Making Cards

Ruger got suspended from school, for 2 days, last week.  We took away electronics and so he had time on his hands to do new things.  I was making cards when he asked me if he could make cards for Nanny, Poppy, Uncle Chuck, and Grandpa.  Well, of course you can, bud!

He was doing most of it on his own and only asking for help every once in a while when I noticed him distressing the edge of the cards with ink.  How in the world would he know to do that...unless he had been watching me.  I smiled, a little proud.  But it also was a reminder that he is watching all the time.  How many times have I been a bad example and he followed suit?  How many times have I been Christlike and he decided to be better instead of making a mistake?  And how many times has he taken on little quirks, here and there, that I do or say?  Who knows but it opened my eyes.

He didn't want me taking pictures of him so I had to steal them when I could.  Here he is saying, "Mom, stop taking pictures of me!"  Now, what was that I was just saying about being a good example??  Ok, maybe I should listen to him and stop taking pictures...after I journal about it, of course ;)

 

Graduation Party

 Cami put together a little graduation party together for me last Saturday.  It was a couple of hours of just talking and eating yummy food together.  We all live just within blocks of each other.  It's easy to get together during the summer as we hike and swim together.  But we have to put more effort, during the winter, in things like having lunch together to make sure everyone is ok.  This party felt good to have just another reason to check up and realize just how much we have in common or are going through.  These women can sometimes make it to our get togethers and sometimes not.  While others, not in the picture, come and our community feels connected.

As for graduating, I'm loving it.  I'm so grateful for my education, especially for where I received it.  But it was time to be over.  When I first went back to school, I was all about consuming knowledge.  By my last semester, though, I was still gaining knowledge but at a much less enthusiastic state of mind.  It was time to be done.  I thought it was just because I was warn out of education.  But after noticing some things these last few, almost 2, weeks I have come to realize that I was just warn out of not fullying being in my usual everyday life happenings.  I am finding myself cudddling with Ruger more and truly likeing it.  Like, cuddling with him while watching a movie and not worrying about a paper I should be writing.  And he notices too.  He's cuddling back and giving kisses!  And that is just one example.  I just feel more present.  And present in a way that is enjoyable.  I just feel very much like I am where I am supposed to be right now.

Easter 2023

Easter Sunday was interesting.  Our family didn't even stay long for the service at Church because of some mental health and back issues.  And oh my goodness, the meal would have been a disaster if it wasn't for my Mom, I'm sure of it.  David's back hurt so much for the snowmobile and I had this terrible rash all in my hair and random parts of my body, but thank goodness she took over.  And it was so good, of course! But by the end of the meal, I was ready to scratch my hair out!  Luckily Mom knew that rubbing alcohol takes out the itch and I left the party and pretty much doused myself in it!  And it felt wonderful!  Ha!  To finally stop itching was just amazing.  

Unfortunately, I looked like this the following day.  We still don't know what it was but I was put on a steriod and it has all finally went away.  But my poor Mom.  The next day she had to leave for the airport and I couldn't even take her.  I don't even know if I got out of bed to hug her goodbye.  I was so out of it.  So yeah, Easter was a little different this year but it sure was memorable!

 

Ruger's Baptism

In November of last year, Ruger turned 8.  He was now old enough to be baptized if he chose to be.  On several Family Home Evenings or Come Follow Me study nights, I would slide in things here and there about baptism, covenants, and repentance to make sure that he really did understand what he could possibly be committing to.  I wanted him to not just make a well informed decision but I truly wanted it to be his.  So just before he could have been baptized in December, Ruger made it clear that he didn't want to be baptized.  It wasn't as if he was trying to do opposite of what other kids his age were doing or even had a real opinion on the matter.  He just didn't see the big deal about it all.  It's hard to explain his reaction and what I felt he was telling us.  But either way, David and I had decided long ago that we would teach and bear our testimony on important and sacred things but would not force them.  So we let it go.  And you know what?  For something that I feel is vital in returning to my Heavenly Parents again, you would have thought I would have freaked out in my head.  But instead I knew it was ok.  

So one day I was talking to Ruger, and I truly believe it was the Spirit, and in my mind I heard, "Ask him if he knows why people get baptized."  It was as simple as that and all of a sudden I realized that I had focused so much on the big words and meanings and promises and so much more that this poor little kid only needed to know one thing.  That his Mom and his Dad got baptized years ago because they wanted to live with their Heavenly Parents again one day.  And just like that and no questions asked, he wanted to be baptized.

So, last Saturday, Ruger was baptized making a sacred covenant with His Father in Heaven.  He did it on his own terms and I love that he did!

 

Island Park, Idaho

After we did all the graduation stuff in Rexburg, we headed on up to Island Park, Idaho.  It is only about a half hour from Yellowstone National Park, so you can just imagine how beautiful and peaceful it is in this area.  When I dreamed up this idea of us having a family vacation after the graduation, I envisioned a day trip to Yellowstone with another day filled with visiting old hiking paths and the Mesa Falls.  Yeah, none of that happened.  With a record setting year of snow in this area, it was impossible to even get into some of those desired areas.

When we pulled into the drive of our rented cabin, my jaw dropped!

I knew the snow would be deep, but I didn't expect the layers!  And then to see our back door once inside!

I should have taken more pictures of the inside of the cabin.  It was perfect for our needs and honestly, spoiled us a little!

Here Hyrum is showing off his and Nanny's work on his walking stick.

I love, love, LOVE this picture of my men/boys!

We rented a couple of snowmobiles.  There may have been a few "accidents" but the boys really enjoyed it, especially David and Levi.

Brigham's cat, Neve, died about a month ago.  Her name means "snow" in Portuguese.  Brigham and I thought it fitting that we take her ashes somewhere beautiful with snow all around.  The Snake River provided the perfect feeling and scenery that day for Brigham and Neve to say their goodbyes.

Alisa's BYU - Idaho Graduation

In 1996, I started my college journey.  I moved from Jay, Oklahoma to Rexburg, Idaho to attend Rick's College.  To this day, other than baptism and other covenants I made with God, I still believe this was the best decision I have ever made.  I know that is bold but I truly believe that it was the atmosphere of Rick's College that instilled in me what I then knew what I wanted in this Earthly life as well as returing to my Heavenly Parents.  Don't get me wrong, anyone who knows me knows how much I'm in love with my father, so I already had an influence to guide me toward a man who would treat me as I should be.  I had a mother who showed me that women can work hard and that equality could be had.  I had grandparents and an uncle that might as well have been a second set of parents and brother as they taught me to be fiercely loyal to family.  I also had dedicated Primary and Young Women leaders who clearly loved me so much that it moved the Spirit in me.  I also had the best of friends growing up, whom I always knew had my back and watched out for my naive ways.

But it was Rick's College where I got to decided what I believed.

Of course I believe those above mentioned things shaped my life.  How could it not?  But still, I could have chosen a completely different path in college.  But instead, I chose to learn and grown and know for myself what I wanted my future to look like.  And trust me, it looks like David and my sons!

I received my Associates Degree in 1998.  I went to school off and on from there but very sporadically and at different colleges (BYU - Hawaii, BYU - Idaho, on campus, and Ashford University).  It wasn't until we moved back to Utah, this last time, that I went almost every semester I could, part time, at BYU - Idaho, online.  It was a very slow route but with our family dynamics and situations, this is what was best for our whole family.  Needless to say, it took me 7 years all together to finish my Bachelor's Degree!

We drove up to Rexburg for the graduation and to take pictures but first...

...my Mom surprised me!  I sooooooo wanted my parents to be there for my graduation.  I mean, I really, really wanted them to come!  But I knew my Dad had just taken off so much time for a surgery and Mom had the daycare.  So when they worked it out so that at least one of them could go, it only seemed fair that it was Mom since Dad and Ronald came out years ago for one of David's graduations.  I'll journal more about our time together with Mom later, but it went by absolutely too fast.  But memories were made and I'm just so grateful that David, Dad, and Mom made it work out so that she could come.