Introduction

Well, I guess I should maybe introduce myself a little bit. Even if you think you know me well, you just might learn something new here..... we shall see.

I am 46 years old. I was raised by goodly parents and if you recognize that description then you have at least read the first verse in the Book Of Mormon! If you don't recognize the verse then I highly recommend the book!
I have one sister who is 2 1/2 years my senior. She matured way quicker than I and so we were probably more like 4 years apart in interests and hobbies - hers being boys (both interests and hobbies), mine being stuffed animals, riding bikes, playing games, playing cowboys & indians, searching for treasure in the school playground stumps and hunting snakes. I know it sounds like I had a much better childhood than my sister, but that is just the way it worked out - she read books and 17 magazine and I played with my good friends; JK, PS & KH. I had a dream of a childhood - we lived on the same street as the elementary school. JK lived just a few houses up the street, PS about a mile away through the school grounds and KH - I had to go through the 4H club and across a major road (it had a light and crosswalk) to get to her house. We spent most of the time at the school playground. Even when I went to KH's house, I don't think I had to clear it with my mom, just told her where I'd be and that was okay. We knew to come home when we heard my dad whistle for us.
We moved away from paradise in my 6th grade year. I had 2 miserable months at a new school then started junior high knowing pretty much no-one. But I made a couple good friends and was in the band and choir. I switched to a different High School (where my dad taught), so I didn't know too many people at the new school - except those from my ward. I met a cute boy - DT- at an activity right before my 14th birthday and we were on and off boyfriend/girlfriend for the next almost 2 years. I also met my best friend SH in marching band. We spent most of our free time together doing fun stuff with other youth from church. I never did swim in her pool - but probably because it was never cleaned out or heated so it wasn't any different than swimming in a local pond. I ended up working for her dad who was a veterinarian all through high school. I would go to seminary (everyday for 4 years!), go back home to eat breakfast, pick up my dad, go to school, go to work, pick up my dad, go home for dinner. I drove his Datsun (forerunner of the Nissan), red truck until my grandparents gave me their VW bug in my senior year. They had purchased it in Germany the year I was born.
I was blessed to know all 4 of my grandparents. My dad's parents lived in SoCal, and we would visit them almost every summer. Grandpa passed away in 1983 right before I started my freshman year at BYU. Grandma passed away about 10 years later (I'll have to check that). My mother's parents lived down the street from us when we moved in my 6th grade year (it was only a few miles before that). Grandmother passed away in 1983 the day after I got home from my first semester at college. Grandfather passed away just 7 years ago, right before his 99th birthday.
I was on the hunt at college to find a husband. I didn't really have the desire to further my education, but I ended up going there for 2 1/2 years before deciding to serve a mission for my church. I had always said there was NO way I would go on a mission, but I felt strongly that I did want to go right before my 21st birthday. I was called and went to Sweden. I loved every minute, even the times that we were called the children of the devil and the winter I slipped and fell almost 10 times a day.
I got back, worked through a semester and then went again for one more semester. That summer, on the 4th of July, my sister and a friend set up a bbq/fireworks party with some friends and invited me and my parents. Well, the friend had a brother, and the brother and I talked a little. This brother - JS - called me the next day to ask me out on a date and that is a whole other story. But we were engaged 2 months later and married 2 months after that. I wouldn't recommend that short of an acquaintance for most people, but it has worked for us. We discussed having 6 children - I wanted all boys and I wanted them before I was 35. Since I was almost 24 when we got married, we had 11 years to make it happen. Well - that was not in Heavenly Father's plans. CM was born 1 yr. 3 mos after we got married, VP - 3 years 3 mos after that. Then nothing...... until 11 years 3 mos our little AR surprised us. We thought it was the end, but NG came 4 years 3 mos after. We are so blessed with each of our children and we have learned so much from each other. We are glad to be a family of 6. CM left on a mission 2 years ago and will return in 3 days. VP will be leaving us for BYU-I in January, so if CM sticks around until then, we will have a full-house which we are not accustomed to, but will enjoy.