Happy Easter (a few days late)

Well, we meet again... it's been an AMAZING journey these past few days... seeing MOST of my family, and so many amazing friends. it's been a blast from the past, people i haven't seen or spoken to in YEARS just popping back in left and right. which could be a while other blog post (don't worry, i'll spare ya). my mother in law asked me, on my 4 hour drive with her down to their house today... if i wish i still lived in Utah. Part of me says yes, i MISS the amazing people, and being surrounded by people of similar beliefs and standards... but ultimately my answer is no. I know that i am EXACTLY where i am supposed to be, living this crazy military life... being me, for EVERYONE else to see. plus only coming to utah once a year or so... makes everyone APPRECIATE your visits that much more.

i was able to see Jaxon and Bo this week! i LOVE my amazing nephews soo soo soooo much! i will post pictures when i get back home to Hawaii. it was so nice to just spend time with Michelle, Bobby and the boys. i needed that.

i was also able to chill with my brother Paul today for a bit, more pictures to come with that as well... but we had a lot of fun.

Lauren and i played TONS of harry potter. and i am please to announce that last night we defeated lord Voldemort. on harry potter 5... ya, go ahead and be a little jealous!!! we then started LEGO Harry Potter (which i will be buying.) we had lots of totino's pizza, and jones soda YUMMMM we ate at magleby's for breakfast, and cafe rio for dinner. and i got to see my good friend Megan's new baby girl SOOOOO adorable!!! she really was soo dang cute! and Lauren and I had a late night chit chat session with Xandra (who is beyond amazing) and it was SUCH an awesome conversation!!!

Lauren and I had a 2 hour piano session at her parent's house... just sitting and singing (like the good ol' days) we were a bit rusty, and hadn't sat and sang in FAR too long... but maybe i'll get brave and post videos (yup... i have video footage!)

So i missed Lauren's graduation by like an hour.. lame i know! but i got to her Grad lunch, and then we got to head out and go to the women's expo (i got my teeth whitened... am i supposed to admit that? anywho, TOTALLY worth the $50)

Saturday was Lauren's birthday, we headed out to see "Water for Elephants" REALLY need to finish that book now! i wanted so badly to finish before i saw the movie.. OOPS. then i headed to Lehi to do Ali's hair and make up for MORP (girls choice dance) and gave Lalo some time with her awesome husband.

Sunday started out AMAZING i was woken up at 5 am by the sweetest voice saying "happy Easter babe, i love you!" now don't go pinning a red A on me... it was actually that husband of mine :) i hadn't heard from him in a while and it was so nice to hear his voice, i really am so in love with that boy! i went to church with Lauren and Dal... and kept expecting to hear from at least ONE member of my family, to wish me happy easter and since i was within 50 MILES invite me over for SOME SORT of dinner or celebration. i had HEARD a rumor that i would NOT be invited to a family gathering... however i never actually believed this rumor to be 100% true. because in order for THAT to be true, one person would have to be so completely filled with HATE... and obviously missed the lesson in church that teaches what the atonement is ALL about, as well as WHYYYY Jesus actually died for us. and ANOTHER person... would have to ultimately choose the side of hate, and darkness, and go against flesh/blood/family.

i normally don't "air my dirty laundry" on my blog (ya, if you think what i already post about is dirty laundry... you should see what i DON'T post) however i have not been able to REALLY vent to Riley about this, which is what i REALLY need. so i suppose my blog will have to suffice. There is someone i am related to in no way at all (other than a marriage)... this person is the meanest most emotional and verbally abusive person to MULTIPLE people in this world that i love more than almost anything. let's call this person "Bitter". so bitter will say the most horrible things to ANYONE, just to prove Bitter is the better person. things like how lazy and useless someone is, and how this person would kill the family pet (just to assert their authority) Bitter has PICKED UP my little brother and removed him from a car, and on more than a few occasions yelled at me for things that a NORMAL person would handle like an adult... not slamming dishes and fridge doors and STOMPING up stairs.

now i dealt with most of Bitter's crap, knowing it was a temporary situation for me, and that i could just count down the days.... however, when i see my LITTLE SISTER who is still a teenager (and quite a fragile one at that) being bullied day after day (and a few may say she's being dramatic... SHE'S 16... OF COURSE SHE'S DRAMATIC!!!) BUT watching this emotional and verbal abuse happen on a DAILY OR WEEKLY basis was too much. Bitter on the rare occasion would go WAAAAY out of their way to do something nice, and make you think they were such a NICE person... but 80% of the time... it was a different story. so after a few months of WITNESSING this bullcrap, i attempted to call and give them a piece of my mind, however the phone call was not answered... so i sent a strongly worded text instead. did i go a bit overboard... YUP... do i regret sending the text... never for a second. i will NEVER apologize for standing up for my siblings or family. never ever EVER. my siblings ALL know that no matter what, i will be behind them 150% AS IT SHOULD BE!!! now instead of handing the situation like an ADULT bitter passed off the problem to their spouse... as usual i can just envision the yelling that happened about "how dare YOUR RELATIVE speak to me like that."

anyway, the story goes. i was informed i was NEVER again welcome in BITTER'S house again... this was WELL over a year ago. all because i stood up to a bully who still has a hold and reign over those i love. i have forgiven what was said to me... it does me NO good to hang on to such anger and hate. that is the LAST thing i need in this life. so i was surprised and SADDENED to hear that this "active" member in the church is still holding on to such hate... i wonder what their bishop would think about that... there are ALOT of people that i don't get along with... however we are ALWAYS polite to each other. what upsets me EVEN more than the hate that this person still holds against me is that the person that gave me life... the very breath i am breathing... did not stand up for her own daughter when it came time to have Easter dinner... instead i was forced to burden my best friend's husband's FAMILY to take me into their home for a holiday CENTERED around our Savior. i dropped it the last few days, because i was giving the benefit of the doubt thinking that MAYBE they didn't really do anything, and assumed that i had plans (this would mean my inside source was incorrect on what i heard originally) however upon hearing whom else was invited to this dinner... i am disappointed. i don't know all that much about parenting.. but i have never once heard of a parent, making it publicly known that they do not care for their child. because guess what... i had to EXPLAIN to EVERYONE on Easter (that was ALOT of people.. and ALOT of whom KNOW the parties involved) why my family lives less than 20 minutes away, and i was NOT invited to spend the holiday with them... seeing as i live across the globe. that right there negates anything that was said in the last year to make me think that i was loved in any way. it does NOT matter if you tell me you love me on the phone, and you call once a month to "catch up" and it does NOT matter if i STOOD UP TO YOUR BULLY FOR THE SAKE OF MY SISTER. YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION AS A PARENT. to not act like a child. no matter how you feel your child is acting. i will never in my entire life forget that on the ONE holiday i was in the area... when my husband was away in Afghanistan... you chose the side of hate... and showed your Daughter that you do not care about her. 

that's what i learned this Easter. It's just Rye and I. So i guess it's a good thing that i am a tough girl.