T, Josh, and Me

A went to a friend's house to play today, so it was just T and me. We made Rice Krispie treats. As I was stirring the marshmallows, T found a Josh Groban CD sitting near the CD player in the kitchen. He asked me to turn it on. I put it in and we be-bopped and swayed to each song that came on. It got to be lunch time, so I warmed up some left over enchiladas, and we sat down to eat. We continued to sway to the music. Suddenly, T reaches his little two-year-old hand, palm up toward me across the table saying, "Let dance." I held his hand, and we swayed as we ate. Good times!!!

Further Corruption

We've watched this movie as a family, and the kids think these scenes are so funny.

The key for the new van is like a switchblade. You push the button, and the key pops out. T quickly learned to push the button and run the key through his hair as he says, "Two dollars....Cash."

Now I KNOW I'm Living a Miracle

In this day and age, it seems harder for a mom to stay home and raise her kids. I have come to the realization that raising one is hard enough on the pocketbook, but six is a completely different beast and seven...well, we shall see. I have decided recently that it has only been from a little help from above that I've been able to continue to stay home and raise our children. Another blessing of tithing and a desire to be obedient.

This morning I read the list of "U.S. Cities Where It's Hardest to Get By." Portland, Oregon is ranked as #6. When I first saw this, I knew we had to be listed there somewhere in the top ten. Sure enough.

I read recently that the ability to stay home and raise children is possible only through sacrifice. I believe that to a point. Yes, we do give up quite a few things. Z and I don't vacation in the Bahamas, we don't have a time share, we don't go out and eat as a family more than once a month usually (and that's to teach our children public manners mostly--to give them experience), but I have never felt "poor." I really feel like I've never been in want. This, in my mind, is an amazing blessing.

There have been a few schools of thought that I've come into contact with. Women I used to work with used to comment about the importance they felt in "contributing" to their household by providing help with the finances. I definitely feel like I "contribute." Who else could do what I'm doing for my kids? The other thing I heard was when I was first pregnant with Q. My advisor at Western Oregon, when I approached her with the news that I was leaving school to raise my child said, "Someday you will regret this child for making you quit school." To me, at this point fifteen years later, I know it would have been the other way around. I would have regretted school for making me miss the first years of my daughter's life. And now, as another blessing, I am able to take classes to improve myself and finish that degree.

We've decided that "keeping up with the Joneses" just isn't important to us. We have been blessed with a home that fits our needs. We now have cars that can get ALL of us from place to place. Z and I get away together to nourish our relationship a couple times a year (thanks to some GREAT friends). We get weekly dates. Our kids seem to be happy and well adjusted.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that none of this is our doing. I just feel that God guides our lives and blesses us with what we need. I'm grateful to have what I do at this point in my life. A few months ago, Z came home and announced that he might not get paid at some point because the school district might just not have the money (this has ended up not being the case. Phew.), but it really made me pause and consider our situation. We all tend to think that we're fairly secure. It's just easier to go on as we are and deny the possibility that things could change, but I realized that all I have is just a blessing.

Because of something said in the most recent General Conference (you can watch this talk by going here and clicking on the correct link next to the talk "Unselfish Service" by Dallin H. Oaks), I've been pondering on the idea of entitlement. I think I've gone through a lot of my life thinking that things have come to me because I've deserved them. Recently, I've come to the conclusion that I really "deserve" nothing. It is ALL because God is good to us. That's all it is, and I'm SO grateful for that.

Some Sweet Things

Just a couple quick stories for you....

Yesterday DJ was home with a bad cough. We even had her sleep on a mattress on the floor of our bedroom I was so worried about her. I swear it was bronchitis. She had this a few times as a small child but hasn't in the past few years. I decided that I'd give it a day and take her to the doctor on Tuesday if it continued to sound that bad.

At about 1pm, DJ came upstairs where I was doing laundry and said, "Dad's on his way home to give me a blessing. I just called him."

Wow! All on her own. Looks like my daughter knows where to turn when the going gets tough. I was just so touched by this.

Z arrived home about fifteen minutes later. He gave her the blessing she needed. A fever developed about three hours later, and that was pretty much the last of it. I heard no coughing at all last night and the coughing I heard today has been very mild.



This morning, I found T sleeping in my bed between Z and I. A few minutes later, I realized I was STARVING (doctor says it's because the baby's going through a growth spurt--so that must mean I'm going through one too--oh JOY!, so I ran downstairs as quietly as I could (it being 6am) and poured myself a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats and ate it quickly. I returned to the bedroom to find T sitting up in bed. I climbed in with the hopes of getting just a few more minutes of rest, but before I knew it, there was T looking lovingly into my eyes saying, "My mom" with the sweetest inflection I've ever heard. It melted my heart. Am I a pregnant sap or what?


Last story...

Q got a new CD. We were listening to it in the car yesterday. She told me that there was a song coming up that she wanted me to hear because it was written to the singer's mom. This morning, on my way to the doctor's office, I turned on the CD and that song came on. Being the pregnant sap that I am, I started to cry. As I pull into the parking lot, I'm wiping tears off of my cheeks. I had two thoughts as I listened. First, of how blessed I was to be raised by such a great woman and second, the thought that someday I'd like my daughters to think the same of me. What huge shoes I have to fill.



Here's the song:

Out It All Goes

Today, a nesting woman's dream has come true. Each time I've been pregnant, I've started thinning things out in the house but because of limited garbage space, I've stopped myself short. A week from today, we start putting now flooring in our family room (because of the grape soda incident a few months ago). To save money on this venture, we've pulled out the old, stained carpet and the molding, and we have a lovely dumpster in front of our home.

As I sit here writing, my two oldest children are pulling things from the house and throwing them in the dumpster. I overheard them say something about a competition to see who could make the loudest thud as their item hits the bottom.

I am so excited to clean this place out! Nothing can stop me this time.

We also got rid of the sectional couch. One piece of it darkened our garage for two years and now the garage can be completely decluttered.

Now it seems that the biggest hang up for me will be all the paper that lies around. I need to redo our filing drawers and create a better system for those.