Big Highs and Huge Lows for mid year 2025

Emilia Josephine Karlsson was born on Natalie's birthday:  July 11, 2025.  Big High.

 

Another high was having Natalie and Jake's family together for a few days.  Colie came up for a bit and we had Cora and Jules for an overnight.  However there is a low:  Noel was not invited to join us so he stayed in SLC.  Natalie served him divorce papers after this trip.  Huge low.  Also I was told by Nicole that I didn't do a very good job with my first cousin sleepover.  More on that low.  We had fun boating with Seth, floating the canal, and hanging out together.

The Nicole/Mats family had family photos right after the gathering of family in Heber.    I love this one with the girls

Shortly after the mini reunion, Tom had work in Monterey with IDARM.  It's always a marvelous time for both of us.  Tom likes the work, and I love the playtime!  It was during this time that Noel called and let me know how serious Natalie was about a divorce.  I think it sucks.

After Monterey, we had a few days in Heber and then went to the East coast.  We helped Steve get his bachelor pad in order and then had a couple of fun days with the boys.  The high is that Steve will stay in his house for at least a year and just commute to get the boys to/from Felicia who is in Chesapeake.  

We enjoyed attending Steve's sunday school class.  He is an awesome teacher.  Truly connects with his kids.  

From Steve's we went to help out at Jake's house.  He we in Germany for back surgery and Mel went to be with him.  Surgery was a success!  Big high!  It was fun to be with the kids.  We did a LOT of driving Kate to band camp, had fun with Lily as she didn't have anything on her calendar.  We popped over to Chick Fil A to see Tommy in his element at work.  We celebrated Kate (15) and Lily (12) birthdays in Princeton at Bent Spoon.  On Sunday Tommy baptized Mat and I attended YW where Lily taught the lesson.

Then we came back to Utah and had a day or two before I was to help Nicole with her girls b/c Mats had a trip to Sweden.  I got there on a Tuesday and was supposed to help for 2 weeks, with Daphne's wedding in between.  She was telling me that they had hired a Nanny....I said, "Maybe Mats should apply for the nanny job".(he has been out of work for 15 months)...I hit a raw nerve and sent Nicole into a full out tantrum.  She said some horrible, mean, and hateful things to me that have obviously been simmering for years.  Decades even.   I have felt like I have been walking on eggshells around her for a long time. She said she hates me, that she wishes she had different parents, among a litany of things I have done and not done for her, and to her, over the years.  I told her I could overlook all that she said, if she still wanted my help.  "I would rather do it myself, than put up with you!"  "Ok, I'll leave."  "Yes!  Leave!"  So I did.  Major low.  The full consequences of that outburst are yet to be seen.  I admit I am shaken up.  That kind of venom and hatred takes a lot of nourishment, which she has carefully and methodically kept simmering  for many years.  If what she said was all true, then I should be banished from society and never heard of, or seen again!  What I fear is that Natalie will back her up and also become 'cold' to me, but I hope not.  Time will tell.  Supposedly none of my kids like me, but luckily Steve, Seth & Heidi, and Jake & Mel have all reassured me that I am a good person and they like me!  Dan was left out b/c he was busy with the wedding.   I do have to ask myself, where have I gone wrong?  Am I really as selfish and unaware as Nicole said I am?  Yes, I still struggle with my feelings and emotions about the whole put down, the attack and the criticism.  It was very severe.

Luckily I get to finish this post with a HUGE HIGH!  Daphne and Braxton's wedding.  It was over the top fabulous in every way.  The couple is stunning.  For the celebration, nothing was spared.  Jake and I love how Dan and Lara's kids are so close and were sad that their sister is now married!  The grandparents were honored to give a toast and that went well.  It was a long drive which also included an extra 6 hours of driving because we were headed to the rehearsal dinner and found out we were not invited so we had to drive back!  It was the wedding planners fault, I wasn't supposed to get the invitation.  We adjusted.  And it was fun to drive there with Jake/Mel and Bryn anyway.  Dan and his partner Dale gave us a tour of Idaho Scientific the next day which we thoroughly enjoyed.  It was an upbeat week-end.  I felt like I had attended the wedding of a princess and prince!