Do It Now.

It seems that 2009 has been quite a year for the Oquists. Changes keep coming, as does learning and good byes. I really feel that we have had to say good bye ALOT this year, to some good friends and some that I didn't take the time to appreciate until it was too late. Take each day to love those around you, to enjoy thier company and what they bring to your relationship, even if it is not always good. I have also discovered that I am one that does not like change, or maybe just too much change. As we are looking for yet another house, the options are better in Prescott Valley, but that would mean leaving Chino and the ward that we have been in for the last 5 1/2 years, also the schools for Kody and Lolo. We love the schools and the ward, and as we come closer to needing to have a place, I feel myself dragging my feet at the prospect of possibly leaving the people that I have grown to love. Even though I do feel some excitement at moving to a new area and meeting new friends, since we all know that I love to know EVERYONE around me...I am still happy right here and don't want to change anything. My comfort is that I felt the exact same way with our move up north almost 6 years ago, and look how that turned out. I really drug my feet on that one and the Lord had to show me that it was time to go, I really don't want to relive some of those lessons again.

I have watched at least two families move out of state, that I just got to know well about the month before they moved. Where as I enjoyed being around both couples, I didn't get to know them too well and consider them "good friends" till it was too late. I am happy that they are finding happiness in their new areas and glad that I had them in my life even for a little while. Also this year one of our dear Kenyan friends went home. He had been struggling since he graduated with his Master's about a year and a half ago, and couldn't find a job. We have watched him become more withdrawn and a little lost here, as time went by. We really had kind of lost touch with him and got most of our info on him through Beth. He didn't want to answer questions about what was going on and how the job search was going. He made a few mistakes in trying to stay here legally and that is what finally prompted him to decide what would be best. It's funny the choice he made was one that we can all say we would never do, but so many of us forget that we live in a great country, even in bad times, like now it is still a desirable place to be for those that have it even worse in their homeland. He wanted to stay here, unable to find a job and getting depressed, than go home. Remember that, when you start to bad mouth America that there are plenty of others who would love the chance we have to live here and would gladly trade you spots. If you are unhappy here, than find a better country and then we can add an "illegal immigrant" who would gladly take your place and make society a better place. He finally decided to go home just a week or so ago, we didn't even get to say good bye in person, since we got the call 2 or 3 days prior to him leaving. We just called him on the phone and talked to him one by one. This year we had to say good bye to a house that we really liked, due to income problems. I lost my job and had to say good bye to the new friends I had made there. Also a very close childhood friend lost her father, who I can honestly say was like a dad to me. His funeral was so hard for me, Joe always looked out for my little sis and I. We spent almost everyday with this family growing up, either at my Grandma's house or thiers.

The hardest good bye is yet to come, our good friends Beth and Walter are moving to New York. Since that is where Walter is due to be stationed. They have had some of thier own problems these last two months and the good news out of that is, that Beth has finally found a relationship our Heavenly Father and Son, Jesus Christ. We have helped Beth out alot over the last few years with Walter being gone, in the military, and our relationship has gotten stronger. We all knew this one was coming eventually, but it is so much harder now that the time is here and there is an actual date involved. Beth started out as "just" a dance teacher that all 3 kids and I took classes with. She became our hair dresser and eventually became just like another sister to me. We normally make all our plans with, "Well I wonder what Beth and Walter are up to?" Before Walter joined the military he was probably Danny's best friend here. Since then he has made some decisions that are hard for us to understand, but we still love him and miss him everyday. Knowing that this will be his last Christmas home, in this area, is really hard for us to comprehend.

So, I didn't mean this to be a depressing blog post, although I am pretty close to tears at this time, I just want you to take this and turn around and call everyone that you consider family and tell them what they mean to you. People need to be told how much you love them and need them in your life, before you know it they may need to move, or pass on or who knows what. So as we try to decide where to live and keep in the back of my mind that we may need to leave this area I try to figure out how to say good bye to a wonderful ward who everyone feels like family and loves us despite of our quirks and short comings, a great bishop who I KNOW loves each one of us. I wonder if I have told all those who I have met in the Chino area what they mean to me and my family. This is just another lesson in being prepared, when a thought hits you to call someone, DO IT! Don't think I will do in an hour or tomorrow, stop and DO IT NOW! That is our Lord talking to us through the Holy Ghost, He wants you to call that person, who knows why, just DO IT! Make sure you tell your mom and dad and the rest of your family how much you love them. For tomorrow may never come. (Wow, that sounds like a country music song. lol) Try to include everyone and when someone new moves in or is at an event you are, introduce yourself and show them around! It might be you someday that is new somewhere and need a new friends to help you! Don't waste this time that you have with people! Cherish each moment.