Good News!

So here it is, 2 weeks since my last post, and I'm already failing at my resolution to post more often. Oh well. I've decided that I'm okay with mediocrity in most areas of my life, so why start being "gung ho" now? ;-)

Anyway, the good news is . . . Mike is not going to Iraq in February! Yay!!! That is a huge relief. And some other good news we got on Wednesday is that he has been named the new director of the RCFL in Salt Lake (that is where he works--Regional Computer Forensics Lab)! Another yay! We are so blessed.

It's funny how you can go along for years operating under the status quo, and then all of the sudden have so many changes thrown at you. It's a growing period for us I guess--but again, that dang happiness anxiety keeps nagging at the back of my brain. I just hope "growth" doesn't equal tragedy or calamity. I just keep thinking of a friend of ours from college who passed away last Friday of a brain tumor. Evan was 42, and he and his family had fought a very exhausting battle for 2 1/2 years. His wife Margot was amazing through the entire ordeal, and I just hope Heavenly Father knows I could not be that strong.

Haiti and the after effects of the earthquake are haunting me too. I just agonize for everyone there who is suffering and trying to help. I wish there were something I could do to directly relieve even just one person's pain or to meet their needs--especially all those children. I guess all I can do is donate money to the Humanitarian Fund and maybe make hygiene kits and pray. It's a terrible scene, and I wonder if it will ever happen to us. And the floods and mudslides in California--that's another disaster in the making as I type. It's hard to feel calm when there is so much turmoil. It's interesting that the Mutual theme for this year is Joshua 1:9:

"Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest"

It's easy to have courage when you're sitting in a warm, safe home with a full belly, and I wonder what tests of strength, courage, and faith await us and our children in the coming months and years.

But on a happier note, we spent the long weekend in Las Vegas. Sunday Alexis (Barlow) Christiansen (one of my Laurels when I was YW pres. in that ward) sang in church, so I got to see her and her baby. She has 3 girls now--just like me! And I got to go to lunch with my girlfriends from our old ward--all of whom I am extremely blessed to have in my life. All the women in this group are a-ma-zing and constitute Primary (past and present), Young Women (past and present), Relief Society, and former Stake Young Women's presidencies. More importantly, they are the righteous moms of my girls' friends, and I love them for being such wonderful examples! You couldn't find better women anywhere, not even Utah (lol! wink). I miss them so much, but I'm so glad we can stay in touch.

Left to right: Jodi Thomson, Toni Thatcher, Kim Goon, Linda Borla,
Amelia Haycock, me, Wendy Davis, Cheri Jenkins

We stayed at the Delahoussaye's and Debbie let Megan hold Dustin's snake!


Oh, and one last thought . . . the Newbery Medal was awarded on Monday to this book . . .


If you have kids in 5th through 8th grade, I highly recommend they read this! It's a great story--I loved it.