Jobless... again

I hadn't mentioned anything on my blog yet, but Matt lost his job last week and is in the process of looking for another one. Just September of last year Matt was laid-off and then got a job 2 months later with the company he just got laid off of. So, here we go again! Please keep us in your prayers at this time. It is a challenging time to find work, as many people know, so we can use all the prayers we can get. I have faith that he will find something- but hope it is sooner than later-obviously. We hope that he can find a job in this area so we don't have to rent out our home- but he is looking at his options. If anyone hears of anything let us know so he can send out his resume. Thanks! (Hopefully this will be the last depressing post on my blog for a while-lets just say so far August isn't my favorite month!)

Medical talk

Lately I have been watching a lot of "House" (a medical show) and Ashton always asks to watch the "Doctor show" with me. I know I probably shouldn't let him watch it, but he is so fascinated by the human body it is cute. He loves to identify the different body organs, etc. When pictures flash on the screen he will say "Heart... Lunges, Brain, spine, bones." He loves to watch the surgeries. I can barley stomach some of the stuff shown in the surgeries, but he watches in fascination. Maybe we have a doctor in our future? Don't we all like to hope our children will be some kind of genius?

Anyways, today Ashton is giving Tera a medical examination on the couch. He is looking in our eyes and ears. The he comes into the kitchen very excited.

"Mom, I saw Teras brain!"

How did you see her brain?

"I looked in her mouth and saw her brain!"

So, maybe he has a bit to learn!

Back to school...

I recieved my Idaho education credential on September 9, 2005 which is valid until September 1, 2010. Idaho requires six credits every five years to keep up certification. So, I decided why not get it over with? As of August 19th I am officially a continuing ed. college student again. YUK! The break did not seem long enough. I am registered for Crital thinking reading and writing and Multi cultural. This is the first week of classes, and I can already tell that I will often be found reading a text book or writing an essay over the next four months. I am taking them online through the good ol' community college I attended as a Senior in High school. Anways, all this talk about education- made me think I should post some school photos. Wish me luck! Applying and Regersting alone were enough to give me a headache!

High school graduation- 2001! Lindsey, Me, Liz, Kayla and Marilee

College graduation- BYU Idaho- 2005. Ashton 17 months and Tera along the way (I graduated when I was five months prego)

Happy B.day Hannah!

One of my very best friends, Hannah turns 25 today! Just wanted to say Happy B.day and hope she has a great day. Hannah and I met in fifth grade and became instant friends. We were in middle school ASB together, played several sports together, and were neighbors. I have so many wonderful memories shared with her.

Hannah is the type of friend that I know I can always count on. We get together every time I am in Redding, she remembers every birthday, (even my kids) and special day. She is extremely organzied. She is the kind of friend everyone hopes for and that you find few of. Hannah is currently an Elementary teacher and she is so good with children. I wish she lived here so I could put my kids in her class! She is pregnant with a little boy and is due in January. I know she will be an amazing mother. Happy B.day Hannah! I love you!

7th/8th grade- the good ol' days....

Ten years ago-

My sister Tera Lynn Smith disappeared August 22, 1998, ten years ago today.
I think of her everyday. I wonder what she would be like today. I wonder what career path she would have chosen. What type of man she would have married, if she would have children? I think of how our children would have been able to play together and sometimes I feel cheated out of having an older sister with me today.

I am grateful for the many ways Tera touched my life. I feel so blessed to have her as my older sister. Tera was older than me by a year. We played together and fought together as all sisters do. Tera was spunky, fun loving and spontaneous. She was eccentric and had a love of nature and people. Her room was decorated from thrift store items and thrift store clothes made up the majority of her closet. She was unique in everyway. She even created her own backpacks, skirts out of neck ties and necklaces out of bottoms. She often had candles burning in her room while Enya or Tori Amos was playing in the background. She was adventurous and fearless. She loved to go cliff jumping, snowboarding, wakeboarding, horseback riding. Tera did not hold back on emotion, she let her emotions show, in a way that I never have and I think few ever do. She was beautiful with her blonde hair and green eyes and perfect body. She was athletic and excelled at all the sports she played- softball, basketball and volleyball. She was the type of person you wanted to hate- out of sheer envy, but it was impossible not to love her.

My favorite memory with Tera happened the year before she disappeared. It was a rainy day and we were sitting at home with nothing to do. Tera asked me to go bike riding and I did not want to because it was pouring outside. However, Tera is very persuasive, so she convinced me to go bike riding in the rain with her. We went for about a half hour and I think I was pretty miserable the whole time and probably complaining loudly. Then we rode our bikes over a ditch in the dirt road with a huge puddle to the side of it. Tera got off her bike so I got off mine. She wandered over to the puddle and I followed behind her. Before I knew it, she was tackling me in the muddy puddle of water and splashing me with it. Soon we were wrestling around in the water. I don't think we stopped laughing for several minutes after that and we continued to laugh the rest of the ride home. I am so glad I went on that bike ride with her- that memory is priceless to me.

Another memory I have of Tera that will always be one of my favorites is having slumber parties. We would often call each other on the phone-( the upstairs phone to the downstairs phone) and see if the other person wanted to have a slumber party. We would just stay the night in each others rooms and talk until we had to fall asleep. I loved it and continued the tradition with my little sister Sierra. Sisters truly do make the best of friends.

I think of Tera whenever I do something impulsive- like run in the rain with my children, climb a hill just for fun, or push myself to jump off something higher than I feel comfortable doing. I think of her when I see something beautiful, or when I go to the beach because she appreciated the beauty found in nature. I think of her when I let my guard down and let my emotions show- show that I am happy to see someone- she had the ability to make people feel loved and special- like they were all that mattered at that moment- what a gift.

I do know that I will see be with Tera again and I that it will be a joyous reunion. I picture her running up to me, hugging me and tackling me out of excitement- and I will return her enthusiasm.

These articles are related to her dissaperance.

http://www.nampn.org/cases/smith_tera.html

http://nie.redding.com/specials/Smith/stories/19990816.shtml

Remembering Todd Thompson

Matt's older brother, Todd, past away August 9th. Todd was a smart, fun, talented man who always had a smile on his face. He could play the guitar well and made up beautiful songs (as well as some silly ones). He had a great sense of humor and a gift of making those around him laugh. He was always the story and joke teller and there was never a dull moment in the house when Todd was around. I am grateful for him and for the big brother he was to Matt.


Matt, Todd and Jeff- 2000

Todd had a hard life because of choices he made as a youth. Despite his struggles, I know that he had a testimony and a love of the Lord and that he is now free of his earthly struggles. We know that we will see Todd again and we find great comfort in that.

Matt is currently in Redding to attend Todd's memorial service which will occur tomorrow am.

Baby Matt, Lori and Todd

Todd, Kari and Lori at Christmas time- 2002

More pink...

Cute little profile of our girl

We found out today we are having a girl. I went back in forth with deciding if we should find out the sex of the baby or not- but in the end I had to know! We are very excited- all except Ashton, who has been crying (or should I say sobbing?) off and on all day. He really wanted me to have a boy. It was cute during the ultra sound when the nurse showed us the baby's' spine he said- "I see the baby's teeth." And then when the nurse showed us the heart he said "I see a bird in there." I guess it looked like wings flapping to him.

Here's my first belly pictures- 1/2 way there- 20 weeks to go (that sounds like forever) The nurse today told me that our baby probably weighed about 12 ounces- let's just say I've gained a tad more than 12 ounces!

Redding...

We always enjoy our time in Redding- this time of course the main event was my brothers wedding- but we squeezed in some other memories as well...

Daddy/daughter breckfast date---

And swimming at the Wilsons with Aunt Sierra and Nana-
PS- yes- I chopped my hair off- actually my sister did it- I am liking it- she did a good job:) Thanks Sierra- I love having a hair dresser in the family!

Happy B.day Matt!

Mcdowells, Cooks (hidden), Chatums (also hidden), Carly, the Neilsons and us...

Matt turned 28 yesterday- he has always loved the fact that his b.day is on August 8th, 1980- so reminded me several times yesterday how cool it was that it was 8-8-08. We went out to Red Robin with some of our good friends, had key lime pie and Matt got some new dirt bike pants- to be followed by other cool dirt bike stuff with his b.day money.

The youngs and Andres
Matt and Rob (I think Megan is jealous?)

Matt with his pants- love this face! I am so grateful I married a man that makes life fun and puts up with my many moods- Matt keeps my life interesting- I adore him and am grateful to be able to celebrate him on his birthday!

We also celebrated his b.day a few days early at his parents house in Redding-

Tag- you're it!

I've been tagged by Kirsty!
The idea is as soon as you get the challenge to take pictures of these items immediatley. No cleaning up allowed.

The Fridge

Just got back from vacation- I need to go grocery shopping

Favorite Room

What the kids are doing- reading books and watching tv (he is not asleep)

Favorite shoes

Self Portrait
(

I hate these! I gave up trying to get a good one

My Closet(

Seperated by mid- pregnant clothes, no longer fit into clothes, and when I am super big clothes)
Laundry Room

The Toilet

Looks like Ashton used it last!

Well, I hope you all enjoyed it. Now it is your turn.The Five People I tag are: Alyse, Sarah, Emily, Rachelle and Ashley. Can't wait to see the posts on your blogs.

Trevor and Sandras Wedding

The happy couple got married August 1st at the Sacramento, Ca temple. They are adorable together and we loved Sandra right away. I am so proud of them and so happy for them- I know they will be so good to each other! Congrats~


Tera in her extra twirly, cute flower girl dress

With Uncle Trevor-

I know- I should have more pictures of the bride and groom- but I couldn't stop taking pictures of sweet Tera- so I will have to get wedding prints from someone else!


Our little family

Tera wanted to dance during the whole reception- she spent a lot of time dancing with Sandra and with her Great Grandma Scrimsher.