Challenge "R"

 

Wow, I am really impressed with myself.  Two posts in two days.  This must be a record, at least for this year.  It could be that R is really, really, extremely, perfectly easy for me.  I just hope I don't forget someone really important.  Here goes:

 

 

Rocky, my husband and best friend.  Of course I love him.  He is my life.  I cannot imagine life without him.  He is my best friend, my sweetheart, my support, my EVERYTHING.  We have been married for 39 years, but if you count the four years of dating we have been together for 43 years.  Waaayyyy more than life before him.  I love him, I adore him, I depend on him.

 

Next is our oldest son, Rowdy.  He brought so much happiness with him the day he was born.  He is such a fine person.  I am so proud of the person he has become.  Rowdy is a Physical Therapist.  He got the dream to be one when he was in High School because he had a knee injury and went to a Physical Therapist for it.  He loved the fact that you can help someone with this profession.  Rowdy is a hard worker and he has integrity and loyalty.  I love this man so much.

 

Ryan, our baby, is next.  Words can't explain the blessing he has been to our life.  We thought we were finished having children.  Then we found out that we were going to get to have one more.  From the moment he was born he has blessed our lives. He has kept us young.  He has been his Dad's hunting and fishing buddy.  He is strong like his Dad.  When he believes in something there is no one that can change his mind.  He, too, is a fine person.  I am proud to be his Mom.  I love him with all my heart.

 

Rocky James is our first grandson.  He is our only grandchild whose names starts with R.  He is named after both of his Grandfathers.  What a noble name to have.  Both men are the kind of men you would want to be like.  I have always loved this boy.  He has always been my friend.  He loved to visit with me when he was young and he still does.  Right now I am so thrilled because he is living with us for his senior year of High School.  What a special gift he is to us at this time.  I really love this boy.



 

Robert Hull, my grandfather.  He was very special to me.  I learned a lot from him.  He was the best grandfather a kid could have.  He played with us.  He taught us about work and gardening.  I think that is why I love working in my yard so much.  Grandpa loved to travel, I do too.  He loved people, I do too.  Just sitting here and thinking about it I think he influenced so much of my life.  I realize that a lot of my traits come from him.  Grandpa, I love you.

Challenge "Q"

 

Okay, in my defense for the long period of time between posts, Q is really, really hard.  There are not many things that even start with Q, let alone things that I love.  But here is what I came up with:

 

 

Quilts:  I love  quilts.  I love snuggling in them when it is cold and I love that my mother made quilts for me that I still have even though I don't have her.  Both of my grandmothers left me quilts, too.  I think quilting by hand is a lost art.  Everyone uses machines nowadays.  I am grateful that I learned how to quilt.  I just wish I had time to do it.

 

 

Questions:  I love questions.  I love to answer them.  I like to ask them.   I guess it is probably because I like to visit with people and questions open the conversation and get it going.  I also like surveys and tests because I get to answer questions.  Kind of weird.  But I still like questions. (Oh, except for "WHY" asked a hundred times.)

 

 

Quarts:  I love to see a pantry shelf full of Quart bottles with produce and other things in them.  Canning has always been a love of mine.  I love the way it feels when you see the result of your time.  I love to spend the time visiting and laughing while we do it.  I spent a lot of time with my Mother canning.  And my grandmother.  These are cherished times.

 

 

Okay that is it.  That is what I came up with.  And it should be good with all the time I have had to think about this one.  

"Challenge P"

Finally, I am getting to "P".  Okay, I am not making any excuses.  I have worn them all out.  I am just glad that I finally got the energy to get this done.

The things that I love that start with "P" are:

Pahranagat Valley

I was born and raised in this valley.  I love it with all my heart.  I have loved the people, the weather, the natural springs, the history, the beauty, and the list goes on.  "Pahranagat" means "many waters".  I learned how to spell it in Elementary School.  It made me feel very smart.  Because that is not an easy chore for a first or second grader.  I remember my mother telling me to break the word into pieces to make it easier.   Pah   ran   a   gat.  It worked.

People

I truly love people.  All kinds.  But mostly the little ones.  There are some easier to love than others but I try to love them all.  I like the saying from Will Rogers  "I never met a man I didn't like".  It isn't as easy as that, but I can try can't I.

Puppies

I absolutely love puppies.  They heal my heart.  They are just so easy to love and they make you feel good all over.  I don't have it in me to take care of one right now, but I still like being around them.  They don't stay puppies very long, but neither do kids stay small long enough, but I still love them.

Challenge "O"

What do I love that starts with "O".  I am thinking this is going to be another hard one.  Maybe.

The first thing that comes to mind is "Oysters".  I LOVE oysters.  Thank goodness, so does Rocky.  We have oyster stew quite often. 

I love October.  Because I love October weather and I was born in October.  And I have a few of my loved ones born in October also. 

I love Opals.  It is my birthstone but I would love it anyway.  A few years ago when we were in Alaska I purchased an opal ring that I just loved.  I wore it and wore it and wore it out.  At least the band part.  I am now reminded that my intention was to get it set in a new setting.  I guess I will work on that now that I am thinking about it.  But I just think opals are beautiful.

And lastly, I love my new Office.  It is in the process of being built as we speak.  I have worked for the Sewer and Water for 24 years.  I have worked out of my home through most of that time.  The last 12 years have been in a trailer office.  So, this new office is going to be greatly appreciated and Loved.

Challenge "N"

Well, I have been through a lazy period where I just didn't want to blog.  I am not sure I can get over this phase.  But enough of that already!  I am here to blog about the things I love that start with "N".

I love the word "Nana".  That is what Dalley calls me.  Whitlee will be doing that when she talks.  It is music to my ears.  I love being called "Nana".  (Secretly:  when I first became a grandma I was only 40 years old and was wishing I could find an alternative to the word "grandma".  I am used to it now, but I do love "nana".)

I LOVE Nevada.  I was born here.  I was raised here.  I have lived here all of my life except for two years of college and the first 4 years I was married.  Hey, I know it can be hot, but there are a lot hotter places and the heat doesn't last all that long in the whole perspective.  And the winters are ideal.  But I love fall and spring in Nevada the most.  We have awesome weather.  It might be nice to have a little rain more often, but I can't really complain. 

And I love Neighbors.  I love people and I love being  close to others and interacting with them.  But I have a double reason for loving my neighbors right now.  They are family too.  And four of them are cute, funny, loving, enjoyable, and here a lot.  I LOVE It.

Challenge "M"

There is only one "M" that I love, but it is THREE fold. 

I love my Mother.  She was the greatest example and teacher a child could ever ask for.  She had so much love for her children that none of us felt slighted.  I always knew she loved me no matter what I did.  She was taken from me early and one of the results was missing  the years of being not just her daughter but her friend and helper.  I would give anything to be able to have that time with her, but I can't go there.  "What if" is not an option.

I love BEING a mother.  It is so fulfilling and has taught me so much about my Heavenly Father and his love for me.  It has given me 5 people who make me proud every day.  What joy they have brought to my life.  I don't see how anyone would want to miss the opportunity to be a mother if they could be one.  Sure, it isn't always a piece of cake and sometimes you want to just bail out, but it is SO worth it.

I love the mother's of my grandchildren.  They are all beautiful, wonderful women who put their kids first and have given me 13 beautiful reasons to live.  I love being a grandma even more than being a mom. 

Challenge "L"

"L" is very easy.  And I don't have to think any further than next door to me for all the "L" things that I love.  They are:

Luke Alan, my son.  Luke was a joy to raise.  He was always happy, laughing, and teasing.  He stole my heart when he was born and he has kept it.  One of the things I appreciate about Luke is his knowledge of his profession.  He is a psychologist.  In my eyes he is the best.  When I was young my mother was taken from me.  I feel that my Heavenly Father gave me Luke to compensate.  He has been one of the best advisors to my healing.  He is awesome.

Luke Shawn, my grandson.  We call him Lukie to distinguish him from his Dad.  This kid is one of those super cute kids.  He is so pure and sweet.  He loves to give hugs and I love to get them.  Lukie brings smiles and joy whenever he is around.  I LOVE that boy.

Lynda Elaine.  Known as L.E. to us.  She is named after me and her other grandmother.  That gives us this little bond.  This little girl is a pistol.  She has such personality and imagination.  She can have you laughing one minute and totally frustrated the next minute.  Life is never dull when she is around.

Challenge "K"

"K" is easy.  I LOVE "K".  And the reason is:

Kristi.  My favorite daughter.  She probably understands me better than anyone living.  And she not only is my daughter but my very best friend.  Forever.  And she has given me two very beautiful grandchildren and my one and only son-in-law.  Yep, what's not to love there.

Also, Kate.  Kate is named Kate Evelyu Hatch.  She was named after my mother, who was named after her grandmother.  I love all of these Kate's.  But as for Miss Kate Hatch, she is pretty special.  She has a soft, sweet voice and a strong but gentle nature.  I have a fantastic relationship with her and am loving having her so near.

I love Kayce.  Kayce is my daughter-in-law, but I really feel like she is more of a daughter.  Luke promised me when he was very small that he would marry someone who would like me.  He did good.  I enjoy having Kayce close by and I enjoy her friendship.

Also, I love Knowledge.  I love to learn about all things.  I especially love History and Geography and Culture.  Knowledge is something I just drink up.  I am open to learning just about anything.

Challenge "J"

I know that it has been a while since I have been carrying on my challenge to myself, but I have a very good reason.  Two very good reasons.  The first one is that Rocky had a knee replacement last week.  I have been busy trying to balance helping him and keeping up with everything.  The other reason is that I have had a mental block on "J".  I have not been able to just automatically think of things I love starting with J.  Well here is what I finally came up with:

I LOVE January.  It is my favorite month.  NO Christmas things to worry about.  The holidays are over.  No yard work to be done.  And where I live it is cold enough but not too cold.  I actually like cold weather (Hiko style).  I love snuggling in a warm blanket next to the fireplace.  I like my down comforter on my bed to keep me toasty.  I just LOVE it.

When I was a kid I used to love Jumping Rope and playing Jacks.  It was all the rage at school.  Every recess that is what we did.  I was good at it and I loved it.  Good memories.

I like Jam.  Notice I didn't say LOVE.  But I do like Jam. 

Oh, WOW, I just thought of another one.  I LOVE jewelry.  Watches and bracelets in particular.  I wear different ones every day.  I love them.

I guess we will stop there.  Wow "J" was hard.

Challenge "I"

The things that "I" love are:  Ice Cream, Indian Paintbrush, and Infants (you know, babies) But most of all I love IRA.

I LOVE Ice Cream.  Way too much.  In fact I have had to ban myself from buying it because if it is in the house I eat it.  I have one exception.  When Dustin is coming I always buy him Ice Cream, but I can resist eating it because I want him to have all he wants.  But I hate it when he leaves some because I eat it.  This happened about a week ago.  But I figure that since I don't have it very often then once in a while won't hurt.  After all I LOVE it.

Indian Paintbrush is a flower that grows wild in the Nevada deserts.  It is red and really brings some beauty to our desert.  On years that it grows best, which is a wet year ( I mean wet for Nevada) it is everywhere.  It decorates the side of the road.  It is a sturdy plant and a beautiful plant.  I really love it when Indian Paintbrush grows.

Infants.  I love babies.  I knew from a young age that I was cut out to be a mother and a grandmother.  And I could have been a really exceptionally good aunt if any of our family chose to live close enough for that to happen.  I love the innocence of babies.  I love their sweet smell.  I love their smiles and their coos and especially their laughs.  It is intoxicating.  I just love infants.

I am really, really mad at myself right now.  I was looking at a picture of my family and realized I had left one whose name started with "I" off my Challenge of things I love.  Ira Roger Hatch is very special to me.  He is my little buddy.  He lives so far away so I have gone several times to visit him and his family.  I get to stay in his room and he is in a big bed so we have shared the bed.  He is a joy to be around.  He loves to play with me.  He loves to sing.  He loves doing puzzles.  We just have a great time.  He is definitely the most important "I" that I LOVE.

Challenge "H"

"H" things I love are Hatch's, Hull's, Horses, Hair, and Hiko.

Hatch's - I haven't met every Hatch I am sure, but every Hatch I have met, I love.  Most of them are close family.  But I am proud to be a Hatch.  It is a good name.

Hulls - This, too, is a family name.  My mother's maiden name was Hull.  I have been reading about the Hull's in a book put together by family.  I have found the Hull's to be honorable, good people.  I am also proud to have Hull blood in me.

Horses - I have loved horses all my life.  They are such a beautiful animal.  I also love them because they connect me to my father.  It was horses that brought us close.  He saw my love for horses and riding and he taught me all about them.  I have only realized lately how much he did teach me.  I love that this is something my father and I shared.

Hair - I don't love my hair, but I do appreciate a beautiful head of hair.  I kind of envy those who have such nice hair.  So count your blessings if you are one of them.

Hiko - Hiko is where I live now.  It is where a lot of my ancestors settled.  It is where my father spent his early years.  It is where he ended up at the end of his life.  It is where he died.  I love the ranch that he left as a legacy.  I love the part that ended up being mine.  Good people live in Hiko.  Hiko is beautiful.  I LOVE Hiko.

Challenge "G"

The things that I love that start with "G" are Grandparents, Grandchildren, Gum, and Green. To start off with, Green is my favorite color. I don't actually like all green shades, but I like the darker shades of green, like forest green.
I love gum. I chew gum a lot. It freshens your breath. It keeps me from feeling like I have a dry mouth. And it keeps me awake when I am driving to town each day for work.
Grandparents are one of the biggest blessings in life. I loved all of my grandparents, but my Grandma Hull was particularly close to me. I have already talked about her in the "E" challenge. Her name is Grace Evelyn Bailey. She went by Evelyn. I was reading today how death is just like a separation when someone moves to a far away place. And it also said that this life is part of our eternal life. It made me realize that even though I miss my grandmother very much, she is still here. She is just too far to visit, but we will be reunited and that reunion will be AWESOME.
Being a grandma is the best. I love my grandchildren with a passion. I don't know how it happens but they just steal your heart right away. Each one is special and has their unique personality and place in my heart. Each one is my favorite at one time or another. Yes, grandchildren are our reward for putting up with their parents when they were difficult. I wish I had more kids so that I could have more grandchildren.

Challenge "F"

The things I love that start with "F" are Family, Friends, and Fruit. My family is the most important thing to me on this earth. They come before any other thing hands down. And I might add that I have a fantastic family. I am a lucky lady.
My friends are important to me to. However, some of my very best friends happen to be family also. I do have one friend that I have had since birth, Becki. She is the kind of friend that is the true definition of friend. The kind that everybody wishes they had. Neither time nor distance changes our friendship. I am so thankful for a friend like her.
Fruit is natures candy. I love fruit. Right at this moment I might say that pineapple is my favorite fruit. The weird thing about that is the fact that I didn't like pineapple when I was young. It is a taste that I have acquired later. But my favorite form of pineapple is dried. Now THAT is truly nature's candy. I love it.

Challenge "E"

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of the things I love starting with "E" are all the Evelyns in my life. Here they are Kate Evelyn Bailey, Grace Evelyn Hull, Kate Evelyn Wright, Kristina Evelyn Westwood, Kate Evelyn Hatch. But the only one that went or goes by the name of just "Evelyn" was my grandmother Grace Evelyn Hull. I loved my Grandmother so much. I was her first granddaughter from her first child and daughter, so we had a special bond. I think I was her favorite. At least she always made me feel like I was. We had a wonderful relationship. I always knew my grandmother loved me and that took me through a lot of rough times. I am going to be so excited to see her again. All the other Evelyn's will come up when I do the letter "K".

What else do I love that starts with "E"? Enchilada's. I really, really, really love enchilada's, especially when my daughter makes them. She makes some really good ones. I also miss the ones my mother used to make. Hers were great.

I also love Eggs. I have always loved eggs. I could have them every day of the week, but for a while I steered away from them because they didn't always sit well with my stomach. Since then I have learned that it is the yolk that doesn't sit well, so now I have eggs a lot only I take 3 out of 4 yolks out. They taste good and I can eat them all I want. Yep, I love eating eggs.

Challenge "D"

The things that I LOVE that start with "D" are Dalley J, Dustin, and Dad. Dalley J is one unique and special little boy. He has some things inside of him all in the wrong places, but that kid is a fighter. No one would ever know of his problems. He lives life to the fullest. He is a true blue cowboy just like his Dad and his Grandpa. Which brings me to his Dad, Dustin. Dustin is my favorite son-in-law and he always will be. He is perfect for my daughter. He is the best Dad a kid could ever ask for. He loves his kids and does all the chores that go with having a kid. He helps us a ton on the ranch and he is always happy and willing to work hard.
Last, I put my Dad. I love my Dad so much. He taught me so much during his life. And some of those lessons are still being reinforced with me. He is on my mind constantly. He left a legacy which fills me with such gratitude for having such a Dad.

Challenge "C" (FINALLY)

I know that I have been lax on this Challenge. But in my defense I am not used to juggling kids, a job, and everything else. I used to do it. But I have been in retirement for a few years. Soooooo I didn't get this done. Now I am able to get back to it. Yesterday I had a funeral and family home evening to keep me occupied, so I am back today.

The things I love that start with "C" are Crystal Marie, Cody Robert, and Church. Crystal is in college. She has grown up into a beautiful young lady. She is my first grandchild and no one can ever take her spot in my heart. Cody is Luke's oldest. He is a bright spot in my life. It is so fun having him live so close and also I get to teach him in Primary. That is really fun. I love this boy. Now as for Church. I love my church. which is the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". I love that it is Christ's true church and that it teaches me all the things He wants me to know to bring me back to Him. And that I can be with my family for eternity. I LOVE that.

Challenge "B"

The things that I love that start with "B" are Britnee Rose and Basketball and Baseball.

Britnee is my 5th grandchild. She is gorgeous, funny, strong, and talented. Just being around her would make anyone happy. She is always happy. That girl has stolen my heart long ago.

Basketball and Baseball are two sports that I love to watch and when I was younger I liked to play. They didn't have organized sports for girls when I was in High School, but we played at P.E. time. After I was married, when Kristi was a baby, I played on a town team. (It was softball, not baseball) but I loved playing. These two sports I know very well. I know the rules and if I get to know the players I can really get into it.

A Challenge to Blog more Often!!

As I said in my last blog, I need something to inspire me to blog more often. So I got an idea from some other bloggers. I just need a theme to give me incentive to write something. I have chosen to write an A to Z theme. Things that I love that start with each letter. So, this first day I will blog about something that starts with "A".

Things that i LOVE that start with "A" are Alyssa Anne, Arvella Jean, and ALAMO.

Alyssa is my third grandchild. She is turning 14 in a couple of months. I have loved her since the moment that I first saw here which was seconds after she was born. She was the first of only two of my grandchildren that I was present for their birth. Some words that come to mind when I think of Alyssa are Brave, Beautiful, Strong, and Talented. Ohhhh how I love this girl.

Arvella Jean is my 12th grandchild. She just turned 1 at the first of this year. She is pure joy. While she was here for the Christmas holidays we became pretty good friends. She has stolen my heart. Some words to describe Arvella are Independant, Lovely, Happy, Fun. I totally love this little girl.

Alamo. Alamo is my home town. I lived in Alamo most of my life. I have lived other places and I live in Hiko now, but Alamo has my heart. That is where I grew up. That is where I raised a family. Even though I live in Hiko now I still consider Alamo my home town. I work there, I worship there, I attend things there, I love it there.

Okaaayyy. Alright, Already.

The title of this blog today is a sign that I know I should be posting blogs more often, but I am forcing myself because I am really not in the mood. I don't seem to ever be in the mood to blog anymore. Here is why I think this:

1. I started journaling on Lds Journal. I love it, but I seem to expend all my writing inspiration, little as it is, on the journal.

2. There aren't enough hours in the day for all that I want to do. I have so many projects to get done, all of which I really enjoy doing, but no time to do it in. Seriously, I think there is a recession on time as well as on the economy.

3. Google makes me so mad. My facebook and email accounts are the same password and user name, but google will not let me have my blog using this same username. Therefore, I have to sign out and sign in every time I want to post on my blog. Then I have to take the few more precious minutes to sign back in to my email and my facebook account, both of which I use daily.

4. My mind seems to go blank as to what to write in this blog. I need a theme or something to inspire me to share my thoughts. I will work on that.

5. And lastly, I know I am writing this blog for my own satisfaction, but there is a lack of drive to write something that gets very little attention from anyone but myself. This doesn't bother me, honestly, but there just isn't any incentive some days.

So there it is. It is what it is. But I am determined to keep plugging away at my blog. I don't know why some days, but I really like having a blog.

THE BASKETBALL GAME

The game was fabulous. I love, love, loved it!!! AND it turned out to be a very exciting game with an unexpected finish. Given all the facts, it seemed that the HEAT would take this game away and it would not be much of a game. But that isn't the way it went down. The first half was entertaining but surprisingly the JAZZ were ahead by 13 points at the half. At one point during the game the JAZZ were ahead by 18. LeBron James only had 12 points. Ryan had predicted that he would get 26 and I was starting to doubt that big time. But the second half was a different ballgame. LeBron came awake and so did Dwayne Wade. They each ended up scoring close to 30 points. (My memory isn't perfect on that stat. I do know it was over the 26) It looked like the HEAT had just let the game slide untill the last part and then they were going to just take over. They did just that, sort of. But they must not have planned on the JAZZ keeping their momentum going pretty good. At the end of the game with just a few short seconds to go, the HEAT was only 3 points ahead. And then with only 3 or 4 seconds, they were one point behind. They made their big play but were not successful and they ended up losing the game. The crowd went wild. It was really fun to be there and see this whole production.
There were other things I loved about being there. Watching on television and watching live are a world apart in the perspective you see. There is so much that goes on that you never see on TV. You are countiing on the camera man for your views. They do a great job but that camera can't take in everything. I was amazed at how much is lost on the camera.
Another thing that I loved was the little side shows going on during time outs and half time. There is never a dull moment. They utilize every minute with something to keep everyone entertained and focused on the game. I especially enjoyed the JAZZ Bear. He was awesome. He keeps the spirit going among the fans and does quite a lot of entertaining.
All in all, this experience was great. Now we are making plans to go to a Pro Football game. I've been to a Pro Baseball game, but not football. We are thinking of going to either a Oakland/Patriots game or a Bronco/Patriots game. I am voting for a Bronco/Patriots game because I want to go to Denver and I really like Tim Tebow. I think those are some pretty good reasons. I hope I win.

Soon to come........

On Friday, the one coming up, I am going to attend for the FIRST Time EVER, a professional Basketball game. I am quite excited about this. The two teams playing are the Utah Jazz and the Miami Heat. The Miami Heat has my son's favorite player, LaBron James, playing for them. My husband and two sons are going with me. (I will be the only female. Lucky me!!)

SOOOOOO.......

I will write about my experience next week.

Why I love Snow in Nevada!

It is snowing today. REALLY snowing. And I really do love it. I don't think I would love it if I lived in some other places. But in Nevada, or at least Southern Nevada, it can be a beautiful thing. The reason? Because it comes, it is pretty, and then it goes away. Very seldom do you have any sign of it for more than two days. Usually less than that. Therefore it is a treat that is saved for a few special days a year.
Okay there is another reason I love snow. And this one is not a noteworthy one. I just like it because it gives Rocky the opportunity to plow snow and give us a little bonus in our pay check. These days money is a little tighter. We have had a reduction in pay the past two years because of the economic crisis. So every little extra bit helps.
I don't like driving in snow, but as long as it isn't too cold that isn't a really big deal either. Coming to work today it snowed the whole way but it was slushy, not slick. I can handle that.
One last reason I love snow is because I was raised here in Southern Nevada and a snow day was always a special day. We would pop popcorn, have hot chocolate, bake cookies, play games. It was a fun day. So even though I don't always get to do those things, I guess the memories just make me feel all warm and fuzzy when it snows.
SO, that is why I LOVE Snow Days.

CHANGE

Everybody has change in their life. All the time. In some ways it can be exciting and new. In some ways it is scary and sad. And then there are those times that more than one change is happening at the same time. That is where I am at right now. Some of the changes are exciting and new. Some of them are scary and sad. And one of them is both.

My issue is how do you deal with this because I am not really doing it very well. But I am learning. (Wow, I really love this green color. It is my favorite color so that shouldn't surprise me)

Here are a few things I have learned so far. But I am missing something because I have a long way to go in the coping part.

1. Talk to people who care about what you are going through.

2. Write down some of your fears and frustrations. (DO NOT send them to anyone. Even if they care they won't know what to do with that)

3. Pray a lot.

4. Read your scriptures.

5. Exercise.

As I said, this is not a complete list. They are just some things that have helped me through this process.

New Years Resolution

I have always had a different opinion of the whole New Years Resolution thing. I don't see the point of it. I have just felt that you see something you need to do to improve, then you set a goal to do that. It is an ongoing thing. You don't need a new year to make it happen.

Our Relief Society had a great idea this year that I like much better. They had us make a Bucket List. Now this isn't a list to do before you kick the bucket. It is a list to do before this year kicks the bucket. I had a lot of fun with this. I am going to try to do all the fun things on my list this year.

Now with all that being said, what did I do this morning? I set a New Year's Resolution. Go figure. I don't think I am going to tell anyone what it is because it is something I should have done a long time ago. But I get it now. The new year gives you a chance to start new.

Riggin

The best dog I have ever had or will ever have has gone from my life as of yesterday. Wow,
I did not expect the incredible sadness that I am experiencing. I have been trying to prepare myself and I thought I had. I expected a couple of months ago to come home any day and find him gone, but it didn't happen. But I knew if he got sick again, it would probably be the end. He got sick and it was the end for him.
Riggin was 15 years old. That is much older than most dogs of his breed live. I am thankful that he lived to see Ryan again. And he was here for Ryan for a while. But he was getting so old and he hurt. He couldn't run as much as he would have liked. He was going blind and he was getting deaf. As much as I hated to see those things happen, he still acted happy to be alive. He liked to jump around even though he fell half of the time. He loved going out to feed with me.
Every day, almost, of those 15 years I took care of Riggin. I saw him every day that I was home. We took him with us a couple of times. The last time was the first Christmas that Ryan was gone on his mission. We went to Kristi's and took him with us. I am happy for that memory. But every day he was part of my life. Every time I walked in the door he was there to greet me. That is what has left a big hole in my life and in my heart.
I started a journal today just to write my memories of him and of his life. I hope that helps me. I know I will be okay, but the pain is awful. I MISS him so much.