Saturday, June 26, 2010

So glad I'm not 13

So I was going through a couple of boxes with things from way back when and found my middle school journal. While my intent was not to read any of it, I started browsing and ended up reading for about 2 hours. I nearly cried a few times. I started to feel a little vulnerable and insecure. I had forgotten about some of the things that had happened and remembered why I disliked those years of my life so much. But as I read through the progressing year I saw my insecure, lonely little self changing and growing. And there were good moments mixed in with the bad and there were amazing people that I know were placed in my life at just the right times. Mary J, Andrea W, Summer H, and Noelene C (all have different last names now) will always have a place in my heart. My family was and is amazing and my sisters did so much more for me than they will ever know. I am so glad that we grow up and hopefully most of us are better because of our experiences. And I just want to apologize to Stephanie G (J now), I accidentally hit you with a shot-put during practice and I really really didn't mean too. I have always felt so bad about that.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Humor Me

Once again, Luke is hilarious. He really makes us laugh all the time. Today he said several things that needed to be remembered.

He saw some of my cleavage when I bent over to help Seth with something:
Luke: Mommy, why does your tummy have a whole in it?
Me: I was very confused for a moment and finally realized what he was referring too, so I tried to explain a little about the female anatomy without going too much into detail.
Luke: Yeah, everyone in our family has nipples
Me: That's right, but all people have nipples, not just people in our family
Luke: So, why does your tummy have a whole in it? Our bottoms are down here (as he points to his bottom)
At this point I didn't know what else to say . . .

He's developing a case of the gimmes (wants everything at the store), so I was trying to explain that we can't have everything right when we want it.
Me: Mommy and Daddy hardly ever get toys or things that we want. We have to spend our money on things like food and clothes.
Luke: Ya, you play with our toys, why don't grown ups have toys?
Me: I don't know, what do you think?
Luke: Because grown ups don't laugh

After we read our scriptures he wanted to 'read' too. This is the gospel according to Luke:
'Alma was on his pirate ship and went on the water that had big waves. He got to the place where all the Lamanites were and they went to a little castle with a lot of little kings. They all went out to Jesus and got on a bus and drove to their new house in Texas.'

He is quite the photographer as well. Here are some of his latest:




Thursday, June 17, 2010

Happenings

Not too much is going on with us. Mostly a lot of lazy summer days playing in the hose, going swimming, eating popsicles and trying to stay cool. We had a few days of serious rain so we were stuck inside (it was so heavy I was scared to drive too), so we got creative building forts and having picnics on the living room floor. I layed out in the grass while the boys played in the mud yesterday and I kind of felt like a kid again just looking up at the clouds. It was nice . . . kids are good for us.





Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Moments

I spend several days alone with the boys lately while David interns 2 hours away. I am not at all complaining, because really it's not too bad and he has a few days off each week as well. But, my point is that all this time with little adult interaction leads to a lot of thinking. As I sweep the kitchen floor for the 3rd time in one day (Seth is possibly the messiest eater to have lived), and gaze upon the 3 baskets of laundry just longing to be folded and the 4 loads waiting patiently in the hallway to be washed, and clean the bathroom because the boys created a hurricane in the sink, and wash the dishes and wash some more dishes and pick up toys (I think you get it) all while little arms clench to my legs, I wonder what's the point? Some days I get so frazzled and burdened down. It's like all the things I have to do are this huge mountain and every time I take a step forward I get dragged backwards 2 steps. My children are literally pint sized tornadoes that do level 10 damage. There are bills to pay, education to gain, callings to fulfill, errands to run. And I start to wonder, what is the point of doing this day after day after day? But then, there are moments. The double high fives for using the potty, the death grip hugs and slobbery kisses, being asked to sing, 'the Spirit of God' loud like they did in church, being the source of comfort, watching two small brothers give each other hugs, asking the older brother if he loves the younger and hearing 'ya, I really do' in reply, finding comfort and acceptance in the arms of my husband, sharing burdens with sisters and friends. And for a brief moment I feel like I can see eternity. It's not only that I can see it, but I can feel it. Like it's a part of me, of something I was and can be again. And the more I focus on those moments, the more frequently they occur and I feel like it's all starting to make sense. These moments occur in the essence of love. What if it really is all as simple as love? God loved us so he sent His Son, Love one Another, Charity (the pure love of Christ) never faileth. So who cares if my house is a disaster sometimes? Am I really alone there? The point of living my life day after day after day is to prove to my Heavenly Father that I can do it. That I can love the way that He does and that I can become like Him. And I don't believe that's a spiteful kind of proving. I think it's humble, borne from hard work, tears, suffering, unselfishness and so on. Obviously, some days are better than others, but I think that's why we've been given so many. Because some days are great and some moments show us our true potential.


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Daily 5

Blogging has been hard for me lately. I would often much rather just read everyone else's, but this is really a journal for our family, so I'm going to try and start up the gratitude posts again.
*There were a few hiccups with David's internship, but it's all been figured out, so he's very excited to be able to continue. He was actually offered another position today, so it was a little stressful having to decide but we feel like it's the best decision.
*We bought some huge blocks for only $1 at our ward garage sale and the boys have had a lot of fun playing with them. Seth especially likes to knock them down.
*David has had the whole week off, so we've had a lot of fun just hanging out and getting things done around the house.
*I had a chance to read my scriptures uninterrupted. I love being able to do that because usually there are kids crying at my feet while I'm reading ;)
*We went swimming for the 3rd time this week. The boys have a new love and I have a feeling we'll be spending all summer in the pool. Really, it's the only way to survive this humidity and heat! And maybe I'll get a shade darker than pasty, haha!

Pictures from the past few weeks.