She did it!

Well, it's over. 13 years of school. My Jillian has made us so proud! We had a few "moments" yesterday, Andrew and I. We were remembering when she was a few weeks old, and we did the math to determine what year she would graduate high school...the date "2008" seemed light years away....we imagined the world being like a Star Trek episode! Hee.
As I reflected on the past 13 years, the images were all of her always doing her best. The speaking parts in elementary school programs, our excitement of her being accepted to the gifted and talented program in 5th and 6th grade. Accompanying the choir in Jr. High...trying out for and making honor choir. The year she got her name on the wall of the Jr. High for having a perfect 4.0 all year. Choosing to take college classes last year, and earning A's in them! Our joy over being able to give her a car for her 16th birthday. Trying out for Encore show choir last year...and making it! Graduating from Seminary. She has been very blessed with her experiences, but has earned every one of them. We couldn't be prouder of her accomplishments. But most of all, we love who she is and who she is becoming.




Thank you, Jillian, for being such a joy to raise. We are so proud of your efforts. We love you more than we can express. We have such optimism and hope for your future. I can't wait to watch as you begin writing the next chapter of your life!

Riding bikes - innocence scraped and bruised

So Grace learned to ride her bike on 2 wheels a couple of weeks ago. All has been well.





















Until Saturday night. She fell for the first time.


Of course, since she's the miracle baby of the family with eleventy million pictures depicting every minute of her beautiful little life, I had to take yet another picture of this sad loss of innocence. Bad things just don't happen in her world. Really. The funny thing is: she cried harder that I was taking a picture than when she fell. ???

2 Graduations

This week Grace graduated from Kindergarten. She had a speaking part in the program..."we learned the seven continents and all the animals there...the cultures and the people we studied with much care." She had it memorized and got to hold the globe for her prop.


















Ryan also graduated from 8th Grade (the last grade taught at Renaissance Academy.) He is the Academic Vice President on Student Council, so had to MC the event. He did a great job, and of course, got an Academic Excellence Award from the teachers. He is amazing!

Singin' and Dancin'

This is Jillian in her last Encore Show Choir performance of the year. It has been an amazing experience for her to be a part of this group. Her Senior year of High School has totally rocked! Click on the photo and see if you can identify the person in the trench coat behind her!Seminary Graduation. Of course, Jill was asked to accompany the hymns, but she also performed a beautiful arrangement of "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" with two other girls who played the violin and viola. She did a great job. Jill was recently called as an organist for our ward...and that combined with 4 years of playing in every seminary class she's ever had has made her an expert on the hymns. She knows all of the page numbers by heart. Ask her. Any hymn. She could probably tell you where it is : )

Flowers

So Every May 15th I spend time planting flowers in my yard. It's my way of acknowledging the day, grieving, and some of that "days of plenty" mentality. Why not choose to plant, grow, spread some beauty?
This year I planted my boxes, and my dear friend Kristen Moyes brought over this beautiful stone for me. Thank you Kristen, for "mourning with those who mourn", for being so unconditional and for understanding that comfort can take many different forms. I love you...you are truly a gift and blessing for anyone lucky enough to know you.

Days of Plenty

I never dreamed of this sorrow,
I never thought I'd have reason to lament,
I hoped I'd never know heartbreak,
How I wish I could change the way things went!
I wanted nothing but goodness,
I wanted reason to prevail,
Not this bare emptyness.
I wanted Days of Plenty.

But I refused to feel tragic,
I am aching for more than pain and grief.
There has got to be meaning,
Most of all when a life has been so brief.
I have got to learn something,
How can I give her any less?
I want life to go on.
I want Days of Plenty

You have to Believe,
There is reason for Hope.
You have to Believe
That the answers will come.
You can't let this defeat you.
I won't less this defeat you.
You must fight to keep her there,
Within you!

So Believe that she matters!
And Believe that she always will!
She will always be with you!
She'll be part of the days you've yet to fill!
She will live in your bounty!
She will live as you carry on your life!

So carry on,
Full of Hope,
She'll be there,

For all your Days of Plenty

(from the Broadway musical "Little Women")

10 Years

Ten years ago today my mom left us. We had it all. Now we don't.