Trophies

This is Miss Lilly, all dressed up for Christmas :) I can't believe how grown up she looks! She'll be old enough for the youngest class in Primary at church (Sunday school for the 4 to 11 year olds) so it was her last week in nursery today. She continues to surprise us, amaze us, challenge us and baffle us, why change now?!? Anyway, in Brownsburg, there is a town cemetery that we pass almost every time we are in the car and the other day Miss Lilly noticed it and said, "Mom, look at all those trophies!". At first I explained what a cemetery was and that they were headstones - not trophies, but as I thought about it, they kind of are trophies -- trophies for living!

Thankful . . .

This Christmas I am thankful. Thankful for three healthy children, an employed husband, a new neighborhood, a new job, new friends, a comfortable home, a knowledge of our Savior and his birth and many, many, many unseen and unheard blessings! These blessings included: sugar happy children, decorating candy houses, a bored - and thus creative 6 year old who came up with the idea of decorating boxes into cars to whittle the hours away while waiting for Santa, and an ever willing husband to help, play and clean up!

Thankful for fuzzy, warm, easy to cuddle pjs and kids!

I am thankful for the things that I don't realize are blessing my life, for the way things seem to work out, even when they seem to go all wrong, for the people and their actions, that make life wonderful, for the little things, the simple things that make us smile and remember what is most important, for the things I desperately want, but don't have and the things I don't want, but seem to have plenty of. For the challenge that life presents and the triumph that can come when we try our best. I am thankful . . .

Christmas Trees

Apparently we live very close to several Christmas Tree Farms. Yeah! So, we started a new tradition - yesterday we piled into the car and went to cut down our own Christmas tree. The kids have been begging for one since we moved in. Thank heavens we had hats, gloves, coats and winter supplies, because it was freezing cold! Not sure if I've ever been that cold before - Indiana wind is horrible! Anyway, it was great fun, the kids had a blast and we got a freshly cut Christmas tree for our new house and a fresh wreath too. The kids got to see Santa and had hot chocolate to warm up while Dad got the tree shaken, and put up on the car. We spent the evening decorating and it turned out pretty good. How many days 'til Christmas?!?!?

HOME!

Someday my life will be back to normal, and I'll know where the camera is, there will be time to sit down and just surf, maybe even update my blog or actually look at somebody else's, there will be dinner in the oven instead of sandwiches again - lately it's make your own, cause mom is busy finding the silverware, the windows will have more than butcher paper to cover them and people won't be able to look through our house, there will be an actual living room with furniture to sit on and you'll be able to find Sunday clothes without digging through three boxes to find the shirt, belt and tie. Oh, and the fridge will have more than an empty milk jug and the pantry will have more than 2 boxes and cans of random food from the old house! Can you hear it in my voice yet?!?!? I LOVE MOVING!!!! Yes, it is a joyous, wonderful experience. I think we are finally getting things into semi-permanent places - although that could change with Big D's ever increasing ability to get into, on top of and through things. Between a badly sprained ankle (J.D.), and bad 24 hour flu (J.D. yesterday and me two weeks ago), a very sore neck (me), an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving and reunion with a missioary brother, a very long trip in the car - one that we won't be repeating anytime soon, and a beautiful home in a great neighborhood it has been a long month! When we got to Wyoming, we stayed in a "Little America". Miss Lilly was so impressed that she cried when we left, saying, "But I want to live here - this is our new house!" But, we really are home now and together looking forward to Christmas. What a wonderful time of year to remember a little family with a less than ideal situation who managed to bring the world an incredible blessing found in our Savior, who can bring peace and joy into the hearts of all who turn to Him, even in less than ideal situations. May we be blessed with it always! Merry Christmas!

Leaves

Isn't it just the way life happens - as a kid I loved leaves! Especially in the fall when they turned all different colors and fell to the ground. Then, you could outline houses on the ground (floor plan style) and play house in them, or pile them up and jump in them, or just to hear them crunch as you walk through them, make wax paper books to save them . . . Ironically, the trees in my parents yard didn't produce much in the way of leaves as a child - enough to get some play in, but oh, my - look at them now! I think my parents could fill a few swimming pools with leaves each fall! There are so many! My kids got to help Grandpa with the last of the raking them up this year - and enjoyed some good piles and jumping into them. What a fabulous time of year . . . Fall!

Moving On

I did it. I said goodbye to the mountains (they were absolutely gorgeous yesterday!), I said goodbye to many dear and wonderful friends and I said good bye to our house -our 1st house! I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do it and I think my children wondered if I would ever stop crying as we drove to Grandma's yesterday. I don't think I've cried that much over something material . . . ever! It isn't so much the actual house, as the friend, neighbors, memories and love that we felt there. What a wonderful blessing it has been. As we were driving out of the neighborhood for the last time yesterday I turned to Master S and asked him if there was anything else he wanted to do one last time. He thought about it for a minute and then said, "Say goodbye to everyone". So, we rolled down our windows (in true Yorgason fashion) and yelled goodbye to our whole neighborhood. I'm sure the neighbors on that particular street were a little confused, but we did it. Kind of a final gesture to a neighborhood that we have loved so much. On to Grandma's for a few weeks, an uncle coming home from a mission and Thanksgiving dinner - yum! And then, cross you fingers - our new house in Indiana. There have been several times in the last week when I've wondered if getting this house is really going to happen, but then I think about what is the worst thing that can happen with the house there and I remember, no matter what happens, our family will still be together and we will still be moving forward with what we have felt so strongly needed to happen -- isn't that all that really matters?!? Faith - its a mighty and difficult thing to have, but produces such incredible results and blessings when we use it. May our many friends we've left know that we love them and think of them and that you will always be close to our hearts!

Packing

Just trying to find the "element of fun" in packing today! Big D is moving incredibly fast now - and is unpacking about as fast as I can pack. Can't wait until we are officially unpacking, he'll be so helpful!