Saturday, January 24, 2009
New Family Pictures!
Yes I know that this post is huge but how do you choose? There are still many more to choose from! We had these done right before Matt left. They turned out fabulous!! If anyone is considering getting pictures done, you need to check out TMP She is amazing! Tiffany is a friend of mine and she had so many great ideas. She also put up with me for 3 hours trying to choose my favorites out of all the good pictures she had. We did talk a little I guess : ) Tiffany you are incredible! Thank you for giving us some wonderful memories!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
OBAMA:
"My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America."
"My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America."
Friday, January 9, 2009
Well It's Finally Here......
Matt's flight at Lackland AFB Texas in 2005
Matt at graduation 2005
Matt and Elleigh (2yrs) when we finally got to see him!
2005
As I think about Matt leaving, I am of course feeling many things. Scared, sad and very very anxious.......but most of all proud. I am so proud of him and what he is doing. I love telling people that he is going to be an Officer in the Air Force. I love this country and I am so grateful for our freedom. People really do take this country for granted and I feel so strongly that we need to do what we can to deserve this freedom. I am not saying that I agree with war...any war...in fact families in the military are the last ones who want wars. We are the ones with our husbands and wives deployed. However, I do believe that what Matt will be doing is a good thing and that he will enjoy what he does. It is going to offer us a lot of opportunities and benefits.
I just have to focus on the positive of it all and realize that if we can just get through this initial separation, then we will be moving on to great things. My heart just hurts right now thinking of him leaving. It's funny that you can feel a physical pain from love of a person. He is the love of my life and I have been blessed every day since I married him. Good luck to my sweetheart! He will be amazing like he always is.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Christmas Card 2008
Merry Christmas From the Francoms!
This is what Sophie's pre-school did as a parent gift this year and I just had to show it off! It looks like a professional greeting card! They told us to dress them up cute in Christmas colors with their hair all done but they didn't tell us why. I was so surprised and I absolutely love this idea!
Since we had a lot going on and I wasn't able to put together a card for anyone this year, I thought I would use this. Of course it doesn't have any of the other members of our family so I will also post some pictures below. I also promise to catch up on my posting during the Christmas break.
We love you all and Merry Christmas!!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Check out my sister's new business!
Allegro WearYes I know that I work at a dance place that has its own dance store too but my sister has nothing to do with the studio and has been wanting her own business for years. It is a great idea! Maybe they could just refer each other. Don't worry CS people....I always tell my students to get their items from Dance Gear.
Click the link above to go to her blog or you can go to allegrowear.com
At least this post isn't depressing! Hopefully we are done with that stuff for awhile!!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The Obituary
Dave Francom
Here is the obituary for Matt's dad. Just click on his name. Some of you have asked me for more information. If there is anything else you need to know you can call me or email me. Thank you to everyone that has sent us your love. It has been greatly appreciated by Matt and I.
Here is the obituary for Matt's dad. Just click on his name. Some of you have asked me for more information. If there is anything else you need to know you can call me or email me. Thank you to everyone that has sent us your love. It has been greatly appreciated by Matt and I.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Losing A Loved One
On Saturday we were able to attend the funeral of Jackson Rich who is my friends little boy that passed away this week. It was heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time. The spirit was overwhelming, the music beautiful and the talks inspirational. It was my priviledge to be there and share in that little boys life with his family. I can't imagine how hard the road is ahead for them but they will have at least one little angle cheering them on and holding them up when they need it. I pray that they will be given strength in the coming days and years.
That night we were feeling emotionally drained and were just staying home to enjoy our little family and each other when we got a phone call. Matt's mom called my phone because he had left his upstairs and hadn't heard it ringing. She asked if he was with me and I knew by her voice that things were not good. Now Matt's dad has frequented the hospital over the years for different heart problems, diabetes and more but I could tell that this time was different. She told him to get to the hospital as soon as he could but no more. He raced out the door and I just knew it was bad. I called my mom and started to get the girl's things together when Matt called me. He was really upset and said that his dad was gone. I couldn't believe it! I told him I would be right there while trying to control my emotions so that the girls would be ok. I don't think it has ever taken me so long to get to my mom's and then get to the hospital. When I got there, everyone was very upset. Apparently Matt's mom and dad had been at the District movie theater just off bangeter when he said he couldn't breathe very well. They stopped the movie and called an ambulance. By the time Matt's mom followed them and got into the hospital, he was talking pleasantly to the nurse and so she wasn't too alarmed. They had been through this many times before. Well soon after that he was being taken to a different room and they were hooking him up to a respirator and he passed away really suddenly. There was nothing to do. It was just quik and painless. The hard part was that no one was there with her. She didn't have time to call any of us nor did she think it was serious. He had a blood clot travel to his lungs and cause 10 times the pressure on his heart. He has survived 4 blood clots before but this one just took him. Luckily most of her children were able to get to the hospital quickly. It was just very shocking to all of us. He has had health problems but we never expected for him to go so fast. It is better than him suffering however. We are so thankful to the hospital staff at Jordan Valley Hospital and for all that they did for us. We were up until about 5am that night and have had a rough day again today trying to get through some of the business aspect of it all. It has brought us all together and I am grateful for that. I don't think that I have had a worse week in a long time....well at least since my grandpa and my dad passing. But this sweet little baby and then Matt's dad....I am drained. And yet I am so grateful too. I am so blessed and these things really remind you of what is important. I love my husband and his family so much and I am glad that we can all come together to celebrate their father's life. He was an amazing man and I know that he is in a much better place. The funeral is on Friday at 11am. I will post more when I have a bit more time.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Prayers
On a day like today everything gets shoved back into perspective. I found out today that I friend of mine lost their little boy yesterday. He was 16 months old. I am just sick about it. How do you handle something like that. My heart is breaking for them and their family. I can't think of anything else to do but pray for them.
Also, my sister is having her first baby today. He is 6 weeks early and so we are hoping that the delivery will go smoothly. Again, all I can do is pray.
I know that there are many of you out there that have amazing faith and a close relationship to Heavenly Father. If you could remember these people that are dear to me in your prayers I know it will help.
Thank you and may we all hold each other closer today.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Date Has Been Set
I am not really sure how I feel about it yet. It means a lot of different things for me and our family. Matt will be leaving for Officer Training School on January 13, 2009. That date seems really soon all of the sudden. After he leaves, I will still be here by myself for a while. Probably at least 4 months if not longer. I am so proud of him and for his willingness to serve this country. Also, getting his commission as an officer is huge. All of it will be an adventure I am sure.
I just feel sick more than anything else. Sometimes great things are scary at first. I am just not as strong as I would like other people to think I am or as I would like to tell myself I am.
All I can do is pray.
I just feel sick more than anything else. Sometimes great things are scary at first. I am just not as strong as I would like other people to think I am or as I would like to tell myself I am.
All I can do is pray.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
My Girls and Their New Events!
Yes I know that I am really late in posting first day of school pictures but it has been crazy! I got them back to school, they started back in dance and singing lessons, I started teaching at the studio again and so I am just now catching up!
Here are some pictures of Elleigh on her first day! Wow the emotions were strong on this day! She loved every second of it! She loved the playground and her teacher and she loved talking to all the new friends! She couldn't stop talking about the reading castle in her classroom! I handled it all ok and didn't cry or anything. It just felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest as I watched her walk up with confidence and head into a new experience. What a huge milestone this is for us both. I am so proud of that bright, beautiful little girl.
Here are some pictures of her at the school with her best friend Alyssa. They are in the same class. I am glad that they could share their first day together.
So I took these pictures of Elleigh on her second week of kindergarten. We were a little early so she was playing on the playground by herself for a few minutes while we waited for the rest of the kids to come. She was really excited when a few kids showed up and so she kept going over to them and inviting them to come play with her. After awhile, there was quite a few kids there but Elleigh noticed a little girl sitting on the edge of the playground not playing. The little girl looked a little down. Well Elleigh can't have that! She went over to her and talked to her for a minute and convinced her to come play. She took her by the hand and led her over to play. I was very impressed with my little five year old and how perceptive she can be. I wasn't fast enough to get pictures of the whole scene....but I did get a few.
Sophie has been waiting for a long time to start school. She has come along for two years now watching Elleigh go into Mrs. Honey's class and now it is finally her turn! She practically lived at the school last year as well because mom was teaching and Elleigh attending. But now she knew that it was her turn and that she wasn't just there for the ride! She squealed in the car when I asked her if she was excited to go in to her school! I had a much harder time dropping her off than I did Elleigh. Maybe it's because she is the baby and I can't believe that my little one who has come everywhere with me like an additional appendage for the last three years has her own little schedule and things to do! I had a moment where I kind of freaked out in the car all by myself. I had dropped them both off at school and then I went to get gas and I was all alone! I sent Matt a text because I couldn't believe it! It was actually really hard at first. I am sure that I will learn to enjoy it but, as most of you know, Sophie is an absolute joy to be around and I really missed her while she was gone. Of course, when I picked her up she was beaming with excitement! She wanted to tell me all about pre school and how they had done puzzles and games and sang songs and danced and colored pictures! She even said the boys were nice! She was very surprised by that I guess. So funny.... A good but very hard day for a mom!
What a beautiful little school girl!!
I love having girls and the things that come with it. As they start their school careers and grow and learn through this life, I hope that we can share it together. I continue to pray that I can be the mom they need. I hope that they will know that I am trying to teach them what is best because I love them and I want them to be good people like I know they are. I want to guide them in the right direction while enjoying the ups and downs of it all. I am blessed to be the mother of these two little spirits and I hope that we can all enjoy the upcoming years.
To my girls:
I love to watch you grow....
I love to see you on stage...twirling like a ballerina.....
I love to see you go to school.....
I will enjoy watching you eat a thousand ice creams....
I love to hear you squealing...
I love to see you play with friends...
I think it's fun when you to invite your friends over....
I can't wait for you beg me to take you shopping....
I love to buy you pretty dresses...
Ribbons for your hair....
I am nervous and excited for you to have boyfriends...and I will be there to mend your broken heart....
I won't believe it when it is time to go to your wedding and I will weep that you look so beautiful...
I will love it when you have children....
I will always love to see you smile....
I will always be energized by your laugh...
I will never take for granted watching you sleep, dreaming sweet dreams....
I always want to see you healthy....
I love to watch you learn all sorts of wonderful things...
I will continue to kiss and cuddle you a thousand times over....
I will always love to hear the sweet sound of your voice......
I will always be grateful for you and I love you more than you know......
Here are some pictures of Elleigh on her first day! Wow the emotions were strong on this day! She loved every second of it! She loved the playground and her teacher and she loved talking to all the new friends! She couldn't stop talking about the reading castle in her classroom! I handled it all ok and didn't cry or anything. It just felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest as I watched her walk up with confidence and head into a new experience. What a huge milestone this is for us both. I am so proud of that bright, beautiful little girl.
Here are some pictures of her at the school with her best friend Alyssa. They are in the same class. I am glad that they could share their first day together.
So I took these pictures of Elleigh on her second week of kindergarten. We were a little early so she was playing on the playground by herself for a few minutes while we waited for the rest of the kids to come. She was really excited when a few kids showed up and so she kept going over to them and inviting them to come play with her. After awhile, there was quite a few kids there but Elleigh noticed a little girl sitting on the edge of the playground not playing. The little girl looked a little down. Well Elleigh can't have that! She went over to her and talked to her for a minute and convinced her to come play. She took her by the hand and led her over to play. I was very impressed with my little five year old and how perceptive she can be. I wasn't fast enough to get pictures of the whole scene....but I did get a few.
Sophie has been waiting for a long time to start school. She has come along for two years now watching Elleigh go into Mrs. Honey's class and now it is finally her turn! She practically lived at the school last year as well because mom was teaching and Elleigh attending. But now she knew that it was her turn and that she wasn't just there for the ride! She squealed in the car when I asked her if she was excited to go in to her school! I had a much harder time dropping her off than I did Elleigh. Maybe it's because she is the baby and I can't believe that my little one who has come everywhere with me like an additional appendage for the last three years has her own little schedule and things to do! I had a moment where I kind of freaked out in the car all by myself. I had dropped them both off at school and then I went to get gas and I was all alone! I sent Matt a text because I couldn't believe it! It was actually really hard at first. I am sure that I will learn to enjoy it but, as most of you know, Sophie is an absolute joy to be around and I really missed her while she was gone. Of course, when I picked her up she was beaming with excitement! She wanted to tell me all about pre school and how they had done puzzles and games and sang songs and danced and colored pictures! She even said the boys were nice! She was very surprised by that I guess. So funny.... A good but very hard day for a mom!
What a beautiful little school girl!!
I love having girls and the things that come with it. As they start their school careers and grow and learn through this life, I hope that we can share it together. I continue to pray that I can be the mom they need. I hope that they will know that I am trying to teach them what is best because I love them and I want them to be good people like I know they are. I want to guide them in the right direction while enjoying the ups and downs of it all. I am blessed to be the mother of these two little spirits and I hope that we can all enjoy the upcoming years.
To my girls:
I love to watch you grow....
I love to see you on stage...twirling like a ballerina.....
I love to see you go to school.....
I will enjoy watching you eat a thousand ice creams....
I love to hear you squealing...
I love to see you play with friends...
I think it's fun when you to invite your friends over....
I can't wait for you beg me to take you shopping....
I love to buy you pretty dresses...
Ribbons for your hair....
I am nervous and excited for you to have boyfriends...and I will be there to mend your broken heart....
I won't believe it when it is time to go to your wedding and I will weep that you look so beautiful...
I will love it when you have children....
I will always love to see you smile....
I will always be energized by your laugh...
I will never take for granted watching you sleep, dreaming sweet dreams....
I always want to see you healthy....
I love to watch you learn all sorts of wonderful things...
I will continue to kiss and cuddle you a thousand times over....
I will always love to hear the sweet sound of your voice......
I will always be grateful for you and I love you more than you know......
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