I love my son-in-law!

Still in mourning from the last BYU game (if we can even call it that), my son-in-law found a way to help bring a smile back to my face when considering this season's BYU football experience. He took me back to the moment when euphoria was high and expectations were the same. Thanks to Vaughn, I am reminded that in the midst of bad times we tend to forget the good times. If you are a BYU fan and need a lift from this past week's depressing loss, click on the link below and you will understand what I am talking about AND if you wait until the end of the video you will see one or two familiar faces...wait for us...wait for us...wait for us... honest you will see us, just wait for us. However, don't blink you may may miss us:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmLn6R9nJgY

My New Favorite Bumper Sticker...

It was on the back of a not- so-new passenger van;

"Don't let the car fool you, my treasure's in heaven".

Kind of puts everything in perspective, doesn't it?

Dishwasher Heaven!

You may be asking yourself...is there such a place? I can attest to you there is, and if you ever want to visit such a place you need only visit my kitchen!

Yesterday when my husband came home he ushered me into the bedroom... no, don't go there, I was left alone with my curiosity. I knew he was up to some birthday something. A moment later I could hear a noisy partial-disclosure of the act at hand, something was being rolled on the kitchen floor. My mind frantically began to wander, searching for anything that he might have bought me for my birthday. (Remember, it is not nice to consider me dense simply because you have figured it out, after all, I gave it away at the start of this post.) Oh no, could it be a bike? Certainly bikes have wheels...bikes can roll... in fact...just this morning I had told John I was going to use birthday money received to either fix my bike or purchase a new one. Suddenly I became worried...worried because I did not want to hurt my husband's sweet and thoughtful feelings let alone be ungrateful. However, to be honest I felt my bike purchase was going to take much research and consideration before signing on the proverbial line. Not like the Christmas when he got me two coats and I wished he would have done his homework, even if it took a little deceit to get a sense of my fashion taste, so as not to ruin the surprise. Personally I think it was a bit of impulse buying but .. back to dishwasher heaven. Much to my relief, as I considered the rolling noise it was way too heavy for a bicycle. Now I was worried he'd spent too much money. (I am really not that hard to please, I am just thinking prudent here.) As I rounded the corner into the kitchen I asked him if I was going to be mad? He just kind-of shrugged and smiled (he is so cute when he does that). To my utter joy and surprise he had purchased a new dishwasher. It is a beautiful stainless steel top of the line dishwasher. Believe me if a dishwasher can be considered sleek and lustrous, this is the one! And as I know you are all on the edges of your seats with this topic, I will post pictures tomorrow of what dishwasher heaven actually looks like. Until then... may the women of the today find accolades in knowing that we have something in common with a dishwasher. (Okay maybe the word accolades is a stretch) But after all, isn't it a nice thought to know we can be beautiful and useful at the same time?

As for the wedding, the wedding, the wedding...

I cannot begin to express how absolutely wonderful it was, but I will try. To see my children serve one another was so amazing. I have said before and state it again: It took a whole family to marry Stef and Nate off. Stefani had five mother of the brides and it was awesome to share that role with her sisters. Each one played a specific role in helping get where she is today, not too mention, through out the whole wedding festivities. Her brothers (we have no -in laws in our family) were Amber's right and left hand, Cory, Sean, Vaughn and Logan, we could not have done without one of them! In case you didn't get the memo, Amber was the CEO and wedding planner of this huge event. I tried to come in and take over and instead almost got demoted. By whom you might ask? I would say by the self appointed wedding planner but that would simply not be fair. Amber stepped into the role of maid of honor like I have never seen anyone else do. She worked and planned in ways that I wouldn't have dreamed of. Stefani was living with her as this was all happening. It was a perfect place for Stefani to be, it was the right place. I cannot say thank you enough to both she and Vaughn. However the gratitude does not stop there, as I said it took a whole family (and lots of friends and extended family) to pull off what Logan deemed "the perfect wedding".


Stefani's face said it all as she rounded the corner into the celestial room and saw her whole family waiting for her. Though we can put a price on the reception, the temple we cannot, it is a lifetime of blessings and it is priceless.


...But enough of the wedding... the wedding.... the wedding..., Let the pictures speak for themselves.
If you want to see more go to the site below (the photographer's) you will have further view of our destination's end.
http://jenheremphotography.blogspot.com
(you will need to scroll down to Nathan and Stefani)

"Destinations are Where we Begin Again..."

Many of my sweet and caring friends have asked me how I feel about having an official empty nest. The above words taken from Josh Groban's song 'Believe' have given me new understanding and purpose. For the most part I am happiest around my children and grandchildren (Having John beside me of course). I love them, they are my best friends. So to have them all married and away from me is difficult and yet fulfilling. Perhaps I should explain. All through their little-teenage-young adult life I prayed that they would one day find themselves within the sacred surroundings of the Lord's house, hand in hand with an eternal companion. To know that each of my children have received that blessing allows me to know that John and I have indeed reached a destination in our lives. It is a goal and dream that has reached its fruition and now, as I hear the words "trains move quickly to their journeys end" I testify it is true but...."destinations are where we begin again" Though my nest is empty, my dreams are not and it is time for new goals... new destinations.

It is time to add those same prayers for each of my grandchildren. (Actually I stated that the day I knew they were coming)

It is time to go back to school.

It is time to clean out the closets (ewwww)

Apparently it is time for a new calling for both John and I:).

It is time... well, for anything I deem worthy.

Seeing one dream come to such a beautiful end feels me with excitment to begin anew.

Way too far from the tree...

A query about the newlyweds led my father and I reminiscing about the old BYU days or rather his old BYU days. What I gleaned from our journey down memory lane was something that I felt deserved posting, if only for posterity sake.

With five daughters and one more on the way my parents started back to school, I say parents, though my father was the only one in full matriculation, make no mistake, it took two to get his graduate degree! However, for now I will share some of my fathers efforts of what it took to start and finish a BACHELORS AND MASTERS degree in five years being the father of (now) six girls. We lived in Payson, Utah and dad would drive everyday to BYU (via no freeway) a drive which took about an hour. Prior to college dad had been an iron worker so he took on welding jobs there at BYU to help get through school. When the last of the three, five story high-rise dorms had been completed his boss said okay were done, but with unshakable determination my father's quick response was, "Well, I am not" (done with school that was). His boss told him if he could get to the University of Utah (probably another 75 minutes north of BYU) then he would have a job for him. Because of union rules and the company not wanting to pay over time my dad devised a plan with his boss. He was to work 12 hour days on both Saturday and Sunday (driving to and from the University of Utah from Payson, not counting the drive each day to BYU) and his boss would work out the other details. So my father, in order to complete his master's degree took on the work. Mind you, back at home he still had cows to milk, gardens to weed, orchards to tend to (that was the only way my parents could put food on the table) and six daughters who claimed his attention, not too mention, his beautiful wife, my mother. (On a side note about the cows; my grandfather, told my father he could go and gather hay along the creek beds on his land to feed our milk cows). In order to get to his classes on time, my father would bring a change of clothing and change in a dusty old room. Utilizing every minute and every resource he had, dad completed his education.

I hear his words and all but hang my head in shame.... To think that I am trying to decide if signing up for a class on line will be too difficult! Boy, just how far did this apple fall from the tree?