Saturday

I haven't been hospitalized this weekend so no matter what I'm already doing better than last! I got the kids up, fed, bathed and dressed this morning. My Mom and Mike stopped by for a while and then the kids and I were on the go. Here is the string of errands we ran;

-Went to Zurchers (got D Speed Racer stuff for his 6th b-day)
-Had lunch at the Hungry Bear
-Put gas in my car and washed it
-Stopped by Mark's work to say hi (he wasn't there)
-Drove by our new home (Kayla had not yet seen it)
-Took kids to HP so D could check out he and my Mom's new school
-Went to Shopko to get packing tape and permanent markers
-Hit up 2 Payless Shoes to finding wedding shoes for the girl (mission failed)

We came home and packed a few more totes and then it was time for me to relax in the tub! It's not quite 4 o'clock and I've got to keep myself busy prepping for our potential move!

On the B Side: It feels good to be productive. I wish I had more energy but considering I have three kids, work full time and am 8 months pregnant I don't feel too guilty. I am loving the sunshine today!!!

32 Weeks

Yesterday marked 8 months for baby! Apparently she sleeps approximately 90 to 95 percent of the day now. Her skin has become thicker and she continues to become more of a pinkish color. Most of her wrinkles are disappearing from her face...no worries little one as they will be yours again someday sooner than you would like! She is now almost 4 pounds and is 17 inches long.

We're getting really excited; however, we remain painfully unprepared. 8 weeks remain and there is so much that is going on that it makes it hard to think of any preparations. We're in the process of closing on our home that we're selling and have faced inumerous obstacles causing delays and a boat load of anxiety for me. We're also in the process of trying to get a new home.

I was really excited to get Dayton settled in a school although we still need to figure out what to do with our little Ellie. She's registered at La Petite for the private Kindergarten (which is where D just graduated from) but that is on the other side of the valley from the home we are in contract with. She misses the cut off so we can't send her to public Kindergarten and I hate to see her just sit around and waste a year being bored so we're in a bit of a pickle.

At some point we will need to decide what to do with the baby but I can't even think that far ahead yet! In the mean time we have my Dad flying in for Jazzy's wedding which is two weeks from tomorrow. I continue to pack and clean and if we knew what was going to happen with our housing situation it would be nice to give our landlords some notice.

In the mean time I am going to take my mopey diabetic butt and try to feel better today.

On the B Side: I am wrapping up another segment of my work project so that it exciting but for some reason I don't feel so excited. Maybe later?

I Don't Care What You're Selling, I Ain't Buying, Baby!

There is no such thing as coincidence. None.

Of this I am sure. There really is no sense in arguing or playing devil's advocate. Don't try to justify any of it...not one iota with me as you will lose. I see little miracles popping up everywhere and it makes me smile knowing that everything happens for a reason. There is a plan; a plan for each of us. It all works out exactly as it is supposed to. I've seen in a bazillion times. Each time I marvel and am grateful that there is a higher power in control (for if not i would have messed things up a long time ago). Some times it brings comfort and other times it is disappointment that evolves into comfort given some time.

We think we know. We think we have control. We think that we can plan it all out and flawlessly orchestrate our lives and while it is true that we do have our agency there is so much that is without our control. These are the forces that align creating circumstances (refer to them as you may) that are beyond us and above our understanding. If you think you are in control, you're wrong! Keep making the best choices you know and then know that your actions will put you closer to the ultimate destination but make no mistake that HE is in charge!!

On the B Side: I registered Dayton for 1st grade for the 2008-2009 school year on Tuesday and I am really excited to have his situation settled. Within 24 hours my Mother was offered a position at the same location as the School Psychologist! What are the chances? I mean really!! I could go on and explain all of the details, explain exactly why this is all so unlikely but numbers and statistics were never my thing! The fact of the matter is despite it all it's happening out of the blue and against all odds. HF rocks!!!!

PS -Snowbird, Hopefully this one was short enough to keep your train riding attention!!! ;)

My Monkeys!

Yesterday I picked the kids up early from school so we could go on a small picnic. The weather was beautiful and they were excited! The sun was out and there was a small breeze. I packed snacks for them to munch on while we visited Wheeler Farm. They fed the ducks and geese, got to see all of the new baby animals, played in the tree house and went on a tractor ride! It was a fun afternoon for the three of us but of course I forgot my camera. In lieu I thought I would post some recent pictures of them from this month.

Uncle Jazzy strikes a pose with Ellie and Dayton!

Here are the kids on the computer!
Our little Beanie Girl!

Dayton smiles while he was down with the stomach flu :(
She's like a mini teenager already!

Dayton sports his new teeth coming in before school!

On the B Side: I love each moment in time that we spend together!

From Clancy's Jar...

What church callings have you had? Which did you enjoy the most?

(Yeah Clanc, you should have just put this one back in the jar and carried on; however, you put your shoulder to the wheel so I'll play nice and follow your shining example!)

I joined the church on September 10th 1995. I was a freshman in College at Penn State at the time and had studied for about a year before making the committment. My first calling was serving on the Activities Committee. I was so busy acclaimating to the whole culture that enveloped my new membership that I am not sure I enjoyed it because I was so stressed worrying if I was fulfilling my purpose and doing a good job!

I left Penn State and moved to Logan in the Spring of June 1996 for the big Mormon experience and was quickly devastated. I specifically remember people bearing their testimony by introducing themselves and bawling about Princess Diana being dead. I was a crappy visiting teacher, didn't understand what I was supposed to be doing and felt inadequate. I understood what a jack mormon was when I became one. I reluctantly remember attending a Ward function with Clancy where they video taped us asking about our church experience and I just wanted to crawl in a hole and hide.

In the Summer of 1997 I was busy praying my guts out and begging the Bishop (of another Ward....yes I was a Ward hopper and he tenderly took me in!) to send me on a Mission; however, EVERY WEEK in his office he told me that my heart wasn't ready (had a broken engagement) and that I should carefully consider the many fine young men in our Ward.

Bleck. This only fueled my desire to serve and I specifically remember reading D&C 6 sitting outside of his office. It is still my favorite passage of scripture to this day. I continued to set weekly appointments with "my" Bishop (he was the BEST EVER). I started calling him at home and finally got my papers ;)

I left in February 1998 and really did love my mission. I was called to serve in Brussels, Belgium. Um, I didn't even know where this country was located. The only associations I had to Belgium at the time was our Belgian Shepard growing up (she was amazing), diamonds and chocolate! That was enough for me! It was an indescribable calling that tried me in every area to every limit but by far one of the most fulfilling! I absolutely loved it and knew I was where I was supposed to be.

I feel like I learned so much more than I ever gave. I loved struggling to master French (which I don't feel like I ever did), meeting people, teaching people and helping people to feel that things that I felt. I made friends that I will keep forever and this was just a small perk on the side. My mission added so much perspective and preparation for things to come...

I got home and went back to Penn State. I was called as the Relief Society President at our Branch; however, this was rather short in duration as I took off for Utah shortly thereafter following yet another prompting that the Director of Institute also felt when he was setting me apart! Good thing because I seriously knew nothing about what I was supposed to do and didn't really appreciate RS like I should have. What was Heavenly Father thinking?!

My next calling was teaching 15 year olds, which was extremely intimidating and short lived since we bought a home and moved. Then followed team teaching the Sunbeams with my spouse. We loved our little class and their sweet innocence! It brought so much insight and really felt like quiet preparation for parenthood. I still remember the children by name and one prayer in particular from a little guy named Tyler in which he prayed and offered gratitude that "we could all have good dreams and not be dead" after 911.

After this I taught a CTR 5 class and really enjoyed them as well. they were a funny handful but I enjoyed the challenge of keeping their attention and seeing them really grasp concepts. It was always interesting to me as you could always tell which children were learning at home and being supplemented at church rather than just learning at church.

After this I was called to serve as a counselor in the Stake Relief Society. I felt so out of place and inadequate all over again. The Stake President assured me that they knew what they were doing and that they needed me. I worked with some amazing women and gained a whole new appreciation for the Relief Society (turns out it really is way more than a country club for women who make Temples out of beads!!). This really was one of those callings that opened my eyes up even further and again left me feeling like I gained so much more than I gave. I still maintain friendships from this special time of service.

I asked to be released when things got difficult in my personal life and I pretty much made a huge mess for a while. My divorce hit and I was tried, tested and had put myself in the heart of the fire. I walked my own path filled with sadness, guilt and shame while I tried to figure out where I now fit into the church as a single Mother. I pulled through, life went on, I learned a tremendous amount and next served again as a Primary teacher for the CTR 6 class. This was fun because my kids were both in Primary and challenging because they both always wanted to come to my class!

I will attest that the greatest calling of all comes from the little people in my life! There are nights like tonight that make me wonder how on earth we are all going to survive (D has diarrhea again, Ellie was puking, he woke to bad dreams, she woke to "hot pee pee") this but I do so love my children. I was told a bazillion times by way too many doctors that I would never bear children and here I sit carrying number #3. Yes, Motherhood. Heavenly Father always has his own little plan for us despite what we think we know or what we think we need!

On the B Side: I learned the hard way that service is the best way to make a difference and feel a little bit closer to who we really are and who He really wants us to be. I love the perspective that comes and even more importantly I love knowing that we can bless the lives of others. It's a process and involves so many emotions that ultimately brings about personal growth. It didn't take me long to know that anytime I am feeling bad or down all I need to do is serve another as you truly do lose yourself by looking outside of yourself. I love this and really feel a deep gratitude and sincere love for the opportunity to serve.

Where Does All of the Time Go?

So much has happened in the past week! I have a bazillion pictures from both Dayton and Ellie's Graduations to post, housing drama to deal with, a rain filled three day weekend and the stomach flu!

I loved the rain over the weekend! It totally reminded me of home in PA and always makes everything great! I got a ton of cleaning done and also packed some more of our stuff up. What I didn't count on was a 4 day run of the stomach flu that kicked my butt and got me admitted.

After some serious love care, Zofran (and a few other drugs I don't remember), blood draws and several bags of IV fluids I was one tired lady but will admit that the next day I felt like a rock star AND I know know my way around the new facility where I will deliver ;) Poor Marky is stuck with the bug now and seems to be the last of the 4 of us here to suffer through it.

I have lots of good news and cute pics to share but I have to get my work done some time ;)

On the B Side: I'm so excited that it's almost June! I love this time of year and can't wait to pick my babies up from school today! I feel a renewed and strengthened perspective and am so excited about life!!!