Moving on soon...Going forth to serve...

I can feel it. The end is coming soon assuming Jared passes his finals. Yes the much anticipated graduation. A goal we have worked on, put on the shelf, worked on and finally finished. A goal that we have had since before we married. Although he graduated with a two-year degree years ago we both knew that he needed to finish. Will he continue his education? My guess is YES! When I do not know. Where? Again I do not have the answer. Granted I NEVER thought we would end up at BYU. I thought that I had successfully avoided the BYU route when we met in Albany. As many of you know his decision to come to BYU was almost the end of our marriage. I was so upset that he wanted to go to BYU when there were literally FIVE universities within 20 miles of our home. WHY BYU?

As I sit here eating my humble pie (a large piece) BYU has been one of the biggest blessings in our marriage. I can see with clarity so many blessings that have come as a direct result of BYU. Michael being the biggest blessing (our infertility struggles are another post, let's not mix topics). I thought we were close before our move, but living without any family around has made us grow closer together. We have met so many wonderful who have left their footprint on our hearts. My children are learning the importance of obtaining an education. The other day when I told Tori we would soon be leaving BYU she turned to me with her big brown eyes and said "but what will BYU do without me?" I smiled and thought many people have had that same question over the years. How many people have come to BYU? How many lives have been positively impacted by their BYU experience?

As many of you know Provo has been at times challenging for me. I have come to appreciate Provo. There are many things that I will miss (ie. the ability to go the Distribution Center on Saturday night to buy a much needed object lesson for my Sunday School lesson). I think that I will miss most the goodness (for the most part) that surrounds our lives. My children are not exposed to vulgarity, profanity, etc.

As the anticipation grows each day the fear of reality becomes more prevalent. I remember what it is like to be a grown up (paying bills). How are we going to go back to being grown up again? How am I going to like living on a DAIRY FARM (yes I said the word farm)? What on earth am I going to do without a job. I have always had a job? Oh so many unknowns lie ahead, and so much excitement for what is yet to come.

Tori still thinks that Y mountain is HER mountain.

What will she do without her mountain? Hopefully she will have the opportunity to see the mountain as an 18 year-old freshman. I hope that at that time the mountain give her as much comfort as it has over the last two and half years.

Tagged

I have been tagged. I am not going to you, but if you choose to do this let me know I would love to learn more about you.

8 Favorite Shows
1. Friends
2. Law and Order
3. Wheel of Fortune
4. Sex and The City (on TBS it is edited)
5. Without a Trace
6. The Rachael Ray Show
7. Judge Judy (she is my hero)
8. Extreme Makeover Home Edition

8 Things I did Yesterday
1. Helped clean the house
2. Did a TON of laundry
3. Cooked Dinner
4. Went to work
5. Played with Michael and Tori
6. Talked to my mother
7. Went shopping
8. Made my Thanksgiving Plans

8 Things I look forward to
1. Spending time with my mom and her husband in Vegas
2. Thanksgiving
3. Going to the temple
4. Jared's graduation in DECEMBER
5. Moving back to New York
6. Tori and Michael having their own bedrooms
7. Spending more time with my husband
8. Christmas at Disneyland

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Delmonico's
2. Olive Garden
3. Red Lobster (it is Tori's favorite)
4. Paesan's Pizza
5. Los Hermanos
6. Cheese Cake Factory
7. Ruth's Cris
8. My Favorite Chinese Restaurant in Albany (I cannot remember its name...lame)

8 Things on my Wish List
1. Sleep
2. Living closer to my family
3. To look like I did when I got married
4. To sleep all night for a week straight
5. My student loan to disappear
6. For Jared to be happy and successful in his new business
7. A vacation
8. To have great relationships with my children

Why I Love Him

In an effort to focus more on why I love my family I am going to post reasons why I think that my husband and children are amazing. I think it is easy to focus on negative qualities rather than the wonderful qualities that people posses.

Did you know that Jared is probably the most talented person that I have ever met? Not only is he brilliant, but he can also build, repair, replicate and do anything. He is also the most patient person that I have ever met. He loves to help other people and looks for the best in everyone he mets. I am truly blessed to be married to such an amazing man.

Exhibit A: Look at this barn. Most people who have taken this down because it obviously is in desperate need of repair. Why fix something that you can just rebuild?

Not Jared. He completely fixed the sagging barn to a stable structure.

Amazing. (in my humble opinion)

Tori

Tori has become such a big girl. Yesterday was the Primary Sacrament Meeting. She was so excited. We have been practicing the songs FOREVER. She gave her one line like a champ. The only thing that annoyed her was that the Senior Primary sang more songs than the Junior Primary. She really wanted to be able to sing all of the song. She did not think that it was quite fair... Oh smart children.

Speaking of smart. We have a behavior modification chart that we do with Tori. When she earns five stickers she can go to the Dollar Store, ride the bus, go to the movies, etc. I was talking with her about going to the movies with her dad if she did well for her Primary Sacrament Meeting Presentation. She told me that sounded great, but she had a better ides. "How about I ride the bus with dad to the movie theatre." Smart kid combine two treats for the price of one. Needless to say she did go the movies, but not on the bus.

Tori likes to cook. Today she made her first sandwich. She is proud if you come over she will make you one too. Bologna and cheese...yum! (yuck). She LOVES to make food for people.


Tori has also become a good friend. I like how she introduces people. Yesterday she introduced me to her friend, Charles. "Charles, this is Laurie, Laurie this is Charles." I was impressed that she realized that Charles would not call me mommy.

Each day I wonder when did my baby grow up? I am so proud of her. I love watching her grow and develop into a warm, caring and loving person.

Friendship

I had the opportunity to see some friends from high school today. I cannot believe how many years have gone by since I last saw them. It has been so many years that I refuse to actually say the number out loud. It makes me feel too old. It is amazing how easily we reconnected. I am so glad that we had the chance to see one another again. I loved meeting their families. I think what surprised me the most was Tori. Tori really enjoyed playing with their children. The whole way home Tori told us that she wanted to see her new friends again. Thank you Nicole and Ranae for coordinating the day.

Thursday night Tori and I went to Disney On Ice. She dressed up as Ariel (red wig and all). She loved going to Energy Solutions Arena. Everyone told her she was adorable dressed as Ariel. Tori of course agreed with their opinion. She was a little disappointed that the ONLY princess who did not attend was Sleeping Beauty. We had terrific seats (7th row center). At the end of the show she and I went down to the ice and she got to shake the hands of the princesses. She looked up at me with her huge brown eyes and said "Ariel, my sister, really loves me." Oh to be four-years-old again. When life is magical.

Where did my baby go?

I don't know when it happened, but my baby is now a toddler. He is so big and proud of his new accomplishments, and while I am proud of him sometimes I miss my baby boy.

I put him down for a nap he took off his shirt. He was playing in their room and climbed up on the dresser and pulled his sister's32 CD player down on his nose. If you look closely you can see the cut in his nose.

Climbing Dad got him down.

Climbing again.

Isn't she BEAUTIFUL. I think so not because she is my daughter.