thankful thursday...number 2

well, not much has changed in a week. but i do have one little thing to be thankful for.
Curtis has been so much fun lately. he has been talking so much these days. he's even saying complete phrases. my two favorites are "hey, don't do that!" and "get back here". today he kept lifting up his shirt and saying "my belly" and then kept putting his belly in my face so i would blow rasberries on it. he begs his daddy to take him out on bicycle rides. he tells us when he wants to leave the house by saying "car mommy...go to house" (house is grandma's house). he is obsessed with tractors. anything john deere, or if it has an appearance of a tractor...expect one happy boy. he makes my life happy.

Thankful Thursday...

I saw this on a friends blog and thought it was a fantastic idea. I hope that i will be able to keep it up every week. Things have been busy here at home, it will be nice for me to reflect and be thankful.

1. I'm so thankful for my job. When we moved back to the gila valley, we decided that clifton would focus on school and i would get a job and support our family. This volleyball coaching gig fell into my lap, and i cannot express how much i love it. Working with these girls gives me such pleasure (especially when we win), that i pretty sure its what i want to do for my career. Now, i don't know at what level or gender (i hear boys are easier to coach than girls...hmm), but i love teaching the game. And watching these girls fall in love with the game is amazing.

2. Im thankful for my OTHER job. Last season when we would travel on our road trips, i thought to myself, "i'm going, I might as well drive!" So I got my CDL, and now drive at least once a week...sometimes twice or as in this week, three. I find it relaxing to just be gone for an evening, and call it a job. It does get hard at times when we have the long trips (the games start at 7, and dont get over until 9 sometimes 9:30), but i find ways around the sleepiness. I enjoy relaxing and having time to think on the open road.
Oh yeah, i'm thankful for my OTHER, OTHER job. i teach a volleyball class one night a week at the college. An average of 40-50 students attend, and just play. So much fun.

3. I'm thankful for Bishop's who care.

4. I'm thankful for friends who listen with love. You know who you are... I love you squezzie-q.

5. I'm thankful for my health and the desire to get and stay healthy. Not just physicaly, but mentaly. Ah to be sain...someday.

BLEED GREEN!

As of last week, i am officially the Assistant Womens Basketball Coach at Thatcher High School! Coach Henson called me and asked if I would be willing to help out. He said,"I'm looking for 3 things; 1. i want someone who knows my program. 2. i want someone who has some coaching experience. and 3. i want a female on the staff." I am all 3 of those things! Fantastic! Coach Henson was my basketball coach from 5th grade until my junior year in high school. Under the program he built we went to state every year. We lost in the final game of my freshman year (i was not liked by many seniors who didn't get to play because he moved me up) but every year after that it was Gold Ball or nothing! (the state trophy is a gold ball ;) His last year coaching at the high school was in 2002 (my junior year) because EAC offered him a teaching job in their science department. And even though we took state my senior year, it wasn't the same without him. Now, the high school asked him to come and coach. I am so looking forward to working with him. He is a fantastic coach who taught me so much about sports and life. I know i can learn so much from him about how to coach girls! I will also be working with one of my favorite teachers from high school. Mr. Cramer! how awesome is that!!! Can't wait to see what kind of fun we will have!

what is this? 3rd grade?....tag i'm it

1. Where is your cell phone? right here on my desk...texting shari in between browsing
2. Your significant other? studying for a test...
3. Your hair? messy bun and in need of a cut
4. Your mother? she should cut my hair
5. Your father? gave me my sence of humor...it's scary sometimes when we say the SAME THING at the SAME TIME! dun da duh!
6. Your favorite thing? curtis laughing when he farts. seriously, so funny
7. Your dream last night? hm... don't know if i had one
8. Your favorite drink? H2O, but not far behind is Mountain Dew
9. Your dream/goal? get my degree...soon
10. The room you’re in? the office/game room
11. Your hobby? volleyball. wait what is a hobby? something you enjoy doing and don't get paid for? then it's still volleyball.
12. Your fear? car accidents of any kind
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? hopefully where we will be to raise our family
14. What you’re not? short. definatly not short
15. Muffins? COSTCO! blueberry, poppy sead, and chocolate! it's hard to go there and not get a case of 'em
16. One of your wish list items? a new camera
17. Where you grew up? Thatcher
18. The last thing you did? just gave curtis a bath! a clean happy baby ready for bed, means a happy mommy!
19. What are you wearing? what do you think....take a guess.... you're right, a t-shirt and shorts
20. Favorite gadget? my i-pod. i use it every day!
21. Your pets? Fransico the cat. but curtis just calls him KITTY!!!
22. Your computer? needs to be cleaned. we need to get rid of some files!
23.Your mood? sleepy. i just took some tylenol pm so i can have a good night sleep so i can drive to prescott and back tomorrow!
24. Missing someone? yup. some people live too far away!
25.Your car? freshly waxed! what a difference it makes! very shiney!
26. Something you’re not wearing? shoes. i'd rather have naked feet (or flip-flops)
27. Favorite store? toss up...savers and khols. wait! old navy is in there somewhere too
28. Like someone? sometimes
29. Your favorite color? red. or black. or purple.
30. When is the last time you laughed? about 2 minuets ago. i had curtis sitting on my lap, and he leaned over to one side and pooped. then he laughed. it was hilarious
31.Last time you cried? a couple saturdays ago. a motorcyclist followed me home and chewed me out. he said i was tailgating him. he threatened to pull my licence (CDL). i know he can't do that, but about a minuet later, a cop car pulled into the parking lot. that's when i lost it. nothing happend though, just thought i would loose my job!

if you feel like doing this, go for it. it's kinda fun!
ps. i like you too emily!

Happy Birthday...and other stuff too

Last friday (september 12th) my baby boy turned 2 years old. What the H? He's not a baby anymore...he's a toddler for sure. I was out of town at a tourney on his actual birthday, but we celebrated on sunday with some presents and candles in a cinamin roll. Next year we will make a bigger deal about it, but he was happy with everything. he knew how to open the presents, but seemed more interested ripping up the tissue paper than finding what was inside.

Curtis loves Great Grandpas new riding lawn mower. He yells "trateeeeerrrrrr" every time sees it (because its a John Deere), and then he begs to ride it. Below is Curtis watching his favorite show on earth. We have several episodes recorded and he could watch all of them all day long. But we save them for special times, like when mommy needs to shower, or when mommy is making dinner. This particular time was right before we were going to get in the bath and get ready for bed and he was trying to delay that as much as possible. He was so happy though! i love the 2nd picture down!
this is an attempt at a picture of us together. It's good, No?

where does he get it from?

his sence of humor, that is. this morning i was clipping curtis' finger nails. for some reason he hates this. anyway, i was on the LAST finger...the pinky. i said "hey, can i have your pinky?" he looks at me perplexed...you can read every thought going through his mind at this point. he says "Binky?" and then proceeds to suck on his Pinky like a Binky! i laughed out load so hard that clifton had to come from the office and find out what was wrong!

on sunday, it was time to get ready for church...clifton was still in bed upstairs, while curtis and i were having breakfast downstairs. after we finished eating, i called upstairs yelling, "Clifton!"
and trying his best to say it out, curtis follows with "CLI--NTON!" i heard clifton laughing from upstairs and i knew he was awake. the rest of the day, daddy was not daddy. he was clifton.

curtis has reached an age where he recognized sillyness. if we laugh, he is certain to repeat whatever it was that got that laugh. we are finding ourselves careful to only laugh when we know it is okay to laugh. we have caught him in the bathroom unrolling the TP just having a grand time...hard not to laugh, but can't promote that behavior right? he sure has become so fun to take care of. he understands more than we think he does. i love teaching him new things. right now we are working on ABC's and colors. what a big boy!

i am: hoping to go back to school next fall
i know: m&m's taste fantastic
i want: to go to nationals in November (counsil bluffs, IA baby)
i have: to take a shower ASAP
i wish: clifton was done with school
i hate: having a messy kitchen
i miss: my six pack
i fear: crashing the bus. nothing worse than feeling like your gonna roll the bus, am i right?
i feel: sunburnt. dang lap swim class!
i hear: my dryer going. never ending loads of laundry
i smell: chocolate (refer to previouse "i know")
i crave: pizza mostly. but i think i've gotten over that addiction.
i search: the world wide web hoping to find a brand that carries womens long sleeve purple t-shirts
i wonder: where we will move so clifton can continue to go to school and get his bachelors
i regret: not finishing my senior year of volleyball. i got pregnant...don't regret that though!
i love: watching movies with my best friends! (i can't remember the last time i laughed that hard at a movie...thanks shari and denise! I love you so much it's retarded!!)
i care: about my calling. but who in their right mind would listen to a 23 year old when they already know this stuff huh?
i always: sing in my car
i am not: the best singer...only the best in my car
i believe: i have an addiction to cool t-shirts...that is my next bad habit i need to kick, but i can't say no to a cheep $5 shirt! it's better if it's free though...
i dance: like a sexy beast. for those of you who haven't seen my 'sick' moves, you are missing out
i sing: in my car! and when i drive the bus late at night. everyone is asleep, they can't hear me.
i don’t always: act my age...but it keeps me young!
i fight: love handles! (5 lbs. down baby)
i write: nothing
i lose: the will to work out. come on willpower!
i win: almost every time...i'm very competitive
i never: listen
i listen: never...okay sometimes...im stubourn as well as competitve. i also listen to curtis asking for a popcicle every 5 min..
i am scared: of obama
i need: a new hair style
i am happy about: the EAC volleyball team! Undefeated in conference play!
i tag: whoever wants to!

disapearing blog...

due to lack of interest (and time) my blog has not been that interesting. for that, i appologize. what i don't apologize for is my reasons for not blogging. there are many...
1. volleyball camp started in the middle of July, and spending 8 hours at the gym for 2 weeks just doesn't put me in the best of moods when i come home. almost every night, i would eat and then just crash from being so tired.
2. just after volleyball camp was over, we had 4 days off before we started pre-season for our college girls. mostly 2-a-days with a few 3-a-days in there, but again, 8 hours at the gym...you know the drill.
3. nothing to blog about...(p.s. birthday was lame! i was at practice all day and didn't feel well enough to eat cake. i had caught a nasty bug!)
4. I have suffered a mini-tragedy of which i will not blog about. just keep me in your prayers. Just know that it is very personal, and i'm still recovering from it.
5.
6.
........I could go on and on giving reasons, i'm still alive, and busy. school has started and so has volleyball season. we leave tomorrow for Roswell, NM for a tournament. Our team is really scrappy this year and there is no reason why we shouldn't get to the National Tournament in November.
Clifton is not looking forward to this semester. He's just going to power through though hoping he can stay on his teachers good side.
Curtis is getting so big! he has a way of communicating by using the few words he knows and that is fantastic! We love that we can understand him and get him what he needs or wants at that moment. Lately he has been showing an interest in the potty. He would tell us when he was pooping, so we thought "maybe he's ready for potty training". His potty sat there for about 2 weeks until he told us he want to sit on it. and without us knowing:

he TINKLED! Here's the picture to proove it! we thought it was a fluke until he did it again the next morning! what a big boy and he's not even 2!

and many more...

Happy Birthday to me! yesterday...
too busy to post, will post soon!

The Fight is Over

This evening while family was gathered together for a family home evening of sorts, my sweet Grandma passed away. We had been preparing for that moment for several days now, but when it happened, it was as if she just left while we weren't paying attention. We had a family prayer, and sang "Love at Home"... a family favorite... and by the time the song was finished, she had drifted. I think Aunt Lela described it best, "The tears are not tears of sadness, but tears of the sweet Spirit." Now i'm not gonna lie, I was very sad. But the Spirit was so strong in that house this evening. We're so sad to loose our beloved grandmother, but we knew it was time.
Shortly after her passing, my dad and Uncle Jordan gave my grandfather a blessing. Once again, we could feel the Spirit in the room as we knew Grandma was at peace. I gave my final goodbyes to Grandma about 20 minuets after she had passed. My heart is full. We know the Lord was watching over our family tonight.

Thoughts about my Grandma

I have been thinking lately about people who are close to me. Mostly because of the state that my dear Grandma is in. My thoughts have been so jummbled that it's been hard for me to gather them and write them down. Some of the following words were borrowed from my cousin Jill with my own inserted. She put it so well and I feel the same way as she does.
Since her lung cancer diagnosis in November, I’ve wondered each time I leave my Grandma if it’ll be the last time I see her alive. I knew she was terminal, I knew she was steadily declining, I knew it wouldn’t be long. So I’m not sure why I was so stunned when my sister called Thursday to say that the hospice nurse didn’t expect her to live out the week. We all knew this moment was coming...How could I not see her one more time? I wasn’t prepared for the state I found her in when I got there on Friday. The previous time I saw her was Sunday, and the drastic change in her condition was devastating. For the first time, she looked like a hospice patient to me. She cant get out of her chair without someone lifting her. She recognizes people and follows conversation, for the most part, but she doesn’t have any facial expressions and hardly verbalizes at all. She said she was glad to have us there but she didn’t really participate much. I think the visiting was more for us than for her.
Uncle Jordan flew in from Ohio and will stay a week. Aunt Lela came on a one way ticket from Utah. She’s staying “until the end” and will just drive back when her family comes for the funeral. We hung on her every word. Anytime she’d talk or even gesture, we’d all lean in and listen closely, trying not to miss a thing. She doesn’t like us to be tearful because crying makes her cough and often throw up.
Grandpa had gone to church with some family while my some family stayed home with Grandma. When Grandpa came home he said, “Hello my love” and she responded, “Hello dear.” He sat next to her and she reached for his hand. She was rubbing his hand with her thumb and he just sat there staring at her. I cant even imagine how hard it is for him to see his sweet, beautiful bride suffering like she is. She’s just not even the same person. Only occasionally did she say or do familiar things.
I don’t want to remember the coughing. I don't want to remember helping her feed herself (with the feeding tube) and rushing to the sink to thow up. I don't want to remember watching her suffer.
We all sat outside their house and watched the 24th of July Pioneer Parade going down Church Street on Saturday. Grandma had us put her into the wheelchair and roll her onto the porch so she could watch the parade and smell the rain.
The last time I saw her I knelt by her chair, held her hand and told her how much I loved her. At that moment, I held back the tears but after I kissed her check and told her I loved her again, I left with reluctancy hoping that it wouldn't be the last time I saw her.
I look forward to the funeral with a fair amount of dread. I’ll cry for sure, but there are only wonderful things to say about her and only sweet memories to be shared by those of us who love her. She has influenced countless lives for good and will surely be welcomed home by loving arms. God will literally be with her until we meet again and what a great day that will be.

UPDATE: This morning, Grandma is not responsive. The time is coming and we are all prepared...but not ready. I'm not ready to lose someone I love.

a quote for a giggle

"I forewarn you, this will be a rather long talk. I am an old man. I do not know how much longer I will live, and so I want to say what I have to say, while I have the strength to say it. ...Having been warned, some of you will wish to get comfortable. Pleasant dreams."

Memories...

This is a fun way to "bond" through cyberspace and time with my fellow bloggers, friends and family! I would LOVE it if you would all "play!"

Here are the directions:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses.

...PHOTO OVERLOAD...

playing in daddy's socks
playing in the rain
kicking a ball in the rain (notice our flag? very patriotic...)
new sandbox
sand in the mouth from the new sandbox
chillin' with cousin dallin watching a show and eating some popcorn
hanging out with cousins Abby and Jacob
playing naked with "phsyco" (cycle)

so sorry everybody...

Life has been pretty busy lately...with Clifton being in the hospital, starting a new job, etc. my blog has just been put on the back burner. I will have Clifton post his experience when he gets home from work. He will have more details than i will...because clifton is a nursing student, he communicated frankly with the staff. it felt like every time a nurse or doctor would come in and talk to us, as soon as they would leave I would ask Clifton what they said. I heard everything, i just didn't understand what they said. I don't understand nurse talk. Anyway, he is feel better and looking better too. We know we'll get through this and we feel your love and support! Thanks for all your prayers

news to you...

i've been gone for a while, but i have good reasons. Clifton is currently in Tucson Medical Center undergoing several tests pertaining to his heart. Tuesday morning (4 am) he woke up with a really fast heart beat (like he had been working out). He also noticed it was slightly skipping...so not normal. by 9 am he couldn't take it anymore and we took him to the E.R. I'll give all the details later, but long story short, they flew him to Tucson to see a Cardiologist. We have been her since Tuesday, and they have run MANY tests. We are hoping to be discharged tomorrow (friday). Thanks Callie and Randon for letting me stay with you. Thanks mom and dad, Marcie, Emily, Sarah, and Jesse for taking care of Curtis. We couldn't have done this without you! And thanks for all the prayers. We can feel your love!

Going PRIVATE!!!

We had a scare today...i went to the bank to deposit my check, and they asked me if i'd heard of a website that showed up on my bankstatment. I said no, and then i asked them to freeze my account. i rushed home, looked up the website, called the number, and they told me they are a separate billing company for 3rd party companies. Anyway, long story short, some lady named Delorise in Texas used our account to set up online poker! I couldn't believe it! This made me realize how unsecure everything is on our computer. So, i've decided to go private. Please e-mail me if you would like to continue sharing with me. The more the better! I'll set it up next week!

janielephant@hotmail.com

Hope to see you all later!

FYI

if many of you havn't heard...follow this link!

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/

a day at the zoo...

Down in Africa

below, is the first picture he sent us. in his first area, he had a mango tree right in his front yard and he would eat one everyday. turns out, chris is allergic to mangos. in his email, he talked about his face jiggling and itching and feeling like the movie HITCH. haha

we wouldn't be udall women if we didn't make up words to a song to send our baby brother on his mission. notice our innovative dance moves! (dance break is a tribute to his year in "The Company" formally know as the choralears) From left to right is Leah, Amanda, and then me. sorry about the graining picture, this was taken from a picture camera, not a video camera. we had a blast making up the lyrics and we loved singing it too him. We sure do miss Christopher, but we know that he is doing what the Lord would have him do. The people in Africa are so lucky to have my little brother for 2 years! WAIT! Almost one year down! YEAH! watch all the way through to get the best lyrics at the end!

ENJOY!!!