Johnson Family Dish

If I Could Pour Out my Heart…

This year as we are aproaching Christmas my mind keeps going back to the summer when I went to the Dr. and he told me that I would probably be ill until Christmas unless I could take 2 weeks of bed rest.  He asked me if I had family that could help me and without even thinking I answered ‘Yes’.  I not only thought immediately of my sibblings, I thought of my wonderful support system of Sisters and dear friends.  As soon as I got home from that depressing appointment I called a few of them to explain the situation and figure out rides for my children to and from school.  Before I knew it my house was being kept (cleaner than I ever keep it), my children were being taken to and from school and cared for until Randon got off of work, and my freezer and oven and refrigerator were full of food for my family and I.  Dear friends sent me letters, dropped of flowers, prayed for my health, sent home baked cookies and even brought in a widescreen laptop with a myriad of movies and books to keep me occupied during this time.  I cannot express the love I felt from these dear people, it was beyond comprehension.  What I learned about love and compassion changed me and taught me more than I ever knew, I never knew.

 So, as we are celebrating the Christmas Season  I cannot but think of the blessings that God has given me in all of the wonderfully supportive and amazing people he has blessed my life with.  I owe more than I can ever give back to them, for who can regain time that would have been lost in illness and suffering? 

To all of you wonderful people, thank you is never enough, and mere words do not fully convey my feelings for what you have done for us.  I am ever mindful of you and praying in thanks to God for you.  You made my Christmas something really special this year. 

Training for the 1/2 Marathon

I thought I was going to run the 10K in the Lost Dutchman Marathon until my friend Mimi, and Kelcie’s P.E. teacher, asked me if I wanted to run with her to train for the 10K. We have been running for 3 weeks now and I am confident that I can push myself to do the 1/2 marathon (13 miles). We ran 7 miles on Sunday morning before the sun came up, brrr, and a 10K is only 6.3 miles. It hardly feels like running when we run together on the small dirt roads around the beautiful Superstition Mountains with the sun just coming up.

Thanksgiving at Our House

Charis putting the egg wash on the cherry pie we made for Daddy.

Morgan showing off her part in setting the table (she did the center piece and candles.)

Kelcie standing by the table that she set so beautifully.

Addi dreaming of dessert time. YUM!

Scott making the pilgrims and native indians proud as he shot an arrow through the pear next to the target!

I love Thanksgiving at home with my children, family and friends. This year we had Uncle Jay, Aunt Pam and Michelle Christ, our faithful and beloved friend.

As I was baking and cooking the reciepes that were my Great Great Grandmother Butlers, my mothers and my grandmothers recipes I felt very thankful for them and very connected to them as I did this with my own children. I am so thankful that I watched and helped my mother prepare Holiday meals every year and I am thankful for the years that I helped my Grandmother prepare the feasts, I gleened so much knowledge and so many good recipes. I have never been afraid to make my own feast with my family because it was just second nature to me after doing it with my grand/mother(s) for so many years. I am thankful for this skill and the connection I feel to them when I carry this on with my family. I think this is what must be meant when someone dies that when they are in our hearts and we carry on thier traditions and work. We feel connected to them, even when they are far away, or seperated from us by death, they live on in our traditions.

Kelcie’s Skirt

Kelcie’s Skirt, originally uploaded by mjseptbebe.

This is the long awaited picture of Kelcie’s skirt that she made for her Y/W project. She did a good job.

Thankful

In honor of this wonderful time of year our family thought that we would write a few things that we are thankful for (I limitted it to 3-4 things each).

Kelcie: My Family
The Gospel
Animals – cats specifically
Education

Morgan: Cat
Daddy’s job (Dad is in Chicago right now, maybe why this is on her mind.)
Food

R. Scott: My Family
‘My Loving Parents’ (may be trying to butter me up? that is a quote)
Jesus’ Birth

Addison: My Family
My School
My House
Cars

Charis: Jesus Christ & Heavenly Father
Mom and Daddy
Brother and Sisters
Friends

Mom: My Children
My Health
That the most wonderful man I have ever known is married to me.

Dad: Heavenly Inspiration
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
My family

Twilight

It is time to admit that I have a new obsession. It is a book series called Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. Emily really has to take the blame for getting me hooked on this series. I love it and I can’t put them down, literally can’t. I can’t pick them up though either because then I loose all sense of what I need to be doing and just indulge myself in reading.

I read the first book in 1 1/2 days (it’s 498 pages) and I went today to get the two sequels which I would have done yesterday, had I had one spare minute. Anyway, the family is going camping on Friday night and I am going to sit and indulge and not worry about what I should be doing.

BTW, a story about vampires did not really apeal to me at all at first but, my love of reading pulled me in. This is not your typical vampire story with gore and immorality, etc. It is written by a local LDS woman and her book Eclipse is on the New York Times bestselling list right now. Beware if you pick it up, you may not be able to put it down either.

4 Miles Today

This is a huge running milestone for me! This was mostly a mental battle, of fear, with myself. But, I did it and next time I run I am going to push it to 5 miles.

I intend to run the 10k at the Lost Dutchman Marathon in February. I need something to work towards and a reason to go to the gym every day, and I find running to be very challenging and as a result absolutely exhilarating!! I looked at the course for the 10k and it is uphill 1/2 of the way. I think that is going to provide an extra challenge.

Funny how facing something very hard makes you feel like you can absolutely do anything!

Heather, if you read this, I am interested in your feedback, as a fellow runner.

My lovely Spooks

My lovely Spooks, originally uploaded by mjseptbebe.

Had a fun time trick or treating last night.