doggie blues

I'm depressed these days!! My Brittany girl is gone to school

:-0

Joe's

Well we ate at Joe's because someone said it was great down home cooked food. It's like just out around the corner from us. Well all I can say is My momma's home cooking and my home cooking beats old Joe's I truly doubt that I'll go there again! It actually scared me!

Half Moon Bay High

Well today I got my classes. I had to go to the school to get them and i saw where they are. i didn't get my locker till wednesday because I am new i suppose. but i think this year will be fun(: im already meeting people and i already have third period with a girl named stephenie that i met. so thatll be fun! as you can see me and mom went to my school and took pictures to show you all what im getting myself into. it was a warm day today.. ive never see it or felt this warm in half moon bay! its pretty crazy! i am excited for school to start. and start over.(:

BRIT

What do you do?

I'm in a place where I didn't have a lot of choice about being in. Ok so I'm here. Or am I really? This weekend I was in Lehi again. My mother had taken a turn for the worse and she almost died. I had to get there as soon as I could. I spend three days going down to Payson to care for her and my dad. I would go back to Lehi absolutely exhausted! Wiped out!

I found that all my life I was working at making everybody happy. Making sure everyone was doing well. I always put forth my best effort to do the best by everyone. But when I went to Lehi I realized that no one was doing that for me? Not that I was expecting anyone to. It was just interesting as my older kids went their separate ways without a word of where they were going. Then It made me wonder if anyone would be there to take care of me when became frail, or blind as life progresses? Hmm I do wonder?

As I have become familiar with the routine of flying into San Francisco Airport I felt very alone. My flight had a young couple investing time and love into a little child. I wanted to say to them don't do it! They just grow up and leave. Don't do it! They really won't love you the same later. I was longing for my little kids, longing for Utah yet longing to be with James and Britt in HBB. Just dang lonesome. Again feeling a loss of home, and hoping for happiness and success in my new spot, or plot? Part of it is I feel my time of quality life is short. That my vision is failing and that my time for the normals joys is short. Seeing how fast my mother is at the end of mortality is surreal, sobering. Where are all the crowds that surround her. She should be constantly surrounded by grandchildren and children, but she's not.

Ok, enough of that!

It's finally happening SUNSHINE!!! They said the Falls are beautiful here. And I'm holding everyone to that! Today was Sunday, James was sustained as a member of the San Francisco South Stake High Counsel. He will be working with the Relief Society and the Philippine ward. We also had our first official meeting for early morning Seminary. It's at the teacher's home. And starts at 6:10 in the morning! To say the least miss sunshine Britt turned into dark brewing storm front Britt. I guess the whole thing sounds like WORK. She was mean, grumpy and an all around broodster!! No great friendships made today Britt! I think she scared off all the boys. She fights learning, she fights anything that makes her stretch! Well here we go elastic band. She is going to stretch!

James and I were given our visiting teaching, home teaching assignments. Strange thing is not enough active people to have a partner. So were flying solo. James has six people to contact, I have two. One who sill like me calling and one who will not.

I heard today that if you walk on the shore path by the Ritz hotel tonight at sundown you can hear bagpipes playing until the sun falls beyond the horizon. See there are perks here. Just try to not enjoy a sunset on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Dare you to not not smile just a little.

Best of all this Adventure is every single amazing person I have met. Love them, enjoy them, and most of all I am grateful for them.

FRAN;0

Mommy's Gone :/

soo.. mom went to utah.. without me!

WEDNESDAY .. i woke up to an empty house. well to me and bent.(doggy) so it was pretty quiet. it wasn't to bad cause i was aloud to turn the music up as loud as i want and be pretty lazy until dad got home. So when dad did get home we went to MCcdonalds and drove up to a cliff type of a thing above the beach and checked that out. was pretty.

THURSDAY .. i went running with bent in the neighborhood. annnnd i got lost.. its a big neighborhood but i did make it home. then later i made dinner. didn't go to well it all went dry and just wasn't good. what can i say... i cant cook(: I'm missing mommy):

FRIDAY .. was waaaay fun! me and dad went to the mall that has a theater in it too. we had two hours till the 7 o'clock showing of vampires suck. so we finished up my school shopping and i got two really cute sandels and some purple boots. (: then i got a bag for school from Guess. a 70 dollar bag. love it. haha then we saw the movie. it was really funny. but had some naughty parts but overall ..I.. thought it was funny.

SATERDAY.. me and dad went to Alices rest. and brought mom some food too. we took it to go and i came home and ten minutes later.. mom showed up!! (my friend!!) i missed hanging out with her i was excited to see her! i missed her but we also still texted (:

Company! My Josh and Annie with their Kacey and Andrea

The weekend of my first big visit from my kids. Well, kids meaning two of my kids. Annie and Joshua were coming out on a road trip with Annie's friendAndrea and Joshua's friend Kacey. I was so excited. I even wet to Costco for afew items they would enjoy. Actually my first California trip to the mighty COSTCO! I over did it of course. I always want to make sure everything is just perfect.

The kids were doing a drive all night get here in the morning trip. I was of course very anxious for their safety since they drive Annie's Mazda 3. And even more aware of worries because Annie who is 18 insisted that she drive part of the way! She is the girl with the ticket zoom zoom issues. But I trusted in the chill out mother philosophy and went to bed. I woke up about 4:30 AM when I knew sleep was gone for the night, and anxious awaiting replaced it.

Just after five in the morning I hear a knock on the door. I fly out of bed, run down the stairs and open the door. There standing in the dark of Half Moon Bay misty darkness was Annie looking exhausted but alive. One by one they came in the house

where they were greeted with hugs and excitement from me. James referred me to a kid on Christmas Morning. I wanted to share everything here with them. Josh had seen the house because he moved us in. But it wasn't fixed up or in order. Annie had never been here. Annie loved the house. That made me feel really good. Im guessing she was expecting less than what she found. Josh loved what he saw also in everything being put into shape by mom mostly, but dad's picture hanging duties were a plus.

We fixed the kids up for some sleep and sleep they did. Joshua woke up first since I was by him playing music on the computer. The girls were next because I went and jumped on their bed and said time to play!

We enjoyed times at the beach, eating and San Francisco. They enjoyed Great America theme park, and the Santa

Cruz board walk.

Sunday morning we ha

d the joy of having them come to Sacrament meeting with us. I loved sharing my new people with them. I loved having them sitting next to me. I'm use to a crowd around me and it felt good. It was they day of my first Young Women's lesson so I couldn't spend much time after Sacrament with them. But I did run home with them and said goodbye and said my love you's and I was off.

When I came home little sign of them was left. And the house was quiet. Down side to having them come is having them leave.

I will miss kids coming into

my bathroom to do their hair, brush their teeth, really why do they always come in my b

athroom? Got to love it!

FRAN

wednesday josh, andrea, kacey and annie drove out here and got here about 5 in the morning. i

heard them come in and i

was so out of it. annie came in and jumped on the bed and me and gave me a

hug. it was sooo much fun to see them.

thursday me and mom showed them the beach we live by and then went toy the beach that has the seals. they werent there. then we went to the chowder house everyone got something with fish in it and i was the only one who didnt. i am a baby when it comes to fish.

then all us kids went to santa cruz.

Friday all the kids went to great america. it was way fun. they had some good rides that were cool. andrea got a video of me on one of the rides.. haha pree funny. but its on her camera.

over all. i loved it.

saturday all of us including mom and dad went to san francisco and traffic was bad sometimes it was way busy i thought i was in new york sometimes. mom and dad left earlyer and the kids stayed and got home about at 11ish. got home and ate then bed. we were sooo tired. to the point where were out of it. it was alot of fun though.

sunday they left):

BRITT

I HAVE COMPANY!

ANNIE, JOSHUA, KACEY AND ANDREA

THEY DROVE ALL NIGHT TO GET HERE

YIPPIE!!

SANTA CRUZ BOARDWALK

Youth Activity at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. I took james along hoping he could get to know a few men better. They said the girls could bring a friend? He is my friend so I brought him. We had a great ride there and back with a Young men's leader Jason Young. Jason was never married until he was 37 years old. And he married that CEO I mentioned earlier.( Which is about my age by the way), and five years older than he is. They also have some adoption stories since all of her kids and one of theirs are adopted. I road on the way back with Bracen their adopted son of two years. He now is eight years old. And I recognize the struggle he is having inside. I knew this boy, because I knew Sara. And I knew I had something to offer him.

The YW had a fabulous time. Britt said it was the BEST so far. Everyone everyone embraced each other. It's is such a very diverse group. So to say they all did well together is really a hats off to good kids!! Less active, nonmembers alike all were there to have a fun time. Britt said she couldn't stop laughing.

pictures: Fran and Karen Kirby, Perry Chee and James backs.

A whole new WORLD!

This week as opened Britt and my eyes to what an unusual world this can be. Well, unusual in context to what we have been accustom to in Utah. When you live in an area for your whole life, it is also your world. Now we see the world differently from our new life her in California. We have met some amazing people! for me I'm in a culture of the women wow factor. My visiting teacher is a convert from Australia who has traveled the world working as as a airline hostess for a private jet company. She flew to India with the Dali lama. where she was greeted by surrounding machine guns. Oh and she has more stories to tell. I work in the Young Women's with a single mother who is a attorney for the City of San Francisco. Getting her law degree while raising five children. Another new acquaintance is a beautiful blond, intelligent CEO of a insurance fund company.

For Britt and myself some the kids here are very unique and fascinating. Britt and I have decided it was quite enjoyable to be amongst this group. And we are going to embrace the experience. After all we have experience kids like this in our own home. And now we can love these kids with ease. Britt and I are stretching and it actually feels good.

FRAN

ps my other visiting teacher is a beautiful, enjoyable tall blond. She brought me a plate of yummy peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies! Which sad to say Bentley jumped up grabbed the plate from my tall dresser and ate them ALL! Yes he was sick all night. He may be a pound puppy again soon!

Take a look at what I wake up to every morning. Wet! And dreary and cold. And it didn't even rain. It's totally moisture in the atmosphere. And a few lost golf balls on the bench to add to the back yard deposit. After all our back yard in the Ritz Golf Course. And there have been more golf balls where those came from.

FRAN

An August weekend

Tried a new restaurant with Britt and James. The smell was fabulouso. The place is Italia on a Main Street corner in Half Moon Bay. Very busy, very yummy!
Same Main Street that boys were yelling comments to Britt about how wow she was! Oh ya I wanted to punch them. And tell them she was 14 years old. And to get a clue about respect. Well, Britt probably was flattered. But not the momma!
FRAN

By the way the video with the rocks on shore? Well they are a beach full of seals! We couldn't get a closer look because of beach rules. But it was cool. Now as cool as the people I was with, but cool.

FRAN

we went to the beach and saw seals. weird. not everyday do you see seals.. but we couldnt go up to them because of the lame rules. but it was fun.(:

BRITT

HOME?

HOME?

This weekend I just closed on my Draper Home. Ok Now I'm good with that. One less home to pay for. The downside is that attending the Draper CC 4th ward where my dearest friends reside was a painful message that I no longer live here. Everyone was wonderful to us, yet it wasn't our place, my home.

LEHi?

Ok, again I am so thankful for that home! It's a place to be when I'm in Utah. A place to embrace time with my children. And yet? I am not really home, just visiting. And I need to let my kids grow and make choices of their own. And off again I go leaving Lehi.

HMB?

The flight here to San Francisco airport is familiar now. I know my way in and out. I even can find my way to Half Moon Bay. One major, major drawback! The actual drive down the canyon on 92 into Half Moon Bay. During the day when all is clear and beautiful it is spirit lifting. Tonight terrifying! I don't have he best night vision. I was worried mostly about fog visibility. But I took a chance and drove down the canyon with Britt and James behind me. Sooo DARK, and quite a bit of FOG! Making it so difficult to see the turns and steep angles of the road. Of course as usual I was praying for sight beyond sight. At times I could barely see anything. When we reached the home stretch straight away into HMB I was emotionally spent. Britt said "Mom you did it! Yes I did! When I reached the house smelling the musty dampness that it holds I wanted to go HOME! But then I realized where is home? This is my home for now. So I held back my tears and tried with all my heart to muster once again courage to do this. It took all I had not to fall apart. And this morning I once again move forward.