It's almost 2009

Well, the new year is fast approaching. Tonight our family went to see the ZooLights. They are always wonderful - but it was crowded. Then we came home, had hot chocolate and chips and dip and played the Wii. Megan and Brock missed the game playing, because the little babes were exhausted and they took them home to go to bed. We only have tomorrow and Wednesday left before the Caiti and Nate head back to California and Megan and Brock and the babies leave for Texas. It is so wonderful to watch your family grow up, get married and begin their own families - but reality hits when they move away. We will be sad to see the kids leave, but we will be welcoming Weston home in March and we will make sure Brittany and Jaten get their fill of being home while they are still here. Other than juggling doing things with the kids this week, I actually got all the Christmas decorations put away and now I am trying to get the house back in order and cleaned. I also have to finish all my Primary stuff for the new year. There is so much to be done. I have to get the notebooks with the lesson manuals and pictures ready for each teacher, the lists of the children, update the birthday list, get the lesson schedule typed, basically, update all the lists and door signs and have everything ready to begin a new year. I actually look forward to another year in Primary. I feel like I am just getting the "to do's" of this calling down. I am still having fun working with, playing with and training my dogs. My poor Diesel boy has been sick for over 7 months now with Valley Fever. We just got his test results back today, and he is still sick with active Valley Fever. He is such a good boy - we just keep giving him his medicine and have to give him to get well. My other dog, Ellie, is doing good. She just wants someone to play with her all the time. She is silly. That about covers what is going on this week. I am off work for another week - yahoo! I don't even miss it. I am very grateful to have such a good job, but I am also very grateful for vacation time.

Remember, there are only a few more days left to get your New Year's Resolutions written up. What a great time of year. We are just closing the season that we celebrate the birth of our Savior and then the new year approaches - giving us a specific time to reflect on the past year, and make plans and goals for the upcoming year. I love this time of year. I can tell anyone who is reading this - from experience - that every year that I have taken the time to contemplate what I want to accomplish, what I want to change, and where I want to be in another year, AND WRITTEN IT DOWN SO I CAN REFLECT ON IT OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR - I have actually accomplished every goal I have ever written down. The years that I just think about it, and don't write anything down, I look back and realize that I did not accomplish much. I would encourage all of you to reflect on your life, see what you want to improve on, or change or make better in your life and the lives of those around you. Write down your goals. Keep them where you can reflect on them often. It is a wonderful blessing that we have each new day to be better than we were the day before and to make a difference in someone else's life!