January 2018

Time to start fresh.  Obviously I bombed out on blogging 2017.  Let's just say that we survived 2017.  We had some big changes happen in the latter half of 2017:  we prepared our home in Lehi to go on the market  - finished all the unfinished projects and redid the kitchen, we moved into Jake and Carolyn's basement for about 5 months while we finished up the house projects and then put the house on the market.  It sold fairly quickly for a decent price and we began the process of finding a new home.  We had hoped to purchase in Lehi again but housing prices in that area were out of sight so after much looking we ended up in a new neighborhood in Saratoga Springs, Ut.  The home is a brand new build that the builder built for someone else who then wasn't able to end up purchasing it so it went back on the market.  We really love the neighbors and the ward.  Lance and I keep saying that it is the friendliest ward either of us have ever been in.  There are lots of new homes still going up around the block so new people keep moving in.  The longest anyone has lived here is about 19 years so that is a switch from the multi generational families in our old ward.  There are nearly 100 youth in the mutual program in this ward.  So most of the adults are right about mine and Lance's age.  There are only a handful of elderly people so that is a real switch from our old ward.  The rest of the ward is made up of young families.  Lance has been called to be the assistant priest adviser and I recently got called into primary, teaching the 4-5 year olds.  I just love my primary class.  They are adorable and say the funniest things.  Yesterday we were talking about the War in Heaven and Satan's plan versus Heavenly Father's plan.  A couple of the little boys were super confused because one of the little boy's name is Zaydan which sounds a lot like Satan.  The boys wanted to know why Zaydan's plan was so bad. I about died trying not to laugh as a explained that I was saying Satan not Zaydan.  

Hannah, JJ and Asher are all finding their place in the ward and neighborhood.  Asher is probably the happiest and has adapted the most quickly.  He found several friends including one right across the street.  He's enjoying his new class at school as well as the extra curricular activities available to him.  He joined the chess club as well as the Vista Heights elementary band.  Hannah and JJ decided to stay at their old schools for the remainder of the school year.  This has made driving them to and from school and activities a bit wearisome for me but I'm making it work.  Lance drives JJ to early morning seminary every other day so that is a great help. 

 JJ was ordained a priest not long after we moved in.  I didn't take a single photo but we did have some great support from family and from friends and leaders from the old ward.  JJ is now 16! He has been practicing driving but hasn't gotten his license yet.  At this point he still needs to finish his road driving with the high school drivers ed teacher.  He is very nervous and drives really slow. He told me that he really doesn't like driving. I'm concerned about having him drive himself to school especially in bad weather as he will have to drive on busy roads like Redwood and Pioneer Crossing.  But I also look forward to the day when he is a confident driver and can drive himself to sports practices, school and the space center. He is still deep into his obsession with volunteering at the space center.  He would be there 27/7 if he could.  He is writing "missions" and learning all the ropes so he can get paid as a flight director there sometime soon.  JJ was recently asked to attend the Westlake Sweethearts dance by a girl in our ward.  She is a junior and he really doesn't know her at all but he said yes and is excited\nervous to go on his first date.  This is all new to me since I didn't date pretty much at all in high school and school dances were quite different for Lance in California.  

Hannah is slowly making friends with the girls in the ward.  She spent the first few months going to the wrong sunday school class.  We figured out she was supposed to be in another one about a week before classes changed at the new year.  Hannah had her 14th birthday the last week of the year.  We went to see The Greatest Showman for her birthday.  It was an amazing movie and we all loved it!  We now listen to the music all the time and Hannah has seen the movie two more times since.  Even JJ really liked it and has the music on his phone. 

All three of the kids are playing jr jazz basketball with Saratoga Springs this month.  Lance is Asher's coach and Asher recruited his buddy from across the street to be on his team.  He also has another boy from the ward on his team.  He is doing well and learning lots but sometimes gets frustrated when Lance has to "coach" him.  Hannah is in the strange position (for her, anyway) of being the most experienced player on her team.  She is the only one who can dribble the ball without looking at her feet.  It's been good for her to be a leader and humbling when she finds that she can't "carry" the team.  JJ is enjoying getting out and exercising and getting some playing time in.  His team isn't the best but they aren't the worst either.  The coach has set up extra days for the team to practice at a local church building so he's getting lots of workouts in.  

The last few weeks have been some of the most difficult of my life.  A few months ago I noticed a lump on my neck near where the lymph nodes are.  I have quite a few chronic sebaceous cysts in other places on my body but I thought I should get this new one checked out.  The doctor wanted me to get a CT scan done.  That came back saying there was a mass there.  My primary care doctor had her nurse call me and tell me to set up an appointment with and ENT to get a biopsy.  At that point my mind went to the worst and I was sure that it was cancer.  I had to wait a while to get into the doctor and actually ended up seeing his PA.  The PA was great and very comforting - telling me that there was an 80% chance that the mass in my salivary gland was benign.  I was still freaking out.  I had started working at the beginning of January at Asher's new school, Saratoga Shores, as a recess and teachers aide but I was struggling so hard to keep it together I decided to tell the person who hired me about what was going on.  She was very kind and sympathetic.  I continued to just do recess duty for a couple of weeks in between doctors appointments.  I had a biopsy done and then had to wait a whole week to hear the results.  During that week I prayed as I have never prayed before.  I felt the presence of the Holy Ghost comforting me.  I started reading my scriptures when I felt overwhelmingly anxious and scared and found answers and comfort while reading.  The kids were supportive but understandably scared as well.  I found myself crying randomly.  I felt the effects of the stress physically.  I was never more grateful for our dog Spirit.  He seemed to understand my distress and rarely left my side or lap.  A few of the ladies that I worked with at the school knew a little of what was going on because I was gone so much.  One in particular, Tena, (who is also in my ward) was especially supportive.  Many tender mercies were rained down upon me.  Last Friday the ENT PA called me to tell me that the biopsy showed it was another cyst.  I was so incredibly grateful for this news.  He is going to have me do another CT scan in three months just to make sure nothing changes.  During the time when I was praying every moment for a miracle - for a chance to raise my kids and be the best mom I could be, the Spirit whispered that I needed to be a home right now for them.  So I quite the job at the school and am trying to have faith that it was the right decision for our family and not feel guilty about not contributing more to the family income.  Through this experience several things changed for me.  I have a newly minted love of the scriptures and prayer.  I have a better understanding of faith.  I find myself telling my kids and Lance how much I love them more often.  I have a desire to make more memories not just live this life. I also want to record those memories through this blog and through scrapbooking so that when I'm gone my kids will have my words and memories always.  I've also realized that a lot of things really aren't important.  I'm truly humbled and grateful for this second chance to be a better person and to love my family here on earth just a little while longer. Now days later, I have moments when I think it was silly of me to worry so much - of course everything would be ok.  But I know without a shadow of a doubt that Heavenly Father listened to my righteous prayers and gave me another chance. I'm going to do my best to deserve it.