2011 In Review

Things have been pretty busy for us recently, and we have yet to take a family Christmas photo. *** Correction: we did take one at our ward Christmas party, but it was aweful. Jamey and I look bald due to the fact that the background was very similar in color to our hair and Addy was scowling because we made her stop playing with her friends to take a picture with us.***

This year has been fairly busy for us. As I look back on it, it doesn't seem like we "did" a lot, but it seems like we're always running like crazy. Life in general has just been busy.

Miss Addison is our little busy body. She is constantly doing something. She loves dancing, singing, coloring, making up games and just playing. She pretend plays by herself with her dolls and stuffed animals. She hasn't really had a comfort object since she was born, but that all changed in September. She got a Snoopy doll from her Nini and they have been inseparable since. She loves to create exotic recipes in her kitchen, most of which would be inedible. She is very loving most of the time, but can be quite defiant when she wants to. She loves to tell stories and make up songs. Recently, she has begun telling knock-knock jokes. She has quite an imagination and quickly changes from being a princess to a cowgirl to fighting a monster to planting vegetable seeds for her new recipes. We didn't enroll her in preschool this year because due to my work schedule, I wouldn't see her at all. We have been working with her at home and she is doing really well. She knows all the shapes and colors, letters and the sounds they make. She does pretty well at recognizing letters. She can write the entire alphabet and can also write her name and a handful of other words. She will be moving into the Sunbeams class in January and is devastated to be leaving nursery, but she ensures me that she will "try it and maybe she will like it". Let's hope so! She is eagerly anticipating April when she turns 4. It seems as if 4 is the magic number. She will be able to take dance and gymnastics classes here as well as go to pre-school at the "real school with the big kids". She is taller than most of the other kids her age, and loves to tell me that she's "growing up". We are really grateful for her little personality in our home!

I have continued working as an emergency dispatcher. I continue to enjoy my job working with Rangers and being able to assist park visitors during their emergencies or perceived emergencies. I worked on several large scale incidents. One of which was a large marina fire (http://azdailysun.com/news/local/article_c9d6948c-45a8-11e0-9e1d-001cc4c03286.html). I also worked on several fatalities. Those incidents were extremely difficult. In October, I became at Nationally Registered Advanced Emergency Medical Dispatcher. In short, I am now able to walk people through treatment/care over the phone. Some of the trainings we received were CPR and Heimlich Maneuver Instruction as well as Child Delivery! Let's hope I never have to walk someone through child birth! I am working towards getting myself on a more "regular" (6-2 or 8-4) shift instead of 2-10.

Jamey spent the first 5 months of the year in Tucson working at Saguaro National Park. In May, he came back to Page to begin his 3rd season at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. He was involved in several significant incidents, most of which he was the only Ranger on scene. One of the incidents involved him hiking up a slick rock slope to provide medical aid to a teenage boy (http://www.wayneswords.com/index.php/ww-bulletinboard/5-lake-powell-recreation/16865-life-flight-rescue-in-last-chance). The best news of the year came on December 1st when he was offered a position as a PERMANENT Law Enforcement Officer here at Glen Canyon. It was such a relief! We are so grateful that he will have continuouse employment, instead of working 6-months at a time. We are extremely proud of our Ranger, EMT, Firefighter! He starts his new career on January 1st!

Jamey has been off work since the end of October, and we have taken advantage of the time we've had to spend together. During this Christmas season, we are grateful for Jesus Christ and his birth. We are grateful for the time we have to spend with family. We pray that you will take time to ponder on the life of the Savior and the true reasons we celebrate Christmas.