Hello everybody!
Okay, okay! I know it has been forever since I updated this blog. No excuses-I'm just turning over a new leaf-I believe in repentance!!!! Besides, it's Spring so it's the perfect time to bring this blog back to life.
Many BIG changes have occurred in our lives since I last wrote. One of the biggest for me personally is: After over 15 years of service, I retired from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in July 2009. It felt right and I'm so grateful to have had that wonderful experience, but now it is so wonderful to be home with Mike!
Another thing that happened in July is that, because of the "economic downturn" and lack of construction work, Mike became unemployed-not fun, but we're hanging in there. Another "biggy" is that our last daughter, Emmalee, graduated from high school so we are done with the public schools-YEA! And then, the end of December, Matt came home from his LDS mission in Guatemala-woo hoo!
So that kind of brings us to now. One of the things that has kept me from "blogging" is that time seems to ZOOM by-I'm having a hard time believing that March is nearly over-wow!
Now for a little update on the Fam: Emmy completed her 1st semester of college as a Behavioral Science major at Utah Valley University with good grades and is now working to save up money so she can continue on. (She’s trying to avoid student loans as much as possible… She’s also hoping to move out on her own this summer-good goals!
Matt had to get used to the cold & snow after his mission, but he seems to be doing well. He’s working at a different JCW’s restaurant than Emmy & Bryan, but seems to be enjoying it. (Hey, it’s a job, right?) He is trying to get a video production company together and trying to save up for film school.
Julianna has been teaching all-level music at a private school this year and doing very well. She’s also composing & arranging music and hopes to score some of Matt’s films when he gets to that! She's looking at going to Midland, TX for the summer to do music therapy at Rays of Hope.
Bryan & Lacie continue to keep busy with work(Bryan's a manager at JCW's & Lacie's a nurse at a children's home) and school AND their 2 cute doggies. They love to come to our house because “Gramps” always has food for them! They are currently at Disneyland, enjoying Bryan's Christmas gift to Lacie!!!
Brandon continues on in his 2nd year of BYU Law School. He’s also a TA for a professor and an editor for the Law Review. He just took an internship for part of the summer in Las Vegas with the US District Court Judge that will last through June & then he’ll look for a “rest-of-the-summer” job.
(I realized I didn't put anything in about the Coopers because I forgot that not everybody gets to my blog through Melodee's, which by the way is accessed by going to melodeecooper.blogspot.com !) Anyway, they are doing well. Stephen is in his final year of CRNA training through Florida International University in Miami. He will graduate in December & they hope to go back to the "promised land" of Texas! Melodee has been doing a great job of being a mom of a "terrific" two-yr-old(Kyle) and another Mini-Cooper(due April 9), home manager, "Iron Chef", Sunday School teacher. and whatever else she is called upon to do! Mike is still unemployed-there are construction jobs out there, but no financing right now. So he’s done odd jobs here & there, done lots of home repair projects, been working on the Fiat & VW Bus(not done yet!), and listening to a lot of talk radio! We’re really hopeful that things will start happening now that spring is here...
I have been really busy at my work at Orem Institute of Religion with the new semester beginning AND we lost two fulltime secretaries. But I’m truly grateful for the job. I’m also really busy with church work-I'm a counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. People ask me what I’m doing with “all my free time” now that I’m not in Tab Choir. Well, I haven’t been able to find much free time!!!! Right now I’m really looking forward to going to Florida in two weeks when Melodee has her baby-another boy! I’m so excited that I can go & help out-PLUS I really need a “Kyle” fix since I haven’t seen him since July!
That brings us up to date in a nutshell! I promise not to have this long a gap between posts again-In fact, look for an update in a few weeks on the newest grandbaby! Hope you all have a wonderful Easter. Lots of love from Dianna, Dee, Mom, Granna, or whatever you want to call me!
It was a HUGE blessing for me to be able to go to Florida to help out during Ryan's birth! It was very emotional to think about my "baby" having a baby and I was SO grateful that everything turned out so well with Ryan's arrival. He is such a sweet baby and it was so fun to hold him so soon after leaving God's presence to come to Earth!
