Inspiring Story

My aunt sent me this story and I absolutely loved it and wanted to share it. I assume we've all felt this way at times.  This story is from the book, Confessions of an Unbalanced Woman by Emily Watts.  I haven't read it, if you have let me know if you recommend it.

"Agnes Caldwell and her family traveled with the Willie handcart company and suffered terrible hardships with the others.  When the rescue wagons came, they took on all the infirm and those who could walk no farther, but the able-bodied still had to press forward on foot.  Nine-year-old Agnes and some of the other children decided to try to keep up with the wagons in hopes of being offered a ride.  Sure enough, after a time one of the drivers asked her if she'd like to ride with him, an invitation she gratefully accepted.  As she tells the story:

"At this he reached over, taking my hand, clucking to his horses to make me run, with legs that seemed to me could run no farther.  On we went, to what to me seemed miles.  What went through my head at that time was the he was the meanest man that ever lived or that I had ever hear of.  Just as what seemed the breaking point, he stopped.  Taking a blanket, he wrapped me up and lay me in the bottom of the wagon, warm and comfortable.  Here I had time to change my mind, as I surely did knowing full well by doing this he saved me from freezing when taken into the wagon."

"I have thought of this story many times when I find myself or my friends in what I would call "running-beside-the-wagon" moments.  I have wondered if, at such times, when we have given all we have to give, relying on the promise that the Lord will lift us up, when we are questioning why he doesn't pull us into the wagon, when we are about to collapse from the sheet exhaustion of it all--what if we stopped and listened to the Spirit?  Perhaps we might hear him saying, "Wait.  Wait just a little longer.  You don't know what I'm trying to save here."  Maybe the message would even be, "You don't know who I'm trying to save here.  You don't know whose life might be eternally affected by your willingness to hang on for one more moment, to keep taking step after step.  I promise I won't leave you to drop.  I know what you can bear, and your trials will not exceed your capacity."  I have to trust that the Lord knows what he is doing with my life, even in those hard moments when I can't possibly see what he has in mind."

WooHoo we SURVIVED the holidays!

I must admit that I enjoyed all of the anticipation and preparation for Christmas. It was fun decorating the house and actually Christmas shopping for the kids. But, I think I can do without Christmas day. I'm thinking eventually a fun trip!! We did have a nice time with family. It was fun having my entire family here.

We started Christmas Eve off with the highly anticipated cookie decorating party. The kids get together with all of their Hawkins cousins and decorate cookies for Santa.

Don't those cookies look yummy. I'm sure santa loved those cookies!!

Emery was Mary this year for the annual nativity. She was so good. She loved wearing her shiny costume and enjoyed holding baby Jesus. Emmet always a shepherd boy, fortunately he didn't do any crazy dances during the nativity this year. In the past he's been a brake dancing shepherd.


We spent Christmas Even night at my parents home. I didn't want to wake up at my home with just the three of us. It would have been too quiet. The kids loved Christmas morning. Emery loved it so much that she kept asking for more presents. She was quite unsatisfied with only opening her own presents that she helped everyone open theirs.

I think for the next few years, New Year's Eve will be a non holiday in my home. So nothing to report about New Years, except I'm excited for 2008. I'm hoping it will be a good year, full of fun times with my kids. I've resolved to no longer look back, but to look forward with anticipation of what may come our way! Happy New Year!!

Remembering Sam

I want to thank everyone for your emails, flowers, phone messages (since I didn't answer my phone Monday), cards and sweet sentimental gifts. They made Monday a special day and made me so happy that people remembered. Thank you!!

Since this week marks the one year anniversary of Sam's passing, I thought it would be fun to post some of my favorite pictures of Sam.
The first pictures are of Sam on his mission. I just love these, because he's so happy. The last two Sam is with his brother Kris. Sam served his mission in Brazil.


Sam and I were engaged April 1, 1999. Married in the Mesa Temple June 24, 1999. We sure look young!!

Some of my favorite pictures are of our numerous vacations before Emmet and Emery were born!!

Meeting Santa Clause

Emmet and Emery met Santa today. Much to my amazement Emery loved sitting on his lap. She wouldn't smile, but she liked sitting there. She liked it so much that she threw a fit and I stood in line a second time to give her another chance to sit on his lap. She sat there for five minutes. Emmet on the other hand didn't see any reason why he needed to see Santa, asked me where the reindeer were, and how did Santa get there. My response was if you don't sit on Santa's lap he won't bring you presents and that kept him quiet!

thank you...

So, I'm beginning to feel the emotions of knowing that Monday will be the year anniversary of my sweet husband's death and too my surprise a very heavy package arrived at my door. For me the UPS guy is Santa Clause!! I opened the box and tears rolled down my cheeks. There were fun wrapped gifts from all of my Maryland girlfriends. I am going to do what Kate Smith and Erin Vandre suggested and open one gift a day. But I couldn't help but read what some of my sweet friends wrote. They are sweet loving words of encouragement and they couldn't have come at a better time. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I truly do wish you could all be here with me!!

Finally...

I did it!! I got a babysitter and went to a movie all by myself. It was so much fun. I was worried it would be a little depressing, but it wasn't. I can't believe I didn't do it sooner. My kids loved having a sitter, in fact Emmet was mad when we took her home. I'm so proud of myself that I had to tell someone. I saw Enchanted and it was such a fun, cute movie.

Eleven Months--Saturday

Wow--I'd like to say time flys, but it sure hasn't. I think it has really slowed down for me this year. Saturday it will be the 11th month mark and the count down begins to the year mark. Emmet still talks constantly about his dad. He's currently wondering why I'm not having a baby boy. Thankfully his cousin Sol came to the rescue and Emmet now believes we aren't having a baby because a baby can't come out of a mom's tummy unless the dad is there to help!! I encourage him to keep thinking that direction. A year ago Sam was almost home from the hospital. He was coherent enough that Sam and I watched Nacho Libre on his lap top one night in his hospital room.

This was our last family picture. The kids never spent too much time with Sam. I was always afraid they would pull one of the chords and it always took too much energy for Sam to talk to them. Sam always tried hard to appear to not be as sick as he was for the kids!

Thanks to Emmet's picture taking ability, we have my ultimate favorite picture of Sam. I love his eyes in this picture! This was taken a year ago this month. When Sam came home from the hospital he spent most of his time on the couch watching the kids. The kids were great at playing beside him and every morning Emery would go over and pat her dad on the leg to say good morning. He loved that.