Well they Did it! they are married for Time and ALL eternity.  It was (except for a totally not usable wedding cake and sick sick people) a very very nice week and went off without so much as a hick-up!  Thank you to Anona and her supportive family, we could not have done it without you and yours!  Thank you thank you thank you!!!

It was so great to see and visit with people we had not seen nor heard of even with Facebook for weeks, months and some even years.
We got a picture taken of our little family with everyone there, a first ever I believe! Well thanksgiving we were all here, but even then we knew we were missing TylerGeorg!  He was being a butt!  I'm grateful to have been able to catch us together for a blink of time in this vast world of fast paces and high technology.  I did miss not having the Ren's there and would so love to have Timmy's family involved ... someday! I for now will just be grateful and not greedy.  Cuz then there is that Sobczak side that just can't seem to get all together at once either... is it just the way of life nowadays???!  Maybe in December or this thanksgiving 4th of July Halloween What on earth can bring us all together ... please for a happy occasion and not a sad one!!!!

Well anyway we left the honeymooners at BYU in the capable hands of PRovo Utah!  They both seemed truly happy and little scared to death!!!  That was worth the picture white faced humble and scared to death!  But I know without a shadow of doubt they are meant to be together and happiness trials and greatness is ahead for them.  thank you all for your support of my kids

Amric Graduates May 23rd Help Us Celebrate the 26th

This announcement made with Smilebox

It's my "One Thing"!

I've recently had the question presented to me "When and Where are Tyler and Ayris getting married?"!  You cannot begin to imagine the discussion surrounding the final out come of the choice where these two have chosen to be married, yet in a Temple or not in a Temple has never been a Topic of discussion it's always been in a Temple!  So I thought for those readers out there I'd like to share why "A Temple".

Amric Zane (He's my baby!) plays Rugby with the Creighton High School young men in Omaha Nebraska, they are Catholic.  They talked about going out to eat together this week on Friday but it seemed pointless to them - it being Good Friday and all!  Thus the belief that they only eat fish on Friday. I bring this up because it is their "thing" - something that they believe in.  Amric being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka; Mormon) and teased constantly and nicknamed "Stormin' Mormin" has things he believes in too.  Nothing he likes more than playing Rugby but like it or not they  play on Sunday he believes it's the Sabbath thus chooses to not play - it's his "thing".   We all have our beliefs - our "things" we choose to believe in.  Tyler choose to go on a Mission to Ohio to share with the people there the beliefs he has learned, chosen and lives in.  One of those beliefs also is to be Married in a Temple.  We went from Seattle  to Oquirrh  then to Omaha back Seattle down to Portland back to Omaha then back to Oquirrh.  Being from the Northwest we wanted all of us to go back there to have this wedding, but due to expense and travel and making arrangements from so far away it bounced back to Omaha, but then we haven't lived here very long and the kids don't really know too many.  Before Tyler left on his mission almost 3 years ago now, the Oquirrh Temple was having on Open House where anyone can go walk thru it so we did.  Tylers mom was with us, it was Beautiful - they saw it together and so the goal, let's get married here! Plus they are going back to school in Utah so it just fits together for them and the timing - it's all about timing isn't it?!?!?!?!

Ayris was raised being taught that to be married in a Temple by someone who has the Authority "Seals you as a couple and a family for Time and All Eternity" vs til death do you part.  I know that just about anyone any more can get a certificate to marry people.  But in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Inside one of these Temple's - it is simple, beautiful and sacred - teaching us to be calm, seek learning and include God in our marriage and family.  It has been taught in the scriptures from the beginning.  Besides the religious factors this idea (being sealed for Time and Eternity) is the ceremony and proves out in the statistics showing less Divorce. The principle being we don't want to go into marriage thinking; this is my First one, or if this doesn't work it's over; but instead "this is it" - it's the kids' motto - "Thru thick and thin" and as my Mother taught me - "Love the one you're with, Love 'em up Good and Hard, Work it out Kelly Sue Endure it well."   I like how Dory on Nemo says it too - "Just keep Swimming".   

Thus the answer - We get married in the Temple to keep it simple, beautiful (without great expense) and to remind us it's sacred sealing us to each other and our family for eternity.   For the most part it's our anchor and the few people that are their with us are our Links of support on Occasion we are sadly missing some of those links and work hard to connect, adhere, splice complete that missing link and include them in any and all other ways we can.  Richard and I both were married in the Temple without our parents (some people don't know that about us).  The Bible teaches us to leave our parents and cleave unto each other, knowing that right from the beginning creates a bond, a link, a love - a  trust that is unbreakable not ever to be broken.  That's the "Thing" I believe in.  Families can be and are Forever - from the beginning thru this life and on to the next that's my "One Thing" I hold on to that gives me HOPE and focus and leads me to the Temple to find peace, simplicity and remind me of the love of a good man covenants of a God that loves us and is with me always! The world distracts us always attempting to tear us apart we need that extra devotion to one another and to God to keep us together.  And that's my take on it!!!  

Remember the "things" your Mother taught you!

Thru Thick and Thin ... they have a "Thing"

My Ayris Joan and Shelley's Tyler Georg are getting married!  We are down to single digits so it's getting a little more intense around here!  It's been a Ross and Rachel experience - ya know like watching Friends every week, watching these two figure out their status (before Facebook had a status)!  With all too much excitement we are witnessing the final days of a friendship gone dating, turned family member, then trashed to love hate and wait bounced back and forth is she waiting for him or is he waiting for her or aren't they???  


Til last summer when they weren't. Then Thanksgiving when they skyped  and Christmas when they were friends turned courting, circled with engagement and in 9 days sealed for Time and ALL Eternity (I don't know why that ALL came out in ALL caps - but it did!).  


Side note here, it's obviously been too long since I blogged because this whole site has changed up and is completely boring and different, I'll have to catch up - but if you know me at all - I'm not promising anything here in print on the internet for everyone to read!!!!  (Yes Anona I am overusing the Exclamation Point or mark - for me a symbol of true pazazzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Once upon a time, along long time ago we had a little pink love 
 baby.  For 9 months I carried her while I got up at 3 am and went to deliver newspapers in Arizona, while we crabbed in Coos Bay Oregon, When we moved from Oregon to Arizona and then to Washington - it could be why she never stopped moving since the day she was born!  She was instantly the apple in her Dad's eye - so much to drive the others of us in the family completely insane!  She and her Daddy immediately had a "thing"! She and her brother have a "thing".  Austin has looked out for her always, she's Wally to him, well to some of us!  AND now she will have yet a 3rd Man who will now be her #1 MAN - TYLER EVAN GEORG they have a "thing" - a "love thing" that they have and have had "Thru Thick and Thin"!!!!!!  Congrats You Two I'm so happy for you!  Just keep Swimming everyday in every things will be a little better - REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE!

A positive day

Ok so I'm so grateful that apryl lives by me.... Today we had a little heart to heart and she gave me great advice without even knowing it! She said; "to find the will inside to fight you can't give in to old habits and desires without even striving for the goal. She is such a great example of self motivation and will power... I'm really grateful for my daughter!

I got nothin'

You really can't write any more, not without everyone reading . . . Unless you have a handwritten journal somewhere in your house. But who wants that? We really do want to reach out to converse with someone in our busy worlds, have feed back engage in some sort of a social life! Or do we? How do we share our lives or get close to someone any more?
Today I posed a question on Facebook wondering what is inside a person that gives them the fight to succeed vs the willingness to quit? I do want to know, but don't want to pray to find out. I want to be a person who is strong my book, tv and movie character role models my Scripture hero's and heroines they have "it", I don't. I understand that it's mostly pride that gets in our way .. Well my way. I understand that people can't win with me, I'm not very trusting, I want help but I don't want to ask for it...if given I feel like a failure cuz I even needed it. So again ask? I wonder what is submission vs pride and how do you do that without feeling completely like, well you're a freakin idiot with no voice?

I strive, I guess, because I never like nor want to feel that way, to be non-confrontational - to not be the person that makes you feel like that. But somehow I wish I didn't care how you feel and could get you to like something I like or do something I like to do. Maybe my momma shouldn't loved me unconditionally leading to me to believe that everyone would love me that way too. That unrealistic. I got nothin.

2011 Christmas letter

Sobczak Greetings to you and yours  - our year went like this… Miles traveled 2011

You’ve heard what they say –“Whatever you are doing on New Years you’ll do the rest of the year –well were driving miles!  Thus this is our year…

930 miles new years 2012to Austin and Anona's

3400 + miles to Seattle and back for Amric to do his "eagle project" paperwork

3250 miles Richard and Amric to Portland

244 + miles to Elma Eagle scout board of review –he is a full-fledged Eagle Scout now!

930 miles to Sobczak's Kelly and Ayris to visit babysit and take AJ to school

425 miles to Las Vegas babysit baby grand’s while Apryl & Sean go to London

425 back to SLC

850 miles round trip one more time Vegas to Draper!

Unlimited trips Draper to Provo setting Ayris up at school and women's conf @byu

930 miles HOME to Omaha

188 miles to Kansas City. Rugby

54 miles to Far West, MO. Youth conference

181 miles back home to Omaha

1076 miles for round-trip to Denver for Rugby                 

50 miles unlimited trips to Little Sioux camping with the young women

317 miles to Nauvoo, IL the beginnings of a family vacation! With Austin, and his girls!

193 miles to Farmer City, IL to visit the Home of Anona!

478 miles thru Indianapolis, IN & Columbus, OH to Kirtland, OH

190 miles to Niagara Falls

108 miles to Palmyra, NY where we saw the Hill Cumorah Pageant

197 miles+ to Scranton, Pa in honor of Michael!

452 miles to Lancaster, OH for a very short visit with Elder Georg

460 miles to Evansville, IN where we stayed in the worst hottest hotel ever

127miles to Louisville, KY we got to see the gateway to the west

489miles to Hannibal MO when we were hit by a semi tornado

314 miles to Omaha  yay! the pool, family & much needed space!

We were met by the Larkin’s! Who have moved to Nebraska!

930 mi to draper dropping off Anona and the girls at home while picking up Ayris   840 mi to Seattle to Olympia to see LeBeuf’s and Humphrey's, and to Elma to Listen to the “return and report” talk given by Elder Tyler Evan Georg.

1700 Seattle to Omaha (Ayris’ miles not included back to BYU!)

1064 miles Omaha round-trip to Duluth/Superior WI another family trip! I guess Apryl and Austin can’t go on the same family vaca, they need their own time!!! This was a fun time with family Sobczak’s like never before. Bats, Games, fires, kayaks, cousins, and family heritage visited Homes, museums, genealogy and new and renewed bonds.  It was awesome.  Thanks Sharon and David.

1860 miles me round-trip Omaha to Salt Lake City Conference, and Kids!

1860 + dad Texas, New Mexico Utah, Omaha Parents weekend at BYU!
188 miles Omaha to Kansas city Kansas Time Out for Women celebrating Apryl’s 30^th birthday!!!!  Then… sightseeing,

30 miles Kansas to Liberty Jail and the after a much enjoyed day together

200 miles Home to Gretna and Omaha!!!!

23,996 sub total

10,470 round trip Apryl and Sean traveled to London, England!

6400 miles to Costa Rica Amric, Austin, Anona  & Enoch

while we Richie and I were able to enjoy the time with Sammy and Felicity!

2710 miles driving 2 vehicles Vegas to Omaha moving Larkin’s to Gretna,NE!

7338 miles Tyler returns from Washington, returns to Ohio & back to WA

1750 miles for Tyler road trip moving from Shelton to Valley, Ne

The Sobczak family moves from Omaha 13 miles to Valley!!!!

                        32, 146 family miles traveled this year!!

          In addition all the work miles Richie put on his truck for work!!!!

Can I tell you I totally have had writers block this year since well about JULY!  One reason is we bought a iMac and I’m still trying to learn how to use it – I can’t even find spell check!!! I haven’t really blogged, I haven’t journalled I haven’t written any letters.  2nd reason I’m willing to share with you is I over heard someone long about July talking about me and my Christmas letter and specifically say “Who the Hell cares”.  So I guess I have gone into some sort of “why-write” mode? L Yet I do feel some obligation to myself to write thus it’s late, and attempting to report in a generic way that is short and to the point, REALLY?  I’m on page 4 and this is the beginning of my Christmas letter!!!  Like Amric said last night to me; “Really Mom, we don’t do things easy OR short and to the point”! …. So I say To Heck with it, this is what I do!!!!

What’s the point of a Family Christmas Letter?

A Christmas thought, to return and report, to communicate with friends and family that you never get to see, and for some reason the writer of the so called Christmas letter thinks all her friends and family whether she sees them or not actually care!  With Facebook, email, Twitter etc., etc. our year is accounted for in miles traveled, because I do not believe, that I have ever even with all of our 55 moves crossed so many miles in such a time frame.  What a blessing it has been this year to see the sights, visit with the friends and family, take Ayris to BYU-Provo, watch from afar Elder Georg complete a mission that he worked long and hard at, share in the excitement of Apryl living out her dreams with Jane and Doctor Who! Then she and her family really, it’s true she moved to live by us.  Not having to help Austin and Anona move to Draper but babysitting while they study to complete certification and grad testing in A+ style.   Holding on tight while my Baby goes to prom, gets his Eagle, plays rugby, goes to work at Fuddruckers, finishes High School and shares in a trip to Costa Rica! Oh Amric, We do love you!

One of the most touching times of the year for me was standing in the homes of “The Mormon Pioneers” more especially the framed home of The Smith Family in New York.  I felt the heartache and pain of leaving a home made more painful when the choice to leave isn’t wholly ours!  I Know that God helps us to move through our life’s journey and that if we Trust in Him we will get through it and to a much sweeter place than we ever could have imagined.  A home isn’t “only” the walls that surround us;  it could be a beautiful mansion, a trailer, an apartment, a box or even a stable.  A home is a place where we feel safe, secure, trust abounds and people come and go strengthening our foundation and building our bonds for eternity.  I am grateful to have seen and to live in this country and to have done it with the ones I love.  I love our country.  I love living where we live. I love the fact that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas time. I am blessed and grateful for the love of my life and the children of our future. 

Happy Holidays! No matter the miles between us nor our station in life we love you.