Troy and Jesslyn

Earlier this month, my cousin Troy married the lovely Miss Jesslyn, to whom he had proposed over Thanksgiving dinner. It was great to see family, meet the bride, and watch a video of them growing up through pictures.

Grandma J's Passing

Grandma Margaret Johnson, Easter 2012

My last remaining grandparent on my side, Margaret Alice O'Neil Johnson, passed away this morning, 9:43 A.M. She had breast cancer a few years ago, and after a mastectomy and treatments, was cancer-free. We found out last week that the cancer had returned, with tumors on her spinal column and problems with her liver. They tried a hormone shot, hoping to extend her life a few months, but it didn't seem to work. The doctor offered chemo, with the declaration that it wouldn't reverse previous damage, just prevent further spread. He gave her up to two weeks, so my wonderful Aunts and Mother arranged for Hospice workers to come. Yesterday she had a "death rattle," and Mom explained it would probably be a day or two. While I find it interesting that my grandparents have chosen holidays on which to die (Grandpa Hooper around Memorial Day, Grandma Hooper on Father's Day, Grandpa Johnson on Mother's Day), I thought about next week's holiday. Grandma passed away a week before Good Friday, representing the day the Savior passed away on the cross before being lain in the tomb and rising again on the third day, Easter Sunday. I do know that Heavenly Father has a plan for our family, and one of the most hopeful parts is the Eternal Family. Because Jesus Christ died and rose again, every person who has ever lived on the earth has been able to receive a body and will be resurrected to immortality. Because of His Atonement, we also have the opportunity to not just live forever, but live forever with Heavenly Father and with our families if we follow the teachings of Christ and do what He and our Heavenly Father have asked of us. I know Grandma J is very relieved and excited to reunite with Grandpa, just shy of her 75th birthday. Thanks for staying as long as you did, Grandma, even though I told you time and again you were supposed to live to be 100. We love you.

Valentine's Day 2013

It's difficult to compete with last year's bacon rose bouquet, but I still wanted to do something special for Zak this Valentine's Day. I found some Wizard of Oz valentine cards for kids, and went with that theme. I got a bunch of yellow candies with a few others thrown in a yellow container I decorated. I hid the cards amidst the candy (and hid a Justin Bieber card in which the Bieb asked Zak to be His). My bulk candies offered some extras that just wouldn't fit in the container, so that was to share at home. Zak goes to work shortly before 8:00 A.M., and I had to work at 8:45, so I tried to prepare most of it the day before, and then drop it off on a detour to work.

We got home about the same time, at which point he surprised me with a potted plant, which he knew I wanted, and some gourmet coconut chocolates, made especially for me.

He was named "Star Performer" at work, and won a restaurant gift card. We used it the night before Valentine's Day, thinking it wouldn't be as crowded. There was still a thirty minute wait, but the hostess gave us a notifying device, so we watched part of "Tarzan" on my tablet until our turn came. Life is so different from when I was little and one didn't have electronic devices everywhere to entertain. Dinner was delicious, and as always when multiple servings of the soup and breadsticks are offered, I took them, so I had delicious leftovers for Valentine's lunch. Zak had agreed to make dinner for us that night, so he grilled tasty burgers for us, and then gave me a nice massage. Oh, I do love my husband.

Expecting Baby

Zak and I have wanted and been trying to have children for about a eighteen months. Every time we checked, we found I was not ovulating. Meanwhile, we strove for our other goal of paying off debts. Shortly after we reached that goal, Mom recommended a specialist at a naturopathic clinic. We discovered some of the vitamins and minerals my body was lacking that would affect ovulation and pregnancy, and I started taking supplements to correct those. My next cycle wasn't starting on time, so Zak urged my to take a test (we bought ovulation and pregnancy testing strips in bulk several months ago), and astounded, I realized it said positive. I tested a couple more times before I was ready to even tell family, because I didn't feel any different, and it had been a long time coming. At nine weeks, I had my first prenatal doctor's appointment, and we got a tiny ultrasound, seeing Baby's arms wiggling. That's when it felt real. Ironically, before I had realized we were pregnant, I'd gotten frustrated and had Zak give me a priesthood blessing of comfort and counsel, where he puts his hands on my head in prayer and says what Heavenly Father wants me to hear. He told me that I knew what I needed to do, and encouraged me in those things. I had no idea we were already expecting. I'm nearly 14 weeks along now, and feel so blessed. We got to hear the heart beat this week. I still haven't gotten sick, but when I try to brush my tongue, I have to do it very carefully because my gag reflex is stronger, as is my sense of smell. I do have to use the ladies' room all of the time, and don't sleep quite as well as I used to sleep, but it is all worth it. We have been sent a miracle, and Husband is going to make an excellent Dad.

Woop, Zoop, Sloop

...butterfly in the sky, you can go twice as high...

 After wandering into the used book store down the street, and having one of my neighbors who works there point out the newberry award winning section, I was hooked. Some of my favorite books are the fifth-grade reading level winners, so I bought a couple. I'd just finished rereading Sharon Creech's "Walk Two Moons," which is one of my favorites, and started into Christopher Paul Curtis's "Bud Not Buddy." The author does a great job of writing with the language of a 10-year-old boy, who explains the passing of time with "woop, zoop, sloop." A great story, which includes a message on family history(!), and reminds me of a car trip.


Growing up, my four siblings and I would play the alphabet game (why can't we pass the Antiques shop again so I can get that 'Q' now?), as well as the one Dad made up where he tells us when to start, and without cheating (using the mile markers), we had to tell him when we thought it had been a mile. I was jealous of how well my sister did, and then she explained that if we were going 60 miles an hour, it's a mile a minute, so you just count to 60. Well, these games would last a little while, and then we'd start teasing, poking, putting feet on the backs of others' seats, and the like. One May day in preparation for our Memorial Day cemetery travels, Mom checked out some books on tape at the library, including "Bud, Not Buddy." Woop Zoop Sloop, we all listened and got along the whole time. Since then, we all got really into listening to the Harry Potter series, and Jim Dale's voice became an omnipresent part of the family. My older sister doesn't really care for Harry Potter, but that's leaps and bounds above the trip we took while listening to "On My Honor," and another depressing kids book where he's left alone and everyone dies. Not all books are happy books. Reading "Bud, Not Buddy" again, I remember enjoying it together, inches apart.


...but you don't have to take my word for it...

Alice Cooper, my Mom

I just got the pictures from Dad of Halloween at their house. My Mom decided to go as rock legend Alice Cooper, and even got a fake snake to carry around. Mom is one of those ladies around whom you don't want to watch or say anything inappropriate. She's so kind and sweet, so this is a beautiful irony. I think she did a great job.

My sister also had fun as a girl from Toddlers & Tiaras. This is her preparing for the night's festivities.

Christmas with Famiy

Zak and I began our Christmas journey after I took my accrued PTO, and we drove to the Porters. It's so relaxing there, just talking, watching movies, and playing games. Our schedules didn't quite align with one of the siblings and spouse, so we made a plan to visit before they moved on to the next location. Niki took me out for some last-week shopping, and we grabbed everything we needed.

 

Our next stop was on my Dad's side for the Hooper Family Christmas Party. I got to meet the newest addition to the family, and listen to some great performances by my very talented cousins.

We drove to my parents house to stay for a couple nights, and in the meantime got to visit Zak's brother and sister-in-law in their new place with splendid decorations. The snow began to fall, with perfect timing for a white Christmas.

On Christmas Eve we gathered with my parents and siblings to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol and to reenact the Christmas story, singing hymns along the way. This year I was Joseph and Zak was a sheep. Apparently he's been practicing his baaing for the role for quite some time. After our little program, we continued singing our favorite Christmas songs.

Sheep and Shepherds

Angel talking to shepherds

Angel appearing to Mary

Narrator and Mary

Our Wise Men presenting gifts

Waiting for everyone to wake up while playing battleship

 We played killer bunnies, phase 10, and other games while my parents went to the 11:00 P.M. organ concert. As Zak and I don't have any kids, we're still in the role of kids on Christmas morning. We got to bed around 1:00 A.M., with the agreement that siblings would awaken us to sort and organize the presents around 5:00 or later. Mom and Dad don't arise until 7:00 A.M., so I stuck Mom's prepared breakfast meal in the oven and then went to sleep until it was time. We take turns opening presents one-at-a-time, starting with the youngest and circling around our family of ten throughout the morning. We are so spoiled.

The tower

Some relatives from Mom's side of the family made a joyous appearance Christmas morning, along with sister missionaries who got to Skype for the bi-annual phone call home. We got many wonderful presents, but by far the best part for me was getting to see all of our siblings and parents, and some of our extended family to boot. What a wonderful Christmas.

By afternoon, the brothers were ready for a nap.