I'm baaaaaaaack.....

Yep, I'm back....for how long, well, I'm not making any promises - but I am back!

I haven't posted in a long time. Yes, I have been busy, what with the work and the church and the, well, life...but the real reason it's been so long is because I have a tendency to get overwhelmed.


Easily.





I get busy, then things happen that I want to post about, but I don't do it because I want to do it justice, then time goes on and too much has happened and I want to make sure I say something about everything, but then it gets to be too much and I can't do it and I am overwhelmed and so I kind of....give up.



This is not one of my better qualities. I do this with email, too. I get an email from a friend. I want to respond, but I want it to be thoughful and witty, etc. So I put it off. Then, time goes on, I receive more emails....and then it is too overwhelming - so I stop checking my email. As you can imagine, I got overwhelmed with Facebook within the first 10 minutes of opening an account. It's just too much for me.

So, anyway, I have given up on thinking I will go back and write thoughtful posts befitting all the events that have transpired and thoughts I've had since I last posted....I just have to start again, today. With this positive attitude, I am going to devote this post to a few of the things I wanted to address, but didn't. So, here goes!!!

• Happy Birthday, America!!! My dear home and first love. (July 4)

"This is my country, land of my birth. This is my country, grandest on Earth. I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold! For this is my country, to have and to hold."



"God bless America, land that I love, Stand beside her, and guide her, through the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam, God bless America, my home sweet home."

• Happy 38th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!!!!! (July 8)

I am who I am because of these two amazing, loving and wonderful people. They have taught me so much....not least importantly that marriage, while hard, is worth it. It has not been easy for them, but they have shown me that some things are worth incredible pain, heartache, work and sacrifice. Marriage is one of those things. It doesn't come easy and it is hard work. But it's worth it. Thank you, Mom and Dad. I love you more than life itself.

• Happy 3rd Birthday, Belle!!!! (July 16)

Isabella Abigail Sharipov. Baby Belle. My beautiful niece. Man, I love this kiddo. She is stubborn and smart and adorable and funny and an incredibly gigantic dork. She is definitely my type of girl.

• Happy Birthday to Me! (July 27)




• 25th Anniversary of my Baptism Day! (July 28)

I can't believe it's been 25 years! I remember my Baptism Day like it was yesterday...my pretty dress, how good and pure I felt, my sisters singing....my baptism remains one of the most amazing, wonderful, beautiful moments of my life. How grateful I am to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

• Happy 5th Birthday, Sadie!!!!! (July 28)

Sadie Danielle Adams. My more-wonderful-and-beautiful-than-she-realizes niece. How I adore this beautiful little girl. She is loud and funny and unique and sensitive. And she loves me. She's the best. I just hope she is able to see that in herself as she grows. How I wish all those I love could see themselves through my eyes....or, better, those of the Savior.

• Happy 5th Birthday, Maya!!!!! (August 29)

Maya Zulfia Sharipov. This kid is special. Despite how crazy smart and grown up she is, I still can't believe she's already 5. I remember holding her the day she was born with tears streaming down my face, completely overcome by the feeling that I already knew her and with the words of Wordsworth going through my head: "Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting; The soul...hath had elsewhere its setting...Not in entire forgetfulness...but trailing clouds of glory do we come From God, who is our home." Maya came, trailing clouds of glory. She's smart and spunky and funny and crazy and energetic and such a character. She's one of a kind and I love her to pieces.

• Happy Birthday, Kim!!!!!! (August 31)

Kim is my dear, dear sister-in-law. She is one of the most amazing people I know. She is beautiful and strong and funny and fun and kind and loving and thoughtful and selfless and creative and talented and just all-around wonderful. She is a great mom and a great sister. I admire her so much and hope to one day be as selfless and kind as she is. I hope she knows how beautiful she is, in every way. I love her so much and I am so glad she is my sister.

• Happy Constitution Day!!!!! (September 17)

"The Constitution of the United States is a glorious standard; it is founded in the wisdom of God. It is a heavenly banner." - Joseph Smith

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams

• Happy Columbus Day!!!! (October 12)

Ahhh, the kick-off to the holiday season (at least in my world)! I love Columbus Day and I honor the man we celebrate.

"Columbus found a world, and had no chart, save one that faith deciphered in the skies." George Santayana

• The Cody Adams Family Visit (October)

My brother, his lovely wife, Ashley and their adorable children, Addie, Thomas and Samuel, came to visit for 2 weeks in October. It was awesome. I loved seeing them and hanging out and just playing and watching the kids dance and play and sing and just be. They made my day every time they gave me a hug, drew me a picture or asked how to spell my name. I loved having them here!!!

• Happy Birthday Cody (28) and Rachel (26)!!!!! (October 21)

Cody is one of my bestest friends in the world and one of the best people I know. He is my little brother, but I have looked up to him since the day he was born. I remember the day he was blessed as a baby, closing my eyes tight and listening to the words of the blessing and just thinking about what an amazing spirit this little guy had. And he does. He is kind and funny and strong and good. He is loyal and loving and thoughtful and sensitive. He works hard and he loves the Lord. He makes everyone laugh and brightens my day every time he calls. I love him more than I could ever say.

Rachel is my baby sister....I can't believe she's 26. It seems like it wasn't that long ago when my older sisters were waking me up early one Sunday morning to tell me I had a new baby sister. I had wanted another baby sister for years. And that's how I think of Rachel - as my little baby sister - crazy and stubborn and independent and mine. She will always be that to me and I will always love her, no matter how far away she is or how old she gets.

• Happy Halloween!!!!! (October 31)






• Happy 18th Birthday, Dylan!!!!!! (November 10)

I can't believe my baby brother - my little pickle-o - is 18. How I wish I could go back in time and hold him a little longer as the adorable little boy with big blue eyes and sticky-outy ears who couldn't say his Rs. How much I wish I would have told him. How much more love I wish I could give him. But, now, he's 18!! So grown up!!

He is incredibly talented and smart and thoughtful and sensitive. I love him. So much. More than he knows.

My wish for him is that he will do good with all the talents he has been blessed with; that he will become who I see in him, that he will seek to use his gifts to be who Heavenly Father wants him to be and do what He would have him do. Because, more than anything, I want my baby brother to be happy. He's had to deal with far too much in his young life, and I want him to have the happiness that comes from knowing who he is and who he is meant to be.

• Happy Veterans Day!!!! (November 11)

"Oh, beautiful for heroes proved, in liberating strife; Who more than self, their country loved, and mercy more than life."

So, anyway, to all my readers (I'm looking at you, Mom and Amber)...I'm back! This is just a quick post to cover the time I've missed in a nutshell.....but stay tuned for further musings in the coming days!!!