Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from our family. Well Christmas is in 12 days and the weather has been so nice that it just doesn't feel like Christmas. Yesterday the missionaries spoke in church and they did such a great job. One of the elders told a story about a boy whose brother gave him a nice fancy car for christmas. The car was parked outside in a public place and one night just before christmas he came out to see a poor unkempt boy looking at his car. The other boy asked him if that was his car and he replied that it was and that his brother gave it to him. He was feeling smug at the time. The poor boy began to make a statement "I wish that" and the boy felt that he knew what the poor boys statement would be, " I wish that I had a brother like that". But the poor boy went on to state "I wish that I could be that kind of brother". The statement took the boy off guard. The poor boy then began to make another statement " I wish that I could" and the boy felt that the poor boy was going to say "I wish that I could go for a ride in the car" and the poor boy stated "I wish that someday my brother could ride in a car like this". The boy was again caught off guard. He began to soften a little and asked the boy if he would like a ride home. The boy smiled so big and said that he would. When they arrived at the poor boys home the poor boy ran into the house and scooped up his polio sticken brother, ran him out to the car and the three boys drove around looking at the beautiful christmas lights together. The boy was truly touched and realized how good it felt to give to others.
Today was a good day for me. My Bonco group decided to all pull our money together and give to a needy family. We normally draw names and exchange gifts. We were able to come up with $240.00 and I proposed to them that instead of just one family, we could donate the money to Parenting Arizona which is a group that sponsors about 70 families in the area. They do a christmas party for all their families and feed them and buy all the kids involved a toy. I had to the opportunity to call the head of that group and tell her that I had the money for her. She was so touched and told me that she and her staff were just dicussing how they were going to pull that off and that we were an answer to her prayers. It was so awesome. It felt so good. So thank you ladies of my Bonco group. We did an awesome thing and we will be blessed.
I challenge all of you to find someone in need of a few minutes of your time over the next two weeks and do something nice for that person. It does not have to involve money, just a little bit of your time. Pray for the opportunity to serve and then listen when you are given the prompting and no matter how busy you are there is ALWAYS time to serve others. Happy Holidays to you and yours. We are truly grateful this holiday season for friends and family. We love you all.
Tausinga's, Filipe, Kristi, Kyli, Kelly, Cooper, and Ana Ray

My Journey

Friday I began a "Journey". I bought a book through the LDS Bookstore, 21 Days Closer to Christ. I began my journey on Friday and honestly after just two days I am feeling better already. I have been really struggling lately, not being able to go to church for the last five months and attending my meetings regulary and attending Relief Society, has really taken its toll on me. I have not followed up with my own personal study as I should have and I am feeling it.
So I began my journey on Friday and have Filipe on board. We spent some time Friday reading the first chapter and it talked about Jesus and his deciples and his invitation to Come and See, Come and Follow Me and just trusting him and following him with all your heart.
I am so blessed in my life and I know that I have some issues that I need to work on, but I am blessed.
Day two of the journey talked about the different names that Jesus is called and about knowing your name, honoring it and being true to it. Bring honor to yourself and family and be able to know and be confident that when someone hears your name, they will have good thoughts, and know that you are respectible, honorable, dependable, charitable, sincere, faithful, and all that you can be.
I love my heavenly father and am making a vow to not let myself get into the situation that I did. I may not always be able to attend my meetings because of work, but that doesn't mean that I have to go without getting spiritually fed.

Where has the time gone??

Well I did not realize that it had been so long since I had posted anything. Life is crazy right now with Thanksgiving just having passed and Christmas around the corner. I am definately going to have to try and do better. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and will post something in a few days.

So I went to Prescott this week to visit my cousin Korina. Just me and Ana went and spent the night and then had an early Thanksviving dinner with her and her kids. It was a great day. Ana had been to Utah for a week with her dad and I was grateful for time spent with her. When we were eating Korina asked her what she was thankful for and she said that she was thankful for her mom and family. It was so special. She is such an amazing little girl.

Kyli was not able to come home for Thanksgiving. Tahlisa's parents went down to cook for the girls and they were able to take Kelly with them. So that was good. He is still in the Valley with his sister and hopefully having a great time.

Cooper has been with his dad for a week and gets to come home tomorrow. I cannot wait to see him, I have missed the little fart. He is trying to come up with a plan to go and spend the summer with an Elder that is leaving his mission in two days. Cooper wants to go to Idaho and work on a farm. Should be good for him.

Thanksgiving was spent at Tamie's house this year with just me and Ana and Tamie and her kids. It was quiet but good.

I have so much to be thankful for.

Danny Boy

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

I just heard this song as I am sitting listening to Hymns on this beautiful Sabbath morning, just chillin and enjoying the peace and quiet at work, reflecting on my life and the things that I have accomplished and yet need to accomplish. This song was sung at my dads funeral and I know that it has always been a favorite of my moms. I am missing my dad and wish he were here to see my kids and meet Filipe and Ana. I brag about what an awesome chess player he was and love it when Lipe tells me "oh man I would whip that fool in some chess", ha for one thing Lipe is an amazing chess player but my dad was smart like that and for another thing those of you that knew my dad, NO ONE made a statement that they would "WHIP" him in anything, all that did was make him show you that you would not win, whether it was Chess, or a good ole fist fight. So yeah, am thinkin I am going to have to go with my dad on that one. :)

I know things didn't end up they way that my mom and family had planned, but I do know that when I was eight years old I entered the St. George Temple and was sealed to my parents, and I truly believe in my heart that when the time comes for my parents to be reunited that all will be forgiven and made well and that our family will continue to forever be eternal. I am truly thankful for the man that he was and is and know in my heart that bacause of the plan of salvation, as long as I live the commandments and do the things that I am supposed to do, I will see and be with him again.

So Danny Boy, Dad, Dan Ramsey, I love you so much, I miss you, but am thankful for the foundation of that gospel that you and my mom raised me on and that I can know in the center of my soul, I will be reunited with you again. Hugs and Kisses. xxoo

Have I Done Any Good?

Mosiah 2:17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

So one of my favorite church hymns is Have I Done Any Good. This song asks the question "have I done any good in the world today, have I helped anyone in need?"
This morning I had a talk with a good friend about service and how service is lacking in this world today. Our world is so caught up on peoples attitudes of what I can I do for "me", instead of what can I do for "others". I think the valued of service and charity are being buried and that people just don't serve like they should and like they used to.
So I started questioning my service and honestly I don't feel as though I have done a good job of it lately, In a sense I do because of my job, and I really am trying to do a good job there and take each call and make it personal and try to serve the person that has requested my assistance. I feel as though I am doing well in that area, but the area of serving when I am not working is lacking. I know I am a good person and will do things for people when asked, but how often do I self initiate service? Well I cant say exactly, but I can say, not enough.
So today I am setting a goal that every day this week I am going to do something for someone else, not just my family, but others that need my service. I am going to pray each morning for heavenly father to bless me with the opportunity to serve, and I am going to listen to that still small voice inside of me and act upon my prompting and do those things which I am prompted to do. I will write again in one week and report on how my week has gone. I am also going to challenge my kids and husband to do the same thing, and hopefully with all of us serving, we can take a step back and see the blessings that we have been blessed with.

I am feeling old

So Kyli is going to be 18 in two days, and I am feeling quite old. I can remember the day I found out I was going to have a baby I was so excited. I was having the worst cramps though and no morning sickness. I was told that maybe I had a tubal pregnency and that I had to wait two weeks for an ultrasound to make sure she was in the right place. Whew what a relief it was so see that little dot on the ultrasound and know she was growing in the right place. When she was born she was so stinkin little, only 5lbs 14oz and 17 inches long, I can remember she was healthy just small and she was so dry, there was no amneotic fluid around her and her skin was yucky, but when they got her cleaned up she was beautiful, she had a head full of blond hair and still has an amazing head of hair.
Well my beautiful daughter is leaving home soon and has graduated. I am so proud of her and am looking forward to the life she is about to begin to experience. I know that she has a strong foundation and I have given her the tools that she needs to succeed. It is not always going to be easy, but I pray she will hold onto the rod (remember camp Ky when I persuaded you to let go how devistating it was), and remember her heavenly father loves her and wants her to ask for his help to get her through the trials she will face.
I am truly thankful for being blessed with the opportunity to be a mother and that is one of the greatest blessings I have and I cherish every moment. Go forth my daughter and shine. I love you Ky and Happy 18th Birthday.

My bigson the "surfer"

So a few weeks ago part of our family went to Utah for a family reunion. Kyli was not able to go and Cooper was at Scout Camp. I had the privelige of going with Lipe, Kelly and Ana. Kelly and I had a great time and had an opportunity to grow alot closer. We hiked up the creek one day and washed our hair in it while trying to avoid some monsterous crawdads and had so much fun. We also had the opportunity to go boating with my cousin Tam her hubby and two of her boys. We had such a great time with them. Kelly got to ride the knee board and try the wake board. Unfortunately the wind came up while he was attempting the wake board and he never really got up, I think he would have if we would have tried earlier in the morning, but he was so fun to watch on the knee board. He has been working this summer and is such a great kid. I have really gotten close with him the past few months while all the other kids have been gone and we have had a great time. He is such an Amazing boy and has so much talent. So although he wasn't technically surfing he was riding the waves dude.