Happy Anniversary Tom and Deb!

Yesterday was Tom and Deb's anniversary! We've been married 23 years now. Seems like just yesterday that we were sealed in the Manti Temple. We didn't do much last night--ordered dinner out and Tom got me some of my favorite perfume. We are going away for a few days this weekend, and I can't wait. We're leaving when I get off work tomorrow afternoon and coming back on Tuesday evening. Tom won't tell me where we're going either. So, it should be a lot of fun and hopefully very relaxing.
The kids, at least half of them, will be starting school on Monday. Evan will be a freshman and Alex will be a sophomore, and they will be attending a brand-new school that isn't even all the way finished yet. It sits high on a hill and is bigger than you can imagine. Crazy! It should be a great year and we're excited to get it going.
Things are going great. We're all doing well and feeling pretty good. Alex and Evan are still growing like crazy; I don't even want to buy them school clothes because I know they will outgrow them very soon. Emily is still looking at different colleges and is really looking forward to her trip to Utah. She will be checking out several campuses out there along with having fun with her best friend, Dani. Adam just needs to make an appointment for his Patriarchal Blessing and then he will be one step closer to his mission. He expects to be gone by December, but I don't know if it will be that fast. The way they do everything by computer and email now, it could be possible I guess. We're just ready for him to take that next step in his life.
Well, as usual, I have to go run the kids somewhere. Never a dull moment!

Count your blessings!

It's eight in the morning on Sunday morn and Tom and I are the only ones awake. It is so peaceful in the house right now, like our world is gearing up for the kids to come alive. I love early mornings like this; I just don't love getting out of bed to enjoy them! Adam came home from his date last night around midnight to tell us that a deer ran into the side of his car when he was leaving Kaitlyn's house. I just went out to see the damage and it isn't as bad as it could have been. The dent goes all the way to the window on the driver's side door and he was driving with the window down! I'm surprised the deer didn't just jump on in with him!
Alex and Evan begin extensive band camp this week...three-a-days. It lasts until school starts so I've basically seen the last of them for a while. And with Adam and Emily working all the time, I'm missing them all. They grow up and have their own lives too fast. But they're all healthy and strong and great kids so I'm thankful for that. At work on Friday I was helping a mom and her daughter who was probably almost thirty get ready to go to the temple. The daughter had her kids, a six-year-old and her four year old son with her. While the daughter was trying on her dress, the mom told me that they had had a rough year. The daughter's husband had left her, and they had found out that the little boy has leukemia. That really slapped me into reality. Just when you think you've got troubles, someone like that comes along and you realize how bad it could be, and just how blessed and lucky you are. That was my lesson for the day. Now I am going to try to post a different picture of Alex 'cuz he doesn't like the one I already put on here. Everyone have a great day, and count your blessings!