catch-me-up

First and foremost, HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY MIA!!!!

This little goober is such a joy (is the fact that I slipped and typed "job" first some Freudian thing?) to have in our little family!

Here are some Mia fun facts:

-Mia likes to say "Um, good" before someone asks how she is.

-She sings "haty bow-way" and pretends to serve up cake all the time.

-Mia is surprisingly good at puzzles, and not surprisingly good at yelling.

-Mia is taking her time with potty-training, (did with speech too, but we're good there) yet will announce her poop-a-doop and refuse to sit down until she's changed. ...Getting there. (Lord give me strength)

-She is our tender-heart and is always up in my face when I show any kind of stress.

-She is also our bully, and she can walk by Sabrina and casually shove her without remorse.

-Mia refuses to wear coats.

-Mia loves to copy and do everything Ella does.

My sweet Mia-

Today you're 3. I can't believe how slow the time has gone, since it feels like you've been around forever! It's a compliment! :) You were my easiest birth, you were my tummy-company when I worked in SLC away from Dad and Ella a week at a time. You are a light in our lives, and we are our little family only with you. I love you.

Okay, Thanksgiving!

It was a lovely Thanksgiving this year. Here's my beautiful Ella.

...And cute Mia!

...Funny lil' shot, but you gotta love it!

Car shot! WOO!

Yep, the token-self-shots are baaaaaack!

The day began at my parent's home, and ended at Lance's. The meal was incredible. L-R bottom: Mia, Debbie, Maksim, Donny, Chaston. L-R middle: Ella, Bri. L-R top: Lance, Me, Scott, Candace, Aneesa.

The bird.

Lance's famous jello-pretzel salad.

*Lack of pix on my family's side is not due to any slight on the meal. On the contrary, it was divine. However, there was more baby-wrangling, and less pic ops.

Therapy continues to progress well for me, and I had a VERY heavy day today with a lot to think about. Someday I may blog about it, but probably not. Thank God for research and for professionals willing to devote their careers to helping people. Thank God for my beautiful Mia (and all my children). Thank God for Thanksgiving, and the opportunity to step outside ourselves and actually take inventory on the incredible blessings in our lives.

More than anything, thank God for Lance. Thank God he is in my life and he still loves me.

untitled

Continuous effort -not strength or intelligence- is the key to unlocking our potential.

-Winston Churchill

(also the man who says something about never never never never giving up...)

:)

End

Great timing, right? Lance and I are calling it after almost 7 years of marriage. Happy holidays...

BJ, BAYBEE!

So The Office is one of the BEST shows of all time. I could go off on how it has lost a bit of its edge, blah blah, but the first few seasons are TOPS! ...Again, MUST see the "bros before hoes" speech that Michael gives on a Christmas episode. Epitome of comedy writing... Anywho, BJ plays 'Ryan -the temp' on The Office, and came to USU for some stand-up comedy. It was pretty dang awesome for me. I get a little uncool around stars (ask my sister Rachael about my moment with Doug from Trading Spaces) -so sitting back on the 26th row was safer for him. I couldn't get a very snazzy picture, but here ye be! YAY for awesome shows!



...Special thanks to Lance for taking me. Love you.

therapy

Went to an awesome therapist today. She didn't have anything other agenda but to focus on me and let me speak from the soul. It was absolutely wonderful. 2 1/2 hours later, I left with a renewed purpose and a soft reasoning to my heart that makes me feel that maybe I'm not so bad after all...

...Can't wait until the next session.

Halloween 2010

During the insanity of living between households, there has been a lot that has fallen through the cracks. Yes, Halloween came and went! ...There are pictures to prove some participation! Above is my beautiful Mia. She'll be 3 years old at the end of the month, but look at that head of hair! It's growing so fast! YAY!

Here are the girls right before trick o' treating. Ella was a Glitzy-Witch, and Mia was a bunny rabbit.

Bunny!

Glitzy-Witch!

Sabrina-boo was my little clown.

On the day I moved out it was also the NFHP (Nolan Family Halloween Party) in Layton. I stole some pictures for the sake of documenting it, however, it breaks my heart that I wasn't there.

Above is my Dad playing with Sabrina in the swing at Dave and Lexie's.

Here's Ella and her cousin Noah.

There was pumpkin carving!

...And a corn-maze!

There were pumpkins to be picked...

...And super cute pix to be snapped! Here's Sabrina with Auntie Sarah.

A special thank-you goes out to my family (especially Mom and Dad) who stepped up to help me out and take the girls to this event even thought I wasn't going to be there.

The only update to report is that there is no major update. Lance are taking things day-by-day, and sometimes moment-by-moment. I am so touched by some of his gestures of sincerity in fighting for our family. There are other moments so painful I can't re-live them in my head for fear of break-down. I have learned a lot about my friends and about friendship in general. I have learned too much about myself, but not enough. Tomorrow I am taking steps to begin some counseling. The process and road that lies before me is daunting and terrifying, as it quite realistically could end in my family breaking. I have and will continue to live on the tip of this knife, where comfort is no option, yet the sharp pain I feel can either kill me or drive me. Therapy, here I come.