FAMiLY :)

So since no one has posted in a while I thought I would! It's been over a year and I don't even know if people even read this anymore! No one reads mine now, but I'm starting to get better. I think i decided I wanted to keep more like an online journal for myself, except leave out all the details, but more like what I did that day. Just every few days say what you did and what you've learned since the last post. I got the idea from a video I watched in seminary one day. Let me tell you a little bit about it.

I can't remember the name of it, but it is about a wife/mother who was traveling with her husband and the plane crashed. She was burned all over and had to have several surgeries to fix the damage. And because of the surgery, she looks nothing like her old self. She wrote on there how she didn't feel beautiful anymore and thought she was somewhat of a freak. But everyday she wrote stuff she was thankful for. Like her children, and being there to raise them. And she soon realized that she was beautiful, her own kind of beautiful.
This video taught me many lessons. Number 1: Don't take the little simple things for granted. They are there for a reason, but can easily be taken away from you. Number 2: Beauty is in the sight of the beholder. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. And describing someone as beautiful doesn't mean they are the best looking person around, but can mean that their personality is beautiful. Their actions. Their kindness. So everyone is different, but that is the good thing about life. Life is crazy, and hectic sometimes, but that is why it's fun. It's always those crazy days that make the best memories.

Well, in news of our family, Jeff got married to Kristi in November. I'm going to be a senior and don't know how to feel about that. Lacey is living with us again, and working like crazy. Peydon is about to turn 10, Hadley soon to be 8 and getting baptized, with Kyson almost 7! Laura and Mike moved back to Utah, with their 4 children. Brianna is now 10, Justin 9, Josh will be 6 (I think?), and baby Jayden is now over 1 year old! Libby and Brock are enjoying life and being close to work ha! Sadie turned 8 and will be baptized this next month, Carter is going to be 7 too, with Gracie now 2 and being...well, herself! She sure is developing her personality! But that is the update on ALL the kids!

Time to catch everyone up!

I guess it's time to catch everyone up on what's been going on in our lives. My last post was in Feb. right before I got to go to Alaska to help with Laura and the new little one Jayden. I flew out on the afternoon of the 17th of February with a stop in Seattle, WA and got into Anchorage at 8:38pm. Laura, Mike and the kids (all 4 of them) came to the airport to get me. I was pretty exhausted, but couldn't help but spend a few minutes hugging and loving all 4 of the grandkids (especially baby Jayden) that I don't get to see very often. The baby had an early morning doctor's appointment on the 18th so I got to hang out with the 3 older ones and watch cartoons and straighten the house and help them get ready for the day. We went to the Moose's Tooth, the BEST Pizza place I've ever been to. I've waited for almost 2 years for a slice or two of their Southwest Taco Pizza. YUMMY!
We just enjoyed the last few hours Mike had with us before he headed back to Iraq the next morning early. That was a tough morning for Laura, the kids, Mike...all of us. Laura, the kids and I spent the next few days having fun and enjoying our time together. Then all of that changed.
On the morning March 1st, Dana called early and told me that a large tumor on my Mom's liver was diagnosed as cancer. I was in shock. She had been sick when I left, but she seemed to be on the mend. Then it got worse that afternoon when Linette called me and said that the doctor called my Dad later on and told him he wanted him to know that he thought she had less than a month. I spent the next couple of days crying and not sleeping much. It was so hard to say "Good-bye" to Laura and the kids knowing what I was heading home to. They dropped me off at the airport at 10pm and my flight took off at 1am. I had a 2 hour layover in Seattle, WA and a 1 hour layover in Denver, CO and then landed in Salt Lake City at 1:30pm. Dana was there to get me and other than stopping to put fuel in the pickup and feed me a burger and Coke, we didn't stop till I got to my Mom's. Mom and I embraced and cried, but she was in a joking mood and seemed to be taking it all very well. I felt better after seeing her and relieved that she might be with us for a while.
I spent the next days taking care of my Mom. Dana and Libby took care of all the business work and Janie took care of the laundry and house. As it turned out, she went down hill so fast that she was gone by the 13th. It was a tough time, but it was a very spiritual experience for us.
We all got to tell her we loved her, do the service for her she needed, and say "Good-bye" to her before she passed on. I spent many hours rubbing her feet or legs or back and holding her hand and brushing her hair. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to do that for her. And then, at a little after midnight on the 13th of March, she slipped out of this life and on to the next. It was peaceful. The following week was spent getting arrangements made. We had a day to help dress her for the last time and I cried as I did her hair for the last time. She had such thick, beautiful hair. We had her funeral on the 19th of March and buried her in the Monroe City Cemetary.
It's been almost 2 months and I'm still struggling with the finality of everything. I really miss her. It all went so fast. I do great during the day when I am busy, but at night when things are quiet and calm, thoughts and memories come rushing back and that is when I fall apart. Then my dear Hubby has to hold me and put the pieces back together. It is one of the hardest things I've ever gone through. I'm so grateful for the gospel and the knowledge that I will see her again someday.
As for the other things going on, we are in the middle of softball season with Janie, staying busy with the business, taking care of the grandkids, and altering dresses and making bridal veils for the two upcoming brides in the family. So things are busy as usual.

Newest member of the family!

Welcome to our newest little member of our family - Jayden Joseph George. Born on February 12th at 7:04pm weighing in at 9lbs. 10 ozs. and measuring at 22 1/2 inches long. Parents are Mike and Laura George and hewill be spoiled by big sister Brianna and big brothers Justin and Joshua (not to mention Grandma Loney when I get there next week). We are all so excited and can't wait to see him and hold him.

Having fun and loving life!

I really need to be better about updating this blog. So here goes:
We are down to 5 weeks till Elder Jeff Lundgreen comes home. I am so excited about this, yet sad that he has to say "Good-Bye" to all the people in Australia he has come to know and love. And even though I look forward to his hug, I will miss those wonderful, spiritual e-mails and letters. It will nice to see him again and we have all missed him like crazy, but I cannot imagine him not getting these 2 years of serving the Lord. It has been an amazing journey for all of us.
Also, we got Janie's new grades today and...yep, once again 4.0/straight A's. She is such a good girl. She works hard though, so that she can do this well. We are proud of her and love her. Good job, Janie!! She is excited to be able to do stats for wrestling again this year. She loves doing that and we get an excuse to hang out at the wrestles and keep an eye on her.
As for us, the business is going okay and we are hanging in there. It seems to be slowing down right now and we are preparing for the winter. Dana sent a driver in his "baby" (his big 18 wheeler truck) and that was tough to do for him. Other than that we are just having fun with the grandkids and loving life.

What a summer!

Well, I know it's been awhile and I can't believe that time has gone by that fast. We've been incredibly busy this summer and fall is now upon us. It was a fun summer. We had Laura and her children Brianna, Justin and Joshua here for a visit in June and July. We enjoyed our time together (even though the kids were like a pack of wolves and we were way overwhelmed by all of them together at once). The kids played non-stop for about 6 weeks straight from sun up till sun down and sometimes even later. We finished it all up with a chocolate pancake breakfast and a hot dog and marshmallow roast followed by smores for dessert! Then the next morning we were all able to attend Peydon's baptism and then off to Denver to take Laura and the kids to catch their flight home. It was a tough thing for Grandma Loney to say "good-bye" and February will be fun to go see them and be there to welcome their new little one. We did get a fun tour of Bronco Stadium (Invesco Field) and it was one of Peydon's dreams-come-true. What a great birthday gift for him!
We are now getting back into the swing of things with school, volley ball, football, and all the other activities that come with school starting up. Janie started her Sophmore year, she now is legal to drive and old enough to date, scary! We've also been busy canning the harvest from our garden and just taking care of business 5 days a week. It's scary and humbling to have 12 families depending on you for their jobs. We are doing our best to keepthem going.
Now we are looking forward to the return of Elder Lundgreen on Dec. 12th at 4pm. We are all excited and invite any family members who want to be there and fulfill his dream to come and welcome him home to the good 'ole USA.

PS: I'll try to get some pictures up soon!