We're All OK

So......Life is never as boring as we'd like it to be. Rod got a great job with Big-D Construction in Salt Lake City. He moved out to Salt Lake a little over a month ago. We went back and forth about when the girls and I would move. Well, we decided sooner rather than later. So, I set off with the girls early a few days ago and as we were driving thru Wyoming, within 20 miles of Rawlins, we hit ice on the road. I was going about 30-35 mph but the ice was more than our Suburban could handle and it fishtailed and slid off the road where it rolled over--the driver's side hit the ground first, then onto the roof and then the passenger side and back onto the tires. It was definitely one of the single most frightening experiences of my life. We were all wearing our seatbelts and as I took inventory of the girls and the situation, I looked up and a semi-truck jack-knifed off the road not a hundred yards from us. The girls, and I for that matter, are a little, well alot, freaked out about driving or riding in a car! A super nice truck driver and his wife stopped and stayed with us until the paramedics got there. They even helped pick up all the stuff that had been thrown from the car.

This Thanksgiving we're grateful for all the things that went right--

1--we didn't land on our heads. It would have been alot more difficult to calm down the girls if the car would have stayed on the roof and not found it's way back to the tires!!

2--we were all wearing seatbelts and had no injuries--I'm pretty sore but the girls are perfect!!

3--the nice trucker couple stopped and helped us

4--the paramedics were great with the girls and had them laughing and talking and really help to keep them calm

5--the engine worked perfectly--no leaking fluids so I could keep the heat on full blast and keep us pretty warm even though the windows were busted out and the 20 degree wind was blowing in!!

6--Rod made it to us safely
7--a relative of my brother-in-law lived in Rawlins and let us stay with her until Rod got there!! She even made us pancakes and her grandchildren came to play with the girls--a further distraction that was greatly appreciated!! She was also a nurse and kept an eye on the girls :)

8--We made it to Utah safely and are together!!

I'm sure there were many other things we're not aware of that Heavenly Father put in place so that when this one thing went wrong, we had all the tools we needed to make it through.

We're grateful for our family and friends and we thought of all of you and are grateful we're all OK to see and talk with you again and again and again....

Where did Summer go??

Ok Seriously, Where did the summer go? I remember a few highlights--2 family reunions, Gracie's baptism (which was fabulous) and... yeah, 3 things don't make for a summer. I don't know what we did but apparently it wasn't very memorable! The weather's beautiful in the summer here. It's hot during the day but cools off so pleasantly in the evening and walking in the mornings is refreshing!! Let's see...school is in full swing!
Jessica is in the fall play (Alice in Wonderland) at her school--She's the froggy footman and is loving every minute! Her schedule goes something like this--choir, theater arts, core classes and theater production (play practice)--rough!
Jane is continuing her martial arts in tae kwon do. She is enjoying it but misses karate and her dojo and instructor from Pearland! She LOVES 5th grade. She's the "queen" of the classroom. When the teacher has to step out he says, "Jane's in charge, if you have any questions ask her, she'll know." Jane says it's fun but that it's hard to get her own work finished when she's helping the other students. She is so happy to FINALLY have a boy teacher. She's waited and waited since kindergarten which was a long, long, loooooong time ago! She also joined the Girls' Math Club and learned how to play chess.
Gracie is still loving gymnastics and doesn't think 6 hours a week is enough. She thinks she should be doing gymnastics, "at least like 10 hours a day or something, mom!!" She loves school! Yay! School has been a struggle and then brutal while she was sick and after, but she's finally found her stride! So far this year we haven't broken into tears over homework and she actually wants to do it! Major improvement.
I'm planning a trip to Texas in October, should be fun!!!
Hoping all is well with you and yours!
Until next time...

Moving Mania

Well, as many of you know we've moved!! It was a painful process. We just wanted to make the best and right decision for our family. We prayed and prayed and when the path became clear, we cried and cried. We loved Texas!! But here we are in a frozen land of snow!!! The drive out here was torturous but we made all made it in one piece. Driving long distances stinks!!

Jane and Gracie love snow! They've not really experienced 'real' snow. I think it snowed two times while we lived in Texas and it never stuck around or was enough to play in. But luckily or unluckily, it's snowed twice since we've moved here and each time it was a ton of snow!! School was even cancelled yesterday!! The two of them played and played, then would come inside and throw everything wet in the dryer and as soon as the dryer beeped they'd pull their clothes back on and head out for more snow adventures!

Jane and Gracie have started school and love it! The school day is shorter and they get recess everyday. They also have less homework (I think Rod and I are more excited about that than the girls). Jessica can't start school till the 5th of April. Her school had finals this week and spring break next week, so the counselor thought there was no point in having her start! She is loving the big break. We shipped Jessica off to spend some quality time with her Aunt Vicki!! She is nannying and hopefully being more helpful than a hindrance.

We're enjoying being closer to family and are headed to Utah to visit Rod's family.

We hope all is well with you and yours! Until next time...

Time Flies...

Time is flying by...I don't know what I've done recently but I haven't had any down time...We had the best Christmas ever at the 'Happiest Place on Earth' (Walt Disney World). First, my parents and one lucky cousin joined us on the Disney Cruise. It was a short cruise and very rocky. No one could walk down the hall in a straight line. It was so funny! Regardless, of the waving ocean, we had a marvelous time. Rod, my dad, Jessica and Katy went snorkeling. My mom, Jane, Gracie and I went on a glass bottom boat tour and a tour of Nassau by bus. The bus ride was one of the most frightening experiences of my life! We went up on curbs and literally missed other cars by inches! The driver would zoom forward and muscle his way into traffic even when we didn't have the right a way!!! Squeaking brakes and bumping up curbs, all the while giving us an incomprehensible commentary on the sights--that we zoomed by--didn't seem the bother the bus driver in the slightest!! Crazy!! The shows on board were more than fabulous, along with the food...I think we all gained more than a few pounds! It just gave us one more thing to add to our New Year's resolutions. HA HA!!

Disney World was so beautiful--it's awesome always but with all the Christmas decorations it was amazingly awesome. We stayed 10 days and it was more relaxing because we didn't feel we needed to rush. At the Grand Floridian Hotel they had this gingerbread house that's the size of a back yard shed--actually it's probably bigger and it's all edible! It was a masterpiece. It took our breath away. At Epcot, they have a 'Christmas Cantata'. They have a full orchestra and choir with a celebrity narrator. Our narrator was Brian Dennehy. I was stunned to find out that everyone of those performers had volunteered their time. We want to go back every year simply to be apart of this magnificent musical rendition of the Savior's birth. It was so nice to be surrounded by Christians from all around the world and for the narrator to ask us to pray for our soldiers and that we're blessed to have Jesus. The spirit was so strong...I didn't want to leave my seat. It was so thrilling to be around good people, celebrating the most wonderful event ever! It was magical.

We've come back to reality and we're in full swing with school and activities, and church. We are holding each moment we have in Austin in a special place in our hearts as we desperately don't want to leave but Rod's 2 year contract is up...We don't know where life will take us next, but we know that it'll be a great place, with great people. No matter where we've been in our lives, we've always been blessed with great friends who've laughed and cried with us. How lucky we are! Until next time...