Happy Birthday to Me...

Well in a couple of hours it will be 37 years since my mother gave birth to me. Wow that seems like a long time, a least a little less than half of a lifetime. So To celebrate I am going to write something that I remember (or someone else can remember) from my 37 years of life. Feel free to leave your own memory of my life. Here we go...
1972 I was born at 4:15 AM. My Grandpa Coombs come to California to give me a name and a blessing. And I moved from California to Utah in September of that year.
1973 I can't remember anything I was only 1 year old. My mother became pregnant with my little brother (not a memory but a fact).
1974 My grandfather Norman Coombs died in January of that year, my brother was born in March.
1975 My grandfather Sam Dunham died in April of that year, My parents got married in November.
1976 My Aunt Mary either got married in this year or my cousin Rick was born.
1977 I lived with my Aunt Barbara for a few weeks and started Kindergarten in Miss Hunsakers class at David Gourley Elementary.
1978 I lived in Kearns and a girl named Shari Nelson was my best friend.
1979 I lived and had my seventh birthday in a foster home. It was a great example of how a family can function.
1980 I was baptized by my favorite cousin Scott Morgan on August 2, 1980, I actually practiced drinking the water the first time and had to be immersed a second time. My grandmother was at my baptism. On August 3, 1980 I was confirmed a member of the church by my Uncle Rick.
1981 I planned my own birthday party, I told my mom the day before it was going to happen. She didn't like that to well.
1982 I was in fifth grade and had the best sheepherder teacher for 5th grade. McKeon Straight was his name. I was in Merry Miss and read the book Charlie's Monument. This book helped me know that no matter what you are born with you can become what you want.
1983 My mom moved little bro and I to Provo for a few months. By the end of the year I lived with my dad.
1984 I started school at Rolling Meadows Elementary, and started Junior High at Westlake in West Valley, Utah
1985 I moved into my Uncle Eddie's home, It was so nice of him and Aunt Sharon to let me live there. Another lesson in overcoming adversity, and the Plan of Salvation, my Grandmother who was everything to me died and her death gave me courage to stand and say I won't follow a path that wouldn't lead back to her.
1986 I found my first friend that would last a lifetime, Karen Marda. I learned to read scriptures and to know that they are true. I felt the Spirit very strong in my life and knew that the Jesus Christ's Atonement can help us through everything. I moved to Colorado in December.
1987 Fifteen, Fifteen year old daughters think they know everything, boy was I wrong.
1988 I went back to Utah to see if the grass was greener with my mom...
1989 I went back to Colorado, moved out on my own sorta, in August, and started my senior year of High school.
1990 I started class at USC (university of second choice) in January. My dad had a heart attack in March or April. My little brother joined the Army and I graduated from High school in June, moved into the dorm in August, met many new friends,some that would be lifelong friends and others not so long.
1991 Finished my freshman year of college, decided to see if the grass again might be greener in Utah, (it wasn't) went to summer school. Met a very interesting Mormon Missionary in July. Moved out of my apartment in with Sister Goodbar.
1992 I am in my sophomore year of college, I got engaged, broke it off, got engaged again to the same guy, and broke it off again. He wasn't the right guy.
1993 My Junior year of college finished with me being elected as VP for the student government. A very nice return Missionary seemed to think I was the right girl for him and we got engaged in November (I didn't break it off).
1994 I moved to California, worked for the State Treasurer, realized I had probably wasted my degree on not wanting to work for the government. I did get married in the Oakland Temple 6 days before my 22nd birthday. I started my first job that paid more than minimum wage.
1995 Quit my first job, took a second job, survived my first year of marriage (so did Dave :)
1996 Fertility drugs finally worked, my dad almost died that summer, but thankful experimental surgery worked, but the wound was horrible and so was his mood swings. A wonderful son arrived in November and I gave up my gallbladder three weeks later. And my freedom to carelessly live my life, with the responsibility of motherhood.
1997 My mother-in-law got very sick. We moved back to Dave's parents to help.
1998 Dave's mom died in March, we started adoption classes and Dave's dad had a brain aneurysm in August. Not such a good year. My daughter was born but I wouldn't know it until March of 1999.
1999 Lizzy came to be our daughter, in March.
2000 Robert came to be our son just after Lizzy's second birthday in September. Papa (Dave's dad) came home from the convalescent home. We learned what it means to love unconditionally with Baby/Toddler/Preschooler and a Papa to care for.
2001 Miracles never stopped at our house this year.
2002 More Miracles including a pregnancy that was not planned and definitely something God thought we could handle.
2003 Our Miracle Kyle arrived in February. And the most devastating Christmas with the loss of Dave's dad in December.
2004 We thought for a second to pack up and go to Arizona, but cooler heads prevailed and we stayed in Manteca. Kids all in some kind of school. Me busy being a mom. Which I love. I went to Utah and Colorado on a road trip with my four kids. Dave remodeled our Kitchen and floors.
2005 Can our life get any better, We just fixed up our house and feel pretty comfortable in our life.
2006 Our family moved to Utah, we bought our first house, could life be any different?
2007 I took a job at the kids Elementary school, as the "bus lady" and a favorite substitute.
2008 Travelling is not so much fun when your husband does it alone. Dave took a job promotion back to Cali. We tried to sell our Utah house.
2009 I am back in Cali, we just finished painting and fixing parts of our house.I have been married to the most amazing man for 15 years!!! I love my kids, they are my life, and I am happy that I am their mother.
What will the future hold for me well 37 more years filled with lots of adventure, or maybe not so much adventure. Just peace.
If you read this...thanks for being part of my life. It's been a wonderful experience this far.