Oh little neglected Blog. How many weeks have I gone without Dish? And so much to talk about (Tiger, hello???). I promise to do a big happy end of the year wrap-up next week, but for now I wanted to post our Christmas, er... New Year's newsletter for all to enjoy! :)
Where to start? The start of 09 was pretty much the usual winter for us. Broken resolutions, Award season, hibernating from the cold, watching "Lost" and indoor house projects. Thank heaven for spring to get us out of our winter funk. This is when our year really starts and of course, we always bite off WAY more than we can chew.
2009 was no exception. We decided it was finally time to upgrade our ghetto bathtub and do more updates on the bathroom. Fortunately, John's mom's old house (she got married and moved into her new husband's home) was empty while they were getting it ready to sell. We moved up there for 2 months, which was a blessing and a pain. I had to drive Katie down to school every day. Her almost perfect record was tainted with 13 tardies in those two months. And with our church responsibilities, the commute just got annoying.
During this time, I was asked by the Stake Cultural Arts director to help direct one of the short plays for their upcoming stake activity "Comedy Tonight." Instead of doing one for a variety of people in the stake, I suggested I write and direct a play just for my ward. We're the lucky ward in the stake to actually have a good number of great young men and women: talented and willing to perform, so of course, I just wanted to do one with them! So, I wrote a 30 minute version of "The Wizard of Oz" and with the help of a LOT of people, we performed the beginning of May. I don't even have to fake humility -- ours was definitely the best!
I was also on the Highland Park Elementary Arts Night Silent Auction committee which is a BIG deal at the school. The Arts night raises about $20,000 each year. I helped get donations for the auction and worked the event that night. It fell on Katie's 8th birthday, but she actually had a blast running around unsupervised like she owned the school
Katie was baptized Easter Weekend. It was a dismal gray day outside, but definitely a wonderful, warm one in the Grant Stake Center. John performed the baptism and confirmation. It was attended by a lot of family -- real, ward and friends a like. We had a breakfast buffet at our ward building afterwards. It really turned out to be a special day.
No one was heartbroken when school let out since that also led to us moving back in our home and not having to do the mad rush back to the Brickyard every day. John really had worked his a-- off and the bathroom looks awesome! June was pretty low-key and it started what is now known as the "Summer of Parent Doctor Appointments", which little did I know would turn into the "6 Month Mom and Dad Health Saga." There was at LEAST one doctor appointment a week I was chauffeuring either parent to. Some weeks two and a few, I swear, three. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but I know there were a lot.
Katie got to do some fun camps over the summer. We had the Mortimer Family Reunion, spent a weekend in Park City, and went to the Uintahs camping. Well here... if you really want to see what we did, check those posts from June - August!
Our Young Women's presidency was released in May (I think?) and I was called over the summer to be the Stake Cultural Arts director and a 4th-Sunday-teach-once-a-quarter Relief Society teacher. Leaders were definitely inspired, because there is NO way I could've handled an every week, demanding calling with all that's been going on. John continued serving as 1st Assistant TO the High Priest Group Leader. :)
In the fall, Katie happily started 3rd grade and got the "best teacher" at Highland Park. She also started piano with my mom, but my own rebellion seems to still be there because I don't even make her practice, much to Mom's chagrin. John got promoted to Sales and Marketing Director at AquaVeo. There was about a 6 week break from any medical drama with either parent, so we went on a much needed, fabulous 10-day vacation to So. Cal. We left the trip with our roof torn off the house and came home to a fantastic new one (that was NOT cheap - hence, all future house projects are on hold). And as most of you know, came home to all the latest stuff going on with my dad. In between his hospital stay, subsequent hospice stay, then back home with hospice care and back to hospice permanently, I was over the Stake's "Culture Night" - a dinner and entertainment night celebrating cultures around the world.
Update on my dad. His health is really declining, but he's still smart as a tack. Since he went to hospice the day before Thanksgiving, the last 6 weeks have been absolutely crazy since he was in the middle of a bunch of Christmas projects and other things. I've been playing secretary for him. As always, his spirits are good and we're just enjoying the time we have with him.
So, what people really want to know? The sum-up...
- We live in the same house -- updated bathroom, new roof = broke & no new projects on the horizon!
- Our jobs are the same, but John got a promotion. Katie is a total tween. Bailey is whining at me to get him a treat as I type, so nothing has obviously changed for him in a year.
- We still feel EXTREMELY blessed, despite (or maybe because of our) challenges. And we love all of you, our friends and family!
Merry Belated Christmas and a Happy New Year!
