2009

I cant believe another year has come and gone. Although I cant say I am too sad to see this one end, and a new one begin. 2009 brought us a lot of drama, anger, and heartbreak. Yes there was some learning experiences mixed in, yet these were lessons I think were better left unlearned for our children. We learned about the amount of damage that one human can do to another, and sadly saw the examples of this over and over in various forms. We saw that not every professional can be “professional” and leave their personal feelings out of the duty of their job. And sadly we learned that for a lot of people it still comes down to numbers and not human beings.



But on a positive note we learned that not every mother / child relationship starts in the womb or delivery room, and sometimes your children come to you as a very sad and nervous 5 year old, or a severely abused 2 year old. We saw what the power of love and commitment can do, and what the support of people that love you can accomplish. We also learned from a few accidents that people are always more important then “stuff”.



My husband learned to never get under the car for any reason until it has cooled down, and I learned how to change burn dressings. My son Jonas leaned to not get on the roof for any reason during a storm, and I re learned the power of leaning on my Heavenly Father and how he is always there when I need him the most.



I also learned that I cannot “fix” or help everyone. I do not possess some super power to heal everyone’s hurts, and make life shiny and new for them. And that sometimes other peoples journeys have nothing to do with me.



I have learned that it is never too late for an education. Although it would have been easier when I was younger. LOL And that I am smarter then some people in my past ever gave me credit for.



I have learned that it is okay to miss my Mother…. A LOT. And I don’t have to try to hide it with ramblings of how she is in a better place. Yes she is in a better place. I know this with all that I am, yet I learned it is okay to be selfish and want her here still.



I learned how to let my adult children grow up, and figure out who they are. That sometimes they need to figure stuff out for themselves, and although I may not agree in all that they do, I love them unconditionally.



Most importantly I have learned that my husband and my children are the most important “things” in the world to me. That nothing from any store, or any amount of money would ever give me as much joy as I get from them.



I hope that 2009 found you lots of positive learning experiences, and that 2010 brings you lots of love and joy……..

Toto, I dont think we are in Kansas anymore

We had the strangest wind storm Monday night. I went to bed and was almost asleep when Jonas came up and told me there was a horrible noise on the roof by his room. So him and his Dad went out to see what it was.

We have those huge blow up things in the front yard. Well the big Santa in his sleigh one had come unstaked, and flew from the other side of the yard, up to the roof taking all the lights on the house with it. It ened up wrapped arounf the chimney and was slamming down on the roof. Well.... Jonas got up to unplug it so he could go to bed, and it didnt start a fire and burn the house down. ( I was still in bed and knew none of this was going on)

He got it unplugged and off the roof and then on his way of getting himself down a huge wind came by and blew him off the roof.

Not sure what happened after that as he doesnt remember. He came in the house and told his Dad, who told me. When I got up to check on him his speech was slurred, then his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he started dry heaving. So off the the ER we went. Which is quite the feat since we dont have a car.


So nothing like being strapped to a board unable to move for 8 hours, tons of x rays, and ct scans. THEN having the chief neurosurgeon insist on admitting you to the hospital for a MRI. Followed by being told that your balance and memory will be off for awhile since your brain is swelled and not being able to do anything for 6 weeks except sit.
 
But it could have been so much worse, and we are very grateful that it wasnt.

Reasons you are Blessed

The kids were taking their nightly showers and our 4 yo Paige wanted to take a shower by herself like her big sisters. So I get her in and leave the door open. Next thing I hear is her yelling " Is this the flavor?" over and over again. She was asking what kind of shampoo to use! LOL. She is trying so hard to be a big girl, while Mommy is trying so hard to keep her little. I feel very blessed she still needs me to put flavor in her hair :)

I found this today and thought I would share. I hope this Holiday Season is finding you and yours wrapped in the warmth of the Saviors love.

If you own a Bible, you are abundantly blessed,


about 1/3 of the world does not have access to one.



If you wake up each morning with more health than illness,

you are blessed to rise and shine,

to live and to serve in a new day.



If you have anyone on the planet, just one person

that loves you and listens to you; count this a blessing.



If you can freely attend a church meeting without fear,

then you are more blessed than over 1/3 of the world.



If you have a yearning in your heart to parent a child,

you are blessed because you still desire what you cannot see.



If you pray today or any day, you are blessed because you

believe in God’s willingness to hear your prayer.



If you pray for someone else,

you are blessed because you want to help others also.



If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your

back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep;

all at the same time; you are rich in this world;



If you have a brother or sister in Christ that will pray

with you and for you, then you benefit from a spiritual unity,

bond, and agreement, which the gates of hell cannot stand against.



If you have any earthly family that even halfway loves you and support you,

are blessed beyond measure.



If you attend a church with a church family that offers

you one word of encouragement, you are blessed with some form of fellowship.



If you have money in the bank, in your wallet,

or some spare change in a dish someplace,

you are among the world’s wealthy.



If you can go to bed each night, knowing that God loves you,

you are blessed beyond measure.



If you can read this message, you are more blessed

than about 2/3 of the world.



If you have never had to endure the hardship and agony

of battle, imprisonment, or torture, you are blessed in

indescribable measure.



If you have a voice to sing His praises, a voice to witness God’s love,

and a voice to share the gospel, you are blessed.

About 1/3 of the world does not even know who the one true God is.



If you can hold someone’s hand, hug another person,

touch someone on the shoulder, you are blessed because

you can offer God’s healing touch.



If you can share a word of encouragement with someone

else, and do it with His love in your heart,

you are blessed because you have learned how to give.



If you have the conviction to stand fast upon His Word

and His promises, no matter what, you are blessed because

you are learning patience, endurance, and tenacity.



If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and

are truly thankful, you are blessed because most people can, but won’t.

Geez......

Several times a day something pops into my head I want to blog about, then before I can sit down some kind of something happens. Then I forget what it was! I really need to set a notebook out and write it down when I think of it.





Lots going on here. Most of it not good. But we will get through. We always do.



Adam is having lots of struggles at work. He has Aspergers which means lots of things, but for his job it means he is very set in his ways. He does not like change. He is also very rule based. These 2 things are causing quite a disruption right now. Christmas is the busiest time for him at work. Which changes his routine a bit, which stresses him out. Then add a co worker who shares his office that does nothing other then sit on her cell phone, and surf the Internet leaving him all the work to do, makes for one very stressed out husband.




He doesnt handle stress well. Not that most of us do. But for him its REALLY REALLY hard. Which has made home life pretty stressful.




Then add in our 20 year old van that keeps breaking down, bills, and trying to figure out how to buy Christmas gifts, and you can imagine just how bad it is around here. I am trying so hard to not let the kids see it. But it doesnt seem to be working. They feed off stress and have been at each other for the past few days. Which is not like them at all. And my kiddos with special needs are having some ROUGH days. I havent been able to get my schoolwork done due to meltdowns, and now am a week behind. I will catch up but I will lose 20% of my grade :(




We have been blessed with friends from Church that have been fixing the van. They suggested we buy a new one, and found one on Craigslist for $1600.00. I had to just laugh. It might as well be 16 million. Sunday I sat in the foyer at Church filling out a tithing slip and crying uncontrollably. Sometimes it is so hard to fill that out knowing its your last penny. So I pray that the van will hold out for a while longer. Right now we have been without any vehicle off and on ( mostly off) for over 2 weeks. We have been blessed Adam has a co worker that lives near us and he has been taking him and bringing him home. And also that the grocery store is within walking distance. So I am making sure I remember to count my blessings...... If not I may just crack.

One tired Mommy

I had KILLER schoolwork this week in my classes. Somedays I wonder if I will make it though. But I know I will keep pushing. It is very important to me to be that example to my children. What would I be teaching them if I just gave up?!

Nothing super thrilling around here. Well not that I can think of after writing 2 papers for my classes, and taking one test. LOL

BUT! I found this and thought it amusing and I would share :)

You know you're a Mormon Mom when ....


* Your idea of a wild night out is chaperoning a youth/YSA dance

* You invite other moms round for a baby and toddler group but add FOOD PROVIDED on the poster to double the attendence

* Your children fight at meal times but only over who gets to ask for a blessing on the food

* You hold a fancy dress/costume party and at least one person comes dressed as a family tree

* You make extra teachers gifts at Christmas for your children's Nursery/Primary/Sunday school teachers

* You send your kids to school with a whistle, space blanket, glowsticks, and ration packs in their backpack
 
* You have said "please bless this food that it will strenghten and nurish our bodies" over cakes, cookies,   candy and chips/dip.
 
* All the recipes in your file feed 20
 
* If you agonize over which wheat grinder is better.
 
* You think "heck" is the place for people who do not believe in "gosh."
 
* A "Caffeine High" is eating a king size chocolate bar
 
* At least one of your salad bowls is at a neighbor's house


* You have to guess more than five times the name of the child you're disciplining


* You say "the scriptures" instead of "the bible" and people are confused
 
* Boys in your family are not allowed to drive until they reach Eagle Scout rank
 
* Your kitchen table has all the leafs in normally, and kids have to eat at the counter when guests come.


* You go to a non-church activity and wonder where the cheesecake, jell-o and casserole are.


* You think that you don't fill any of these stereotypes, until you are the only ones who bring casserole to the community picnic.

* You think that $3 an hour for babysitting is like striking oil, for watching 6 kids.


* You consider a temple reccommend a credit reference.

* You think women should stop having kids at 34 because 35 is just too many :)

And we are all healthy. Okay well not all

My poor wonderful husband has a horrible cold :( But the kids are I are healthy :)




Nothing too interesting going on around her. I got some FUNNY pictures from yesterday, but need to find my camera cord to upload them. The memory card in there was "protected" and I couldn't use it. Being quite the "techie" I am, NOT! LOL I couldn't figure out how to fix it. So now to dig out the box, which hopefully holds the cord.




My Grandmother is very ill. I am trying to be positive about it. She has lived a long life, and I think really just wants to be back with my mom and Granddad. It hurts my heart since she is kinda taken the place a little bit of my Mom being gone. But I also don't like to see her so sick, plus I am tired of watching the family Piranhas feed off her. She deserves some peace.




2 of our kids bio sister that at one time lived with us ( for all of you that remember that drama) is no longer in her AMAZING great foster placement, that was once wanting to adopt her. I cant say to much as it is not my story to tell, but I can say my heart is sad for all involve and I pray for her future.





Like I said, nothing too exciting as we have all been bedridden. LOL Hopefully I will get those pics up tomorrow!

Sick Paigey,Sleepy Mommy

We have been fighting the yuckies around here since Oct 9th. I thought we were over the worst of it until Tuesday night. Paige started breathing REALLY fast. I plugged in the vaporizer, rubbed some oils on her feet, propped her up and stayed up all night watching her. We debated taking her into the ER since I was worried she would pick up something worse. Wed she laid around most the day but was okay, and then she feel asleep. I sat and watched her,she started that rapid breathing again, so I called the Dr. While I was on hold to get an appt, she stopped breathing for a sec, the sat up gasping for air. I hung up, and off to the ER we went. After nose and throat swab, and chest X Ray, the Dr ruled it H1N1 and Pneumonia. They debated where to keep her, but after some motrin, and a breathing treatment she was doing pretty well, and we were comfortable taking her home with strict orders to bring her back if it happened again, or her fever spiked. We left with scripts for tamiflu, and antibiotics, and instructions to give breathing treatments every hours even if she is asleep. I havent slept in like 48hours! But as long as she is okay it is all worth it. She seems better today, since I had a whole lot of trouble keeping her resting. And as she lays next to me as I type breathing slowly and strong, I am overcome with love for her, and what a blessing she is...