Invited

Laurie invited me to her Great Artist program mom retreat 

I’m also invited to my niece - Whitney’s wedding tomorrow in Seattle. I can’t believe she’s all grown up now I still remember changing her diapers.
 

Engagement Party

For Markus & Sam

At Tsunami

With Sam’s mom Amanda

And her dad Isaac

We are excited for the union of these two 

And went to the new candy shop across the street Sugar Moose

 

31-derful

 Morgen turned 31 today. 

He texted me that he didn’t really feel up to celebrating. 

I recorded Happy Birthday on the piano and sent it to me. I also paid off his student loans from when he graduated at the U. I love him. And I hope that he knows just how much. 

The Price of Peace

 I called it being easy to live with.

I kept the peace at home for years, and I thought I was very good at it. No fights, no yelling, nothing anybody had to apologize for afterwards. I thought I was giving my loved ones something I had always wanted growing up.

What I was actually doing was making sure nobody in my home ever heard what I was actually thinking.

It took me a long time to realize, because it is not a failing. Keeping the peace was intelligent. In the rooms where I go now for my recovery, the peace is not a fragile item and I don’t  really have to be the one who can hold it. But growing up - it worked. It kept me safe and it kept me loved.

But I still was never free. I paid for it one sentence at a time, and the person paying was me.

And here is the part the people in Al-anon say out loud. I kept the peace to stay close to the people I loved. The peace is the exact reason none of them have ever heard a true thing from me.

I was protecting the closeness. The protecting is what kept it thin. It is what kept me from feeling all my feelings. Now I know that I get to express my anger as well as my love and peace. All the feelings. 

Evening Hikes

 

Hiking the Summit

Up at dawn

To hike Summit Park

Before it gets too hot

With hiking poles of course 

 

We ride at dawn

Dawn over the wasatch 

Bonneville Shoreline Trail

Fritz has to go while it’s still cool

Martin picked up 3 bags of other dog poo

With us watching 

We rode until 8:30 

 

Pet Therapy

Intermountain Pet Therapy Dogs 

 Come into work everyday and I collect their trading cards. 

Electron Tree

Martin made for my Dad

 

Morning

Coffee

Sunrise

 

Spectacular

Sunsets

 

Utah Summer

 

Summer List

Jump in the lake

Float in the water

Enjoy the cool breeze

Laugh as the clouds roll by 

That’s What Fritz does

Grandma and Grandpa let us bring them some pie on Pioneer Day 

 

Wildflower Fest and Lone Star Tacos

The Wildflowers are out in full force 

Blood Lake Trail allows dogs

But now charges $8 an hour for parking 

So you have to hike fast 

If you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for the views

Luckily the tacos were worth it 

 

Pioneer Day

My niece Sierra won her age division in the days of 47 Marathon today

26.2 miles

With my cute sister Lara and her husband Todd cheering her on

This is her last race

Before she has hip surgery next month 

That’s why Lara had the “Go little fin go” sign