(Print of an artist's card I purchased from the artist on ebay)

I am very happy, about a great many things.  First of all, Mark and I have made more steps in the direction we want to go, helped by the admonitions of our area leaders and Bishop Baird, but works in progress already.
Bishop Baird told us to double everything good we were doing, as in:  read and study the scriptures twice as much, write letters twice as much, work on family history double the amount, attend the temple twice as much (which for us would still be zero :/  ).
We felt it was most important for us to think of being more Christlike rather than just doing more, but we have also been able to accomplish some steps that we've been working toward (and please don't laugh at our list):

1. We got more food and water storage, plus a wheat grinder
2. We got Leto his rabies shot and tag (have to pick up the other shots for him and Tut)
3. We are going on walks, although not every day (we're building up to every day : ), and we take Leto on walks too
4. We have the car in the shop right now, getting needed repairs
5. We are eating much less, and we're eating healthier in general
6. I'm writing more hand-written letters to others
7. I'm finally organizing my craft supplies and using them (motivated by letter-writing)
8. Mark is doing census names for genealogy purposes
9. I'm "fixing up" more, I think, which I think is important, and I got a "wedding/engagement" ring!  (I picked out a big cubic zirconia, in keeping with the times, and I really enjoy wearing it.  It's sterling silver, which my body tolerates well, with gold-plated(?) swirls on the sides, and it's guaranteed for something;  I don't know what, but I kept the rec'pt.
10. I am looking at GardenWeb and learning about roses again - I'm starting to feel free to explore my interests once again, even if I can't be actively participating; and I feel like there are many ways I can be actively involved, if I just take a good look around me.  The same goes for horses, art, whatever.  I don't have to make a commitment (which I couldn't keep) to do lots of fun things.  Eureka!  Duh...

That makes a nice even ten, by stretching it out some.  We still have 72-hour kits to re-organize and fill in the gaps on, the other shots to pick up, and we want to test out temple attendance, maybe doing shorter-type work there.  I have a hard time physically, making it through regular sessions - as in, I never make it, but I know that there's something we can do together, if we try.

And that is all I am looking at about those things right now!

Second of all, Phillip gets out of the Army on Saturday, after four years and two deployments (one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, both pretty rough I think, especially the latter, but he doesn't want to talk about those things, because he doesn't want to make a big deal of them.  He was just there with his buddies, in the trenches, so to speak.  He made some really good friends, and he lost some friends.  Serving in the Armed Forces is hard, often boring work, often in awful conditions, dangerous conditions.   I'm proud of you and for you, Phillip.  Thank you.

Lastly (for now),  

Spring has Sprung!!   Isn't it great?!

We are lovin' it.  Hope you are!

xoxoxo

PS  Haley and Dallin and Hunter and baby sister, yet-to-be are moving to Casper, Wyoming in less than a month!  He'll be working for an oil company? there, and traveling a bunch the first couple of years, but it's a great job, and kind of like more schooling for two years.  You make the sacrifices when it feels right, working for a better future.  I'm excited for them!
Also, Seth is where he might be able to make some progress - I'll send an email right now, with his address.