Mommy Preschool

For the last 5 weeks, Cloey has been going to preschool, or as the kids like to call it "Mommy Preschool". She seriously LOVES it!! I think the only thing she doesn't like about it is the fact that it isn't everyday. My friend, Celeste, started a joy school with me and 5 other moms who also have 4 year olds. We rotate teaching every 5 weeks and we have it every Tuesday and Thursday from 9-12:30. I started my teaching rotation today. It was so much fun!!! I could hardly sleep last night because I just couldn't stop thinking about how I was going to do everything. Although there were a couple of little things that I will do differently on Tuesday, it turned out great. Today and next week, I am teaching about the five senses. Today I gave them a taste testing with some random foods. I put them all in cups and then put tin foil over the top so they wouldn't know what it was I was feeding them. Then they would glue the color of square that matched the food on their chart to graph which foods they loved, liked, or did not like. It was hilarious to see some of their reactions to cottage cheese. Anyways, I could go on and on about it. I am so excited to teach again on Tuesday. It just makes me realize how much I miss teaching children. I love the youth, but there is just something about the look in a child's eyes when they discover something new or get excited about something you do. It's the best.

On another note, I want to wish my mom (in-law) a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I love her SO MUCH!!!! She truly is one of my best friends!!! Her and my mom are the greatest examples and influences on my life. I couldn't imagine my life without either one of them. Happy 32nd (she is actually 52 but nobody believes it) birthday!!!!

Rewind Please!

It is 9:30 pm and I am totally having a pity party all by myself. It has just been one of those days where things were just so crazy. I just felt like I was running with my head cut off from one thing to the next. Wake up at 5 am because Cloey peed in her bed (something she rarely ever does) and then wake up again at 6:30 because I feel something wet in my bed (apparently she didn't get it all out in her bed). Take all the sheets off the beds, scrub our mattress, and start the laundry. Drag Katelund out of bed, get her to school on time (she goes really slow in the mornings), come home write up my agenda for presidency meeting, take Cloey to school, stay and watch for a little bit since I will be taking over on Thursday (Cloey is doing a Joy school this year. There are 7 kids and each of the moms are teaching for 5 weeks at a time...Cloey LOVES it!!!), run to presidency meeting (okay not run, but I did drive way too fast), run (again, I mean drive quickly) to pick up Cloey, go home and make lunch. Clean up the house, tell Cloey to go play by herself so I can work on some YW stuff, pick up Katelund at bus stop, go to store to pick up ingredients for dinner, get totally annoyed at my children because they want me to buy everything they see at the store and they kept getting in and out of the cart, make dinner as fast as I can to take to the missionaries by 5:00 (made broccoli soup and it turned out not so good) . On the way to the missionaries, stop at the end of the street because there in the middle of the road is Cloey's missing shoe (don't even ask). Drive home quickly because Katelund is dying of starvation, do dishes while Katelund works on homework (which takes at least an hour every night) and then get frustrated with her because she is not focusing, put sheets on all the beds, go through bedtime routine, sing a million songs to try and get Katelund to go to sleep, and then call Cory (he is out of town for business). Then after I thought things were settled down so I could finish a book I'm reading for book club next week, Katelund peeks into my room. What followed just topped off my bad mom moments for the day. I got upset at her for still being up at 9 pm and told her to get in her bed and go to sleep. She then begins crying and telling me how I'm always getting upset with her and she feels like she is always in trouble when she's home. I apoligized, held her in my bed until she fell asleep, and then just cried. I hate it when at the end of the day I realize what a horrible mother I have been. I hate it when I get so caught up in the things that I need to do that I forgot the tender feelings of my little girls and I forget that my main responsiblity is to nurture and love them. If only I could push rewind.

Roxy Withdrawl

Over Labor Day weekend, we were asked to puppy sit for Logan and Becca while they drove down to Texas for the BYU vs OU game (YEAH COUGARS!!!). I was very hesitant to agree because....well just look at the pictures, they say it all. I knew that my girls would be totally smitten and begging for their own puppy once she left. Well I was right, except for one thing. Not only were they totally smitten....so were Cory and I. I think she was treated more like a baby than a dog. Between Katelund, Cloey, and I she was held almost 24/7. If only they had puppy diapers, that would have made the visit perfect. :) We had so much fun playing with her. It was really hard for the girls to say goodbye, in fact, I think I even wiped a tear away.

Good thing she'll be coming back to visit at Thanksgiving. We can hardly wait...oh and we're excited to have Becca and Logan come too. :)

The Process of Becoming

Do you remember when you were 17 and you thought that life was so busy and stressful? I do. I remember thinking that it would be so much easier when I was a mom that got to stay home all day and do whatever I wanted to do. I had no idea. Don't get me wrong, I love being a stay-at-home mom and I love to have the freedom of doing whatever I need to do (whether it is mop the floor, read a book, do the laundry, call a friend, or go to the park). It is great, but there is also a lot to balance. I often wonder if I am spending enough time loving my children or too much time disciplining them. Do I spend too much time cleaning and not enough time serving others? Do I focus too much on pushing Katelund to do and be better and not enough time praising her for what she is doing well? Do I give enough attention to Cloey? Do I give enough or too little attention to my calling ( I was just recently called to be the Young Women President)? Do I show enough charity or am I stumbling on my pride (I'm afraid it is more often the later)? Do I do enough as a visiting teacher? Do I pray fervently enough? Do I focus on the best things or do I become preocuppied with good or useless things? Am I doing enough? That is a question that is constantly on my mind.

Last night as I was tucking the girls into bed, they asked me to lay beside them and sing them to sleep. I went through all of my usuals and then I just kept singing. I started singing "I Know that My Redeemer Lives". As I sang the song, my spirit soared within me and I felt overcome with emotion as I once again received the undeniable witness that Jesus Christ is my Redeemer. Alone, I will never be or do enough, but with Him I know I can do and become my very best. For me, the hard part is wanting to become my very best today and becoming overwhelmed and fustrated when I'm not (which has been happening a lot lately). But the process of becoming takes a lifetime and it is not always an easy climb.

When I was student teaching in Kindergarten, I remember complaining to the teacher about how frustrated I was because I would come up with these really cute art projects for the kids but then when they would do them, it would just not look anything like what I had wanted or expected. I'll never forget what she said to me, "Melissa, don't forget that most often the process is more important than the product." That line has become a life lesson for me, whether it is in my calling, with my children, or in my own process of becoming....the process is not easy and not always pretty but it is the most important part because it determines the product....the product of who we have become, or rather, who the Lord helps us to become, after a lifetime of uphill climbing.

My 6 year old

Katelund turned 6 on August 10th, the day that we left for Utah. We tried really hard to make it a special day for her, but it is a little hard when you spend the entire day on the road. Before we left, we had our traditional pancake birthday breakfast and opened presents and then once we were on the road we stopped in the afternoon and got her a shake at Sonic and let her listen to whatever music she wanted, but I still think she was feeling kinda jipped. But no worries, because Aunt Amber knew just what to do. She planned a suprise Hello Kitty birthday party for her when she got to Utah. I think it was the best birthday party she has ever had because she actually had cousins, grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, and uncles there. After the birthday cake, hamburger donuts from Lehi Bakery, and presents, we went and spent the rest of the day at the water park. It was so much fun and Katelund is still talking about how much she loved her birthday party. Thanks Aunt Amber (oh except for the loud and obnoxious gifts that you and Brittney so kindly got for her)!!

The boy of my dreams...

Yesterday afternoon Cory called me and asked me what I was planning for dinner. I told him that we were having fish (talapia is one of my favorites!!!), rice, corn, and tomatoes. Then he asked me if I could start the rice at 4 so that we could eat at 5 when he got home. I told him I would and then I got off the phone a little confused. Was he trying to tell me something? Am I not getting dinner on the table fast enough for him when he gets home or what? I let go of my pride and decided that if he is really hungry when he gets home from a long day at work then I should be more than willing to start dinner a little earlier (usually I am still trying to decide what meal to cook by the time 5 rolls around). Anyways, he got home and ran to his bedroom. Then he came out dressed really hot and told me to eat dinner and get ready while he goes to get the babysitter because we are going on a date. I couldn't have been more suprised or excited! Not only were we going on a date (which has been long over due) but he had also arranged it all, babysitter and everything, without me knowing. I was SO EXCITED!!! It was so good and so fun to be on a date with the boy that I fell in love with so many years ago. On August 19th, we celebrated our 9th anniversary. We did nothing spectacular, but I did realize something incredibly spectacular....after 9 years of ups and downs, I can honestly say that I am more in love with him today than I have ever been. He truly was and is the boy and man of my dreams.

Stefani and Nate's Wedding

It is hard to know where to start. Life has been good but very busy. So instead of doing a whirlwind post, I decided to start with our trip to Utah for Stefani and Nathan's wedding. We drove the 28 hours and actually had a lot of fun doing it. There were priceless moments along the way as Katelund and Cloey saw different parts of the country and savored every moment of it. For example, as we were driving through Nebraska at 6 am in the morning (we drove straight throught) Katelund woke up and as she saw the sunrise she said, "Wow, this is the most beautiful land I've ever seen." I think that the girls favorite part was the "moving hotel". We layed the seats down in the van so that they could sleep laying down and with their seatbelts on. It worked perfectly. Cory and I made a big deal about how fun it was going to be to sleep in our moving hotel. They totally bought in, and to this day Cloey will tell you that it was her favorite part of the trip.

Being in the temple with all of Cory's family was amazing!!! It is moments like those where you can see glimpses of eternity. The whole wedding was incredible and so was the reception. All I can say is Amber (my sister-in-law) is AMAZING!!! Have you ever seen the Friends episode where Monica is the maid of honor for Phoebe? Well that was Amber. She was incredible and had worked so hard for like 6 months to pull it off. The reception was held outside at a park across from Mt. Timpanogas Temple. We did all of the decorating, food, etc. It was tons of work but we had so much fun doing it! I'll have to post some pictures of how beautiful it looked.

One of the best parts of the trip was seeing the girls have so much fun with all of their cousins. It really is a bitter sweet thing to watch. Your happy they have so much fun together but your sad because you know that it is only like a once in a year thing. I really do not like living so far from family. It is really sad to know that between Cory and I's siblings, we cover every time zone in the U.S.

Unfortunately, our time was so packed with wedding preparation and partying that we didn't get hardly any spare time to visit other relatives and friends in Utah. It was so hard driving back home knowing all of the people that I wish I could've seen while I was there. I guess that is just how it goes sometimes, I guess we'll just have to go back.

On Sunday, we took the girls and two of their cousins to Temple Square. We went on a tour of the Conference Center and everything. We had way too much fun toting around 4 little girls. I'm thinking this may be a sign of things to come....the doctor thinks that we may be having another little girl. Seriously? What is up with the boy genes in my husband? I'm totally blaming it on him. But....there is still a chance because he (yes, I am calling the baby he) was in a difficult position to really see "the part" that we wanted to see. Either way, we'll be happy. But, I'd really like to do the boy thing someday. Okay, enough for now. I'll update more tomorrow.

I'M BACK....

....and I have so much to say!!! Where do I even begin? I guess since it is 11:13 pm and I stayed up until 1 am last night (I couldn't sleep b/c of my obnoxious coughing and because my mind was whirling with ideas for the latest project I've been working on), I better just say goodnight and start my catching up tomorrow. But, I just had to post something!!! I took a much needed break from the virtual world, but I am very happy to be back.

Getting Down and Dirty

Do you ever have those days when you realize that things just have to change? This happened to me the other day. I have spent so much time over the last couple of weeks doing a lot of things that I wanted/needed to do, which meant that my children have basically been entertaining themselves. I don't think there is anything wrong with that...I think it is important for children to use their imagination and self-entertain, but on the other hand, I also think it is important as a mother to stop the day to day routines periodically and just be one of the kids. There are times in my life were I am really good at doing that and then there are other times (like the last couple of weeks) where I am not. So....I got down and dirty.....and had SO MUCH FUN doing it!! It is amazing how easy it is to make children happy. All of the clean up afterwards was so worth the smile and excitement on their faces when they saw me come out the backdoor in my swimming suit and ready for a mud ball fight.

Update

Today I went to my doctor for another appointment. Everything went great and the baby was as cute as a black and white ultrasound baby can look. My doctor said that next month he will be able to tell me the sex of the baby. I'll be dreaming in blue until then. :)

As the doctor was telling me about all of the reports that he got back from my last doctor's office and the hospital, he went on to reassure me that the chances of it all happening again was very small (which is quite a common phrase in my family). He told me that he believed that it was the will of God. I told him that I knew that it was and then he said, "and if it all happens again, then it all happens again." As he said this to me, I felt this incredible feeling of peace. In that moment, I knew that there was nothing to fear. If I lose another child in mortality, then so be it. I know that it is all in the Lord's hand and I trust in His plan for me and my family. The fear is gone.

In other news, I just got finished reading an AMAZING book for book club. I am now reading the 2nd one in the series. I strongly recommend it, but just so you know....it is historical fiction (my favorite genre) and it goes into a lot of detail about the Roman civilization after the destruction of Jerusalem, which was pretty disgusting and wicked (actually it is pretty scary how similar it is to today's society). The series is called the Mark of the Lion. The first book is called A Voice in the Wind. The author is one of my very favorites....Francine Rivers (an amazing Christian writer). It is a long book but it is one where the pages literally turn themselves because it is that good.

A Teacher I Admire

As a mother, I love to brag on my kids. I love it when they say sweet things or when they make good choices. There are many posts on my blog about those very moments and I am so glad that I have recorded them, so that I will never forget. But, this time I want to brag on my husband. Cory was called to be the Sunday School teacher over the 12 and 13 year olds. He has taken this calling and literally run with it. These kids are so lucky to have him. He spends so much time during the week preparing for his lessons. He does power points, he sends out a weekly email, and he is constantly thinking about what he can do better. He has actually gotten the kids to read their study guides each week in preparation for class (it helps that he occasionally brings candy bars for those who did it). He also starts his class each week with highlighting a Book of Mormon hero and challenges them to read more about them on their own. He has even asked the kids to come prepared to teach about a Book of Mormon hero (one that is not well known). He has been such an inspiration to me!! He has shown me what it means to magnify your calling. Just so you can see what I mean, here is some of the email that he sent out this week....

My young friends:

An assignment was given to each of you at the end of class last week. It was to read the following scriptures and answer the following questions. Now as I am asking you to do this, please keep in mind that I don't want you to answer these questions with answers that you think I want to hear or to appease me. These are questions for you to have answers for in your own life when you are placed in a situation that is trying to get you to compromise your beliefs. For those who would really like to go the extra mile, I would strongly encourage you to sit down with you parents and do this exercise with their help and input. Have a phone handy when you do this, cause they will probably immediately go into shock after you request their help to answer these questions and you will need to be able to call for an ambulance. LOL

Here is the exercise:

D&C 121:45 - What does it mean to garnish thy thoughts unceasingly?

D&C 27:15-18 - How can we keep evil or un-virtuous thoughts out of our minds?

How can we more actively fill our minds with virtuous thoughts?

I really look forward to your answers, and to see which of you will have the most heart-felt and detailed answers.

Between each class, from Sunday to Sunday, 10,080 minutes will pass by, of this total surely you can find 30 mins to dedicate to the Lord and prepare yourselves for class this week. Please take the time and prepare yourselves to feel the spirit and continue increasing your very own testimony! This week we will talk about missionary work. In addition to including the study guide I have included the reading from Our Heritage, which, is a part of our lessons, please read it, it's only 10 small paragraphs, won't take you that long to complete. This week I will be teaching exclusively from the study guide, so be prepared to discuss what you've read and studied!

Dear President Obama,

At one point I believed in you. I believed that you really did want to make good changes, that you would help our country in ways that were so desperately needed. I stood up for you. I even thought for a time that I would vote for you. I ended up not voting for you though, because when it comes down to it, I am a conservative and I always will be. I just could not justify voting for someone who is so liberal in his moral views, but I still had hope for you when you won. Unfortunately, my hope for you is beginning to fade. Today I read a 17 page article about government and the purposes of government by Ezra Taft Benson. I worry for our country and I'm afraid that all of the things that you are doing to "help" is actually creating a people who use the government as a crutch. A people who will never learn to walk on their own because they don't have to. I thought that there had to be a way to help those people who just couldn't afford health care or who just seemed to need that extra bit of help because for whatever reason they were stuck in the vicious cycle of poverty. I still hope and pray that those people get the help that they need, but now I can clearly see that the help that they need should be from their neighbors or their families, not from their government. As I continue to learn, listen, and watch, I see that the change that must take place in America needs to come from the inside out. We need to change. We need to be more charitable. We need to be more hard-working. We need to be more honest, virtuous, and God-fearing. We need to protect and defend our families, our homes, and our liberty. Mr. Obama, I will continue to pray for you and for all of the governemnt officials. I will pray that the Lord will show you a better way. That He will show us all a better way. May we all rise up to the challenges before us, that the future of this country will reflect the greatness and humility of its beginnings.

Sincerely,
A Concerned Citizen

Randomness

I think it is time for a "randomness" post. Here are all of my random thoughts for the day...

* Tonight I am having book club at my house. Totally didn't even read the book. Oops.

*Yesterday I told the girls that if they didn't get their chores done that they couldn't play at the park or check out books at the library (we always go the park after our library trips). As I walked out of the library empty-handed ( I am usually carrying a stack of 50 plus books...okay not really, but around 15) I realized that the whole no-checking-out-books punishment was pretty lame. Who punishes their children by withholding books??? Apparently, I do.

*I made brownies last night to serve to the missionaries after dinner. I should know this by know, but just so I have it in writting...NEVER add ingredients when you are in a conversation. After I took the brownies out and realized that they were saturated in grease, I realized that I added 1 and 2/3 cup oil instead of just 2/3 cup. One of the elders actually ate some...bless his heart....literally...bless his heart so he won't have a heart attack!!!

*My mind has been consumed with something that is going to happen that I cannot talk about at this point. I am feeling...consumed (I can't think of a better word) Don't you hate it when people start something but don't finish?

* Next week I register Katelund for first grade.

*The week after that we are leaving for our long car ride to Utah so that we can see Cory's little sister, Stefani, get married. She is going to be one beautiful bride!

*I can't eat ice cream or peaches. Both of them make me throw-up.

*Can I just tell you how much I love to listen to talks by Elder Maxwell? He is one of the people that I can't wait to meet in heaven!!! Speaking of favorite people....our Bishop told an awesome story on Sunday about an experience he witnessed with Elder Bednar. (you don't really know me if you don't know how much I LOVE Elder Bednar) I'll have to write a whole post on just that story. I'll save it for a rainy day.

In Memory of...

These words were written to me today in an email from my sister-in-law/one of my greatest friends of all time. I couldn't have said it any better.

..."Because of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His perfect plan of Happiness, I feel that I know things about Clairisa that others might deem impossible to know. I know that she inherited all those beautiful virtues that her mother possesses so completely {apparently she has lived away from me for way too long}. I know that she is full of courage, as, I have no doubt, that she full-heartedly volunteered to fulfill her role in your family. It must have taken a courageous soul. I know that she is full of knowledge. She must have had a comprehensive understanding of what her short life would mean. I'm sure that she knew it would be hard and cause heartache for so many, but I know that she must have understood the big picture, as does the Lord. I know that she is full of a testimony of her Savior, Jesus Christ. Of this I have no question, because I felt the overwhelming power of her spirit this time a year ago. I know that she is valiant. After all, she only needed a body. I know that she is righteous. Her righteousness was something that our Heavenly Father needed more than we did. I know that she possesses that quality that most of us strive a lifetime to achieve, even charity. I think that everything she was meant to do leads every one of us back to our Father in Heaven. Through the many acts of service that were given because of her, the best was brought out in all of us. She undoubtedly encourages us all to partake in the pure love of Christ. I know that she is perfect. At that day, when the Savior comes again, she will be with her Father in Heaven and if we live up to our covenants we shall be privileged to see her as she really is, perfect, exalted, and celestial.
Happy Perfection Day Clairisa! We love you!"

Happy Pioneer Day!!!

This poem was in the Ensign a couple of years ago, and it has always been one of my favorites.

Faith to Follow
by Lisa South

I dream of being a Moses, an Esther,
A Nephi--And despair that I
Don't have that
Greatness in me.
But thenI remember--
God doesn't require greatness,
He requires faith;
And some of us must have
The faith to follow.

Pioneers: Day Four

I am an 8th generation Mormon on every single genealogical line. I feel so much gratitude for the ancestors that preceded me and for the legacy that they left behind. I have some pretty amazing footsteps to follow, and for that I feel deeply humbled and blessed. But, I have often wondered what it would be like to be the first one in your family to join the church, to be a modern day pioneer. Cory's dad is just that. He joined the church when he was 21 years old. He made that life-changing decision to step into the unknown and act upon his faith in order to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. He has been an active strong member of the church ever since. He and his wife have raised 5 incredible children. All three of the boys have served 2 year missions for the church and as of next month, all 5 children will be sealed to their spouses in the temple.

He is a modern day pioneer. A man who walks in faith and who taught his children to do the same. I absolutely love this picture of him holding Clairisa because I see a grandpa who loves and cherishes his granddaughter, a man who has given his life and heart to God and who knows what it means to anchor himself in faith and cleave unto hope. I will never forget his loving embrace in the hospital or his tender words spoken at the graveside service. I feel so blessed to have two of the most incredible fathers in my life, my own father and my father-in-law, a pioneer in every sense of the word.

Pioneers: Day Three

The last two stories have both been from my Dad's side of the family. The following story is from my Mom's side. I LOVE this story...it has always been one of my favorites.

Sarah Ann Weeks joined the church as a youth. She did so against the wishes of her parents. She wanted so badly to join the Saints in America, but her parents told her that if she left they would no longer have her as a daughter. She chose to leave. She cut off all of her hair in order to pay for the expense of crossing the Atlantic. When she boarded the boat, her brothers came aboard looking for her in order to make her go back home. With the approval of the captain, she found a big kettle in the kitchen and hid in it the whole way to America so that nobody would find her or stop her from making it to Zion. She eventually made it to Salt Lake City, but her parents kept their word and never corresponded with her again.

Pioneers: Day Two

Joseph Smith Black was the son of Jane Johnston and William Young Black. He was baptized in Nauvoo when he was 8 years old by George Q. Adams, who added the Smith to his name when he was in the water. While living in Nauvoo, he went to Warsaw to go and help another family move. While he was there he remembers boys and old men hooting and yelling at him and some of them threatening to kill him because he was a Mormon.

He arrived in Salt Lake City when he was 14 years old. Later on in his life, he moved to Deseret where he became a bishop of that ward. In his obituary, the following was said about him;

"During the dam-building age to Deseret's checkered history the people were very, very poor. Bishop Black ran a large mercantile business and varied his dam building enterprise with the equally disastrous task of attempting to feed the poorer ones of his spiritual flock, and it can be truthfully said of him that no needy person ever applied to Bishop Black for aid or credit at his store and was refused. His big generous hand was ever extended to those less fortunate than himself. His confidence in the honesty of his fellowmen was unbounded. If one of his clerks in the store robbed him he forgave him and continued to treat him as a brother and a friend.

Joseph S. Black was a pioneer in all that the word, in it best sense, conveys. His career is ended, and whatever the future holds for those who have done their duty in this life, as God gave them ability and strength to do it, he will receive its fullness."

Pioneers: Day One

When I used to teach music in Primary (my favorite calling of all time), I loved to teach the pioneer songs. I loved to dress up like a pioneer and I loved to tell the stories! It is probably one of my favorite holidays because it just means so much to me, maybe because I marvel at the sacrifices that were part of everday life for them, or maybe it is because I find my faith increased after I read of theirs. Whatever the reason, I stand in awe of them and the legacy that they have left behind. To me, they are the ultimate example of a people who humbly and willingly gave up everything in order to find freedom from persecution and obey the will of God. I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like to live back then.

Pioneer Day is on the 24th of July. This morning as I was thinking about what I was going to do to celebrate them, I decided to write about a pioneer everyday this week. To start off, I am going to write about my 4th great grandparents...Jane Johnston Black and William Young Black. Both of them were born in Ireland. After all of their parents had died, they moved to Manchester, England. {They actually have quite an amazing love story, but in order to not drag this post on forever, I have chosen to just include some selected parts}.

The following is in Jane's own words:

"We did go in what was called Paul Harris Cellar. William Clayton and Joseph Fielding addressed us. It was glad tidings and great joy to my husband and me. We both believed and on about January 14, 1839 we were baptized by Elder Clayton. In the year 1840, the chilldren and I [William was serving a mission in England] traveled to Nauvoo and saw and heard the Prophet Joseph Smith and I can testify the he truly was a Prophet of God.

We then moved to Nauvoo and lived there until the Saints were driven from their homes and across the Mississippi River....We had nothing to eat except on half bushel of corn meal and a half dozen cucumbers that were given to me. There were a great many sick among us and nothing to comfort them and nourish them but cornmeal until the Lord sent quail amongst us which supplied our needs. They were so tame some of them would light on the beds of the sick and they could reach out their hands and catch them. We had nothing to sweeten anything until the Lord sent honey dew, which we gathered from the bushes until we had all we could use. How grateful we were for these blessings.

The Saints moved on to Winter Quarters and we went with them. We stayed there about a year and then started across the plains on our journey to the Salt Lake Valley. We often walked from fifteen to twenty miles per day, but many times the going was very slow and hard. We walked to ease the load our team had to haul. After a weary and toilsome journey of more than a thousand miles we arrived in Salt Lake City in the Fall of 1850.

{So I just told this story to Katelund and Cloey and when I got to the part about them not having hardly any food and all of the people that were sick, Cloey stopped me. She had tears all in her eyes and said, "Mommy, can we please go and take them some food and drive them to our house so we can take care of them?"}

LOVE THIS!!!!

I can't figure out how to post this video, so here is the link.....Mormon Message.

I love all of the Mormon Messages, but this one has to be my very favorite!!! I hope that you will watch it, especially if you are not a Mormon (it's a great way to find out what we believe).

Note to Self:

Don't EVER do the following things...

*go on a walk (without keys) and then leave all of your doors locked.

*tell your children that they will have to stay in the room until it is clean, even if that means all day.

*answer the phone when you are really emotional and have been husbandless for four very long days because you will just fall apart and cry.

*go to a swim meet and let your daughter stand in the chair while she "fixes your hair" and then let her try to get down on her own, lose her balance, and fall on her head straight back on the cement.

*buy blue slushies at Sonic and then let your children drink them in the van.

*leave your keys in your locked car at the gas station while you run into the store real quick with your children and then have to wait at the gas station while your husband (who is driving home from a business trip) calls a policeman in our ward to come break into the car.

*never repeat a day like yesterday.

My New Favorite Website

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe website! Everything that I have made and everything that my sister has made off of here is FABULOUS!!!! Seriously. This week I haven't been feeling so well, but last week....I was a changed woman. My family thought that something crazy had happened because all of the sudden I was cooking new and exciting meals every single night. Not just meals, meals that have fresh ingredients and lots of spices. Three of my favorite meals that I have made from here are the Asian BBQ chicken, the chicken taquitos, and the French dip sandwiches. Let me know if you find any other favorites.

Click here for the link.

"Each Life that Touches Ours for Good"

This was the view out my front window yesterday afternoon. I thought it was so sweet!! They really are the best of friends.

Yesterday, I had one of my friends from the ward come over and make cards with me. We had such a great time and I actually finished about 8 cards. It was not only great to have a friend over, it was so great to have her over. She has such a pure heart and is a great example of endurance, love, and faith in the Lord. She has a brain tumor that is basically uncurable. She is on and off of chemo all of the time, she has a seizure almost every single day, and she struggles with memory loss. But, although she deals with all of these things, she is so happy and has such a positive attitude. She talks about everyone as if they were the most amazing person in the world. I love people like that!!!

I am so thankful that the Lord places certain people in our lifes at certain times to teach us specific things. I could go on and on listing the things that I have learned over the last twenty eight years from the friends and people in my life at certain times. Each person, each of you who read this, have left an impression upon my heart and have taught me something that nobody else could have taught me in quite the same way. That is one of the great advantages of living in so many different places....more people to learn from. Really in the end, I think we are not only a compilation of the experiences and choices we make, but also lifes that have touched ours, the people we have learned from and loved.

And just to prove my point, PLEASE leave a comment about someone recently who has touched your life and then beneath your comment I would like to tell you something that you have taught me (unless I don't know you, of course :) ).

Dear Body,

I know that this is my fourth pregnancy, but STILL!! What is the deal? Is it just that you are so excited and ready for this baby that you feel like you have to make room for him/her in a hurry? I am not complaining about your enthusiasm but I'm pretty sure that by 2 months I should be looking the same. I don't think that this little pooch is supposed to be there yet. At this rate, I'm going to be in maternity clothes by next month, and really I would normally be okay with that, BUT did you forget about the little black dress that I am supposed to be wearing to Stefani's wedding? I don't think there is any room in there for a pooch, and think about how I will be feeling standing next to all of my supermodel size 2 sister-in-laws. Okay, okay....I guess I should just be grateful that you know what you are doing, but don't you remember how everything worked out just fine with the first pregnancy when you didn't start showing until month 6? Or even pregnancy number 2 when it wasn't until month 4-5? I'm just saying...I'm okay with you slowing down a little bit.....unless this is just what you do when I'm having a BOY??? If that's the case, then bring on the maternity clothes!!

Respectfully Yours,
Melissa

Chocolate, Slides, and Zip Lines

Remember how I was craving chocolate? After reading my blog, my sweet friend Kristi came by the next day and brought me over the most delicious chocolate brownie EVER!!! Totally made my day!

We went to a SWEET park this week. It had a zip line....

...and a CRAZY fast slide. I went down it with the girls and was actually kinda scared that I was going to have a crash landing because we were not slowing down. It was SO MUCH fun!! This park is on my top 5 list of ALL time best parks! It is totally worth coming out to Chattanooga to visit it (and me...hint, hint to all of my friends and family who have no idea where I live and who I wish would just come and visit).

Today's Check List

Blessing....check
Breakdown before doctor's appointment....check
Impressed with new doctor....check
Breakdown in doctor's office...check (I had to tell all of the details of my last pregnancy)
Baby inside...check
Heartbeat good...check
Breakdown when I heard the heartbeat...check
Prescription for nausea...check
Relieved and excited...check, check, check!!!
Totally craving a chocolate cake to celebrate all my checks....check

It's a good day.

Faith and Fear

I have always tried to be really honest on my blog. I write this for me and my family, so when I feel like being cheesy, I am. When I feel like venting, I do. When I feel like being setimental, I am. I am who I am, and I am not going to change my blog to create somebody or try to portray myself as somebody I am not (although my blog would be a lot more exciting) :) . So the point in me telling you all of this, is because I don't want you (whoever reads this) to think that I am ever writing for a reaction or writing to receive certain types of responses. Many times I read my post to my children because I want them to know how I feel or what I strongly believe. I think it is important. I also have found it very interesting to read what I felt at this time last year or the year before, or even the year before that. I don't use my blog to merely post pictures for grandparents, update friends and families with our current events, or even to just write about how my children are growing. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with doing a blog just for one of those reasons, they are just not my sole reasons to blog. I want to remember how I feel, what is important to me, and how the moments that matter in my life make me who I am.

With that being said....

Lately I have been experiencing a lot of anxiety. I am having trouble sleeping at night, I find myself scared to go to the bathroom because I am afraid that I will see blood, and I am scared to death to go the doctor tomorrow for my first appointment because what if I am really not pregnant? I know that all of these things seem illogical, but I am really struggling with them. I am getting a blessing tonight and I know I just have to let go of these fears and replace them with faith, but I am just so afraid of repeating the past. I have learned and grown so much in the last year, but that doesn't mean I am ready to repeat it. The other day I was telling Katelund that my stomach was hurting. She then said to me, "is it because the baby has died inside of you?" I was caught so off guard, I just started sobbing uncontrollably. She voiced what I have been fearing deep down inside. It is time to just let these feelings go, because they are only weighing me down and I know that they are not from the Lord. For how can faith and fear co-exist? They can't.

Yesterday my friend Destinee, sent me some pictures of Clairisa that she had done some work with on Photoshop. She also made an incredible slideshow with the pictures and music. Cory and I watched it and cried together. It was perfect, Destinee! Although I am scared and anxious, I feel so incredibly grateful and blessed to be pregnant right now. To be pregnant during a month where my thoughts are turned to last year. Two days from today, last year, I was being admitted to the hospital while bleeding uncontrollably. It seems like just yesterday. I was so thankful for these pictures from Destinee, because it helped ease my mind as I realized that although there are many hard and painful memories from this time last year, there are also a lot of sweet unforgettable ones that have changed my life forever. Thank you Destinee for reminding me of those very moments.

My Little Firecrackers

What I wish I'd said.

Last night we had a suprise visit by a 19 year old young man who we knew from Fayetteville. Cory was his YM leader at church. He comes from a wonderful family (I totally love his mom) and he is a really good boy. He was stopping by for the night on his way to California. As Cory and I sat and talked with him for awhile, I couldn't help but feel excitement and nervousness for this boy. He is like most of us were at 19; yearning for independance, trying to figure out what comes next, learning who we are without our parents, and thinking that we've got life pretty much figured out. At least that is how I was at 19. I was in college thinking that I was pretty darn smart, I was completely smitten by Cory and ready to begin my perfect fairy tale life with him, and I was so excited and ready to show my parents how independant I had become.



As I listened to this boy, I could relate in so many ways to where I was at his age, and yet there were so many things that I just wanted to tell him. I wanted to tell him that my parents really did try there very best, and I only pray that I can be the same kind of parent to my teenage daughters. I wanted to tell him that independance is not really what it is cracked up to be, life is hard and it hardly ever goes the way you think it will. I wanted to explain to him that as smart as he thinks he is now, just wait...he'll realize how little he really knows when real life gets a hold of him. I'd tell him to prepare himself for marriage because it is not a perfect fairy tale, it is hard work. I'd tell him to study diligently, pray feverently, work hard, and be grateful because you never know what tomorrow will bring.



I hope life will be good to him, but most likely it will be filled with moments of refinement, trials of intensity, and seasons of disappointment and sorrow. But hopefully, all these things will work together for his good and become course corrections in his life. I hope that he'll find his way back to that narrow road where faith will become his anchor, hope his guiding star, and eternal happiness his destiny.

It has begun...

The nausea, gagging, and throwing-up is in full force. Yesterday it lasted all day long. I'm hoping for a better day today, but so far it's been pretty rough. This morning I was determined to go on my morning walk (I didn't go yesterday because I was feeling so horrible). So I walked with my I Pod in one hand and a bag of pretzels in the other. I don't know if I burned any more calories than I consumed, but at least it felt good to get out and exercise.

As I was leaning over my toilet bowl yesterday trying to keep down the handful of cherries that I had just consumed, I had a moment of laughter as I recalled all of the memories of past first/second trimesters of pregnancy.

While I was pregnant with Katelund, I was in the middle of one of my most intense semesters at BYU-Idaho. I was in the middle of methods (a semester filled with teaching full time, creating an insane amount of lesson plans, and taking 12 credit hours to top it all off). I would drive down with a group of girls everyday to Idaho Falls in order to teach/observe in the third grade. Stopping on the side of the snowy road in order for me to throw-up became a part of our daily routine as we traveled to and from I.F. and Rexburg. I was also teaching water aerobics at the college. There were many times where I would have to jump out of the pool and run to the bathroom. The life guard freaked out the first time it happened, but once I explained to him that it was either me running on the side of the pool or him cleaning up throw up, he backed down.

After that experience, I swore that I was not going to get pregnant again until after my student teaching. We moved back to Texas and about one week into the semester, I found out that I was pregnant. My student teaching was quite the experience. It was almost a daily occurence for me to stop mid sentence and run out of the classroom to find the toilet bowl. Everything would trigger my gagging reflex. The smell of the Kindergartners after they came in from recess, picking the kids up from the cafeteria, and cleaning myself up after 3 kids threw-up on me (I actually just gagged from even thinking about that one).

When I was pregnant with Clairisa, I was so thankful to be in my own home and sitting in front of my own toilet bowl. It was definitely not easy being sick and taking care of my 2 and 3 year old daughters, but I had an AMAZING neighbor/friend who helped out a TON!!!

This time is not all that different. I still gag everytime I open the kitchen cupboard or fridge, whenever I kiss Cory (sorry honey), or everytime that I even think about brushing my teeth. But, even though those things are all the same, it is still very different. My perspective is different. Although I may physically feel miserable, on the inside I couldn't be more happy. It is all worth it and it could always be so much worse. I just feel so blessed and thankful. I am pregant with my 4th child. I have two healthy beautiful little girls, and I am married to a man whom I have completely fallen in love with all over again this last year. Life is good, even if the next few months are spent by my toilet bowl. :)

So I don't forget.

I just have to record this conversation so that I will never forget it.

The other day I took the girls to the park. Katelund was swinging on the swing, which she can finally do by herself, [Oh blessed day!!! Learning how to pump on the swing has to be one of the best mile markers ever.] and Cloey was running around playing on the playground. Cloey decided to take her shoes off and go running into the grass. She just happened to step right on top of a bumblebee. The bee stung her. She started screaming like crazy! I ran over to her, picked her up, and tried to calm her down as I grabbed everything and told Katelund to follow me to the van. Katelund came running up behind me as I was still trying to comfort Cloey and said the following...

"Mommy, I wish that the bee would have stung me so that Cloey wouldn't be hurting right now."

I have really been thinking about what Katelund said ever since it happened. In that moment, I believe that she demonstrated the purest kind of love. The kind of love that the Savior had for all of us, enough to suffer that we may not suffer. In the Book of Mormon, Abinidai said, "but there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ". The sting of every pain, sorrow, and sin is swallowed up in Christ. How thankful I am today that He loved me enough to take away the sting out of the experiences in my life that have brought me pain and sorrow. He has overcome them all, so that I wouldn't be left hurting. I stand all amazed, today and everyday, for the love Jesus offers me. The pure love of Christ that can heal every wound and take the sting out of any pain.

This is for Austyn...

In my last post, my good friend Austyn (who I miss terribly!!!) requested a picture of me. I just don't get a whole lot of pictures of me because I am usually the one behind the camera. So I decided to post my most recent picture, which was taken two Sundays ago. I had put the girls' hair in rollers overnight and so after church Cloey wanted to put my hair in rollers.

Father's Day, Girls Camp, and Pregnancy

We had a great Father's Day. We spent the day spoiling and pampering Cory. He got his favorite dessert, a gourmet dinner (I wish...I tried hard at least), his favorite breakfast, a long nap, a spa pedicure, and a game of Spinners. It was a great day. Life is dull when Cory is not home. All of us girls are totally smitten by him. I feel so blessed to have three incredible fathers in my life, my own dad, Cory's dad, and Cory. They are the most honorable men that I know and my greatest heroes.

Katelund's latest hair do.

Yesterday morning I found Katelund blow drying Cloey's hair. She is all about helping me out these days. If I lift anything or do anything that she doesn't think I should be doing, she lets me know. She'll say, "Mommy, the b-a-b-y" (you have to say it in a sing song voice).

Katelund made up a new Spinner rule yesterday. She said that anytime we laid down a tile with a spinner on it, then we had to say something we loved about our Daddy. It was a really cute idea. On one of the last days of school, Katelund had to bring her favorite game...which is this one...she was so disappointed that none of the other kids wanted to play it. :) It's a family favorite. Although Cloey didn't play with us yesterday because she was too busy talking on her phone to Snow White.

Girls camp was SO MUCH FUN!!! I really got to know the girls and we made some great memories. I don't know how I always luck out and get in the ward with the cutest and best girls in the stake, but I do! I wish I would've taken some pictures of some of the fun things we did together as a ward. I felt like I was a Young Women again. Good times, good times.

The pregnancy is going great!!!! I feel like I am a walking zombie because of how tired I am, but I am the most excited zombie ever. I swear I introduce myself to people as "Hi, my name is Melissa and I'm pregnant". I just feel so blessed to be carrying around another little angel. I am trying so hard to not be scared and paranoid. Every little ache, pain, or cramp sends me into hysterics and I really wish I would stop having such horrible nightmares of losing my baby again. I spend my nights in fear and my days on my knees in prayer and daydreaming about that blessed day when I will hold my very alive baby in my arms. What a day that will be! In the mean time, I'm just trying to put my faith and trust in the Lord. Thank you for all of your sweet comments of encouragement and congratulations. They meant so much to me!!!

I can't hold it in any longer...

I'M PREGNANT!!! Ahh, it feels so good to say that! I am 1 month along and I am so excited I can hardly stand it!!!

Miracles

In sunday school this last week, we talked about miracles that take place around us today. Some people in the class shared some pretty amazing miracles, such as missionary work and temples dotting the earth. In my own life, I have seen many miracles happen. Some of them are too sacred or personal to talk about it, some of them have been shared and experienced within my circle of family and friends, and others are still happening. Yet, of all of the miracles that I have witnessed, I'd have to say that the greatest ones that I have seen have taken place within my own heart and within the hearts of others. The miracle of change. The miracle that takes place when someone turns to Christ and their entire nature is changed.

I have seen people who have completely turned their hearts to the Lord and who have gradually changed and become refined in the process. I have seen a modern day Alma the Younger experience. I have seen wounds that were so deep and painful begin the healing process. I have seen forgivenss take place in situations that seemed to be unforgivable. Just recently in our ward, I witnessed a couple who completely changed their life, got married, and entered the waters of baptism. As they were being confirmed the next day and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, I just sat and cried because I knew that I had once again experienced a miracle, a life changed forever because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

There are some who think that miracles have ceased. I know they have not. They are all around us. To me, they testify of Christ and the atonement. They show me that the tender mercies of the Lord are everywhere and anywhere, if we but only look for them, and if we allow them to, they can happen within our very own hearts.

Randomness

This weekend Cory and I had so much fun playing in our stake softball tournament. I actually hit the ball everytime I got up to bat. Cory said to me on the way home, "Wow honey, you actually played really well." Thanks honey. I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or not. Apparently he had forgotten that I used to play fast pitch softball (so what if I was 10 and never won a game).

Yesterday was Amber's (my sister-in-law) birthday. Today is my mom's birthday and my younger sister, Katie's birthday. Tomorrow is my older sister, Andrea's birthday and this weekend is Father's Day. As a little girl I used to hate this week of the year because everyone was celebrated but me. I'm sure I made their birthday's miserable as I would pout around the house. One year my Grandma sent me a present (some white sandals) so that I would not feel so bad. It made Andrea so mad.

I hope they all have a wonderful birthday! I love each one of them with all my heart!!

So I have really been into geneology lately. I caught the bug and I'm loving it. I'm especially loving all of the attention I'm getting from my Dad. :) I think that's the best part.

This week I'm going to girls camp! I'm way excited! In this ward they camp in cabins, so that makes me even more excited to go!

I am about to finish book 4 of a really great series. The first book is called The Covenant. The author is Beverly Lewis. It is all about an amish family and community. SO GOOD!!! I strongly recommed it!

Today is my cleaning day...which is why I am still writing on my blog. I hate getting started, that is always the hardest part for me. I guess I'll just have to blare my music and make myself do it.

"Mene Mom"

Everday I require Katelund and Cloey to spend some time in the afternoon having "study" time, where they have to quietly read to themselves, write, or draw (if Katelund draws she has to write about her drawing as well). I do this not only because it is good for them and educational, but mostly because it helps me keep my sanity (if I have any left). Anyways, yesterday Katelund was not happy about having to do this yet again, but I persisted and so she finally gave in, stormed off down the hall, and slammed the door. She went to her bedroom and wrote me the following letter....

Mene Mom.

You betr be nise to me. I hop you fil bad.

Katelund.

Feeling very proud of herself for expressing her feelings so perfectly, she brought it to me and then stormed off once again. It took everything in me to not burst out laughing. I debated in my mind about how I should respond. I finally decided to just write her a letter back. This is what I wrote....

Dear Katelund,
I am sorry you are sad. I love you so much!
Love,
Mom

I took it to her and then left her to read it. A couple of minutes later she returned to the room with another letter and a little smile. This is what she wrote...

I am sorry thte I said thte. {thte=that}

She had done exactly what I wanted her to...spend time reading and writing. But that isn't what touched me the most. It never ceases to amaze me how children can let things go so easily and so quickly. What happens when we get older? Why is it that we have to work so hard for the humility, submissiveness, and unconditional love that came so naturally as a child? The other day at dinner Katelund said that she couldn't wait until she was older so that she could know everything like Mommy and Daddy do. I just laughed. I think the older I get the more I realize how little I really know, especially after becoming a mom. I think that most often, it is my children that are teaching me.

My favorite quote EVER!

Believe it or not, my favorite quote ever is actually not from Elder Maxwell or Elder Bednar (their talks are my favorites), it is from President Benson. It came to my mind this morning as I was reading a friend's blog, so I thought I'd share it.

"The Lord works from the inside out, the world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums, Christ takes the slums out of people and then they take themselves out fo the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."

What is your favorite?

My Exciting Discoveries...

I love it when I discover new things. Especially things that are of value. I am so excited about my latest discoveries that I just had to share them.

The first one you can get to by following this link. It is an interactive Friend magazine for kids. There are pictures they can color, games to play, stories they can listen to, etc.

The second thing I have found is the Mormon Channel. It is actually on the lds.org home page but you can also find it by clicking here. I love this because I can just play it on my computer during the day and feel like I have BYU tv. I love it. Yesterday I learned some pretty cool things about the hymns.

The last thing is one of my very favorite things. I actually discovered this awhile ago, but it has made such an impact on my life. I downloaded the talks from this website that are listed under "Gospel Teaching and Learning". I listen to them every morning during my morning run or walk (I have been walking more recently because I think my knees are falling apart). I LOVE them!!! They are SO GOOD!!! My very favorite one is called "Teach Them to Understand" by Elder Bednar. I also loved "Who is this Man Who Knoweth His Letters?" SO GOOD!!! Also the one by Virginia Pearce. Okay, they are all amazing.

Enjoy.

A Year Ago Today...

Exactly one year ago, I went in for my doctor's appointment and found out that I was going to have another little girl. I remember feeling the inital disappointment because I had wanted a boy so badly. A boy who would grow up to be a missionary. That is what I dreamed of. After the news began to sink in and I saw the look of excitement on Cory's face, I knew that a girl was exactly what I was supposed to have and just what I wanted. The excitment grew each day as I day dreamed about what my life would soon be like with three beautiful little girls. At this point, I knew that I had placenta previa, but I had no idea how severe or fatal it could be.

As I think back to this time, I feel a wave of emotion rush through my body as I reminise about what it felt like to have my little Clairisa at the center of my life. Pregnancy had always been something that I'd taken for granted. Sure, I'd seen my older sister have the most severe case of clampsia and toxemia, and I had witnessed both of her children being born months early and their total weight being less than half of Katelund's birthweight (8 lbs 2 oz), and I knew that I had witnessed a miracle, actually two miracles (who are not only adorable and healthy children, but are developmentally ahead of their peers...it helps that they have genius parents), but I still had no idea what it would be like to have something go wrong.

My two previous pregnancies had been the most uneventful pregnancies ever. The only thing that made them abnormal was the fact that my body would'nt go into labor (thank heavens for patosin). It wasn't until I saw the look of panic on the doctor's face that I realized how miraculous pregnancy truly is. It wasn't until I heard the doctor tell me that she did not make it that I felt the disapair, agony, and sorrow that accompany a mother who has lost her baby.

I look at pregnancy different now. I look at babies differently now. I stand in awe at the divine gift that we have been given as women to create life. And now, as I finish up the last month and a half of the longest year of my life, I do so with a greater understanding of life and death, a greater desire to become who I am supposed to become, and greater excitement and anticiaption for the future day when the doctor will again tell me if the miracle within me is a boy or a girl.

{This is not an announcement}

Camping in Mississippi

Cory is in charge of leasing at three different malls in Mississippi. Which means that he spends 3-4 days every other week in Mississippi. So we decided that since there's no school, we'd just go with him this week. We had SO MUCH FUN!! We camped out at a KOA campsite. If you've never camped at one, I definitely recommend it. We stayed in this cute little cabin (that has air conditioning and electricity) with a full size bed and bunk beds. Cory spent his days working and we spent our days playing and swimming. We will definitely be back in a couple of weeks.

We seriously spent like 6-8 hours at the pool everyday.

This was the first time the girls every played on a teeter totter. They played on it a lot!

Our cabin was the one on the left.

Picture taken from the inside of the cabin.

One of my favorite things were the gardenia bushes by the front porch. Everytime I got within a couple of feet of them I was totally in heaven because they SMELL so good!!!! I think I need to plant some in my own yard.

Hanging out on the front porch.

This tire swing was the girls favorite thing!! They loved it, especially when Daddy would swing them in it. Cory finally talked me into going for a swing in it. I was screaming like crazy. It doesn't look very scary from this picture, but Cory would get it going out really far and really high. In fact, at one point I remember saying to him " you better stop this right now unless you want to raise our children by yourself." I seriously thought that I was somehow going to fall out and die. I'm a dork, I know.

Cory would get home in the evening and join us in the pool. We had a lot of fun playing colored eggs, marco pool, and of course I just fell in love all over again with Cory as I watched him swim the butterfly (I always make him swim that stroke when we're in the pool because he does it so beautifully).

We have so much fun together as a family. I just couldn't imagine my life without my wonderful husband or my adorable little girls.

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Why I Mow My Lawn...

This post is dedicated to Amber, who wonders why I am mowing the lawn and not her brother.

It all started when I was about 12 years old and my dad decided that his lawn mowing days had come to an end because he had two daughters who could now do it. Years before that, my sister and I always had to be outside while my dad mowed because we had to do the edging, weed eating, and grass pickup (we'd have to rake it all into a pile and then put it in the trash). Now I'm sure that my sister is going to argue this with me in her comment, but don't listen to her. I swear to you that I had to mow the lawn WAY more than she ever did because when we moved to Arlington, TX she stayed in Garland with my aunt and uncle for awhile so that she could finish the school year, or something like that.

So unlike my darling sister-in-law, I did not have any brothers who could mow the lawn, I had to do it....along with MANY other jobs that my Dad made me do. Working in my home was a serious thing because I have a mom who is an exceptional cleaner and wanted to teach her daughters to do it to the same level of perfection (I remember having to show the tub to my mom after I scrubbed it in order to get her approval...I normally had to do it at least 2-3 times). I also had a Dad who claimed that the reason he had children was so that they could do all the work while he "supervised". The only way that I could ever spend the night at someone's house was if I was home by 7 am Saturday morning so that I could begin my Saturday chores.

As a youth, I would always dream of the day when I was married to the man of my dreams who would never even think of having me mow the lawn, edge, weed eat, trim bushes, rake the leaves, etc. Fast forward 3 or 4 years....I married the man of my dreams who has ever allergy known to man, and to top it off, he's allergic to grass. So, I mow the lawn. Not that he can't or won't do it. We had a day of service about a month ago here in our region and Cory had to mow like 6 lawns. He wore jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and had to take like 10 benadryl. He came home miserable. He would mow our lawn (and he actually did the front yard last week while I was gone, but I took over and did the rest because otherwise I knew that I would have a sleepy husband the rest of the day because of all of the Benadryl he'd have to take). But I actually kinda like it. I enjoy the satisfaction that comes from seeing the beautiful neat rows of trimmed grass. It is very satisfying. In an effort to be frugal, Cory traded some of his tools for a lawn mower. It is wonderful and does a great job, but....it's a push mower and we have a huge hill in our front yard. So not only do I get the satisfaction of a beautiful yard, but I also get a great work out.