..thou shalt rest... Dan 12:13

Ok so this is how the week progressed.
(note I posted the pics out of order, Dano should have been on top)

Sunday morning 5:00 AM get up and leave for Idaho.

10:30 meet with Daniel's Stake President. (I don't think he know we lived in Utah, the shocked look on his face when he realized we traveled 368 miles for a 10 minute meeting told the story)
He was amazing. (My first "mother of a missionary interview" didn't go so well.) I was terrified to put myself thru that again. I had almost convinced myself to let Earl go alone. I am so grateful I pulled myself together. He laid all my fears to rest. Thanks Pres. Stevens.

11:00 Sacrament Meeting with a couple hundred of my favorite people, and Bishop Lords! (it used to be several hundred but they divided the ward, and the Porters, Bailey's, Ball's and a few others have moved)

12:20 A wonderful visit with Bishop Lords

1:00 A lovely lunch with Jaime and Kris and the kids. Thanks Jaime. You are the best.

2:30 back on the road to home.

Monday was Memorial Day and I originally had plans to take the girls and go to the cemetery but instead we spent the day weeding the back yard. Which if you have seen my back yard and know the fact that I am about the only one willing to pull a weed, you would understand the task at hand. Katee did help a lot and Earl pulled 2 that I could not get out. I actually plan a post about this later, because I need some input.

Tuesday was a long day at work. I knew I was going to be missing some time at work this week and I was already feeling the pressure because we were behind. So I stayed as late as I could and still stay focused. Then the rest of the night was spent going to what felt like a billion stores trying to find printer cartridges so we could get Krysta's graduation anouncements printed, envelopes addressed, etc.

Wednesday I worked half the day and spent the other half at the Huntsman Cancer Center with Marcus. Don't panic yet, it's probably nothing but his white cell count has been elavated for a couple years now and he has totally blown it off. When he eneded up earlier this month at the Urgent Care, having a severe anxiety attack over being laid off, the doctors said we really needed to have it checked. So over 4 hours spent at the cancer center, countless numbers of blood vials and a few good laughs later, we are told we have to wait a week for the results. oy!

After a long stressful afternoon, I had to stop and find more printer cartridges (don't believe it when it says it prints 60). I needed to unwind so spent the night (way too late at night) designing a mission blog for Dano and Wade. (launch date to be announced)

Note to self creating a blog is not a great way for me to unwind :o)

Thursday and Friday and tonight were and will be spent participating and viewing the "Come Up to the Mountain of the Lord" Temple Celebration. Can I just tell you it was amazing! I wish you all could see it. It has been a long 2 months and the perfectionist part of me is exhuasted and emotionally spent. I could kick myself for all the missed opportunities to teach my girls more about the temple. I could think of countless things I should have encouraged them to "give", but on Thursday at the dress rehearsal the overwhelming spirit of gratitude and peace was worth it all!
Thanks Kelly for being there for me, and to my girls for letting me be involved!






Marcus.. It's gonna be OK! We WILL fix the 407!!

Krittter..I can't believe it's time! ILY! I am proud of you!

Remember to lean on the Lord, and the rest of your life will be a JOY TO BEHOLD!

HAVE FAITH AND DOUBT NOT!!

Dano.. You CAN do this and it's going to be amazing! I miss you and I love you!

What will you "GIVE" to "Come Up"!

I love you my family and friends.

I hope to have a full post about the Temple Celebration sometime soon so you can see the final results, but I should warn what the week ahead holds!

Seminary Graduation, High School graduation, my BIG brother David's birthday, my little sister Sam's moving, driving to Idaho to hopefully open a mission call and last but certainly not least Dano's 19th birthday!!

Ok and Katee's 16th but I was hoping if I didn't bring it up, it wouldn't happen! :o)

faith dwelt first in thy grandmother...2 Timothy 1:5

This is my sweet Grandma Trudy. She passed away a week ago. I wish I could say I am going to miss her but the truth is I have missed her for the last 30 years. I last saw my Grandma when I was 11. That is when I went to live in my first foster home.

When I was attending Ricks College I was taking a genealogy class. I decided to try and find my Grandma to see if she would help me with a project for class. I was thrilled to find out she missed me as much as I had missed her. I had one child at the time and it was so fun to get to tell her all the fun things he was learning. She made me the most beautiful afghan and sent lots of cards and letters. A few years later she had a surgery that put her in a care center. I hate to say we lost touch again. I was under the impression that she was unable to recall people and could not correspond.

I am grateful to believe that she is in a better place, where she can recall all the wonderful memories she wants.

I am grateful to my Aunt Pat and cousin Patti Jo for sharing these pictures with me. I only have one picture of her and I wish I had a scanner to post it. It's sooo cute. I am about 2 years old, Grandma and I are at park close to where she lived in California. We are feeding ducks and peacocks.

I remember lots of memories of my sweet Grandma, mostly revolvong around parks and her mobile home and rocks.

Grandma was tall and slender and had beautiful red hair.

I remember loving her freckles but she did not love them.

I remember she gave great hugs and let me take naps on her lap. I wish I would have taken the time to learn to knit and crochet from her. She was always working on something.

She always had a kind word and I knew she loved me.

This picture is courtesy of Norm. This was taken at Grandma's home in California. She let me water the rocks a lot, occassionally I got the flowers too. I also got to sleep in her big bed. (I don't know how big it really was, but when you are two everything is huge right)

You gotta love that I wore my shoes and socks but no pants in this picture.

I love you Grandma. One day I will see you again and we can feed the peacocks again, this time I won't be afraid.

Blessed is he who endures to the end.... Alma 38:2

I realize I have been a bit "late" in posting my blessings list for the last month. Life has been a bit "crazy and confusing" lately.

Here is a short list to get me headed in the right direction.

1. Julie and Crystal, these two girls have been frantically training me on a new part of my job. They are/were pregnant. Julie had her baby 10 days ago and Crystal is trying not to have hers for another couple weeks. They have been patient and amazing. I really appreciate them.

2. Emily, she is a great boss. When I explained to her my schedule with the Temple Celebration, Temple Open House, Krysta's surgery, Krysta's graduation, Dano's mission papers, Earls possible lay off and my hunting for a second job. She was great. Thanks Emily!

3. Dave and Sam. Thanks for a much needed 2 hour break from reality.

4. Michelle. Thanks for keping me from falling apart even though you are a bigillion miles away.

5. Bishop Lords, Dano had his final Bishop interview and is now just waiting on the Stake President.

6. Ray for blogging!

7. 401k's! I will have to explain this a bit later.

8. Dezirae, it's always great to find friends after losing track!

9. Wade, I am so proud of his decision to serve a mission, and I am grateful for another reason to have to force myself to stay positive.

10. Litia, for an amazing email that truly saved the day!

Escape to the Mountain... Genesis 19:17

Well here is the next installment of the Come Up to the Mountain of the Lord practice.

On Tuesday night we had an adult leader meeting at the Conference Center to get all the logistical details on the performance. I had pondered the logistics of getting our kids on stage. I had not thought about the logistics of getting 7000 kids on and off stage for 14 different dance numbers. Not only do we have to get them on and off stage but they have to do it quiclky quietly without touching things they shouldn't, without disturbing the number performing 2 seconds after them and don't forget they will have props that they need to get on and off stage as well. Lets just say I went to bed Tuesday night exhausted just thinking about it.

Then on Wednesday we had practice which is still barely controlled chaos. We have 4 practices left and I can't wait to see the miracle these great kids are going to pull off!

In this practice the leaders mapped out the actual stage size on the parking lot! Lets just say I was expecting more room. We have a lot of kids!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3_g9c1pfV0

Men are that they might have joy...(2 Nephi 2:25)

I am blessed to have one of those husband who does laundry! :o)

http://deseretbook.com/video/embed/209

Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed. D&C 49:25

This is the temple our youth are celebrating!

Here is a video of how we will be celebrating!

We are only a small group of 20,000+ expected youth to participate!

I will warn you ahead of time the video is a bit shaky and long, but in order to appreciate the video you will see on May 31st, you will have to see where we started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee17ZdD-Tlg

This was our first practice putting 2 stakes of youth together! The stake leaders told us to expect "barely controlled chaos"... they were so right!!

We are 35 days away from performing for our Prophet. I have not been involved in anything of this magnitude before, but I have been involved in small scale activities. It always amazes me how the final production always turns out awe inspiring. So on May 30th I expect to be in awe of these inspiring youth!

Remember the worth of souls is great

This is my BEAUTIFUL Grandma Coombs. Today is her birthday. She is not with us here in mortality anymore. She has been gone for more than 23 years now. She has been gone for more years than I was able to spend with her. She was/is an amazing role model for me.

Grandma will always be my first memory of unconditional love. She was the first to plant the seeds of a testimony in my heart. She taught me the love of family. She was the first to believe in me and the first to make me feel like I had something to offer.

Grandma gave me some of my first addictions too: General Hospital, Lawrence Welk, music, singing, shopping, eating out and LDS books. (I am grateful to say I have overcome the soap opera addiction, but still have all the rest)

Some of my favorite memories of Grandma include riding the skyride at Lagoon, sleepovers, letting me sleep with her when the noisy mice scared me, remembering how brave I thought she was when she caught one and flushed it down the toilet. I remember her bringing me and Grandpa drinks when I would rest with him on the sofa and he was sooo sick. I remember new pajamas and underwear from ZCMI, a new book from Desert Book and a surprise from Avon for birthday presents. I remember sugarfree candy and the Jewel T man. I remember back yard BBQ's and Romeo and Duke. I remember eating at Wendy's and KFC. I remember visits to Grandma Bott's, walks to aunt Helen and uncle Dale's and playing in the ditch in front of the Bodily's. I remember weekday bowling leagues and not having to go to the childcare, and drining Tab. I remember 4th of July at Murray Park and family Christmas parties. I remember saturday night baths and getting my hair washed (and she never yelled at me when I screamed my head off, thanks aunt Mary too) I remember sunday mornings and late afternoon Sacrament meetings. I remember loving to hear her sing, and I loved to go with her to church when she served. I remember weekday Relief Society and visits from her when I babysat for aunt Mary. I remember her picking me up from aunt Marys and driving me all the way home to Kearns so I wouldn't have to ride the bus alone in the dark after babysitting. I remember she would just let me talk a mile a minute and listen like I was her only care in the world. I understand now what a sacrifice that was for her. I remember how much she loved her grandchildren and how proud she was of all of them. Now that I am older I have a new appreciation for all the sacrifices she made. I have a new appreciation for the love she had for her family.

I am so grateful to have her as my first role model and as my Grandma. I think it fitting that her birthday and Easter fall on the same day this year. It is such a great reminder that He lives and that she lives. That the love they both have for me is real and still there. That the sacrifices and the work they both accomplished on this earth were for my good. The knowledge that I will see her again one day is gift and a blessing that I treasure.

Happy birthday Grandm Coombs. I love you! Thanks for everything.

Now I think I will go read a Shirley Sealy book while listening to Lawrence Welk :o)