2008 and counting....

I am late with my New Year's greeting to everyone, but I still want to wish everyone a Happy 2008. I have been busy finalizing the 2007 Young Single Adult Branch history so that I can get it printed and then add all the pictures I have and those that members have collected for me. I am the branch historian and this report/project is due on the 15th of this month. I hope I will make it! I have also compiled the history for 2006 and a short report on the few months when we began as a YSA Group in August of 2005. I can't believe that we are starting our 3rd year in the YSA Branch. We love working with the young adults, but I must say that I miss our home ward once in a while. It has been interesting to read back on all the experiences and blessings we've shared with these young people and all that we have accomplished in the short time we've been organized. We look forward to many more this year.

I so enjoyed Christmas and I didn't get that blogged, either. So here are some highlights. I love having my family here, (even though it is a lot of work) and we always miss Alisa and her family. Montana roads make it tough in the winter, but we did enjoy a fun visit with them over Thanksgiving. It was nice to have Chad and Collette home again, last year they were both gone for Christmas. I pulled a few surprises for them, which I love to do for Christmas. You can see on the Clark Family blog the good times we had with Rock Band and Guitar Hero. For our Christmas dinner we all ate favorite Clark traditions such as Dale's sweet and sour pork and parmesan cheese ball; Mary's pudding salad and gingersnaps; Sarah's spinach dip, crackers, and relish tray; Collette's broccoli salad; and my little smokies in Habby Too sauce, sugar cookies, and another cheese cake. Grandma tended the grand kids one night (thanks Dale, Chad, and Collette for your help) while all the parents went out to dinner together. We cut out old Christmas cards, put puzzles together, and watched a movie while we munched on popcorn. I am already thinking about next year's plans for Thanksgiving as that is the winter holiday when the family will all be together again.

For New Year's, Dale and I went to the 7 Stake Young Single Adult New Year's Bash at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. There were around 1,000 young adults there and we played twister, did karaoke, ate, and danced with about 25 of those from our branch. I believe it is the first time in many years that I was actually awake for the count down.

2008 has brought us many new things already! We purchased a new Dodge Caravan that Collette says is the color of the ocean when it storms...go figure! Actually, I think the technical term is steel or gray green. We have already transported some young single adults to the Boise Temple in it on January 5th. They were all excited to watch a movie on the DVD player, but every time we went over a bump, it shut off. (That was repaired the following Monday!) I have missed my Montana and it will be nice to transport all the HabbyToo stuff, too. 2008 has already brought us some snow, too! We measured 6 inches that fell on Tuesday. We watched it fall and shoveled every few hours to keep up with the accumulation. That is the most snow we have had here for about 10 years. My piano lessons didn't come and they even canceled the ball game at the high school....yea, we haven't dealt with snow for quite some time!

2008 has brought the opportunity to read the Book of Mormon again for Sunday school. We did study the first half of the B of M with our YSA kids on Wednesday night Institute class this past year and we are looking forward to beginning the 2nd half next week. We always meet them in Twin at Taco Bell, or Artic Circle, or some other eatery on a single's budget. Collette is teaching our YSA Gospel Doctrine class and she did a fantastic job with her first lesson this past Sunday. So we are going to really enjoy the blessings the Lord promises us when we read and study the Book of Mormon each day.

2008 will bring us our new temple in TwinFalls. When we went to our scheduled baptism/other ordinance work trip to Boise Temple this month, we were told that the next trip we schedule will be in our new temple. We have not had an official announcement yet on dates for open house and dedication, but we are anxiously awaiting them. I have been working with the director of the dedication choir that our stake will participate in on names for the choir so we can be ready to go with rehearsals. It has been quite the process, as our stake is only allowed 4 or 5 names to fill the 16 to18 member choir made up of members from three stakes.

2008 will bring three new grand babies. They are such a joy in my life and I hope to be able to spend more time with each one this year. I am making resolutions that 2008 will bring more phone calls...emails...blog entries...visits...and just keeping in touch with all my family near and far.