It's all about compromise...

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!! It is my Mom and Dad's 56 year Anniversary today! I thought I would put a few pictures up of them when they first met and fell in love! What a beautiful couple! I am so thankful that they have made this union work for so many years! What a great example they are to their children and to all of our children...

I love to look back at these "young" pictures of my parents. I can't help but wonder if this is how they'll look in the next life? How wild will that be to "Hang Out" with your parents? Well not just your parents, but your "YOUNG" parents? Weird!!! And cool! It reminds me of "Back to the Future" I love that movie!

Anyway, my family is meeting at my parents house tonight, for cake and ice cream- (except for me and my fam, of course) We seem to be missing from the last 2 years of family "Get-together photos" It makes me so sad! Hopefully we won't have to miss another one! Mom, Pop- I love you both, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for being THE GREATEST PARENTS in the world!!!

I'll raise my imaginary glass, and toast to a very loooooong marriage, made in heaven!!! SALUTE!!!

Parting is such sweet sorrow...

Well, that was a very fast "10" days! Avery and I just dropped my Mom off at the airport. It was very, very, sad. I couldn't help but to cry a little. I really, really love my Mom and even after 34 years of life, I still want to be with her everyday! I know, it's scary that I'm such a big baby, but I can't help it. It runs in the family, Kasey sent me a text message from her bed last night, (yes, I was right in the other room) she wanted to come to the airport so badly, but I just couldn't allow her to miss another day of school, she was very unhappy with my decision. I went into her room to talk about it and she was crying- she loves her Grandma more than any other person on this earth! I told her to wake up a little earlier this morning so she could spend a little more time with her, which she did.
Anyway, my brother Gavin and his girlfriend Stephanie, are fight attendants. I believe they did a little "trading" flights, and got on the flight that my Mom is on. That's why she went home today, so she could fly home with them. She just called me from the plane and said she got to meet the Captain and look into the cock-pit and all that fun stuff! I guess she'll get plenty of peanuts too, Oh the perks!!!
So here we are again, no more grandma, and no husband until Sunday, this sucks!!!

Love you Mom, come back soon...

SAWYER...

Here she is, Miss Sawyer. Yes she is having a great time here at the Doezie house!!! My friend Chelsea and her husband are in UTAH a.k.a. ZION, looking at potential homes to buy! We are the lucky family that got to keep their youngest baby, Sawyer- for the weekend...

She and Avery are getting along famously! He is learning to share all of his toys with her, and he's giving a very valiant effort at sharing ME!

She is my shadow! Everywhere I go, she goes. She'll go check something out for a second, and come right back!

She still doesn't quite know what to think of Kain, our dog? Although she did offer him some of her Cheetos puffs, it was very cute!

We are having a wonderful time with her...

A "TRUE" love story...

Welcome to CHICAGO Mom... She had to call Dad, and let him know she made it!

As most of my family back in Utah knows, my Mom has flown 1400 miles to come visit her favorite daughter and favorite grand-babies... She isn't sure when she'll be returning to Utah, we'll just see how long she can stand being away from her sweetheart, who proposed to her on this very day 55 years ago!!! My Dad was in Junction City Kansas, getting ready to go to WAR- the Korean War. He called my Mom and proposed to her over the phone. Thankfully, she said YES, and about 14 days later she went to Kansas, to marry him. The night she got there, she had to stay in a hotel, all alone- because my Dad had to go back to the base. The next morning, he came and picked up my Mom, took her back to the base where they were married, by a Missionary. The other missionary was one of the witnesses, and they asked a carpenter to stop working, and come over to be the second witness.

They stayed there in Kansas for 3 months, and then went up to Seattle where my Dad would leave for Korea, a week later. He told my Mom what pier he would be shipping off at, so she could come see him off. She looked everywhere, but couldn't find him, and she stood there and cried...

After 11 months of separation, My Dad came home to his beautiful bride, and his first born, they had five more children, and they lived happily ever after!!!

Anyway, having Grandma here is so much fun! Kasey and Avery absolutely adore her! And I have such a wonderful time, talking with her about my childhood, and just how rotten I was, and how much I've changed, and blah, blah, blah... I love to cook for her and try and take care of her, like she has always taken care of me! I have the sweetest little Mommy in the whole world, and I miss her everyday that we're apart. I'll always treasure these special times that I have with her!

So you know how you NEVER say swear words in front of your Mom! And when you do hear a swear word when your with your Mom you just cringe!!! Well, my darling little son Avery can't quite say the word truck. He just can't say the "T" sound it comes out "F" sound. And even though he doesn't mean to, (say the "F" word) I still find myself saying yes TRUCK_TRUCK, really loudly after each time he says it, which is ALL the time... It's pretty funny! Avery also calls Grandma, Grandpa? No matter how many times you say GrandMA, he still says GrandPA- it's very endearing! So here's to a beautiful Valentines Day, spent with My Gorgeous husband, two of our darling children, and my Beautiful Mom, it almost doesn't get any better than that!

Questions, Questions, Questions...

Last week in church, a gentleman stood at the pulpit to bare his Testimony. He said, "Growing up, My Father always said to me, that on Sunday, there is no place more important to be than at church!" I can truly appreciate this advice, especially at this juncture in my life. I love it when I leave church, and feel as though I have learned something very valuable that I WILL apply to my life... Anyone who knows me, knows that I question EVERYTHING!!! It's not that I just HAVE to have the answer in order to believe something, Because a lot of the time, I don't get the answer- or it's not the answer I wanted, or thought it would be. But none the less, I ask the question! I think I'm just a very curious person, and I like to have all the information that I can possibly have, on any subject.
Anyway, I had a lot on my mind, this week (as some of you witnessed firsthand- sorry about that!) and I found myself questioning -MYSELF- I'm very hard on myself. I expect a lot from myself...Be a good Mother, Wife, Friend, Sister, Daughter, Latter Day Saint... It's a little daunting, when I make the "list" of all of the things required of me. Which brings me to Church, today! You know when you sit there, listen to the talks, and you're saying to yourself, "This talk was written for me" Well that's exactly how it was for me today. My darling friend Chelsea spoke in Sacrament Meeting (she is a FABULOUS speaker,) her talk was based around D&C 82:3 which reads- For of him unto whom much is given much is required; I can not deny that MUCH has been given to me, and in return much is required. I have to learn to balance my life better. I need to try and ease up on myself, so to speak- I need to concentrate on MY relationship with my Savior. I need to forgive myself for not being perfect, and move on! I understand, I really do- It's just that sometimes I need a little reminder, I just need to sit IN CHURCH and listen...

If you're wondering, why I put these pics up with this post? I really didn't have any reason, other than the fact that I love to put pics up with any post, even if they don't "go" with anything I'm writing about?

And finally, I wanted to tell my darling friend Jill, You gave a beautiful lesson today,"Thank you, and I owe you one!!!" A big one for that matter...

It's your day, Jay-Jay...

Our (Oldest) little baby is 14 years old!!! Jay, Happy Birthday!

Jaylyn was born in Utah, but has lived in many other places, as she followed her Daddy around playing baseball. Just to name a few, Ft. Meyers, St. Petersberg, Tampa, Indiana, New Jersey, Michigan, Las Vegas.......... And all though she now lives in Utah for the majority of the year, she spends her summers here with us in Chicago!!!

Jaylyn has always been "ahead" of her years. She is very attentive, and maternal. We have watched her over the years, take care of everyone around her. She has a lot of love to give! I can't remember a single night (when she was with us) that she didn't come in and give Troy and Me a kiss goodnight, and tell us she loved us!

Jaylyn is extremely talented, anything she tries, she Masters. She has an amazing voice! She has been singing since the age of 6. She has sung at numerous events, winning awards, or not winning, you wouldn't know the difference because she always has a great attitude, and is just happy to have had the chance to sing!!!

Her latest challenge, The Violin. Yes I'll admit, it was very trying for all of us at first. But just like anything else she puts her heart and mind too, she has conquered, and is playing in concerts, and improving everyday!





Jaylyn, WE love you more than you'll ever know! We are so proud of the person that you are. We look forward to all of the things that you'll choose to do in this life! Well let me just add a little something to that last comment. We look forward to all that you'll do, as long as it co-insides with what we want for you, which is only the best!!! Ha Ha, it's a "parent" thing!

Have a Beautiful Birthday Baby!!! We love you always and forever...

The "DYNAMICS" of Women...

I had a wonderful conversation this morning, with a good friend of mine, Chelsea. Even though we have only known each other for a couple years, I feel I've always known her. I'm not saying we knew each other in the pre-existence, or anything like that. Because really I don't know, and also it doesn't matter if we did or didn't. All I'm saying is I really love her, and feel we have a really special friendship. It made me think about all of the friendships I've had over the years, and no matter how I change, or they change, we can still be friends. This means so much to me.

I guess another reason friendships are on my mind, is because there's a little "drama" here, and it involves my girlfriends, and me... It's really not a big deal, but it's interesting to watch just how quickly a little mole hill, gets turned into a mountain!!! Women are to say the least, very, very interesting creatures! I actually love all of the dynamics of women, which the word "Dynamics" is very interesting itself, the definition is...( The various forces, physical, moral, economic, etc.- the way such forces shift or change in relation to one another) I'm very interested in "Women" in general. I love to hear about "Women" succeeding, or winning, or anything that LIFTS her and other "Women" up! Can't we all just get along? Can't we just be "FOR" one another, not against, or competing against each other? Why don't more "Women" want to empower other women?

I feel I'd better make sure you all don't get the wrong idea, about me, or the way I feel about "Women" I don't consider myself a feminist, or anything like that. Really, I'm not. I still want my man to pull out my chair, hold the door for me, and give me diamonds when ever possible!

I'm just saying, through out my life, I have had good, bad, and down right UGLY relationships with women, and when it's all said and done, I only want the GOOD!!! I know it all starts with me. I look at my relationships differently than I use to. I try and surround myself, with smart, beautiful, talented, positive, multi-layered, women! The relationships I've kept over the years, are because these women had all of these qualities to begin with, and have only strengthened.

I am truly blessed to have "Made" great friends, and to have "Married into" great friendships! I have a wonderful relationship with my Mother in law, Jo-Jo and sister in law Kandace! How lucky is that! I hear horrible "In-law" stories all the time, and yet I have inherited (so to speak) two beautiful new friends!

I am so grateful for all of my very different girlfriends! I hope and pray, I am a great friend to all of you in return! I love to learn all I can from each and everyone of you! And it means a great deal to me to know that we can always be friends...

So here's to the girlfriends, that make me a better me... I love you all!!!