A Wicked Day

WICKED!

This week I saw the Broadway Musical "Wicked."  Wow!  What a wonderful production.  I had heard how great it was from so many people, so I was happy when it was slated to come to Spokane this month.  For a small city, Spokane has a pretty good Opera House and every year they have a "Best of Broadway" series.  We've had most of the big name shows up here, sooner or later :)

When I bought these tickets in February, I picked May 19th, a Thursday, carefully deciding that with our inevitable obligations on weekends with church responsibilities, it would probably work best.  Our anniversary was May 8th, so this was deemed our "big date" to celebrate.  Well, wouldn't you know it, but DataDot Australia just so happened to be in San Francisco, and wanted to see Brent this week on. . . you guessed it, Thursday, May 19th!!  If I could only tell you how many times this seems to happen, whether it is a long-planned vacation, or some other event that has been on the calender for FOREVER, Australia seems to pop into the picture.  It's almost funny. . . Brent usually is asked meet with the Australian guys like twice a year, really.   This just means that I will get to go again sometime with Brent.  It's all good.

So, with only a couple of days notice, I invited my good friend, Rayleen to join me for my anniversary date.  We know the Bonkemeyer's quite well, and she is well aware of Brent's crazy work life,  so she teased about how she would be a better date than him anyway.  It just so happened that her husband was out of town as well, so we enjoyed our girls day out.  We actually saw a matinee (which is another weird thing--I swear I bought night tickets--it's a good thing I actually looked at them a few days earlier so we didn't miss the whole thing!) and had a great time.  I loved the humor, the positive messages about acceptance and goodness.  It really is a clever adaptation of the Wizard of Oz and is basically a darling story about two friends who are BFF's forever, through thick and thin, no matter what.   It was fun to share for the first time with a good friend of mine!

HAPPY EVERYTHING DAY

This year MAY 8, 2011, is a HAPPY EVERYTHING DAY!!   It's a day which happens about every 7 years or so, because not only do I get to celebrate Mother's Day, but we also get to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  This is a day where I can reflect on the most important roles I am honored to have as a woman:  a daughter, a wife, and a mother.

A DAUGHTER  My mother is a wonderful Mom.  Growing up she did all of the things that good mothers should do--she took care of our daily needs, kept our home comfortable and clean, she fed our tummies so very well, and organized our family.  She has a friendly and kind personality, and is so well loved by all.  Her challenge in life has always been her health.  About 12 years ago she suffered a stroke, and many of the things she enjoys doing have become difficult.  If I had a magic wand, the very first thing I would do is take away her pain and discomfort.  Nonetheless, she bears her burdens with grace.  She's a great example to me of enduring well.  I love you Mom!



Mom and I just several weeks ago.

A WIFE:  Today Brent and I celebrate 30 years of wedded bliss.  Wow!!  That's sounds like a lot, doesn't it?  How can we be married that long--I swear we're not even that old.  I can honestly say that the best decision I have ever made was to say "Yes."  There's a bit of back story there--when Brent proposed to me (in Monroe Canyon listening to the Eagles sing "Hotel California" on an 8-track) the first thing I said when he asked "Will you marry me?" was "Well, I think I can."  I admit, in retrospect, that it was kind of a weak answer.  After a few days, however, I was happy as can be and totally committed.  I was kind of freaking out over that whole 'for time and all eternity' concept.  Just so you know, several months into our engagement Brent had his own freak-out moment too.  Obviously we got beyond that as well, and on a beautiful breezy May Friday in Manti, Utah, we were sealed in the temple. 

I am so grateful to him for being my best friend, the best husband, and the best Dad.  He's a pretty amazing guy.  Sometimes I feel like I'm married to a celebrity or something.  People just love him, and I can understand why.  I'm so lucky to be his wife--Happy Anniversary Sweetheart.



We haven't changed a bit, right?

A MOTHER:  I've been known to publicly exclaim that my children are the very best children ever to have come to earth.  I have often pondered the eternal plan, and how we have all known each other for forever--truly.  Sometimes I think that Brittney, or Camille, or even Jace (although he can't really because he is not female) should have been the Mother, for they have taught me so much and are great examples of many of the qualities I admire.  Having babies and young ones is a lot of work and also a lot of joy.  Having young adult children is cool because now it isn't so much work, just a whole bunch of joy!  My children are my equals, my friends, my peers.  I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them (and their spouses--a great bonus when your children marry) and observing and vicariously sharing with them many of the same experiences we had years ago.  At this time in my life, motherhood is all so good.  I have joy and rejoicing in my posterity.



A weekend vacation in Las Vegas in February 2009. 

  

June 16, 2009--The day before Jace entered the MTC.



 I'm so grateful to be a daughter, a wife and a mother. 

 I also must say how grateful I am for modern technology which allowed me to talk to my Mom

and all 3 of my children today.  It really is amazing that I could speak with

Camille in Texas, Jace in Japan, and Brittney and my Mom in Utah all within seconds! 

 How awesome is that??

 I must say as well that we are fortunate to have a fabulous extended family,

and many dear friends and neighbors who are "the family we get to choose." 

Thanks to you all for making May 8, 2011 so lovely!



My Dad

Today is my father's 79th Birthday.  James K. Forsey was born on May 2, 1932 in Richfield, Utah, the only son of James G. and Lillian Kyhl Forsey.  He has 3 sweet sisters, all of whom still live in Utah.  He is funny, clever and loves to tease.  He tells such great stories about his escapades, adventures, and experiences while growing up.  He is a good friend and a true fan.  He is kind to everyone--strangers and family alike.  He still works part time and enjoys golf, fishing, sports, and just visiting.  He has done a commendable job taking care of Mom the last 10 years or so and is a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather and is so proud of his grandchildren. 

I just love these pictures of him as a youngster--what a good looking guy!  It's obvious that I'm my father's daughter. . . I look a whole lot like the Forsey's.  I'm proud to have that as my legacy.  

Growing older is a funny thing--we may physically change and lose our youthful good looks, but as we do so we gain experience, wisdom, insight and knowledge.   Dad has always been a great example to me and I appreciate so many of his qualities.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD

I hope you have a wonderful day and that you know

how much we all love you!





All In The Family

Last week I was able to travel down once again to Utah.  Since Camille and Russ are moving there soon, she was in town to search for a home.  Brittney was "husbandless" as Stuart happened to be in New York because Fictionist made it to the final four of the Rolling Stone Cover Contest!  So exciting!  Good things are happening for them.  Brent also was slammed with a work project and his life in general, so I decided it was a great opportunity for some girl time.

We officially celebrated Camille's birthday with a cake, a song, and a few presents.  Her father-in-law made her this birthday cake. . . seriously!  That is so awesome. 

On Friday it was BYU Graduation, and two of my nieces graduated this year--Shayla Forsey and Megan McWhorter.  It's been great to share these events with our extended family--so far both Brittney and Camille shared their graduation with a Forsey cousin.  By way of introduction, starting on the left next to me is my sister-in-law Kristi (married to Craig), Lynette (who is Shayla's best friend), Shayla, Kara, Brittney, Camille, Megan, and McKayla.  Melissa happened to be out when we snapped that picture, so I took one of her alone.  She has recently been called to serve a mission in Warsaw, Poland!  She'll be a wonderful missionary. (BTW, Megan, Mellisa and McKayla are Jerry and Lisa's daughters).

It isn't too often that all of my brothers are together in the same room.  This shot caught them a bit off guard, but it was so good to see all of them.  After our evening celebrating with the Forsey's, we got to see Brent's sister and brother-in-law, Tanya and John Figgat and their family on Saturday.  We had a fun time playing Mafia. . . those Figgats are so good at that game!   In order is Brittney, Jessica, Ashley, Mitch (and his "friend" Katie!), Sydney, Russ and Camille.  The Figgats live in Eugene, Oregon, but their older kids are attending Utah State.  This was taken in Megan and Eric Hammond's home in American Fork.  Unfortunately, I didn't get them or her parents in a picture. . . lame.

On Easter Sunday we had dinner at Brittney and Stu's.  Stuart had just returned home from New York that afternoon.  He was pretty excited at how well everything had gone.  After dinner he suggested we go for a walk and throw frisbees.  Five minutes later he was snoring on the couch!  All he had to do was sit down for a few minutes and his body relaxed enough to demand some sleep. . . he had only slept 45 minutes the night before.  Those musicians go until they literally drop.  The girl's had bought the guys the same yellow shirt for Easter. . . don't they look handsome?

I have been down to Utah quite a bit this year. . . every few months or so.  Jace is a bit worried that I won't visit nearly as much when he gets home, but I'm confidant that I'll continue to go down often, especially since all of the kids will be in the same general area.  I'm so grateful I'm able to do that because like they say, "family is all that matters."  Amen to that.

CAMILLE ELISE

Happy 25th Birthday To My Beautiful Daughter Camille! 

When anticipating her birth, I didn't dare dream that I might get really lucky and actually have two girls--I felt so blessed when Brittney was born, and the thought that I could possibly have another girl just seemed almost too much to hope for.  When she was born on April 17th, we soon discovered that her Great Grandfather Camille Jugant (Grandma Pierette McLaws' father--in France the name Camille is both masculine and feminine) shared the same birthday, and it seemed right to christen her with a lovely French name.  Camille was my prettiest baby as a newborn (Yep, I said it. . . sorry Brittney and Jace!)  She also came with her trademark spunk and passion.  As a baby she was very much a Mama's girl--she did not like her Dad, and for the first couple years of her life really did not take to him or strangers much.  Well, we all know how that's changed!  She's as friendly as they come now and her and her Dad are very tight.

 
Camille has given us lots of funny stories while growing up.  In our family we lovingly refer to her odd comments, observations, explanations, definitions and declarations as "Camilly-isms," and what is always refreshing is that she joins in the fun and laughs along with us.  She has endured a lot of affectionate teasing, especially from her Dad and brother.  Nicknames were given--Meal Face, Meal Head, Camilly Bobby Wobby (Jace's), Camilly Willy, to name a few.  Notwithstanding, it was sometime around 3 or 4 years of age when she flipped the switch and decided that her Dad was not so bad and she became a Daddy's girl through and through--still is in fact. (I tease that she could teach a class in brown nosing!  She's very astute at "working" the situation.  This is a skill that has served her well in many scenarios.)  She's an excellent sister--proud and supportive of her big sis Brittney, and a huge cheerleader and mentor for Jace as he follows in the footsteps of his sisters.  

As a young girl she enjoyed dance, soccer and piano--she has become an accomplished pianist who plays with feeling and passion.  She has a great love of music and is the best fan any musician could have.  Who can forget Beatlemania, or the Dave Matthews Band obsession for example?  Her interest in and memory of all things musical is amazing.  She loves many outdoor activities--water skiing, snow boarding, snowmobiling, hiking, and biking to name a few.  If she does something, she goes all in.  In high school she won the award for the top math student of the Senior Class.  That stereotype of a nerdy introverted math whiz flew out the window with her!   Currently she works as an accountant preparing taxes.  She's one of those girls with brains and beauty. Camille is also a true friend and loyal to the core.  She has great friendships from childhood, high school and college that will be lifelong.   

She loved her experiences at BYU and accomplished much--Roommates/Boys/Jobs, Junior Core Accounting and Summer Internships, and a European Study Abroad, just to mention a few.  We were always curios to see just who would win Camille's heart, and when Russ came along we quickly found out that he really is the perfect man for her.  She has now become Camille Lewis, and it is so right!  They are a great couple and as parents it is comforting to know that your daughters are cherished by magnificent men.

There is nothing more heartwarming than watching your daughters grow from beautiful babies to breathtaking brides.  Camille has such a gorgeous smile and it truly does come from within--she is a good girl through and through.  Camille and Russ have lived in San Antonio, Texas for the past 20 months and have had a lot of memorable experiences which have shaped their newlywed years.  They have recently made the decision to take a job in Utah.  Yea!  They are moving closer to home, and it will be fabulous to have all my children in the same general location soon. 

So Dearest Camille, may you have a wonderful Birthday. 

 Thank you for being my friend as well as my daughter. 

You are a great example to me in so many ways. 

I love you dearly and am so proud of the woman you have become. 

See you soon!

Spring Showers

Tomorrow is April 1st.  Yea!  March always seems so long and I'm anxious for the change of seasons.  We have been having a lot of rain the last week or two up here in Spokane.  I almost feel like I live in Seattle or something.   However, lawns are beginning to green up, and the temperature is definitely milder, so that's a sign that things are changing.

Last week I was able to co-host a baby shower for a darling mom-to-be and friend, Lindsay Bird Nielson.  She is the daughter of our dear friends, Keith and Sheri Bird.  They were the first family we really got to know when we moved to Spokane over 15 years ago, and have since really become part of our family.  Lindsay and her husband France are having a baby boy in May.  She has been here a whole lot this winter taking care of her Mom.  Sheri is one amazing lady.  She is fighting a valiant battle with cancer--you can read her story here.  Lindsay has been by her side so much of the time, so why wouldn't we have a party to welcome the little guy?  She will be heading back to Travis AFB in California soon to be with her hubby who is in a dental residency program there.  I knew it would be the inaugural party of the spring season here, and a mini reunion for so many of us former Little Spokane River Ward friends. 

This first group of pictures shows those who attended--all great neighbors, friends and ward members.

These are pictures of the beautiful "younger" ladies--Lindsay with Rachel Nichols and Megan Roberts,

 who came up from California for the weekend. 

I even got a shot with the guest of honor.  She received lots of fabulous gifts--look at the cute quilt

Lori Jarvis and Gaylene Davis made for her!  By the end of the night the poor thing was all tuckered out. 

Oh well, let her rest while she can, right?

Since I was the host and had the camera (translation--I own this picture Dear Sheri, and you look gorgeous!)
 I couldn't resist posting this beautiful shot of Lindsay and her Mom.  Like mother, like daughter. 

We had a great time.  Lots of good food, good company, and good reasons for celebration.

These types of Spring Showers are the best!

I Shouldn't Be Surprised

Last week we were watching a lot of news coverage about the Japan earthquake, tsunami, and ever-increasing concerns over the damage at the nuclear plants.   Obviously we have been paying close attention to this situation.  On one news channel they were reporting from California about the public's fear of radioactivity and that so many people were buying Geiger counters.  I chuckled and said something like "That's crazy--they are over 4,000 miles away and they will probably never use it. Talk about over reacting."  Well, Brent quietly said, "We have a Geiger counter."  What?  Why in the world do we have a Geiger counter?  Again, I SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED!  After all, we are talking about Brent McLaws here, Mr. Preparedness, Mr. Tool Guy, Mr. If-there's-a-cool-gadget-out-there-I-got-to-have-it Guy. 

So, today, as he was looking for something in his office (now that's another blog post--"The Office Wars"--coming soon) he pulled out the so-talked-about Geiger counter.  I made him hold it up to his head as he was talking on the phone.  I just wanted to check and see if there was any radioactivity emitting from that head of his!!  After all, we've all heard about the concerns over too much cell phone usage.   Gratefully, it did not even register!  Yea!  So far, so good!  And, just so you know, our home is radiation free too.   Don't you all wish you had a Geiger counter???

BRACKETOLOGY

Since this blog is a personal revelation of sorts, I have to divulge my love of college basketball.  I'm not really sure exactly when it began, but it was somewhere around the time that Jace started getting interested in the sport in 3rd or 4th grade.  As it so happens, that coincided nicely with the rise to prominence of our local team here in Spokane, the Gonzaga Bulldogs.  For the past 10-12 years, they have evolved into a nationally recognized Division I program. 

ANYWAY, today is the first day of the NCAA tournament, every basketball junkies favorite day!  I watch college basketball throughout the winter, and of course follow my favorite teams.  This year has been great as BYU is doing fabulous (30-4), and Jimmermania has captured the attention of the country.  Once again, Gonzaga made the field, quite an accomplishment for them this year as their team is on the young side and they had to come on strong down the stretch (24-9).   Ironically, however, BYU and GU could meet up in the 2nd Round if they both win their first game!  Oh no!  The only two teams I really care about may cross paths on Saturday.  This year, however, my heart belongs to BYU.  It would be so great if they could make a deep run in the tournament.  Sorry if all this lingo doesn't make sense to you.  Hey, join the party and become a basketball junkie with me.  Even my Mom likes to watch basketball. . . she's a Jazz fan!

Since Jace is "unavailable" at the moment (SIDENOTE:  He's kind of busy over their in Japan currently, but doing fine.  Kobe is about 400 miles south of Sendai, which is good.  Their mission will be incorporating 42 missionaries from Tokyo because of concerns over the nuclear plants.  The church website has a news release on this) I enlisted Brent to fill out a bracket with me, and also vicariously filled out a bracket in Jace's behalf.  Of course I tried to make informed picks since I do know a bit with all the sports radio and ESPN I watch.  Brent on the other hand was clueless!  When I handed him the paper, he said, "You're kidding!  I have to fill in this whole thing!  This is worse than filling out papers at the doctor's office.  It's worse than signing a check!"  This is true--he HATES having to write anything--it's a chore simply signing his name.  You can't tell by the picture, but I swear he made his picks by which school had the shortest name or abbreviation he had to write down.  To mix it up a bit, on Jace's bracket I just rolled the dice!  I used two die--if it was 7 or above, I had the higher seed winning; if it was 6 or below, the lower seed wins.  Jace did request in his last letter, however, that I put BYU all the way to the Final Four.  So we'll see who wins bracketology in the family--it will probably be Jace, even after all my careful considerations.  I doubt Brent's bracket will make it--he has some pretty improbable upsets picked.  Interestingly enough, however, each of us did end up with a #1 or #2 seed winning the whole thing.  It's March Madness--let the games begin!!

A Belated Japanese Valentine

First let me say that Jace is OK.  We all woke up today to discover that a devastating earthquake hit the northern part of Japan.  Jace is in the Kobe area, which is south of Tokyo and about 3 hours south of Sendai, the epicenter of the quake.  His mission president keeps a great blog, and he has updated us several times, reporting that all of his missionaries are safe.  We haven't yet heard from Jace personally, but will be anxious to hear about this experience in his next email.  Pray for Japan.

A few days ago, I received a surprise package in the mail!  Jace had sent me a belated Valentine's present.  He has always been good at making creative letters and cards.  I have many saved in my file from years back.  It was good to get another personal card and sweet message.  Every Mom melts when their kids write nice things about them, and I am fortunate to have 3 children who are very good at it.  He also sent along some beautiful "Japanesy" fabric.  What do you think?  Should I make myself a skirt to wear, or would a quilt be better? 

He forwarded his camera card with a lot of pictures from the last 4-5 months.  One in particular, a sign with a wise quote on it, seem applicable, especially in light of my previous blogpost about my hometown/birthplace and my mantra to find JOY daily.  Oh, those Japanese can be so wise!

Hometown Visit

Preface:  This post is a trip down memory lane for me.  As this blog is a journal of sorts and personal at times, this post is a mini-documentary of my hometown.  If you choose to read the whole thing, you may become a honorary citizen!  Skim reading is allowed.

I was born and raised in Richfield, Utah, a great small town about 2 hours south of Provo.  I lived there for 18 years until I went off to BYU.  Since Brent was away in South Africa this past week on business, I ventured down to Utah to visit family and friends.  I spent the weekends with Brittney and Stuart in Provo, but during the week I headed south to the place of my childhood.

Richfield is located in Sevier County, bordered by Cove Mountain on the south and east, and the Red Hills on the north and west.  Once you live in Utah, you know what mountains really are!  Here in Spokane we have "big hills" but Utah truly has mountains. . . The Wasatch Mountains and the spectacular "Y" mountain at BYU can't be beat.  Cove Mountain is also very beautiful, and this picture, with the huge American Flag that greets you as you enter Richfield is small town Americana at its finest.  Sidenote:  This time of year is kind of blah!  March is the limbo month--brown and boring everywhere. Trees have yet to leaf, flowers yet to bloom, grasses still need to green up.  If these pictures had been taken at another time of year, things would have looked very different, but I suppose that is the same for most places in March. 

The second shot has a bit of a back story.  It is of Main Street in Richfield.  You see, when I brought Brent down to Richfield for the first time to meet my parents, he thought it was so great that I came from a town so small that we didn't even have a stop light!  It's true--this is the very first stop light to be installed there, just a year or two later.  Now, I think there are probably about 7 or 8 of them--our little town has definitely grown up in the last 30 years! 

Richfield today is very different from what it was during my childhood, yet also in many ways it is very much the same.  When I drive the streets I am reminded of friends and events, some good, some not so good!  I remember the intersection where someone ran a stop light and smashed into our little Monza during my lunch break from Sears.  I also remember a similar intersection where some girl, who was test driving the car my brother Craig was trying to sell, crashed and totaled his car.  It was sad--it was the first time I remember seeing my big brother cry.  Who can forget the schools they attended?  I have fairly good memories of my years at Richfield High School.   I had many good friends, pretty good teachers, and all in all, I came out mostly unscathed!  (Nobody really wants to read a blog post about the drama of high school.  I mean, come on, it wouldn't be high school without some "junk" and drama.  It happened to all of us!)  Richfield is home to several great parks, and The City Park, right on Main Street, is a mainstay.  Every July 4th, the town has a wonderful patriotic celebration.  I think that if any visitor wandered into Richfield on the 4th of July, they would be charmed.  It puts on a wonderful parade and park celebration.  My very first job at 16 years old was at Taco Time, which actually was the first national fast food chain to come to town.  I felt so lucky to work at the new hot spot back in 1976.  It is still thriving today.  In fact, Richfield now is home to every fast food you could possibly want--McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Wendy's, Arby's, Subway, etc.--just like much of small town America.  In a weird way, that's kind of sad.  It also boasts a wonderful main street of shopping, but even that is slowly disappearing.  Christensen's Department Store is still thriving, but now that we have Walmart, Kmart and Home Depot, many small mom-and-pop stores can't make it.  I suppose that's not unique to Richfield either, and also somewhat sad. 

Lastly, I must document the places I lived.  My parents first house was at 140 East Center Street.  I lived there until I was 12 years old.  It is a small home--amazing to think that 7 people lived there!  It was a great place to live as a small kid, though.  We only lived a block from our grandparents, and visited them almost daily.  Valley Builders was only several houses away, and they had a bubble gum machine!  I think we went there daily with our pennies.  Also, the Public Library was across the street.  I grew up visiting that all the time--it seemed so big and so full of books.  I think I read every Nancy Drew mystery, amongst others.  In 1972 when my parents built our other home, it felt weird to move "across town" to a whole new neighborhood!  It is probably only 3 or 4 miles away, but it seemed so far.  But, it was very close to the city pool, so we thought that was great.  Besides, I was now a big 7th grader, and so I felt very grown up.  This home is where Mom and Dad still live.   Sometimes I forget that it is 38 years old.  They have done a good job of keeping it up, but let's face it--at their age it is beginning to be a struggle.   Now when we visit, we are happy to help them with a project that needs attention.  This week I thoroughly cleaned and organized the kitchen and pantry, and also painted the back bedroom.  It was great to keep busy.

During my visit, I did have a fun "Daddy Daughter Date."  My Dad is a loyal supporter of BYU athletics.  He and many of his friends travel the 2 hours to football and basketball games.  On Wednesday, BYU had a basketball game.  Now, if you have been following BYU basketball at all this year, you know that they are having a great season.  You also will know that the past week has been one full of drama and media scrutiny surrounding BYU, the basketball program, and the BYU Honor Code.  (If you don't know what I'm talking about, you either live under a rock, or are not related to me! JK!  Google it!  Let me just say that I am proud to be a BYU Alumni, BYU Parent, and member of the LDS Church--integrity and honor are way more important than basketball. . . and that's coming from a crazy basketball lady!)  ANYWAY (sorry, got off topic a bit) Dad had tickets to the game on Wednesday, and he took me.  It was fun to be in the Marriott Center, to see all the students and their ardent support, and to watch the whole team play.  Jimmermania is alive and well--he's amazing.  We'll see how the Cougars do in the NCAA tournament--no matter what, it's all good.   Gotta love it baby!

We are all a product of our environment, our upbringing, our childhood.  I've benefited from a really good childhood.  I owe much of that to my parents who have raised me well.  They sacrificed much for their family.  They both were very hard workers.  They have been an example in many ways.   I was lucky to grow up in a good environment, in a town where I could play outside, roam the streets, ride my bike everywhere, drag Main Street, not worry about locking my doors, and know almost everyone.   It worked for me.  Richfield, Utah will always be my hometown and hold a special place in my heart.