I'm a soccer Mom?! How the heck did that happen?

I can't believe it! Jackie is big enough to play soccer! Jackie is on a county indoor soccer team called the Sharks. Jackie wants to go to school soooo bad so I made a deal with her that if she would learn to go potty she could take a class. (Bribing your kid with education- does it get any better than that?). Jackie is now fully potty trained and announces to everyone that she is a big girl and wears Clifford underwear (Once I finally got her to stop showing it to people) and now plays soccer. Jackie was so excited for her first day. She asked about it everyday for about two weeks until the big day came. She has a really good friend, Charlie Marsh, who is on her team with her. The two of them took turns being shy. When one was apprehensive the other was taking charge and visa versa. When we arrive we met her coach and received a yellow and blue reversible soccer jersy to keep. Jackie has wanted to wear it everyday along with her soccer socks and shin gaurds. I remember those days!



Game 1:
Jackie was so excited for her first game...until we got there. She ran around with the team and played for about 5 minutes before she got completely overwhelmed. She was pretty sad her friend Charlie wasn't there. He had been her security blanket. But the poor kid was home with croup. So the coach held her hand and ran with her for a little while until that wasn't even enough. Pappy went out and ran around with her for a little while too until that wasn't good enough either. We tried goalie, but in the end it was all tears and sobs. All she wanted to do was sit in time out until it was time to give everyone the treats she brought in her purse. When it was all over she was so excited and told everyone for days about her awesome soccer game.

Game 2:
Charlie was back and Jackie was excited about it. I had taken Jackie to the community rec center earlier in the week and practiced with her so she would be more comfortable. I'm happy to say it worked...well, at least for a little while. Jackie was geared up ready to go and was running around with the rest of the kids until she realized her buddy Charlie was having trouble. He was in stage 1, the stage we went through last week. It must have brought back HORRIBLEY PAINFUL flashbacks (yes I'm being sarcastic) Because Jackie decided to go into the fetal position on my lap again. Arg. With much persuasion we got her back out there- but only if Jim or Pappy held her hand. It's a good thing I didn't have to pay per player, because I would be scrapping for pennies! At least she still has fun talking about it.

Game 3:
Both kids progressed to the understanding that soccer is fun to play! Matt Marsh and I graduated to being able to stand on the sidelines mid field. The kids felt much better about us being at closer range and made sure they stopped to give us high five EVERY time they ran by. If either one of the actually kicked the ball, they would stop almost mid kick and run to give us 10 high fives with a side of bones and rock-ons. Hey, at least they were enjoying themselves. Jackie even made a goal. Not on purpose, but it still counts!

Game 4:
We are officially professional soccer parents. We have gone through the refiners fire of preparation and are now proud parents of a soccer player would actually plays soccer! When we arrived Jackie threw off her coat and went and joined the other kids in huddle without any pep talk. It was the other teams huddle, but still. She our little spy-in-training. Jackie and Charlie ran all over chasing the ball. They of course stopped for hug breaks now and then and Charlie kept running head first into the nets but all and all it was a very successful game. I'm not sure however if the enjoy the game the best or the treats that follow the game. they got Chips Ahoy cookies this week, which Jackie ate and loved. I think she is beginning to understand what a blessing chocolate really is in this life.

Sundance Interview

My sister found the link to the interview from Sundance. Turns out they used me afterall! It's the clip titled "One thing you do". I'm the very first person featured.
http://earthkeeper.com/blog/tag/sundance-2009/

Maybe I should be getting payed for this...

It seems there is a pattern forming here and I'm not quite sure what to think about it. A few weekends ago my sister Jessica and I took my cousin Megan up to Park City. She was in town for my Aunt's funeral and really wanted to hit her favorite spot before returning back to Ohio. So on Saturday morning we packed up my sick and snuffling children (*I'm such a good mom) and drove up the canyon to Park City- or more specifically, Main Street. Megan was thrilled to find that Sundance was going on. She was secretly hoping she would see a star, but declared it wasn't a big deal. We walked down the top half of the strip while stopping in a few stores. Upon approaching the end of the street my children alerted me that they were done and would go to about any length to prove it. On our way back up the hill I was approached by a young woman who noticed I had a water bottle and wanted to know if I would trade her for hers?....Uhh, okay (*sicko?*) I must have given her quite a look because she took a step back and reexplained her intentions. She was with an organization called "Earthkeepers" sponsored by Timberland. They were here at sundance looking to recycle disposable water bottles. In exchange for my water bottle she would give me a new Nalogene bottle. Did someone say free stuff? I'm all about free stuff! I told her I would be happy to trade! She then asked if she could film it. I looked in the eyes of my pleading children. They were trying so hard to be good. As a mother I learned early that if you push your children too far, you will pay for it. I informed her of my children's condition and asked how long this is going to take. She assured me it would be quick, only a few minutes. Okay, sure, if it's only a few minutes. Before i knew it I was signing a consent form, getting hooked up with a mic and given instruction on what to do. I had to reenact being approached about the water bottle thing (Don't worry I didn't give the psycho look this time) The woman who approached me on film was Annabell Gurwitch. You might remember her from Dinner and a Movie which used to air on TNT. She has been in other things since, but I couldn't tell ya what. Annabell proceeded to ask me questions about the environment, recycling, politics, Sundance and Jackie's bear hat. She interviewed me for about 5 minutes. All while this was happening, unawares to me a crowd began to form around me. Jess and Megan afterwards informed me that people were gathering around me asking, "Who is that?!" "Do you know who that is?!" Several stargazers approached Megan and Jess and asked who I was. Once Jess responded, "That's my sister." The person then asked, "Who are you?!!" Megan later wished she had made something just to mess with people like, "Don't you know who that is?!!....She's a big star from..." or "Don't you recognize her? That's Sarah Palion!" The clip is supposed to be on there website but we can't find it. I guess I wasn't GREEN enough for them. But we were in the newspaper! I figured out why I'm being filmed so much lately. It's my kids. Who wouldn't want to take a picture of that?! ;)

Deseret New Article: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705278961,00.html
EarthKeepers: http://earthkeeper.com/blog/tag/sundance-film-festival/

Love Pulls You Through

This last Friday (the 9Th) my entire family got together for one last hurrah before my sister-in-law and here daughters flew home to Canada. My younger brother brought home his new sweetheart so she could mingle with the family. It was a night to be filled with games and laughter and for the most part it was.
At about 10 o'clock Jim and I were downstairs looking for a rule book for cards when we suddenly heard the thundering of something big falling. Jim and I jumped up to see if everything was okay. Crumpled at the bottom of the stairs we found my Aunt Jenny motionless. She was unresponsive and the color was already draining from her face. My sister was quickly by our sides checking for a pulse and breathing. We couldn't get Jenny to respond and she began to bleed from her ear. The boys quickly anointed and gave Jenny a blessing. After about 90 seconds Jenny began to come around, her color began to come back a little. She began rasping for air and was not completely coherent. She was able to communicate a few times through blinking before the paramedics arrived. We all watched hopeful as they carried Jenny away. We all knew the answer to the equation we just saw, but nobody wanted to believe it. (My Uncle Dave, his two sons Peter and Adam, My parents and My other Aunt Chrissy all followed the ambulance to the hospital)
Jim, my brother Michael, his girlfriend Elise and I all worked silently and steadfastly as we tried to remove the blood from the carpet. We were all processing, praying and pleading in our hearts that Jenny would be okay. I prayed that her mother and father would be with her and that her Savior would take this from her. I didn't realize that my prayer would be answered so soon. After a while my mother called from the hospital. It was bad news. Jenny had a few different options but none of them would truly save her. There was no recovery from this. Her head was fractured all over and her brain was swelling. The doctors implanted a gauge in her head to monitor the pressure. Following the procedure, once they got Jenny settled in the ICU my family would be able to see her two at a time. Half of my family waited in a waiting room in the hospital while the other half of us waited by the phone. Everyone was handling the situation differently. After a while Adam needed a break. He needed to disconnect from the stress of the picture for a while. Uncle Dave needed some time alone to think. Peter and Chrissy took a break and walked down to the coffee shop in the hospital for a change of scenery. Dave brought Adam home and was upon returning when the Doctors arrived. My Parents were the only ones present at the time, so they went in to see Jenny. They both held her hands and talked softly to her. Jenny was unconscious but my mother sensed that she was lingering. She told Jenny that it was okay. She could go. Everything would be okay. My dad sensed a smile from Jenny. Then the monitors began to beep. Jenny was leaving. My mother panicked, Dave wasn't hear yet! But he and Peter made it. They held her hands together. Dave leaned close to her while Peter whispered sweet things in her ear as she softly and peacefully slipped away. Jenny passed away sometime after 3 am. She was 51 years old and left behind and loving husband and two sons.
All night as I laid in my bed drifting in and out of sleep, I replayed the nights events unable to comprehend, to express what I felt or even how I should feel. My mother has been a beacon of love and joy and hope through this whole event. She is a rock. She so quickly is able to celebrate the joy which is now Jenny's. Jenny suffered a number of different immunal disorders including Lupus. She was chronically in pain and she had lost her eye sight 5 years earlier to glaucoma. She endured more than anyone I know and did it joyfully and full of faith. She was always happy, helpful and never complained. My mother expressed her happiness that now Jenny can see, she is no longer in pain and would no longer suffer and die slowly from the diseases attacking her body. She is having the reunion she longed for with her parents and is finally able to meet her older brother, Johnny. We sorrow because it was so sudden and we will miss her. We sorrow because Dave and her children will miss her. But she is not gone. Just absent for a season. As a family we have bound together and are lifting one another up. It's only been 24 hours and we have been able to already laugh and find joy in the love we share as a family. We will always miss Jenny, she will be with us always. She has left an impression on each of our hearts.
I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that I will see her and embrace her again. I know that she is happy and is with those who love her. I am so grateful that with each trial in my life I continually learn that love for one another and love and faith in Christ is the answer.

Christmas Sucks..you in

I don't know how it happens- but it happens every year. I haven't been able to buy Christmas presents for anyone in my extended family for years, well, since we've been married really. Mostly because we've always been in school. It was hard at first not being able to buy things for people but after awhile it became a great relief. I found I enjoyed Christmas better. I didn't have to worry over money or what I was going to buy everyone and most of all I didn't have to battle through the crowds and stress of shopping. I enjoyed detaching myself from the commercialism of Christmas. But I've found that Christmas gifts have a tendency to creep up on you and snowball. You see something for someone imparticular and think, "Oh! She would really love that" --Or someone asks you to go in on a gift- easy enough, the work is already done, right? WRONG! When you buy one gift the siren in your head goes off and you think, "Well, I can't get something for her and not something for him- but then that leaves out..." And before you know it your in knee deep and your buying presents for everyone under the sun! Don't get me wrong I love to give! I even love to buy--I think the thing that bugs me the most is that I can't give to everyone and I'd like to. And even more, the things I really like to give are usually things I make or put alot of time, thought and effort into- which I don't have alot of. I wish I could find a better way to better show my love than through things. I often wonder if my message of love and care is really portrayed through my gifts. So, in short- If you don't get anything from me this year. It's not because I don't love you. I do. Very much. If I was a poet I would write you a lyric that would express my every appreciation for you. But I'm not a poet, so you'll just have to take my word for it! Instead I will leave you with a christmas poem (I've been reading a lot of Shel Silverstien lately:

Christmas Dog
By, Shel Silverstien

Tonight's my first night as a watchdog,
And here it is Christmas Eve.
The children are sleepin' all cozy upstairs,
While I'm gaurdin' the stockin's and tree.

What's that now- footsteps on the rooftop?
Could it be a cat or a mouse?
Who's this down the chimney?
A thief with a beard-
A big sack for robbin' the house?

I'm barkin', I'm growlin', I'm bitin' his butt.
He howls and jumps back in his sleigh.
I scare his strange horses, they leap in the air.
I've frightened the whole bunch away.

Now the house is all peaceful and quiet again,
The stockin's are safe as can be.
Won't the kiddies be glad when they wake up tomorrow
And see how I've gaurded the tree.

Still in TV Land

So I guess the news just couldn't get enough of me! My mother told me that people have been stopping her and calling her to tell her that they are still showing us on the news in different clips. I looked up this clip and it actually has more of me and Dorothy in it.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Talk about a Headliner!

So, you must have noticed my totally awesome and amazing new header?! I would love to take credit for it- but I can't. My totally awesome, AMAZING neighbor, Tara, did it for me. She could totally go into business making these! Yeah. Totally. Just wanted to point that out. K. Gunna go now.