It's Nice To Be Loved

*Day 361*

Sometimes it's nice to feel loved.  I work at my sister Lynn's house.  She has this adorable little girl that I've seen just about every day of her life.  (Now if seeing your aunt every day of your life isn't just the coolest thing ever, I don't know what is.... j/k.)  Jessica is, well, Jessica, and I love the girl, but sometimes I'm glad I don't have to take her home with me.  She's 3, what more do I have to say.  But, somedays, I would do anything for her.  I mean she loves her aunt (me)!  When I left today she gave me a hug, kiss and the electric "I love you" sign.  Then she told me to come back again.  I told her I'd come back tomorrow.  And she got excited!  Like I don't come back every day.  One day not too long ago, one of the kids left while Jessica was in the bathroom.  She heard me tell them goodbye when they went out the door.  She started crying and throwing a fit because she thought I left and she didn't get to hug me or tell me to come back.  When I yelled to her I was still there, she calmed down.  It's really sweet to feel so loved.  But this new one takes the cake. 

But this has to start with... Backstory!  When I was three I nearly choked to death.  Here is my version of the story.  Put together from what I remember in my unconscious state and what I have heard over and over through the years.  We'd been grocery shopping.  We got home and Renae, who was a baby, was hungry.  So was I, but being the middle child, no one cared about that.  (Just kidding, that's for you mom!)  Anyway, mom, was feeding the baby.  (I don't hold anything against Renae.)  I just got too hungry, so I decided to do something about it.  We had bought this loaf of bread at the store.  I took a big bite out of it.  Then, I choked on it.  My mom was still feeding the baby.  Sherry, bless her, noticed something was wrong, and went to tell mom that I was turning blue.  Mom came and got me.  She tried to get the bread out, but couldn't.  She started to call 911, then I passed out and she had to stop dialing the number to catch me.  This was old rotary phone times, so she had to start dialing again.  Still she couldn't get the bread out.  She put her finger in my mouth, and I bit it!  Then, she remembered this new thing that they had just learned in Relief Society.  So, she tried the Heimlich maneuver.  (Really, it was new!  I just figured people had always known the Heimlich maneuver.  How many people died from choking before they figured this out?  And, so glad my mom goes to Relief Society.)  Anyway, with my tiny unconscious body trying to slip out of her hands, she tried the Heimlich maneuver.  The bread finally popped out.  Then the neighbor came in to see what was going on because the paramedics were there but no one was opening the door.  I remember waking up.  My mom was sitting at the table, holding me, soaking her finger in a bowl of ice water.  I think that's when she cried.  I have always admired my mom's ability to get through a crisis with a calm head.  If she breaks down, it's always after everyone is OK and taken care of.  I hope that I inherited that quality from her.  And, I'm also glad I haven't been tested yet to see if I have it.  But, mostly, I am just grateful for mom for saving my life.  When I sit and think about what really could have happened in that situation.......  Well, I love my mom, and I'm glad I'm here today.  So, that's my backstory.

This weekend, Jessica and some of my other nieces and nephews were eating at my mom and dad's.  Jessica has this new bad habit of stuffing tons of food in her mouth.  And she doesn't like to sit still and eat.  (Ask Lynn, I'm very sensitive to the threat of choking.  I am always telling the kids to be careful so they don't choke.)  Anyway, Jessica was running around with food in her mouth, so my mom told the kids the story of when I almost choked to death.  (Logan loves to hear that story too.  It's one of his most requested.  Maybe he likes to see me cry.)  Well, that night when Jessica said her prayers, she stopped to ask Lynn if it was her mom that saved me, Lynn told her yes, so Jessica continued,  "Thanks for moms mom for saving Aunt Kirsty so she can be with us today."  Isn't that just sweetest thing you ever heard!  Yeah, sometimes it's just nice to know that you are so loved.   Electric "I love you"!

Logan Time

*Day 350*

Matt's gone.  Logan and mom time included homework, a trip to Macey's, dinner and video games.  Something for everyone.

When Matt Proposed to Kristy

*Day 271*

For young women's tonight, we had a dating panel.  They invited couples in who had been married for different lengths of time.  They played a version of the New Newlywed Game then the girls asked them questions about how they met and dating and such.  One of their favorite questions to ask is "What's your engagement story?''  They always ask this question.  I decided tonight that I am going to make up a new story every time they ask me and see how long, if ever, it takes them to catch on.  So, if you have any good versions of an engagement story, send it my way.  So, before I make up so many stories that I can't remember the real one,  Here's our official engagement story.  (As I remember it.)

Me and Matt had been dating for about a year.  Summer was coming to an end.  Matt had decided to go back to visit New York.  I was living with my family in Salt Lake for the summer.  Matt told me when he was leaving, and I went to the airport to see him off.  This is before security was so tight at the airport.  I went into the terminal with him and talked with him and his friend and mom (who had driven them down from Logan).  It was about time for them to board the plane.  His mom left.  I was getting ready to leave.  Matt told me he wanted me to stay and watch the airplane take off.  I didn't know why he wanted me to stay, but I said OK.  They went up to the ticket counter and I walked over and was looking out the window.  When Matt handed his ticket to the lady he yelled out, "Kristy, when I get back from New York, will you marry me?"  I said, "OK."  Then he got on the plane and went to New York.  I picked him up at the airport when he came back.  He bought me a ring on the street that he gave me.  Then we went and told my family. 

4-wheeling

*Day 268*

Today we went 4-wheeling with Jennifer and Justin.  I had never been on a four wheeler before, but I was excited to  try it.  I can see why people would like it.  It was beautiful up there.  And it smelled good.  It's always nice and relaxing to be in the mountains.  Usually I hike to explore the mountains.  But, this way, you can cover more ground quicker and see more  than I would be able to hiking.  If I'd have hiked that far, it would have taken all day.  I think it would have been fun, but, really, when would I have a chance to spend all day hiking in the mountains?  So, this is the only way I would be able to see all that. 

It takes a little while for me to warm up to new machines and feel comfortable.  Matt did a good job going up.  We were both a little nervous to go over some of the big rocks on the way up.  But, we made it.  I drove part of the way down.  It seemed a  lot less nervous to go down.  The rocks just didn't seem as big from above.  Or, maybe, we were just getting used to it by then.  Either way, we had a good time.  Thanks Jenn and Justin!

This is Matt when he saw the first hill.  Just kidding.  He's just posing for this picture.  And we're still on the flat road here.  Otherwise I wouldn't have taken a picture, I would have yelled at him to watch the road.

Here we are, just finishing up a great ride.

Part of our travels.

We took a picture of how fast I went.  If you can't tell, that's just over 40 mph.  That's how I proved to myself that I'm not a chicken.  It's a whole lot faster than I got the jet ski going when I tried that.  So, I felt pretty good about myself.

The road ahead, and some storm clouds.  We did get rained and hailed on for a bit.  It was cold, but it didn't last long.

Teenagers

*Day 267*

This is what Logan does with his socks.  Me and Matt throw them.

We were just putting Logan to bed.  When I walked into his room Matt threw one Logan's rolled up socks at me.  (Amazingly, it landed right on my shoulder, and stayed there!  He's got mad skills!)  So, I took Logan's other sock off and threw it at Matt.  Then as we were kneeling down for prayers, Logan grabs them both and moves them to the corner of his room.  And he says, "Teenagers....."  Ahhhh, my son.  At that point Matt told Logan that he was closer to being  teenager than we were.  Then it went from a funny moment to a sad moment.  So, we said prayers and put Logan to bed. 

Popsicles

*Day 266*

Tonight me and Logan had big stick popsicles for dessert.  Matt and Logan can empty a box of Otter Pops in a day.  Me, I'm really more of an ice cream fan.  But, sometimes, just sometimes, nothings better than a Popsicle.  These popsicles always remind of my sister, Sherry.  When we were kids and would go down to the gas station to buy treats, Sherry always got these.  She loved them.  I didn't quite understand it.  (Remember about the ice cream.)  But, now I know why.  Sometimes they are just delicious!  Tonight I got to introduce them to Logan. 
 

The Gas Cap

*Day 260*

When I was in high school, I was out one night with my sister and a friend. We had to stop and get some gas in the car. We had driven away when we realised that I didn't put the gas cap back on. (I will take credit because I was the one driving.) So, we went back to get it. But, it was gone! It had only been a few minutes so we figured it would be in the parking lot or something. But it wasn't. We needed to go inside and ask them if it got turned in. We really didn't want to because we felt really stupid. So, our friend said she would do it. (Thanks Robyn!) A few minutes later, she came out with a handful of gas caps! They had a lot that had been turned in and she didn't know which one was ours. So we picked it out, took the rest back and left. And now I know that I don't need to feel stupid if I loose my gas cap at the gas station because I'm not the only one.

2nd Grade

*Day 258*

Today was Logan's first day of second grade. He liked it. His teacher is nice. He earned a penny that he keeps in a film canister at school. (I'm still not sure what he gets for them.) But, he only has two recesses. But, actually he gets three. He counts the time that he gets to play after he eats breakfast at school as a recess. (Hey, whatever gets you through he day.)

Today was my first day (in a long time) without Logan. My bike ride to Lynn's felt kind of quiet. And now I don't have any excuses to ride in crazy places, try to do wheelies or explore new roads on the way to work. He went to school all day last year, I didn't think it would hard this year. But, this year just feels different. He seems so much bigger and more independent than he did in first grade. I really just didn't anticipate that big of a change from first to second grade. I'm sure I'll adjust. In the meantime, I really hope pennies are motivating for him, and that he will keep doing what he needs to to earn them.

Just for fun, here are pictures of me and Matt in second grade. (He was so tiny.)

Bikin' and Runnin'

*Day 157*


I let Logan ride his bike with me while I tried to run this morning. It was kind of nice to have some company. He was good to be patient because I was so slow. It didn't really turn out to be as much as an issue as I thought it would be. Even on a bike he has to stop and look at things. He saw the baby ducks, the land slide area, and explored the canal. It took us 50 minutes for me to do a 25 minute run.

I learned some things about Logan. He has loved riding his bike. Some days he even forgets to ask if he can play the Wii because he rides his bike instead. But, he doesn't like skinny sidewalks, or bumpy sidewalks, or downhills, or trees on skinny sidewalks. And he definitely doesn't like riding next to the river when there is no sidewalk. He loves to ride onto the road for any reason. He liked telling dad how far he rode. He's never been that far before. It might have made him a little tired. He really didn't seem into is soccer game this afternoon. But, who knows, maybe I have a new training partner.

Running

*Day 143*

I ran today! I was excited because I haven't been able to run at all for almost two months. My knees have hurt. I couldn't walk without limping for about three weeks. I've been working on some exercises to get my my legs stronger, but my knees haven't seemed to get better. It's been really frustrating, feeling like I'll never be able to run again. I really want to be in better shape, but that's hard to do if you can't move. So, I was feeling pretty good this week. I even ran across the street to catch up with Matt and Logan and it didn't hurt (too bad). So, I decided I would try to run today. It still hurt, and I was really slow (in fact I'm not sure it could really be considered running, but it felt like it to me). But, I was so in the mood to run and the weather was so nice, I couldn't help it. I was happy to do it. I still can't decide if it was a stupid idea to keep running when it hurts. If it will make it worse or maybe better or if I'm just screwed up for good. Either way, I'll probably keep trying, hoping for the day I can run again.