Recent random pics and events...

The boys after playing a game of football at the high school.  Tom lives for these football days!

We celebrated Tom's birthday on Tuesday w/ his family.  This game was from his mom and drove everyone crazy until Tom finally got the golf ball to sit on the tee.  Can you tell how proud he is?  He's also wearing his jersey my brother Ryan got for him for Christmas, it's got his football number on it and says SWENK across the back.  Way cool!

We've had so much snow here!  This is my bro Stevie in my mom's backyard building a fort!

Here he is laying down inside of it.  He's 6'2", so this isn't a little fort!

Happy, Happy Birthday Tommy Dear!

Happy Birthday to my amazing, loving, entertaining and adorable husband.

I love you so much Tom.  Thank you for being you and for always making me smile!

Couple of pics

Just a couple of pics from my cousin's reception.

This pic isn't very flattering of Tom or I, but it's a good one of my cousin Jason.  He's getting married in June!  Can't wait for the big day Jason!

I absolutely LOVE this picture.  Stevie's big, happy smile and my mom trying to run away.  Typical!

Gratitude

Lately I have felt so grateful for the many gifts and blessings in my life.  I've been making a lot of changes lately trying to figure out exactly what I want to do with myself and where I need to belong.  The Lord has truly opened up so many doors that I believed to be closed before I actually took the leap and jumped.  I quit my job about a month ago with only the hope that I would be able to teach piano and voice lessons and sing at enough funerals to sustain Tom and I.  I was so unhappy at my job and finally got to the point where a change had to be made.  Isn't it amazing how you can stand at a cross-roads w/ blinders on and think that your choices are so scary and limited, and then when you look back you can see that the Lord led you exactly where you needed to be.  I'm always amazed by this realization and then I wonder when I'm actually going to learn true faith; because the Lord has never let me down when I needed him the most. 

More than anything I am so incredibly grateful for my amazing husband.  He's truly my rock that is constantly reminding me that we're going to make it and that everything will work out.  He wanted a change for me as much as I did and has been nothing but supportive this entire time.  I was sitting in the sealing room of the temple last week watching my cousin, Jordan, get married and listening to the words given by the sealer.  All I could think during his talk on love, family, understanding, communication, etc. was that Tom has been all of those things and more since the day we got married.  I was so overcome with love for my sweet husband and gratitude for my Savior Jesus Christ that I just cried.  It was a little embarrassing as the sealing room was full of people, but I couldn't help it.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I'm so grateful that I've been blessed to have a husband who teaches me the meaning of unconditional love.

I don't want to make this too long but I wouldn't feel complete if I didn't mention my best friend, my mom.  She's a star.  She makes everyone around her happy just by being her.  She's crazy and wild and full of fun.  Her strength in times of trial constantly amazes me and teaches me about patience and endurance.  One of her gifts is making people feel good about themselves. I love to watch her at school w/ the choir kids she helps.  Every one of those kids adore her because they can feel her special spirit.  I can also feel the love that everyone of her sons has for her.  I did a lot of feeling at Christmas this year and that came across more than anything.  My mom is loved by her sons.  I'm so grateful for this amazing and wonderful woman and for the vital place she holds in my life and in my heart.

Wedding in Utah

My cousin Jordan got married this weekend.  We didn't very many pics, but was a beautiful day at the Draper Temple.  What a beautiful place for a temple...up in the mountains w/ a killer view of the Valley.  Just breathtaking.

My mom's cousin Kay w/ my mom and her sister Danette and brother Martin.  Danette's daughter's the one who got married.

My mom's dad's sister, Pat, met us at the luncheon at the Beehive house.  She's hilarious and it was really fun to get to know my Grandpa's Sister.

Random Christmas pics

All my mom's kids.  She was in heaven!

The whole fam.  I like how Tom and I are so far away from eachother.  Don't worry, we still like eachother! :)

Megan and her boys on Christmas eve in their new jammies.

Clint and Kaidence.  Kaidence is Ryan's daughter.  I love her face here, what a goof ball!

I love this picture!  She melted every one of our hearts.

Stevie ready to go Snowboarding!

The boys squished (sp?) in the back of my mom's suburban.  We go snowboarding every year on the day after Christmas.

The boys taking a break.  They had a blast!

Happy New Year!

My camera's been being repaired for about a month and a half.  It was so hard to go through Christmas and all the festivities and not have my camera on hand.  But I wanted to wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!  Tom and I are so looking forward to what the year 2010 will bring.  I love you all!!!