Thank-A-Thon

People Who Have Changed My Life
In no particular order, and not in enough detail, and leaving out many, I’m sure, but only by accident and because time and space here are issues…

· My husband, Gary. He sees, loves and nurtures (and puts up with!) the real Mindy – nuff said. And he brought out the wackier side of my sense of humor – without him I would never have come to appreciate Dumb and Dumber and Tommy Boy. And he refined my taste in cheese. And we laugh a lot together. And oh yes I love him a lot!

· My siblings (and in-laws) and parents… but I can’t go into all that here because I would never have done. Last summer though at Aspen Grove I wrote them each a detailed, specific letter letting them know why I appreciate them and how they have changed my life. You are loved, dear family! And mom and dad, a special thank you – your high opinion of me makes me want to live up to it.

· My kids – you have pages and pages in y our journals detailing my love and delight in you. Read them and know how deeply I love you. In general though, parenting has presented me with my biggest challenge… and therefore my biggest opportunity for growth.

· My core best friends: Christy Knight, for being an answer to prayer again and again and again… I consider you my true, beloved sister! Pammy Welch – you saved me in LA so many times, plus you helped me develop a backbone. And nobody swears at me like you do! I adore you honey! Julianne Muhlestein – LA would have been a cold and dreary place without you. Settlers Forever! (I am the king of Catan, no matter what Kerry says!) Sarah Cannon, my goddess divine in Charlotte, I continue to learn so much from you and miss you dreadfully! Juli Hicks, ditto. Please come visit. My HHS cronies, for making my high school years (and the married Vegas Girls trips) so freakin’ awesome. Who else would appreciate my taste in Broadway music and dance in the parking lot with me? Stina Berg, you gorgeous Chinese brainiac you - sure wish Oklahoma were closer! And B, Brenda Franson, for being my saving grace, confidante, and self-reliance guru in Rexburg. I am so lucky to have found such amazing women in my many moves to enrich my life!

· Kim Clayton, the director of the singing groups I grew up in – can enough ever be said about him? Funny, strict, inspiring, talented, the best mentor in every way. If you’ve ever worked with him, you understand. Plus the broad range of music he exposed us to acquainted me with some of the best out there, and gave me a deeply personal attachment to particular songs and music as a whole. And the places he took us, Cali and Florida and Washington and England – in many ways he opened the world to me!

· Debbie Brower, my best friend from 5-8^th grade. Ah, the complete satisfaction and stability to my soul to have a bosom and best friend! She was the reason Junior High was so great for me. Plus she got me out of reading the Beverly Cleary books and into the good stuff – Gone with the Wind in particular. She and I were two peas in the proverbial pod.

· My cousin Brittany, who told me when I was about eight that the Lord does everything for us and all he asks is that we kneel when we pray to him. I have had no problem getting on my knees ever since.

· Helen Stewart and Randy Puzey, our RS pres and bishop in the Sugar City ward, for showing me what loving, ideal leaders can do for a person.

· Lucy Maude Montgomery and Jane Austen. I cried when I was sick once, probably in 5^th grade, because Anne Shirley wasn’t a real person. These two authors, above all others, enhanced my love of nature, love of literature, my love of romance, and my (rather extreme) idealism. They lived and wrote in a time when men and women were expected to be good, moral, and respectful of each other. I envy that, and believe in it still as the best way for society to function.

· My English teachers, from Heather Brunjes on to M. Haltiner. I remember and value you all. Thank you for teaching me to love your subject! And infinite thanks to Julie Hewlett as well for being absolutely unequalled and for inspiring me to be a Humanities major. And for Madame Davis, who nurtured my love for French as well and gave me so many opportunities for leadership.

· To George Henry, that infamous AP American History teacher, who taught me how to write. I could write before that class, and write well, but he showed me how to simplify, systematize and understand what I did that made good writing. Plus I loved a challenge back then, so being one of only two students to get “A’s” out of him was a thrill. And he was so stimulating to work with – didn’t take any crap – as the student leadership advisor.

· Gayle Petersen, Linda Slater, Dianne Richards and all my other outstanding Young Women’s advisors. You DID make a difference.

· Charlotte Bronte for writing Jane Eyre, the story about a young woman who sticks to her convictions and does the hard thing. I so love that book.

· Nanny, who with her amazing love and unselfishness always calls when I need someone to talk to, always so concerned about everyone but herself. From her I have learned the value of a life spent in service.

· Jonas Anderson, who may never realize that that day he stopped and talked with me at the Morris Center at BYU my freshman year when I was having a bad day forever attested to me that God works through other people. Thank you for being one of his trustiest tools, Vern! Cody Tower, you were there for me at a dark moment too – thanks for being a great listener and friend.

· The Fellas – Mark, Charlie, Ryan, Mel, Blue and Greg – I always admired the way you stuck together with your unapologetic, absolute friendship for each other. Plus you were some of my very best friends (and crushes!) for years, and made my HS junior year absolutely GOLDEN. Thanks especially to Mark and Charlie. Love you both… in a completely platonic way, of course!

· My Crushes – I had several rather violent crushes that each lasted for years – Jim, Jason, Ryan, and Jarrod - thanks for being the patient targets of my naive romantic passions. Jarrod, you were also the first heartbreak – so painful through the duration, but I saw afterwards how necessary the cracking of that nut was. It prepared me for what was to come and I would have been crushed without it. If that makes any sense. It does to me. So, thank you.

· My Clayton friends, who gave me the separate life and friends to fall back on if others weren’t working out: Andrew Nielsen (my brother), Annie Breinholt, Angela Bentley, Kyle Taylor, Jen Medsker, the Williams, the Knapps, so many others.

· President Monson, who’s warmth, charisma, faith, healing powers, and vast and measureless love for the individual have wrought many miracles in my life.

· Bro. Perotti and Kenny ______ (sorry, brain freeze), my two favorite seminary teachers, for awakening the scripture studying beast within me and welcoming me to the world of actually studying my scriptures and the gospel on a daily basis.

· Victor Hugo, Boublil and Schoenberg for Les Miserables, the book and musical. The book helped solidify my concept of mercy and redemption, and the musical, one of the best ever, introduced me to the world of Broadway musicals.

· To my first period French I class at Murray high my first year of teaching – you were the difficult class, the challenging class, the obnoxious class… the class that cried when I told them I was leaving the next year to move to LA. You taught me that the kids with the pink hair, black clothes and dog collars can be the most imaginative, endearing, and potential –filled kids out there. Go get’em! I’m sure you already have.

There’s more, I’m sure, but dinner must be got and children fed. Thanks everyone for touching my life in permanent, precious ways!