I'd Choose Him Every Time

engagement photo 1997

I met Andy at the first church activity freshman year at BYU.  I was asking boys to sign up for the ballroom dance class I was taking.  I was surprised that he said yes and actually signed up.  He was really careful not to dance with me too often, lest I would think he took the class because he was interested in me.  LOL  I got a B+ on the Cha Cha test that I danced with him.  My mom thought we should get married though because he was from Illinois where her family lives and we could have a reception out there.  I told her that was a silly reason to marry someone.  We were just friends, but I gave him a picture at the end of the year.  And he left on his mission.

Fast-forward a few years.  Andy was back.  We took a class together and I started crushing on him.  He went home for the summer and I hoped that having a newish car would give him reason to come around.  Then over the summer I got engaged to another guy.  And then when the new school year started, it started to unravel.  I was crushed.  I told my roommate that if it ended, the only one that could make me laugh again, feel good about myself again was Andy.  She told me that it sounded like I needed him now.  But I was engaged and it didn't seem right.  

So fast-forward through all that mess...  We got together a few months after I ended my engagement.  And married 8 months after that.  And he did make me laugh again (no surprise to anyone that knows Andy) and he did make me feel good about myself again.  And I'd choose him every time.

We have been through lots of jobs, lots of adventures (good and bad), four states, four cars, two apartments, four homes, three wiggly boys.  He's my best friend and we can still stay up too late talking.  He "gets" me like no one else.  He believes in me.  And no matter what we face, doing it together is the best part.  And he still makes me laugh.  And I'd choose him every time.  Happy Valentines' Day Andy.

P.S.  I scored the jackpot when I married into the Johnson family.  They are great people~ inspiring, loving people.  I appreciate all the time I get to share with them.  It's been the ultimate blessing to call them family and to have them spend time with our boys.

Indulgence or Gluttony? ;)

I was working at the computer today and I hear this little voice say, "I'm sorry."  And I realize that a little head is peeking around the corner.  So what was he sorry for???  I asked and he said, "I'm sorry.  I ate all 4 of them."

Then it made sense.  About 20 minutes before, K. had asked for some vanilla Oreos.  (one of my favs...)  I told him that he could have TWO.  He pulled out 4- 2 for him, 2 for G.  But G. was too busy cutting out a paper snowflake to even respond when they were offered.  So K. left the room to put them back.  And I thought it was all over...

Until "Honest Abe" admitted his disobedience.  Guess he just couldn't help himself.  LOL

I guess if this is as bad as my boys get, I'm a pretty lucky Mom.

3 Moments

1.  G. did something the other day that could have required a repairman.  When I explained that to him and asked him what he was thinking (!?!) , he said, "I'm sorry, and by that, I mean I'm REALLY sorry."  Luckily, so far, no repairman required.  Sending up my gratitude.

2.  K. told me the other day that the next time it was a "snowy wonderland" we should make a snowman.  I love the outlook of children.

3.  The other day I was by myself, thanks to a wonderful sister in-law that was watching my kids.  I chuckled inside when digging through my purse,I found these:

Usually they fit right in with my wallet, tube of lip gloss, and tin of mints.  I am a mom of boys.  I keep toys in my purse for boredom emergencies.  But at this moment, when I was taking a break from my usual life, it made me laugh at the reminder that across town were my three boys.  :)

The Aftermath

Yes, that's what it looks like.  A box of peach jello.  A box of cherry jello.  A box of pistachio pudding.  A box of chocolate pudding.  And three (count them THREE) boxes of vanilla pudding.  

And this is the bowl that had all that powder mixed with water from the bathroom sink that was carried (dripping all the way, on tile at least) to the kitchen.

G. almost lost his life...  And there is a Mommy that needs to repent from thinking such horrible thoughts.

This is being recorded, not to embarrass G., but to record it for memory's sake.  And so I can remember to tell it to his future wife so she knows why her kids do similar things...  Because I wished it on their dad... ;)

So she won't feel like a horrible mother when she thinks impatient thoughts when it happens with her own kids.  Because stuff like this happens to all mothers.  And it isn't our finest hour.  

But, later on this day, G. went to a friend's house to be babysat while I took A. to get started on his Pinewood Derby car.  G. told me afterward that he saw some T-rated video games that looked really cool, but he didn't play them because he knew that it was against our family rules.  

So far, we haven't allowed any T games in our home.  Of course when G. was 3 and he LOVED Spiderman, we had a long-winded argument on the way home from Target when I wouldn't let him get a T-rated Spiderman game.  I told him that I wouldn't allow that in my house because it might have bad words.   (I had recently bought a Spiderman cartoon DVD that had some mild SWEAR words.  I was horrified!)  G. told me he liked swear words and I was so mean.  I couldn't believe I was having this conversation with my toddler!

I was so proud that G. had made a good choice even though no one was there to see him make it.  We talked about "integrity" on the way home.  Could this be the same child that had made "Jello/Pudding" water!?!  (And the babysitting mom said that the "T" he was talking about was the T for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, not the rating... lol)

One more story about G.:

He really wanted a red pencil to mark the scriptures we gave him for Christmas.  I wasn't sure what he would mark, but OK, sure.  The other day, we were looking at a verse that I thought would mean something to him. He pulled out his pencil and started marking words that he felt were important: Lord, commandments...  Then he underlines "children" and says "that's important, huh Mom?"  I was so touched that I got a little misty.  

He's such a great kid.  He just has crazy ideas sometimes.  LOL

You Have To Get Creative

That White Stuff

So it finally REALLY snowed in northern Arizona and my kids were very excited.  We have received a few "dustings" and they said "Wow, it snowed so much."  It made me laugh because if you can see the grass peeking through, it's not really snowing, folks.  LOL  G. was almost 2 when we moved to AZ, so he has little memory of snow and K., well he was born here, so this is a completely new experience!  Unfortunately, it wasn't good packing snow, but we had a great time anyway.  :)

Look Behind the Tree

This is an article I wrote for the December issue of our church newsletter. I had to submit a picture as well. A nice staged one! :)  And if you are curious, the "sister" was Jaycie.


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One Christmas when I was a girl, all I wanted was a 10-speed bicycle. When I asked for it, I knew it would probably be one of the only things I would get that year.

Christmas morning, when the lights came on, there stood a vibrant red bicycle. I ecstatically ran to it to discover a tag with someone else's name written on it. I felt deflated. My sister hadn't even asked for a bike. Had there been some mistake? Seconds later, I realized maybe I hadn't looked around enough for MY bike. There it was! A blue bike tucked behind the tree!

This is a story that is retold in my family, and surely somewhere a videotape of my reaction exists. I am sure someone thought he was very clever to hide the bike.

We ask our Heavenly Father for many things. Sometimes we see others receive the blessings we desire, and to some those blessings seem to come so easily. We may feel jealous or confused. We may try hard not to allow ourselves to feel cheated. We may be upset that the desires of our hearts take so long to come to pass. Or we may worry that what we ask for will never be given.

Make no mistake. A loving Heavenly Father will bless us-- is blessing us. It may be in ways not noticed or expected. It may be more slowly than we had hoped, but He loves us and knows us. Sometimes He will deny us what we want, but will bless us with the gifts that truly are the best for us. Sometimes our lives are paths to places we did not expect, but places that will help us become exactly what He has in store for us.

This holiday, when it is easy to covet talents, blessings, and gifts of others, let us look away from theirs and "look behind the tree" to see what gifts are ours.