Lisa Beth

My mother has taught me so much.

Especially about sacrifice.

She took on the stay at home mom role when we were little. Dropped out of school and supported my dad while he was finishing up his education. Then she supported her kiddos, including me, and taught us all we needed to know about life I guess. When we all got older and were in school she went back to school to get her degree in elementary education. During that time she donated her kidney to her brother in need.

Besides the huge sacrifices she has made in her life, my mother is also always the one to make the sacrifice so that we, as her children, can do those things we desire.

She is the one to leave Hebgen Lake early so Steph O can make it to his football practices.

She is the one to drive to and from Provo in one day so I can come home for Christmas.

She is one to spend numerous unpaid hours after school to make sure her lesson plans are done and ready for her other 2nd grade kiddos.

She is the one I hope I can be like someday.

On another note I like to call my mom a lot.

She gives me really good advice most of the time. But sometimes when I am freaking out over something that is probably dumb in the long run, but pretty important to me at the time, she sits on the other end of the line and somehow cannot control her laughter.

I have been in the "depths of despair and concern" many times and she has found it to be quite humorous. Mostly because she has been through it all too, so I guess she has the right to laugh. And in the end, looking back at the things I am most concerned about, I can see why she laughs.

That probably didn't make sense. Maybe my mother dearest will get it.

Jordan Ray

Jordan Ray is my older brother.

Yes. I do take my place as the sister in between two brothers.

It is great when both of my brothers get together and decide to full on tease attack me. They are relentless. And if it wasn't so funny I might go insane.

But it is pretty funny.

(Awkward Christmas Morning)

Things I remember about jord from our younger years include:

Watching him separate a bag of M and M's into color coordination. Then playing basketball with them.

Once when he was biking he fell off and skinned his knee so blood was running down his leg. I thought he was going to die.

We used to use this large mat he had that had a basketball court on it to slide down the stairs with. It was awfully slick which made it really fun. I don't think our mother appreciated it so much.

Jord had a hamster. Named him Lil Vince. Once he ran away and we set up a trap with food. He came back.

Then we got older.

Jord was definitely a cool guy in high school. I was always jealous of his ability to be social and funny.

He went on a mission to Montreal, Canada. In doing that he became such a good example to younger siblings, cousins, friends, ect.

He likes to wear his hair long. And in a ponytail. I have no words.

(Awkward Hand.)

Stephen Howard

I miss my family.

I kind of want to see them a lot.

Especially since I don't get to go home until August.

So the next few days are for them.

Stephen Howard would you like to be the first?

Okay perfect.

Stephen Howard was born two days before my birthday. I was about to turn four years old when he came into the world. At first I was a little disappointed because it kind of took away some of the emphasis on MY birthday. But in time I would get over that. Woosh.

Stephen got all the athletic ability that I didn't get. He can play pretty much any sport. And although that includes your general sports like basketball, football, baseball, and golf, it also transfers into the realm of non-common sports like water sports. Waterskiing, wakeboarding, wake-surfing, body surfing, trolling for sharks, he does it all and more.

Way back in the day my room upstairs would get really hot in the summer months. So Stephen and I would pull out the mattress and sleep out in our basement. After watching TV for a little bit we would turn it off and one of us would say a familiar phrase "You wanna talk?" Then other one would quickly respond with "You go first." We would usually talk about Hebgen Lake and what we planned to do on our summer days. He would always fall asleep first. I loved those chats though.

Stephen fulfills his role as little brother by being the most annoying person on this planet. Just so you know.

But I love him anyways.

I miss him sometimes.

I miss watching him excel at sports.

I sometimes wish I could watch him in his high school years.

Love you Steph O.

Could Everything Please Just Happen At Once

Thanks.

I would really appreciate it.

This is kind of how I feel right now.

Out in the water dragging behind the boat. Ready to get up.

Life is a little like wake surfing.

Sometimes you have to take the plunge into the freezing cold water. Get in the ready position while holding the rope and board, dragging in the water, until you say hit it. Then you are up (hopefully). Learning to get your balance before you can let go of the rope and ride the wake.

So this all makes sense in my head. And relates to my life in my head too.

A while ago I took the plunge into college. I am getting ready for life after schooling I guess and there are a lot of things to hold on to. Right now I am juggling getting through finals, figuring out how I am going to get to Seattle, figuring out how I am going to pack for Seattle, new roommates, new adventures, classes I need to take, a boy I really like, assignments I need to finish, classes I should probably attend, religious responsibilities I have, it doesn't seem to end. I am ready to go to Seattle. I am ready to get up there and find my balance. But right now I am just dragging behind the boat waiting until I can say hit it.

Don't get me wrong it is a wonderful journey. And I am trying to enjoy and learn from it.

But Seattle is just so close.

And I am just so excited.

Since I accepted my acceptance into Flourishing Families I have known it has been right. I expect I will learn a lot from this experience. Maybe something about myself, probably something about other people, definitely a thing or two about sacrifice, and hopefully more than I can currently imagine.

So Seattle and I will meet in three weeks. And I will get up and going. But until then could everything please just happen at once?

Thanks.

GC-Day Two

I love General Conference.

The Sunday Session was incredible.

I love that the church is concerned about the temporal welfare of man. The welfare program that is now in its 75th year of existence had to have been inspired because it is amazing how it is run. It has helped so many people in a variety of ways. I am amazed by what it has accomplished thus far.

I am thankful for temples. I am thankful that inside the temple family relationships can be made eternal.

I am thankful I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I am thankful that conference talks are written through personal revelation. And when we listen by the spirit some words can be especially for us, in answer to our prayers.

I am thankful for Elder Richard G. Scotts talk. He loves his wife. He is a perfect example of pure love, righteous love, true love.

I love General Conference.

GC-Day One

I love General Conference.

So much.

Some of my favorite things about GC include...

*Sister Stevens talk about little children. How they are the first to love. The first to forgive. And how we can learn so much from their example. Also I love that Todd and Katie were two little examples in her talk because Todd and Katie were both here :)

*I love the idea of a Day of Service that President Eyring was talking about.

*I love Elder Cooks talk about women. Motherhood- Economic Compensation=No Eternal Significance= Absolutely. I will forever be thankful to my mother for her sacrifice to be home with us especially when we were young.

*I loved that President Samuelson got to speak because he is the BYU president so it was pretty neat. His voice is also the greatest thing ever.

*I also thought it was very interesting that President Packer said that when we refer to the church we should refer to it as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

*I love that there will be three new temples.

* I love that there are 14 million members-and this is only the beginning.

*I love general conference.

*I love that we still have two more sessions to go.

One more thing. I love the two hour break in between sessions. Today we played an intense game of volleyball out in the sunshine. I love spring.

Spring Break 2010.

Maddie Bo. A perfect picture.

GC

I love General Conference.

April General Conference means spring.

And Provo is allowing us to catch a glimpse of spring for at least two days.

I love the blue skies.

The green grass.

The sunshine.

The idea that finals will be over before we know it and summer is just around the bend.

The fact that Seattle is in my near future.

The fact that Seattle is not too soon though.

Because I especially like Provo right now.

I love spring.

I hope it decides to stick around momentarily.

Spring Break 2010

This is the life.