March

Another year older and wiser too! I used to hate my Birthdays, now I look forward to them. I see them as a gift, as now I can see that they are not guaranteed. My wonderful family took me to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner after church. It was pretty funny, there were several birthdays being celebrated, Jason decided to sing along and suggested that from then on we sing with the wait staff when they sing to people....then he decided we had better not.

I know more pictures of your dogs?! Only fitting to share as we did meet one year ago on my Birthday! They were my Birthday present last year and they have been one that has kept on giving. (Bow courtesy of MJ)

Hollister, CA (3/8/15)

This trip will be one that I will remember forever, not because anything special happened, but because it is the last trip that our friend Hayward will be able to participate in. He passed away on my Birthday.

Sweet Mariah!

Love my Beauty!

We made a special Rubicon Run to celebrate Hayward's life. Jason made a cowbell in Haywards' honor and hung it on a tree at the top of a small obstacle. The remainder of the trail we talked about him, especially when we came to an area that  meant something to us, where we had lunch, where we helped wench him out of a tough spot, and where we spent a couple of hours fixing our jeep.

 

 March was a month to remember..... two friends passed on my birthday, a fellow Thyroid Cancer Warrior, Rob who I had come to love these past four years and Hayward, I celebrated another birthday, spent time with family and friends. All in all I would have to say that March was truly a month to remember.

February

Happy Valentine's Day! Wow, it's that time of year again. Time to think about and celebrate all of the love that has been brought into our lives. Well that is how I see it. I know traditionally it is a time for lovers to sneak off for a special time for just the two of them. That is wonder, and absolutely necessary, however when I think of Valentine's Day I don't know, I guess I just see it differently now that I have in the past. I see it as a day to reflect on all of the love that I have been blessed with, my wonderful husband, and trust me he is wonderful (how he can put up with me some days, man all I can say is he was Heaven sent), my amazing kids each special and unique in their own way, my extended family (Mom, Sharon, Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters, Cousin, Nephews, and niece, and those who have already passed through the veil Dad, Grandpas and Grandmas and countless others), and my friends. Each and everyone of you have added joy and love to my life, I am so thankful to have been blessed to have you in my life be it for my lifetime or for a fleeting moment.

Jason and I spent Valentine's Day (evening) eating Panda Express with Toby. It was a great way to spend the evening! The day after we went to lunch just the two of us, which was wonderful, to have some alone time (yeah we did talk about the kids, but not the entire time). Then we headed to Sacramento to get Marcika from Yamaanibah's.

 Not a lot of human pics this month, however there are a lot of the pups.

 Poor Mariah got strep throat! 

 Okay, so one day Ella came up to me and I just had to laugh...MJ decided the pups needed makeovers, and they patiently sat there while she applied makeup to them. They sure are patient and loving!

 Ana all dolled up! 

Closer look of Ella!

January

HaPpY bIrThDaY TOBY!!!! So hard to believe that my sweet Tobers is 17! Is such a pleasure and privileged watching him learn and grow into the wonderful young man that he is becoming. True Toby style there are no pictures to capture this marvelous event :( I am sad to say, but hey it is his special day! He chose Red Robin as his dinner of choice, good times with the ones I love, can't really ask for more!

Mariah went ice skating with Mutual and it looks like she had a great time!

 Jason got new tires and rims for the jeep. Sharon told me that when he was younger he would work on his bike in the house....somethings never change, the toys just get bigger.

I spent a lot of time in Reno from November 2014 - January 2015. I was able to visit a place that is dear to my hear several times. The Reno Temple! The views of Reno from there at night are amazing! 

I was also able to spend some time with some amazing people and was blessed to be able to get to know my mom-in-law a lot better. One would think that I am a shopper with the amount of shopping that I did....yeah, still not me, gave it a shot though.

 These little fish have hands, look at those fingers!

 While turtles are pretty cool, we decided they are to smelly for us.

MJ really really really wants a ferret.....

MJ checking out the fish with hands. 

Mall makeovers!

Love my girl!

 Got to see Landen wrestle! He did a great job!

Traveling home I was able to see some beautiful skies!

 

Finally my baby girl came home!

The pups missed her too. They would not leave her side.

These past several months I have learned how precious life is, how much my family means to me and just how much my heart can take (it can withstand far more than I could have ever dreamed). With Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on our side, I know that there is nothing that we cannot overcome with faith and trust in Them. While this has been an extremely hard and trying time I can honestly say that I have learned so much and have grown close to Them and to the people in my life that They have placed in it. I have learned that it is okay to need help and it is even okay to ask for it, in fact we need to ask for help. We were not put on this earth to get through this journey alone, that was never part of the plan, we were put here together to love, support, uplift and help each other. Thank you for all of your love and support!