BREAKING NEWS!

My youngest sister, Rachael, just received her Mission Call (finally!)....(drumroll...) She will be serving in the Salt Lake, Temple Square Mission (English Speaking)! She will enter the Missionary Training Center on August 1st!

She will be SO AWESOME! I am super excited for her!

WOOT!

I am so SUPER PROUD of my "little" sisters! They both decided what they wanted to do with their lives--what would give them deep soul joy, every day, and they went back to school and worked very hard (while taking care of many little children, hubby, church responsibilities, social lives, etc.) and last week THEY GRADUATED! WITH HONORS!





This is the first official graduation either of them have had, since they both chose to be entirely schooled at home. I have known the painful lesson of the oldest child for many years--everything I did right, my younger siblings took, and improved upon. (It is like having the gold medal from the 1920 Olympics--yeah, that record has been obliterated since then!) They are much better than I am, and I love to see how wonderfully they have turned out.

Blessings--Living the good life!

So much good news is happening in my life, and the lives of those I love!

BigGirl and LargeBoy have been having a great time at Youth Conference, Girls Camp (BigGirl) and Scout Conference (LargeBoy). LargeCousin and BigGirl are both redecorating rooms for 4-H projects, and so the nasty "orphanage pink" paint is covered with bright white primer, and ready to be cute! We have been Freecycling like mad--I got rid of 12 old chairs, 3 TV sets, 2 computer monitors, the metal bunk bed frame, and the bags for the vacuum I no longer own. AND I received a half sized violin so SmallDaughter can start Suzuki violin lessons*.

But--my good news is small potatoes compared with the other good news!
Dear Aunt Shanny, finally found the right new car, after months of agonizing car shopping. Dear Sister Ali, AND Dear Sister Rach, who both finished school with honors (Ali in Culinary School and Rach in Massage/Spa School) have both landed their dream jobs--and because they are so awesome, they are wowing their new bosses!

And best of all, Aunt Andi finally got her miracle house. It is truly amazing and perfect. It is located in a great neighborhood (unlike the one they currently live in!), it has bedroom, bath, and living areas on the main floor, so they don't have to keep going up and down the stairs (which is important as Uncle R's health is declining). There are many other miracles in it as well.

SmallDaughter is loving therapy (Summer Session of Riding Therapy, as well as Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapies).

We are SO Blessed!

*Violin lessons are for 4 reasons:
First-and most important--While learning any musical instrument helps your brain form new neural pathways, apparently Violin forms more than any other.
Second, In Suzuki lessons, they often start with children as young as 2 years old, so they are used to non-readers with very short attention spans!
Third, SmallDaughter has always been fascinated by, and attracted to violins.
Fourth, apparently I am a masochist. Personally, I hate the violin--it is (with the possible exception of piccolo) my least favorite instrument. I am not even fond of solo violin when it is played by a master, and being wielded by a very poor novice? SHUDDER. She is worth it, though.

Q. What is better than spending time with beloved sisters, dear friends, and good food?

A. NOTHING!!!

I am feeling loved, pampered and refreshed by a great long weekend (starting Thursday) spent in the company of people I love.

I loved the General Women's Conference. You can watch it here: http://www.lds.org/broadcast/grsm/0,6220,285-1-41-1741,00.html


I also got an incredible halloween costume!

Much better now!

Last night, poor SmallDaughter fell asleep around 6:00 (on the living room floor, under a blankie--I had to search all over for her!), and I was asleep by 7:15, so we were able to get a lot of sleep (no seminary this morning, so I slept till 7:00! YAY!). There were a few little interuptions (the phone ringing/answering machine, Mr. Prism coming home from Boy Scout Court of Honor with LargeBoy--and attempting to converse with my comatose form, and him leaving for work in the wee small hours of the morning). Interruptions notwithstanding, I am feeling MUCH BETTER!

So, today I am off to go field-tripping with the Fiber Fanatics (YAY!) and tomorrow, I am leaving all my people home, taking my best girl-friend, and going to see my sisters for a weekend of them spoiling me (one is in culinary school, and the other is in massage school--lucky me!!!)! We will go to the Womens Conference together and I am excited!