Happy Birthday Juanita

Happy Birthday to my first born...



The other night Lee and I were watching some movie, I can't remember the title off hand, but the woman was in labor getting ready to welcome her baby in to the world for the first time. She states, "I'm not ready, I can't do this." I turn to Lee and tell him what I said to the nurse when I was getting ready to have my first born, Juanita. "I can't do this, I'm not ready, I've changed my mind, I just want to go home, can I go home now." The nurse kindly takes my hand and says to me, "Sorry sweetheart, but it's too late for that.Now it's time to push and have your baby." Now take in to account that I am a fifteen year old girl pretty much alone, my younger sister waiting in the waiting room for me. I was scared out of my mind...

But once I held my daughter in my arms and just looked at her like she was this precious, most amazing thing in the world, my heart was overwhelmed with love for someone I had just met. I felt at peace, like everything was right with the world.

Today marks 36 years later. Juanita has been an incredible inspiration to some, but to me she is amazing! She has been through a lot for someone so young. But she has seen some of lifes challenges with courage and has an awesome family. So proud of the woman, mom, wife, artist, friend, sister, and daughter that she is.

Happy Birthday my darling daughter! Love you,

Mom

Wondrous and Miraculous ways of God...

It's hard for me to put into words the emotions I felt since I got the call at five in the morning to the news that our house in Taylorsville was involved in an active fire.

Fast alseep, being woken by the sound of my ringing phone...see who it is, I don't know the number. They call again, not a good sign, okay, I better investigate who called. I see that is the Unified Police, alarms are going off in my head...one of our children in an accident or worse. I better call back and see what's up. Dispatch looks up my name, and he aks me if we are at 5218 S. Huntington in Taylorsville there is an active fire and they need to know if they need to break in and help us.I was shaken by the news as  I told him we have moved and I didn't know if anyone was in the house. He thanked me for calling and we ended our conversation.
I was grateful it wasn't one of my children hurt, but I was still reeling from the news that our last home had caught fire.

Going back to sleep was a bit elusive for a while, I kept praying to God, "please don't let the family that bought that home be hurt." over and over...I finally dozed back to a restless sleep. But once it was time for my alarm to go off, I was up and out the door to the Taylorsville house. I had to see for myself if anyone had been injured, I had to see the house we had made our home for five years.

The smell of smoke still lingering in the air, black, charred remains of our neighbors house and the damage to the house we called home was a shock to me. I don't think I was ready to see it that way. The bedrooms upstairs, what was once Lee's office and our food storage room were all in shambles.

I can see the blue sky from the bedroom where a wall used to be, where our bed used to be and our grandchildren used to jump on was covered in a mess from the fire that raged that morning and almost took someone else's first home.

The crumbled, twisted metal and the blackened plants, the house we once called home and carry precious memories is a reminder to me that the Lord works in wondrous and miraculous ways.

I am beyond grateful today! Grateful that no one was hurt. The new owners to the Taylorsville house were not completely moved in. Lee and I were fortunate to meet them this morning, I can't begin to express how grateful I am for the prayers that were answered on their behalf. I am grateful for our new home, and that we were not sleeping in the room that caught fire. I am grateful for miracles, I truly believe it was a miracle that no one was seriously hurt. I am grateful the Lord saw what was coming and led us to new home, a new adventure. I didn't see all this as we were moving, I just saw and felt the stress of not knowing where we would end up. I can't find the words to express how incredibly blessed I feel, not just for me and my family, but for the Newlyweds starting their lives in their new home.

Happy Father's Day!

“Our” children have the best dad! Lee has been there for them through so much. Sometimes it was not an easy task to undertake, but he stepped up with all his HEART, BODY AND SPIRIT. We may not have physically had children together, but in the eyes of our Father in Heaven Lee is their dad, and I know for our children he is as well.

Excerpts from a past gift to Lee from our kids:

From Krysia : Thank you for all the times you took me shooting, they are some of the best memories I have so thank you for taking me and teaching me. 

From Christopher:  Love with all the love you can. And to be an honest man cause most of the time your word is all you've got. And stick to your beliefs, no matter the price you might pay, or to work as hard as possible get a good job.

From Andrea: Lee has meant more to me than he ever could. He has been there through the hard times and the good. I’ve had so much appreciation and respect for him.

From Liana: A father is someone who sticks around even in the dark times. He is someone that worries and cares for you even when you don't want to be cared for. He is someone that puts rules in place and makes sure that they are being followed even if they are not liked. A father is someone who always backs up the mother. A father is the glue that holds the family together. I don't think you know how good of a job you did, even though we may not or did not show you all the time.

From Tiffany: Why is my father the best father ever? Isn't it obvious? Whenever I need anything, anything at all there he is. I love my father. I no longer think of him as a step-father even though I still call him by his first name. I wouldn't want anyone else to call dad. Thanks for being there for me in the past and I look forward to you being there in my future.

From Juanita: I can remember being a wild young teenager and we'd fight and scream and hate each other. But then 10 minutes later we could go for a drive or sit on the front porch and talk. We can always be honest with one another even if it hurts or is not what the other wants to hear. He does his best to help me be the best person, daughter, wife, mother, daughter of god that I can be. And I try to do the same for him. I think this mutual love and respect for one another is what bonds us the most.

Lee has been the best kind of dad that our children needed. They taught him something about himself, to love without conditions attached to them.  

Dads come in all shapes and sizes, but you come in the shape of all…

You love with all your heart. You have been through the best and worst of our family and you stayed put! You didn’t run when times got tough, you weathered the storms with our family, and you became an example of faith, of unconditional love for our kids. 

Happy Father's Day to the best dad I know. 

Wow, time flys by...

                                       Love being  Grandparents to these awesome kiddos.

                                                 Emily, Cam, Grandma, Grandpa and Ani.

                                                         Ani enjoying a yummy treat...

                                                               Conner and Jude

                                               Family, grand children are so fun.

                                                           Out with my lovely girls

                                                              Lucas being silly

August has been awesome! Our family has grown, grandchildren are the best!

 Conner is enjoying being a big brother to Jude. Oh how we wish we were there. These boys are so dang cute.

 Damon, our 13 year old grandson got to come stay for a little while. It was great fun having a teenager in the house again....hmmm, maybe not...just kidding. :)

 Andrea our beautiful daughter from Southern Utah came for a weekend. We also had the awesome privilege of seeing Sloane and her wonderful family. 

         We are so blessed to get to see our grandchildren growing up in such awesome families.

                                                                   Andrea and Sloane

                                                              Lucas

                                                        Lucas and his dad, Chris.

                                                Our family is so funny...

                                                Cam...playing and climbing on the playset.

                                                 Grandma with Damon...stylin' in fun hats

                                      Ani loves to play in the little tent I set up in the living room

                                                      Grandma and Grandpa with Ani.

                                                  Lucas and Ani hanging out

                                               Damon and cousins, Ani, and Lucas

                                              Grandma with Jareth, he was so tired...poor little guy.

August has been a busy month, with family coming a going.. We have had such fun with our older grandson Damon visiting. We missed his brother and sisters, they were on the way to come but unfortunately they were in a car accident and that nixed the trip to Utah. Liana's family are all safe, we miss them so much.

Tiffany and Kevin added to their family in July, can't believe the time has flown by. Now Tiffany is adjusting to having "kids" how awesome is that?! :)

Emily and Cam have a busy schedule, so we spend less time together, but when we do see them it is always so fun. Cam is so sweet and her personality is shining through. She has that stubborn streak I mentioned before, which Ani also has. I think it may be my genes that contributed that trait...hehehe

Next month both Cam and Ani will turn two years old! Where did the time go?

Ani and I spend a lot of time together as I tend her three days a week. And recently got to spend the night at grandma and grandpa Waldon's. She has a schedule all her own, staying till 11pm is no longer on our list of things to do, but Ani had different plans for us! Oh boy was that fun...yes, and no...At least she likes to sleep in till 9am.
It was such a treat to have her. We will have to plan a sleep over with the other grandchildren...What am I saying?! hahaha! I maybe going a little crazy in my old age... ;)




Well, Lee and I have had some incredible health changes. Not one trip to the E.R. this year. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am for that.  I know it could not have been possible without the Lords help. Though it was a tough year, and quite frankly I did not know if we were going to survive it. Changing how we eat, our inactivity, even changing our attitude about what we were going through.
A lot of prayer, going to the Temple, and blessing are incredible blessings to our lives. I believe we took those things for granted, we became complacent. I am grateful for that tough year we had, it has lead us here, to a more healthy way of living and hopefully one filled with more faith and hope. I know it has strengthened me in ways I had no idea about. I am so grateful...for this amazing year we have had.

My husband's blog about his journey to healthy living. It wasn't easy to change, but it has been so worth it.

http://lrwaldon-myhealthyliving.blogspot.com/