Happy Birthday Katie and David

Katie's birthday was on Wednesday and David's was yesterday.

Sorry for the belatedness but I have been rather busy. 

Besides, I flew down and saw them for it. The ultimate birthday gift, in my opinion.

Katie turned 17. She is a junior in High School.

She is also a giant. The tallest one in our family (besides my father) at 5'10". She still wears high heels though, which makes her even more giant. I think she secretly loves her dominion over people. She reeks of coolness.

David turned 14. This means that my mother finally allowed him to get a facebook.

As if he needs more reasons to play on the computer.

David likes to think his body is the equivalent of Arnold Schwarzenegger (I had to google that name), as evidenced by the fact that he likes to take his shirt off in front of us and talk about his "6-pack." (In reality he is a pasty white bag of bones.) He is also the funniest kid ever. And he knows it.

Happy Birthday to my favorite younger sister and brother. 

Joyce Power

I'm in Arizona right now. Without the husband. I flew in yesterday and I fly back Saturday.

The whirlwind trip is because my grandmother (Jim's mom) passed away last Friday.

I tried to write about her but I just can't do her justice so here is part of the obituary we put in the paper. It still doesn't really do her justice but it's all I've got.

Joyce Hicks Power, 89, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 5, 2010 after a brave battle with cancer. The world has lost a rare treasure but heaven has gained one. Joyce was born October 29, 1920 in Provo, Utah to Heber and Florence Hicks. She moved to Arizona when she was nine years old to serve a mission with her family on the Papago Salt River Indian Reservation. They served there for 14 years. Joyce attended Phoenix Union High School and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Arizona State Teacher's College. She later received her Master's Degree in Music from ASU. She began her teaching career at age 19 at Alma School and retired 46 years later from Queen Creek Elementary. She married Kent Jackson Power on April 14, 1949 and together they had four children. Joyce was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and spent 70 years in the Primary organization bringing joy to children through music. She was legally blind for the past 25 years but continued to live alone, care for herself, play the piano, crochet beautiful blankets for new babies and cherished friends, and faithfully played the organ at the Arizona Temple for 15 years. She was an example of service, optimism, perseverance, and loved being a friend and grandmother to many people.

We'll miss her.

Really?

I just listened to 5 minutes of Seth arguing on the phone with my brother about whether pickles are zombie-cucumbers or not. 

Wow.

Moving On

These are my old roommates Kirsten and Betina.
This is our very first night hanging out together our freshman year.

We were roommates up until Betina got married in December 2007 and then Kirsten in June 2008.

Yesterday we helped Kirsten pack up all her stuff, as she and her husband are moving away.

I've had friends graduate and move away but this time it was different. 

I suddenly realized I am almost not a college kid anymore. Seth and I graduate in April and then we are also on to the next phase in life. Am I really that old?

It's a weird feeling, realizing you're suddenly in the future you always thought about.

Happy Birthday Tara

Yesterday was my sister Tara's 18th birthday. This post is a day late because our internet has been down.

She's my only sister, and it still leaves me in shock to think that she's grown up and heading to college in the fall. It was weird enough going on my mission and leaving her as a little girl to come back and find a teenager.

Here's some good things about her:

She's pretty much a genius.

All the crazy drama of her high school life is rather entertaining to hear about.

She's a champion thumb wrestler (I can only beat her using treachery, and even that doesn't always work...).

Overall, she's an awesome little sister.