THE END OF 2009!!!!

I really can't believe that 2009 is almost gone!!! Where did this year go? I thought that I would post some highlights from this year. It really has been a great year and we feel so very blessed.

Brynna: Had a babysitting job over the Summer that required her to take care of four children between the ages of 8 to 18 months. It was a challenge but a great learning experience for her. She got to participate in her first year of girls camp at Heber Valley Camp--she loved it. She participated in two choir concerts and decided she didn't like the dresses after all--they were a bit too revealing. She got all A's her first semester of school.

Kae Lee: Participated in her first Laurel's Camp (at Heber Valley Camp) that her mom was in charge of--what a great experience it was for both of us. Because of camp, she has found a great group of friends to hang around with. She got her braces off this year and flashes that beautiful smile every chance she gets. She works at the day care center at the high school and loves those babies like they were her own. She got her driver's license and received her Patriarchal blessing. Attended both the Homecoming Dance and the Sadie's Dance with the same young man---Jordan Cameron.

James: This was and has been a very big year for James as far as changes for him. He graduated from high school with honors. Was given a car by his grandparents. Received his Eagle Scout award. Took a seven day trip to Alabama to see his friends there. He drove to Florida and back to spend time on the beach, got his first speeding ticket. Received a four year academic scholarship from BYU. Moved into Heritage Halls on campus and experienced his first semester of college life. Working on mission papers to be turned in next month. Has a girlfriend from high school of which he comes home on weekends to spend time with---Courtney Scott.

Michael: Been working in the bishopric for over a year now. Had Moh's surgery done to remove a cancerous spot on his forehead---had to have 20 stitches put in his head. Given a job offer to work down in Provo at LDS Philanthropies. Decided to buy a more economical car to commute back and forth to Provo in----a Toyota Camry---Hybrid. Spent four days with the young men in the stake at Zion's Camp being on the cook staff.

Kae Lynn: Did much gardening and canning. Fell off parents steps and fractured knee cap. Had surgery in October and has been through hours of physical therapy. Was put in as Stake Young Women's President right before her surgery. Enjoyed having all of her siblings together for Christmas, that hasn't happened for over 30 years. Needs surgery on her shoulder in the new year.

Our highlights as a family are: We drove to St. George last April and enjoyed three days visiting Zion's and Bryce Canyon. We also got to do some baptisms for the dead in the St. George Temple--what a great experience to have all of us in the Temple. Had such a great time being together. Michael and I took off for our anniversary in July this year and stayed at a bed and breakfast and attended the Manti Temple. Then we drove to Loa, Utah and spent the night at little Hotel there and just enjoyed the beauty of Capitol Reef and being together. It was our 21st wedding anniversary--what a great time we had. We have had some sickness but nothing too serious. It has seemed strange without James at home but we see him often enough to not miss him too much. It has been a good year for us. The Lord has truly blessed our family and given us many opportunities to spend time together and make wonderful memories.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS!!!!

I am ashamed of myself for not posting anything for over a month. So much has happened and it is hard to recount everything that has happened. But I will try and give a run down of what has been going on with the Blairs.
My rehab is going slowly but making steady progress. My doctor wanted to do a manipulation on my knee because I wasn't at full range of motion at my 8 week appointment. That is where they put you to sleep and just force the movement in your knee and break through all the scar tissue. Not a pleasant thought--I know. But I told him that I wasn't ready for that and asked if I could have four more weeks to get full range of motion by myself. He agreed to that and so my work has been cut out for me. My physical therapist has been going the extra extra mile for me and coming in on her days off just to work with my knee and my motion. I have to say that it has been very painful and discouraging at times. At therapy yesterday I didn't progress any from Tuesday and that got me a bit down. Susie can always get me further at each visit and yesterday was just stagnate----I am still at 123 degrees. Our goal is 130-135 by New Year's Eve. I hope we can do it. This is a long and hard process---don't ever want to do this again!!!

James has been struggling with finals. He hasn't done as well on his tests as he would have liked to have done. This was his first semester and he has learned many things about himself and about developing good study habits. He always had it so easy in high school and college has been a bit of a struggle for him because he never really learned how to study while in high school. He is a great young man and he will continue to work hard. He is getting paperwork ready to send in mission papers either next month or in February. We are excited and know that he will be a wonderful missionary. He applied for a job at the Creamery at BYU and got the job---he was pretty excited about that. He realized that his money that he had saved prior to college---didn't last forever and he couldn't find a money tree in Provo. He is excited and ambitious to have a job that starts at 5:00 am. Go James----just be sure that you clock in everyday!!! :)

Kae Lee is busy with friends and loving every minute of it. Seems that her friend Jordan likes to be with Kae Lee because she makes him feel good about himself and she doesn't talk the garbage that most of the guys in high school talk. He refers to Kae Lee as water---she is clean and pure and guys in high school are mud--they make you feel yucky and dirty. He is a very nice young man and Brynna has adopted him as her new brother---since James moved out she needed someone to take his place. She took the ACT test last Saturday and said that it was very hard and stressful. She has been struggling with Math and getting very discouraged with school. We know what it is like being in high school---homework is no fun and it seems that the teachers really pile it up on you before the break. She is a beautiful young lady with so many gifts and talents---she has a smile for everyone. We are so thankful that she has great friends to be with and to have something to look forward to. A shout out to all of her great friends!!! Thank you!!

Brynna loves school and loves to be with her friends also. She just performed in her Christmas choir concert and it was very good. She has a beautiful voice and will sing anytime anywhere--she is a chip off the old block. I was the same way when I was younger---much younger!!
She loves going babysitting and earning some money. Once that money is in her hand--she is ready to go and spend it as fast as she earned it. She loves to buy things for other people--it isn't always for herself. She just loves to spend money and so it is great when she can earn it herself!!
She is just about as tall as me and I look at her and see her growing into such a beautiful young lady. She loves to do her hair and look like she just stepped out of the salon.

Michael----ahhh the love of my life!!! He has had some changes with work and that brings us to the title of this blog today. Decisions, decisions, decisions!! He was offered a job down in Provo with the Church--it was something that he has wanted for almost a year now. The job offer finally came through and now we have some major decisions to make. Michael will be commuting to Provo about three days a week and then work in Salt Lake two days a week. That means that he will have an awful lot of driving time back and forth to Provo. So.....do we move closer to Provo, do we move this summer, do we wait until Kae Lee has graduated, do we buy a new car that gets better gas mileage, or do we stay where we are and let Michael deal with the awful commute? We are just not sure what to do right now. So many possibilities and such an impact on our girls. We talked to the girls about moving and they were not very happy about it. Brynna cried and cried---it really does impact her the most if we stay here until Kae Lee graduates from high school. Brynna will just be starting high school in a new place and we are just not sure if that is a good thing. So, we have to give this a great deal of prayer and fasting to see what the Lord wants us to do. We are really excited about his new job opportunity but it just has some things about it that aren't that appealing to us----like the commute!!! But we just have to rely on the Lord to help us with this one and trust in Him. So much to think about.....
On to another subject---Michael's head is healing up quite nicely. You can just barely see where the incision was but it looks really good. He has been a trooper through the whole thing.

We are so excited for Christmas and being together as a family. James will be with us during the Christmas break and Michael gets to take all of next week off. It will be James' last Christmas with us until after his mission. We hope to make it a special time for our family---making some wonderful memories together. Merry Christmas to everyone!!!!