We have big news! We are expecting baby #5 in November. I was talking to a friend at church about it after a particularly wild sacrament meeting. I told him that sometimes I think I must be crazy to be having a fifth child. When you really feel it's the right thing to do, though, you do it anyway. "It's inspired insanity," I said.
So yes, with all the remodeling and moving, I have been pregnant. I feel very blessed that I have had less morning sickness with this baby than with the last several. Until now, I have felt progressively worse with each pregnancy. Maybe I have just been too busy this time to notice!
House
Friday, May 15, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day!
Well, it's that time of year again--Mother's Day. It's a day that many women dread, and I must admit, I approached it with a little trepidation myself. Due to some odd coincidence, Ben is often sick on Mother's Day, so I often end up with less help on Mother's Day than on ordinary days. He did wake with a headache today, but he pulled it together and helped a ton with getting the kids ready! It also helped that they canceled the ward leadership meetings.
My family has been great today. The kids have done tons of cute things. I have received multiple bouquets of wildflowers from our yard, and of course they each made a cute thing for me at church. Ben got all the kids in the car after church while I had a few minutes to talk to my friends.
I enjoyed one talk in particular at church today. It was given by a young mother who is also our Primary President. She mentioned two particular lies that Satan likes to feed mothers: the temptation to compare ourselves to other mothers and that we shouldn't take time for ourselves. She had two great quotes about comparison. The first was "The mother in church with the quiet children is probably as surprised as you are." The second was "When we compare, we are often comparing our worst moments to someone else's best moments." On the second point, if we don't take time to refuel ourselves, we have nothing left to give. Well, nothing positive. It seems there is always more criticism and yelling to give, unfortunately. She mentioned that it's also important to ask for help from people and not just God when we are really struggling.
My tangible gift from Ben today was a Kitchen Aid mixer!!! This is something I have been wanting ever since I got married almost 10 years ago. A week or so ago, Ben asked me what I wanted. Although I knew what I wanted, I was silent.
"You want something you think is too expensive, don't you?" asked my perceptive husband.
"Yes," I responded.
"What is it?" he pressed. I told him, but I didn't really expect him to get it for me. I was so pleased. Now I can't wait to find all my kitchen stuff so I can bake!!! (Most of our furniture is in, but our boxes are in the garage.)
Finally, I could not write an entry on Mother's Day without expressing gratitude and admiration for the wonderful women who have influenced my life. My own mother, of course, comes to mind first. I am so grateful for all her hard work and effort over the years. Being a young mother is very hard work, and she did it so well. My mother possesses a gift for loving and enjoying little children, and she is so good at making them feel special. Although I don't have many memories of early childhood, almost all of my memories are of my mother and her kindness towards me. She showed me such an example that I hope that I can cherish each of my little ones as much as she cherished her own and her grandchildren. My mother also did a marvelous job of teaching us the gospel through her words and actions. Again, I hope I can follow her example.
I love to spend time with my mom even more now that I am grown. I am so grateful for all the help and support she gives me. We lived with her for over a little over a month between houses, and while I'm glad to be in my own house again, I miss seeing her so often.
I am also grateful to all of Ben's mothers. Barbara and Kay both influenced him so much and taught him so well. Our children love their Grandma Terry very much, and I enjoy my time with her, as well. She has been giving us excellent decorating advice on our new home, which I appreciate. Her home is so beautiful!
My grandmothers also come to mind. I could wax rhapsodic, but I think I've gone on long enough. Suffice it to say that I am grateful for them and the time they have spent with me and the things they have taught me. I'm also glad they did a good job raising their children so they could raise me!
I hope that all you mothers have a very Happy Mother's Day. May you each remember, no matter how you may feel about this day, that you are special, and that even if you are not doing a perfect job as a mother, you are the perfect mother for your children.
My family has been great today. The kids have done tons of cute things. I have received multiple bouquets of wildflowers from our yard, and of course they each made a cute thing for me at church. Ben got all the kids in the car after church while I had a few minutes to talk to my friends.
I enjoyed one talk in particular at church today. It was given by a young mother who is also our Primary President. She mentioned two particular lies that Satan likes to feed mothers: the temptation to compare ourselves to other mothers and that we shouldn't take time for ourselves. She had two great quotes about comparison. The first was "The mother in church with the quiet children is probably as surprised as you are." The second was "When we compare, we are often comparing our worst moments to someone else's best moments." On the second point, if we don't take time to refuel ourselves, we have nothing left to give. Well, nothing positive. It seems there is always more criticism and yelling to give, unfortunately. She mentioned that it's also important to ask for help from people and not just God when we are really struggling.
My tangible gift from Ben today was a Kitchen Aid mixer!!! This is something I have been wanting ever since I got married almost 10 years ago. A week or so ago, Ben asked me what I wanted. Although I knew what I wanted, I was silent.
"You want something you think is too expensive, don't you?" asked my perceptive husband.
"Yes," I responded.
"What is it?" he pressed. I told him, but I didn't really expect him to get it for me. I was so pleased. Now I can't wait to find all my kitchen stuff so I can bake!!! (Most of our furniture is in, but our boxes are in the garage.)
Finally, I could not write an entry on Mother's Day without expressing gratitude and admiration for the wonderful women who have influenced my life. My own mother, of course, comes to mind first. I am so grateful for all her hard work and effort over the years. Being a young mother is very hard work, and she did it so well. My mother possesses a gift for loving and enjoying little children, and she is so good at making them feel special. Although I don't have many memories of early childhood, almost all of my memories are of my mother and her kindness towards me. She showed me such an example that I hope that I can cherish each of my little ones as much as she cherished her own and her grandchildren. My mother also did a marvelous job of teaching us the gospel through her words and actions. Again, I hope I can follow her example.
I love to spend time with my mom even more now that I am grown. I am so grateful for all the help and support she gives me. We lived with her for over a little over a month between houses, and while I'm glad to be in my own house again, I miss seeing her so often.
I am also grateful to all of Ben's mothers. Barbara and Kay both influenced him so much and taught him so well. Our children love their Grandma Terry very much, and I enjoy my time with her, as well. She has been giving us excellent decorating advice on our new home, which I appreciate. Her home is so beautiful!
My grandmothers also come to mind. I could wax rhapsodic, but I think I've gone on long enough. Suffice it to say that I am grateful for them and the time they have spent with me and the things they have taught me. I'm also glad they did a good job raising their children so they could raise me!
I hope that all you mothers have a very Happy Mother's Day. May you each remember, no matter how you may feel about this day, that you are special, and that even if you are not doing a perfect job as a mother, you are the perfect mother for your children.
Monday, April 20, 2009
HALLELUJAH!!!
Things have been really crazy this week! We did close on Tuesday, and we jumped in with both feet on the remodeling. The house is already quite unrecognizable on the inside. The paneling is off, and it's amazing how much lighter and brighter it is. We are basically finished with all the demolition, so now begins the slow process of cleaning and putting things back together! I'm really excited about the new paint and carpet, and I can't wait to see things really take shape. With any luck (and lots of help), we will be able to move in 2 weeks.
We are so very grateful to the family and friends who have been helping with the remodeling work and childcare. My parents, especially, have been wonderful. They have watched the children more than I expected, and they are so gracious about having 6 extra people messing up their house!
We are so very grateful to the family and friends who have been helping with the remodeling work and childcare. My parents, especially, have been wonderful. They have watched the children more than I expected, and they are so gracious about having 6 extra people messing up their house!
Monday, April 13, 2009
The end is in sight!
We finally do have a closing date set on our new house! If all goes as planned, we will sit down to sign papers at 8:30 am on Tuesday, April 14, 2009. One nice thing about buying a HUD home is that we won't have to wait 72 hours--we can go right over and take possession! We are very excited.
There is still a substantial amount of work that needs to be done before it will be habitable, but the end is truly in sight. We need to rip out paneling, then paint, and install baseboards and flooring in several of the rooms. A bathroom vanity would also be quite helpful. Despite the work remaining, I do feel truly blessed for the work that has been done. The new "heart" of our electrical system certainly does bring peace of mind. The basement and back family room are also ready to move into, as is the master bedroom. Buster's room needs the most, including a door and a light fixture!
We are still staying with my parents, which the kids think is lots of fun. I'm glad they have been out of school! Kandy and Missy do return to school on Tuesday, but from now on, if I'm not at the bus stop waiting, they will just walk to the new house since I will be there working. I am so looking forward to not needing to wake up kids to get them from the bus stop every day!
There is still a substantial amount of work that needs to be done before it will be habitable, but the end is truly in sight. We need to rip out paneling, then paint, and install baseboards and flooring in several of the rooms. A bathroom vanity would also be quite helpful. Despite the work remaining, I do feel truly blessed for the work that has been done. The new "heart" of our electrical system certainly does bring peace of mind. The basement and back family room are also ready to move into, as is the master bedroom. Buster's room needs the most, including a door and a light fixture!
We are still staying with my parents, which the kids think is lots of fun. I'm glad they have been out of school! Kandy and Missy do return to school on Tuesday, but from now on, if I'm not at the bus stop waiting, they will just walk to the new house since I will be there working. I am so looking forward to not needing to wake up kids to get them from the bus stop every day!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Quotable Quotes VIII
Just as we were about to send the kids to bed, Sunny piped up: "I'm so tired! I want some breakfast."
Sunny came up as her brother started fussing after his nap. "I didn't wake him up! He woke up himself when I went in to jump on the bed."
Sunny came up as her brother started fussing after his nap. "I didn't wake him up! He woke up himself when I went in to jump on the bed."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)