ever!

Congrats to 'My' Grads!

I have the utmost privilege of working with students... The best day and the worst day of the year is a day like today: graduation. The best because they graduate and 'start' their lives. The worst because they graduate and 'start' their lives...

Some highlights of my year:

But my absolute favorite 'bits':

I am so proud of you Charly!

Are you okay?

Are you okay? Are you going to be okay with that? Is everything okay?

So many people asking me essentially the sam

e thing...

Short answer: the Lord loves me, so of course I will be okay. Long answer: Well, what other choices do I have?

That's kind of how life is right now- the what other choices do I have kind of life. I suppose I could yell about some things, make trouble of sorts, sit at home and feel sorry for myself or give up on trying to make things better-

but then again, given what I know about who I am, where I come from, and what I am expected to become, none of that is really, truly an option. I am supposed to do my best to help those around me and be okay.

And there is great comfort in being okay, in having no other choice than to be okay. I found it today when that last senior- the one who had to complete 27 hours of attendance make-up with me (during non-class hours, no less- yes, I saw WAY too much of him these last few weeks!)- came in to my classroom with a HUGE grin on his face and announced that he is going to graduate! It's why I teach, it's why I am willing to be at work early every day, it's why, no matter what life may throw at me, I will be okay.

And another reason:

Love this girl! (even if she did grow up way too fast!)