Better than any gift bought at a store

My adorable children decided to throw me a birthday party last night. They banished me to my room for 30 minutes (Marshall was off teaching at the college) and got to work. Little did they know sending me to my room was a treat in itself. This is what they came up with:

 The note on Rachel's bedroom door, indicating a party going on

 The kids dressed up in their Sunday best

 Popcorn for a treat. They even put down a newspaper so as to avoid making a big mess. Such a little detail that melted my heart. They know me so well!

 Jimmy's card

 Rachel's card, plus $1. Wow!

 Anna's card

 Tasty Kakes wrapped in newspaper

 Jacob's card. See me on the left?

The banner they made.

I was so touched by their sweetness. It was a gift better than anything bought at a store and something I will cherish forever! To top it off, Marshall got up at 4:30, before leaving for Seminary, to write me sweet notes and sprinkle them all along the stairs. I am a very blessed woman indeed!

My Birthday Wish

This week is the best week of the year because it is the week of my birthday. What can be more amazing than that? (Okay, a lot of things, but humor me.) Rachel has been counting down the days until our birthdays, as her's falls just three days after mine. I can honestly tell you that I am more excited for her birthday than my own. I mean, I love to party as much as the next person, but when you get older, birthdays are just lame. Not to mention that I am someone turning 34, which is getting close to 35, which is getting closer to 40, which is just odd since I still think of myself as 25. How I have an almost 11 year-old is a mystery.

What I really want for my birthday is the answer to the big question- will Marshall be hired by CES? Is that too much to ask to know what fate lies ahead of us? I mean, really, it's not like we have been going through this process since August and are on pins and needles awaiting the outcome. Not at all. Not to mention the very good possibility, as everyone in CES keeps telling us, of moving to somewhere else in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Idaho, or Arizona. For the record, I refuse to move to Wyoming. I told the interviewer I would be willing to move if that was the case, but that was before I knew there were CES people in Wyoming. No deal! We do know there is an opening in Vernal, Utah and Marshall's friend is convinced we will be moving there. So convinced that he even bought Marshall a pair of winter gloves to help with the cold. Ha. So. not. funny. This week begins the time when we could possibly get some news about whether Marshall is hired or not. The time-line is very vague, sometime starting now to the end of April. Ummm...... I vote for now! Will we be having to pack up? Will we be staying? Will Marshall not get hired? Ahhh!

While it has been a very crazy year, it has also been a very spiritual year as well. The Lord has let us know over and over that this is the path we need to take. I have no doubt that we need to do this. None. No question. I know. And the Lord has strengthened us along the way and given us peace each time we begin to worry or question our sanity in seeking this out. Even if we are sent to Wyoming (gulp) I will do it because I know it is what the Lord wants.

If we don't get hired, it'll be sad. But regardless of the outcome, this year has been an amazing one of personal and couple growth. I feel like Marshall and I have become even closer and a more powerful team. I have loved it, despite the challenges, because the growing and stretching and pulling to the point of almost breaking, has made us stronger.

Now, back to that birthday wish, let's hope it comes true!

Harrison

This is my beautiful little nephew, Harrison Usner Scott, who was born on April 4th. He came in at 22 inches and 10.2 lbs. He is perfect in every way and I am dying to get back to Pennsylvania and snuggle him. My sister Karen, as pictured above, went through quite the labor with him. The doctor tried to induce her last Wednesday night, but with no success. She was in the hospital for a day and the little guy still was not coming. So she sat out the weekend at home, waiting and hoping he would come on his own. Tuesday Karen went back in and was induced again. Early Thursday morning Harrison was born. The most exciting part was that my sister and her husband did not find out before hand what gender of the baby would be. They have two girls, ages 11 and 8. This baby was a surprise for my thirty six year-old sister. But what a wonderful surprise! I am always amazed and in awe when a new life comes to earth. Babies are so precious and Harrison is no exception!