Class of 1993 Reunites!

This summer marks twenty years since Theo and I graduated from Page High School! Yep, that is two zero. TWENTY! For this auspicious occasion, we loaded up the family and made the journey to Page.

Upon our arrival, we crossed paths with Theo's little sister, Brianna. They were literally on their way out the door to Texas. We got to spend a few minutes catching up with our littlest cousins with a promise to see them in Amarillo on their way back in a couple of weeks.

Next on the agenda was of course a trip to the lake! We met a whole bunch of families down at Antelope for some sun and swim! We were having so much fun, I neglected to snap many photos.

 

That Friday night was the first event on our high school reunion schedule. One of my very best high school friends is Christy who also happened to be our senior class president. She was the planner extraordinaire for this blessed milestone event. Her parents were also a teacher and counselor during our tenure. It only seemed appropriate that we should have a gathering at their home. What was comical about this event was that it was billed as essentially a keg party. I am sorry, even though it has been twenty years, there was something a little weird about a kegger at the Bucks' house! We used to sneak OUT of their house for that kind of thing back in the day. Giggle.

 

Since beer and cocktails is not really our kind of scene nowadays, and we knew we would see these people at other reunion events the following day, we made an early getaway.

 

 

The following day was a Navajo Taco feast at the Pera Club. This was a family affair, so Theo and I got to bring our boys to show them off. Although they weren't super excited by the prospect of being paraded around, they put up with it for the food.

 

 

They were super excited when the Begay kids showed up so they had people they knew to hang out with.

 

The final official event was a dinner and awesome slideshow at the Dam Bar and Grille. We had so much fun reminiscing. The pictures had a whole lot of skinny kids with lots of big hair, braces, and most of all smiles! Here are just a few that I sent in for the slideshow presentation. That's right, I have no shame! It was the late 80s/early 90s!

 

 

 

My high school years were the BEST! Seriously!

 

 

I loved seeing how well so many people are doing, how much we have all changed, and at the same time how much we are still the same kids! Some of us are even better with age. Like this handsome dude! 

 

 

Once the reunion festivities were finished, we got to spend just a couple more days with our Page family. The Larsons took us out on the boat to enjoy Lake Powell. Man, I love that place! How I miss it! It was the perfect summer day! How good it was to be home.

 

Class of 1993 Rules!

Country Cousin

My sister Michelle has always been a champ when it comes to supporting her brothers and sisters in any family events. We are talking births, blessings, baptisms, ordinations, farewells, weddings you name it! This weekend it was her family's turn to be supported.

We made a late departure from Amarillo and drove the seven hours to Durango for the momentous occasion of the youngest Gilleland, Jebb, getting baptized! What better excuse to spend a weekend in one of the places we love most with the people we love best?

Saturday was the big event. My parents, our family and the Hannays were all filling up the Gilly homestead with noise and laughter.

After the wonderful baptism performed by oldest brother Gabe, we returned to Gilleland's for fun, food and frolic.

Grandma Ross made this beautiful quilt for Jebb.

Then it was off to shoot guns that Grandpa had brought. Luckily we didn't have to go far. The Gillelands have enough room that we didn't have to worry about shooting a neighbor.

 

 

 

This was actually the very first and only time I have ever shot a gun! Can you tell that no one gave me any instruction on how to hold your arms! I didn't hit anything! Hahaha.

Another great weekend with our country cousins. See you again soon!

Tornado!

 

This YouTube video was taken by someone here in Amarillo. Last Night. While we were huddled in our bathroom listening to the news and the tornado sirens going off. Yeah!

 

Last week there was a terrible tragedy in the town of Moore, OK just outside of Oklahoma City. An EF5 tornado wiped out thousands of homes and demolished two elementary schools, killing 24 people including 7 children. Devastating!

Theo and I had gone to bed, but were still up later than usual on a Wednesday night. In the quiet of the evening, I heard my cell phone make strange sounds in the next room where it was charging. I got up to see what it was since this was not the usual noise it makes for a text or other message. As I checked my phone it proclaimed: Tornado Warning, take immediate shelter......Yikes!

I rushed back to our room and turned on the TV, and sure enough on every channel were radar pictures and frantic weathermen urging people to take shelter right away! Theo and I debated whether or not to wake our sleeping children as it was already after 11:00. Just as I was about to go to their rooms, the tornado sirens started to wail. If you have never head one of these, it is an unsettling sound, especially when it is dark, the wind is howling and the rain is already lashing against the windows.

We quickly and calmly woke the boys and herded everyone into our bathroom while we continued to listen to the news reports. The weather man repeatedly named the streets between which the tornado was expected to pass, right through our neighborhood! They were reporting softball sized hail in the small town just 15 miles to the west of us.

As the boys rubbed the sleep from their eyes and snuggled into the blankets and couch cushions we gathered for protection, we said a brief but heartfelt family prayer.

The next 15 to 20 minutes were tense but peaceful at the same time. I didn't feel fearful as a calm had settled upon me after praying. The storm veered to the north, and mostly missed our subdivision. In a frightening few moments, the news people we were watching suddenly exclaimed they had to leave the newsroom and get to shelter. They continued broadcasting from a bathroom in their building.

And then it was over.

The following day at work, I heard many stories of windows smashed out by hail, wind damage, dented cars, flooded roads and all kinds of mess. It had just missed us, and the weather service said the tornado didn't even touch down. You can watch the video and judge for yourself.

All I know is that we were protected and we were given comfort when we needed it. Our prayers go out to those in Moore, OK.


Watch Your Step

It must be spring. Last night, we had a lovely evening rain. This is so needed in our area right now as we have been in such a severe drought for the last two years. With all of the precipitation, I went out to the garage to turn off our automatic sprinklers. As I circled around the car to come back in, I about had a heart attack when I almost stepped on this....

 

 

The garage door was open from when one of the boys had taken out the trash a few minutes before, and apparently a late night visitor made his way in out of the rain. He was enormous! Since I was barefoot at the time, I am glad I spotted him in time!

Thirty Something

This is it folks, the last year of the thirties for the illustrious Theo Martin. Enjoy it, babe!

Double Digit Doritos Nachos Locos & Big Nate

Holy wowzers, Rex is TEN!!!!

 

One of the things we like to do as a birthday tradition is let our kids choose what we will eat for dinner on their b-day. Rex had been telling me for weeks that he wanted to have Taco Bell. They have  a new taco that has a Doritos flavored shell. He had thought of little else. I wasn't stoked to haul the family to the nearest Taco Bell for the dinner hour, so we had a compromise. I surprised Rex by picking him up from school for lunch, and he and I went to Taco Bell on our own. He was in heaven!

 

 

That night, we had the usual opening of gifts and cake. It was a simple family affair.  

 

 

Both of Rex's grandparents sent him gift cards for his double digit day. He ordered a slew of Big Nate books from Amazon thanks to G&G Ross.

 

And he got a cool mini-basketball for the tramp and, you got it, another Big Nate book from Target, courtesy of G&G Martin.

Happy Birthday, Rex! 

Easter Baptism

This Easter weekend, I had the pleasure to attend the baptism of a young woman I have recently become acquainted with. Her name is Diana.

 

A while back, the bishop had told me about a girl who lived in our ward that was going to start taking the discussions with the missionaries; these are lessons that are taught to people that are investigating the LDS church. She had been dating a young man who was in another ward, and they wanted her to get to know some of the people in the ward she lived in. When the time came for her first lesson with the missionaries, they asked if they could have it in our home. I am currently serving as the Young Women president, so I readily agreed.

 

Diana and her boyfriend, Tucker came to our house and we had a wonderful lesson from the missionaries serving in our ward, Elder Burns, Hultgren, and Jones. I could tell from this very first meeting that Diana was a super awesome young lady with a great spirit. She had really been prepared to hear the gospel, and she was excited to hear what the missionaries taught her. In fact, she was ready to commit to baptism that very first night. She was even surprised to learn that there were a series of lessons, not just one, that she would need to have before it was all said and done. We again had Diana in our home as did other members as she had all of the discussions. As the date that the missionaries had set for baptism grew closer, I wondered if she would be totally ready., but here was no need to worry. It was certainly a testimony to me to see Diana blossom. She absolutely has the glow of someone lit up by the gospel!

 

One of the things both Theo and I enjoyed most about being able to sit in with Diana during her discussions was being able to share some of the experiences we had at her age. Of course, I was raised in the LDS church, and when Theo and I dated as teenagers, he took the missionary discussions. Sharing some of that with Diana brought back a flood of sweet memories. I am so blessed that my wonderful husband found the gospel, joined the church, and has kept his covenants ever since. It has brought us so much joy!

 

On the day of her baptism, I was asked to give one of the talks. I was so grateful to see how many people came to share in her special day. Even her parents attended, and although they don't speak a lot of English (they are from Honduras), they felt the spirit. It was a beautiful meeting, and the spirit was so strong.

 



Diana and Elder Burns

 



I am thankful to know Diana and her testimony of the Savior. She truly has received His image in her countenance. (Alma 5:14) Watching her gain a testimony has strengthened mine! The gospel changes lives. It blesses my life every day!