Birthday Boy

 Nine years ago today I became a mom. But I didn't just become a mom, I became a mom the the absolute best little boy ever! Today you are nine Luke, NINE!! I can hardly believe it! As I think about all the things that have gone on in your short little nine years of life I am overwhelmed by what a good kid you have been and continue to be. You strive everyday to do what is right. You push yourself to do the best you can, you are ALWAYS there to help me and your sisters.

I would NOT have made it through the past 4 months of vomiting ever hour everyday for almost 15 weeks without you. Without being asked you got the girls breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner. You brought me barf buckets, rags, water and anything you could think of to make my life easier. You cleaned, as best you could, the house when I couldn't get out of bed. You filled your dad's shoes while he was working and I don't think I could ever repay you. So today on your birthday, I hope you know how much you are loved and appreciated by your family! You are a shining example of goodness, obedience and charity. From the time you were little you have impressed those around you. Thank you for being you and for making me a better person through your example. I love you Luke, Happy Birthday!!

Baby #4 is a.....

GIRL!!! I haven't posted or mentioned too much about this baby for several reasons. One being that we have had difficulties and I wasn't sure if everything was going to be OK, that we were going to keep this baby. Another being that so many very close to me are struggling so much with infertility that I didn't want to hurt them more by talking about my situation. The last thing I would want is to hurt someone or worsen their pain. And then there was the terrible sickness that not even medicine would help alleviate. Thankfully that is all but over now, except for the occasional sick day. I still want to be sensitive to those who struggle so much with this issue, but after my ultra sound today I would be completely ungrateful to the Lord if I didn't shout for joy and express my relief and gratitude! It has been a hard road to get this baby where she is at today. We have lost more babies than we have, which I know many people have, but it is hard none the less. I don't in any way think my struggles have been more or harder than anyone else's, but they have been hard and they have been mine. To listen to your own child pray with such amazing faith that the baby you are carrying doesn't die like the last few is heart wrenching. To have them ask why that baby died or say how much they wish that baby hadn't died is not easy. They have wanted this baby every bit as much as Nate and I have. Then there were problems with this one, and that fear that it wasn't going to last was ever present. I was certain at this ultra sound they were going to tell us about some genetic defect or something to that nature. Instead I got to see my children's prayers answered. We have a healthy, perfect little girl! Her growth is behind, so they have pushed back the due date a few weeks, but she is healthy and that is what counts! They looked over her with a fine tooth comb and made sure everything was as it should be, I have never had an ultra sound quite like this one! I know Luke will be a little sad that it is not a boy, but he will still love her and be a fantastic older brother to this little girl! I know this has been a little more personal than usual, but I want this baby girl to be able to look back and see just how much she was loved and wanted. We are so excited and so grateful! Thanks for allowing me to share, and understanding that I don't mean to hurt anyone else by doing so.

Inquiring minds want to know

There have been a few interesting conversations in our house lately, and I had to record them so I didn't forget. With the new baby coming in a few months, we knew there would be a lot of questions and interest in things now that the kids are older. We have successfully gotten around any explanations up until this point, but I knew that wouldn't be the case this time around. (Luke will be nine in a few weeks after all.) With that in mind, Nate headed a FHE all about our bodies. He, being a doctor and all, approached it very scientifically. He got out the anatomy book, showed the kids illustrations of the body, naming parts and showing the kids both boys and girls. He showed a uterus and told them that was were the baby was growing and that when the time came it would come out the birth canal. Good enough. No one asked where the birth canal ended and I was FINE with that. We asked if they had questions and they claimed no. WHEW!!! Or so I thought. About 4 days later while we were sitting at DINNER of all places, Lily looks at me and says, "SO mom, does the baby come out of your pee pee??" Uhhhhhhh...... Stunned silence. NOT the nine year old, not the six year old, THE THREE YEAR OLD PUT IT ALL TOGETHER!! Gabby quickly says, "NO Lily, you silly, the baby comes out... of the... birth... can...al.... ummmm. Where does the birth canal end....??" Nate to the rescue, he simple said yes, that's right. Mom has a place for her poop, her pee and one for the baby. End of discussion. Again. Or so I thought, again. Another week or two goes by and we are in the kitchen doing dishes and Lily looks at me and says, "Mom, you have THREE holes?? How about the two here where the baby eats? Does that make FIVE??!!" I had to laugh, I went nine years avoiding these kinds of questions, and now, NOW, it is the little one that is so inquisitive about it all!! I know I should just explain it all to them and not be weirded out by it, but I was just really unprepared to have this conversation with a three almost four year old. So I told her yes, she was right, to which she says, "Ya, I knew that. Leah told me it." :)

Lily Starts Preschool!

It is hard for me to believe that my baby is already starting preschool! She has been so ready to start some kind of school so when I found out a girl in my ward teaches out of her home, I couldn't pass up the opportunity for her! She will still have another year after this one before she starts school, since her birthday is in October, but she IS SO READY!! She gets to go 3 times a week for 2 hours a day. (Honestly I wish it was longer and so does she.)

 Doesn't she look adorable?! Maybe I am bias, but I think she is so cute! She is still shy when she is at school, but when she comes home she can't stop talking about it and can't wait to go back every day. The days she doesn't have school are torture. She is clinging to me everywhere I turn and constantly asking questions. I need to find some friends here so we can get together for play dates the days she isn't in school or she will drive me insane!! (At least until the baby comes and then I am sure she will pester the poor thing all the time...)

Now I have all three kids in school, what to do with my self for a few hours every day?! (Maybe I will get caught up on my blogging... :)!!)

First Day of School

We have been waiting and waiting and waiting for this day to come!! All of the other schools have started by now, except for my kids. Our school district had a major overhaul this summer, and our school in particular, so they needed extra time to get all the new teachers oriented and to let the new principle get everything in order for the coming year. Today the day is finally here! The kids were so excited that they got up at 6:15 am this morning!! Last year that would have been perfect, but this year the kids are lucky enough to not have to start school until 8:45!! (That is great for me :)!) With all the extra time we were able to have a big breakfast with whatever the kids wanted. We took our time getting ready but we were still all ready to go by 8:05. (Like I said the kids have been so excited for school that they had everything ready weeks ago!) They don't look as excited in these pictures as they actually were, but that is because for some reason they have these fake smiles for pictures and I can't get them to be natural in them no matter what I do!! Lily doesn't start her preschool until next week, but she was so excited and wanted to get in on the fun anyways.

Luke and his teacher Ms. Riley. We got to come meet the teachers earlier this week and attend the new student orientation so Luke already knew he liked his teacher. She seems perfect for him! (Sorry the picture is blurry, Lily wouldn't let go of my arm!)

Gabby and her teacher Ms. Berge. She seems like a nice lady and I hope Gabby enjoys her class.

I'm excited for the school year. They have made some great changes in the curriculum and I think it will greatly benefit the kids. They are so ready for this year, I am so glad that my kids like school! We'll see how they say their first day went!! Go Tigers!!

Ward Campout

I have been really slacking in the blogging area. Not that I don't I have pictures to blog, I do, but up until very recently I haven't been able to hold my cookies down long enough to sit in front of the computer to organize and edit all the pictures I have. So I hope that in the very near future there will be a plethora of new post, but you'll have to forgive that they are WAY out of order and super old news.

To start off I will go with a more recent event, our ward camp out. Since our stake is the Kirtland Stake, our ward camp out was naturally at the John Johnson Farm. It was really neat! Since it was the weekend of our anniversary Nate had taken the time off and got to go with us. The kids were SOOOO very excited to go camping, and to get out of the house!! This is Luke sporting Nate's hat. (can you tell he is excited to go camping? I didn't see him most of the time, he was running around with the boy pack getting bruised and dirty. It was great!)Lily was excited to "help" set up the tent. Luckily there were some men there to help, I was busy loosing my lunch. Once we got there and got the tent set up Gabby and Lily got their friends to come hang out in our tent. (Lily, Emma, Gabby, Eden and Grace)

The girls then went exploring through the woods. At least until someone discovered the poison ivy and a wasp nest. Then the kids weren't allowed to go off the beaten path. But Gabby sure was proud of this neat spot she found!

It was a fun camp out and we really enjoyed getting to know some of the families a little better. On the way home we stopped at a great little farm and bought some delicious peaches! It was a fun time together as a family, one I hope the kids will remember! On a side note when we got home I noticed this big white ball in the yard. I assumed the kids left one of their balls outside. Turns out it was a MUSHROOM! I'd never seen one grow that big in a yard before! I guess someone needs to be better about the yard work around here.....!

Ten Amazing Years

It's hard to believe that ten years ago I married the man of my dreams, hard to believe that ten years ago I was just starting my life with this amazing man, hard to believe how little I knew back then, hard to believe that I have already had ten amazing years! I remember when I first got engaged, I thought I was so young and wondered if I was really prepared for this journey. I remember when we had been married one whole year and I thought that was SOOOOO long! I remember thinking I would be so old by the time I had been married 10 years. Funny how your perspective changes. I still feel so young at times, but when I think of all that we have been through I realize how much I have changed over these last ten years. I have learned things about myself I never knew, I have learned how strong I am, I have also learned how weak I am, I have learned how to rely on someone else and how to trust that someone else. I have learned to love more deeply than I ever thought I could. I have learned what forgiveness is all about, I have learned how to be a better wife, a better mother and a better person. I have learned what true happiness is, I have learned how to let things go, I have learned how to put others needs before my own and that I am happy to do it. I have learned that I have a lot to learn still! But most importantly I have learned that I love this man with everything I have and that he is absolutely my one and only. We have been through a lot together and he has always been there for me. It hasn't always been easy, I would be lying to say our lives have been perfect from the moment we got married. (Anyone who was at our wedding knows that is a lie, after all we forgot the marriage licence and had to scramble to get a new one so we could get married on time!) But I wouldn't change any of it. It has made us into who we are, it has taught us so much, and it has forged an unbreakable bond between us. I know we have a lot more to learn and a lot more to change, but I am so thankful to be on this journey with my best friend. With the love of my life. With my Nathan.

So Happy Anniversary my love! Thanks for choosing me, for loving me and for being there for me!