It's the Little Things!!!

I wish my thoughts could suddenly transition into the written word, without having to go through the whole process of how to word things!  I should have paid more attention in my high school English class!!

Each Fall is a "love/hate" relationship for me...or more like a "love/ugh" relationship.  Rod and I both LOVE the feelings of Autumn...the cooler air, the changing of seasons, football, the upcoming holidays, and the many memories of years gone by that are at times instantly recalled by a smell, or situation...so many wonderful associations.  At the same time, it is the most hectic time of year for me...especially THIS year since I'm taking a psychology class at DSU.  I love the class, but the increased demand on my time is hard to allocate, as I get my 28 piano students ready for our Fall Recital AND evaluations...and do the final preparations for the statewide instrumental competition that I chair...and make at least two trips up north monthly from August til November!

Each evening, after finishing teaching, all I feel like doing is sitting on the couch next to my husband and falling asleep.  That doesn't happen very often, at least not the sleeping part, but being able to regroup with my husband is very nice and rejuvenating.  Often, our talk circles around and ends up on something about Denzel.  Sometimes we cry; sometimes we are just grateful for so many good memories.  And then I wonder how long Denzel's death will have an affect on me, on Rod, on our family.  Probably always, in some form or another.  I am very observant of myself...if that makes sense...as I wonder if I use Denzel's death as an "excuse" for one thing or another.  So far I truly don't think so.  I think it's important to be aware that his death HAS had an affect on my life (and our family's life), and deal with all that might entail.  But then move past, and continue to function and do much good.  It's just a strange place to be sometimes.

Soooo, with that said, I'd just like to share some of the things that make me smile, that make my heart happy, and for which I thank Heavenly Father:

Listening to the waterfall through the kitchen window, when it's too warm to lie on the hammock outside,...yetwith the cooler weather, I am SO excited to enjoy the peace of a nap on the hammock!!!


When we had the waterfall fixed, and the extra vegetation put in, the bermuda grass in our lawn started to REALLY bother me.  Rod graciously agreed that it would be a good idea to kill off the grass and put in new sod.  So, the work, and the anticipation of our new grass has been a good thing.

   

Going to one of Rj's football games for Dixie State University during the priesthood session
 of Conference was a blast!!  I always love being with my girls!

Dezmond is such a SWEET part of our lives!!  Especially when he discovered the joy of mini-cupcakes and ICING, thanks to Aunt Nat!

Another wonderful part of our lives is the blessing of the horses, and the many times I get to ride and share them with family... friends who have become family... and even people we've just met!  It is an amazing gift from our Heavenly Father, and the only way I feel we can adequately tell Him "thank-you" for this gift in our lives is by sharing!!  So we share, a LOT!!!

Jennifer Bowen, Rochelle & Kennedy Buhler, and Me on Anasazi Ridge, looking at the petroglyphs.

Kennedy loves riding with Grandma Trice...and I love riding with her!!

And we love all the time we get with Dezmond, AND his mom and dad!!  For some reason Dezmond likes eating at Grandma's house...perhaps because he gets to eat rice out of the pot,and he gets to bang pan lids together!!

I get to make memories with piano students each week, and sometimes they even go riding with me!!  It's even more fun to watch them grow up and prepare to serve missions!!

Me and Alex Tucker overlooking Snow Canyon.

And we are LOVING training our two babies, Stormy and Kodiak!!  We've waited two and a half years for this!!!

Rod and I discovered a new "fun thing" to do this summer!  We love going sailing out on Sand Hollow Reservoir with our sailing friends!!  We're looking forward to next spring and summer!!

And we have been blessed to have a new puppy!!!  She has been so much fun and we LOVE the fact that she doesn't shed!!  We have always enjoyed having animals, but I REALLY don't like dog hair in the house.  Jaida is perfect for us!!

 

And so we come full circle...there are so many things Rod and I feel blessed to have in our lives.  Yes, there are times that are hard, difficult, painful, embarrassing, frustrating, hurtful, boring, and even disturbing.  But there are so many other wonderful, healing, funny, enjoyable, uplifting, encouraging, and motivating things to be a part of that this is what we choose to focus on.  And mostly we are thankful for each other, for our children (and their families) AND the gospel of Jesus Christ!!!