A Miracle

Yesterday we decided to bust out and take advantage of living in a beautiful place in the mountains.  We loaded the car and much to the kids dismay, we drove to Estes National Park.  The weather was absolutely beautiful and the temperature was in the mid 70's.  I tried to be the mom that talks up the excitement about what we were about to experience, but I'll be honest, I don't think one other person was looking forward to a nice hike in the mountains.

(When did I become the outdoorsy one of the bunch??)

We ended up having a nice time and I would post pictures, but my laptop is broken and since I don't want to download our family photos on Romney's work laptop, I will save the pics and details of our day for a later post.

The drive home was unreal and my stomach still drops as I think about all that could have gone wrong.  We miraculouslyavoided a deadly car accident.  It is truly a miracle that we drove away from scene with our car and family intact. 

On the drive home, the traffic was steady on the 2-lane canyon road.  I carefully drove down and tried not to pay too much attention to the steep cliff on my right  As we carefully made our way down the winding road, I noticed that the huge semi-truck behind me was getting really close to my bumper.  I was a little concerned.  Suddenly the truck got really close to us and then swerved left into the lane with on-coming traffic.  Then the truck swerved back into our land then and we heard this huge scraping sound.  

I turned around and saw the truck was scraping along the steel barrier that separated the road from the cliff.  Smoke was billowing out from the tires.  Fortunately, there was a pull-off spot right in front of me.  I somehow made my way into the pull-off spot and watched the truck slam into the steel barrier.  I was sure that the truck was going to roll off the cliff.  Smoke was everywhere.

Romney got out of the car and ran to see if the driver was hurt.  The truck was literally hanging off the cliff.  We learned that driver’s quick and careful reaction saved my family. 

His brakes went out and he swerved into the barrier with the hopes that it would slow him down.  He said, “I knew that you had a family in that van and I did not want to hit you”.  He was literally willing to sacrifice his life by possibly toppling over the cliff in order to avoid ramming into us.

We got several pictures and my stomach still turns as I think about all that could have gone wrong. It was quite humbling to realize that we had been protected.

We were part of a miracle.  I still can’t believe it.

Romney and I profusely thanked the driver.  I even hugged him as we left the scene.

 

Christmas Greetings

Christmas cards are out.  That is always a relief.  Every year I promise myself that I am going to be on top of things and not allow myself to get stressed out by the demands of the holiday season and for what ever reason, so far this year, I have been able to do just that.  Not that I am claiming to be Martha, but, the shopping is done, my cupboards are stuffed with baking supplies and I have one item left to assemble and wrap.  What is wrong with me?? (Well, I am quickly reminded that I am not Martha when I see that I accidentally put that Sophie is 6 on our card.  I guess that a little dose of embarrassing humility never hurt anyone...)

It has been an amazing year and we have so much to be grateful for.  We have felt the Lord's hand protecting us in countless ways.  Here are a few of the things that top my list of things on my 2010 grateful tree:

1) After a year and half of stress and anxiety, a job.

2) I am so happy for Romney.  It seems like it has been years since he has been able to work for a company that appreciates his talents and recognizes him for his abilities and integrity.

3) I am grateful for a healthy body.  We have had several friends who have been challenged and ultimately defeated by debilitating diseases and sickness.  And after having been sick a few times this year, I am reminded of the gift of an able body and mind.

4) I am grateful for laughter.  I love hearing my kids laugh.  I also love staying up in bed and laughing to the point of tears with my love, Romney.

5) I am grateful for the power of prayer.  We have witnessed miracles that hopefully have changed our lives and perspective forever.

6) I have been blessed with amazing parents who are unceasingly supportive and still believe that I can do anything with my life.

7) I love my siblings.  I love that when we are together, we are instantly reminded of how much we love each other.  There is never a need to warm-up or catch up.

8) I love my in-laws.  Romney's parents did a phenomenal job raising a son with such a kind and loving heart and I get to be the recipient of it for the rest of my life. His siblings are amazing.  I love the laughter that is inevitable when we are all together.

9) I am grateful for my kids.  I have a lot to learn from their enthusiasm and love for life.

10) As Lauren so beautifully acknowledged at Thanksgiving on our Grateful Tree, I too, am grateful for second chances.

I hope this week is filled with the magic of the season.  Merry Christmas & Memory Making!

Gratitude and a Thankful Tree

We did this the other night for family home evening and it was so fun.  I have decided that if I can effectively teach my kids the importance of feeling grateful and expressing that gratitude as often as possible, then I am starting to fulfill my role as their mom.

It was so fun to watch the kids write what they were grateful for.  We were originally going to start with ten leaves/hearts, and then gradually add to the tree over the next few weeks, but the kids got so into it that we filled our little tree the first night.

Some of my favorites included: healthy bodies, warm beds, electricity, food, house, mom, dad, family, life, the world, grandparents, cousins, missionaries and my personal favorite from Lauren, "a second chance."

We now have it hanging prominently in our kitchen to remind us to have our hearts full of thanksgiving.

Now if I can just figure out how to get the kids to stop fighting and get along with each other....

Not Just A Mom...A Mother

I stumbled on the mormon.org website this morning and I have been glued.  I sort of need to pull myself away from my computer.  There are these little two minute clips on different members of the church and their life stories.  It has been so inspiring to watch. 

This little clip on Jane Clayson really spoke to me.  In my teenage years and into my twenties, I always thought broadcast journalism was going to be in my future and Jane Clayson was a true role model for me.  I was so inspired by her achievements and I was always pulling for her.     

Shortly after 9-11, she walked away from her career in journalism, so that she could fulfill her lifelong goal to be a full-time mom.  Her peers thought she was crazy and she was warned that if she left, she would never be able to reclaim her status in journalism.  Well, she left anyway and she says that she would do it again in a heartbeat.

I always wondered what it would be like to be in her shoes.

Watching this clip of her life made me realize that ironically, she wanted to be in my shoes.  So, I am now in her shoes, but just in a different capacity than I had hoped and I too, am right where I want to be.

It was a good reminder to enjoy the here and now...this season of my life.

Smoke and Gratitude

The air here is smokey.  On Monday, Romney and the kids had planned to go swimming for the last time before the pool closed for winter, but our swimming adventures were stopped when smoke filled the air and the mountains just west of our home were blanketed with a thick, black cloud.  The Boulder mountains are about 20 miles from our home and it is so sad to watch the black smoke continue to rise from those mountains.  The latest reports are that over 7500 acres have burned and at least 100 homes have been destroyed.

As I have watched the news, I can't help but be reminded of how unpredictable life is.  A couple was interviewed and they recounted when they found out just how close the fires were to their home when the winds pushed the flames within 200 feet of their house.  They only had time to grab each other and escape the flames that literally devoured their home a few minutes later.  So sad.

But it is also a commentary on life to watch how we are now getting used to the smell of smoke and ashy skies.  We have moved on and it seems like the horror of the destruction is no longer so alarming.  All of this certainly has made me feel more resolved to be grateful for every day.  There is no way to predict what the winds will bring our way tomorrow.

So today, I want to be more grateful.  Grateful for a happy marriage and happy kids.  Grateful that my kids are still at an age where they like me and need me.  I am grateful that my girls are getting to be such good friends and that behind closed doors, I can hear Lauren tell Sophie that she is beautiful when she dresses up like a princess.  I love how sparkly and squinty Christian's eyes get when he is happy.  I love that Thomas is loving school.  I appreciate that I have a healthy body and can get sweaty in an exercise class. I love that Romney is a hard worker and is one of the most driven people I know. I am grateful.

A Job, a Move & Stability

Colorado State Flag

So, we have moved...again. How can it be that 3 moves ago, I vowed that I had one move left in my body and mind and yet, here we are again? We have dozens of unopened boxes in our basement and my kids are once again the "new kid" at school.

Romney has always apologized that he is a gypsy aka an entrepreneur. But somehow I thought that at the end of our amazing Boston experience 6 years ago, we would be able to settle down and grow up with our kids...in Utah. We were there, our family was readily available, easy lunches with high school friends, cousins around the corner, Sunday dinners with in-laws. We had it pretty great....except  the job situation for Romney was far from invigorating and certainly not an ideal situation. So when the opportunity was presented to Romney that he could be the president of a promising start-up with funding and revenue Colorado, I began to understand why Romney apologizes for being an entrepreneur.

Romney took the job working at a company called Lautriv Systems. It is a software company that provides an essential solution for insurance companies. He commuted for a few months and came home on the weekends to help me prepare for yet another open house. The limbo was killing all of us. The housing market in Utah was stagnant and we could not find a home that fit our family's needs. I was wondering if the move was actually going to happen. But we felt the Lord's hand guiding us as we took the leap of faith. We found a perfect home to rent and then, two days before we moved, dreamy renters signed a two-year lease for our home on Kensington Avenue.

Our Home

We now live in a newer subdivision just northwest of Denver. The kids have adjusted incredibly well and thanks to a fantastic ward, we are quickly adjusting to the changes that have come.

They have all made friends. Here are pictures of them on the first day of school. Lauren (4th grade) and Christian (1st grade).

Thomas (6th grade) on his first day. (He was a little reluctant to get out of the car.)

It was such a treat that my parents and my sister Kara and brother Christian were able to come to Denver last weekend for a few days. Months ago, they had purchased tickets to the Denver pre-season game. And much to our surprise, a distant cousin Karen Shuman who lives here in the Denver area, called me a few days before and offered me two tickets to the game. So, Romney and I were able to attend our first NFL game with my family. It was a treat and we all had a great time.

My sister Kara and I have always loved purses. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase another set of purses together from a vendor in downtown Denver. LOVE IT!!

We painfully miss our family in Utah, but know that the closeness we felt while living there will continue, but with just a little more effort. I look forward to sharing our Denver adventures with you and I hope this blog will help tighten the gap that is betweenp us.