Memories through the Years with Heidi

When I am really behind in my life….my tendency is to want to do nothing. But alas, I know from experience, that doesn't really help.  So, I guess I will start somewhere.  How about first with a big LATE 40th BIRTHDAY to my sister, Heidi!  I was trying to find new pictures that I didn't use for my sister Jennifer's Birthday, back here.  I am sorry, Heidi, the 90s were just not a good look for us.  I swear most of the pictures I found were really terrible.  

Like this one circa 1990…what is going on people?  Jennifer was off at the BYU, and she might be grateful about that.  Michael and David are looking pretty cute.  Heidi looks good.  Me? When your bangs are as tall as the entire length of your head, that is when you know a terrible fashion mistake has been made.  Oh, well, good times...

Jennifer graduated from High School in Belgium.  She left straight to college when we moved to Kansas.  Heidi and I became a lot closer here as we spent her last two years of High School together.  I have lots of fun memories at church, seminary, firesides, and dances with her.  Back then we just didn't take pictures like we do now, so the few we have are really lame.  I still think this one is funny, because it just shows us (or more me) goofing around as normal.  

Here we are at Heidi's High School Graduation with Dad.  

This was my 16th Birthday Party, at you guessed it, Girls Camp.  Thanks to Heidi and my mom, they surprised me with a little party and I REALLY was surprised.  Heidi was always taking care of me through those years and beyond. If I needed gum, Heidi had it.  Clothes to borrow (or steal)…Heidi.  Spare change?  Heidi.   She was always responsible and organized and I depended on her to  help me out of any situation.  (Probably not the most healthy thing, but what are big sisters for!?) 

After we moved from Kansas, we moved into my grandparent's house for a summer.  Mornings began like this…all dressed up and wide awake for family scripture study.  This must have been on my birthday again.  Heidi is cuddled up with her baby blanket, as usual.  (She still sleeps with it.)

Warning:  Another hideous picture.  (Mom, you look good.)  This was at my Senior Commencement Dance.  Where did I get my dress?  It was Heidi's Prom Dress from a couple year's earlier…thanks, Heidi!  I am pretty sure I borrowed every single dress I ever wore to a dance.  That is what you get for being girl #3.  

Before you ask yourself about Heidi's mushroom cut in the above picture….remember the year was 1993/1994.  Think "Sleepless in Seattle".  

Remember Sam's first wife?  We thought she was so cutting edge and chic?  When I see this picture of Heidi, especially in that loose flowing dress, it just reminds me Sam's wife in the movie... 

Hey, I am no Meg Ryan, but in looking for a picture of Sam's first wife, I found this picture. I would say my dress is pretty close there!

Now jump back about 12 years…here we are in Maryland I believe. 

Heidi, cousin Rebecca, and I.  (Logan, Utah)  

We were in my Grandma Adams's front yard during a vacation. Of course, we were doing some sort of play.  

Thirty years later… (Gilbert, Arizona)

Over the years Heidi was always supportive of me in track, cheerleading and gymnastics.  I still remember in 6th grade she told me she would buy be a shake from the local Burger King in Germany if I won my mile race.  I didn't win, but she still cheered me all the way.  It was fun to be able to pay her back last year after all the times she cheered for me!

Love the bangs here…a little rabbit hunting trip with my Dad when we lived in Colorado.  Someone in the store took this picture of us.  

Heidi and I (Just loved that little kitchen set!)

Probably my least favorite picture of us…taken in Turkey.  I kind of wish we had adopted the local fashionable Burka at the time, it would have hid our scary hair. At least we brought our Liz Claiborne purses with us to the Mediterranean

Probably my favorite picture of us...

Thanks for all the laughs...

Happy Late 40th Birthday, Heidi Ann!

I LOVE YOU LOTS! Thanks for all you have done for me through the years! 

I hope that this next decade brings much happiness and joy!  

Time and a Season

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to week, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

This is one of my favorite scriptures and overall concepts that brings peace in life. 

 However, to be honest, whenever I hear the actual scripture…I just hear it read in Kevin Bacon's voice. You know what I am talking about.  Footloose anyone?  ("a time to DANCE")

If I am not thinking about Footloose I start singing "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds…think Forrest Gump Soundtrack, 1994.  

Ok, but seriously, I think it helps put everything into perspective.  For sure it puts the "big" things into perspective.  Things like dying and whatnot.  But it also helps with the little things that we sometimes tell ourselves we are missing out on.  If you are not getting to that vacation you dreamed off, not working out like you wanted to because you are occupied with little ones, pretty much anything I feel bad about "not getting too" I just chalk it up to not being the season for right now.   I think the key to enjoying the stage of life when your kids are really small and you really can't do much, is to just get over it.  Accept that you can't go skiing all the time, go on the same vacations,  whatever it is that you used to do.  Once you get over that already, you don't sit and feel bad about it in your head every time you are faced with a hard choice.  And looking back I never regret those things I thought seemed like sacrifices at the time.  Little things like, not getting to ride barely any rides at Disney Land because you are 7 months pregnant.  (And you have a cranky two year old, and you look hideous.)

Having a new nursing baby on your family beach vacation kind of puts of a kink in your "relaxing" time at the beach. Going out on the boat and wake boarding isn't usually happening.  And to top it all off, if you only looked cute and skinny you could handle it all.  But instead you are wearing a pregnancy swimming suit and it is impossible to nurse discretely.  It is all a sacrifice, and one that you won't give a rip about later.  

Even trips to Exotic Locations were more like this…(diapers, floaties, strollers included).

Not a lot of snorkeling and hiking about.  My recommendation?  Just get a local pool pass if you want to take the kids to the pool.  

I like our season of life right now.  I wish it could just stay.  It will only be a few years and I will never again have all my kids living under one roof, and I won't have a squishy toddler that can say pretty much anything and it sounds funny. 

I love gymnastics with Annie…she is the one is Gray Sweatpants and the pink top.  

With four boys in a row, Cub Scouts seemed like it would go on for years, but in only two more years, no more Cub Scouts…THAT seems crazy.  (Michael received his Webelos Patch last night.)

Dance parties...

One old enough to drive, and one young enough to squish. 

And even moments like this one I found captured on my iPhone.  I am trying to plan the week out and Sophie was having a meltdown on the counter, and some child that took the picture obviously thinking it was all very funny.  

 It makes me sad, but I know I just need to enjoy each season, and just like there is something to love about Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall…there will always be something good to find about the season of life I am in.  

Want to know what is good about Winter here?  I was thinking about January and February and was thankful that God gave us Downton Abbey to watch during those months.  It gives us something to look forward to after Christmas and gets us through to March, when Spring is right around the corner.  See, you have to find joy in the small things.  So when I think, "I can't WAIT till the next Season of Downton!"  I just remember that with Downton, comes Winter, and then I can wait.  

Enjoy your Season.