It's a New Year!

Well with the holidays behind us, Barry and I hit the road, airplane and cruise ship for a couple of months of traveling. California, Idaho, Arizona, Texas, Mexico and the Grand Caymans were all part of the itinerary. We visited family, saw old friends and made new friends with a whole lot of business/work mixed in. It's been a busy couple of months. March brings getting back to life in hopefully a more normal routine. Spring and warmer weather is definitely something I'm looking forward to.

The new year did bring lots of unbuckled moments. Traveling can be unbuckled, especially if seasickness is part of the deal, which it was. Most unbuckled time was finding out my son in law was diagnosed with leukemia. Buckling occurred when the prognosis looks good.

So with hope, prayer and faith, we continue into this new year feeling blessed and happy with our family, old friends and new friends and lots of blessings. We hope the same for all our loved ones and friends. Take care, choose to be healthy and may God be there to guide your life.

Merry Christmas!

Ahhhhh! Christmas! Well for the first time in a long time that I can remember (that's not saying much) but anyway it's been a great season. I just haven't felt as stressed. So here it is 8 days before Christmas I'm done (well almost-will explain in a bit) and I'm feeling good. I've even really felt the true spirit of Christmas. So buckled up I am! Let me give you a few ideas on what I did and maybe it will help you or maybe I'll re read this next year and it will help me out.

Well first of all it was our year to have all the kids for Thanksgiving so even though I would love to have them again for Christmas it is a little less planning, grocery shopping and Christmas shopping. Writing checks is great - so great I might do it every year even when we have the kids home for Christmas. :)

Another thing I've done is I've only listened to Christmas music. All kinds of Christmas music. It's been great! Andrea Bocelli has been my favorite this year.

The best book I've read is Charles Dickens, The life of our Lord. What a wonderful book and it made my heart swell. Really I felt it swell, get bigger. It touched me in a way that is hard to explain. It's short too! Only about an hour of reading. Read it. It's great.

I also only put up about half the decorations and the house still looks great. I added a few new little touches to the tree, just because it's always fun to add a little new.

I've had time to make a trip to Rexburg and see my kids before they head off to Canada for Christmas. And spending the time with my husband on the drive up was great. His phone did not ring once.

I'll get to see another set of kids when I get home and another set sometime between Christmas and New Years and maybe most of them during that time as well.

So back to the almost part. We haven't quite finished our shopping for our boys because my hubby wanted to help with that. So tomorrow the last Saturday before Christmas we'll head out and get that done and I'm determined to not let that stress me out. The man will be doing the driving. We'll see how he does. :) Oh alright he'll do just fine. So, so far still buckled.

Merry Christmas Everyone! Love you!

One Good Man

So did you see that movie? One Good Man? Well if you did then your life is better, if you didn't maybe reading this blog will give you that little nudge towards. . . umm not sure how to describe it. Maybe a place where you just want to be a little better and do a little more. It's a movie about a bishop and his family. I thought it was really well done compared to some other movies of this same genre. I cried through most of the movie and not for reasons of which most of you might think. My husband is a bishop and we do have challenges and struggles similar to ones portrayed in the movie but over all the movie just made me want to be a better person. So see it, rent it or even buy it or borrow it from me because I will buy it when it's available.

But the reason for this post is for my "one good man". Ha don't get me wrong here. Perfect? Um no, hell no! Him? No, us. But it really helps to have a good man. There are times, let's see, I don't want to look at him let alone talk to him. I can be so angry that that story about the woman sewing up her husband in the sheets and then going after him with a baseball bat comes to mind. And sometimes I just want to run away.

My man and me have known each other practically our whole lives. We met officially when we were 14 in the 8th grade at a gold and green ball. Remember those? Anyway it really was love at first sight when we were seniors in high school but it wasn't all roses after that. I wish I could give you the perfect story of how our lives began then but I can't. I can tell you we finally did get together and began a life with 2 little girls in tow and 4 others on their way. It's been a roller coaster and continues with life's ups and downs. One thing I know for sure is that he is my soul mate. When things are good with him, my life is good. So I work towards that, Good!

He wrote me a poem the other day. He might not like me sharing it but I'm going to. He's written me many poems over the years. For a man that doesn't read much (that's comparing his reading to my reading, which really isn't fair, since I just finished 3 books in a day) or do any crafts or sewing or card making or all those other things I consider creative, he's quite the poet. And yes he does go to chick flicks with me and I go to action flicks with him and not because we have to because we like to do those things together. Wow that was a little off track, anyway back to the poem.

Here it is:

Kelli, you are most precious and bright.

Without you by my side I am missing the light.

There is something about you that I cannot explain.

That is why my heart is so heavy when I have caused you pain.

I will never give in to the one who wants us to fail.

With God by our side I know we will prevail.

I married way up with your beauty and spirit.

You remind me of heaven and make me feel near it.

When I look into your eyes I am touched way down deep.

But this is not all. I have a wife who will four-wheel all day and look hot in a jeep.

May you find more happiness each day of your life.

I will, I know, because you are my wife.

Forever Yours, Barry

Okay grab some kleenex and whether it's from crying or laughing, know this. I have an eternal companion that I look forward to being with forever. Sometimes we're unbuckled but when we're buckled no matter what the trials or tribulations are, it's a great life and he's "One Good Man".

Buckling in Empty Nest Syndrome

So it was February 11th, 2009, my youngest son left home. Boo hoo or yayyyyyyyy! Well mostly boo hoo, a lot. And then it hit me - this is empty nest syndrome. I've got to to do something or go crazy. So I did. I got back into doing the things I love. Healthy things.

Well I really should take you back to about 26 years ago when I first married Barry. He has this really great mom. She passed away some years back but she left a legacy of a great family. Anyway I remember she was into Aloe Vera. It was an MLM company and she knew all about it and herbs. She taught me so much.

Well I used herbs a lot while raising my own family and at one time I even went to Massage Therapy School and got licensed. I really loved all the other stuff besides the massaging part like, herbology, aromatherapy, and energy work. So I've gotten back into it more extensively. Taking classes and learning so much more. I'm working on my certification to be a Holistic Health Coach. I just finished my second round of classes and am so excited about the things I learned.

Something I learned I'd like to share with all of you. It's about prayer. So what does prayer have to do with what I've been talking about. A lot!!!!!! And this might not make much sense in the whole scheme of this post but I want you to just remember this one thing.

Sometimes we pray over and over again for the same things. Its like please, please, please! Do we not think He heard it the first time? "Ask and ye shall receive." So how about after asking once then just remember to be grateful. Thank Him for that blessing. Maybe you haven't actually received it yet but I'm sure He's working on it. It's kind of like the law of attraction, the law of the harvest, we reap what we sow. Be grateful in all things.

Ok so let's say I pray and ask my Father to strengthen and help my son to get back out on his mission. I've asked him so many times. Now my prayers are thanking my Father for strengthening my son, for sending him the things he needs, for blessing me as his mother to love him and be there for him, thanking him for a family that loves him and supports him.

Whatever my son decides to do it is his choice, his journey. But I live my life in an attitude of gratitude. Today I feel buckled in!

I am sooo unbuckled!

Being with my grandchildren is one of my most favorite things in the world. They are beautiful, strong and fascinating. I have a three year old granddaughter. She can climb into her car seat and buckle herself up without any help at all.

One day while visiting my daughter and her family this little granddaughter was getting into her car seat while at the same time having a little conversation with her older sister. As we drove out of the driveway and down the street I heard her in a bit of a concerned tone say " I am sooo unbuckled". She then quickly buckled herself in. I laughed and find myself smiling at the very thought of that almost everyday. And I liken it to life. How many times are "we so not buckled in"?

So that is the theme of my blog. I hope that this blog will cause you to laugh, cry, contemplate, meditate, ruminate and illuminate in different times of your life as I know it will for me as I remember and experience days past and present and perhaps days in the future.

I'm nearly 50 years old and like most of us I could make a list of all the trials and tribulations that would take up many sheets of paper. I hope that I have learned much from my experiences and that they have made me stronger and healthier. Hopefully they will help you as well.

For now if you're feeling unbuckled, phone someone you love, eat something you love, take a walk, and last but not least get on your knees and pray.