I wanted children...

...and after 6 years of trying, we got the first one! We were so happy when we adopted Amanda!!! What a gift and a treasure she's been! Three years later, we started trying again... Infertility treatments didn't work, so we went with adoption again. For two years, Mandy prayed for a baby-sister. NOT a brother, but a sister. I was voting for a boy, but guess who Heavenly Father listened to? NOT me! ...SO along came Jackie...our two-year-old pixie with bright green fairy-eyes.


Now it's almost time for Jackie's 14th Birthday. She won't be here for her birthday, because she's at Girls' Camp with her sister and a few hundred other young women (and their very brave and faithful leaders). So, I'm at home...in my too-quiet house...thinking about wanting my children.

Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the break (mostly). But I've been thinking about how I wanted children. Now that I have them, I enjoy them. They drive me nuts, hurt my feelings, worry me 'til my hair turns gray, but I enjoy them.

I love how Amanda tries to see the good in everyone.

I love how Jackie leaps at life with all her heart and soul.

I love seeing life through the unique and wonderful perspective of their eyes.

My children are away at camp...I hope with all my heart that they're having a wonderful time. I'm getting lots done and enjoying my "me-time"; BUT I miss my kids.

I'm glad I wanted children enough to go through everything it took to get them to our family.

I miss my girls!

Gratitude...

Every July since we moved here to Utah, we've had a "Thanksgiving-in-July" celebration. It's our way of remembering that we can be thankful throughout the year, not just in November. This past Sunday was our "Thanksgiving in July" feast!

Interestingly enough, the lesson I taught my Primary class was on "Gratitude"...go figure. haha

So, all this celebrating got me thinking...what AM I thankful for, anyway? My list could go on and on, and then you'd get bored and quit reading. So, here's the short list...The Gospel, Kevin, my beautiful, funny, sweet, daughters, and family...Those are the top ranking blessings. ...but as my family would tell you, I LOVE flowers - fancy flowers, exotic flowers, plain flowers, simple flowers...you name it, I LOVE them. So, as I sat on my patio, this "Thanksgiving in July" evening, among the beautiful flowers I have tenderly planted, loved and nurtured; I gave thanks for flowers.

Thanks to Heavenly Father for all the wonderful things in my life!

...including flowers.

Independence Day and Patriotism...

I was going write a post in my own words about my feelings for our Great Nation. However, Kevin sent me this letter in an email and it changed my mind. So, in honor of our Independence Day celebrations and to honor a noble veteran who had the courage to speak his mind, here is my 4th of July tribute. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you, Mr. Estes...you said a mouthful!

This venerable and much honored WW II vet is well known in Hawaii for his seventy-plus years of service to patriotic organizations and causes all over the country. A humble man without a political bone in his body, he has never spoken out before about a government official, until now. He dictated this letter to a friend, signed it and mailed it to the president.

Dear President Obama,

My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this year. People meeting me for the first time don't believe my age because I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert.

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate. Now I live in a "rest home" located on the western end of Pearl Harbor , allowing me to keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.

One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.

So here goes.

I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.

I can't figure out what country you are the president of.

You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies like:

" We're no longer a Christian nation"

" America is arrogant" - (Your wife even

announced to the world," America is mean-

spirited. " Please tell her to try preaching

that nonsense to 23 generations of our

war dead buried all over the globe who

died for no other reason than to free a

whole lot of strangers from tyranny and

hopelessness.)

I'd say shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America, nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.

After 9/11 you said," America hasn't lived up to her ideals."

Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn't mean the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.

I don't think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people understood when they helped to get you elected.

Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.

Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don't, I'll do what I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania Avenue . You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the hands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like slaves.

And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us to do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black college professor in Massachusetts , who was putting up a fight? You don't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't want us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.

One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never had to defend your country with your life, but you're the Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get out. The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political strategy you're thinking of.

You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest challenge ever presented to any president.

You're not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our bloated economy. That's not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now.

And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in this final battle...

Sincerely,

Harold B. Estes

Snopes confirms as true:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/haroldestes.asp

Too funny

I got this link from a friend on Facebook. What a riot! Let's hear it for "All the Wrinkled Ladies"!!!
www.boredville.com/32146/All-The-Wrinkled-Ladies