Meet my associate art teacher, Shauna "Linda" Crockett named after 2 Shauna's- (Shauna Harker.....one of Syd's closest friends and the other Shauna Pixton....one of Tim's best friends) Her second name Lynn comes from another one of Syd's life long friends.... Linda Christensen. Shauna Harker & Linda Christensen are partly responsible for Shauna Crockett being here in this life. After Syd had a major surgery the doctor told Syd she was pregnant.....about 2 weeks along.... and these 2 close friends pampered and took good care of Syd so Shauna would make it through pregnancy. These 2 "LIME GREENY" pictures of Shauna were taken the day after Halloween while attending her Ultimate Frisbee tournament near our home.
She and one of her closest friends, Kris McIntire, love to run the frisbee fields, along with 5 other team mates, catching & defending a little plastic disc. (I had never seen it played before. I found it really a fun competitive game that required no painful physical contact. I actually think I would have been on the field with her when I was Shauna's age.) It's fun to see Shauna Lynn run up and down the field with her teammates, catching & releasing the frisbee in mid-air and guarding her defender. As a little girl, Shauna Lynn used to be "Greased Lightning" and her brother's used to pit some of the friends against Shauna. The boy's friends would laugh at this challenge seeings that they were 5 years her senior, but Shauna's speed would often prevail a victory. Shauna Lynn is really quite the competitor.....whether in active games or playing Suduko races or Canasta.
On November 14th of this year, Shauna Lynn will turn 25 years old. As I glance back over this quarter of a century, I realize just how fast time flies and how so many little miracles create a BIG one. Well, let me bounce you readers around with my thoughts and pay tribute to my youngest daughter in both picture and word. Shauna Lynn is a bright ray of sunshine where ever she goes and with whom ever she is with. Her delightful positive personality embraces all......both young and old alike. As a child she amazed me with how she could be totally involved in a world of creativity playing with a 1 1/2 year old one minute and then 5 minutes later be socializing with older folks on their level. Her ability to embrace the moment and those she is associating with is totally inspiring.
Just two years ago she returned from her mission in Costa Rica. Tim & I, along with Julie Kaye had the privilege of going down to pick her up. Was it any surprise to find that her personal testimony had magnified abundantly, but personally, she had not changed one bit. Her arms had only opened to wider to embrace more people to love. Her missionary work was nothing more than living and teaching something she had practiced her entire life. That of honoring the good in people, modeling and teaching a higher truths, and believing in everyone who wanted to over come adversity. LOVE----LOVE--- LOVE----and LAUGH alot! That's Shauna's motto. Life is to be enjoyed not endured! And when you're feeling down......shucks.....just look up and count your many blessings!
Prior to leaving on her mission, Shauna help me teach some of my beginning classes art. Her natural patience and teaching ability is always worthy of modeling. Having her be in my class room with me, allowed me some time to be with this "woman on the move" and spend time with her. (As a little girl, we used to call her "The Wind" because she would disappear so quickly and be blocks away before the family even realized she was away from the dinner table. Her trail of clothes made it easy to run her down......because she loved being naked and stripped herself as soon as she was out of eye sight. As Shauna Lynn grew older... she managed to keep her clothes on, but her need to be out and about has never left.) So when she came home off her mission, I emptied my waiting list of beginner art students and she started teaching her own set of classes here in our home. (Of course, I'm usually around if she runs into problems or has questions.) Selfishly, I love having her so close and being able to watch her magical talents up close. During these past couple of years, Grandma Price was living with us. Shauna Lynn became one of my main stays with Grandma. She would often come home from school and eat lunch with her or just stop and visit. Shauna Lynn, was always so playful and teasing with my mother. She could calm Grandma down when she became disoriented or lost in the past. Many times, Shauna willingly stayed over night with Grandma so Tim & I could get away for a weekend. Reflectively, I remembered my own Grandma Jacobs (My mother's mother) with whom I had a special relationship.....a closeness and affection that seemed rare and distinct. I couldn't help feel that like myself, Shauna Lynn, had developed a special love and affection for my mother. They were buddies and Shauna Lynn always was so attentive in helping Grandma get out of the car, into the restrauant, or taking care of any of her special needs. Shauna would laugh with Grandma when others of us were ready to tear our hair out in frustration.
Other wonderful qualities about Shauna Lynn are: She loves her nieces and nephews and spoils them royally. She loves all little children (BIG or small...old or young!) Guess that's because she is such a kid herself. Shauna is smart, independent, free to share anything she has with others and totally in love with life. One of Shauna's personal passions is taking pictures. Oh yes, she loves taking pictures of others, but oddly enough, she has a total passion about taking pictures of herself. It's not an uncommond thing to see her arm out stretched, camera in hand, taking a self portrait shot of herself. Much to her chagrin, I had to delete about 30 self portraits off my camera in Costa Rica just to have room to take pictures of our other adventures. Shauna was ticked at me! But anyone will laugh at her passion to picture herself! She needs to go into acting or something!
Shauna Lynn is the youngest of our 7 children. Although she has adopted many other families as her own, she still finds time and loves her siblings more than anything. (She has a younger Angel brother, Michael, who teases her from the other side, but Shauna rules the "baby" position in our family here.) Many "youngest children" are spoiled. But I can't say that about Shauna Lynn. Because of her need to "be on the run" all the time, she doesn't stand still long enough to be spoiled. Several other families who have taken her in, spoiled and embraced her sometimes more than we do. I've had to learn to share my baby girl & my motherhood with these other families. However the quality and level of excellence these family represent demonstrate to me the clarity & high standard Shauna Lynn wants for herself. She has only placed her life in family of excellence, faith, and humility. And when she comes home, she finds her sisters bidding for her time and attention. As parents, Tim & I have been highly favored of the Lord. He has sent us children of character, independence, self sufficiency, faith, and honor. 7 of 7 have been worthy to enter the doors of the temple, 7 of 7 have served honorable missions, and next year 7 of 7 will have educated themselve and support themselves in various fields. Success in our family is totally the Lords. But we are so grateful that our children love to be with each other as best friends and they love to play with each like little children.
Now I ask anyone.....Is it any wonder why this youngest of mine sits by my side teaching beginning art classes as she works her way through Utah Valley State University to become an Elementary School Teacher? Will it be any wonder why schools will bid for an opportunity to have Shauna Lynn Crockett to work at their school and love the children with in their school walls? As for me.....her employer.....I will be the first to give her a letter of recommendation. My baby girl, my sweetheart princess, my associate teacher and best friend.
I love you Shauna "Linda" Crockett. Always be ready to grow, but please never change!
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