Something old into something new...

Another year older...

I turned 35 on Friday. I remember in fifth grade when I thought that 25 was so old! While talking with my dad today on the couch at church, telling him about how the girls are doing. Kate was elected to student council and is over the moon with excitement. Sydney finally practicing writing, e is her favorite letter right now, never mind that last weeks letter was f. She practiced through sacrament meeting at church like this, she draws a straight line and then the circle while making the circle she says, " and now around the bases." Like an announcer at a sporting event. Paige and her continual talk...her favorite, "I hep you. I hep you, mommy."
While pondering the last couple of years, which haven't been easy, I discovered that I am very happy with my life. No I don't have a lot of money, or sleep, or quiet, or enough time...but who does. I do have amazing friends to help me through all of those rough spots. Including a great husband who has a lot of sass in his pants. I don't think I should call him a smart ass on my blog, oops I think I just did. He helps me see the sillier side of life and encourages me to complete all of my many projects. My girls fill my life with tons of frustrations, a lot of distractions, an amazing amount of love and most importantly a bunch of hilarious stories. I love the spiritual space that I'm in now. I talk with God on a frequent basis. I do ask him a lot of times what is He thinking, has he lost his mind etc, etc, etc. I enjoy studying my scriptures. I enjoy learning, living in a time when information is so easily accessible is amazing. In junior high we had to use encyclopedias and now I can find anything I want on the web. It's like having thousands of books to look through at a moments notice. I love having the ability create things... a garden, a scrapbook, refinish a piece of furniture, sew blinds, canning foods, baking. Whatever I need I've been given the talents or spiritual strength to see myself and my little family through. So on this birthday I am thankful and blessed. I have heard it on good authority that there is a lot of life to live between 35 and 40. Bring it on!

Hurricane watching

This is one of the buildings that news personalities have been filming storm surge of all day, pre-storm surge.

I love the weather. So the Weather Channel is on in my home frequently. You probably have already seen coverage of Hurricane Ike approaching Galveston, Texas. They have had a mandatory evacuation order... and today the National Hurrican Center stated, "Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single family, one- or two-story homes will face certain death." Warning residents of massive waves that would rapidly engulf such structures. I always find the presence of media "personalities" a little crazy. I know we all want to see the storm. Duh, remember I love the weather channel. John and I were watching the coverage on Fox News Channel, because Geraldo was on and he drives us crazy. So why were we watching? John and I were awaiting the moment when Geraldo would be knocked off his feet by the storm surge. When it happened(I was on the phone, sorry for your ears Leslie), there was much cheering and clapping, or maybe jeering or clapping. I went for a high five but John was to busy clapping and left me hanging. I hate when that happens. I hope you enjoy this link...mind you Geraldo had already fallen very early in the day but we missed it. He did state that his boots had water in them and he would be squishing around for the next twelve hours. I always thought hurricanes involved wind and a lot of water. Geraldo must not have gotten that memo and forgotten to pack extra socks.

Above is a computer image of Galveston taken back in the late nineties. Below is a computer simulation of what a 19 foot storm surge will do to Galveston Island. They are predicting a storm surge of up to 24 feet.

I can't imagine the powerful sense of helplessness these people are feeling. I'm thankful that they have evacuated almost everyone. There will always be the people who won't leave, or think that it won't be bad. I just hope they find a way to survive.