Updates

Well I cant believe it- time has really flown by this holiday season! I cant believe Christmas is this week. Me and the girls just got back from going with my sister to go and see and help my other sister in California. We did manage one day at disneyland too and that was so much fun! Mark has now been gone for 2 1/2 months- so close to being half way done with his time over in Iraq- so glad time is going fast. He is doing good- tired but good. They are keeping him very busy- long days and working every day. I get to talk to him every week- and I really look forward to our phone calls.
The girls are doing pretty good- holidays are kind of hard for them since loosing their dad but they are handling really good right now. They got to open their presents from Mark today- and see him via the webcam and they just loved that. My brother in laws dad is in the hospital in Texas with stage 4 cancer and now his liver is shutting down. If you follow my blog you also know one of my dear friends is in the hospital in critical condition as well with H1N1 and double pnemonia. Such trying times for such good people. I just love Sarah and pray for her to get better soon. I hope you all have a happy holiday and will update again soon! Merry Christmas!!!

prayers for Sarah

My dear friend who has been there for me through thick and thin is in the hospital fighting a battle for her life for more info you can see what is going on through her blog: https://jimiandsarah.blogspot.com. Please in your prayers include Sarah Jarman- the more prayers the better. Thanks so much!

Holidays

Well here it is December and I am having the hardest time gettig in the holiday spirit at all. Both of the girls are really having a hard time right now with everything struggles with school and then nightmares at home. I just wish I could take away all their fears and bad memories and put them in a bottle and burry them for good. This breaks my heart so see them this way and not know how to fix the problem.
We have been living between my house and my parents house which is good to sometimes have a break especially where I am the only parent alive. For me I am trying my hardest to put the past behind me and move forward and it is so hard especially this time of year. I hope everyone has a great holiday season.

Thanksgiving

Today I must say that my heart is full and I have so much to be greatfull for: My girls, my family,Mark and his family, my home, my job (I know right?), this country I am so fortunate to live in, food, a car, clean air to breathe, the sunset, the sunrise, good friends, sleep, a warm bed to sleep in and so much more. I am so happy I was able to spend thanksgiving with my family at my home this year: all except Jackie and family. What a great day good food and good company who could ask for more? Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Oh and Thankfull for my dear friend Vera that took these pictures!

Halloween

Ok so Halloween this year we will for sure remember-last years was somewhat of a daze for sure. It was so cute I asked the girls what they wanted to be for Halloween and they both responded "Mark". I asked them why and they both said the same thing they love him and he is someone to look up to, someone who makes not just them safe but the whole world. Wow! Have I said lately I Love this man- he has given my girls the safe feeling they had lost.
Speaking of Mark he is doing very good- tired but good. I get to hear from him quite often which I look forward too- the girls got to see him via the web cam and they are still talking about it- so sweet! Shaylee said when he comes home she wants to take him for show and tell- funny. Well Happy Halloween!

A new begining

So, I know its not a new year yet....BUT I can honestly say I feel like I have a new lease on life. I made it through was i hope is the worst ordeal I will ever have to go through and I have peace and happiness again. I am so gratefull for all my family who have listened and helped me get through this last year especially my parents. I am thankfull for my friends that have held me up and last but not least for Mark- for loving me for me and making me beieve in love and second chances. I choose happiness, laughter, optimism and most importantly life.

September is.....

Saturday September 19th I am having a fundraising gagrage sale to benifit my team who is walking in the suicide prevention walk. If you would like to donate items you can drop them off at my home the day of the sale or there will be a truck in the Keller Williams South Ogden office for items to be put in as well. My address is 5116 S. 4300 W. Hooper Ut. If you would like any information you can email me at elizabethjshawb@yahoo.com. The walk is Sept. 26th from 10- 1 at wheeler farm at 6351 S. 900 E. in Salt Lake if you would like to join us that day.

September is national suicide prevention month. Unfortunatly this is something that affects more people than you would ever know. I am walking in remeberance of my husband and my best friends husband at Wheeler Farm in Salt Lake City on Sept. 26 if you would either like to join us or make a donation go to :http://www.outofthedarkness.org/ and click on make a donation and under team donation and we are team MADE. Thank you so much!

Please take the time to read this:

The following is information cut and pasted from the outofthedarkness.org website. Me and My friend Amber both lost our husbands to Suicide last October. We have created team M.A.D.E (Mike, Amber, Dan, Elizabeth) and will be walking on September 26th at Wheeler farm to honor our husbands. We are hoping to raise money to benefit the organization as well. Donations can be made by going into the outofthedarkness.org website and click on make a donation and then go into where it says support a participant and type in our team M.A.D.E name. Thanks so all who comes out and joins us on this day and all who makes donations this is a great cause, and affects a lot of people.


WALK TO SAVE LIVES... In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 16 minutes, claiming more than 32,000 lives each year. It is estimated that an attempt is made every minute; with close to one million people attempting suicide annually.







By walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walks to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), you will be walking with thousands of people nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide, and assist survivors of suicide loss.



WALK TO HONOR A LOVED ONE...Many of our participants walk in memory of a loved one lost to suicide. AFSP provides opportunities for survivors of suicide loss to get involved through a wide variety of educational, outreach, awareness, advocacy and fundraising programs. Each walk site has its own unique remembrance activity in which you can participate to honor a loved one.

WALK TO RAISE AWARENESS... AFSP funds research aimed at improving our understanding of suicide and ways to prevent it as well as educational activities to increase awareness about prevention, warning signs and the psychiatric illnesses that can lead to suicide.

I am finding myself very gratefull for.....

Today we just got some really sad news: My brother in laws father has just been diagnosed with cancer. It's very sad that sometimes it takes something very sad like this to realize how much you have to be gratfull for. So today I am finding myself very gratefull for:
health
family
friends
a home
a job
food on the table
memories
trials that have made me stronger
my kids
the mountains
the sunrise
the laughter of my children
the sunset
a car
the air we breathe
my good vision
and soo soo much more...it's times like this that we need to support eachother,and realize how lucky we are to have the support of eachother. Life is too short to feel sorry for ourselves especially when right now someone needs you and could use your kind words or just a listening ear. Now matter how bad we have it...someone else has it worse. Love those who love you, pray for those who don't.

Updates

Well, I didn't realize how long it had been since I had updated this so here goes: Life has been pretty good lately I went to Vegas with my in-laws and that was a lot of fun we went and saw an impersonator show and they had a Michael Jackson impersonator and so in my kids eyes they had just seen him and then the next week he dies. That was really strange and hard to explain to 2 little girls who have had a lot of death that they have had to deal with. Shaylee is a bit obsessed with his music now- it's really cute.
Shaylee turned 7 on the fourth of July and Mark (my boyfriend) was able to come down and be with us and the rest of the family and that was a lot of fun. We went up to Lava Hot Springs overnight and then we had a big family bbq at my house on the 4th and that was a lot of fun. Mark had been wanting to take the girls on the Heber Creeper so we went up there and rode the train and then met up with my parents and sister and hung out at Zermatt (a resort in Heber City). We played games and visited- Mark got to see how competitive my family is when it comes to games. It was a lot of fun. Hope this finds everyone well- here are some pictures from the weekend- enjoy! Will post again soon!

Grass at last!

Well, today is a very happy day for me. For the first time in 9 years I finally have a complete yard!!!! I am so excited to be able to walk out back and not get stickers in my feet. We were almost done and just moving the hammock back to where is goes when we realized there was a broken pipe line in the front yard... the whole front corner was bubbled and was live walking on a water bed.... but Rowdy bless his heart fixed it for me. Such a good day, and a tan line to go with it!!!

Memorial Day

Well, not a whole lot has been going on lately just work and a lot of home repairs. But for memorial day we did get away for the weekend and it was soo nice. I have met someone very special... his name is Mark. We get along great and the girls like him alot. I didn't think that I would find someone like him so soon, but I guess sometimes people come into your life at a certain time for a reason and I truly belive this when it comes to Mark.
Well, I do get to go to girls camp in 2 weeks and I am sooo excited. Jackie will be here next week to and that is always fun to see her and her crew of kids, the girls just love their cousins!!! Well, untill next post.. hope all finds you all well.

Going Home

Well life continues on..... I have recently moved back into my house and am settling back into every day life. I have changed everything so I am able to come home and feel like it is "my new house". The best part of all: after 9 years we are finally going to have a back yard. The girls are almost done with school and they are doing really good. I will post pictures of the backyard and the house in a couple of days. Shelby and Shaylee are smiling again and that is so good to see heaven only knows those two little girls have been through enough. Now it is figuring out a routine and how life will be from here- just taking it one day at a time.

Quick Update and Thanks

Just a quick update. Dan's headstone after a very long wait has finally been set so if anyone would like to go see it. He is buried at Washington Heights cemetary in South Ogden. I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has been and continues to be such a huge support in our lives. My family and friends I could not have gotten through any of this without the support from you all you have no idea how the text msgs and the phone calls and people just stopping in or inviting us over has meant to us. I just hope one day I can repay the support We love you all and are sooooo gratefull to have such a huge support system.

Disneyland Baby!!!!

Ok so we just got home from Disneyland and let me tell you what I LOVE that place! It truly is the place that no matter how old you are you still feel like a little kid. We had so much fun we did the Midievil Times dinner show and the girls just loved that. Because it is the year of celebrate you they have a cool new parade and a really good firework show.We also got to see my Uncle Birt and Aunt Sue and that was nice.Well it was fun, but now I am glad that spring break is over and it's back to school for the kids for 1 more month.

This is Spring?

Well, my sister was here with all of her kids and with her came good weather. Now that she is gone back to Arizona I find it really funny that the good weather left with her. But, that is ok cause tomorrow we leave for Disneyland!!! Yea!!! We also get to do the Midevil times dinner show,so exciting. Well, will post after the trip all the good pictures and news on how it went.

Power in Numbers

So I am a firm believer in power in numbers in spreading the word and having faith combine to help people. So I am asking for a favor.... I have a very dear friend who is in the adoption process and so anyone who knows of anyone who is looking into adopting I have the perfect couple for you. There names are Jimi and Sarah Jarman and the links for their information is: http://jimiandsarahadopt.blogspot.com/. If you have any questions this link will sum up anything you would need to know or you can post questions for me and I can point you in the right direction. Thank you so much!!!!

My life in a nutshell

So, anyone who knows me or who has been following my blog knows that this last five months have been anything but normal. I went from having a husband and a home to loosing my husband and trying to sell my home.If somone would have told me a year ago that next year I would be a widow I would have said no way, but on the same note if somone told me that not only would I be a widow but I would be ok too I would have said no way to that too. My life has made a complete 360 but all for the good. I can look in the mirror and like who I see again I just got a new calling in church- I am going to be working with the young womens and I can't wait. I went to the temple and now instead of saying Dan has been gone for 5 months I say 7 months till we are an eternal family.
Here is what I have learned from all of this be who you are and if you don't like what you see when you look in the mirror change it- cause you can. It is hard but you can and happiness will follow. Don't wait till someone is gone to realize how much you love them and don't take love for granted weather it be your spouse your sister, friend or parents. It is sad to think that it took a tradgedy for me to realize just how lucky I was to have Dan. I knew I loved him I just didn't know how much and I am sure that he feels exactly the same way. I have the best family 2 loving sisters and three great brothers and two wonderfull parents to thank for everything. I also realize I need to communicate with my brothers and sisters more call them cause I would hate to be sitting in my parents house again one day like we all were on October 5th(Jackie and Jay here in spirit) thinking I wish I could have said this or I wish I didnt push them away.
Your family is going to be there for you no matter what and into eternity so you better learn to apprieciate and get along with them now.Also if someone is trying to call you maybe there is a reason maybe they are trying to reach out so answer your phone or call them back. We can all be a support system for eachother cause I have a feeling it is only going to get worse.
Finally statistics: every 16 minutes someone in the United States commites suicide it is estimated that every minute an attempt is made. Suicide is a bigger epidemic than cancer and aids yet no one wants to talk about it why? Every year there is a walk in honor and to help prevent suicide it is during suicide prevention month which is in September which is the month of Dan's birthday I will be walking in it this year and anyone else who would like to help me honor Dan's name is invited to join us. Dan didn't do this to punish me he loved me so much he wanted to give me the world and when he felt he was failing he did the unthinkable. He is with me everyday and I love him now more than ever before. If you feel you need to talk to somone or you need help there is always help available but do your research I didn't and I regret it every day there are good doctors out there that can help you and then there are doctors that dont care. If you need someone to talk to here are some numbers: 1800237TALK or 1800suicide there are power in numbers together we can get through anything. Dan, I love you and can't wait to see you again, altough i will probably step on your feet as I give you a hug!!

P.S- Dan's headstone is done and will be set in the next few weeks I will let you know when. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

Please pray for and keep in your thoughts....

We have a situation that is very near and dear to our hearts right now. We have a lady in our ward who's husband is going in for a 7 bypass surgery on Tuesday. Now my Dad had to have a 5 bypass surgery when he was only 46- in 1996 and I was young but I do remember going to visit him in the hospital and being very scared that I was going to loose not only my dad but one of my very best friends.Having been through this we are asking for everyone to please pray for Charlene I am not sure her last name as I am still new to the area but this would be really aprieciated. Thanks and please spread the word.

Power in numbers, unifyed miracles can and do happen.

One word

1. Where is your cell phone?Couch
2. Your significant other? missed
3. Your hair?highlighted
4. Your mother? angel
5. Your father? wonderfull
6. Your favorite thing? memories
7. Your dream last night? peacefull
8. Your favorite drink? coke
9. Your dream/goal? counselor
10. What room you are in? family
11. Your hobby? crafts
12. Your fear? mistakes
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
14. Where were you last night? home
15. Something that you aren't? ditsy
16. Muffins? blueberry
17. Wish list item? Dan
18. Where you grew up? Utah
19. Last thing you did? read
20. What are you wearing? jeans
21. Your TV?WII
22. Your pets? none
23. Friends? wonderfull
24. Your life? stable
25. Your mood? relaxed
26. Missing someone? alot
27. Your car? Cute
28. Something you're not wearing? lipstick
29. Your favorite store? maurices
30. Your favorite color? blue
31. When is the last time you laughed? today
32. Last time you cried? today
33. Who will add this to their blog? Jackie
34. One place that I go to over and over? work
35. One person who emails me regularly? Curt
37. One place you would like to go right now? cruise
38. One person who really gets you? Jackie
39. One TV show you watch all the time? Friends
40. One thing you cannot live without: FAMILY

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone! Ok so my new years resolutions include looking into and starting school, going to disneyland and finding something good in everyday and spend more time with my family. 2008 taught me that life is way to short to hold onto anything negative- all that is is wasted energy. I also learned that while I shouldn't hold onto anything negative I also don't have to let people hurt me or anyone that I love. Life is hard and full of struggles but it is definatly worth the ride. May 2009 bring us all love and joy and most of all peace.