3/30 . . .

4 years ago today I did not expect to be where I'm at....at all.

BUT


I am so glad I am.


So instead of spending this night feeling sorry for myself because today would have been my 4th wedding anniversary, I want to list the great things about my life now (in no particular order):


1.  I live in a place that some people can only dream of visiting.  I was born and raised here in Alaska, but still have the feeling of awe sometimes when I drive to work.


2.  I have family and friends that love and support me. 


3.  Speaking of work, I have a GREAT job that I enjoy.


4.  I have a running vehicle that, despite being a small car, has handled the winter up here just fine, and the good gas mileage is saving me right now.


5.  I have a beautiful daughter who is continuing to learn, growing healthy, and teaches me so much about myself and love and happiness.


6.  I know I am a daughter of God.  I know my Heavenly Father is so mindful of me and my needs and is always there for me.  


7.  I have learned to love myself.  Although I am still working on this, for the first time in my life, I feel like I am worth something.


8.  Because I learned #7, I am now in a healthy relationship full of love and kindness.  I am having so much fun falling more and more in love.  


9.  I have kept Dolly's plant alive for one week now.  Here's to the next 17 months, 3 weeks.


10.  I have so much to look forward to and so much hope for my future!

Cousins!

Mady's cousins Clyde, Meghan, and Grace came up with Mady's Aunt Sharon for the last week.  They live in Kodiak.  Mady had sooooo much fun with them!  Here they are "fixing" the unicorns hair.

Dolly decided it was a good idea to add pink to her hair two days before leaving for her mission.  

My Mady girl has taken to crawling into bed with me in the morning.  This morning she insisted I need to take a picture.  

Last weekend the whole family went up to the Anchorage temple to go with Dolly.  I've never seen her look so beautiful, and it was such a special and wonderful experience.  It was also the first time I've made it to the temple since I moved up here AND the first time with Lake.  I think it might be the closest I've been to heaven ;)  I tried to get a picture of Lake but didn't sneak one before the tie came off. Mady stayed with Lake's parent's and little sister Sarah since the temple is 3 hours away.  Mady gets along with them so well and I really think they love her already.  

Speaking of work...

I love my job!

Some of these are from a 2 day conference in Anchorage... it was awesome.  Jill (Blonde hair) was my roomie :) and Amy (Dark curly hair) I work with a lot because we are the screening & assessment team.

Amanda is the director... best boss ever.

Amy & Kerri... 

Our "view" that was supposedly so great.. ick.

Birthday lunch at St. Elias...

Linda 

I work with a small (10) group of woman.  I have to admit, I was worried about working in an office full of woman... but the dynamics of this group are AMAZING.  They are so caring and professional and.. just lovely.  I am working in the Family Services department at Frontier Community Services.  The Family Services Department houses the Early Intervention / Infant Learning Program and the FASD clinic (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder).  In the Infant Learning Program we work with little ones birth to three years of age and their families.

I am learning SO MUCH! It is a fabulous fit for me, and I am happy to go to work each day!  (well.. ok... maybe I don't love the dirty homes so much... but...I haven't sat in cat pee yet like one of my coworkers did the other day)

Through the eyes of my preschooler...

First things first: I have a preschooler.  I am having a really hard time coming to terms with this.  I dropped Mady off last week for her first day of preschool/daycare and I cried all the way to work.  She LOVED it, of course.

Mady has taken up a new hobbie:

Every time I leave my phone unattended... I end up with 20 pictures or so of random things.

January 31st :)

On 1/31/11...

This boy:

Gave this girl ...