When Daddy is Gone...

 ...The kidlets take over the bed. 

Jody travels to Phoenix each month to visit clients for work.  The days get long, and we miss him lots and lots.  By day 4, we are all VERY ready for him to come home.  The girls do, however, look forward to the larger sleeping accommodations.  They insist we all snuggle in the bed together -- that makes for some squishy nights.   

Sometimes the girls cuddle up with the movie "Aristocats" on the ipad, so that mom can clean up after dinner.

It can be discouraging when dad is away on business...

 

 But Sienna copes by playing hide n' seek in the pantry. 

I have an outpouring of respect for those mothers and fathers who take on the responsibility as a single parent EVERY day.  Being a parent is a never-ending job, and playing that role with somebody supportive by your side, makes all of the difference.  When Jody is gone, I still wake up each morning to teach my classes at the High School.  That means there are student news scripts to be reviewed and corrected each night, quizzes to grade and parent-teacher conferences to attend.  It makes for late nights when he's away.  But we are so thankful for the dedication he puts into his work.  He is really good at what he does.  We are grateful he is such an admirable provider.  And better yet, when he is home -- he is a 100% DAD.  Piggyback Rides, Putting Puzzles Together, and just Playing with the Girls.  It's another reason they miss him so much when he's gone.     

2012 -- a Year to Remember

It's been a busy year.

A growing year.

A year full of laughter, tears and everything in between. The other night, as Gracie said her prayers, I made a point to remember each word she said and how she phrased it.  After she said Amen, so I wouldn't forget, I quickly typed her prayer out on Jody's open laptop.  It went like this:

"Dear Heavenly Father,

Please, please, PLEASE bless that Sister Gephart can get feeling better.  Please bless I won't get cancer.  Please Heavenly Father help my house not to break.  I'm thankful for Daddy, Mommy and Sienna.  But Please, Please, PLEASE bless that Sienna won't sneak into my room while I'm sleeping and break my things.  I'm thankful for my cozy bed and that I turned five, and I'm so thankful for my birthdays.  Thank you so much for letting my reindeer jammies fit even though I am five now.  Please bless the Cheney Family.  Help me to remember the things I learn in school.  Bless Papa Wiscombe's thumb to feel better.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

A bit of an explanation:  Sister Gephart is a mother of five. She lives in my parent's neighborhood.  She has been fighting cancer for a year now.  The cancer has spread completely throughout her entire body.  Gracie has never met her.  But she prays for her each and every night. 

Gracie thanks Heavenly Father (in nearly every prayer) that she turned five-years-old.  At the first listen, you may smile a bit and think that's cute.   But I think there is a deeper meaning: our neighborhood suffered a tremendous loss earlier this year, when sweet little Carson Cheney was taken back up to live with our Father in Heaven so unexpectedly in a tragic accident.  He was just weeks away from his 5th Birthday.  We know he is safe and being watched over...but his family misses him so much! And every time Gracie gives thanks for her birthdays, I think how blessed and lucky I am to share yet another day with her.  And I know children see things so purely.  I would never have thought to give thanks for my birthdays...but that's where children are so simple and so in tune with a greater spirit.   

And now as the hours are few in this last day of 2012...I am excited to see what 2013 will bring.  Our greatest joy comes from family.  Here is a look back at the past 12 months!

January



February

March

April

May



June

July

August

September



October



November



December

Happy New Year!!

A New Decade...

The year 2010 brings much hope and extreme excitement for me - a Brand New Decade. A chance for me to try harder in many areas and accomplish the goals I have set for myself. One of my favorite books is, "I am a Mother," written by the former Co-Host of The Early Show on CBS - Jane Clayson Johnson (Love Her!) It seems every time Jody finds me reading it, I have tears streaming down my face. He then replies, "Are you okay?...Oh you're reading that book again."
She says this in regards to the challenges and rewards of motherhood in her book,

"The poet William Ross Wallace wrote that, 'The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.' I love those words. I even believe them; but how can I rule the world when I can't keep my eyes open?"

My goals this new year include: being an influence for good, being a better mother and making sure I'm alert and awake enough to enjoy all the special moments 2010 has to offer! :)

One of my dear friends had a description of her life in the last decade on her blog. I'm going to follow in her footsteps and reflect on the past 10 years. If you want to, I tag you to do the same.

2000

I recently had graduated high school and was attending UVSC. Tried out for the Miss UVSC pageant, and was chosen the winner. (The judges saw something in me much beyond what I saw in myself. Really - for my talent, I danced with a cane and sang while wearing a top hat and tuxedo coat tails!) I found that now people listened to me when I spoke about my brother Michael and his disability. It became my new platform on which I stood.

2001

My parents moved from the home where I grew up in Orem. I moved in with roommates, and served in Student Government at UVSC as the Director of Service.

2002

Finished up at UVSC with my Associates Degree, had a new set of roommates who are still some of my dearest friends, dated some real unusual guys (understatement!) and won the Miss Orem Pageant. Advocated for those with Special Needs statewide - and learned some serious lessons in humility. Before attending class, I spoke at Elementary Schools about accepting differences and loved it!

2003

Transferred to the Y - officially a zoobie. Studied in the Broadcast Journalism program where a guy named Jody Tait started saving me a seat in class. I thought he was too good to be true. Got those amazing butterflies every time I saw him. Lucked out when he asked me to be his girlfriend at the end of the year.

2004


Competed at the Miss Utah Pageant and was named 1st Runner-up. Then competed at the National Sweetheart's Pageant in Illinois to represent UT. Walked hand in hand with my sweetheart Jody, at BYU's Graduation Commencement - We both graduated with our BA Degree in Broadcast Journalism. Traveled to South America, with Jody, to film a documentary on the banks of the Amazon River for my internship.



Jody proposed to me, on Halloween, by coming Trick-or-Treating with a ring in hand.


2005


Married for all time and eternity in February. Had a serious budget, ate Hamburger Helper ALOT, realized we didn't agree on everything - and that was okay. After seven months of renting an apartment - we made a daring jump and moved to Butte, Montana - where we bought our first house.

2006

I worked as the one-woman band at the tiny CBS affiliate in Butte. Jody woke up so early to make his shift at the Butte Airport. We froze for 10 months out of the year - built a snowman on Christmas Eve, and it was still there (all 6 feet of it) come May! We laughed alot, bought a truck (Jody convinced me we were living in MT) traveled four hours to get to a LDS temple and appreciated the gospel in our lives.


2007

Now living in Missoula, MT - we made new friends, bought another house, transferred jobs and found out we were expecting a baby. Gracie was born in November, and she brought a slice of heaven with her.


2008

Sleepless Nights. Learned Motherhood was no walk in the park - but the most fulfilling and marvelous walk I'd ever take. Still working at KPAX-TV...it was time to move HOME. Sold our Missoula house, packed up and headed home to Utah in October. Great to be back.

2009

Bought a home we plan to stay in for a long time. I work sporadically for channel 2 as a reporter. Jody still makes me walk on his back, and I still beg him to rub my feet. He tells me he loves me everyday before he leaves for work, and I still get those butterflies in my tummy when he holds my hand. Some things never change. This next decade is sure to bring new surprises, and I can't wait to see them unfold.

Swimming with Sting-rays...Laundry...a Trip Down South...and SNUGGIES!

Gracie encountered all the fish at the "Living Planet Aquarium" in Sandy. We went with our wonderful friends Tracy & her little boy Kaleb, and Melissa & her little girl Savannah. Gracie and Savannah mostly ran through the exhibit without noticing the fish on display. Gracie did attempt to jump into the petting pool with the Southern Stingray. Ahhh...Brand New Baby Nikes full of Stinky Seawater. I can understand her reasoning...she probably thought it was a gigantic bathtub.

Also recently, we took Gracie on her first trip down to Escalante where Gwama Tait grew up. We visited (Great) Grandma Alvey, and she left us smiling with her energy and songs! Grandma Alvey is 82, and she is still the life of the party! We had a great time visiting and watching the Jazz play on TV.


We really enjoyed our visit. Grandma Alvey has so much to share.


Visiting the Horse by Grandma's House.


And here's some RANDOM PICTURES. We do lots of laundry at our house. Gracie really likes to be involved!


She likes to play on the stairs...It's a good gathering place.


And Happy Birthday Mom! Today's your big day. And can I just say tonight was an absolute "Snuggie Miracle"?! Earlier tonight, at the Red Lobster, my mom opened a gift from my Aunt and Uncle. It was a Snuggie. You know...the blanket with over sized sleeves. (You've seen the commercial with the people wearing these humongous fleece backwards robes. Without their Snuggies, they are truly not happy and might I add...Freezing!) I was shocked because the Snuggie I ordered for my mom's Birthday had not come in the mail yet. So she really received TWO SNUGGIES for her birthday. Most Definitely a Snuggie Miracle.

It's a gift she was way too embarrassed to ask for...but obviously we all knew she secretly wanted one (or two) because we all got her one! So here she is with her Snuggie. (And she really did almost bust it open and put it on in the Red Lobster because she was cold.) This just cracks me up. They are so ridiculous looking - and yet I love them.


We love you Mom, and we're so glad this year we could spend the day with you...now that we're back in the state! Thanks for being an outstanding example. You've been handed enough lemons to make anyone sour, yet you continue to push along with an amazing perspective and love for life. Thanks for making us laugh and for reminding us what life really is all about.

Home Sweet Home!

It's official - We found a new home! After three months of searching - we found the Perfect House to call HOME!


We've been emptying dozens of boxes during the past week, but we're starting to get settled.


Our new home has room to grow, and sits in a neighborhood full of little kids ready to become playmates with Gracie. Little Gracie loves our new place. She's spent the past week checking out every inch of the house from every angle.


Really...I mean EVERY ANGLE!


We feel very blessed to make this Home "Ours". It is double the square footage of our Missoula Home with an unfinished basement. We have three bedrooms upstairs and two and a half bathrooms. It's fun to look back over the past four years of our marriage. From a one-bedroom apartment in Murray...to a quaint 700 square foot home in Butte...to our bright red house in Missoula...to THIS...our new Lehi Home - We're grateful...and sick of moving. I think we will stay put for awhile! :)

Master Bathroom.


Living Room & Kitchen Area.


Gracie running laps around the Kitchen Island.


There is a five-acre park behind our house. It's really nice to not have homes built directly behind us. I'm sure the park will be hopping with kids come summertime! And now we need visitors - so let's get together!

Thankful Hearts and More Details...

The past few weeks have been a bit of a blur, but here are the details about our move back to Utah! It's nothing short of a modern day miracle. Amidst dozens of for-sale signs in our neighborhood, a young family bought our Missoula home. In a housing market crisis and a struggling economy - we are overwhelmed with gratitude. We had three people walk through our home to take a look - that's it. We had a deadline of when we really needed to be in Utah, and that was the end of October...Our buyers closed October 30th! We felt the Lord's hand helping and guiding us through each step, and we feel we're supposed to be in Utah.

We still own our home up in Butte – which we continue to rent. We have cherished our time in Montana; however a wonderful opportunity for Jody to continue to work in sales...but now along side his father opened up in Utah. That combined with a tremendous desire to be closer to family brings us back to our roots!

We are anxious to find a suitable home, and while we look, we'll be living in my parent's basement. We feel hopeful that we can find the right place in the next few months.

As for me, I have my Reporter Resume tapes ready to distribute at the Salt Lake Local Stations. You never know unless you try. In addition to all those great experiences up north...nearly freezing to death while doing a live shot for the news should be put toward something...right? It's always been my dream to report in the TV market with faces I grew up watching. We'll see if it's in the cards for me. At this point - Jody and I just feel humbled that we're here so safe and so blessed.