HOW DID MY BABY GET TO BE 35?

SHORTLY AFTER THEY MOVED TO EPHRAIM.....TOMMY WAS BORN.  FINALLY A BOY TO CARRY ON THE FAMILY NAME.  I REMEMBER THEIR HOME SEEMED SO BIG.  IT IS FUNNY HOW THE KITCHEN AND DINNING ROOM KEPT GETTING SMALLER AS THEY HAD MORE CHILDREN.

SHANNON IS READING THE "CHRISTMAS STORY" ON CHRISTMAS EVE.  THANK YOU FOR OPENING YOUR HOME TO US AT CHRISTMAS TIME.  IT WOULD BE PRETTY BORING TO BE ALONE IN BEAVER (THE DAYS ARE GONE WHEN EVERYONE CAME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AND MORNING).  ALSO THANK YOU TO BEV AND RAZ FOR LETTING US TAG ALONG WITH YOUR FAMILY.

EXPECTING A BABY DOESN'T STOP HER FROM COACHING!  IN FACT....IF SHE HAD STOPPED DOING THINGS WHEN SHE WAS EXPECTING A BABY...SHE WOULD HAVE MISSED A LOT OF THINGS.

READING TO TOMMY AND ALEXIS.  SHANNON IS DILIGENT ABOUT READING TIME WITH HER KID'S...EVEN DURING THE SUMMER THEY ARE EXPECTED TO READ AT LEAST 20 MINUTES A DAY.  IF THEY AREN'T OLD ENOUGH TO READ....SHE READS TO THEM.  I BELIEVE THIS IS A GREAT RULE AND HAS HELPED THE KIDS EXCEL IN SCHOOL.  SHE IS MUCH MORE DEDICATED WITH READING AND PIANO THAN I WAS....I AM THANKFUL SHE IS BETTER THAN ME!

SHANNON AND JANESSA AT THE SUMMER GAMES THIS YEAR.  IT IS FUN FOR ME TO SEE THE SPECIAL AND UNIQUE BOND THAT SHE HAS WITH EACH OF HER KIDS.  WE LOVE YOU BOTH!

TWO MORE GIRLS TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE ESTROGEN TO THE FAMILY....AND LOTS OF EXCITEMENT AND FUN!

AND FINALLY A BROTHER FOR TOMMY.  I THINK THE THING THAT AMAZES ME ABOUT SHANNON IS THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT.  I REALLY WAS NOT CAPABLE OF WHAT SHE DOES (EMOTIONALLY OR PHYSICALLY).  I ALSO HAVE PEOPLE IN EPHRAIM TELL BE THE SAME THING....ALL THE TIME.  SHE CERTAINLY DIDN'T GET IT FROM ME, BUT SHE WAS SUCH AN OBEDIENT AND SELF MOTIVATED CHILD THAT I GUESS SHE HAS JUST CARRIED THAT ON IN HER FAMILY.
AS WE LISTENED TO CONFERENCE THIS PAST WEEKEND, ELDER HOLLAND GAVE A TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS THAT I FELT FIT SHANNON IN EVERY WAY.  IT MADE ME CRY AS I THINK ABOUT THE THINGS SHE ALWAYS DOES.
SHE HAS NEVER LEFT HER CHILDREN FOR MORE THAN A NIGHT.  (AND SHE HAS ONLY DONE THAT TWICE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BEING IN THE HOSPITAL).  HER CHILDREN COMPLETELY KNOW THAT SHE WILL BE THERE FOR THEM.  IN THIS WAY SHE REMINDS ME OF MY MOTHER.  MY MOTHER WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME AND I COULD COUNT ON THAT!
SHE IS ALWAYS AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN EACH OF HER CHILDREN'S LIVES AND IS THERE TO TALK WITH THEM OR ENCOURAGE THEM.
SHE IS AN EXAMPLE OF CARRYING OUT HER CHURCH CALLINGS AND ATTENDING THE TEMPLE MONTHLY IN A WAY THAT I HAVE NEVER DONE.
I KNOW SHE IS EXHAUSTED BUT WHEN I OFFER TO HELP SHE ALWAYS SAYS SHE CAN DO IT.  SOMETIMES WHEN I CAN SEE THAT EXHAUSTION IN HER EYES I WANT TO CRY.  I WISH I COULD CARRY SOME OF HER LOAD.
SHANNON PROBABLY WON'T READ THIS UNTIL SHE IS 65, BUT I HOPE SHE CAN FEEL THE LOVE AND ADMIRATION I HAVE FOR HER.  SHE CHEERS ME UP WHEN I AM SAD.  SHE LET'S ME KNOW OF THE LITTLE THINGS HER KID'S ARE DOING THAT WOULDN'T MEAN MUCH TO ANYONE ELSE.  SHE IS THE LIGHT OF MY LIFE.  I LOVE YOU SHANNON!