New Callings

About a month ago the Primary President asked me if I wanted to stay in Primary for another year or be released. After being in primary for 2 years, I felt that it was time for me to be released. The second week in January a member of the bishopric told me that I was going to be released, but they had something else in mind for me; but they couldn't tell me what it was yet. Needless to say, John has been giving me a hard time ever since. He says I am going to get something big, because I asked to be released.
Today as soon as we walked into church a member of the bishopric was coming towards me, (and while I didn't know it until later) another member of the bishopric was with John.
John has been giving the bishop a hard time for a while now. Begging to be released from his Sunday School Calling. The week before last he said he used reversed psychology on him so he could be released. The bishop told him they had something in mind for him,but they couldn't tell him.
Well today I received my new calling. I am Secretary in Young Womens. I have no clue what to do, but I am with a great group of women. I hope they will lead the way and show me what I need to do.
John was released today as well and interviewed by someone from the stake. He knows what his calling is, but it hasn't been announced at church, so I guess his will have to remain a secret for another week. When he was told that he was being released, he asked if he could remain teaching his class, but they said he couldn't. John said, he had just gotten into it, and he was working on a special project with his class to be completed in the next 6 months, and now he has been released. (John's class is now going to be taught by the Stake President who was just released last week, because him and his wife along with their children, have been called to serve a mission). Wish us luck, we are both going to need it.....

Pictures

Activity Day Recognition Night:1/19/10

Here are some pictures from recognition night. Ashlee displayed some of the items she entered in the fair. Spoke about the awards she received at the fair and received some beads and charms to start building her necklace for her achievements in her Faith To God Book.

The group of girls that are 8-11 in our ward that attend activity day twice a month.

Pictures of the hail left over from the storm we experienced on 1/20/10.

Whitmore Charter School Assembly 1/22/10

Ashlee received an award for having 50 Accelerated Reader Points. Her teacher explained that having 50 AR Points is well above the requirement for 3rd grade. If she keeps up at the pace she is going she should have a 100 by the end of the school year. That will be quite an accomplishment. If she reaches a 100 she will have lunch with her teacher.

After 5 days without Internet service, we are finally up and running again. Apparently the storms we had knocked out the power to the Internet tower and PG&E couldn't access the road to fix the lines, due to the damage from the storms. Today we are experiencing sunshine. A very welcomed sight. Although, it will be short and sweet since more rain is on the way.

Us

Well the last two weeks have been packed full of ups and downs. I do have things to post about and pictures to post, but the pounding rain and wind that we have been experiencing for the last 5 days has knocked out our Internet service. Therefore, I am left with accessing the Internet here and there at work.
Last week the girls had dentist appointments. Neither of them have cavities, BUT Mikayla has a mouth full of overcrowding issues going on. She has two rows of teeth growing on the top and bottom because there just isn't enough room in her mouth for her teeth to fit. The dentist says she will need to start seeing an orthodontist this summer to start working on widening her mouth before braces can be done down the road (just what I wanted to hear, especially since our insurance doesn't cover orthodontics).
Thursday I went to endocrinologist for my thyroid. Apparently the cyst has gotten larger and now there is another one as well. I will be having them biopsied on the 26th. Treatment will depend on the biopsy results.
Friday I found out that I have to have surgery for some other issues going on and if they get in there and things are too bad, I will have to have a hysterectomy.
Saturday I went to change the battery in Mikayla's hearing aid and it broke. Every time they break it is at least $200 to fix. Repairing hearing aide's are like repairing cars. It's never cheap! Ashlee celebrated her 9th birthday at Michaels Arts and Craft Store and Saturday night we attended Stake Conference and got to hear from a General Authority and someone from the Qurom of the twelve. It was a good conference. Not dry and boring.
Monday (the 18th) Ashlee turned 9 years old. Where did the time go? She is growing so fast. I can't believe she is already 9. Since she had a party on Saturday, we didn't do anything special except have her favorite- tacos and nachos for dinner.
Tuesday night Ashlee received some awards at Activity Day Recognition Night at Church. I have photo's to post whenever we have Internet at home again.
The rest of the week has been spent working and trying to stay dry. A heavy wind, rain, hail, thunder and lightening storm hit our house Wednesday afternoon leaving behind a path of destruction. I have pictures of this too. Let's just say we have some work ahead of us. A tree snapped in half in the front yard. The bathroom has a leak in it and the shop is just about roof free and a totally wet mess inside. I will be glad when spring comes, maybe by then things will be dried out:).

Ashlee's 9th Birthday Party

For Ashlee's 9th birthday, we decided to celebrate it, by having a party at Michael's Arts and Craft Store, each child made an apron. She invited 11 girls to join her in celebrating her birthday.

The girls are waiting to receive directions on how to decorate their aprons.

Ashlee, Hailee and Mikayla Alyssa and Aubrie

After the girls decorated their aprons they had pizza for lunch. Girls can eat! 10 girls ate 4 large pizza's.

As you can see. There wasn't much left.

Instead of a cake, I made cupcakes. Ashlee almost caught her hair on fire while they were singing Happy Birthday to her. She put her hair in the candles. Luckily nothing happened.

Ashlee opening her gifts.

All the girls that came to celebrate Ashlee's birthday with her.



Mikayla, Hailee, Alyssa, Nicole, Ashlee, Camryn, Jadyn, Aubrie and Sarah.

Each girl went home with a M&M Cookie in a Jar mix as a thank you gift for attending the party. The thought being that they could go home and use the apron they made to make some cookies for their family. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and had fun. My Mom, John and I couldn't believe how rowdy a group of girls could get. John said he thought only boys got that way!

Ashlee's Birthday Treat at School

Today I brought donuts in to Ashlee's class for her birthday. Since Monday is her birthday, but there isn't any school on Monday.

Side Note: I really do comb her hair before she leaves the house in the morning. I don't know why she seems to be the only child in the school with messed up hair everyday:)

Faith

A couple of weeks ago John and I were talking about establishing some goals. Neither one of us could really come up with anything. We just both know that we are tired of being in the "rut" that were in (the always working, living pay check to pay check rut, never feeling like we can get ahead rut) and we want to work towards getting out of that rut. We are both thankful that we are employed,(although we find ourselves asking the question"Is this really what I was meant to do?) have health insurance, food on the table and a home to live in, but it just feels as though something(s) is missing and we need to find what that something(s) is.
Life seems to be somewhat of a mystery. Never knowing what lies ahead. We seem to be living in very uncertain times, thus making life more of a mystery. The road our Government and our President are taking us down isn't a pleasant one and has me very worried about our future and our children's future.
We often find ourselves asking the question "Why us?" We have been through a lot. Our children have been through more than most children, but through faith, prayer, determination (and I must admit, lots of STRESS) we always seem to make it through the trials that are presented to us. As 2009 comes to an end and 2010 lies ahead of us we need to have FAITH.

Faith in knowing that what lies ahead of us will make us stronger(Heavenly Father has a way of not giving us more than we can handle).

Faith that everthing will somehow work out and be ok.

Increasing our Faith (both personally and in our children).

Realizing that although the world around us is hectic, uncertain, and at times upsetting, our Faith is what keeps us strong and keeps us going.

And last but not least, having the faith to make goals and achieve those goals. Wish us luck.....

Happy New Year. Wishing you the best in 2010.