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We arrived in England one year ago today. We would spend the next 3 weeks absolutely reveling in our first big vacation as a family. Needless to say, I remember the days preceding our trip, and almost every day that we spent there. I remember not sleeping for 2 nights before we left, because I was cramming for finals...my last one being at 5pm, in Pocatello 8 hours before we were due to drive to SLC. So I do remember being very tired, and we were still packing as we flew out the door. I remember crying like mad as I said goodbye to our little animals, and looking at their precious faces wondering why we were leaving so early. I remember barely making our SLC flight, our connectings, and the ever-so-long but very exciting trip over the Atlantic. And I remember seeing my Mum, Chris and Uncle Chris waiting for me at the airport. I remember hugging them all at once, wishing my arms were longer, and feeling my heart burst with happiness. And that was just the first day! So I am nostalgic, and missing, and wishing, and on the flip side, I am so grateful to be here with my other side of the family, in a beautiful wide-open country, blanketed in snow and listening to the ever-blowing wind, waiting for Christmas day.
I have spent the majority of our relationship trying to cook as well as my mom-in-law.A lofty goal, if you've ever eaten at her table :)I have made some quite, shall we say, memorable meals, and some have actually been pretty good. However, I cannot bake. No matter how hard I try, I cannot make sweets like everyone else can. Casseroles, scrumptious. English roast dinners, perfect. But baking? Not a chance.Well my mum's birthday was on Tuesday, and since this is the first birthday we have spent together since 2000, I set out to make it as perfect for her as I could. I splurged on presents, I had flowers sent to her during her seminar, I arranged a surprise birthday party, and I decided to make her a cake. Not just any cake, a pumpkin-shaped cake, complete with vines and flowers, straight out of the magazine with the word "easy" in the title. So I called up my mom-in-law, and asked her if she had a fluted bundt pan and ever-obliging, she told me she'd leave one on the counter for me at the house. As I was getting ready to leave, she called again to tell me that I could keep the pan, she kept it so it wouldn't be sent to the DI after Grandma Hale had passed away, that she knew one of her kids would appreciate it when the time came.I have always loved Grandma Hale, and treasure the lessons and kindness she showed me, so when Mom said I could have that pan, I cried. 'Cause I cry at everything :) Needless to say, I felt Grandma's presence as I prepared that cake. The house was so still, so quiet, and I felt the Spirit so strongly in my home that afternoon. So instead of trying to make a perfect cake, I made a cake for my Mum, who I knew would think it was perfect even if it wasn't. This silly pumpkin cake was made with so much love, that it just didn't matter that the icing wasn't smooth, or that the shell-shaped thingies were just little blobs. It was my first cake, and it was for my Mum. So in the end, it was perfect to me.
I've finally created a blogspot! I've rocked my myspace page for a while now, so I am excited to try something different, more grown-up 'n all. It took me forever to find a name that wasn't already taken, or I would have had this thing set up ages ago. Well enough about that. I'm not sure if this is where I tell everyone who will read this, everything they already know about us, but here goes.
Scott and I met in Feb. 1996. Four years later, we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, and four years after that, we were married. Our little girl Macady is 8 now, and is the light of our lives. She completes us in a way we never thought possible, and we thank our Heavenly Father daily for sending us such a beautiful blessing. Our little family also includes horses, dogs, cats and chickens and I will post pictures of everyone soon.
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