Dear Mom,

I think about you during the holidays. This is my second Christmas without you. I think it is the third since Brittny or Zack have shared any kind of Holiday tradition with me. It makes me sad, and it makes me wonder about so many things.
Lauren is getting big. Her big blue eyes shines with wonder in only the way a childs eyes can. She is smart and funny and full of curiousity. Always on her lips are questions waiting to escape. She bursts with energy. Forever bouncing and tumbling around our living room. She is going to be four soon and I find myself in awe at the very idea that four years has flown by without me even realizing it. I see her life before my eyes. I can see her doll-like face as she travles through the years. Sweet sixteen, graduation, wedding day..oh I freak myself our just thinking of it!! The question always on my mind is, will she allow me to be there with her, or will she leave me behind. A question I shouldn't have to worry about, but I do. A question I never had untill you.
Evan is our little man. He is tender and open-hearted. He looks at you with unabashed love. So full of trust, so full of acceptance. He took his first step on December 2nd. He walked from the coffee table to the couch. He hasn't really done it since. Everytime he realizes he is walking, he gets stage fright and drops right down on his diper before I can even say "way to go Buddy!!" He laughs and smiles, little gifts he generously gives! I am inamored with him and humbled to be the one to watch him grow. It is just one of the things that you are missing.
I want you to know that I apperciate the Christmas cards for the kids. I know you must miss them. I am just wondering, what about me mom? Do you miss me? Never have I gotten a card, letter, or explaination. I don't need much, I just need permission to make my choices and still have the love and support of a mother. Love is not a prize that you award to those that do things the way you want things done, love is a gift given without strings attached. Love is always accepting. Love is non judgemental. Love looks beyond choices and expectations and sees the heart. I know that you are my mother so you do love me. But you also judge me and my choices. It is not up to you anymore to dictate how I live my life. Your only job is to support me and cheer me on. When I needed suppport the most, you turned around and walked out of the room. Did you see the pleading in my eyes? Did you hear the need in my voice as I called out to you? "Don't do this Mom", I said. Don't do this. But you did. My mother or my husband, but not both. How can I make a choice like that? And when my back was up against the wall and I was forced to make that choice, how can you be surprised and hurt by the consequences? My mother or my father, but not both. How can I make a choice like that? And loving my father is not choosing him. I can love you both. But you wouldn't let me love you both.
I love you Mom, and I always will. A part of me will always need you. I am taking the need for you and turning it into something productive. I am showing my little princess and my little buddy boy that I will support them in all there endeavers. Right now, at there young age, that consists of making messes and masterpeices out of construction paper. But when there endeavers become more advanced, then so will my support. You don't have to agree with someone to support them.
I love being a mom. I remember all the beautiful times you gave me as a child. I remember going to you when my dreams were haunted by a monster, or when my knee was skined while trying to ride a bike. I will take those good memories, and also the bad, and work on being the best Mom I can be. I will put my agenda last, and the hearts of my babies first. So thank you for all you taught me. All the laughter and all the tears has made me very consious of my children's needs. I guess all I have to say now is Merry Christmas Mom. I am still carring in my heart a hope for our future.

Melissa

Vin's hair, and Lauren's new Career!

I think that Vin looks so adorable when he gets his haircut. His first haircut was a spur of the moment decision. So I wasn't able to get pictures of him. (so sad). This time, however, I made an appointment so I made sure to remember my camera! One thing I love about bloging is that I end up taking pictures of my kids everyday. I see in ordinary everyday event something I would love to blog about. I generally don't get around to it as often as I would like. But I do end up with lots of pictures of my kids just being kids, not just on speacial occasions and events, but in there everyday life! And our little buddy-boy getting his haircut is one of those everyday moments that I was able to get pictures of.

This is Vin just before we left for the mall. I love this shot of him because I just got done telling him "No no Buddy" He just looks so innocent! I love it. Cute boy.


He was a little unsure at first, so Chad handed him the Cell phone to play with to get his mind off of the haircut.


I love this!! When he gets nervous, he holds his hands and tilts his head to the side. It is such a sweet little look!! I am so glad that we got it on camera!




Taa-daa! The end result. I think he looks so cute in a little mo-hawk! He always looks so much older to me after he gets his hair cut!



While Evan was busy in the hot seat getting his golden hair chopped, Lauren was busy showing Chad all of the beauty products in the salon. She was letting Chad know about all of the benefits of each one. She was our little door to door sells-person. Anything that could keep her quit and busy!



After Evan's haircut, we told Lauren it was her turn to get her haircut, and she cryed so hard. Big round crocodile tears! We let her know that we were just kidding. She loves her hair. And who can blame her. If I had her hair, I wouldn't want to change it in anyway either. She has georgous hair. It was so cute.

A new play room, and the Temple lights..

I love my house!! I love it when I have been gone on vacation and I come home to my house, with my bed, and all of my stuff. However, our house is always under some kind of construction. But I don't mind to much because I love my house. There is no other house like it around here. We have a conversation pit!! Which brings me to Lauren's and Vin's "play room". I never knew what to do with all their toys!! Toys, toys and more toys everywhere! I don't have room in my house for a playroom, so I just tryed the best I could to keep it semi-organized. Then the other day, I thought of our conversation pit. The kids are always bringing their toys in there anyway. So I made it into a little play room, or the play pit as we call it. Lauren is always saying that she has to go to the play pit. She now spends all day in there, and I get to keep all the toys in one place!! Win-win, eh?


Now, I know that I don't need to write about going to see the Temple lights last night because I am sure that you were there. It is impossible to think that someone might have stayed home last night to watch Ghost Whisperer. I know for a fact that all of Utah went to Temple Square last night. I havn't seen such a mass of humanity since the last time that I went to Disneyland! It took an hour to get a parking space. In the end, we had to park at the Gateway and walk to Temple Square. But I was very excited. I love going there at Christmas time. Lauren has never been! Isn't that crazy! She loved the lights, and so did Vin actually. He kept laughing and claping his hands. When Lauren saw the statue of Christ she said, "Oh mommy, I love him so much." *sigh* She loved the Nativity Scene where they read Luke 2, She got really into that, which I loved because I remember thinking how magical that was when I was a little girl. Even with the crowds and the cold, it was a good way to spend a friday night.

An E-Mail Down Memeory Lane

Chad and I e-mail, instant message or call each other all through out the day.
I keep speacial e-mails in a folder. I am sentimental that way. Yesterday I was looking through some old e-mails and I found this one! I love it.
From: Melissa

Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:44 AM
To: Chad Triplett
Subject: I am awake now

Chad,

I love you so much. I know that you are busy. But I wanted to be able to tell you that I love you in the only way that I can. Through e mail. I love you so much and I think that you are the best most wonderful most perfect perfect person out there for me. you are the only one for me and I love you with all my heart. Love Melissa


Chad Triplett wrote:

I love you too. I can’t wait until we have a family of 6 kids.



From: Melissa
To: Chad Triplett
Subject: Re: I am awake now

That made me smile so big!! I love you so much. I feel so tired and I feel really sick too. But now that I know what it is, I'm ok with it. I love you so much. I miss you. Being your wife makes me a better person.


Chad Triplett wrote:

Eat some crackers. I love you.



From: Melissa
To: Chad Triplett
Subject: Re: I am awake now


My dad asked me if you ever got a hold of your dad to see what dates the conventions are on. He has to turn in his dates tomorrow. I love you and I think you are wonderful. Love Melissa


From: Chad Triplett

To: csctapes@earthlink.net

Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 2:06 PM

Subject: Dates for SCRC and AILA


Can you send me the dates for REC and AILA? And if you have the dates for SCRC too. Melissa’s dad is requesting time off to take care of Lauren for these dates.





From: Convention Seminar Cassettes
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 3:47 PM
To: Chad Triplett
Subject: Re: Dates for SCRC and AILA


WAIT A MINUTE.......IT SOUNDS LIKE MELISSA IS PREGNANT........






From: Chad Triplett

To: Convention Seminar Cassettes

Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 3:13 PM

Subject: RE: Dates for SCRC and AILA


She sure is? I guess there will be no surprise call today then!!!! Well surprise now!! I love you guys.


And that is how my family found out that we were pregnate with Evan. He is such a cuddly little boy. He brings so much joy to our family. I never knew that my heart was missing a piece untill Lauren, and then later, Evan was born.

HELP!!!

I am so stressed out! And if anyone knows me you would know that really is nothing new. However, this time I have a good excuse. At least in my book it is a good excuse. I am suppose to do Sharing Time in primary on sunday. THIS sunday! And I havn't a clue of what to do. You would think that I wouldn't be so nervous with little kids, but I am. I am not good at being the center of attention. I am more of a "quitly listen to every one ealse on the sidelines" kind of a person. I never understood what was so bad about being a wallflower. I don't mind being a little Dasiy, let someone ealse be the rose. I am fine with it. But now, I am being forced to be in the center of attention. I don't even know what to do for Sharing Time!! The thought of having everyone in the room look at me is almost debilating! But anyway, my plea is for anyone out there who is creative-help me come up with an idea please! Anything to do with Christmas. Help me please. (Do I sound desperate or what!?!)

Thanksgiving Blessings

I am a family girl. I love looking across the room and seeing Chad on the computer and Lauren smacking the wood floor with her plastic princess shoes. I love seeing Evan crawl around and try with all his might to keep up with his big sister. I love my family. I use to dream of the day that I could have my family and my parents together again. Why is it so easy for some families? I don't understand what went wronge where and why. I am not naive enough to think that everyone has a "perfect" family while mine is so disfunctional. I totally understand that we only see people after they have been buffed and shined, their faces presented with painted on smiles. I know that everyone has a skeleton or two. It could be a drug addict brother or a depressed sister. Who knows? My parents are now divorced and I havn't talked to my brother and sister since Lauren was 6 months old. And holidays are still hard. I havn't given up hope. But for now, I am consentrating on my own family. I am so thankful for my children. They fill my home with laughter, and yes, some whining and crying too. They are not perfect, but when they reach there arms out to me with love shining in there eyes, I know that I am blessed. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me because he blessed me with Lauren and Evan. They brighten my days. My heart is sings with contentment. I will do all I can, go down every road, climb every mountian, conqure any obstical to give my children what I feel I was cheated out of. My arms will always be open to them, my heart will always listen to there pleas.


I am a very simple person really. I don't need a large bank account or attractive cars to make me happy. I am fine with buying my cloths second hand. I don't have a college degree, and I am not a career women. Instead, I wake in the mornings to Lauren's breath on my neck. I cherish those mornings. I rejoice as I walk down the stairs to hear Evan's announcement that he is awake. His chuby little fingers reaching out to me. I am so aware of how fast time marches through the years. I see little finger prints on my windows and mirrors and I don't wash them off right away. I leave them there for a couple of days as a little memorial of that moment that is all ready gone. I dread the day that I am not behind in Laundry, that would mean that I have no one to wash clothes for. I love that my house gets cluttered ten minutes after I have cleaned it, that means that there are little ones eager to play with anything in reach. I have so much in my heart. It is filled with laughter, tears, the padded sound of bare feet on wood floors, sighs and songs and so very much more.


In this time of finacial upheavl and uncertinty, I feel at peace. I have put my heart into my family. My treasurs are not gold, cars, and a never ending credit limit. No, my treasures are Chad, Lauren and Evan. And that is what I am Thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Honoring our Heros

Very rarely do you get a chance to shake the hand of real true hero. I don't mean Karl Malone, or Hiro Nakamora, but a real one. One that looked across a snowy field and stared down an enemy of freedom. One who sat in a fox whole one day with there buddy and watched that same buddy die the next day. I am talking about a hero that still salutes the flag everytime they see it flying because they understand its cost. Every red stripe is soaked with the blood of men and women who died to keep this nation free. After all, freedom is not free. And it's price is high. It is in the tears of a mother, the prayers of a lover, and in the years a child grows without the guidence of a father. And one day, in a blink of an eye, the boy who fought on the beaches of Normandy wakes up and is an old man. An old man whose white hair is covered in a 'World War 2 Vet' hat and has found himself sitting across from his son-in-law at a cafe in Simi Valley. The same cafe that my family and I ate at just yesterday. My father in law leaned over and express his wish to go up and shake that mans hand and offer to pay for his breakfast. But how do you do that. Fear of possibly offending the man held my father in law back. Besides does breakfast really make up for all that he did for us? My mom in law suggested telling the waitress and making it ananonymous gesture. That could have been the end of it, but the man figured out who we were. It couldn't have been the fact that all eyes on our table were trained on him as the waitress told him the news. It must have been something ealse that tiped him off. But figure it out he did. He came to talk to us, to thank us. He called us the angels. Does he realize what he did for our country? Does he know that we would be speaking German if it wern't for him and countless other men like him? Does he know that I still cry when I hear the national antheum, and I am so greateful that it is the Star Spangled Banner I hear? I love this county and I love all that the flag stands for. I hope an pray that all that I love in this country will live on. And I hope that those that serve our country today will live to be old men and women who may one day sit in a cafe with a vetrens hat upon there head. I hope that people will still love our country whole heartedly that they too will feel compelled to buy those old men and women who sacrificed so much, there breakfast. It is the least we could have done for a man who gave us so much.
Now here are some pictures of what we did the rest of the day, after breakfast. These are pictures of Lauren and Evan playing at Pop Pop and Mimi's shop.



After we left the shop, we went to Third Street. Chad and I went there alot when we were dating.

Later on that night, Lauren made a Ginger bread house with Mimi. She was so proud of it.