Just an update

This is mainly for Kris, so he knows what we are up to while he is gone.
Tonight Nick had scouts and so we made a nice batch of Thai Curry Soup and had dinner. Caitlyn and I took Nick to scouts and of course the dogs wanted to go for a RIDE! They love RIDES in the car! I LOVE the way Zoe's ears perk up and she gets this crooked "Elvis" grin and then she paces and whines until she gets her leash on to go. Zeus waits patiently by the door, watches me get on my coat, and boots and then the listen for the keys. The KEYS are the signature sound. When they hear that sound, they know it is time to go. Once we head out, they both wait patiently by the door...NOT....zeus usually runs around the car or tries head to the back yard. We have to remind him of why we are outside. Zoe is more controlled but only because she is on the leash. Then we open the doors and pull the seat up and in they go. Zoe is really content to ride in the back but not Zeus. Zeus, when placed in the back seat, talks the whole time he is back there. He grumbles and groans and squawks and grunts, telling us this is NOT where he wants to sit. he wants to be up front next to mom!! Tonight Zoe rode in the back seat and Zeus in the middle seat. He was content to be there. I guess it was close enough. When we dropped Nick off, we left and went to Rite Aid. He promptly moved up to the front seat as soon as we had exited the car. Of course when we got back in the car, both zoe and zeus were in the front seats. They are pretty funny. We left Rite Aid and went to Tim Hortons. For those of you who don't know what Tim Hortons is...it is a donut/bakery/sandwich/breakfast restaurant. They make awesome donuts, however that is NOT my favorite part of Tim Hortons. They made the best breakfast sandwich around..It is called a B.E.L.T (bacon, egg, lettuce Tomato). It usually comes on a bagel but I get my on the biscuit. So much better that way. So we went to tim hortons and picked up a dozen donuts. We went home and played scattergories for Family night and ate donuts.
It was a good night. The only thing missing was the daddy. It just is not the same with out my husband home!~ I love you sweetheart!

Caitlyn's new haircut

Just thought I would post some pics of Caitlyn's new hair cut. She added layers and it looks fabulous!

What do these things have in common??

What do
This skyline:

Th Kentucky Derby
UPS


And the Louisville Zoo
have in common???


Kris got a phone call on sunday on the way to church sunday from Taxworks in utah (the company he worked for in utah) He was asked if he would be able to fly to Seattle and San Francisco for a bout a month to train to call centers on the taxworks products and to walk clients through installing them. He agreed. So i am widowed for a month....at least that is what I thought. When he landed in Seattle on Tuesday he got a phone call from larry, at Zirmed, in Kentucky saying all the paperwork had come back and been approved and that they were offering him the job in kentucky. We were very excited. Larry said that they wanted him to start Feb 1st............................................................oh, wait...........................that means that I will be widowed just a bit longer....like from now until the end of the school year. That seems like such a long time that I just can't think about it right now. I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, stay busy with the tasks of 2 callings, being mom and dad, managing the house and work. It just seems like such a LONG time to be with out my husband. But on the other hand, I have some goals that I am working on accomplishing and it will be an awesome thing to see him and tell him of the goals I am working on and how I did with them. I have been blessed with peace again and either I am tired or something because I am not stressed out about the time period of being apart. I know that the Lord's hand is holding mine and guiding me on the path I am on. I feel comfort in knowing that i am strengthened by him. That i am just a prayer away from all that I need.
There will be days that will be hard, that will try my patience (like yesterday) and in those moments, I can get online and send Kris a quick chat message, or a text message and he can respond to me and help me out. In those moments of stress and falling apart, because I know those will come too, in those moments, I know I have friends, family and ward members and a loving Heavenly father who will give me what I need to go on!
So...it looks like we are Kentucky bound. It is not utah, but it is closer to utah than northern maine. It is WARMER than Northern Maine.....and I think it will be great

2010

I remember years ago, Kris and I would talk about our kids growing up and look to the future and think..."those things are SO far away". Well the first one is upon us. "2010" This is the year Nate graduates from HIGH SCHOOL. I thought this year sounded so far away and now it is here. I can't believe he is old enough to graduate and that his WHOLE future is stretching before him. The wishes I have for my oldest son are these. As he goes into the world, with out the aid of his parents, that he will make wise choices. That he will remember what it feels like to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost with him and that he will continue to desire to pray, read his scriptures and be the amazing young man that he is today. Really, even stating that he is a "young" man is not adequate. He is a man. He is capable of making decisions, working, studying etc. Does he really need our "permission" anymore? Not really. Does he ask for it? Yes, he does and in a very kind manner, I might add. Nate is a man, but he will always be in my heart. I will always see that blonde headed little boy with big hazel eyes. The one who would sing "there was an old man in the middle of the woods" and the one who had to have a "cruck" (toy car) with him at all times, even sleeping. I love him and I am SO excited to see where he goes, what he does and how he prepares himself for the things the Lord has in store for him.
Before you know it, those milestones creep upon you, the years you didn't think would ever get here, "DO" and they come quickly!
May your 2010 be joyous, full of love, one for another, peaceful and prosperous

A season of Miracles

I feel like I am finally starting to emerge from the deep fog that has encompassed not only my head, but my whole soul. I do NOT like being in that place where depression creeps in, where despair, if given a chance, will smother out HOPE. I have seen in the past 7 weeks absolute MIRACLES in our behalf. Let me list a few. Those of you who have not felt it in a while, please know that Heavenly Father has his hand in your life. He knows of your every need. He requires only that you talk to him. I know that because of our faithfulness and our obedience, swift blessings have been put in our path. First. When Kris came home and told me he had lost his job, my friend Jana told me that we could live in her parents house for a very inexpensive price. The house we had been renting was beautiful but was proving to be VERY COLD in the oncoming winter weather. There was ice on the insides of the upstairs windows and no heat vents in the master bedroom or in the boys room. We literally had cold air from outside blowing through the window closest to our bed and on our heads at night. I was always so cold. So being in this house has been such a miracle and blessing of warmth and coziness. We are very blessed. Second, we have in the very moment of literally being down to our last 5$ had cash placed into our hands and always in just the amount we needed. That happened twice and those events were great miracles!! We have felt the peace and have known that we were being carried by prayers and cradled in the arms of our Heavenly Father as we had people put our family name on the prayer roles in the temple. We have felt the prayers of our friends and family buoy us up. And our sweet and amazing Bishop has been so caring in his counsel and wisdom. For that I have been extremely grateful as well. So as hard as this has been and such a kick in the gut type of thing, I am CANNOT over look the hand of my Heavenly Father in everything that has been put in our path. We have even had miracles in the form of being able to provide Christmas for our kids as well. What great blessings. I would like to share a thought from Elder Richard G Scott. This really helped me get through this growth experience.
"May I share some suggestions with you who face...the testing that a wise Heavenly Father determines is needed even when you are living a worthy, righteous life and are obedient to His commandments. Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Proverbs 3:11-12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain" (in CR, Oct. 1995, 18;).
- Elder Richard G. Scott
May EACH of YOU recognize the miracles in your life and weather the storms with grace and faith most importantly HOPE!
We love you and wish you a joyous holiday season!
Kris, Cheryl, Nate, Nick and Caitlyn and Zeus and Zoe! (the dogs)

December

This past month and into December has been an absolute blur. I am so very tired. About 5 weeks ago, Kris went into work and was told they were going in a different direction due to finances with the company and that he was no longer needed. On top of that, was given about 15 minutes to leave the office. WOW, was that ever a shock and we didn't see if coming. We are both still a bit baffled but are emerging out of the fog and confusion, depression etc that has encompassed us the past 5 weeks. In my heart I think...lets go home. Lets get the heck out of here and go home. But alas, we need a job there, to go home too. :) If you know of anything, let us know. In the meantime, Kris is applying all over the country. He has had a phone interview in Prove, Utah, Louisville, KY and near Richmond, VA. We will see what happens. I am going to start subbing up here as soon as my fingerprinting gets done which is next saturday. Kris has an interview with a local company here on Wednesday.
So please forgive me for not posting for a while. I have had absolutely NO desire to do so. So often feelings of failing and inadequacy have plagued me. Just keep us in your prayers please!!
Love to all!

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