Tuesday was Beau's graduation. It was a perfect day outside, sunny with a slight breeze. I could feel the excitement around me as the seniors laughed and took pictures and maybe acted a little nervous. The program was nice, not too long, short speeches, a few songs and then the actual walk to get the diploma. Mom and Dad came and it meant a lot. With 60 plus grandkids its impossible for them to hit even some of each kids highlights, but I sure appreciate what they can do. Later we had a cook out at Jill Junks house--tons and tons of food, then home for a bit to get ready for the Senior Grad Party at the school. It was from 9-5:00 a.m. Kathy was there since she was in charge of all of the parent volunteers, and it was her job to make sure each area was fully staffed. Alan and I along with another really fun couple were at the photo booth. I brought tons of costumes from Mom's attic. I thought the kids might think it was dorky, but no, they loved dressing up and posing in goofy ways. (Note the boy, in the green hat and green pantsuit sitting in the middle of Andre's group. He is wearing one of Grandma Wallaces' polyester outfits. I think she might be happy seeing it put to such a good use.) I have to say I had a great time. And even though we got to leave at 2:00 instead of 5:00, I was very tired the next day.

High School Seniors

Okay Allie isn't a senior, but she fits in with these photos and I love this bad "A" look she's got going on.

So I wrote a post about all of the beautiful high school seniors whose photos I have been taking this past month and about how they are becoming so independent, yet at the same time I can still see their insecurities, worries, fears, etc. (But then I went to change a photo and deleted the entire thing. Doofus!)

Mostly though I have been struck by how quickly time slipped through my fingers. I have such a vivid memory of Beau at his two year old birthday party. He had gotten a new Pooh Bear and was taking him for a walk outside the clubhouse. When I found his I asked what he was doing and he answered very seriously that "pooh just needs to see the trees." Then suddenly he was a very silent seventh grader. I remember crying once as I tried to get him to open up to me--to tell me if he was okay. I sensed that something big was weighing him down. Then I look and see this handsome senior boy who is so loving. He gives me hugs when I am feeling sad--long, amazing hugs. And he tells me all sorts of things. He has a great spirit that I felt so strongly a few weeks ago when he was getting his patriarchial blessing and then again Sunday when he bore his testimony at Seminary graduation. I've heard every parent say it, but wow they grow up so fast!!!

Wedded Bliss--21 Years!

Here we are on our wedding day with Best Man Scott Bocek and best pal Tami Emmett. I remember feeling nothing but happiness that day. (well except when I discoverd my lame flowers, wah) When I saw Alan in the temple I absolutely KNEW I had made the right choice!

Not everyone knows what a tender heart Alan has. He is sort of like a bear soft but growly on the outside, but inside he is the gentle, willing to help anyone, teddy bear sort of guy. This photo was taken when Marcus had some minor surgery.

This shot of Alan was in the Weber State Signpost. I love it. He says it was the only time he ran the ball. . .

Not many people can wear a perm and get away with it!

I try to believe that I was drawn to Al only because of his mind--ha ha but look at those muscles--I'm mean seriously!!!! He was a model at WSC and it made me sort of gasp when I saw him take off his shirt.

I knew I was in love with Alan when we went on a trip to Island Park to meet his family. I was with him for three days, and only wanted to spend more and more time with him.

I love this photo of Alan and Beau right after Beau's baby blessing. Another sweet doo.


Yesterday Alan and I celebrated our 21st anniversary. Yep, St. Patty's Day has double meaning for us and we never forget our day. Alan came home about 11:00 so we could spend the day together. We went to lunch and to a bakery for these amazing sugar cookies that you really would give up a child in trade for a goodly dozen of these melt-in-your-mouth tasties. And later, to our joy, Kathy actually brought us a dozen to wish us a happy anniversary--and she wouldn't even take one of our children as payment. Darnit.

I really love this guy and here are some of examples of why. . .

1. After he gets out of the shower and because he gets up before me, he pushes a clean dry towel along the towel rod closest to the shower and hangs his wet one further away. Seems like a little thing, but once when I asked him about it he just shrugged and said, I knew yould want a dry one. He is very, very considerate of me in a million little ways.

2. He talked me into running a marathon and didn't give up on me even when I whined insesantly and could only run 1 1/2 miles to begin with. Then just before we crossed the finish line he reached for my hand and held it up for the photo. Not because he wanted a picture, but because he knew I did.

3. When I had my first and only pregnancy which ended in a ruptured ectopic one, Alan cried with me. I remember waking up in the middle of that first night and seeing him in a small chair facing my bed. He was asleep with his head and arms on my bed and he had ahold of one of my hands. He looked exhausted and very uncomfortable, but it made me feel better to have him so close.

4. He loves the temple and when we were just dating he would go by himself and then tell me how amazing it was to be there.

5. He has coached most of his kids sports teams, and makes sure that he throws a ball with them when they ask. And he is about the only person who can get Marcus to abandon one of his lengthy tantrums. He is a great dad and the perfect counterpart to my parenting style.

6. And I love him because he loves me and has never, ever made me feel like I am not beautiful to him. I know I can trust him completely and have never had to feel worried or jealous. He is my best friend and the person I turn to when I have anything that needs telling.

Last night when we were in bed he said, "I married up." And that's how he always makes me feel!

He's Almost Here!

Kristen, kids, and Karin came over the other day for a pregnancy photo shoot, (well not Karin of course, thank Heavens), but I think some of these turned out cute. I didn't have time to post very many so maybe Kristen will on her site. But there are some darling ones of here wearing a sort of peasant dress she got from Meg. Her hair is all loose and she looks like a 15 year old hippie. Kristen I love your joyful sunshine spirit.

First Dance

My Sweet 16 year old ready for her first dance.

Beau and Bailey

Storm is coming outside.

Jasmine curling Allie's hair

Brother , sister thing.

Checking the mirror.

Beau has gone to many dances with his girlfriend Bailey and it has been fun helping him pick out just the right colored tie or choose flowers, in fact with his first dance we even picked out his cologne together. But wow there is something about having my daughter go to her first dance that just sort of caught me by surprise. I was more sentimental than I imagained and got kind of a tug on my heart when I saw her looking so beautiful and like a princess. All I could think was my silly little two year old girl is growing up and would leave me. Some boy, in the not too distant future was going to take her away. Logically I have known all of these things, but seeing her last night was the first time emotionally I knew it.

She asked a cute boy who is her friend-- they have known each other for a long time, in fact his mom said that she has four pictures of Allie on her fridge. (They were on the track team together and other things like that). Since it was girls' choice, I didn't get to see him dressed up because Allie drove and she and a girlfriend picked up the boys. We only had one sad moment when I told Allie she had to be home by 12:30. Suddenly there were tears and anger. She said things like, "I can't wait to move out of this house it is like the military!!" and "Everyone else can stay until 1:30, and now I will be the stupid one and I wish I wasn't even going to the dance. Everything is ruined !" But in the end all was happy, I caved and gave her an extra half hour and then she was all smiles again. Whew!

New Life

Ashley probably won't love this photo-- but I do. It is so tender to me because it is of the first moment she saw her baby.

New baby Israel.

Tired but still beautiful. Way to go Smashly.

This is one of my favorite photos of all time. Barely a few seconds old and Israel is turning to his mom's voice!

Loving family kisses.

I know a baby is inside there--I've seen Ashley's stomach getting bigger and bigger, I even got to feel the kicks and bumps. I've been watching her push for a few hours now, and Guy says he can see some of Israel's hair. But still when that baby first slips out, a real live person, who is moving and crying and covered in "stuff" it just feels totally miraculous. Like magic.

I was on photo assignment for my little niece, the one I held and played with when she was little. And now here she was bring a baby into the world. It seemed crazy. She has to be too young. She can't be more than 15 I think, but no, she is a married woman and now a mom. She was brave in spite of throwing up and being turned and prodded. But she has always been tough. I remember one time when her mom was having an important conversation with Kathy. Ashley was probably two and wanting her mom's attention and wanting it "NOW!!!" So trying to be helpful I pulled her up by her arms and started swinging her out the door into the hall way. She only screamed louder and there was no way she was going to be humored out of her mood. Finally I said, "Ashley you are NOT being a nice girl!" Come to find out she wasn't being a bad girl it was just that Auntie Amy had pulled her arm out of her socket and it apparently hurt! Hello! I felt so horrible when I found out that I rushed to the store to buy her a Barbie Surf City.

As I watched her bravely pushing that baby out, and could tell how hard it was, I wished I could help take some of her pain away--maybe L.A. Barbie this time.

The Case of The Missing State Ring

The hiding place.

The State Championship Class ring.

Mischievous Ben--The Culprit

Ben--my sweet little buddy

Today is Allie's birthday. She turned 16, but that will be another blog. This one, however, is pretty interesting since it involves the miracle of prayer, gemstones, rings, bad guys, a mischivous little boy, and a very secret hiding place.

For Christmas the only thing Allie really wanted was a state championship class ring. It arrived at the high school just days before Christmas and was all that she had hoped for. It even had engraved on it something no other soccer class ring could say, "first ever". Well a few days ago Allie came home to discover her ring and the velvet box missing from her dresser. Allie is pretty good at keeping her room clean and orderly so she probably didn't just misplace it. She and the little kids looked and looked but to no avail. Again this morning she tried to get her family" looking for her ring as a birthday present. Marcus and Mia were pulling out books from the shelves, looking in toy boxes, but came up with nada. I decided that maybe we should make this a matter of prayer, so after Allie opened her presents we knelt in a circle holding hands and asked Heavenly Father to help us find the ring.

Because my faith isn't as tuff as it should be there is always the fear that if we don't find the ring then the kids will think that the Lord really doesn't hear their prayers. But we resumed looking trying to do our part. A few minutes later, our neighbor boy, Ben, one of my very favorite people in the world burst through the door yelling for Marcus. "I have my good Knights, Marcus so you can play with me." He said. (He has a little confusion with say, "goodnight" and knowing that Knights in his mind are cool and good.) I felt to ask him about the ring so I took him aside and carefully told him about our problem. This was his response. . .

"Oh Amy, I am so sorry, I took the ring and threw it away." I panicked until he continued on. "Yea, I think it was a ring of a bad guy so I threw it away in the laundry room behind the stuff." And then just to make sure we were still friends, he said, "Oh I wuv you Amy so I'm sorry I took Allies wing." Then with perfect memory he was able to lead me to the ring. I had to pull out quite a bit of stuff to find it back behind our Christmas tree, the one we didn't use this year, and probably wouldn't have used again next year since we're back into getting live trees. I don't think we would have EVER found that ring on our own. I believe it was a tender mercy sent from our Father in Heaven to let us know that he is aware of us, even of our little material possession worries.

Christmas Joy 2008

What does it mean if you get a coconut in your stocking?

Mia and her new coat.

Waiting to go downstairs Christmas morning.

That's not an Elf! That's a Man!!

Grandma with a few of her grandboys.

The Christmas Mama's.

Loved Christmas. . . The Party at my house for my Shaw family, Christmas Eve at my old ward bld. and Christmas morning with my best Pal Al and my little darlings. I loved it all! The Shaw party was a success because my sister-in-law Cori who had been in and out of the hospital just the week prior to our party was able to come. And I really, really love her. I made home made rolls which were, dare I say, fabulous! And I made a DVD slideshow of Al's side of the family. Some laughs and tears were shared, so "snaps" to me.

The Christmas Eve party had loads of food, which is always a great way to start a party, then a not to long, but great program, with syncronized swimming from the boy cousins, piano playing from some little ones, the nativity, and a great song sung by the little girls to a tune from "Oh Brother Where Art Thou." Kathy provided a pinata and there was only a small amount of bawling (I just typed bowling) so a success I say.

Christmas morning was sweet because we slept in until 8:00. We knelt upstairs for our traditional prayer and then I made the kids sit on the stairs for their favorite part of the morning--pictures! Not. There was a super nice happy feeling all morning and I felt nothing but blessed, blessed, blessed.

Mad Marcus

Mr. Chubby Cheeks with Auntie Shannon.

Wrapping up Christmas Morning.

Normal angry look, though usually w/o the gun.

Lover of all animals, especially dog Yoja.

Wearing Mia's too small, 3 yr old Bunny Costume

He loves any and all things StarWars.

With new snowboard at the Bearlake Cabin.

I remember perfectly the afternoon, just 4 days before Christmas when I got a call from my friend at DCFS who said, "I am holding a beautiful little boy who is only 2 days old, we just picked him up from the hospital. Will you guys take him?? He has nowhere to go!" I was prepared to say "no" (having known the pain of fostering a baby who had to be sent back to an abusive birthmother). But I found myself saying, "Yes, bring him over."

Since bursting into our lives, Marcus brought with him animal impersonations, wild, loud tantrums, sullen moments, sweet hugs, 1000's of kisses and lots and lots and lots of laughs.

He regularly imitates movies, people and animals. He can dance with moves you would probably only see on "Dancing with the Stars". One moment he will yell, at me and call me a "bumb head" and the next he will pat my face and say, "A lovely mother you are!" But of course it is said in Yoda's voice.

He gets frustrated easily like when he is doing his homework or trying to get me to let him do something I just said, "no" to. And then the next thing you know we've hit a landmine, KABAMM!! He is ripping up his homework or ripping his room apart, throwing things, or perhaps scrapping a nail in long gashes upon his newly painted walls. Finally the anger will blow over, though this can take ten minutes to possibly two hours. But once it has passed, I can go in pull him onto my lap and just hug and kiss him and maybe quietly read a book together. When he was only three we went to the doctors. After getting his throat swabbed he was so mad he spit on the doctor, threw his succer at her and screamed, "Stupid Woman dwiver." I think that came from "101 Dalmations", Apparently it was the worst thing he could come up with at the moment. He also ripped out a small amount of my hair.

On the other side he is so funny. Alan will be sternly trying to correct his behavior and he will be making goofy faces the entire time and murmuring, "yeeeessss, yeeeessss, my precious, what ever you say precious." imitating Golum. Alan is trying to be serious and I am bursting out laughing and soon both Marcus and I are in trouble.

And finally, I love this little guy beyond measure. After suffering for ten months not knowing if we were going to be allowed to adopt him, and trying unsuccessfully not to love him so much I am now able to just pour all the love in my heart out without restraint.