You are SO not cool anymore.

An identity crisis can usually be expected when we become a tween...not babies but not quite teenagers either.  Maybe again after high school.  We are too young to be adults but way to old to act like silly teenagers.  Then there is where I sit today.  A young, healthy, adventurous. empty nester looking for something worthwhile to fill my life whilst I wait for Jakie-Poo to get home and meet the most amazing addition to our little clan or grandbabies.  I'll take both please.

So where exactly is my place in the world.  Recently I felt the desire to get more connected with my ward family.  I became a more dedicated visiting teacher.  I embraced the Activities Co-Chair with gusto. I am loving the Achievment Day girls with renewed passion.   I joined the ward choir.  

In my personal life I started quilting.  I found a sweet little baby that needed to be rocked one day a week for a couple hours.  I started playing tennis again....well that's cool so it doesn't really belong in this post.  

In the last two years I had traveled to many foreign countries.  Had adventures galore.  This year I have made a couple road trips and a fateful trip to Mexico.  BORING.  Doesn't count.  I did take a quick jaunt to Paducah Kentucky to attend an awesome quilt show with my sister and sister-in-law (who are very cool) and with 9000 other women.  Carolyn and I  were easily the youngest and Carolyn the skinniest by miles.  MILES.  So not cool

I gazed at my open calendar and realized the most exciting thing on there was a mother/daughter (Thank goodness for daughter in laws)quilt retreat to the Ozarks.  Yes....Janae' is going back to the Ozarks., country road take me home.....you know the song...

cool but so "uncool".

 

I'm even concerned about the my social coolness.  I've been hanging out at quilting revivals with women in a tent who raise their hands in praise of one Ellen Burnes.  The 1st lady of quilting.  They sang and chanted and rocked from side to side as she walked the stage.  The average age in the tent.  74 years old.  I enjoyed it.  I like to see new things.  I just don't want to look like I might belong there.  They are nice old gals but not my people.

Then last night a fun trip to see the Kenny Rogers show.  Cool I guess, in a I'm only there because my Mother in Law wanted to see this show for her birthday.  Median age at concert. 73 years old. The show was actually pretty good.

The quandry comes when I recognize those old gals aren't MY people.  Then where are my people?  I want to be at the Brittney Spears Concert tonight or Kenny Chesney.  I want to eat at the swanky "Cherry" up at Red Rock Station and not look like a cougar.  I want to be able to meet some friends and go eat dinner and maybe some dancing without being a specticle.  

Where in the heck do you go when you are 49 years old???  All I know is that when I realized I wasn't young anymore life isn't fun anymore.  

So I'll sit.  and quilt.  and go to choir.  rock a baby.  clean the house (My favorite).  Where did my coolness go?

I want it back.

NOW  

There is a reward to anyone who can find it and convince me it is me and I can live it.

Where did all this crazy thoughts come from?  From the words of the great Elder Runyon, after reading a few weeks of my letters stated-

"MOM, YOU ARE SOOOOO NOT COOL ANYMORE!"

I know son.  

I'm working on it.

Good Times, good times.

I love this last week.

Here are some highlights!

Zoobadoo survived the big mean prison dogs 

at the dog park.  

Bullys. 

 A great reunion of internet friends that have become 

real life friends.

Peru Missionary Moms-Chris, Lori, Annie, Tami.  

We missed you other gals.

A fun night of Ballroom Dancers and CPK.

Alec loves our PDA's. hehe

Happy Easter.  I gained 47 pounds at the brunch.

Alec may hate our PDA's but he has mastered his own! 

 We love these two.  

They were the best hosts.  

I love these people.  My life is so happy because of them.

Jake has always been a

 Dr Doolittle.  

These crazy iguanas are running loose.  I'm just not sure how he persuaded one to climb onto his lap.

Really?  Really?

You really had to lock lips with this guy?

I love how all the locals are staring at this 

"loco gringo"

On my "Bucket List"

I've been lucky to go to many far off places.

I've seen many exotic sights.

Trains, Planes, Ships, Automobiles, horses.

My travel life will have been in vain if I don't get a chance to see something like this in person...

Wouldn't that just make your day?!

Just a little Something to brighten my day.

Did you notice we are in the "240's".  No that is not from the scale.  Rude.  Stinkerbelle aka Ronoffski aka Rono-man aka Bobooski aka Jakie-poo (Elder Runyon) has only 249 days left as of today.  

It brightens my day!

"It isn't a party until someone gets hurt" and other stuff.

It didn't happen at the first practice as I was expecting. But since there wasn't a second practice or a 7th inning..it will have to be a tie. It only took the first five minutes of the first game until we had this.

There were better moments though.

King Keith was busy all weekend making our home beautiful. His touch can be seen in every direction. 

He makes me happy.

Step Bump, Step Bump Bump...My dream highway patrolman stop

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Missions are for big boys.

Why do I count the days until Jake comes home?   I get letters like these and I am so grateful for him and the opportunities he has to serve the people of Ecuador.  I am so happy for the experiences he is having.  He is such a joy as a son and young man.  

 He once wrote that "if it weren't for my family, I would stay in Ecuador and serve the Lord forever." (gasp...breathe mom breathe) 

This is a little update from his letter this week. 

"But there is a dark cloud that hangs over our sector! People here get sick. (not to worry. I dont get sick) I have met more people here that have some sort of cancer or tumor, or plague then ever. The toughest one is this investigator we found last week. Her name is Narcisa Mora. She is about 35 years old. She is singer. We got a reference from her neighbor that wanted us to give her a blessing. We gave her a blessing and we set an appt to come visit her again. We came back, and taught her, and she was still sick. After teaching a good lesson, we start leaving, when her brother in law came running out after us, and he told us that she cancer, but the family still hasnt told her yet. He asked for advice about if/how/when to tell her. We didnt really know how to respond, we just told him that the next lesson we are going to teach the plan of salvation. Last night we went there, and we taught her the plan of salvation. She wants to get baptized. She doesnt know she has cancer, so its not a death bed repentance type thing, so we are trying to help her. She wants to go to church! We are going to try and save her a bench for General Conference. Really, missions are big boy stuff! Its kind of crazy!"

I love him.