Goodbye 2008

Well, another year has gone flying by. I just can't believe how quickly they seem to go anymore. We had a lot of challenges, but some great memories as well. We had a good Christmas with many things to be grateful for. It was a little quiet on Christmas Eve with just Nathan, Calvin and I, but the kids all came for Christmas night. Spencer had to work. I felt sad that things weren't a little different, being his first Christmas away from home, but thankful for Mark and Colette Kremin ALWAYS remembering to invite him and include him. They are good people. Here are a few pictures for you to see.

Grandbabies...

Kael turned 2!

We thought he'd make a good poster child for Baskin Robbins!

Cass said make a funny face here is what he came up with!

Thanksgiving...

There is so much to be thankful for where do I begin. We had a houseful over the weekend with whitney, Jon, Kael, Brady, Cassidy, Chris and Spencer. Mike and Jill and Christopher were here on Thanksgiving also. It was a good weekend with lot's of chaos and laughter and of course eating. It was so nice to have the family all together and enjoy the babies. Kael keeps us in stiches with his new words and funny expressions. It usually takes him a day or two to warm up to us and "perform" his funny stunts and then it's time for them to leave. Brady is the smiliest little cutie pie and loves to be social. Things just get better and better and we are expecting our third grandbaby this August. Cassidy is prego!!! We are so happy about it. We love them so much. They bring nothing but joy to us and remind us of what is most important.
This is a wonderful time of year and gives me the opportunity all day long to reflect on what it's for. I don't know about you, but it seems to me that lights went up earlier, music started playing and the people began the celebrating sooner than usual. I was thinking that maybe people were needing to get an early start on the "Christmas Spirit," with the harder times this year. I love to see it all and hear "Merry Christmas" just to defy those who would mock it as just a "tradition." Those of us who know and love our Savior Jesus Christ KNOW it is much more than a traditional holiday. It is a holy day and season, to give in the spirit of CHRIST. I decided, since I tend to feel a lot of sadness this time of year, (that's another story) I would give all month long gifts to my Savior in the way of service. I'm doing pretty good so far and I have to say that my heart truly warms with this spirit of CHRIST. I love Him and "adore" Him. He is my king and my Lord forever more. I hope everyone of you have a wonderful month celebrating His birth and may you "have yourself a merry little Christmas" with the ones you love most.

A good day to reflect

Oh it's been too long since I last blogged and here is the reason why. I just haven't been able to put my feelings into words yet. With our past family crisis, I felt really mixed with emotions and hurt inside, I couldn't bring myself to say anything that I thought you would find useful. I am doing better, but honestly, this has been the hardest thing ever to deal with because I have absolutely no control of the outcome. I did learn however, I DO have control over my outcome and how I choose to react and respond to adversity and those who sometimes cause it. We have the perfect example in our Savior, who has given us the way...pray for them and love them inspite of everything. Well I do love my son Spencer so very much. I pray for him with all the faith I have inside and with all the energy of my soul. I don't think there is anything else I can do right now so I will continue to do this one great thing. I don't mean to sound negative because really I feel such joy and peace and gratitude for all that I have been blessed with throughout my life. Since it is officially the "Thanksgiving" month, I think it would be appropriate to share some of my blessings with you. "These are a few of my favorite things," not necissarily in order.
....Autumn colors, snow on the mountains today, America the beautiful, the privilege and right to cast my vote (and yes it does count in Utah!), my testimony of Jesus Christ and of His atonement for me, my wonderful and beautiful grandsons, my boys and girls, my loving and honest husband, my family and friends, clean water, heat in my house, beautiful music, children laughing, a really good movie, HGTV, my Mom and Dad, my health, feeling happy...the end....

I could go on and on, but the important thing is to get started and try to say different things each day.

I just finished reading the book John Adams by David McCullough. It was a wonderful book and helped me in my perspective. I realized while reading this book about this great man and the birth of our nation, that throughout the entire history of the USA, people have been saying the nation is in a terrible state and it's worse than ever etc. It made me stop and think about that. Things do seem dim and yet if we look back in time we can see that they always did and we kept moving forward as a nation and building a great and a strong union which has passed the tests of time. We don't need to fear but look up and as John Adams said "Rejoice evermore!" I choose to do this. I will put my trust in God and look to the future with hope and determination to do the BEST I can do. With each small and simple act of goodness, a greater goodness is done. I am grateful and proud I could vote today. I pray the Lord's will to be done and that no matter the outcome, I will continue to follow Him and trust He is in control. God Bless America and each of you!

Gives me hope...

I was just thinking that I needed to update my blog. I guess I don't have as much to say as I thought I did! Anyway, I was looking at the blogs I could get into (I can't seem to get into the private ones even though I've been invited..hmmm), and everything always came down to the children and being "MOM." I started to think how wonderful it is that we are so blessed with this privilege. When all is said and done, it all boils down to this, our most important work and focus is our children. Like right now, I keep looking out of the window to see if Nathan is coming up the road from school and never a day goes by without thinking about my kids and wondering if they are okay. I thought when they were grown my worries would be all over, but I was wrong. Sometimes I think everything before was just preparatory for the "BIG" worries. I was also thinking how wonderful it is that these young mothers have so much faith to have children. I"m impressed by their desire to have more children and without wondering how they are going to do it all. Maybe that is a blessing of having them young and maybe it is also a blessing that our Heavenly Father gives to females...an internal pull from heaven. I am grateful for mother's everywhere who love their children. There is nothing like it in all the world. If we can love our children this much, how much greater is our Savior's love for us. It's hard to imagine, and yet I know it is real. I know that He has the capacity to love me and everyone else on the planet He has created. I am grateful beyond measure for His allowing me to share in this love and help to bring His children into the world. I treasure this opportunity and feel a great responsibility to do my best, even though I fall short often. Through His grace and mercy, He makes up the difference in the end. Like the song says, "He is the tender in tender mercy."

"Joy in my Posterity..."

Whew! What a month this has been. Today is Labor Day and the start of fall to me. I love Autumn. It is one of my favorite seasons because it is the start of school, yay!, and the beginning of the holidays. I love the colors of the leaves, pumpkins and the brisk air, and knowing that Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming soon. The summer went pretty fast for me. Next year I am going to try not to have so many things to do. Nathan started Junior High School and loves it, which makes me love it too! I was able to spend a few short days with Whitney and the babies. I just fell in love with those two little guys. Kael keeps me hopping and in stiches. I just love him to pieces! He is so sweet and Brady is adorable and so peaceful to hold. I could just hold him for hours at a time. It was great to spend time with Whit too. She is a great mother and will be a great blessing to her boys. I can tell she will teach them well. Cassidy and Chris stayed with Nathan so that I could go out and be with Whit and the boys. I was just thinking the other day about Whitney, Jon and Chris and Cass and how grateful I am for their good lives. They make me proud to be a Mother and I feel that it was all worth it. I thought I would just say, also, that I am so excited for the upcoming election on November 4th. Remember to register to vote if you haven't already. It will soon be too late to do that. Most telephone directories have a registration form in the back for one person or you can call your county office and find out where your voter registration office is, or when you renew your license you can do it then at the DMV. I'm not at all embarrassed to say that I am a Republican through and through. I am voting for John McCain and was excited by his choice for a running mate, Sarah Palin. I think she is on the ball and stands for the same values as I do. She is pro-life, pro-family and pro-marriage between a man and a woman only. I think she has a great presence and I admire her tenacity plus she is a mother. I love this country so much. I feel I have invested much of my life in the defense of it by supporting my husband in his duties during his military service. I recognize the blessings that we as Americans have and the stewardship which accompanies such blessings. As an American and as a Mother, I feel a responsibility to stand for good everywhere. I want the best for my children and my grand-children and pray for our nation to be preserved by the constitution upon which is was founded. What a privilege it is to have a voice and know that our one single vote DOES count towards the future. So go register if you haven't already done so.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the republic for which it stands; One nation under GOD,

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

One more blessing to count!

We have been blessed with a brand new baby boy in our family. His name is Brady Kremin Muir. Kremin is a middle name. Whitney didn't have to have a c-section and we are so glad about that. He weighed 9 lbs. 9 oz. and was 21 inches long. He is so precious to hold! He looks like Kael a lot and is so perfect. It's amazing how perfectly formed he is. It truly is a miracle. How could anyone think otherwise? Tomorrow Nathan starts school, so I came home for a couple of days to get him started and then will go back to Vernal for a few more days to help. I'm glad we live close enough to do that. We had a fun time watching and playing with Kael. He is a funny little guy and so busy. He doesn't sit still for long before he is on to the next thing. We are grateful for our kids. Our life is so good.