Reminds Me of Mom

With Valentine's around the corner, I can't help but think of my mom. She loved Valentines Day and found so much fun in making the whole week leading up to it an excuse to share little gifts and thoughtful notes of love for each of us kids.

February 14th last year was a bitter-sweet one for me because it's the last time I was with my mom before her accident. It was the last time she hugged me. I took the kids with me to my sister, Amy's work at the Wentworth Retirement Center to bring my sister flowers and decorate her desk with hearts. Amy is a Recreational Therapist and always plans fun things for the residents.

I spent most of my time that day focused on helping my sister with her activities and the residents. I hardly spoke with my mom because I was running around so much. I feel bad about that. Mom gave me a hug after the program was over and thanked me for visiting Amy - I know that meant the most to her. She said she wished she could stay longer but she had a cold she was battling and wanted to go home to get some rest.

Little did I know that the medicine my mom's doctor would prescribe to her for her cold a couple weeks later would be the cause of her heart arrhythmia and cardiac arrest.


I miss my mom. Sometimes, I'll dream of seeing her again, I'll run to her and hug her so tight.

It's strange how different moments shape your memory and the things you associate with them. This photograph from Feb. 14th last year of my mom watching my sister's program is the first image that plays over in my mind now whenever I think of Valentine's. I see her dressed up pretty in her black blouse and white scarf, her long grey streaked hair, and black pearl earrings to match.

 I see this image in my mind just at the mention of Valentine's and my heart aches. I want to stop what I'm doing, sit next to my mom, and throw my arms around her - just enjoy the moment I have to be with her.

Thursdays (Zero Technology Night)

Last night was our second Thursday doing this: shutting off all technology at 7:30 and spending the rest of the evening completely unplugged. Ahhh it's so refreshing! Very, very nice -Joseph and I LOVE it! And I really think our kids have loved it too. I think the idea came in part from a talk I had been listening to in preparation for our Ward Conference. The theme of our Ward Conference this year was all about getting the Spirit in our lives, learning to follow and heed the voice of the Lord.

"The Voice of the Spirit" by, President Faust is a prophetic talk given clear back in 1993 before the internet was really even a mainstream thing in most households. I know my family didn't have it clear back then. I don't think we got the internet in our home until maybe 1995 or 96.

 In one part of President Faust's talk, he warns:
"In your generation you will be barraged by multitudes of voices telling you how to live, how to gratify your passions, how to have it all....There will be all sorts of software, interactive computer modems, databases, and bulletin boards; there will be desktop publishing, satellite receivers, and communications networks that will suffocate you with information... Everyone will be under more scrutiny. There will be fewer places of refuge and serenity. You will be bombarded with evil and wickedness like no other generation. As I contemplate this prospect, I am reminded of T. S. Eliot’s words, 'Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?' (The Rock [1934], I)."

One of the things I love about our Zero Technology Night is that Chandler came out and played board games with Kaylee and Micah. He talked with us and stayed with us. He seemed happier, all of the kids seemed to interact and play with each other more. I hope more than anything the kids recognized how freeing that felt to not be distracted by any screens. It was awesome!!

Have you seen the movie Incredibles 2? Have you seen Wall-e?
Have you seen this thought provoking little short that was made about three years ago? https://vimeo.com/127447302
Or read this article in the LA Times published a couple weeks ago? https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-riley-screen-time-zeitgeist-shift-20190107-story.html

Screens aren't probably going away anytime soon so I believe it's important that we help our kids be wise with how they use them. I'm so glad Miriam and Micah have chosen not to enter the Facebook or Instagram world. I think when people get on social media too much it's like inviting the trauma of  Middle School dramas back into your life again. And who wants that?!!

There is so much more good to fill our minds with. There is plenty of good, worthwhile wonderful things on the internet. Not all of it is junk. Our screens really can be a tool for so many wonderful things. But it's like when President Faust asked:

"How are you possibly going to select what voices you will listen to and believe? The implications for you as individuals are staggering. To survive, you must:
First, exercise your moral agency wisely. Omni tells us how we can make the proper channel selections. 'There is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord: and that which is evil cometh from the devil' (Omni 1:25). Every moment demands that we choose, over and over again, between that which comes from the Lord and that which comes from the devil. As tiny drops of water shape a landscape, so our minute-by-minute choices shape our character. Living the eternal gospel every day may be harder than dying for the Church and the Lord."

December 2019

December started off really scary. Amillia had a bad case of croup that lasted for a week. I couldn't sleep at night worrying that she would stop breathing. I have never experienced croup with any of my kids before. This was the first time and I hope it was my last. Amillia's lungs aren't the strongest and she seems more prone to this stuff. Ah man! It was scary!

The kid's went to their twin cousin's baptism, Penelope and Oliver Sanchez. After the baptism, the entire family gathered to create hats and scarfs for humanitarian aide. All of the cousins filled the gym of the church and worked together in a an awesome spirit of love and service. I think my Sister-in-Law, Ellen is the coolest mom ever to think of an activity like that for her kids after a baptism. Wish I would have thought of that with our children! After Micah got home, he found some scraps of material and made Amillia a hat and then his own stocking for Christmas.💕

@ Joseph's Christmas Work Party - Simplifile 

(He's been working there for 6 years now.)

Picking out our Christmas tree from a lot this year instead of cutting our own down. 

Next year, we'll tromp through the forest to find our own. 

I tried a Nativity painting for our windows this Christmas. I rather like how it turned out.

Kaylee and Micah goofing off -taking selfies.

We had several cousin get-together's and sleep-over's in December on Joseph's side. One of those evenings the kids did baptisms with their cousins at the Jordan River Temple. We were the last one's out and we didn't think about getting a picture until everyone had already left. But it was a great turn-out and so fun to do with extended family.

Micah's cousin's Quentin Richmond and Devin Jarrett

Kaylee and her cousin, Julia

Amillia painted this cat all on her own. 

I think we have an amazing artist in our midst!!

My dad has had very little energy this year after losing my mom. It has been difficult for him to just get out of bed each day. But he made a really big effort to put up and decorate the Christmas tree. Through the years, my mom collected little miniature houses  until she had a whole village under the tree. My dad placed each one out this year in memory of her. I think this Christmas has been really hard for him. My heart breaks. We all miss mom!

We hosted my side of the family for a Christmas party at my house this year. It's so crazy to go from Joseph's side with so many people to my side with only three or four individuals.  I invited my sister Amy and my brother Keith (and his wife, Maria) but they wouldn't come. They actually don't ever come to anything I invite them too, it's sad. But Alexa and Conner came and Alexa brought her brother, Brayden with them too. We hardly see Brayden because he's with a different dad than Alexa. So, we are very happy whenever he can come. We were also able to do a face-time with my younger brother, Kenneth and his wife and family who live in Texas. 

Face time with Kenneth

Alexa and Brayden

My dad spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with us. I was so glad to have him spend the night because it broke my heart for him to be alone. He joined us for our traditional Shepherd's Dinner by candlelight. We love this tradition!

Christmas Morning - the kids can't hold back the excitement 

to go downstairs and open presents, especially cheesy Micah

This whole month of December we've been praying for our Stake Patriarch, Wayne Snow. He's the one who sealed Amillia to our family in the Temple. She adores President Snow! He had a really scary infection near his heart this past month which brought him dangerously close to death. Amillia made sure that we never forgot him in our prayers. Such a sweet, thoughtful girl! 

I had to save a picture of this cute little cake my friend, Suzanne made for us. It was her way of saying thank-you for letting them use our garage for storage while they tried to sell their home. 

Micah is our Master Builder when it comes to Legos. 

This scuba diver is all original from his own creation. 

No instruction booklet, no template, just random pieces. I love it!

What 13-yr-old boy chooses to do this?!

Micah came with me to my Greek and Roman Literature class almost every week this past semester. He was so intrigued that during the last couple weeks of class, he asked if he could borrow my Iliad book. Every evening, when I would kiss him goodnight, I'd find him reading intently before bed. He finished the Iliad in less than a month. His favorite character was Achilles. He even illustrated and designed his own Achilles statue with a 3D printer! (He doesn't like it because the spear tip broke off but I think it's still the coolest thing ever!)

This morning, I went to wake Micah for scripture study and discovered by his bedside my Odyssey book from class, with a bookmark already half-way through it. So awesome! He never ceases to amaze me!