NOW, you're 18

For some inexplicable reason, Mia was under the impression for several months that she was, in fact, 18. She would tell me all the time, "Mom, I'm 18! I can do whatever I want!" 

And, to tell you the truth, I kind of bought it for awhile, until suddenly I remembered she was actually only 17.

She's tricky.

And now she's really 18. Should I be scared?



Kidnapped by her girlfriends after midnight on her birthday...

Some beautiful pics of our No. 2 adult child (iPhone Cheer pics):

"Official" Cheer pics, 2014 – 15

Varsity Cheer Dance Captain, 2014–15

Daniel came for a visit from AZ with a bag of Nike apparel for Mia's birthday (and to talk her out of breaking up with him so she can date whoever she wants her Senior year :)

Don't you wish you could put a Book of Mormon between them? haha

No, really...

Diggin' on Pinterest

As you are aware, but I have not been so aware as I have banned myself from Pinterest due to a 5-hour, 3:00 a.m. stint about a year ago.... there are all kinds of creative Halloween decor ideas on Pinterest that are easy and cost almost nothing! 

I'll try to calm down. 
A "Witch's Curtain" for the spooky ol' dining room is found on marthastewart.com and is made from a garbage bag. 

Paper mice, also on marthastewart.com, with free mice silhouettes as a printable.

Then DIY Halloween Silhouettes found on snazzylittlethings.com. (Btw, I'm not a good photographer in any kind of lighting except perfect.)

And these free printable Halloween book covers and Shakespearean quote are from theidearoom.net

In two days I probably spent 12 hours obsessing over my new projects of joy with some dinner and carpooling thrown into the mix and the BYU game on in the background. My version of fun :) 

... except BYU is tearing my heart out

Rob's Handiwork

Rob manufactured these prints for Getty's and MK's bedrooms

So now Getty's room is called the "Boardroom," you know, for all

his meetings and such...

And here's MK's "Ocean room," so she won't feel the need 

to leave us for Hawaii again ;)

Mia's Homecoming "Blackout" game, 2014

Halftime show

Connor's jersey #22

You had to be blonde to be in this picture

Cy, A.A.Ron, and Al

Homecoming date, Connor

 Mia and Cam (ex-boyfriend) 

Jackson

 (Mia's just a little boy crazy)

Why did Aunt Meme paint Mia's cheer banner for her? Because she's awesome, that's why.

Day Date to Provo Beach Resort

Aunt Britt worked her magic again on Mia

The girls

The guys

The Crew

Dinner hosted by Matt's parents

A little Cougars vs. Utes rivalry going on with the t-shirts.

And does Mia look like she's 20?!

Post-dance night swimming

Thanks, Connor!

Checking in with Cy

One day after school Cy asked me out of the blue, "Did you pray about letting Elle die?"

I looked over at him, "Yes, we prayed..."

"But did you really pray?"

"Yes," I assured him, "we prayed hard."

"So, you prayed for sure?"

I explained Elle's condition and how both her brain and body had actively died and her body was only kept "alive" by machines.



Cy sat for a minute and then told me, "I remember everything about that day." The day of the accident.

He described waking up on that Saturday morning in February, watching cartoons, getting his basketball jersey on, going to his game, and how Elle offered him a treat she picked out for him while at Walmart with Grandma. He remembered telling her, "Thanks, Elle! I'll have it later, k?" 




He remembered going to his friend Luke's house after the game. At this point in his story, he ducked his head into his collar and started to sob. 

He kept on with his day. He explained how Luke had a game, so he came home and was playing video games in our front room when our neighbor rushed in telling us to call 911. 

He remembered running up the street and seeing Elle on the driveway. 

"Dad was holding her. She was looking up into the sky. People would tell her to look at them, and she would, but then she would look at the sky. She had green stuff coming out of her mouth." He was crying. 

I had never seen Elle on the driveway. I had tried to approach her a couple of times as she was surrounded by people, but something told me I should stay away. I had avoided asking anyone about her condition on the driveway all this time. But now, and still afraid of the answer, I asked Cy, "Did she look like she was in pain?" 

Yes. 

We were both crying then. "She looked like she was trying to cry but couldn't." 

In over two-and-a-half years, Cy and I had yet to have a conversation like this. I had tried before but kept failing. I guess he wasn't ready. That, and maybe now he feels safe confiding in me. He knows that even though "the worst" has happened, I'm okay.

And he knows he's okay, too.