Memorable Monday7th Grade Spring Pics

Taylor Junior High had their spring pictures planned, but they were cancelled due to  the teacher strike.  So, Emmy didn't get 7th grade wpring pictures.  She was climbing trees instead.  I know that Emmy would have preferred climbing trees.

Emmy up in a tree

Josh, Danni, and Angela
7th Grade Spring Pics

Relief Society Second Counselor

Nanna, Jeanne, Sharon, and I

I was released as the Relief Society counselor today.  It was bittersweet.  I'll miss working closely with Jeanne and others in the presidency, but I could feel that it was time.  Time for a change.  I just had planned my last RS activity with a visit to the Temple Visitor Center.  We watched the Joseph Smith Restoration Movie.  It was a powerful movie and it turned out to be such a sweet activity.  

RS Activity

Our new presidency is Donna Stephenson, Shelly Huber, Brenda Johnson, and Nanna Gutherie.  They seem like the perfect presidency to me.  Donna Stephenson stopped by and dropped off a dozen of beautiful roses to thank me for my service.  She is going to be wonderful RS president.  I'm excited to see what's in store for the RS this

Beautiful Flower

Innovative ShowcaseLaser Maze

Josh is finishing his junior year at ASU.  He had a great year and was on the Dean's List twice.  He loved his robotics class and decided that his secondary area of focus will be manufacturing.  For his EGR 314 class, he made a laser maze which is probably solved with open a trap door that holds a key.  It was a super cool project, so cool that it won him a trip to San Francisco to show it off.   We are incredibly proud of him and his hard work.  

Josh's team was in the top 3 projects in all the ERG 314 classes. There were about 30 teams that participated in the showcase. The top 3 teams are going to SAN FRANCISCO to demo their Laser Game Escape Room Project. Congrats!!!

New Beginnings

Our YW had their New Beginnings tonight.  The girls planned this event themselves.  It was a Wizard of Oz theme.  Glenda the Good Witch led Dorothy through the yellow brick road and learned about the YW program and values.   Each of these values helps us lead to the temple, which was the backdrop.  Faith was Dorothy who is the newest beehive coming in this year.  Each of the girls represented characters in the Wizard of Oz - Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Witches, Lion, Munchkins, Glenda, and of course, Dorothy.  The girls did such a great job planning it and it made Faith the center of the program. 

KBP YW

Angela loves Savannah

Dorothy with Totos - Savannah and Angela

Dorothy with the tin men, Brooke and Emmy

My girls

Some of Emmy's friends in YW

Guardianship

Today, the courts granted guardianship of Angela to Jim and I.  I couldn't be happier.  It wasn't an easy process.  It took me a long time to decide to seek for guardianship.  I knew that it was what was best, but I didn't want to have to go through the courts.  But, after several months of debating, praying, attending classes, listening to friends, praying again, reading documents regarding Angela, talking with Jim, and praying again; Jim and I decided to move forward in seeking guardianship.  We first looked for a doctor that would sign off on the paperwork.  Then I filled out the massive amount of paperwork and planned a day to go to the courthouse.  Jim and I went to the courthouse and filed the paperwork together since we are looking into guardianship together.  I got a little teary-eyed as I signed the papers to start the process.  It was becoming real.  

Angela had to get a lawyer and he met with her in our home.  He seemed to agree that guardianship was the best.  Then, we needed to wait for a court investigator.  Just a week before the hearing, she came to our home for a visit.  She was really nice and also agreed with us that guardianship would be best.  After even more paperwork was handed in and training completed, all we needed was for the judge to agree that guardianship was needed and that we were the best ones to take care of her.

We met with the judge for just 15 minutes.  I answered some questions from the lawyer and then the judge granted us guardianship.  We went over the reports that we would need to fill out now, and in the future.  I hated the whole process, but now I have a say in my daughter's life.  She needs that extra help and now she can get it.

To celebrate, we had breakfast at Village Inn.  It was really yummy and lucky for us, it was Wednesday and we went home with free pie.  It was fun to spend the morning with Angela.  April 25th is now known as Guardianship Day.  We will celebrate it and remember that date is when our yearly report is due.

Senior Ditch Day

Today was senior ditch day, and it was a great day.  We started off with breakfast at Dunkin Donuts, and then headed to Walmart to buy some stuff for PROM.  Angela threw in a backpack and a watch. She loves backpacks and needed a watch.  Afterwards, we headed home.  I had a meeting and she played on the computer during that time.  After my meeting, we headed  to Costa Vida for lunch.  We invited Josh to join us.  We saw one of Emmy's teachers there and thought of Em.  To bad she had AZmerit, or I would have pulled her out of school to join us.  After lunch, we dropped Josh off and home and headed to the Preserve to walked around.  We saw a lot of wildlife while we were there: 10 bunnies, turtles, and ducks showing off.  It was such a nice day and the weather was perfect.  On the way home, we stopped by Redbox and picked up a movie for Angela - My Little Pony.  That's her fav.  I hope she enjoyed her senior ditch day.

Memorable MondayMy Kids

I saw this quote on Social Media and it totally reminded me of my kids.  Having a special needs sister has changed given them a wonderful trait of empathy.  I have seen them with Angela and they are so good to her.  They interact with her and get her involved.  I am amazed how wonderful and kind my kids are.  My kids are special and this quote sums it up.

Looking back, I can see my kids' friendship has grown as we have played, supported each other, and just hung out.  Listening to my kids play video games is music to my ears as they work together to solve problems.  They treat each other respectfully and I admire that about them.  Here are just a few pics of my kids interacting with Angela.

My Kids

Danni and Angela dancing in the street

Emmy and Angela go swimming together often

Josh shows his project to Angela

Grandma and Grandpa

Danni is going to have a baby.  She wanted to give me a gift and needed some money for it, so I put some money into her account. A little later, she asked about health insurance.  My mom intuition popped up and I knew that she was pregnant.  I didn't say anything because I wanted it to be a surprise.  A few weeks later at Sodalicious, Danni had a gift for me: baby shoes and a pregnancy test.  I didn't act too surprised. She didn't understand my reaction, so  I told her that I knew she was pregnant and how I arrived at my conclusion.  She was surprised that I figured it out.  Haha!!!  Our family knew but had to keep it a secret for just a little bit longer.  Dnni wanted to tell the rest of the family and social media on her own time.  She also informed us that she was moving to Showlow the same night.  That announcement shocked me.

Her Social Media announcement

Cute sign that Danni had made for us

We went to Danni's ultrasound to see what she was having, a boy or a girl.  It was fun to sit on the nice big couches and watch her little boy squirm on the big TV screen.  He was moving a lot so Danni was able to see her baby boy.  We are so excited for her and can't wait for his arrival.

Last Late Late Start for Ang!

Since Angela is a senior, today was her last late late start.  Jim and I took the girls to breakfast at Kneaders. This was the first time my girls have been there and they really liked the food, Jim, too.  I want late late starts to be a great day, so getting out and grabbing breakfast is important.  Even though this is Ang's last late late start, there are many more opportunities to grab breakfast.

National Siblings Day

Today is National Sibling Day.  I have the best siblings in the world.  We had a great time in Benson and really bonded again.  We don't get together often enough, but we have a great time when we do.  One night, we took our turn in the hot tub and talked for hours.  It was one of my favorite memories and we talked about important stuff and silly too.  I can share with my siblings feelings and thoughts and I know they respect me.  I know that I can count on them.  Love you guys!!!!!

Memorable MondayKid’s 8th Easter

Every year, I post pics of previous Easter Pics.  This year, I'm posing my kid's 8th year Easter Pics.  I love getting new Easter clothes for my kids.  Sometimes I bought matching dresses for the girls, but more recently, I didn't.  Josh just needs a new shirt and tie.  I love seeing how my kids looked like at the same time and Easter time seems like a good time.  I know that my kids aren't as thrilled as I am about pictures, but they are good sports and I really appreciate it.

General Conference

This was an amazing conference, with a lot of changes for us. 

*We started off conference by participating in the Solemn Assembly.  It was such a special thing to participate in.  To stand up and support President Nielson as our Prophet shows our faith in his as our current prophet.  At this time we also sustained two new Apostles - Elder Gong and Elder Soares

*Eight new General Authority Seventies were announced.

*New YW General Presidency was announced.

*Statistical Report is available online instead of read over the pulpit.

*Changes announced to combine Elder's Quorum and High Priest Quorum at the ward levels.  This was huge in that now we have 1 quorum instead of 2.  This can only unify our ward.

*First Presidency shares Easter Message - I love hearing Easter Messages from our leaders.  It's hard to have Easter the same weekend as Conference, but hearing their testimonies about Easter Morning helps. 

*Ministering replaces Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching.  This was another big change at the ward level.  This program sounds like an easier and more effective way to do visiting/home teaching.  It makes us focus out what the person we are ministering needs rather than how the  visiting teachers are making contact.  It focus on them.  This program will take awhile to get behind. but we can do it.

*Seven Temples Announced - Salta, Argentina; Bengaluru, India; Managua Nicaragua; Cagayan de Oro, Philippines; Layton, Utah; Richmond, Virginia; and a major city yet to be determined in Russia.

This conference was such a good one with some many changes.  Our prophets receive revelation and we need to pray for ourselves to see if this is true.  The 9th Article of Faith states: “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”.  This conference was full of revelation and I'm going to to study and pray about the changes made at this Conference.  I know that President Nelson is the prophet.  I know that he receives revelation from the Lord.  I also know that I need to pray about it myself.