Thanks Jackie

Mom, Meags, Adam, Geof., Brind- Note that I didn't mention my other sibling that did not even call on my b-day (in all fairness she did call me the week before for the first time in like oh a million years). To my mother and siblings that care AND call, for some reason my phone isn't working. I will be trying to get it fixed through Vonage in the next few days. I'm just praying that it is something on their end and nothing on mine because then we'll be up a certain creek. Ellyn was playing with the phone the other day and she probably programed it with some weird way of denying or making all calls and I will have to go buy a new phone and then that won't be the problem, it will be the router and THEN you won't be able to talk to me on our Vonage phone until Mike gets back from Iraq and fixes it. This means that without any warning you could find me on your doorstep (any of your doorsteps because I have had no family contact and I've gone off the deep end. Actually, it could just be my children with a note pinned to Jane's chest saying "Please take care of my dear sweet children. I have gone on a cruise somewhere warm and tropical with a 24 hour all you can eat buffet."

What I am trying to say is that I'm relatively okay, heck, we even had family home evening tonight. AND...you may or may not hear my lovely alto voice for several days, weeks, months.

Jackie, thank you so much for the recipe. My friend was thrilled.

Mindi, we picked up our package from the post office on Friday. Thank you so much. I know you were all embarrassed because you thought Jane was turning 12 but I don't think there is anything I would rather her send her off to her first day of middle school with than a bracelet engraved with the young women's values. She loves it and so do I. Now, as to the "Trek" cd. I make it a strict policy not to listen to any "country" music while my husband is deployed. Just ask mom. Unfortunately, I let the girls listen in the car and Sadie loves it and wants to listen to it all the time and so now the security gaurds at the front gate are wondering if they should call the MPs about the crazy lady in the Honda Pilot that is always wiping tears from her eyes as she fumbles for her ID card. I'm hoping that I will become immune to the emotions but so far not so good. Has anyone listened to it? A few very heart rending songs and even the upbeat one that Sadie especially loves makes my cry because it talks about Brigham waving all the wagons on and straightening his hat and sisters walking next to brothers etc... A crummy thing to do to an already emotional basketcase. Oh, it also broke another rule of mine, no church cds. I just can't risk the cheesiness and losing the spirit as they sing about something sacred or wonderful and I'm about to upchuck my marshmellow, sugared cereal. Despite all of these problems you have caused in my life, all of the rules you have broken, I want to thank you for the cd. We have all enjoyed it and it is a daily reminder of those that really did do "hard things." It makes me so proud of our pioneer heritage and reminds me of the true sacrifices made by so many.

Well I'm off to bed. I'm really excited about it too. I love you. Love, me