The Golden Spike

Well I haven't wrote for a minute! Not too much has been happening, Casey has been very busy inbetween work and school, and I am just doing the same old! But we squeeze some fun stuff in there too! Last Sunday, my dad called and invited Casey and I to go with he and my mom up to Promontory Point. I figured I hadn't been there since 2nd grade, so what the heck! Well Casey and I endured the hour and 1/2 drive of no man's land, and then we made it! We started out in the front area where we paid our 5 dollars to look around, and the lady at the desk recognized my dad from a few weeks earlier! Haha it was pretty funny! We then made our way around back where the old railroad was and stood on the spot where the two trains met, and the golden spike was placed. It's not their anymore though, which I thought was crap! They donated it to some college museum. Oh well still pretty cool to see old photographs of old saloons and motels, and it was odd to think that in 1869 the wild wild west was right there! It's also weird to think that all those people and buildings are gone now, but that it used to be a thriving little Boom Town! after that we went down to the shop where they held the replica's of the Jupiter, and 119 trains. The real ones were actually scrapped, which kind of sucks, but I guess they didn't know they would be kind famous! The guy who takes care of the trains told us all about the trains, and how to clean them and such. And he even let me climb into train, which is not allowed! But all in all it was a fun little learning day that I got to spend with my sweetheart and my parents! Here are some fun pictures of our little adventure!

Casey and I on the last spike site!

My parents

Learning!

Standing by the Jupiter!

Ridin the 119!

A Tribute to JoAnn

I'm posting this as a tribute to JoAnn for those of you who haven't seen it, and also because of what a wonderful person she was! This article explains about how wonderful she was, and some very honest truths were said about her, but it doesn't really do her justice becuase she was so much more than words can describe! I can't even describe how much she meant to me but I will try my hardest. She was such a wonderful, beautiful, sweet woman! I learned so much from her, her compassion and forgiveness. Whenever I saw her, she never missed a chance to tell me that I was beautiful and that she loved me. She really lived. I don't think she ever missed a chance to tell anyone she knew that she loved them. She truely was a deciple of Christ, I've never know anyone like her. To go through the things she did, and still the heart she had through it all was amazing! She was the bravest person I knew. She also did so much volunteer work. She introduced my family to it at the Child and Family Support Center, and I'm so glad she did. She'd given us a gift. She knew how much it would bless our lives to help and give to others. So as a Tribute to her, I will try my hardest to live, and to always tell the ones I love that I love them, and I'll try to stay in volunteer work, and I'll try to be more forgiving of others, and to be more Christ-like, becuase she was all those things and so much more. Those of you who knew JoAnn knew how great she was, and those of you who didn't, I wish you had had the honor of having her in your lives. I was truely blessed to have had her in mine.

You were such a wonderful person JoAnn and I hope that you know I love you and Miss you so much! Till we meet again!

This is and Article Published by the Herald Journal today.

Local volunteer Autry dead at 67

By Emilie H. Wheeler
Published:
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 2:48 AM CST
JoAnn Autry, a well-known local community volunteer whose daughter was murdered nearly a decade ago, has died after battling cancer for several years.Autry, 67, was called “dignified,” “forgiving” and “courageous” by those who knew her. Funeral services for Autry will take place Saturday.Despite her daughter’s murder and losing her husband, Leroy, to cancer in 2001, she was optimistic and caring for all, said Cache County Deputy Attorney Don Linton.“Every time I’ve seen her she always just gives you a big hug and asks how you were doing,” he said.
Linton was one of several Cache County attorneys who helped in the prosecution against Cody Lynn Nielsen, who in January 2004 was convicted of several charges, including capital aggravated murder of Trisha Autry, a 15-year-old Hyrum teen who went missing in June 2000. Her remains were discovered nearly a year later.JoAnn Autry was involved with social work before her daughter’s death, and afterward she worked with law enforcement agencies and local nonprofits to help others in need.Between January and December 2006, Autry worked as the Child & Family Support Center as its first development coordinator. Her responsibilities included raising community awareness about the center and planning fundraisers.“She’s nothing short of amazing,” said Esterlee Molyneux, the center’s executive director. “She’s just absolutely a miracle worker.”Molyneux said Autry started the Circle of Friends group, which implements fundraisers. That committee is still going strong, she said.Autry resigned in December 2006 amidst health concerns, but Molyneux said she never really stopped working.“Even three weeks ago, she carried a big armful of donations in — her legacy lives on here,” she said.Autry is survived by her four living children; Trisha was her youngest. Autry often spoke of her LDS faith sustaining her through her trials.“It’s not like I don’t have my times, but we are not destroyed by our grief because we have that eternal hope,” she said in 2002.In the years after Trisha’s disappearance and murder, JoAnn Autry and other family members learned more about missing and exploited children and counseled other victims. A year after Trisha’s disappearance, the family organized the Trisha Autry Foundation, a nonprofit with the mission to raise awareness and provide education to parents, children, church, school, state and local leaders about missing and abducted children. Volunteers with the foundation distributed thousands of DNA identification kits at activities throughout Cache Valley.In the years that led up to Nielsen’s murder trial and even after, Autry kept in close contact with several Cache County attorneys. Tony Baird, who served as second chair to then-County Attorney Scott Wyatt, said he was continually amazed at Autry’s optimism.“She never allowed that experience to poison her attitude toward life,” he said. “She was just incredibly positive and incredibly compassionate. She was just a dang good woman.”James Swink, the current county attorney, met Autry years before Trisha was murdered. In the early 1990s, Autry worked at Utah State University in the school’s substance abuse office.Swink said Autry was “fantastic” in her work at USU and worked to make a difference in the community over the years he knew her.“She was the most dignified, kind and forgiving person I’ve ever met,” he said. “She just exuded so much love for other people.”Linton remembers waiting for the jury to come back with a sentencing decision after the prosecution had argued for the death penalty. Autry, however, told the attorneys she wasn’t sure she wanted that.Autry later told The Herald Journal she’d realized it was important to forgive Nielsen.“Cody Nielsen is a child of God as well and we have to remember that and let God work in his life as well,” she said in 2004.

Chirstmas, New Years, and Mocktails!!

This year for Chirstmas we had alot of fun! Casey and I spent the holidays going to about 5 different family parties. First was a family party for all my family on my mom's side, up until a few years ago we alwasy had it on Christmas Eve and at my Grandma Sharon's house, but now since her house is too small to fit our rather large family we have it at the Wellsville Tabernacle a few days before Christmas. We also started including Santa Clause in our parties and the kids just love it!!

My Grandma did end up having a little shin dig on Christmas eve, but as an open house so that it wasn't so crowded. After that we went to JoAnne Autry's house to Carol as out last 10 Days of Christmas gift to her. For 10 days we left little gifts on her doostep, and each night she tried to catch us but she wasn't quick enough!! We decided that we're going to make that a tradition every year to someone in need. Christmas Eve all my siblings and Casey and I all slept over had my parents house so that we could watch all the cute little kids open their presents! Casey was so good to me, he got me an Ipod touch (which i am it love with!) and some clothes and also the whole series of Harry Potter movies! I got him clothes for work that he need badly, and the office season 5! So after we opened our presents we ate some omlets (made best by my dad) and got ready to head over to Casey's Aunt Susie's hosue for another chirstmas party! We had alot of fun over there eating some great food, playing the wii, and also some fun games!! Casey's parents and Grandparents were very generous in giving us money for christmas, it was much needed!!

New years eve Casey and I ended up going to see Pandora, which is a pretty dang awesome movie and I recommend seeing it! After that we went home changed into our sweats and then my brother called. He, Jenni, and Amanda wanted us to come to a party with them and watch several old christmas trees burn while we brought in the new year. So we figured why not!? So we got dressed, headed over the paradise and watched a bunch of guys pour gas all over some trees and we watched them burn!! It was pretty fun hanging out with My big Bro and Sister! After that, we came home and went right to bed! haha we are so old.

On new years day, my good friend Sarah MaCriss had a Cocktail/Mocktail party, as the first party of the year. Casey and I went, looking our best and had a really good time. We didn't know anyone there, but it was fun talking to people and eating the yummy food!

We had such a good Holiday and break, and we hope you all did too!!