Guest Blogging

Hello Everyone,

This is not Tanya. It's not "Heavy B" either (he calls himself that, it was none of my doing. I have other nicknames for him). This is Jill. I am Brian's younger (and favorite) sister.

After thinking about Brian and Tanya all day on Monday, and putting off calling them because I was, and always am, worried I'd be interrupting family time - I took the plunge and gave them a call. I told each of them about our day visiting family graves - particularly about visiting Brian Junior's.

During our conversation, Tanya asked me to write a post here about my family's Memorial Day. As Brian Junior was buried out here in Idaho, I think all of us (local relatives) felt a pull to visit his grave since Brian and Tanya couldn't.



I called up Greg (our oldest brother) to see if I could do anything, or what had been done. He and his family had taken care of taking flowers out to the grave earlier that weekend. My aunt Lois Jean and Uncle Mel had phoned in orders to one of the local florist shops for arrangements to be taken to our family plot. Greg would have to give the specifics as I am likely to make a mistake in attributing what to whom, but there were four arrangements at the gravesite where my (and Brian's) grandparents, a cousin, and Brian Junior are buried. It was not only pouring rain but the wind was crazy that day knocking over many of the flowers.



I don't know which arrangements were intended for which grave and I don't really think it matters. There were four graves and four arrangements. There was also a bouquet of blue plastic flowers (shown in the picture) that was put right in the sod over Brian Junior's grave. I don't know who put them there, though I have my suspicions (another brother's family). There is no headstone for him yet, but it's not hard to tell that the ground had been removed and the sod replaced on a very, very small grave.


{December 31, 2007}


{May 26, 2008}

It was a perfect opportunity for my husband, Dave, and I to talk to our toddlers about life, death, and Heavenly Father's plan. What we did that day wasn't much. I felt kind of ashamed that we'd waited until Monday instead of going earlier and doing more as my brother's had. Then I realized it didn't matter.



Brian Junior's body is there, as are others, but he is not. Tanya told me that she and Brian, knowing they couldn't come to the cemetery this weekend, went to the temple the Friday prior instead. I think they had the better view of eternity and their little boy.

Happy Memorial Day, Brian, Tanya, Taylor, McKenzie, Jackson, and Brian Junior.



We love you all.

A Wonderful Mothers Day!

    What a great Mothers Day! My sweet little family did a wonderful job to make this a special day for me. It was so cute to see each of them get so excited to prepare, and give me the gifts that they made for me. To see each of their faces light up when I read their card or opened their gifts. It was really cute! They had each spent a lot of time and effort on their gifts. 

    My Mothers Day activities started on Thursday. I got to go to Jackson's preschool and hear him  sing to me. He made me a treat, and even decorated a cute little flower pot for me.

   McKenzie had been working really hard on a gift she was making for me. She was so excited to give me this gift that she had to have Brian hide it from her so she wouldn't be tempted to show it to me early. What a doll!!! She made me a special little pillow that says " I love You". She stayed up late at night and would work on it in her bed. She did a great job!  

   Taylor made me a coupon book. He put a lot of thought into the coupons that he picked out for me. He also wrote me a poem. He had me in tears!

   Brian helped the kids prepare to make this a very special day for me. He got up @ 4:30 am to go round on his patients, just so he could get back home and surprise me before I got out of bed. It was so nice to have him home. He did a wonderful job on making this a very special day. He knew that this would be a hard day for me. I get so weepy whenever I think of my children, or being a mom. I have been so blessed with four beautiful babies.....

  I love my children so much. I think about my children all the time, and the joy that comes from having them is amazing. I love them and pray for them always. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful children. What a neat precious gift, and to be entrusted with them. I remember the day when each of them were born, and to hold them for that first moment. Oh the joy that comes from that! I feel so grateful to be a mom. What a huge blessing it has been in my life...... (I will post some pictures later).

WHAT TO DO !

 As many of you know, we are living in the Kjar home. They are in Japan. We have been taking care of the house, and yard for them while they are gone.  They are coming  home in August, which leaves us with only 10 months till Brian is done his residency. Anyways, we don't know what to do. We don't know where we will be in one year. We are just now starting that process. We have a few great hookups. So do we.... 

 

  (1.) Try to save money all around, and send the kids and I to Canada. Brian can fly home once a month, and he will live with our friend down in the city. As many of you know he drives about 2 hours to work a day. It will save a ton of money, with gas prices being so high. You all know how cheap I am. However, I love my own space, so living with mom and dad my not be the best Idea. But My grandparents house is also an option because they will be in Utah. We would miss Brian a ton.

  (2) Nate and Lisa, Candace and Jason.......? We have talked with them both. Both willing BUT we will probably hold off on that one. I know Nate would just love the idea of two women in the house bossing him around. Just kidding Nate! I love ya like a brother.!  Candace would really just love another adult at the house. Jason works long crazzzy hours. But these ideas would both be way tooo much fun. We would still pay them rent.

 

(3) Or do we live in a rental for the next little while. We may have found a place. I will try to post it so you can look at it. The owner came down $800.00 a month for us. I told her our price range and she did some checking in on us. We had outstanding references. Thanks Minda for the good impute. How much do we owe you for that? So we would be at $12oo.oo a month with this one. Not really saving a lot. Our family would still be together. I would be close to my doctor.  We don't  want to buy here because of the market, and we don't know where we will end up. The kids could stay in the same school.   It's the same neighborhood we are in now:  

check out the link to the house: http://www.buyhomes.com/PropertyPage.aspx?MLS=989297

  Here is another link. Different,Both good.

http://public.mlswis.com/cgi-bin/mainmenu.cgi?cmd=url+other/run_public_link.html&public_link_tech_id=20080417192021496743000000&id=1

(4) Moving to Chicago is NOT an option for those of you who wondered.!!!!!!!        

  So this is some of the things that have been on our mind. Any ideas, or solutions for us. We would love to here your thoughts.