Are You Looking for a House in Billings, Montana?

My brother Zane and lovely sister-in-law Amber are selling their house and I'm helping to spread the word!

5237 Sacagawea Dr.

Billings, MT 59101

$189,900
* Built in 2007
* 2184 sq. ft. (fully finished basement)
* 4 Bedrooms (all with 4x5 walk-in-closets)
* 2 Full Bathrooms
* Beautiful Hickory Cabinets
* Large Walk-in Corner Pantry
* Large Family Room

* 2nd Family Room in Basement
* Central Air Conditioning
* Fully Landscaped
* Underground Sprinkler System
* 2 car garage

To read more details, see more photos or to get contact info, go to:

http://5237sacagawea.blogspot.com

Success!!!

I have created my first ever, good ole' homemade header for this here blog!

It turned out purdy cute, if I do say so myself.

This is my first real attempt at digi-scrapping. I've never really scrapbooked...at all. I was never blessed with a talent for crafts, but I have long desired to become learn-ed in the ways of digital craftiness...I've proclaimed this for several years now. I have been tempted, oh have I, by those shelves and rows of touchable, lovely papers and all the fun scrapping goodies at Archiver's. But then I remember.... "Glue? Scissors? Glitter? Um, no thank you." I've been saving my energy and my sanity and my pennies for the digital scrapbooking world.

And gall-darn-it, I am finally (sorta) on my way.

Because a few days ago I finally downloaded the Photoshop Elements software my husband sweetly gave me.

For my birthday, in July.

In 2008.

(Eek.)

(Procrastinate much? No, not me.)

Thanks honey!

=)

In Memory

Yesterday I attended the funeral for my Great Uncle, Merrill Briggs.

Uncle Merrill was my mother's uncle, the youngest brother of my grandfather. He had down syndrome, and lived to the age of 61. How amazing is that? He lived a very full and very happy life. He loved life and he loved people. He was an incredible man.

I usually only saw Uncle Merrill once or twice a year at family reunions. He was always happy, always joking around and teasing everyone. He was always a big jokester. My mom's family is a ranching family, and Merrill was a cowboy through and through...he loved horses and riding, and for as long as I can remember he always wore cowboy boots and a cowboy hat. He wanted to get married someday and have his own ranch. He loved going to church and he went through the temple. He loved the Boy Scout program and got his Eagle Scout. He competed several times in the Special Olympics. He had a job and worked at the same company for almost 40 years. He loved to knit and crochet and was always making things...I have a several pot-holders that he made for me. He loved music and he loved to dance. I remember dancing with him at reunions many times over the years.

His funeral was practically a family reunion in and of itself. Many of my vast extended family came to his funeral service, and there were so many sweet and wonderful memories shared. Many were stories I'd never heard before, and it was a blessing to learn more about Merrill and his life. There were many many tears at the service of course, but a general feeling of happiness too...we all knew without a doubt that his life goes on, that his disability has been removed from him, and that he has been reunited with his beloved father and mother, my great-grandpa and great-grandma, who passed away many years ago. They loved him dearly and were such amazing parents to him.

My great uncles and great aunts told wonderful stories about my great-grandparents at the funeral. I never got to know them well...I was only a baby when my great-grandpa died, and my great-grandma died when I was still very young, though I do have vague memories of visiting her and Merrill in the years before she passed away. I imagine it was very different raising a child with down syndrome in the 1940's and 1950's, but my great-grandparents always loved and encouraged Merrill, and stood in defiance of doctors who told them there were things he would never be able to do, like walk or talk. He did so, so much more than that. I'm so grateful Merrill was blessed to come to a family with parents and siblings that loved and cherished him and encouraged him to do anything he wanted to do.

At his service they had a table filled with pictures of Merrill, things he owned and things he loved. I didn't bring my camera in to the funeral with me, but I wish so badly I had gotten a photo of this cool little tribute to him. They had displayed his little cowboy boots and cowboy hats, which gave a particular tug to my heartstrings. There were also many of the things he had knitted and crocheted, his Special Olympics medals, his Boy Scout sash, and also a bowl full of chocolate candy. I learned that Merrill always loved chocolate and particularly Reese's...he and I are kindred spirits there!

I will always miss Uncle Merrill...at family reunions it will always feel like an important part of us is missing. I will feel a tinge of sadness whenever I think about him. But I'm grateful for the wonderful life he lived, for the amazing example of hard work and happiness that he was, and for the knowledge that he lives on.

When I spoke to my mom on the phone after first hearing of Merrill's death, we both cried. But then we started talking about what he must be doing now, and what he must be like. My mom said she thought he'd be tall, just like his brothers, and handsome, and a "womanizer." We both laughed. He was and is a sweet, good man, and I have no doubt that he's a hit with the ladies.

And I have no doubt that he has returned to the presence of Our Father in Heaven, and is strolling happily through heaven at this very moment, with a big grin on his face.


*Uncle Merrill in the News: "Ogden Loses Its Favorite Cowboy"

Early Morning Thoughts

At about 4 am this morning Jacob woke up for probably the 4th or 5th time since bedtime.

Though my littlest still does not sleep through the night anyway, he had shots at the doctor yesterday afternoon and I think they were not providing for the best night's sleep.

As I fed him, he started fiddling with my fingers. I just sat looking at those tiny fingers next to mine, and I thought about how very sweet my baby boy is. I always think he is sweet, but I had one of those moments of overwhelming love...the love you always feel for your children but that sometimes hits you in highly concentrated doses and makes you feel particularly content.

I thought how nice it was to be needed.

So much of the time I am racing through the day, trying to take care of the children's needs as quickly as possible so as to move on to other tasks...sometimes I forget to stop and bask in the glow of the blessing it really is to be needed, so much , by a little someone. By two little someones!

Right now their world is small, and I am such a big and important part of that world. Not a day goes by that they don't need me, greatly. With each passing year their world will grow and grow, and my part in it will fade, bit by bit. They'll start to find a thousand other things in their lives to devote their attention to, and eventually their need for me will be all but gone. Someday they will even be gone. And then, where there was once a busy, messy, noisy household with needy children that often tired out or frustrated a young mother, a quiet, tidy, childless house will have taken its place, and in it will sit a woman who is just anxiously waiting for phone calls. I try to remind myself of that all the time, especially on the hard days...I think, "These are the days I will miss someday."

I want to make more room for that kind of contented-ness in my life...I want to carve out more moments in the day where that overwhelming warmth of love can settle in and melt away the anxiety of constantly trying to complete a to-do list which will never truly be done, anyway! Someday my sons will be men, but right now they are my babies. I want to hold onto the moments with them as carefully and lovingly as I can, for I know that all too soon, in years that seem like seconds, these days will be gone forever.