A year!

(I think this was our last adventure together. We took Dave and Georgia to the BYU game and then went to eat at Tucanos afterwards. Even though we wasn't feeling well he made the trek and it was a wonderful day and time spent together)

This morning dawned bright and beautiful and a lot different that this morning a year ago. This morning I was running in the brisk cool morning air. Last year I was braving the cold wind and snow covered ground to make a little walk from Mom's house to David and Georgia's. I had been back and forth most of the night. Making sure the kids were tucked into bed at mom's house and making sure David was still alive at his house.

Wow, the feelings are still so tender. It was a very emotional few days. I would like to think that this year has been a healing one but sometimes it doesn't seem to be that way. Sometimes it is a feeling so overwhelming with grief and regret that it is better not to think about. I've learned a lot about David since he passed away. I've learned things I wish I had realized before. Randy put together a video of David soon after he passed and seeing pictures of him with his sweet family helped me get to know a David I feel like I didn't know. He was a wonderful father who loved his wife and children very much. (I did already know that but in pictures you could really SEE it)I also want to thank Georgia for her blog posts over this last month that have helped me realize even more about him. I knew he was a good man but he really was a GOOD MAN. Amazing actually.

I have realized this year that the hard part about being the one left behind is that you make the person who left "perfect", which makes my faults seem overwhelming. I just keep going back to the last few times we had been together over the few days before he passed. I hope he really knew how much I loved him. I need to also realize that he loved me too. That has been the hard part. I feel like some of the last things he said were done at face value to make me feel better, which was a very kind thing to do. But, I haven't allowed it to bring me comfort and I wish I could. Healing is a hard thing once they are already gone. So now that I have found the point of pain the healing can begin right??

I don't know if this was really a little theme of his or not but there is a little sound recording of him singing, "Don't Worry Be Happy" and then giving some advice about how to experience more joy you have to experience more sorrow. When I first started running, I would listen to that song on my ipod. It was just on the playlist and would come on at the same spot of my run everyday. It would always bring a smile to my face thinking of him singing it. Somedays it was good, somedays it brought to many questions that brought sadness. Why was it him that had to leave. Why was it fair to leave his wife and kids. How do they get through each day. All fair questions but we get none of the answers. I just realized, don't worry be happy. In the end it's really all we can do. I felt like he really needed me to do that. Don't worry be HAPPY. I have realized how much David smiled. He was a happy person. I admire that about him. I admire his strength in the gospel. I admire his devotion to our Savior and Heavenly Father. He did what was asked of him. In no offense to my other brothers, I remember when we heard about his cancer and the time that they gave him to live I remember thinking of all of us he would be the most prepared. He was!

So 1 year later I wish I could say I have followed more of his example, bettered myself, and been a more happy person. I guess that gives me something to do this year! Thank you Dave for your example, for being the good person you are, for being a good husband and father, for being a good big brother. 1 year later I miss you as much as I did the day you left.

Avrie's 1st Soccer Game

Saturday was Avrie's 1st soccer game. She has been so excited to start playing. She missed all the practices since we were out of town. Luckily they had one on friday the day before the game so she could at least meet the coach. Their team won 6-0. She was so excited and had a great time playing. She was happy Grandma and Grandpa Richardson came with her cousins to watch her play too!

Go get that ball Ave!! what a little Hustler!


She was a real go-getter and ran her little heart out! I have to say she has good form!

Spring Break

We had a great spring break this year. It was made even better in the fact that the kids had intercession for 2 weeks after and so with the time change they didn't have to wake up early and go to school because there wasn't any. At least not for them. Which made it really nice for me to recover from vacation.

Despite their long break we pulled the kids out of school On friday before Spring break so we could leave early enough to spend most of Friday at Disneyland. Our departure was a little delayed though since I had to make a trip to Cedar City Friday morning to get my braces fixed. I made it home and we were on the road by 8:30 though so it still worked out. We made it down to California, checked into the hotel and walked across the street to the park. It was wonderful. The park was open late and we had intentions to stay but I was so tired getting up early and traveling all day we headed back around 9 which was really 10 our time. The kids were tired and went right to bed. Saturday we got ready for the day and headed back to Disneyland. We enjoyed the morning there and then mid afternoon we left to check into our time share.

I don't know why this wouldn't turn but oh well~
This is usually how Jaci enjoys Disneyland in the stroller! Poor kid!
Jaci has become a total daddy's girl. Makes me kind of sad but sometimes it's nice to have a break!
Andrew on his favorite ride It's a Small World.

We stayed at the Marriott Newport Coast Villas. If I had to live in a hotel I would be perfectly fine living there. The views were gorgeous and it was a beautiful resort.
We were in the upper left and had the whole side to ourselves. It is also at the end of the resort. They must have known we had kids. It was nice to be in the quiet though and have amazing views! Mountains on the east, ocean on the west!
Got to love the view off the balcony.

Sunday we went to church in a spanish branch. I wanted to experience that before Clay got home. I understand how he feels now when he talks about the members. It was a really neat experience. I couldn't not understand a lot but you sure could feel the spirit. They had 2 confirmations and the spirit was so strong. It was just a neat experience. We spent the rest of the day hanging out at the hotel looking around and exploring what they had to offer. We also took a little trip to the Newport Beach temple so I could take some pics of Avrie in her Baptism dress for her announcements. I was hoping to do some at the beach but that didn't work out.

Monday was back at Disneyland. We planned on going for a couple of days and I knew with Randy we would end up there a lot. We did but the kids Love it and so I figured might as well let them go now why they love it I'm sure someday they will get sick of it. But, speaking of getting sick that is what happened after I decided to eat a corn dog for dinner. Too bad Randy decided to share and thank heavens the kids wanted something else. I didn't feel well soon after I ate it. We headed back to the resort when the park closed at 8 and got everyone settled and about the time I fell asleep IT hit me. Yup food poisoning and around 1 it hit Randy too. Yes all night long and most of Tuesday morning. I have never been so glad to have 2 bathrooms in my entire life. I can also say it was the most painful thing I have experienced. I wanted to cut a hole in my stomach to relieve the pressure it was awful.

Tuesday was spent recovering and feeling really grateful the kids were entertained by the tv and not complaining about wanting to go out. It was windy and a little cool that day but I felt bad they had been inside all day and still have never made it to the beach. We went for a drive and found the beach. It was so fun to see them they were so excited. Poor Andrew was all excited until he got there and started walking in the sand and then he wasn't quite so sure about it. He didn't like the sand sticking to his feet. I told the girls to be careful and not get too wet we didn't have extra clothes and it was so cold. They decided to get close enough to feel the eaves coming in. Well Avrie got dizzy looking at it and fell over and was soaked and stood up laughing. Kelsie was running through it and splashed a little too much and was soaked too. I guess I was the only cold one because they were wet and cold and didn't even care. But I guess that is what kids do. I was glad they had a good time.

Wed. was back at the park! surprise surprise. I'm not sure who is harder to keep away from Disneyland, Randy or the kids! But it was a good day and no eating at the park!

Thursday we headed to Dana Point for our whale watching adventure. It was actually the best weather we had seen all week. No wind and it was warm and so nice. Perfect conditions for seeing whales. Only we didn't see any. Oh well we did see lots of dolphins and the kids LOVED it. They were able to stand out on the front of the boat and get sprayed with the water and see the dolphins right below them.

Too bad this didn't last long. Jaci was being so fussy before we even got on the boat. Luckily she fell asleep. Unfortunately it didn't last long and she wasn't liking it much. I think she got a little sick. I'm pretty sure the 4 new teeth she got on vacation had something to do with her fussiness!

After the boat ride we headed to San Diego. I was hoping to have more time there but it got dark a little too soon for me. We headed to the Mormon Battalion first. It has been redone since we went there last and in fact has only been open for about 6 weeks. I love the way they have redone it. The kids loved it and were so entertained. We actually had a Missionary couple from our stake. Randy served on the high council with the husband so it was fun to have them be our guides. At the end the kids were able to pan for gold and see how they made bricks. Andrew dumped more water down the front of him than back in the stream but oh well. Then we found a place to eat and looked through the shops and it was getting dark so we headed back. So much for going to LaJolla.

Friday of coarse came way to early and took us back to Disneyland. I was really hoping to go to the discovery science center but disneyland won out over anything educational. We went a little later in the day and stayed until later to see the fireworks. Saturday came early and we made out trek back home. It was a fun week but always nice to come home to your own bed. I do miss the comforter though!