Hello! Even though it's May I thought it would be nice to include some pictures of Christmas. Our family likes to sing every year at an Alzheimer's elderly care facility near our house. We take pictures and shake hands with the residents and talk with them for a while. (When the nieces and nephews come they are always a hit with the seniors, too.) I believe we should always support one another in doing good and uplifting things with our time and our lives, like helping and serving others. Like a hot air balloon it doesn't matter what color we are, it only matters what's inside of us as to how far we will rise in this life. Our good friends just recently got sealed in the Mount Timpanogos temple in Utah. We were very excited for them and went to support and encourage them. I want to help others reach their highest potential and to know that we each matter. We can make a difference in the world, just like Mother Theresa did. We just have to start on our corner and do what we can where we already are. There is an organization called The Foundation for a Better World that I have recently discovered. They make commercials in Spanish and billboards in English, and I believe they are headquartered in New York. I love the things they stand for. This is the website: http://www.values.com/We can all do our part to make the world a better place to live in through service, love, kindness, and helping others do good things with their lives. I have been a teacher, but there are many more things I would like to do. My husband is working to be a teacher also within the next year or so, also. He sacrificed for years putting his brother and then nephew through college. They came from a very humble background, but want to better their lives and are now doing so with great success. My brother Daniel is a sign language interpreter for the deaf and is an advocate for diversity and tolerance. He also loves animals and has adopted several strays. My sister Lorraine is an amazing mother of 7 children and has home schooled and worked hard to help and teach her children all they will need to know in the world. She gives them great love and has made the choice to sacrifice a career in order to be available to her children for their physical and emotional security. My other 2 sisters Emily and Katie do the same things for their children, both big and small. Both have also made civic contributions for their community and taught either math or music to other children as well. They are open to diversity and have been some of my strongest supporters in helping me do the good things I have been able to accomplish in my life. My brother James served a mission in Estonia for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints. (He is the one pictured with my husband in a silly pose outside the elderly center at Christmas.) His kindness, and his naturally friendly and humble personality make him a hit with virtually everyone he comes into contact with. He truly cares about people and is learning about the middle east in order to be a college professor one day. In his college environment he is always looking to include others and find those who feel left out to let them know they matter. He is a great example to me of a true human being! My sister Charlotte has worked as a volunteer for children with disabilities in a therapeutic setting with horses, and volunteer to clean up and care for wild bird habitats. She helped children ride horses that otherwise would have never had been able to, and to learn a lot of important things, like trust and joy. She is a tireless advocate for animals, and cares for all living things. My father has worked serving his country in the military for over 20 years, and then for 20 more years in helping people find jobs for the state of Colorado and then for private firms. He is another one of my heroes. But the best example of service and love I have had in my life is my mother. Since today is Mother's Day I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart for her encouragement, faith in me, and unconditional love for me and all in my family. She has always encouraged us each to work hard, to be honest, and to care about our fellow man. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!
