A missing girl and an almost missing tooth

Chad has been out of town the past couple of days...




Day 1:

I am standing alone at the bus stop waiting for Tehya to arrive. The bus parks on the corner. All the children get off the bus, but not my Tehya. She is not there. The bus leaves and I am still standing alone. My chest is thumping. I take my phone out of my pocket to call the school when it rings in my hand. It's my friend. Her son is one of Tehya's friends at school. This is our conversation:

"Hi, are you looking for Tehya? She is at my house. I asked
her if you knew she was here and she said 'of course'!"


She was very gracious about the unexpected arrival of Tehya.







Day 2:

Jackson looks up at me with a bloody mouth. After cleaning him off, I notice his front tooth is moving. I cry. I don't know anything about teeth. We have had all sorts of mishaps before, but none involving teeth. The dentist wants to see him right away. I throw the kids in the car and cry. Maybe my neighbor is home. I get out, knock on her door and cry. She is an angel and takes all my kids for the next few hours while I run Jack to the dentist. I am grateful for angels. My sweet smiley boy will probably have a dark tooth in the near future...at least it was a baby tooth.




Day 3:

Almost there. Chad is coming home in a couple of hours. Today is much better. An amazing friend, another angel, comes over and lets me have a break. She not only watches my kids, but she also cleans Jacobs awful closet, takes out my smelly trash, and I am sure she did other things that I have not yet discovered. I am so blessed.

Last little scare....I am waiting at the bus stop again today...and waiting...and the bus stops and leaves, with out my Tehya walking out from it's doors. NOT AGAIN!!!! I watch the bus roll away. I start to walk home as I call the school. They can't find her. My heart is beating fast again. I feel a hand in mine as I am about to walk up my stairs to my house. It's Tehya. She forgot to get off the bus on her stop. She was scared too. We aren't too familiar with the neighborhood yet. Little Tehya found her way home from a different stop. Another silent thank you in my heart to Heaven! Today a smile!

For the Grandparents

Here are few pictures of Savannah Maurine taken yesterday. My little "ray of sunshine". She is growing so fast...enjoy Grandmas and Grandpas!!!







Our visitors left today and we are missing them! Your pictures are next!! Come back soon Mark and Jen...we loved having your company! Thanks for filling my "bucket". Love Ya!

The dishes are waiting

Today...

The water is running in the sink behind me. I am busy giving kisses to Jacob. A voice says "Mom! The dishes are waiting for you!" He was right. Three year olds usually are. I remember now what I was supposed to be doing. I turn my attention from Jacob...turn off the water...turn my back to the dishes. Smile. Back to kissing those rosy cheeks. The dishes won't mind waiting.







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Grateful for you

I realized after Chad read that post that it was too sad. It made him sad. I can tell it is hard for him to see me this way. I will still miss, but I will fill most of my heart with the good. With you! Thank you Friends for the comments.

They did indeed fill my heart. It is now overflowing. Flowing with gratefulness. Grateful for you. Grateful for our connection. Still strong. So far away. So close. I can feel it.

And then there is Chad. A concerned, loving husband. Letting me sleep in 10 extra minutes. Walking down stairs to find a sweapt floor. A compliment...a soft touch. No complaints. Just his smile. Hugs. More compliments. My heart is filled with more.

A small boy against my back...arms squeeze my neck. Savannah's breath against my skin. She smells so good. I take a deep breath of her. Kisses from my boys in the morning. Eyes that squint from smiling...just a sliver of blue. Giggles from my worried child. She smiles more often now. I am grateful for that. Grateful I am a mom.

My new house. Bigger. A guest room...waiting to be filled. There is room for us to run now. Very grateful. Visitors coming this week. I am smiling now!

I am grateful for my calling. Eleven 12 year olds. I get to study the prophets every week. It helps me stay focused on what is important. They are such good kids. My new ward. Sweet girls...new smiles...new friends...new memories to make. An invite to lunch. A phone call. Some peace. More grateful.

Notes from you. Cell phones. More calls. Letters. Thank you for not forgetting about me. Thank you for your prayers for my family. I love you.

Virginia! Wow, the history. Beautiful land. Mysterious...intriguing. I love that there is so much to see. So much to do. Places to explore. Things to learn. Treasures to find. New! Another smile on my face.

Health. We are all healthy now. The first time since we moved here. No runny noses. Just happy kids. My insides feel brighter! I am grateful to have a strong body again.

My morning call from my Mom. Just two minutes. A pep talk. Just enough to put a smile on my face. Reminds me of my old home. Reminds me to make the best of the new. "Be strong for your kids". So grateful for her advice. So grateful...so full now!! I will still miss. I can still feel it inside my chest. Mostly I feel gratitude though...showing through my smile that just grew! I hear it gets better. I know that is true. Thanks again for loving me! I am blessed...and grateful.

Missing

I have a missing heart. Today I am missing all of you. I miss my Dad...it's his birthday. I miss my Mom, Sister, Brother. Mom and Dad Green. I miss all of my brothers and sister in laws. Jackson said yesterday "I want to go to aunt Cristi's house". I am missing family. Sunday dinner. Missing Favorite Uncles, and Favorite Aunts. Cousins. Late night rendezvous in the driveway with old neighbors. Tight hugs. Familiar faces at the store. Waves as cars pass. Old routines. Smiles from Friends...FRIENDS! Oh I miss my friends. All of you. Missing the early morning trip to the gym with my girls! Missing my ward...hugs...smiles. Mint Milanos at the beach. Girls night out. Treats from amazing cooks. Cupcakes. Unexpected visitors. Friends who stay over all day.

Hold on while I wipe my eyes.

Sitting in the drive way while we watch the kids go wild. A familiar house. A familiar street. The mountains. Babysitters across the street. People who know my heart and soul. Missing meeting a certain friend in the street after the first snow fall to slide. The view out my big front window...a comforting view of a friend. Miss running the streets of canyon rim while we talk. Another pair of hands to clear the table after lunch. I miss for it...I ache for it.

A quick wave as we pass in the street. Missing help with laundry. A surprise dinner left on my door step. A mouth full of mashed bananas. Swinging on the swing in the back yard. Meeting at the park. Escaping to Park City. Ice cream fights in the car. Missing you.

A shoulder to cry on. A super heroine to save me in a desperate time. My mom. My Friends. My Neighbors. Chatting in the school parking lot. Our Doctor. Quick trips to swim laps. Warped floors and warped doors. Cooking together every Thursday night. Visiting. Laughing. Crying.

I want you all to know how much you mean to me. I miss sharing these things with you. Thank you for giving me such a full life. I know this is where I need to be, but I still miss. Today I am missing you. Tomorrow I will focus on being grateful, but today I will let my heart miss.

I love you!!

how they looked at me today

I am grateful for my camera! My dad gave me his old camera this Christmas. I love it! I just feel this urgency to document life....it is going by way too fast!



My favorite kind of picture is the one that captures how my kids look at me most often. This is what I want to remember.

Box on the porch