The End

 I’ve been blogging for a long time. 18 years. Now I’m done. My kids are grown and I don’t want to tell their stories. I’m a mother and a grandmother so my story will never be seperate from their stories. So I’m going back to my old style of journaling. It’s been fun and I’m glad I did it.  Now I’m glad to be done. It was a good era💕

Christmas Town

We had a fun day. A nice dinner and a smooth drive home.

It was a Christmasy weekend🎄❤️

 

Getaway

Rob and I are on a little overnight getaway. We went to the Richmond Temple this morning and then headed over to Williamsburg.

We didnt know it but on Friday nights in December they have a yule log lighting. That was a super fun surprise!

It was a nice day💕

 

 I'm preparing the Relief Society lesson for Sunday.  The talk for this week is Dallin H. Oaks talk on the Kingdom's of Glory. Several times during my preparations I have felt the quiet whispers of the Holy Ghost testifying to me of God's love for His children, of our purpose on Earth, and of the truthfulness of the divine and glorious plan of salvation. I am beyond grateful, and I want to always remember Him. 

Last night around 9pm we had a knock on our door, it was Clark Davis and his dad.  They were delivering Christmas treats and we were the lucky recipients. Yumm!

Tonight, I have book club at our house. I am making soup and bread and then we will have chocolates.  An easy dessert and fitting for our book selection A Christmas Candy Killing. I'm looking forward to hosting. 

Our darling Ezra got his official diagnosis.  He is autistic. I don't think anyone was surprised and now he will be able to get lots of interventions.  He is a bright and gentle boy.  He also has sooooo much energy, will run away at any opportunity, loves to swim and is quite athletic, loves to paint, (on paper or the wall equally), has lots of characteristics of autism, and also lots of indications that he is bright and capable. We love that boy so much and I am glad he was born into our family, into the Crawley family, to Hannah and Sawyer as parents.  He will get a lot of love and support and help from all those people who care about him and want him to succeed. 

Grace and the bf (who I did not like) broke up.  She is coming to the end of semester one of college and has done well. I am looking forward to seeing her at Christmas and to having her come home for a short time after the next semester.  

One week from today I fly to Utah.  I can't wait to see everyone and to spend some time there. It is the best part for me. I'll be there for almost 2 weeks, which is enough time to see everyone, to do fun things, and to just hang out.  Rob will come a week later, and we will get to enjoy time with our whole family in the same state! Christmas is going to be fun!

Today is Nana's birthday. It was fun to see her a few weeks ago.  Nana is a lovely MIL, a beloved mother, and an amazing grandmother.  Not everyone can say that they are friends with their mother-in-law but I am. Rob is very close to both of his parents and it's nice that we can have a fun time together. 

Relief Society was assigned to organize the ward Christmas party this year.  We decided on "Back to Bethlehem" as our theme.  Tiffannie is an amazing lady.  She's our RS President and I love her.  She is a home schooling mom of 6 daughters, a believer in spending a lot of time outside, very creative, and patient.  It's fun to be her counselor, fun because she's competent and nice and the buck doesn't stop with me. I try to be as helpful and enthusiastic as I can. She had her girls make all the decorations over the last month including this amazing paper mache camel!

So Thursday we went shopping for food.  Friday she spent the day decorating, but I was at work.  Luckily Manuela was able to go. Saturday we finished decorating in the morning and then went back to do food prep a couple hours before the party.  The event went great. There were lots of activities for everyone to enjoy (Rob and I were in charge of the dreidel game and we had M&M's for tokens which the kids loved) , we had enough food (always my fear), the primary and youth did a nice job on the short program, and everyone enjoyed the evening.  Most people dressed in period costumes and lots of people helped with clean up. 

Jewish women cover their hair.  I wish Christian women did too.  I'd happily wear a scarf every day. Not a wig though, that seems itchy. I am hair impaired. Seriously it is such a challenge for me. When I was little I had little soft curls that my mom arranged nicely on head (based on the photos I have).  Then when I got a little older I entered the braid era.  That lasted for most of elementary school.  I'd either wear braids or a just long and raggedy down my back "style". I think it was around 5th or 6th grade that I noticed that girls were "doing their hair". I did not participate in that.  I don't know why. I never thought to ask mom to take me for a hair cut.  I was a teenager in the 80's and didn't have big hair. I didn't know how to do it, didn't want to spend the time on it, and basically washed it, brushed it and on special occasions (like to go to church on Sunday) I'd use a curling iron on it.  My hair was long and straight (by straight I mean kind of wavy and full) my whole growing up.  When Mark and I married I cut it short. Then grew it out.  When I was divorced I got what dad called my "man hating hair cut" and I've worn it that way most of the time since, although every few years I decide to grow it. Then I am unhappy with it because it looks like:

witch Hazel, minus the witch hat.  And I cut it again.  I can think of one day in my life when I thought my hair looked great, that was on Hannah's wedding. (Dani did it for me). The rest of the time I am either neutral or I don't like it.  But the head covering solves that. Also a beanie, which you can wear outside, in the winter. Sadly I also have a big head so hats don't sit well. One of Hannah's talents is to wear a hat cutely. Not mine, which is sad.  I'm not as sad about that as I am in my inability to sing nicely but both cause me occasional grief. 

Ironically I have 5 daughters and didn't really know how to do their hair either. They figured it out and all have nice hair now, which seems like a life pattern.  Parents try but ultimately you have to find your own way.  Everyone has to know for themselves; or have ugly hair. Ethan has wild hair, but has life figured out pretty well for a 21 year old man. So there's that. 

Our cute little primary children 💕
 

Clayton was also in charge of his ward party and last month J asked me, or I was telling her I'm not sure, about ours, and she told him. And viola, a theme is shared. Their party went great and Coco was the cutest little lamb in the stable!

Gracie went to a bachelorette party in Utah this weekend and the Crawleys babysat Mr. Lincoln. She had fun and they didn't want to give him back so win/win. 

Sunday was a cold day in Idaho.  Ezra is in nursery and traditionally in December the rising Sunbeams will go to primary for singing time to "practice". Hannah's ward has a lot of children, 13 Sunbeams and almost as many rising from nursery.  They went to singing time yesterday and somehow Ezzie escaped and ran outside and got locked out, in the snow.  He was crying out there and luckily (or by the grace of God) a stranger was walking by and heard him & brought him in to the chapel where Sawyer was. Hannah and Sawyer were very upset (as.they.should.be) and the primary presidency was very apologetic (AS.THEY.SHOULD.BE). Erza is an eloper. You can not take your eye off of him for one second. He bolts and doesn't really know better.   The number one cause of death for children on the spectrum is from being hit by a car.  They run, they run into the street, and things go poorly.  I was very upset to hear about that. I worry about him. Hannah and Sawyer are working with the primary to come up with a good plan, they are very concerned.  

Taco and I like to watch TV in bed

We had the sisters and elders over for dinner and to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It was fast Sunday so I made extras knowing everyone would be hungry. I made pioneer woman lasagna, chicken fettuccini, Caesar salad ( my favorite recipe, from a bag), rolls, banana bread and German chocolate cake. We have enough left over that I won't be cooking for a few days!

After dinner we played wolf pack then "santa, cookie, candy, elf, tree" which is "taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza" but Christmas themed) while we waited for the broadcast to start. 

The broadcast was really good.  I loved the talks. I like Tracy Browning. She gives really good talks.  Elder Gong gave a wonderful address. He talked about the Christmas Carol story and how everyone always remembers Scrooge as his miserly, grumpy, selfish self but rarely thinks to remember that it's a story of redemption. Scrooge became a changed man. He became, in the end, as joyful and as good as any man. It is good to see each other as who we are becoming now, not just who we were. President Nelson's Christmas message was beautiful. The music was powerful, and the whole evening was enlivening and joyful.

"Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead," said Scrooge.

 "But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change.”  

I was chatting with the girls last night, and got to read a couple of stories to them. Im grateful for facetime. Coco looked like a Fancy Nancy/Kirsten the American Girl hybrid. I asked her to take a picture and send it to me. I sure love those cute girlies💕

Lana also sent a cute picture today! Love it! 

Tonight I went to book club at Michelle’s. We had a fun evening, she made a yummy stew and the book was good!

Next month its my turn to host.

November is almost over. With its close my month of no complaints will be ending as well…not that I’ve been saving up a huge list or anything but I will say that this is me heading to work on the cold, dark, mornings of late No-complaint-vember. (I happily acclimated to our “brutal” Orlando winters and acclimating back to winter is proving a little challenging.)

 Its not snowing in MD but the winter weather is here and I am not accustomed to it. 

This one is though and he’s a nice little bed heater.

Months end

Sawyer is getting to the part of school where he is looking for an internship. I really want him to get one in MD. It would be so fun to have them stay with us and to enjoy being full time grandparents!

Yesterday was the ohio state vs michigan game. Michigan won. Pete came over and the four men watched together. I made food for them and then did some reading.

Ethan and the Browns cutting down their Christmas tree.

Football food.

 Ryan and E watched the game together. 

Last night was Rob Buff’a funeral. I went and helped out where I could. It was sad, that little family has a hard road ahead of them.

Today its cold and the heater was off in the building. Its our last day of break. 

Post turkey coma

Today we headed over to Historic St Marys City to take an afternoon stroll. The weather was perfect and it was home and hearth weekend to boot.

It was a lovely afternoon. We toured the Dove, watched some archeologists work, visited the Wicomoco hamlet, and enjoyed some colonial cooking demonstrations which made us feel grateful for hot and cold running water, wifi, grocery stores and shoes with arch support.

The other item on our agenda was an evening at the Kennedy Center. We went to watch the Celtic Women Christmas concert. It was really great. I enjoyed it very much!

 

Lol

Turkey day

We did our own little turkey trot to the mailbox.

Lots of delicious food!

Weve been having a nice visit. Weve been enjoying pleasant weather, eating yummy food, watching TV& spending time together.

 Bonus picture of Ruby at the Ft Worth Zoo! So fun. We spent a lot of time at the zoo when we lived in TX, its fun that the girls got to see it.

Tuesday

 I am grateful that Rob's alarm went off this morning. My phone died during the night.  It's completely black and no matter what I do I can't get it to even flicker. I guess I'll be going to Verizon to have them look at it after work. I will be very grateful if they can fix it. I wasn't late to work though; we get up pretty close to the same time.  I sent my alarm for 6:10 and his goes off while I'm in the shower a little later.  I wasn't late to work even though I was late to wake up.  I plan a buffer.  School starts at 8am.  Teachers have to be at work at 7:30, subs 7:45. I usually get here at 7:30. I like to get settled and read the plans and use the bathroom before the day starts.  So, there is a window, and my morning would have to go really wrong for me to be late.  

I'm in geometry today, no one is working.  A sub and the day before break?  It's fine though. If they are in their seats pretending to work, I'm fine. 

Yesterday we got ready for Nana, Abba, and UB to arrive.  We are looking forward to visiting with them for a few days.  I have all the groceries bought, the sheets are clean, and the bathrooms are tidied.  

Everyone's thanksgiving plans:

We will eat turkey, maybe take a walk, probably watch TV. 

Brandts are going to Tyler's house with some of Greg's family. Dani is on call but Tyler lives near the hospital.  Hopefully she will be able to enjoy a lot of the day with the fam.  Ethan is going with them.

Sierra and Chris are celebrating with Chris' family.

The Johnson's are in TX, Whitney lives there with her family. I am sure they will have a great time!

The Crawley are celebrating by themselves. 

Grace is flying to CO with her boyfriend, Braden. 

I'm also grateful that this year we will all be able to celebrate Christmas together.  

I have a RS presidency meeting tonight. We had a dad in our ward pass away this last weekend and his funeral will be Saturday night. It's a tough situation, he left a young family behind, but not alone. That's the good news of the gospel, no one has to be alone in their grief or trials because Jesus is always there for them. 

Bittersweet

Life is all about the bitter and the sweet. But this month is my gratitude month so Im going to focus on the sweet. Although to be fair I am grateful for the bitter otherwise we wouldnt recognize the sweet. 

Anyway I am grateful for missionaries. I love working with them in my role as RS counselor. We have elders and sisters in our ward and its fun to get to know both and to help them however I can. 

Last night we had all 5, plus  Katherine and Pete over for dinner. After the missionaries left we played wolf pack, it was a nice evening.

Rob and Taco put up our Christmas lights. Good job!

 Im enjoying a lot of reading time. One silver lining to having to push off a couple classes until January.

I am very grateful that even in the middle of lifes trials we can find peace.

 what am a grateful for?

I am grateful for my children, somehow they are always the top of the list. 

I am grateful that it's Friday.  We don't have any exciting plans for the weekend but it will still be nice.

I am grateful that Rob builds a cozy fire, and that we have a heater.  It's cold at night.

I am grateful for podcasts to listen to while I drive. 

I am grateful for good parents.  They worked hard and gave us kids a good life. They are loving grandparents to my children too, which is a blessing.

I am grateful for facetime and airplane tickets.

I am grateful for the friends I have made, in childhood and adulthood and in all the places I've lived.

I am grateful that I get to go to school at this point in my life. I enjoy my classes and look forward to getting to work.

I am grateful for the many interventions that Ezra is getting. I am grateful that Hannah and Sawyer have each other to lean on and that Tami and Brian are involved grandparents. 

I am grateful for Tatum, Penny, and Marshall.  They are wonderful kids.  Smart and kind.  I am so grateful that Dani and Greg are awesome parents and that they have a happy family.

I am grateful for Coco, Ruby and Darcy, the cutest little redheads in the world. They are so funny and smart and I love that they are precocious. I am grateful for Jenna and Clayton who are intentional and present.  They are wonderful parents as well. 

I am grateful for little Lana and Ezzie.  They are so cute. I look at these girls of mine and the mothers that they are and I am amazed at the good job they are doing. Growing up in a divorced family/blended family is really hard. I wanted to do a really great job but there are lots of things I wish I had done better.  Despite those challenges they are amazing. I am grateful that I get to be involved. I remember the love I felt from my grandparents and I very much want my grands to feel that. I am grateful for Nana and Abba, they are outstanding grandparents and the kids love them. 

I am grateful that it's peppermint shake season at Chick fila. 

I am grateful for people who fight for freedom, for doctors and nurses who work hard to keep us healthy, for teachers who teach and love and endure our children. 

I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that I can work each day to be all in. 

I am grateful for a body that walks and talks and sleeps and eats, that can work and that can rest, that is healthy and that my senses all work. 

I am grateful for my children's friends, that are good examples to them, that bring them joy, help them out, and have fun with them, and are there with them when they need someone. 

I am grateful for my cute little car, for amazon, for music, for animals, nature, Rob's good job, and my job, shoes, ice cream, The Book of Mormon, my siblings, bright and beautiful colors, waves, hot showers, cool sheets, cats with bowties, service dogs, the stars and books and hot chocolate, my nieces and nephews, long summer days, water parks, BBQs, holidays, eternal families, Temples, a sacred grove & a burning bush & kneeling prayers that bring us to God, and many many more things that I won't list. 

 I am grateful to park in the garage. We got a third slot so Rob would have room for his hobbies, and I could still park inside.  When we move in a house the garage is always the last thing to be organized. I do the house, and he does the garage but it's a hard space to get set up, I guess. Anyway, we've lived here for 7 months now, and the weather has turned cold, and I found myself scraping ice off the car in the mornings which spurred me to clean out what I could.  I worked on it after school on Monday and then Rob helped when he got home from work.  Yesterday we took a load of stuff to the dump and then we finished up the garage.  

I am grateful for ministering. It brings joy to help others and joy to be helped and supported so...win/win. Tonight the sisters I minister to and I are going to dinner. Also win/win.