New Windows

We were so excited to get new windows put on our house.  Brooklyn helped me get the blinds and curtains down.  She enjoyed posing in front of the old windows.  They were aluminum and were so water-stained we could hardly see out of them...and they always looked dirty.

Besides feeling like we were living in fish bowl for a couple of days while they were being replaced...we are so much happier with the new windows!  Unfortunately this is only the before...no after pictures just yet!

My Birthday

On July 19th, I turned 47 years old.  There are some numbers I like and some I don't.  Personally, I don't care for odd numbers...so saying I am 47 doesn't sound real pretty to me.  It has nothing to do with the age...but everything to do with the fact that 7 just isn't one of my favorite numbers - even when it is paired with 4 which is my favorite number.  Okay, rambling on like this about something so inconsequential makes me seem old and senile....so I will shut up!

The day wasn't planned to be too eventful.  Brandon was in Salt Lake, Justin still on his mission, and Brooklyn at EFY.  So I woke up, checked the many, many facebook birthday wishes (I love that!) and then headed out the door to work.  The 80 year old man I was working for sang me Happy Birthday - that was cute of him.  When I left there my mom and I went to a movie and then had an early dinner at Outback Steakhouse.  It was yummy.

After the movie I noticed I had several text messages and voicemails and I must say I enjoyed getting all of your birthday wishes.  Ginger and Bailey's birthday song medley was especially memorable...it went on and on and on.  I will be saving that one for years to come!

I headed home and was glad my friend Bonita came by for a visit and a little chat.  I love spending time with her so that was a treat.

Brandon promised he would  make me a Mexican dinner when I go to Salt Lake next...and I just happened to catch Brooklyn online checking her email around 11 pm...so I got to chat with her for a minute.

But the highlight of the day came from my boy who is thousands of miles away in Nicaragua.  Elder Moore really spoiled his mama on her birthday.  I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from him.  The bouquet consisted of red tulips and purple irises and was so vibrant and pretty.  He sent along a poem that truly made my day.  It went like this:

Ho ho hoem, imma write you a poem
Mommy I love you, Mommy I do
Shortly I will be with you.
You mean the world to me, I hope I am what you want me to be.
Thanks for raising me the way you did, even though I was a crazy little kid.
That's why you threw me in the gym, but now im found singing a hymn.
Be patient my mommy, I am almost there
I have much I want to share.
Love, Juice

I loved that poem!

 Then surprise, surprise when the next day I received a dozen chocolate covered strawberries from him.   With that gift came another card:

Thank you for everything.  I love you more than you ever know.
All the way to the farthest McDonalds and back.
Love, Your Studly Elder

I loved the box the berries came in as well.  It said some really funny things.

The "love you all the way to McDonalds" saying has been a part of our family for years.  When I was young my dad was a McDonald's manager.  When he would leave for work we would all say that to him.  It is a family tradition now.

The point is though, who needs a man when they have a son like that ;)  Flowers, chocolate and beautiful words.  Thanks Justin.

So all in all, I may have been alone in my home on my birthday, but I felt so much love.  All is well, all is well.

July Visitors

I am so thankful that I have so many wonderful friends from my neighborhood up in Sandy.  There are many special people who take the time to come visit when they are in Southern Utah.

The month of July brought some fun visits.  The Stringhams are always welcome guests.  I am thankful Laura takes the time to pack up her little tribe and journey down to La Verkin.  We spent the day talking and eating and laughing and catching up.  I love talking to her and Brooklyn loves being with her little sisters and brother.  Laura's family gives her the younger siblings she has always missed.  Whenever either of us get to the other one's territory, we always try to find a way to spend time together and that makes me happy!

Also this month, we had a surprise as Spence & Sandy Lloyd and Craig & Roberta Fox came to see us.  They took Brooklyn and me to dinner and we spent a couple of hours reminiscing.  I always felt like their youngest boys were my boys, so it is fun to get together with those that are in your village :)  We all impacted each other's families for good for so many years that it just feels so comfortable.  There is love and respect and genuine care.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming up to my little neck of the desert.  It felt so good being with all of you.

Jimmy's Going Away Party

Brooklyn had an interpreter that she really loved.  His name is Jimmy Harris.  She was sad when she lost him as her interpreter in the middle of her junior year of high school.  Jimmy decided to enter law school in San Diego and the Center for the Deaf had a going away party for him in St. George.  We were happy to be invited.  Besides Jimmy, Brooklyn had many other "angels" that she was happy to see.

Jimmy Harris, Meredith Winn, Meadow Lisonbee and Marianne

Meredith asked Brooklyn to say (make that sign) a few words at the party.  Brooklyn had to stand on the picnic table so everyone could see her.  She let Jimmy know that he had been like a father to her.  She let him know how much she loved him and how thankful she was that he knew when something was bothering her and he could make her feel better.  They both wept.  It was an emotional time.  We will miss you Jimmy but we are so glad you were a part of Brooklyn's life!