Which would you choose???

Well another week gone by!!!
Just heard from Tanner last night. We get his emails Tuesday nights around 10 or 10:30-- which is 9 or 9:30 AM the next day in Russia.
All is well for him. He seems to be happy and teaching away! Has a baptism coming up.
Funny thing!!
We haven't gotten any pictures from him since he got there to Russia back at the end of June. We happen to run into his "girlfriend" Sunday night at the family and friends get together (formerly known as an open house!) for Tanner's good friend Cale Flaherty. I am talking to her and telling her how we haven't received any pics from Tanner since he got to Russia. She then somewhat reluctantly tells me that she has gotten one from him. (Now, I really like Kelsey, but what does he see in her that he doesn't in his loving mama??? How in this world does she rate--ABOVE his own dear, sweet, adoring, carried him miserably for 9 stinking months, suffered through his birth, and raised and loved him through thick and thin, through sarcasm and teasing continually for the past 19 years, mama!!!!).
Well, to add insult to injury, last night I was on the email at the same time as he and we were going back and forth a bit (a great way for mom's to make it through missions better. Got questions? ask me) I told him again (as I do every week!) that we wanted pictures. He then tries in his Tanner way to break it to me gently that he sent a package of pics to --- me, you say???---OH NO!!! but to none other than our darling Kelsey, again!!! He tries to explain it away by saying it isn't because he loves her better at all, it's because it would make us get together and that was part of his plan!!!
Well just take a stick and jab it in my eye!!! That kid has nerve!! If he wants us to get together just tell me to invite her over or something!

So-- just so you have this right-- Kelsey if you ever read this I love ya!! - but the odds are not with you!!! Just promise me that if anything happens that I have to write words of comfort and love to my son sometime in the next 19 months, that you will please bring me the pictures and not get rid of them!!! Because, and this is the point I am trying to make here, no matter what, I will definitely be here waiting so very impatiently, excitedly, expectantly, and uncontrollably happy when he walks off that plane!!!!
And dang it all, I want those pictures!!!!!!
(I would post a picture of Tanner - in Russia-- right here, if I could. But you know that dang russian mail!!! ).

PS. And Kelsey if you end up someday as my daughter in law; No hard feelings, k??? The frustration voiced here is not toward you but to one crazy, nutty Elder we both seem to care about very much!!!

Aha moment!

Well, this is about right.
Once a week update! My life is not that exciting to update daily!! But weekly!! Well, we all have some kind of "something" to add!!
So let's see. Hmmm. Well there is the wicked storm we all lived through on last Thursday!! Wow! What craziness! I thought the end was here!!
I was emailing Tanner last night telling him about it-- and it came to me like a light bulb moment: That as the natural disasters continue to happen and to come more and more, the world as a whole, are putting the cause of them on "Global Warming"! It reminded me of in Book of Mormon times when signs would happen and the people would always have an explanation not related to God, or the signs of the times for them! We are now living that, again. As you know all the problems of the earth are all man made and are because we aren't taking care of it. It has nothing to do with the signs of the times. It is not fulfilling prophecy or any some such "nonsense"!!! Because as we all know--- Global warming is a major issue and because Al Gore says so, it is a real issue and actuality!! If you disagree, you are an ignoramous!
Just a light bulb moment for me as I realized that no matter what has happened, or what will happen humankind will always choose to believe their own "expertness"!!!
Boy, am I smart or what?/!!!

On a lighter note: Tanner responded to my brilliance, that he wishes that Russia would have a "few" natural disasters to get them to turn to God more. Wait, was that all that much lighter??

So I am sitting here trying to watch the Republican National Convention. I don't know what to think. So, yea, I'm Republican and all, but what a bunch of blah, blah, blah. Not of anything that I disagree with, but that there will be anything new to hear!!! Seems like a waste of TV time just like the Democratic National Con. I say lets get the show on the road!! And start up "The Office" And American Idol again!!!
Should be interesting!!!

Ramblings of the Week!

1. Ok, I finally feel as though I have maybe succeeded just a tiny bit as a mom! Why you ask??? Well let me tell you!!
Yesterday I happen to use what has been referred to as the "boys" bathroom, or "other" or "guest" bathroom that is upstairs and NOT my bathroom. (No that is not what makes me proud -stay with me!!). But as I'm doing my "bid'ness" I look around and notice that the shower curtain is closed!! And not only that the one towel (we only have one "boy" left at home) he uses to shower is hanging on the towel hook !!!
So my first thought was, "Taylor must not have showered before going to church, cuz the shower curtain is closed and the towel is in it's place, rather than on his bed, or his floor or the ironing board or any other some such place!!" But the more I thought I was pretty sure he had!
Could it be???? Do miracles still exist? After 25 years, 4 kids and millions, no zillions of times asking, nagging, begging, threatening, even trying bribing my kids to close the shower curtain and hanging up their wet towel after showering could I have finally gotten through to at least one of them???
I had to go ask Taylor if he had indeed showered that morning, which he confirmed, and then hugged and squeezed his head (he was sitting at the computer!) and telling him it was a miracle!! The are indeed real!!!
Well, I got the standard "cut it out" look and comment but you know what? There was a smile on his face when he said it!!! (I think he had that wonderful sense of accomplishment feeling!!!). I know I did!!

2. I am reading a very interesting book called "A Train to Potevka" by Mike Ramsdell. He is LDS and was an intelligence agent during the time that the USSR was crumbling and he had a very specific dangerous assignment that goes bad and he has to get back from Siberia to the embassy in Moscow without getting killed!! Anyway, it is very interesting and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is interesting to learn a little more about the russian people, even if the events happened like almost 20 years ago.

3. Ok, I'm working on going off my "meds" right now, which is a very interesting phenomenon. Some of you may be shocked and maybe even dismayed to learn that I take meds for depression. NO big deal. I just like to feel normal, happy and non-anxiety-ed like the rest of you! So you may ask why am I going off them? Well I have learned of a natural pill or supplement that I really want to try and see if it works as well, and without the side effects of anti-depressants. It's called 5-HTP. At least two people I am close to take it and say it is great and so I am doing that.
Well, let me tell you! The last several days as I am weaning myself off, I have been the biggest boo-boo baby there is!! I mean in the crying sense!!! When I am on them it affects me so that I am almost the extreme opposite. (YOu know you want to cry but you can't???) I can almost slice off the anxiety I feel and the irritability and all the other fun things that can come along with or be a part of depression. Can't wait to start the new stuff!!! So if you see me red eyed and crying or screaming like a banchee (what is a banchee anyway??) just either ignore me or humor me. But whatever you do, don't ask me "What's wrong?" You really don't want to hear an answer!!!

4. So my Ashley is 12 weeks along today!!! yea, yea!! I sure am noticing all the little babies lately!!! I just can not wait to be Dahly-gramma!!

5. Sam is my love and my hero!! He works so hard at work, and then in his church calling. And then when he IS home the unlimited list of things for him to do are always right there in front of his face!!! So if you see him dozing up on the stand during church--give him a break will you? He's just trying to catch up on his lost sleep!!

6. Yesterday at church, Taylor was asked to sing in a youth group choir for our Sunday school teacher (who happens to be amazing with music and singing! She's the only person I know personally that has won a grammy. As part of a choir too!) Anyway, she had them sing the medley of "We are as the Army of Helaman/As Sisters in Zion". Have to say-- it made me cry a river!! (of course I AM going off my meds though too!!). It was so very powerful to see these 4 boys and 5 girls singing it. The youth of the church truly are the royal army of today!!! The lesson was on the army of Helaman or the two thousand stripling warriors!! I tell you, we have the stripling warriors of today!! I just love the young women (yea you go Laurels!!! you know who you are!!) and the young men of today!!! Especially 4 awesome, studly young men and 2 beautiful, gloriously wonderful young women of my own !!! Love youMark,Aaron, Tanner and Taylor, and Ashley and Allie!!


Well, I think my rambling mind has rambled enough for the day!! Life is good!!!

Tanner gets transferred!

We got an email today from the office couple from Tanner's mission (The Camerons), letting us know that the missionaries closest to Georgia (which happens to be Stavropol) on the advice of the US embassy in Russia and area authority, are being moved a little further away from the conflict. So Tanner and the other missionaries there are being transferred to Volgograd (used to be Stalingrad!). She said that there has been no problems or anything but to be safe and on the cautious side they decided to do it!!
So that's the update on Tanner. It's a little unsettling to think how far away he is and who knows what is going on over there!!! I know the Lord is watching over him and all his missionaries, so I don't need to worry. That's what I am trying to rely on! But my mama bear-ness kind of can't help being a little concerned!!!
I just have to keep the faith!!!

I love the world of blogging!!

Ok, So I am getting a little addicted to this world of checking out other's blogs!!! I have found kind of lost cousins and learned what's going on in their lives. Keep up on my kids' lives and what's important to them. And I have seen so many awesome pics and layouts of others' blogs and their families!!!

I want in!! I want to be educated in the art of blogging!!! Help!!! Ashley is always busy or sick and I need someone who is patient and has time!!! I figured out how to put pictures on but only if they came from a camera phone, cuz this laptop of Tanner's (Mac) I can't seem to figure out how to get into the "pictures" file!! Yes, I am also pretty computer illiterate too!! What's a girl to do?

I guess I'll quit my whining!!!

So, let's see. Aaron has been married for a month today! Ashley is 11 weeks along in her pregnancy!Taylor is doing the senior in high school thing. He broke his foot at football camp two weeks before school started. Had to have surgery to put a screw in it. So according to the doc in 4 weeks from then he SHOULD be able to play on it-- if he can stand the pain!! We shall see how tough he is!!
I am still doing not too much! we are slowly getting our house back. I think we will have unfinished kitchen cabinets for all time. I've decided it is the new "cool" look. To have 4 or 5 cabinet doors missing. YOu know instead of glass doors-- it's the NO doors look. But I am not complaining too loud because we finally have countertops and a sink!!! I can actually do dishes or wash fruit off, or get a drink if I really wanted to!!! Crazy, isn't it???!!
Our tile is beautiful!
But I know this is boring so I'll stop ranting and raving about my woeful life in an unfinished house!!!

Let's see, Sam and I went to Utah for an extended Dahl reunion the first week in August. Taylor had school (it started on the 6th!! It gets earlier every year!)/ We had a great time with the fun Dahl relatives!!! Natalie has some pics from it if you can make your way to her blog!!!

Tanner is still in Stavropol Russia. It is about 100 miles or so from the border of Georgia. We were just a little bit concerned with the conflict between Georgia and Russia last week was going on. Fortunately, it had no effect on the missionaries in russia. They did pull out the missionaries in Georgia after a couple of days of it going on. Tanner said people would ask them what they thought of it, and they just told them they were not concerned with politics but were there to teach about God. Good answer Tanner!!! He said they were ok with that!!! But he really is doing great and says he loves it there!!!
Gotta love it!

Our vacation to Los Angeles and to see WICKED!!!

Ok so Sam decided if he wanted his wife to stay sane and not have a total breakdown he'd better get her out of the house that is being remodeled and has been for now for 3 months and is still not done! So he took me and Taylor and his friend, 'Cameron to Los Angeles for a getaway!!!
It was so very awesome--especially to get away to somewhere different than my bedroom where I've holed myself up almost everyday while the workers are here abanging and a working!
Anyway, we went to the Museum of Tolerance. It was very moving. I don't see how you can come away from places like that and the one in DC and not be so touched and moved and struck by utter disgust and pain for how humans treat other humans. It really gets one to think.
But the highlight of the trip for me was going to see the Broadway musical, WICKED!!! It was sooooooooooo awesome!!! I loved it!!!! If I can figure it out I'll put some pics here of us there!!!
We then went down to San Diego. Saw the Newport Beach temple, and spent a bit of time at Oceanside beach. Then the next day hung out at the beach at Carlsbad, which is about 10 or so minutes from Sam's dad's house!!! And like we always say,
"YOu can't go wrong if you're at the beach!!!" We love the beach and ocean and everything about it!!!So we always have a good time if we can go there!!!
Anyway, it was wonderful weather, and wonderful times and it was just what I needed!!! Thanks Sammy dear. I love you stud!!!

Crazy days of summer (not Lazy days)

Aaron and Allie get married tomorrow, the 18th!!! Yowza!!! We are soooooooooooo excited to have Allie join our family!!!We love her to death!!!
Welcome to the crazy family Allie!!!
tomorrow the new Aaron Dahl eternal family unit will be established!! Pretty cool, huh???

Tanner is doing well in Russia. The church has just announced that no new North American missionaries will be going to Russia, due to a new rule from Russia that humanitarian visas will have to be renewed every 3 months -- meaning the missionaries have to fly out of the country every 3 months and renew their visas. Very costly ad interruptive of the work!! HOpefully the Russian members can step and fill the void. But it will take time, I'm sure!!!

Grandpa Whatcott is in the hospital. They found a mass on his pancreas, on his prostate and his yucky looking growth on his ear is squamous cell cancer. he is recovered from his TIA (mini stroke). They will probably release him today or soon and just hope the masses are nothing serious. Or is they are to let him live out the rest of his life at home. So we are glad of that. We keep praying for him!

Well, gotta get going and do something for the wedding tomorrow!!1 Get my pedicure and manicure maybe!!!!