Looking back

Today is December 9th, 2008. For the past few weeks I've been remembering a lot of events, and occurances over the past few years that have taken place about this time of year. So here's a few thoughts from me.

A few months ago this BBQ Pit restraunt opened on the north side of town. When I drive by it reminds me of when my family lived in Martinez, Georgia while my dad was stationed at Ft. Gordon. Driving home from school everyday on the bus I smelled that same smell. As a child I always thought it was some one grilling, and never bothered to think "Why would a person grill every day?" So this smell took me back 20 years, and now I know why it smelled like that every day.

It's almost 8 years since I twisted my knee, and had to use crutches for a month, and drive using my left leg. I did get to use a handi-capped card for parking. Just to fill you in I was playing freeze tag with a bunch of guys (and only one other girl who they wouldn't tackle, just me, go figure) at the city park, and when I jumped off the merry-go-round I landed badly, and tore some cartilage in my right knee. I didn't hurt till the next morning.

5 years ago Stephen and I had just begun dating. I knew right away he was the one and instead of me being the one persuing him, who never had a girlfriend before, I let him take things at his own pace. On Christmas Night we kissed for the first time, and nearly two weeks later I was in the hospital with a kidney stone. (No, he didn't give me a kidney stone, the city water did) Stephen was being warned by many relatives that this is how things would be if he stayed with me (ironically they weren't too far from the truth).

4 years ago I fainted during a concert in Colonial Juarez, Mexico, and still don't know why that had been happening to me. I should have listened to my band director, who told me not to go on this tour, but I was afraid of being kicked out of choir and choraleers. Tom was right, and my health did get worse. A few months later it went away, and I never have had fainting problems again.

3 years ago we lost our dear Noxie, and in Generals grief we adopted Osgood. Its actually an interesting story on how we found him; we were driving around looking for a pet store. We started arguing because I couldn't stand how Stephen was driving and that we weren't anywhere near where I wanted to be. We pulled over so we could switch drivers and lo and behold there was a pet store we never knew about. At that point Osgood chose us by jumping into Stephen's arms and would NOT let go.

2 years ago we lost General. That was the worst thing that could happen at that time. I was in a very dangerous place even when he was there, and losing him was more devastating than any of you will ever know. General was nearly just as human as he was a cat. He was our little boy, and had a lot of child-like traits. Unless you knew him it isn't possible for me to explain what his loss meant to us. But in a matter of days (and almost to the day today) we found out we were pregnant.

Last year, after moving up here, we saw how lonely Osgood was. Back in Sierra Vista he still had playmates, but he was our only cat, so he moved up here alone. We were determined to get a female cat, and didn't even bother looking at any males. Luckily for Rizzo he was believed to be female, and his paper work said so. We didn't think we were quite ready to bring home another cat, but something made us decide this kitten was it. We brought home Daphne, and a month later renamed him Rizzo.

Now that the year is coming to a close it is definitely ending better than it began for us. For the many of you who don't know I am pregnant again. I am 12 weeks along, and due June 23rd. Today I listened to the heart beat, and Franklin was a little concerned about what he was hearing and became upset when they took the doppler off and we stopped hearing it.

We were also hoping we could announce that we were moving (staying in Utah County) but we've decided to wait a little while longer. I called our primary president and she was thrilled we weren't moving. She also confessed that she didn't know what to do about our class next year because they were the only class she couldn't find a teacher for. Our class has been very sad, and upset when we originally told them we were going to move. One of them was actually very mad and said he won't come to church anymore when we leave. Now that we are going to stay where we are we keep our class, and even move up to teaching just valiant 12, instead of 11 and 12. I think I'll bring them something nice on Sunday to tell them we're staying.