43 of the Best Memories of Being 43!

Just for a few more hours I will be 43 and it has been a wonderful age. It has been an age of discovery and an age of learning but overall an age filled with incredible memories that will remain close in my heart. Before the magical hour when the clock strikes that new number of 44 (yikes, did I really just type that number!) in the years of mortality I want to recapture some of the highlights of being 43 -- it has been a really good number. (Note: these items are in no order of importance by number -- just random thoughts that I cherish about this year in my life.)

1. My health has been great this year! I've had no major health hurdles at age 43 except for a stomach virus last week (that I've given Joey this week -- sorry, honey!) and a cold / cough a few times this year but nothing major and nothing even worth visiting the doctor for. This has been a tremendous blessing in my life!

2. I have been employed at KershawHealth for nearly 5 years now and since October I have been at the new Urgent Care which opened the first week of October last year. It has been my "second home" at age 43 as we are open 7:30 - 7:30 Mon-Fri and 8-4 Sat and Sun. Some days are long but it's a great feeling helping others.

3. Being married to Joseph makes me feel sooooo much younger than 43 (almost 44!!) and it's AMAZING! He is my best friend and my sweetheart as well as my spouse. I love this man with all my heart and I am so thankful for second chances and for this life I have with him -- it is like heaven on earth.

4. Having a grandaughter who turned a year old while I was 43 and being there with her in Idaho for her birthday was WONDERFUL! She is a joy and being a grandmother is the best! Leighton Valencia Maxfield is truly one of the best things that has ever happened in my life and I love that little girl so much -- she has my heart wrapped around her finger.

5. My parents are healthy and oh so happy together after more than 50 years! This is one of the most important things of my year! They are so cute together and they enjoy being together -- where you see one you always see the other. They are active and always on the go. Yes, this is the one of the greatest blessings of my 43rd year and I am soooo thankful to be their baby girl!

6. My oldest daughter, Erika, is doing so well and I'm so proud of her. She is a great mother and a wonderful wife to Jack. They are both in college full-time and will graduate in the spring from BYU-Idaho and doing such a fantastic job. They have a temple marriage and just attended the temple together again about 2 weeks ago and I am so happy and proud of them.

7. My son, Ethan, is well and so happy right now. He works as a tattooist in Florence and he is an excellent artist. I was not happy about his choice of occupation when he stopped attending college but he is an adult and has to make his own choices. He is such a sweet and honest young man and I love him also with all my heart. Right now he is so in love with a beautiful young woman that I think the world of and all I wish for is his happiness and safety while making good choices. I pray everyday for him and I know he knows right from wrong and is so independent and self-supporting and has been for a long time. Ethan never asks for anything and I have to make him take things sometimes -- he has such a gift. I have faith that he will do the things he should. He is very special to me.

8. My daughter, Addison is doing such amazing things with her life right now and I am so proud of her. My heart if full with all the things she's doing -- she is the ward chorister, primary chorister, young single adult representative, and attends both our Elgin Ward and the Singles' Ward most Sundays. She works about 5 jobs and is so independent. She attended Midlands Tech this past year and is planning on moving to Idaho and attend BYU-Idaho in the winter -- she is an amazing girl, no steady boyfriend right now -- just dates a lot of people and keeping all her options open -- like I say, she is one amazing young woman! Love her so much!

9. Abby, my step-daughter is 16 and a great young woman! She enjoys her church and is such a sweet Christian girl. It's been a fun year with her watching her grow in so many ways and then just recently got her license and her very first car, a really cute Honda Accord just about 2 weeks ago! Keep up the great work, Abby -- I love you!

10. My handsome step-son, Alex is 13 and recently started high school! Watch out girls -- Alex has lots of friends and lots of girlfriends, too! He is a very talented drummer and he and Joey have had so much fun playing good music this past year -- they sound so good together. Alex is alot of fun to be around. We tease him about being so talented with his cell phone in one hand and ipod in other texting and facebooking --- he's such a cutie!
11. Joey's parents are also healthy and happy and so beautiful together. They are such a sweet, sweet couple and looking at them I see how Joey turned out such a great person -- what great examples he had.
12. It is so fun having such cute and lovable nephews! Spencer, Andrew, Carson, Hunter, Cole, and Will -- they are all so differenct and so special. I love them all so much and have great memories from this past year.
13. Date Nights with Joey on the Saturday of his daytime shift weekend -- a tradition we have and we look so forward to this time together! For date night this past weekend we enjoyed dinner at Tokyo Grill and shopping around at Ross! Fun times!
14. Attending the opening night midnight showing of Eclipse with my friends from Urgent Care, Dana and Amanda (mother/daughter) and it was soooo fun! (Now looking forward to the release of the movie of the last book in the series -- Breaking Dawn!"
15. Other movies I've seen this past year including Eat, Pray, Love we went out to see for girls' night while Erika was at home visiting in August -- FUN NIGHT!!!!!
16. New friends I cherish that also work at Urgent Care / Primary Care -- Anne Clements, Sybelle Lamb, Dana Epps, Carrell, Charlotte, Debbie Love-Fralix, Becky Mooneyhan, Melissa Allen, Melissa Sydnor, Teresa Brazzell, Karen Truesdale, Becky Scheffer, Dr. Kneece, Jezzica, Marisha,Judy, Jennifer, Julie, Kim, Gloria, Amanda Whitaker, etc. We have such a great group who work there!
17. Tokyo Grill -- a place we discovered and it is truly a FAVORITE place for us!!!!!
18. Our JEEP WRANGLER! We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our Jeep and love taking the top off and cruising. It is soooo fun! Yep, loe our Jeep!
19. Our 'lil Mazda RX-8 sports car we had and then traded for something cuter / cozier... We really enjoyed the Mazda while we had it, though, but realized it was awfully expensive to fix if anything went wrong...Great memories...
20. Having the entire Maxfield family join us in South Carolina for Thanksgiving this past year -- Erika, Jack, Leighton, Bob, Joanne, and Thomas all were here for Thanksgiving!
21. Joseph being off for Christmas -- and will be off for the next 6 Christmases! Woo Hoo!!!
22. Our dating anniversary this past year we spent at Ocean Lakes Campground at Joey's friend's place (Randy Branham's) and we fell in love with it there! In fact we liked it so much that we went back twice afterwards and had such a great time.
23. PLAYING POOL! Joey and I realized this was something we enjoyed this year -- enjoyed it at the beach and then had just as much fun playing while vacationing in the mountains!
24. Joey's 45th Birthday at Dale's at the Pond House! Yummy Catfish Stew and we had a big crowd there. It was so fun that soooo much of our family were able to attend.
25. Ethan spent alot of my 43rd year living back at home with us -- he was here from January - August of 2010 -- great memories of him here.
26. Dinner at Old Armory Steakhouse and their fabulous salads and the cutest waiter ever -- yes, Ethan, while he was living here with us. (and what a great waiter he was, too!)
27. Attending yard sales with Joey -- he got hooked this year and it's amazing! We have so much fun together going! Some of our best deals / treasures we've found recently include almost new Etonic golf shoes for 50 cents, a table and chairs for craft room for 5.00, fishing rod for 5.00 (valued at 40.00!), and ZUMBA shoes for me for 1.00 / pair! We love it!
28. Spending time with Chloe -- she is such a sweet baby (a Shihtzu but we don't let her know she's a d-o-g, we only tell her she's our baby! ha!

29. Our newest addition -- BoBo (originally Sebastian) we "inherited" from Jack and Erika. I brought BoBo home with me on the plane when I went to Idaho to visit for Leighton's birthday. At first Joey did not want another d-o-g but I brought him back with me anyway and now guess who is soooo in love with him?! Yes, Joseph! :) He calls him "son" and loves him so much! He's such a cute Yorkie born in December 2009.

30. Our trip to the mountains this past July for our anniversary. We drove the Jeep and rode the majority of the time with the top down and it was soooo cool! (literally!)

31. The Carolina snow storm we had this year while I was 43 -- it was over Valentine's Day and it was amazing! We enjoyed riding the four-wheeler, building a snowman, eating snowcream, making snow angels, and having a great time playing like kids in the snow.

32. Bike riding with Joey and the kids on my "new" one speed bike which was also a yard sale treasure for 10.00! It's a cool bike!

33. Going to my first ever haunted house / haunted hay ride / haunted bus ride -- and then ended up going a second time to "Scream Acres!" SOOOO fun! (and scary!)

34. Not too sound egotistical but since this is my blog and I can highlight myself, well, here goes -- I feel like I had great hair this year being 43. I liked my hair this year. I have a great stylist, Brandi Kirby, and I love how she does my high lights and low lights with darker color towards the bottom back and I like my length this year. I'm not bragging, just thankful for my hair and it's the thing I receive compliments on most.

35. Woopee -- 'nuff said... per Joseph!

36. Fun redecorating the front living room -- new carpet, new brown leather furniture, and different window treatment including a cornice board Joseph built. Fun times with my honey!

37. Coming home to Joseph's home remodeling skills -- this time the hallway flooring and new flooring by fireplace and entranceway. Very pretty brown tile floor -- great job, Joseph!

38. White kitchen cabinets! Oh, yes, wanted that for a long time and Joseph saw to it that it got down and it looks so much better! Another new update to the house while I was 43!

39. Favorite song at 43, almost 44 right now is Smile by Uncle Kracker -- this song always makes me smile and feel happy -- LOVE IT!

40. My favorite movie I saw at 43 was "Dear John" - saw it in Idaho on a date our with Erika, just the 2 of us -- great movie!

41. I set some new goals for myself at 43 that will carry on into 44 but some of the smaller goals I reached already -- first one being weight loss and currently a 18 pounds off and reached first "mini" goal about one week ago. Goal by Christmas at 44 is 44 -- and I'm on my way!

42. My testimony at 43 is great and strong. I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and I know without a shadow of a doubt that my Heavenly Father lives and He loves me and that Jesus Christ is our Saviour. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today. I have a strong testimony of prayer and the power therein -- Heavenly Father is always there for us and He hears and answers our prayers. These things I not only believe in -- I know them with all my heart.

43. At 43, knocking on the door of 44 -- I AM HAPPY. I have challenges at 43 but I overcome most of them and I am a better person because of them. Yes, I am HAPPY and I look forward to seeing what 44 has in mind. I love my life and I am grateful for it and for the amazing family I have been blessed with. Life has been good to me and continues to be good...

Love grows best in little houses...

There's a country song that was popular some years back recorded by Doug Stone called "Little Houses" that I love. The lyrics seem to touch home for me and remind me so much of my growing up years -- "Love grows best in little houses with fewer walls to separate. Where you eat and sleep so close together you can't help but communicate. Oh, and if we had more room between us, think of all we'd miss -- Love grows best in houses just like this..." Everytime I've heard this song or thought of the lyrics I've realized how true they are! I grew up in a home that by today's standards would be considered a small home and oh how thankful I am for that opportunity. On the down side there is little you can hide in a small home so I didn't get by with too much by my parents, especially my mother, but how grateful I am that I didn't. As a young child my parents' room was right by mine so there was no staying up way too late with the TV on (black and white one with no cable, mind you, and way before the time of laptops or ipods!), no talking on the phone way too late, and surely no slipping in or out at the wrong time. During my dating years I can remember a time, or maybe several times that my boyfriend, Joseph would be there a little past curfew and as I tiptoed to the door for a last goodnight kiss I bumped the piano which made a loud thump alerting my parents whose room was, yes, just on the other side of the family room as well. Again, something for my own good and something that could only happen in small homes. Imagine as well that we shared one bathroom -- yes, one bathroom -- five people living in the same home with one bathroom and you know what -- it was also great. We learned to share and to accomodate our other family members. Not only by not taking too long because the next person would have to take a cold bath, but also by the way of being courteous. AND, it stayed very neat and clean -- with everyone using the same bathroom! That doesn't happen much in my home now where there are three bathrooms shared amongst 6 of us at the most generally. Wow how times have changed. I adore the memories of our home -- right there on Highway 34 between Ridgeway and Lugoff...I love the coziness there and the togetherness we shared as a family. I loved knowing if I got scared at night my parents were right there. I loved the smell and the wonderful aroma that would fill our entire home when my mother was baking something and my was it heavenly. Home...I love the sound of that...and I love that I grew up in a small home, one that was filled with love and governed by a mother and father who reared their children with a love of the Lord and in righteousness. Sometimes I look around and dream at times at those mansions on a hill in the magazines and then my thoughts are always brought back to the same beautiful memories -- Love does grow best in little houses.

the write thing to do...

Free agency...you know that gift we've all been given and I do re-iterate ALL have been given it, yes, that right and that gift that allows us ALL to make choices whether right or wrong -- well, that's what was on my mind tonight when I was driving home. As I do most days as soon as I get into my car I make a phone call usually first to my home to let my family know I'm on the way and to see if dinner is squared away. Second, if not first somedays, I call my parents to check on them and make sure their day was okay and the like. My mom is such an angel first of all and I truly believe she has a divine gift of ESP where her children are concerned and she always knows when to just listen to my spill. Well, tonight after work was one of those times. She listened so intently to each word I said and though I won't get into the logistics of the conversation, she truly listened and the point I got across was about doing the right thing. I have alot of this part of my mother in me as she really hurts and worries when others choose to not do the right thing. As I talked and she listened, I learned some new things about myself just by venting my feelings to her about some things that had been on my mind and some concerns I had about things close to me. I appreciate her listening and allowing me the opportunity to express some concerns I had and I know she felt what my heart was feeling. You see she is really special like that -- and I so wish I could be more like her. My mother truly is one of the most giving people in the entire universe. She never, ever meets a stranger and if she meets you she doesn't forget the details of the meeting. She remembers the needs of those she meets and she follows through to see if all possible that those needs can be met. For years as long as I can remember my parents always go out shopping on Christmas Eve -- not for themselves but to scout out in search of those who are scrambling to be able to put Santa under a tree and so many times it was through their kindness that a many a child was able to have Santa for Christmas -- all without any attention brought to them. I've watched them load the car with goodies and food galore to deliver on hundreds of occasions so someone would not do without. Yes, they truly do the right thing. As I arrived home tonight to an empty house the peace just seemed to engulf me. The quietness that is such a rarity brought me comfort of knowing that this truly is my refuge. I absolutely ADORE home -- it's not a mansion but it's our mansion and it's not filled with the finest of furnishings but it is HOME and to me it is the most beautiful place on earth -- for it is here that I find the love and the peace away from the things of the world and it's the place I spend with my family, my greatest treasure of all. As I sat eating my dinner alone of Corn Pops, it was delicious and I am so glad to be at home. All the thoughts I had throughout the day of choices that not only I but also those who are close to me that I love so much have made and are making just seem not that important because I know after my drive home that the Lord knows us so intricately. He loves us and knows every fiber of our being and every desire of our hearts -- and by us I mean each and every single one of us -- each one who has been given that gift of agency. It is because of His love for us that He has given us that gift and allows us to make choices, whether good or bad. Does knowing that make it less painful to watch those we love make choices that we know will not bring good consequences? No, not really, but it does give me peace and comfort knowing that I am not the judge and the Lord sees the entire picture, not just the opening and closing acts. I'm no stranger to bad choices and way too many times I've reacted to situations in ways that have brought very unpleasant consequences. However, though, I have felt of the Lord's love afterwards and I know that His love is immeasurable and there is nothing in this entire universe like it. He has promised He will go before us and He will be on our right hand and our left -- He knows all and there is nothing we will experience in this life He has not already felt for us. For this fact, I even more want to do the right thing. I am so grateful for my testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives and He answers prayers, no matter how great or how small. He loves me and He loves you and He wants us to make the right choices that will bring us back to Him someday so that we can live with Him and be reunited with our families someday for eternity. I'm so thankful that He placed me with such a loving earthly mother and father and for the teachings they've taught me in choosing the right -- I pray to be a better example of the things they've taught me. Thanks, Mom and Daddy, I love you both so much. Thank you for being patient with me and for loving me so much -- I hope I can be half the parent ya'll have been to me.

Love forever,

Just Me :)

Example-of-the-Believers

Example-of-the-Believers

"I'm not a failure, I've just found 10,000 ways that did not work." -Thomas Edison

I heard this quote in church last Sunday and it has stuck with me and I absolutely LOVE it! It was like a remarkable answer I'd been looking for and it has touched my heart and made it better. You see for quite a while now I've been reflecting on some choices I've made throughout my life and there are some I'm not quite proud of to say the least. As a matter of fact some of those not-so-great choices I've made, well, I've not made them only once. A few of them I've repeated and though I'm not proud of these choices they have made me the person I am and for that I have to say that I am a better person due to some of those not so positive choices. Am I glad I made them? No, I'm not glad but am I okay that I made some of them -- you better believe it. Never in my life I have I thoroughly appreciated the things that came really easy. Not much has come easy and I can tell you that because I hardly remember any of the things that did. However, those hard lessons -- those I can remember well! Most of them, well, let's just see I hold them close in my heart and I appreciate them with the biggest part of my heart. Do wrong choices make us a failure? How would we appreciate the good without the bad? The scriptures give us many references to just this very thing. Without Eve having tasted the forbidden fruit there would be no right and wrong, bitter and sweet. Was it the right thing Eve did? No, but she was given the choice also known as free agency to choose and act for herself. She chose to eat of the bitter fruit which resulted in Adam also partaking of the fruit and for this they were cast out of the Garden of Eden and life was then so different for them.

Agency is a gift given to each of us and we are held accountable for those choices. I am so grateful for the gift of repentance and the opportunity to repent of the mistakes I have made and continue to make in my life. I am thankful for the gift of the Atonement and for my Savior who gave his entire life and suffered the greatest pain so that we can be forgiven for our mistakes. I love my Heavenly Father and I owe Him so much. It is incredible what he did, even for just me and the love He has even for just me. I know He must hurt when I make wrong choices and stray just as I hurt when my children do the same. I KNOW He loves me, I feel the LOVE He has for me everyday. He does not want me to fail - He doesn't want any of His children to fail - He is there for us at all times.

For the good things in my life that I've done, it has been because of the things I've been taught by those in my life and by the grace of dear Father in Heaven. All good things come from Him. For the mistakes I've made, I am truly sorry and hope to be a little better tomorrow than I am today which is hopefully a little better than yesterday. For the setbacks I've had, well, hopefully I've learned from them and there's some roads I hope to never travel back through. For the future, I pray for strength to go forward with a smile and to help someone else along the way so they don't travel the dark roads I've traveled and hopefully my destination will be one of sunny days and happy times with my loved ones. As for the past I'd like to borrow the words of Mr. Edison himself : "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that did not work."

Hey, it's Just Me...

Several months ago I made a phone call to my parents' home when I got off work just as I do so many days when I get off - kind of a normal thing to do to check in on them and once making sure they are okay I then usually proceed to tell them about my day. Well, there was no answer which is not unusual as they have a busy life and are frequently out and about doing things together. The answering machine came on, I listened to my daddy's kind voice on the recorder and then the beep after which I began, "Hey, ya'll, it's just me. Just calling to see what ya'll were up to, I love you, call me when you get home," and I hung up my cell phone. Several hours later I received a callback from them and my daddy said, "What do you mean "Just Me" - there is no such thing as a JUST Valencia!" with a chuckle in his voice. I smiled from ear to ear because I could feel the love in his voice when he said that -- a father doesn't accept a JUST anything from his children (especially from his baby daughter!) and to him I felt much more than a just a JUST me...However, this conversation touched me and it's become somewhat of an "icon" to me and now when I leave a message and say "Hey, it's just me..." I smile really big becuase the Just Me means more than just a "just" and not only that - I now sign my love notes I stick in my sweetheart's lunch bag for work - Forever, Just Me adding a smiley face underneath. With this in mind and having a love for writing which may not mean very much to anyone else besides those who love me a little I've decided to create a new blog, unlike my family blog (valenciadinkins.blogspot.com) that will be devoted to what's on my mind, you know "Just Me." I hope you'll enjoy reading and come back to visit often...