We do live a good life

I had been very good about keeping a journal until my computers, note ‘s’, quit and I lost it all. So, this will be a good way to cover the last year. We had lots of good times, and a few not so good times.l But all in all we are very blessed and we do live a good life. If you all see some mistakes or remember things that should be added, please let me know!
-January 1 we celebrated mom’s 77th birthday with a family dinner, including shrimp! Little did we know that it would be her last.
-January 24 we celebrated Ray’s birthday. He had meetings and I relaxed!
-February 13, 14 and 15 found me at an Autism Conference in Ogden presenting about GIANT Steps. While I was safe, snug and warm in my very nice hotel room, Megan was traveling up 1-15 at approximately 2 miles per hour in the worst snow storm I have ever seen, worrying about her homework. I was worrying that her full tank of gas would be dry before she could get off I-15.
-February 27 I flew to Pittsburgh in honor of Ray’s birthday! I got to stay until March 5. I had the very best time! Josie and I went for walks in balmy weather AND we had a terrible winter snow storm all in the same week. While I was there Ray called to tell me that we had been asked to be the cooks for Pioneer Trek and as he knew I REALLY want to go, he said yes. I was happy! I wanted experience Martin’s Cove with Ray. When Katie dropped me off at the airport, I was crying and so was Josie! I like to tell myself it was because she did not want me to leave, the truth is she did not want to be in her car seat any longer and thought the stop would mean she got to get out!
-April 11 Lauren came home for a week during spring break and I found out I had been chosen Division Director for Youth Services..
-April 26 Ray and I flew to Pittsburgh together to belatedly celebrate birthdays. Even though we only stayed four days, we had a wonderful time! Josie and I went for several walks.
-May 2 Megan graduated from SLCC with her associate’s degree. Ray, Mom, Katie and I all went to watch her walk and celebrate with her. After, Katie and Megan drove in Megan’s car and Mon, Ray and I went in the suburban to Cedar City. Megan was traveling on to Las Vegas for a week of interpreting. We are a celebratory dinner at Sizzler that night and all stayed in a motel. The girls stayed with mom, as was our usual custom.
-May 3 Lauren graduated from SUU with her associate’s degree. We got a two for one this weekend! After, we helped her pack and clean up her apartment. Then we filled the suburban up with Lauren’s life, went to Subway for lunch and started for home. Before we got on I-15 Megan was on the phone with the news that her GPS had quit! No good for her as she needed it in Vegas. Or I should say Ray needed it for her so he would not have to be on the phone all week mapquesting and giving her directions. So a quick turn around, a stop at WalMart. More hugs and kisses and you can do its and we were all on our way in opposite directions.
-May 6 Lauren flew to Pittsburgh to spend two weeks with Katie and Nathan. For the second year in a row she was out there for Mother’s Day!
-May 11 was Happy Mother’s Day. My last with my mom. I fixed a nice dinner and we ate on the patio with the missionaries. Megan and Katie came home to join the festivities.
-May 19 through May 23 I got to participate in the P.L.A.Y. Project training. The first day was in Provo and the other four days in Salt Lake. On Tuesday morning I drove to Salt Lake and had a motel room reserved as Lauren was flying in late that night. She called me in tears about 7:30 (our time) telling me she was stuck at JFK in New York for the night. They were late leaving Pittsburgh and missed the last flight out. She spent the night in the airport and I picked her up the next afternoon when I was finished with training. The rest of the days I rode the bus. It was a lot less stressful as that first morning there was a major accident and it took me an extra hour to get there. On Friday, I met Megan at her Trax station and rode home with her.
-Sometime in here Megan found out that she passed her level 2 ASL interpreter test. After over 2 years of studying and trying she passed! We were all so happy for her.
-July 8 through July 9 Ray and I went on Pioneer Trek. We had great assistants, Bishop and Lanell Stewart and could not have done it without them, our committee and Brother Beagley. We pre-cooked all the food possible and froze it. We packed up the coolers and the trailers the night before and were on the road by 5:30 the next morning. We had an amazing time. It was truly humbling to stand in the spots Ray’s great-great grandmother walked, with her children. I am so thankful for that heritage. What great faith and courage they exercised. It is a challenge for me to do the same!
-July 22 I was driving west on 700 North when I young girl ran a stop sign and hit me! It was quite a shock. I had a bowl of oatmeal on the seat by me and it went everywhere. She was driving a jacked up 4-wheel drive and drove right up on my windshield wipers! Neither on of us was hurt. A great blessing for me. I think I have angels watching over me.
-July 24, Pioneer Day, Mayor Lewis Billings presented Mom with the Mayor’s Award of Excellence at the Pioneer Day festivities at North Park. Mom was very honored. I am so glad I was there. She was not going to tell us as she did not want to "bother" us. But, she told Katie who came straight home to tell me. I called all her friends and then found out while we were doing flags that morning that the whole ward knew! It was a special experience for her.
-August 5 through August 9 I went to MIA Shalom to camp. Sarah Mulder came with me and we took Peggy Boshard as our only Young Woman. It was great fun and we had lots of special experiences. Lauren camped with us, too, but was busy with the stake.
-August 13 Katie and Josie flew in from Pittsburgh. We had such fun with them. As a surprise, Katie A. flew Nathan home on August 15 so he could go with us to the temple on the 16th. I was so surprised! I went with Megan to Salt Lake to pick up something she "forgot" and that something was Nathan! He flew home on Sunday. It was so fun to all be together. We had a barbeque in the backyard on the 16th. Mom was in on the secret and was so happy to have Nathan here.
-August 23 I took Lauren to Cedar City so she could start school. It was hard to leave her! We spent the rest of the time with Josie and Katie relaxing. Every afternoon would find mom with Josie in the backyard with the pool and sand box. The day after they left mom told me she did not know what she was going to do not seeing that baby every day! Well, she did not have to wait long because on
-September 1 mom’s heart started beating erratically and by 10 that night she had a massive blood clot and was gone! The last thing she did was to try to mail a letter to Lauren. The last hour she was alive, we visited and laughed with Megan. I love my mom so much and miss her tons. She was my best girl friend! I know the reunion she had with Dad and Margaret was wonderful and I am happy that she did not have to suffer long. We left Provo at 5 am
-September 2 to go to Cedar City so we could tell Lauren in person. Just as we were exiting the freeway a terrible noise started in the wheel. So we slowly drove to Lauren’s. We had to rent a car to get back to Provo. Early the next morning, I drove the rental back and Ray followed with the suburban pulling a trailer. We loaded the car on and about an hour north of Cedar City a tire blew out on the trailer. We stopped and changed the tire. And came on home. We found out just how blessed we were. The wheel on the car was ready to fall off due to how they fixed it after the accident. AND, the dual wheel on the trailer blew the next day. Both could have caused major injuries, true miracles!
-September 5 Nathan and Katie flew in. Josie stayed home with Granny Sherry and I am thankful she has her Granny close by.
-September 6 we had mom’s funeral. It was a wonderful service and oh so comforting to me. Nathan, Katie, Megan, Lauren, Steve Boshard and Ray all talked. Plus Megan sang and Lauren accompanied her, "I Know that My Redeemer Lives." It was beautiful. The chapel was full and many people were positively affected by mom. I cannot tell you how many different stories people told me about what she has done for them. I saw her every single day and had no idea all that she was doing. What she did for me was tons! How did she have time to do all that she did?
-October 2 Ray and I flew in to Cleveland, Ohio on our way to visit Nathan, Katie and Josie. We rented a car, got out our GPS and drove to Butler. We stay in a very nice B&B, Step Back in Time and have made good friends with the owners. We can come and go as we please and they are delightful people. While there, Nathan and Ray went shopping at Gabe’s, Ray’s favorite place to shop for clothes. On Monday we went to the Living Sanctuary animal park. Josie had a great time trying to give the animals a drink out of her sippy cup. And, just looking at the animals in general. We flew back home on October 7. I was so sad to leave Josie know how very much she would change before I would see her again.
-November 27 our first Thanksgiving in Provo without Mom. We had a quiet dinner at our house and lucky for us Joanna came to round us out to six. She brought some yummy fresh cranberry orange relish. Lauren made fat-free and fat-ful rolls that are delish! Plus, home made pies. She is quite the baker. It was a subdued day for us getting through our first holiday with out mom.
-December 21 Joyce called to tell me her mom, Ray’s Aunt Anna has just died. Aunt Anna has had congestive heart failure for a very long time. It will be hard for Joyce and our thoughts and prayers will be for her.
-December 24 found us at mom’s house for our traditional Christmas eve family get together with the Boshard’s and Strasburgs. This year we added the Doyle’s and the Muir’s. That means three babies! We are much fewer in numbers with Nathan and Katie in Pennsylvania, Jared in Southern Spain, Jenny in Northern Spain and Chris on he way to Taiwan. We still had talent, Aimee with back bends, Shelly, Aimee and Peggy with a musical number, and Brynna walking! Plus lots of good food including Pam’s traditional cheesy potato soup and Sister Muir’s Bolivian empenadas! Yummy!
-December 25 arrived with a web cam call at 7:00 a.m. from Butler. The earliest we have gotten up on Christmas morning in years. We had a wonderful hour watching Josie and talking with Nathan and Katie. Then we decided to stay up and open presents. I was very spoiled by my children who gave me just want I always wanted! Later that afternoon Joanna came over and we had a nice ham dinner. Then we played games- Katie gave us Druthers and Megan gave us Clue, the card game.
-December 29 we left home at 5:30 a.m. to drive to Blanding for Aunt Anna’s funeral. Aunt Anna is Ray’s mom’s sister and she is married to Ray’s dad’s cousin, Uncle Jack. That means they are double related. Ray has a cousin who looks quite a bit like him. They all grew up together and did everything together as families they have a lot of good memories. Aunt Anna was 84 years old.
-December 31, New Year’s Eve, we played games with Katie, Megan, Lauren and Jessica. Then they all went to the Doyle’s and Ray and I went to bed. We are truly high rollers!