Joy in MY Journey - Days 5-9

I've fallen a little behind, but that's only because Adam hooked up his work computer to the internet over the weekend and I cannot access the blog on his work computer - it doesn't like the blog.

Thursday's joy: information. I love to research things and be up-to-date on current events, especially politics. I like to be informed of what is happening in the world around me - even if it's not such great news. I don't like being in the dark about my world/society. But, on the same note, I don't like it when people use information as power; or get upset with me because I don't tell them everything of what is happening in my life. Somethings just are meant to be shared or aren't a big enough deal to be shared.

Friday's joy: date night!!! Spending time with Adam is such a luxury these days. Adam and I recently got together with 2 other couples in our ward and started a babysitting swap night every Friday night. We love it. We watch 9 kids - including our 3 (2 almost 4 years old; 4 2 1/2 years old and eventually 3 1 years old - the youngest 3 are in various stages of infanthood). So, for now we only have 7 kids. But, to know that we have at least 2 date nights every month is more than worth the 3-4 hours to watch the other kids - SO WORTH IT!!!!

Saturday's joy: clean and (somewhat) uncluttered house. Adam and I had our first garage sale today. We cleared out a lot of stuff that we didn't need, didn't use, or didn't want any more and sold it at our garage sale. We made $110 - not too shabby for about 4 hours worth of work, 3 of it was sitting on our behinds on that day of the sale.

Sunday's joy: going to church. Even though it is such a pain to get the kids up early for 8:00 a.m. church, let alone get myself out of bed, especially this time of year, I really do enJOY going to church. Despite the fighting kids, threatening to take them out of Sacrament Meeting, and having to severely interrupt nap time, it is really worth it. Especially when the kids come home and all they talk about is what they did at church, who was in class, what songs they sang, etc. it warms my heart and confirms to me that I am doing the right thing.

Monday's joy: great friends and neighbors. I don't have a lot of friends. But, those friends that I do have are such a treasure to me. I have a handful of very close friends and value them so much. Those friends are so great to have as a part of my life. I would seriously be lost without them!!!

Charity, The Pure Love of Christ

"Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other."

-- Marvin J. Ashton, "The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword," Ensign, May 1992, p.19

This quote was on someone else's blog that I stalk. I had to copy it and post it on mine as a reminder to me that I need to be much more charitable in my life, especially to those that I love.

Joy in MY Journey - Day 4

Today's joy: quiet mornings with my kids tucked into my bed.

As per usual when we have a lazy morning, the kids woke up (Adam had to leave really early this morning for work) and came crawling into bed with me. Owen was first at about 7:15 and then Caroline came along at about 7:45. They asked me to "watch a show" so I turned the TV on for them. They laid in bed with me and watched their show and allowed me to sleep for another 45 minutes before I absolutely had to get out of bed to start the day. Yep, I didn't get out of bed until 8:30 and it was wonderful!

I really do have wonderful kids who allow me to sleep, sometimes until as late as 9:00 before they come to me and say, "Mom, I'm hungry. Can I have some cereal?" I am even more grateful for an amazing husband who takes care of the kids most mornings with breakfast, diapers, clothes and then let the kids come crawl into bed with me. I love you Adam!!!!

Joy in MY Journey - Days 1 Thru 3

Our Relief Society has challenged and encouraged each of the sisters to "find joy in the journey" based on President Monson's talk. This year for the Presidency's Christmas present, they gave each sister a bag with several different items in the bag, one of which is a little booklet with an item to do each day, i.e. reading President Monson's talk, list 100 things I am grateful for, etc. Each day for 31 days, there is a different "activity" for me to do to remind me of the joy in my life.

I am trying to make a conscientious effort to find joy in MY journey. I'm not the best mother (nor have I ever claimed to be) and, in fact, almost everyday feel guilty for something I have done or haven't done that day with the kids. I am trying to remind myself of this piece of advice that was given to her by her mother and it is: "I am the best mother for those kids." Only in this life, am I the one who could mother those kids the way they need to be mothered, cared for, nurtured and raised. I am the best mother for those kids.

Suffice it to say, there are countless areas of my life that I need to improve drastically on, and doing this will, I am sure, help me to realize all that I have and to be more grateful for each and every blessing I have been given.

I am going to try to write a post everyday and list the joy that I have found in my life for that day. Since this started on Sunday, I'll play a little catch up and list my joy for the past three days.

Sunday's joy: To be able to have family close by to have dinner with once a month

Monday's joy: Watching my kids decorate the Christmas tree and see just how much fun they had.

Today's joy: knowing Owen is enjoying learning at his preschool class and loves to go!

Family Pictures '09

We haven't had family pictures taken since Caroline was just 8 months old. Last year, I was pregnant and I REFUSE to have any pictures of me taken while I'm pregnant. It's barely acceptable when I'm not pregnant, let alone when I am huger than life itself! Here are some of the pictures that didn't make the cut of being up on our wall in our home.





It's not that I didn't like these pictures, there were better ones to choose from. Adam and I differ on the picture of the entire family that each of us like the best but, to me, that is to be expected. Adam likes the first one, and I like the second one. (I think my face looks funny in the first one) Our friend, Bruce Cosseboom, took them for us and did a great job. Thanks, Bruce!!!!!

Howsie B - 6 Months Old

Already my little Howsie B has grown to 6 months old. The time is flying by so quickly I can hardly believe it! I still can't get him to roll over (slightly disconcerting to me), he's cutting 2 more teeth and over all is doing really well. He reaches and grabs and loves to put everything in his mouth. He'll even sit up on his own unsupported for a few second before he topples over. I just can't get the kid to roll over and am wondering if this is a sign of something more serious.

His stats at his 6 month appointment were: weight: 20.2 lbs. length 28.5 inches. I looked back at Owen's stats and at 6 months Owen weighed 18 lbs and was 26 inches long. I know I shouldn't compare my two boys to each other, but there are sometimes where I think that Howie seems smaller than Owen did and then I get proven wrong.

He's so cute, round, pink and loves, loves, loves to eat. I pray he continues to be healthy and that there isn't something more to his lack of rolling over by now.

My Princess & the Potty

Caroline has been interested in sitting and going to the bathroom on the potty for quite some time now. I even started to potty train her over the Thanksgiving holiday. While I'll probably regret this decision, I think it is best to put it off for a few months and try again in the spring. Caroline will pee on command on the potty if you ask her to. However, I don't think that the feeling and the action have connected yet. She wakes up dry after sleeping all night long and after her nap. But, during the day she just doesn't get that when she needs to go potty, she needs to go to the bathroom. I've tried letting her go without any panties around the house and that worked pretty well, until I put a pair of panties on her and then she peed all over them and down her legs. I think she feels more comfortable for now in diapers and that's okay with me, for now.

So, for now I'll keep changing her diaper, and we'll try again in the spring when she'll be a little bit older and hopefully will have connected the feeling and the action a little bit more.

Tonsillectomy - Part II

Yesterday I did have my tonsils out and I must say that yes, it does hurt but I honestly don't think it hurts any worse than the last round of tonsillitis that I had. Of course, anything cold feels really good going down, and I'm not inclined to eat a whole lot other than slushies, popsicles, ice cream or really cold juice. My throat looks like a horrible case of strep throat and will for about 7-10 days. It feels like I have something stuck in my throat and need to constantly swallow or clear my throat to get whatever isn't there out of there. It's all because the uvula is so swollen and will be for another 2-3 days.

After the doctor had removed my left tonsil, he found a small abscess behind my tonsil on the bottom. This was a huge contributing factor to the chronic tonsillitis flare-ups that I had been having all of these years. I'm so glad I had my tonsils out, but kind of sorry I didn't have them out sooner, like when I had the abscess 4 years ago. So, while I can't go back in time, I'll take what I have done now and move forward.

All-in-all, I am feeling well and am up and moving around. I get tired pretty easily and can sleep like nobody's business right now - like the days before we had kids. But, I'm looking forward to being able to eat whatever I want again.

Tonsilectomy for Me!

Several years ago I had an abscess on my tonsil. Since that time, I average tonsillitis about 3-4 times per year. I never saw an ENT for this because I was usually pregnant and my OB just took care of it. The few times I got it when I wasn't pregnant, I had my dad call me in a prescription.

It has been a series of chronic tonsillitis for the last 4 years and I'm pretty tired of it. So, after this last bout of tonsillitis over Halloween, I saw an ENT and discussed my options with him. There's really only one solution and that is to have a tonsillectomy. I discussed this with my dad and he said it is brutal for adults but was probably what I needed to do. I talked to Adam and we decided that although it was going to be brutal and really rough for me I was the right thing for me. I really am so done with taking antibiotics for this 3-4 times a year.

Before I could even tell my mom what I was doing, it somehow had been communicated to her what I was contemplating and she said, "let me know as soon as you can so I can make arrangements to come out and help you." HUGE, HUGE, HUGE sacrifice on her part and my dad's part as she manages my dad's office. Without her there, it is ALL up to my dad to do. Thank you so very much Mom and Dad. You have helped out family so very much, but especially this year. It is greatly appreciated!

The surgery date was scheduled and my tonsils have come out. I'll update this a little later once I have determined just how brutal it is and if it's worse than what I've heard it would be.