Father of the Bride 2

This movie describes our life over the past year. We have taken on new roles that we have never done before. We had become In-laws and now our newest role that we get to have is that of grandparents.. Aubrey is due the beginning of February. We are excited but, I must admit the idea of that role has been a bit hard to accept. I sure don't feel like I can be called Grandma yet. Hmmm.. Any suggestions on different names that won't make me feel so old? Now to reference the movie again this is what we will both look like in a few months.

Yes! I am also pregnant and due 2 weeks after Aubrey. All I can say is WOW! I will be an old Mama and a young grandmother. Heaven help me!!!

Meet Fynn

This is the newest member of our family, well for the year anyway. He is our foreign exchange student from Germany. He will stay with us until June. So far it has been really great having him. He has fit into the family nicely. So, if you want to brush up on your German, come for a visit.

An Epiphany for me

I am trying to find joy in my daily life, in my mundane routines of being a mother. It doesn't change much for me. There is always dishes that need to be done, laundry that needs to be folded. I make breakfast, lunch and dinner. I go grocery shopping and pick up after kids and clean bathrooms. But, in my reading today I came across a scripture that helped change some of my perspective, for today atleast.
I have read this scripture many times but today it has different meaning for me.
It is Alma 32:37-39
37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your aground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

I thought of this in a different way today. I thought of this in how I am raising my children. This is what I am doing for my children everytime I obey the commandments like having prayer with them, reading scriptures, praising them, discussing gospel topics. I am nourishing their tree and helping the roots grow deeply and that it takes work and part of that is the mundane everyday tasks.
The rewards of my faith is to see all my children with me in the Celestial kingdom. That is my greatest joy. I think I have a glimpse of what my father in heaven might see and feel.

Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments

Do you ever find something that is life changing,something like a book or an article or even a person? Well, I found that in an article by Jeffery R. Holland called "Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments." I learned things I never thought of before. I learned new ways to be able to teach the children I have been entrusted with and I was directed to this article by my sweet daughter Aubrey. There are so many good things in this, so many.
i loved this quote.
‎"It has been declared in the solemn word of
revelation, that the spirit and the body constitute
the soul of man; and, therefore, we should look
upon this body as something that shall endure in
the resurrected state, beyond the grave,
something to be kept pure and holy. Be not afraid
of soiling its hands; be not afraid of scars that
may come to it if won in earnest effort, or [won]
in honest fight, but beware of scars that disfigure,
that have come to you in places where you ought
not have gone, that have befallen you in
unworthy undertakings [pursued where you
ought not have been]; beware of the wounds of
battles in which you have been fighting on the
wrong side." [Talmage, CR, October 1913, p. 117]

Family Pictures

It has been quite a few years since we have had decent family pictures. I think the last time Haylee was 4 years old and we had one of Devin's friends take the picture. HAHA.

Well, Aubrey and Alex came for a visit and I was going to try my hardest to get family pictures done. The day we chose was supposed to be a nice day. Well, it wasn't. The wind was blowing hard and it was 40 degrees outside. But, we chose to do it anyway. For the most part it was fine, except Adalyn wanted nothing to do with smiling or getting her picture taken. She kept saying "I'm COLD!!" So, I said I would be happy if we got one good one. Well, here is the result. Hopefully we can try again when the weather warms up and Aubrey comes for another visit.







Adalyn refused to get in the picture. She just wanted me to hold her. So, all my kids except for her. oh well!

If you can call it a job

At the end of December I got the best part time job ever. This is my job description.
1. Love Basketball, especially the Utah Jazz.
2. Help get the crowd excited during time outs and at half time.
3. Be willing to act crazy and have fun.
4. Be able to run up and down the stairs in the arena to give out free merchandise.
This is basically the job description. So, I get paid to watch the Jazz play basketball. This is the best job ever!!! I absolutely LOVE it..
The only downside to it is ugly uniforms..

sometimes

Sometimes life feels very lonely. Sometimes I am tired of putting on the face that everything is great when it is not. It is hard not feeling like I have any real friends, nobody that I feel like I can share my problems with, without feeling like I am burdening them.It's hard living in a place for a year and a half and not feeling included in my ward and neighborhood. I feel like I have really tried. But, there is the dang clique. Do adults really have cliques? This has been a hard transition, one that we have prayed about and felt good about but, it has been so hard!! I am trying, trying , trying but today I am tired... Tired of so many things. But, to even say them aloud or in writing brings on tremendous guilt because I shouldn't feel tired of being a mother or wife or babysitter or whatever hat I put on for the day. But, I am... Today I am tired of all these things and just want to stop... Sometimes I wish I could just stop.