Tuesday, April 29, 2008--this is the day I started this entry

Hi Friends,

Yesterday was my Christian's birthday--15 years old and I can hardly believe it. We had so much fun and we were so busy that he was opening presents at midnight with me chiding him to hurry and get on to bed. But today, I am feeling sort of blue. He is my baby and he is growing up too quickly. I hate that he's 15 and pestering me to take him to get his driver's permit. Peter was 4 when I found out that I was pregnant with Christian, and I remember wondering how I would ever love another child as much as I loved Peter. Well, everyone else knows the answer to that one. Christian is definitely a child who keeps us hopping. A little like Teri in that there is usually a big plan or a crisis. But always a lot of fun. He had decided long ago what he wanted to do for his birthday. We have a brand new train which is going from Ogden to Salt Lake City, and its first day was Saturday. Chris wanted to take the train down to meet Bob and Peter for dinner--and then I thought that we could ride home with Bob. Well, it turned out to be one of 3 free days for riding the Frontrunner, and 30,000 other souls had the same thought. Yikes!!! Going down to Salt Lake wasn't too bad in a claustrophobic sort of way. It was exciting and entertaining. Christian never stopped looking out the window and Teri entertained various toddlers in her inimitable way. After dinner, Chris--a train lover from the day he was born--was determined to take the train home again and Teri kept reminding me that it was after all his birthday, so away we went. Bob make it home in 45 minutes and we made it home in 3.5 hours. At one point he called to tell us that the train he just passed looked like the India Express. He was right--people practically hanging off the windows. I will be glad to pay for my next ride.

It is a huge thing for us and very exciting. Bob took it to work yesterday and I hope that he will do it often. And for any of you coming to Salt Lake and not wanting to rent a car, we are such a pleasant and easy shot on the Frontrunner. If you were staying in downtown Salt Lake, it is a quick ride on the public transit to the train and a fun ride to Ogden. We are an easy 2 block walk from the station. It is going to be great.

OK--here it is Thursday, and I have yet to finish this. So I am going to send it off and move on. Next week we have some fun new things coming that are just being finished. 2 new Baubles. The retreat is overflowing and Teri and I are very excited. We spent all last weekend working on a project for it and it is very fun. You will all flip--well if you are coming to the retreat that is. Have a great week, plenty of calm and lots of accomplishments. That is also what I hope for myself. I think I am chaperoning a band trip tomorrow evening and I am too scared to call and find out.

fondly, Tina

ps--still snowing.
pps--not kidding.