10/20/09

On being single 9 months later: Getting better every day. Every-once-in-a-while I get this feeling of happy that I think to myself "oh, yeah, I remember that feeling a long time ago." I worry about stuff still, but over all, getting unmarried was a good thing. Kyle and I are still friends. I see him a lot different now and can see how I could have understood stuff differently and perhaps that would have changed things, but I am fine with how things turned out. We do things now with Lauren a lot, and get along good, but neither of us have a desire to "work things out." I think we are both fine with how things are. I am seeing him a lot differently than I did when we were married because I know I don't have to deal with the things I don't like forever. I can walk away anytime, so can he. I am glad I am not legally bound to him. He probably feels the same.

I will say, Lauren and I went camping at Zion's (see pictures) and while I was sitting outside a cafe there, I got talking to a couple who were there celebrating their 67th wedding anniversary. I realized I would never have a 67th wedding anniversary, probably not even a 50th wedding anniversary, and that was a little sad. Weird things like that hit me at weird times, but for my health and peace, I think I am in a good place.

Kids: Calvin is loving golf college in Phoenix, and finally broke 80, got a 77, on 18 holes golfing in their weekly tournament. I don't golf much, but I hear that is a big breakthrough. Yeah, Calvin!

Lauren is in 8th grade and seems to be thriving there. She has a lot of good teachers, and ones that I taught with a few years ago. She is a smart girl. She loves reading Harry Potter and has read all the books about 6 times!

Elisha and Phil are getting ready for the first baby, a girl. It is due Nov. 10. Sounds like she is having a really good, healthy pregnancy.

Ben and Brooke are having #3, another girl, in Feb. Brooke seems to be over the worst of the sick, but doesn't sound like life is bliss, sick-wise yet! Go Brooke! I am excited they will be coming down for Halloween to trick or treat, the only year in 7 when Halloween is on Saturday so they can come! While I still don't like being called grandma (my family went through quite the chastisement to me when I told them I didn't want to be called that, so I am called Grandma Karen. I like Boston's pronunciation. She just says "hey kenan") I love their little lives and the joy they give me every time I get to be around them.

Danielle has a release date of March 12 from her mission. She told of a funny story that one investigator who read the Bible knew Jesus would come sometime when no one knew, but she was surprised the Mormons knew it was at lunchtime that he would come. Danielle realized she thought the Mormons thought lunchtime because in the Joseph Smith story it said He was brighter than the noonday sun. I told my mom, who reminded me of the story when my brother Chris was little. He was glad to hear Jesus would come like a thief in the night because if we knew when He was coming, Chris was sure our mom would make him clean the house! Funny stories.