I Must...

...brag on Brian. So, Brian has been switched to a rotating shift schedule for work and started that about 5 weeks ago. Let's just say, it's no one in our family's favorite schedule. We weekly switches between 12 hour night shifts and day shifts and to say the least it's hard on one's body. We definitely have empathy for those who do or have ever worked this schedule! One nice thing is that he does have 7 days off each month (7 days in a row) to catch up on everything he can't get done when he's working. Brian is such a champ for working these shifts and he never complains.

The last few days, "elephantitis" has set in on my pregnant body. My feet have swollen to the point that it's painful to walk and it feels like I constantly have things between my toes (it drives me nuts!). We only have 3.5 weeks left and I'm grateful! Brian is working days this week and I had a doctor appointment this morning. The kids went to a friend's house while I saw the doc. Walking out of my appointment, feeling huge, uncomfortable, and unattractive Brian popped out of the trees with a bouquet of flowers. I am one lucky girl! I only got to see him for a few minutes since he had to run back to work, but in those few minutes I was reminded how much I'm loved, valued, and appreciated. He's such an awesome husband! Plus, he cooks whenever he's home and helps out with housework on top of helping tons with the kiddos.

A couple of weeks ago (on one of Brian's days off) we went to the park and had a cook out so I could search out some good spots to take family pictures for some friends in the ward. The kids were fairly obliging (minus Lillian, she wasn't thrilled) models.

 The kids were also helpful getting a picture of this quilt I finally finished for Blake, their newest cousin. I wish I was able to make one for each new baby that comes along, but sadly sometimes that doesn't happen. I haven't even made our new baby a quilt yet. I have some adorable fabric picked out if it's a boy! We're hoping this baby will come on it's own relatively on time. Doc has told me to rest more and let the kids get things themselves. No strict bed rest orders yet. I'm so grateful for Brian and his willingness to help so much. He's the best "help-meet" I could ever ask for.

Happy Easter!

Time seems to just keep flying right past us!

The spent the other day working in the front yard and the kids were just plain old silly. We thought we'd share some silliness...

Lillian had lots of fun smelling the tulips that came up this year.

Adam is very excited to show that he lost one of his top teeth (he has now lost two front teeth, I just need to take a new picture).

Easter morning found us running a tad late and scampering to take a picture before church. We didn't have time to grab the tripod, thus pregnant mommy is behind the camera.

Hopefully I'll get another post in with more pictures before baby comes, but if not, we'll next have an updated family picture!

Choosing to Not Be Offended

This afternoon I had an interesting experience. Other friends and I have laughed about what some people have to said to us in reference to the number of children we have. We laugh about all the things we wish we could have said in response.

Today as I was picking up Adam from school I was carrying Lillian and holding Michael's hand. A gentleman passing by was counting my children out loud..."I see one, two...?" Since I was picking up Adam at the school, he could assume I had at least one more and as I'm now obviously pregnant, he seemed surprised. I replied, "Three and a half, actually!" (I might add that I was cheerful about it). As I was walking away he joked, "You know the cause and effect, right?"

I rather boldly replied, "Yeah, we've got that one down great, thanks!" Then I just continued to walk away as I heard him chuckle. In retrospect, maybe I should have just smiled and walked away, but the words just flew out of my mouth! As a married woman and mother of nearly four, I better know how and why I have children. Might as well let this gentleman know I enjoy my children and my husband and I purposefully have more than one. :)

As I walked up to the school a woman looked at me and apologized. I didn't understand why she was apologizing ("maybe the guy was her husband?" I thought, but nope, he wasn't). She apologized that he was so rude and said the amount of children I had was none of his business. "You could have twenty kids if you want!" No, thank you...one at a time is all I can handle. She was so offended by what he had said to me, a total stranger.

I simply told her, "It's ok. I've heard it before. They all have good intentions." I didn't realize until I was driving home that I simply chose to not be offended. The nice lady was offended in my behalf, but it probably spoiled her afternoon. I probably offended her by not being offended by the other guy! I'm glad that the gentleman seemed light-hearted about the whole thing and not derogatory. I could be stewing mad about what he said all evening, but I'm not. I just let it roll off and now I'm just grateful that I chose to not be offended.

Perhaps there will be another time when I consciously make a choice...and hopefully I won't be offended then either. It's always our choice. So choose to not be offended. It makes your day so much better and it will probably take the wind out someone's sails if they are intentionally trying to offend you.

The Lesson to Be Learned...Again

We all have lessons that we think we learn only to be reminded we didn't learn them well enough and are given opportunities to try again. Or perhaps, we just forget what we learned. I think sometimes the knowledge we gain from trials and experience is clouded out by that little stinker, Satan.

I think women tend to compare themselves to each other (more than men). We're told not to it, we tell ourselves not to do it, we usually feel crummy when we do, but we still do it. The little voices at my house have told me multiple times the last few months, "I don't like you!" or "You're a meanie!" or "you're not my friend anymore." (I finally cracked on that last one a few weeks ago and said, "Well, I'm not your friend, I'm your mom." I followed it up with a hug once we all calmed down.)

When I hear those little words I sadly think, "I'm not good enough. I'm a horrible mother!" or  "I bet so-and-so's kids never say that." I know better. I am good enough, I'm a good enough mom and so-and-so's kids DO say that...she told me so last week. I think Satan does his best to surround us with little creepers that tell us we're not good enough. Most tv shows and ads tell us we should look, dress, dance, spend money, etc. like someone else. What's wrong with being who we are?

When we were in a married student ward I was talking with a sister and she told me she always wanted to develop her own business and have all sorts of success. She never really wanted to marry and have kids. And yet, there she was, a wife and mother of two sweet boys. And standing there with her, I thought there was something wrong with me because I've never had big dreams of being anything...anything but a mother. She said that now she is a wife and mother she would never trade it.

 This is what I always dreamed of having...along with my sweet Brian. I attained my dream and it just keeps getting better. We keep working together and day by day, it gets better.

The lesson I seem to keep having to learn again: if you are doing your best, you are good enough.

The last few months I've been trying my best to start running. I do not like running. I never have. That one mile run in middle school...I didn't like it. There was a time in college when I used to run the stairs for exercise, but I never liked it. The past year I decided I wanted to be in better shape, so I got it in my head, "you could run a race. Seriously, self, you can." So I started running. Sort of.

I felt stupid that I would run for 60 seconds, walk for 90, repeat and the girly next to me was running at 6.5mph for 45 minutes straight. Yeah, I wondered what on earth I was doing. Who was I kidding? I can't run. And then I was reminded to not compare myself to the girl next to me...or the 60 year on the other side jogging his heart out while I tried to run. Ya know, the week before I couldn't do the 60/90 jog/walk. I chose to compare myself to my past self to see improvement.

This past weekend, I ran my race. I couldn't run the WHOLE time, but I finished the race, I didn't kill myself, and I got a better time than I did running at the gym. Now THAT I feel good about. Brian ran with me and stuck by my side the whole time. Oh I love him. Adam and Michael ran races the night before. They both biffed it in the grass, but got up and finished the race. They weren't the fastest. I wasn't the fastest. But we finished the race. We did our very best and we finished. 

 

My lesson learned: try your best and you are good enough. As a mom, I have to remember that as long as I do my best, I'm good enough. Like the boys in the race, I'm going to biff it, but I have to get up and finish the race. Those stinky parts of motherhood, they end. They look miniscule when I remember moments like this: 

 And those silly faces from my kids help me remember, it's okay. There's a gym that we pass on the way to several destinations in town and the inspiration they had on their sign the last few weeks was a good reminder. "Strive for progress, not perfection." So, dear mommy self, if you're making progress, you're doing perfect. And same applies to you other mommies and daddies, husbands, wives, singles, etc. If you're doing your best, you're making progress and you're doing perfect. Keep on doing your best.

*As I finish this post, I learned that Lillian unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper. And Michael got into mischief, again. We're making progress...not perfection. :)

Good Ole Nauvoo

Just a quick little post...since it's late. I can't believe it's been nearly nine months...oops. Anyway, we were very blessed to go to Nauvoo in July with some of Brian's band buddies and it was a blast. I'll have to write more about it later...maybe. If the kids all are good for 30 minutes at the same time. But here's some pics from when we went to the temple before we left.

 We learned a lot from this family photo...well, I did. Let's hope I remember next time. 

 The kiddos on the steps of the Nauvoo temple.

 Can we just squeeze this little cutie? We just love her!

 Kiddos in front of a sun stone. There's just something magical about Nauvoo.

 Hopefully our boys will grow to have as good as a friendship as Joseph and Hyrum. Brothers just have a special relationship.

It's a short post after such a long absence, but I can't apologize for spending my time with the kids and Brian. Maybe we'll post again soon. Maybe.

Like I said, it's magic.