Annual Update

How is life in Omaha this November you ask? Well it is great. Omaha is no doubt about it our home now. Scott and I really do love it here and can't believe we've been here for 6 months already. I have a feeling the next 2.5 years are going to fly.

Scott has had an "easy going" last couple of weeks which has been so nice. It's such a treat to have him home for dinner most nights, and to watch our favorite shows and do whatever. Oh don't worry, they're only on like sport #6? These boys have now played intermural basketball, dodgeball, softball, flag football, ward basketball, and now it's an indoor soccer league and another basketball league starts up on Wednesday. I swear these boys play a sport every night! It's so great for them though as they're cooped up inside all day. We have had the greatest weather, it's been blue sky and in the 50's and 60's. I never thought I'd be running outside in a t-shirt in November out here. So that's been a treat. But today it is CHILLY and frigid and to be honest, it's so cold it makes me want to throw up when I go outside. The sad thing is that I know it's not even close to how cold it's GOING to get here. I'm so in for it. But hey, at least we're half way through November right?!

Scott had his very first dental patient on Friday, and it was....ME! It was so awesome and I was so proud of him. It was his first time off the manakin and onto his first "real human mouth". It hit me when I was in the waiting room and out walked Dr. Scott Elder with his lab coat on and his clear classes on his head and he called my name out that man! he is truly on his way to being a dentist. He did great. He was totally loving it, and it was great practice. I'm glad I was his first appointment and I could give him some pointers and be honest with him. The beauty is that he's got 2 more full years of doing it everyday and by the time he's done he'll be a pro.

School for me is awesome. I love it more and more everyday. I don't know what I'm going to do when this year is over and all the kids go on to 3rd grade, I'm going to have some major withdrawls. They're becoming such better readers and it's so fulfilling to watch them learn and grow. I feel like a mother to all of them. On Tuesday and Thursday nights I got another "little" job working at a family shelter with the kids. So far it's been amazing. The kids are amazing and it breaks my heart to look at them and think that they don't have a home. I try not to think about it because it makes me cry and I need to be strong and solid when I'm with them. We talk a lot about self respect, confidence, making good choices, and just about life. I love hearing them talk about school and what they want to be when they grow up. I shutter to think about their futures and what's in store for them, but I hope that somehow I can make a difference in their lives. They deserve so much more than they have. Everytime I walk out of there I just think, "Wow, I sure am blessed". I get into my warm car and turn on some tunes on my ipod and drive home to my cozy little home to my best friend and hop in a warm, California king size bed with no worries of where I'm going to go next. It's been a real eye opener for me and how good of a life I have.

I am so excited for the Thanksgiving holiday. It's going to be different being away from home, but in all honesty, our friends and neighbors here are our family and we are going to have an awesome dinner and day. We will have a delicious dinner and are going to top it off with the classic Christmas Vacation movie. I can't wait, that's my favorite flick of all time. I hope to really focus for the remainer of this month and especially through the rest of the Christmas season on how blessed I am. Yesterday our bishop gave us such amazing counsel and he talked about missionary work and sharing the gospel. It truly is the greatest gift I have in my life. The knowledge of why I'm here and what my purpose is and I need to share that with others. It really is the best gift I can give anyone.

I can't believe Christmas is going to be here before we know it! In primary we started singing Christmas songs already and I can't even believe it. I am SO excited to whip out all my Christmas piano music. That is my favorite thing to do at Christmas is to play Christmas music, with a close runner up of listening to Christmas music. I love it. Does anyone reccamend any of their favorite Christmas songs/albums? I am always up for new suggestions to add to my collection. Please share! I promised Scott though I would wait till after Thanksgiving but I can always listen to it in my car without him. Okay, I actually kind of snuck it the other night and it made me homesick! Watching Utah football games and seeing Rice Eccles Stadium are so far really the only thing that has made me really really really miss home, but Christmas music did do it the other night, I'll be honest. But the beauty is that in one month from today we are going back to Utah for a few weeks and couldn't be more excited. I cannot wait to see my family and to hang with everyone. Although I won't have a ski pass this year, I am completely content with hanging out in a cozy house, reading a book by the fire place and making homemade bread, or sipping hot chocolate and watching "It's a Wonderful Life". Scott on the other hand is finagling getting a ski pass somehow (that kid....I tell ya) I love him. But let's just say that moving to Nebraska has not deffered him from skiing one bit. Golf is now over and it's all skiing talk. I thought he might "forget" about it for 3 years. Fat chance with this guy. It's like trying to say no to a big kid. Impossible!

Speaking of, he's upstairs hollering for me to come up to bed. I can't say no to that one either. Hope you are all doing well and are enjoying the holiday season. Much love,
The Elders