2014 Was a Great Year!!

Seems so strange to say good-bye to another year and welcome 2015.  We have been so blessed and I can not even begin to list all of the wonderful events of 2014.  I am so grateful to have the many blessings that I do - my wonderful family, the gospel, my testimony of Jesus Christ, my health, my happiness, jobs, food, clothing...the list goes on and on.  I am so thankful and many times do not express that thanks for all that I have.  My heart is happy and smiles when I look around at what I have.  Thank you for making 2014 a great year!! ...and here is hoping 2015 will be even better.

The month of December was such a whirlwind of events for me.  My life was on turbo speed and I honestly do not know how I made it through.  There is no way in the world I would have been able to do it alone- my Heavenly Father was the source of my strength and my family was my cheerleaders.  People would ask me how I could go 18 to 20 hours a day and still be able to smile and function.....my only answer is the angels from up above.  I could not have done it without them.  I was pulled every which direction but I truly feel like it was one of the best holiday seasons I have had in a long time.  I tried so hard to be happy and not get down....most days I did pretty good but there were nights I cried myself to sleep wondering how I could go on.  The next morning would come though and I was up and ready to go.  I was able to help so many people and bring the spirit of Christmas into their lives.  From work to church to my family - the spirit of service was in the air. 

We were able to provide Christmas to 33 children in our ward this year - all with the help of members who so willingly give of what they have.  I was overwhelmed once again as I worried about asking them for help in providing gifts to children.  however, the response was overwhelming.  They went way above and beyond what they should have done to help a child smile on Christmas morning.  It truly makes your realize the true spirit of Christmas when you see someone give so much of themselves.  As we delivered gifts to the families, the tears in the parents eyes was enough of a thank you for me.  I knew that they would be able to smile on Christmas morning. Church also took its tole on me as family members passed away, children were put into hospitals, wives were worried about protecting their children from a drunken father.....so much stress but yet, I was able to handle it all.  Sometimes I would just have ot laugh as the bishop and I would talk once more about another problem in the ward - but it was either that or cry.

Christmas in my own family was so wonderful!  We were able to put up the decorations and listen to music all month long and enjoy the spirit of the season.  Cortnie came home on Skyler's birthday which was so great!  She has not been here the past two Christmas's as she was on her mission. She knew how to handle my tears when I would start to miss Boyd - as she has been in his shoes.  Having him here would have made the season even more special - but yet having him serve makes my heart even happier as he is bringing joy to other families as well.  I do have to admit that the Skype call from him on Christmas was the high light of my day.  I loved watching my other children open their gifts and hearing them laugh, but seeing his handsome face - that smile with those dimples - was the best gift I could have received that day.  I miss him so badly and wish so much I could just have a big hug.  I miss those big arms around me.  However, he looks so great!  He has lost some weight, has gained a stronger testimony, has learned how to endure companions whom did not love him, has grown to love oru Savior - how can I take that away from him.  We laughed and cried for over two hours (another Christmas blessing).  We opened a few gifts from each other and then just talked - about his new life and those whom he is teaching.  I miss that boy so much but I know that he is where hs is supposed to be.  Our Heavenly Father has asked for him for two years - I get him the rest of his life so two years is nothing although it seems like forever.  As it came time to say good-bye though, the tears started to flow from both sides.  He knew that he would not see our faces again for five months, yet he was strong enough to say good-bye and hit the end button on the screen.  I wish I could have wiped those tears away....that I could have just had one hug.  He has grown so much and I am so proud of him!  I so look forward to Mondays each week so I can chat with him.  He truly is my angel.

Christmas here was so awesome.  Santa out did himself as usual. It seems like the older the kids get, the  more expensive and smaller the toys are.  I struggled to find things to please my kids this year and I think I did okay. They were all very happy when it came right down to it.  Even Skyler seems way grown up as he kept thanking me. My little baby is not too little anymore.    It was so fun to see them act like little kids. They wanted to wake us up at 6:30 like they usually do and I told them a great present would be for them to let me sleep till 8:00.  Well, they did. However, we were awake about 7:45. We decided to play a trick on them.  We hid in our closet when they came into our room. We heard them say "they are not here...and I bet they slept in the trailer" Well, they knew they could not go into the living room, so we peek out the door to see our children climbing out of our bedroom window.  First Skyler, then Cortnie - only she got stuck. We started to laugh so hard that Brittnie heard us and told the others that we were in the house somewhere.  She found us in the closet.  I so wish I would of had a camera to take pictures of them....it was the best trick ever.  My adult children really are still kids at heart.

The whole day  was really nice. We were so relaxed and at ease. We had a friend come over for dinner and the elders came here to Skype their parents when we were done with Boyd. It was just a day to help make others happy and feel the spirit of Christ.  I so wish and hope that we can continue that same spirit all year long.  I hope as this new year starts, that I can keep Christ in my heart.  I want my home to feel more like a temple and to have more happy smiles. I want our home to be a place where others can come to get away from the world and know that they are safe here. I want my home to be like His.

Our vacation was so great too!  We were able to go for over a week this time and it went by way too fast.  I love being with our families.  I will say that I was ready to come home today, yet I was so not.  I wanted to be back in my home but I did not want to be away from family.  It is hard to be here all alone and to have our family split apart. I so look forward to the day when we can finally move closer to them - at least I hope someday that it will happen.  I want to be able to spend more time with my parents and siblings - and my own children.  I can not really say that any part of our vacation was better than another - it was all just great!  It was nice to just relax and not worry about work or church or school or health or any of that. We just relaxed.  I still do not want to get back into live right now, but unfortunately that has to happen.

2015 does bring some challenges with it but I pray that we can endure them well. Skyler will be having major surgery in a couple of months that really scares me.  I have not told Boyd yet about it as I do not want to worry him. I just want him to concentrate on his mission. We will let him know when it happens so he can pray with the rest of us.  We will continue to miss our son as he is away too and hopefully our daughters can find some new friends and new exciting in their lives. I still am anxiouss for a grandbaby - but need those weddings first.  I know that no matter what, our Heavenly Father will bless us and help us in all that we do.  Here is to a great year!!!