Not Good-bye

Ed and Mary on the edge of the Mogollon Rim, 25 May 2010.

Yesterday was tough.  We'd only been married for four days--four blissfully wonderful days--when I had to drive Ed to Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix and watch him board a plane back to Cheyenne.

I know it's necessary for him to tie up his loose ends so he can get moved here permanently.  I know I'll see him in just 3 more days, when Dylan and I drive to Cheyenne to join Ed on Saturday.  I know we both have a lot of tasks to complete, so the time should pass quickly.  I know...well, I'm pretty sure I'll survive this short separation.  But I miss him horribly already, and the tears seem to spill too easily and frequently.

How is it possible to feel so happy and so sad at the same time?   

When Ed arrived, we chose the Salt River Canyon route to bring him to our mountain home.  Yesterday we took the Mogollon Rim route to leave our mountain.  I wanted to share all the amazing scenery of our area with him.

Before we started down the face of the Rim, we stopped at an overlook to enjoy the breathtaking view spread out before us.  Jacob came with us so I wouldn't have to make the 3-hour drive home alone after leaving the airport, so we gave him the job of taking these pictures.  The lighting wasn't perfect, but the memories are.

We arrived at the airport before 8:00 pm, so we had about half an hour to relax and say our farewells.  It was awfully hard.  Ed kept telling me we weren't saying good-bye, we were saying "I'll see you soon."  Maybe, but it still felt a lot like good-bye to me.

When Jacob took this picture, he said, "You look like you're in pain, Mom."  It's called heartache, Son.

Ed's flight to Denver left at 9:25.  It was after 2:00 a.m. in Cheyenne when he reached his home.  It was just after midnight in Arizona when Jacob and I got back here.  Despite the lateness, Ed and I still spoke on the phone for a very long time.  We spoke again this morning.

This separation will be over soon, but meanwhile it just doesn't feel right for us to be apart.  You're right, my love, this is not good-bye.  I'll see you soon.

Mr. and Mrs.

Newlyweds Ed and Mary Reynolds minutes after the wedding!

Yes, we really did it.  Ed and I got married yesterday by a Justice of the Peace in Show Low.

Yes, it was sudden.  So sudden our heads are still spinning.  But I've never been happier; I've never felt so at peace; I've never been so much in love.

I've tried to sit down and blog our whirlwind romance several times these past weeks, but everything has been so, well, whirlwindish!  There was just no time.  So many wonderful things have been happening between Ed and I, as well as with my (our) family, and I promise to share it all as soon as possible.

Dylan, age 12; Jacob, age 18; Ed and Mary; and Sarah, age 20.

We didn't tell anyone except my children (who already love Ed and think of him as their dad).  Oh, and my friend Wyndie, who happened to be there when Ed called me at work yesterday morning to tell me a Justice of the Peace would be available to marry us at 5:00 that afternoon.

It wasn't our intent to exclude anyone.  We only knew we wanted to be together as soon as possible, but we didn't really know how quickly that could be arranged.  When Ed came from his home in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to spend time with me and my children, he'd only planned to stay for 4 days, May 14-17.  Since his arrival, he's extended the length of his stay two times.  When we realized he really would have to fly back home next Tuesday, May 25, we began to talk about getting married sooner rather than later. 

Ed and I drove to Holbrook after school on Thursday to get a marriage license.  At dinner that night, Ed told the kids we were thinking about getting married right away.  They were enthusiastic about the idea.  In fact, for the rest of the night Dylan kept asking hopefully if we'd decided yet.

We didn't decide for sure until after Jacob's graduation Thursday night that we wanted to get married the next day.  Even then, we had no idea whether a judge would be available so quickly.  Thankfully, Judge Dana Sipes was willing to do the deed, and now Ed and I are husband and wife!

We found a big bag of wedding surprises waiting on the kitchen table when we returned home.

Thanks, Wyndie and Charla!

I suppose it was an odd wedding day.  We started out the morning not knowing if we'd even be getting married.  I'm still getting used to the idea that May 21st is now our anniversary!

I had to work all day, completing those end-of-the-school-year tasks that keep me so busy, but it was awfully hard to concentrate once I knew my wedding was just hours away!  When I got home from work, I helped Ed prepare burritos for dinner.  Then we dressed in our Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes and drove to the justice court. 

Our wedding was short and sweet.  We were both so nervous, I felt our hands trembling as we clasped them during the ceremony.  I was already wearing my engagement ring, but there were no wedding rings to exchange.  Originally we'd planned to get married on June 24th, so we had ordered custom wedding rings, which won't be ready for at least 3 more weeks. 

It was very special to have Sarah and Jacob serve as our witnesses.  Their signatures are now and forever attached to our license.  After the wedding, Ed was touched when Jacob grabbed him in a huge bear hug.  On the way home, Jacob and Dylan debated whether to start calling Ed "Dad."  As of now the decision is "maybe." 

As soon as we got home, we had to quickly change clothes and get Dylan to his ballgame.  Dylan wasted no time telling his coach (who is our bishop) about the wedding, and from there word spread like wildfire.  Soon we were surrounded by excited well-wishers at the Little League field.  My friend A'Lece even invited Jacob and Dylan to spend the night with her family so Ed and I could have some privacy for our wedding night.  We took her up on it!

Ed and Mary Reynolds, ages 49 and 55, at Mama Bears this morning.

I loved waking up as Mrs. Ed Reynolds this morning!  Ed suggested we go out to breakfast to celebrate, so we took the boys with us to Mama Bear's restaurant.  (Sarah is babysitting today.)  Since breakfast, Ed and the boys have been to ride go-carts at Family Fun Park and are currently challenging each other at Guitar Hero on Wii, giving me some time to blog. 

Dylan and Jacob at Mama Bears.

There is so much more to come!  We're planning an Alaskan cruise for our honeymoon in June.  Ed lived in Alaska for 23 years and wants to show me the inside passage (whatever that is...).  In just 3 days Ed returns to Cheyenne to begin the process of relocating to our home in Arizona.  It will be so hard to put him on that plane, but I plan to follow him to Wyoming by car just 3 days after he leaves.  This will be an interesting summer, with both of us traveling back and forth, here and there, to merge our separate lives into one whole.

One important step still remains: on May 21, 2011, Ed and I intend to be sealed in the Snowflake Temple.  To us, yesterday's wedding was simply to satisfy the law and allow us to be together at this time.  The real cause for celebration will be when we are sealed for all eternity.  That's when we will invite all our family and friends to be there to rejoice with us! 

The road ahead will be a challenge, but there is nothing we can't overcome as long as we're together! 

A Senior Banquet, or Two

Is it really possible that my green-eyed baby boy is about to graduate from high school?  How did 18 years of his life pass by so quickly?  In just 8 days he will don his cap and gown and cross the stage to accept his diploma from the hands of his proud mother!  That's if he passes his government class, of course!  (Imagine me saying that with a slightly strained smile...)

On Monday night Jacob and I enjoyed attending the annual senior banquet, a dinner for the seniors and their parents.  It includes the presentation of awards for tongue-in-cheek accomplishments such as "Most likely to be voted off Survivor," or "Best Wardrobe."  

This year the banquet was held at the Christmas Tree Restaurant.  I just had to get this picture of Jacob with Santa asleep at the wheel.  

We were joined at our table by our new principal and his wife, Eric and Kim Harmon.  Although this is his first year as principal, I've known Eric for years, first as a math teacher and then as athletic director.  Kim works in the LEEP (job training) program, and I consider her a friend.

Of course, I was there, too!  I'm just so proud of my son and the good things he has accomplished so far in his young life!

And now I must give equal time to my firstborn:

Sarah graduated 2 years ago, but her senior banquet pictures were never posted due to the fact that I hadn't yet figured out how to do this blogging thing at that time!  Her banquet was held at the Hon Dah Casino conference center on the nearby Apache reservation.

Her favorite thing about the banquet was having a last chance to hang out with her best friends, Kristin and Brandy.  Here, she and Kristin load their plates at the buffet.

And here, she and Brandy clown around while waiting for the action to start.  Sarah still stays in contact with both girls, but as we old folks know, the dynamics of these friendships change once high school is a thing of the past.  They no longer see each other very often.

Soon I shall have but one child left in public school.  Only one child between me and the dreaded empty nest!  It's a little sad to see them grow up and move on, but what great memories we will always share!

Prom 2010

Jacob's final junior-senior prom took place more than 3 weeks ago, and his distracted mom has been a bit slow in sharing the pictures from that evening.  But better late than never, right?

Jacob and his date Cassie had a great time.  They wandered and socialized more than they danced.  They enjoyed the refreshments, the loud music, and the company of friends.  And they mostly managed to avoid Jacob's chaperone mom and her ever-present camera! 

I caught them a few times, though!  I got someone to take this shot of Jacob and me while he was waiting for Cassie to return from the ladies' room.  The rose is for Cassie, of course!

It was an exciting moment when Chanda was crowned Prom Queen.  Chanda is the daughter of my friend Charla, and she is also my son Dylan's Big Sister in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.  With her is her date, Keegan, who happened to be Dylan's Big Brother before he graduated and went off to college 2 years ago.  They are two of Dylan's favorite people.

I'm a little sad that it will be a few years before one of my children attends Prom again.  Dylan begins junior high school in August, so it will be 2 years before one of my kids is again a student at the high school where I teach.  After 6 years with Sarah and/or Jacob attending my school, I just may be a little bit lonely there!

Game On!

Little League season has begun!  Last night was Dylan's first game of the season, and he is so excited to be playing in the Majors.  He's especially excited to be playing for the Diamondbacks, with our bishop as his coach (that's Bishop Gardner at far right).

Can you tell which boy is Dylan?  Hint: my 12-year-old son is a head taller than the rest of his teammates!  (We also did not get the word that he was supposed to wear red socks...)

Dylan started out at third base.  He is an excellent baseman, especially at first plate.

During the third inning he was put in as pitcher.  I stood near his coaches to take this picture and overheard them discussing how powerful his pitches are.  He just needs a little more work on his technique.  (Can you tell by the bubbles that it was windy and there was just a bit of dust in the air?)

Dylan is also a power-hitter.  He often knocks it to the fence.  At their first practice, his team dubbed him "the Secret Weapon."

The boys fought a hard battle, but in the end they lost to the Yankees by a score of 16 to 11.  We're proud of them and the good sportsmanship they all displayed in the face of a loss.  Dylan proclaimed, "Even if we lost, it was still fun!"  Now, that is the lesson I want my son to learn on the field!

Despite the late hour (the game ended at 10pm) and the nippy weather, Dylan is supported by his family!  Here we have Jacob and Sarah in the stands.  That's the coach's wife and daughter laughing and making faces behind Jacob. 

 And, of course, Dylan always has a proud mom cheering him on!  Go, D-backs!!

The Senior

Eugene and Wyndie offer express service!  They had Jacob's senior pictures downloaded and edited within a few hours after the photo shoot.  Don't you agree they did a great job?

Last night and this evening I spent hours sorting through nearly 200 photos, narrowing it down to the 41 best shots.  Once he gets through tomorrow's Prom night, Jacob will need to sit down with those 41 and select the ones he wants printed to send in his graduation announcements.

As for me, I already chose an 8x10 and 5x7 to frame and hang next to my bed with Sarah's senior pictures: the shot above and the one below.

Here are a few more of my favorites: 

Doesn't he look like a poster in a teen magazine?  My son the rock star!

Jacob on April 15, 2010: age 18

The shark-tooth necklace was a gift to Jacob from his Aunt Tamera when we visited Missouri last summer.  Tamera's brother-in-law in Florida caught the shark that provided the tooth, and her sister made the necklace herself, so it's a special souvenir.

I just had to slip this last one in.  Jacob will never choose this shot because he hates to show his teeth in pictures.  However, this is the face I will miss most after he goes away to serve a mission for two years.  This is the mischievous, laughing child I will cherish in my memory forever. 

I'm so proud of you, my baby boy!

Senior Pictures, Sarah Style

Tonight Jacob had his senior pictures done.  Wyndie's husband Eugene took them for us and I can't wait to see how they turn out!

Eugene did Sarah's senior pictures, too.  However, I wasn't blogging when she graduated 2 years ago and so her pictures have never been featured.  I'm going to remedy that right now!

Sarah's outdoor shots were taken along the Mogollon Rim Trail near our home.  She was 18 years old at this time.

She had her naturally-curly hair straightened prior to the photo-shoot.

For her indoor shots, taken inside Eugene and Wyndie's garage, Sarah insisted on two props that represented her high school years to her.  The first was her violin...

...and the second was her bunnies.  She used to show her rabbits in competitions while in 4-H Club.  She chose her best behaved bunny, Cocoa Puff, for these shots.

This final shot was supposed to be a throw-away, one of many practice shots while Eugene adjusted the lighting.  However, it became one of our favorites.  It perfectly captures Sarah's sassy attitude!

Romantic Profiling

If you think racial profiling is cruel and unfair, just wait until you experience romantic profiling!

It's a lot like designing a page in a Hickory Farms catalog.  You try to make your little turkey look more appealing than everyone else's prize hams and filet mignons.

I joined LDS Singles Online back in mid-February.  (I know, I know, what was I thinking?)  For 6 weeks I was mostly ignored.  I revamped my profile with a new message and new pictures three times, but nothing seemed to help.  Then I decided to approach things from a completely different direction.

This is what I came up with:

March 2010 - This is me!

Let's be upfront: I'm not gorgeous, thin, popular, athletic, or rich. I don't have a fancy house, a sporty convertible, a high-powered career, or an empty nest. If you have the courage to read on, here's what I do have to offer:

I believe...

True beauty shines from within and looks out through eyes warm with love.

The person we used to be is not nearly as important as who we are now, and who we are now is a mere glimmer of who we may become.

The more we love, the greater our capacity for love becomes.

Any house becomes a home when it's filled with family and the Spirit is a welcome guest.

This life, with all its joys and all its bumps, is meant to be shared.

The strongest relationships are built on mutual trust, open communication, willingness to work together, and reliance on the Lord.

Eternity is a long, long time and ought to be spent with one's best friend.

Motherhood has been the greatest privilege and blessing of my life.

The glory of God is intelligence, and the most important knowledge isn't found in a classroom.

A sense of humor makes even the hardest trials bearable.

Laughter is healthy medicine, but even better: Christ is the cure.

Serving Heavenly Father's children is an honor, and no calling is ever insignificant.

Nature is a gift, meant to increase our good health and our enjoyment of this world.

Sometimes we have to slow down to rediscover ourselves and hear the Spirit speaking to us.

The temple is the most heavenly place on earth.

The Lord sometimes gives us what we want, but He ALWAYS gives us what we need.

***

Now it's YOUR turn! If any of these thoughts speak to your heart and mind, I'd enjoy exchanging ideas and getting to know you. My door--I mean, message box--is always open!

March 2010 - You crack me up!

So, there you have it!  Within 3 days I received more messages than I had in the entire previous six weeks!  I'm happy to report I have now "met" some pretty nice guys.

I've learned that when it comes to romance, normally level-headed men and typically romantic women change places.  The women become the practical ones, wanting to know if a man is a good provider, a good father, a good member of the church.  On the other hand, it seems the men want a woman they can romanticize.  Not that the practical things don't matter to them, but being practical is their job.  They figure if a woman has a loving heart and lofty ideals, all the rest will follow.

I hope they're right.

New Art Curriculum

Thanks to the threat of even deeper budget cuts for the coming school year, teachers of enrichment classes like art and music are nervously awaiting word on whether their programs and jobs will be cut for next year. 

A proposal to add a temporary 1-cent sales tax to see us through this budgetary crisis will go before the voters on May 13th.  If it passes and everything else goes better than hoped, our best case scenario still involves cutting well more than a million dollars from the budget of our small school district.

Meanwhile, we've been asked to suggest ways we can trim the budget and preserve as many programs and jobs as possible.  Jackie Johnson, the art teacher at the junior high, passed along the following proposal to save on art supplies while still fostering creativity in our youth.

Fly Art:

1. Kill a few flies.
2. Put them in the sun to dry for one hour.

3. Once they are dry, pick up a pencil and paper... Let your imagination flow.

Here are a few examples ...

Sunbathers

Horse, Fly

At the Public Pool

Mutt and Jeff

Finish Line

Higher, Daddy, higher!

The Amazing Flyzinskys!

I warned them not to eat that green meat!

Desperate times call for desperate measures...

The Bronze, Times Two

Jacob returned home from the FEA competition at ASU less than an hour ago, and he brought home two happy surprises!  He won two bronze medals (third place)!

Third place is pretty sweet, considering they were competing against 32 other schools.  He won for both his tote bag design and his multi-media presentation.  Obviously he was misinformed when he thought he hadn't made it as a finalist. 

Our team was also presented with cool new shirts, which Jacob is wearing above, with the students' names and the school's name and mascot embroidered on them.  The shirts are in recognition of the team having won FEA Chapter of the Year in 2009.

Way to go, Jacob!  You do us all proud, my son!  (And that ain't no April Fools Joke!)