Looking Back: 2012

Looking back on 2012 it was quite the eventful year.

 It started out on January 6th with the home birth of Jonathan Russell, all 9 lbs, 10 oz of him.  He is almost a year old now and it has been such a delight to see his personality emerge.

In the summer of 2012, Bud (brother) started a new sales floor that Justin has been working to help make a success.  We were grateful to Bud that he had a "plan B" in the works in case the place they were working didn't work out (which it didn't.)

In the summer we took the kids to Arches National Park.  It was SO, SO fun.  We planned on camping and then the site was CRAPPY so we stayed in a motel the first night.  The second day we scouted out a site and Justin didn't want to stay there (despite all of our camping gear and how GORGEOUS and cheap it was) because there were TONS of little nat size bugs everywhere and we weren't allowed to have a fire so they would have ALWAYS been there.  SO, our Arches camping trip turned into an Arches motel trip.  That was super fun too though as the kids had never been to a motel.  The first night we walked in and Joshua asked, "is anybody coming home?"  Like, "who's house is this that we're walking into!?"  Cute!

Justin continues to work hard at work and at school.  This year each person in the family got to go up in an airplane with Justin again.  I got my first cross country flight!  (that just means I think more than 50 miles each way)  Justin, Jonathan and I flew over to Heber airport, did a touch and go, and then flew over to Coalville which is a little ways north.  It was a beautiful, and very bumpy flight.  I look forward to another flight with no baby on my lap!

Another highlight of 2012 was the Roger's Family Reunion up American Fork canyon.  This one was a little faith builder!  I had felt impressed to reserve this certain campsite (out of any in Utah or Idaho basically).  It was a clear prompting, so I KNEW it was guided. WELL, it was important that I KNEW that BECAUSE a fire broke out on the mountain a day or two before we were supposed to camp, and the canyon was closed!  I think the fire broke out Wednesday and our first night to camp was Friday!?  Something like that.  All family immediate and extended were closely watching the news and there were many requests for a back up plan.  Justin, the man of steady faith that he is said to me, "Were you not PROMPTED to reserve THAT spot!?"  I said, "well, yes."  "SO, don't worry about it.  It will all work out," he said.  Of course, I just needed that reminder.  Well, long story short, the canyon opened back up on Friday and the site was beautiful and perfect and it all worked out.  It was so, so nice to see everyone and catch up, and so so nice to be in the mountains.  A highlight of the reunion for me was being out on the lake with Abby and Cannon in our raft with a storm rolling in.  So fun!  I was so grateful that everyone made the effort to come and be there.  (Although we super missed everyone that couldn't make it!)  I hope we do a reunion at a park every summer.

2012 was a good year for songwriting and recording.  At the end of 2011 I said I had recorded ONE song!  Crazy right!?  Well, we now have 8 recorded.  This whole process, and each song, and everything involved with it, have been highlights of my year.  NOW I feel ready to start doing firesides.  Okay, maybe 1 or 2 more songs first on specific topics to help complete the message of a fireside. :)  One of the biggest blessings of this year has been the revelation that I received for Justin and I to work with Roger and Melanie Hoffman.  They are so wonderful.  Roger wrote Consider the Lilies among other things, and Melanie has written many gospel children songs.  Working with them in their studio is what really got Justin on board with this because it finally felt RIGHT.  We are finally working with the people we are SUPPOSED to be working with and it couldn't be more perfect.

In 2012 we made it down to St George 3 TIMES (that I can think of)!  For Austin's birthday, Justin's birthday, and Avin's birthday.  It was nice to go see temple Christmas lights down there and to be able to share all those fun birthdays with Grandma, Grandpa, and Russ.  We wish they lived next door!

Another highlight was my nephew Jack was born to Mandy and Braden!  They now have a boy and a girl.  They moved to Oklahoma in the summer and I thought I wouldn't get to meet Jack until summer 2013, BUT SURPRISE!  thanks to Mom and Dad flying them out, we got to see them before Christmas and meet baby Jack.  I cried!  I was SO happy!

Other 2012 happenings: Justin's mom April came several times, which we always love!  Justin's brother Adam got married!  Yea!  The kids grew a ton, Jayden got the Priesthood, and did baptisms in the temple for his first time!  Avin learned how to ride a 2 wheel bike with training wheels and he and Austin have gotten to be really good buddies.  Joshua is on 1st grade curriculum and has discovered a huge budding love for legos.  He also is doing very well on the piano.  We have backed off of Austin's Kindergarten curriculum to more of a pre-school thing (where he should be anyway).  I had a few really cool energy work sessions, which I only do here and there on occasion.  Justin and I grew closer to the Lord and each other.  Justin's uncle John, who had/has a big spiritual impact on us passed.  Justin's sister Danielle is pregnant with her new husband....in March or April they will be the parents of 9 children when combined!  Justin and I got released from 16-18 Sunday School, where we were for 4.5 years and I got called to be a nursery leader, which I dreaded but actually really enjoy.  I love those kids.  I'm sure Justin will get a calling shortly after our ward splits and there are not 800 people in one ward!  We had a Powell (Justin's bio dad's side) get together at our house in the summer, which was like a major accomplishment.  I could go on....but I'll call that good. :)  Bring in another wonderful year!