Nathaniel turns 5

It seems crazy to think that this little man turns 5!  I can't believe it, and don't really want to acknowledge the fact that time is flying by, right before my eyes.

This has been kind of an emotional birthday for some reason.  I have spent a lot of time thinking about his first year, and what we went through, what we learned, and how much gratitude I have every...single...day that he is still here and that we get to experience life through Nate's eyes! 

I was going through pictures of his first year, of the first days of his life and I still get that kicked in your gut feeling when I think of all that he lived through.  He is still our tough little boy, who doesn't let anything take him down.  We still deal with some occasional health issues.  When anyone gets the smallest of sniffles, his usually turns into pneumonia quicker than we can catch it.  Thankfully he has a wonderful pediatrician that gets him in as soon as we call and will fit him into the schedule even if she is booked.  I am grateful to her for that because often a day can make a serious difference.

Nate is going to preschool this year, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and his teacher just happens to be his big sister Kailee.  Which has been an awesome experience for both of them.  He loves preschool, is learning and catching on really well and loves the social part of it also since the big kids aren't around during the day.  Monday after normal preschool he goes to the preschool he went to last year, with Miss Deb, and has speech therapy.  He always asks on Monday mornings if this is his busy day.  I ask him if it is too much and he lets me know that he is big now and he can handle his busy days.  Although he enjoys Thursday and Friday mornings because he gets to lounge around in our bed and watch cartoons.

His faith, his sense of humor, his hilarious quick wit keeps me constantly on my toes answering his deep 'life' questions, or laughing at his stories and jokes.  He has the most giving spirit.  He will share everything he has, he is concerned about people and prays for them and makes us believe that he has an old soul in his little body! 

Every year on his birthday I let myself relive those moments that terrified and changed me, the fear, the anxiety, the terror even, but also the gifts of answered prayers, gratitude for the lessons learned, the things that he taught his siblings, his parents, and so many others but mostly that he taught us that miracles are not only granted, but that we should have the absolute faith that we WILL get them!

Happy Birthday Nate... you are simply amazing and I can't wait to see what you accomplish in the coming year!  I love you little man!!!

Emma Nichole

So...
The best news came with Kimi's ultrasound.
Baby #2 is a GIRL!

Emma Nichole is due April 26th.

She found a great doctor who is willing
to let her try a vbac.
Which is what she is hoping to be able to do.
We are excited that another little girl will be joining our family.

I didn't get to go to the ultrasound...
So Kassi and Wyatt went in my place.
I at least got to be on the phone the moment
 they found out about Emma.

Let the bow making begin!!!!

Slacker

I admit it... I am a slacker.  Some of my children have chastened me for slacking on my blog and even though I asked their forgiveness, I haven't seemed to be able to sit down and actually catch up.  I have a million things on my mind.  At least that many I would love to blog about.  But I have let everything get in the way of sitting down and actually blogging.  I will do better.  Maybe I should just forget about updating my 'Thankfulness' posts since we are half way through December now.  Maybe if I just go forward from here, my fans (aka Kimi and Garrett) will be happy again! 

My Nose

Just wanted to put it out there that my nose is still wonderful...

As in... I can breathe through it again
and haven't got up in the mornings with migraines like I used to.
It has been amazing, and I just wanted to share!!!

Isaac and Grandma

I love this little boy, and am so happy that I get to be his grandma!

I think it is so fun to watch each little one develop their own personality,
how they react and how they become so individual...
and how they grow so much more amazing every day.

This little man was a grump when I first saw him at Jax's blessing.
(We blame teething!)
So I started taking pictures of him.
Which was enough to get him smiling like crazy for me.
He is more reserved with me than Gabe was,
but he watches me for a few minutes and then his little arms
reach out to tell me he wants me to hold him.Then he waits...
because he knows that the kisses are coming!
That's when I get the best laughs and smiles...
he knows it's going to happen...
and I know exactly the reaction I will get from him.

I love being a grandma to such a sweet baby boy.
There is nothing in the world better than watching our family grow.
Watching our grandbabies grow!


Gratitude Day 11 ~ Adoption

Today I am thankful for the most unselfish gift of adoption. We will get to see Jax blessed by his dad today and soon they will get to have him sealed to them and be a forever family. All because someone knew they could not raise a baby at this time, and they gave the precious gift of life to a family that has prayed for that blessing for a very long time.

For every person that chooses life, and adoption... Thank you so much!
Jax's adoption if FINALLY finalized
and he is on his way to having his forever family!!!
His adoption was finalized on November 5th
and he was blessed by his dad on the 11th.
What a fantastic day for all of them.
We are so happy that Shalum and Candice were blessed
with such a sweet baby boy,

and that Jax was blessed to have them as his parents!

Congratulations to all of you!

More gratitude...

November 10, 2012
Today I am grateful for the heat of our wood stove that keeps the house toasty warm on freezing days like today!

Gratitude Day 9

Today I am grateful for the gift of sight. It's something else I simply take for granted because it is there. Yet I know that it isn't for everyone. This morning at the breakfast buffet, Thayne helped a blind man get his plate of food. It hit me how I should take more time to tell my Heavenly Father how grateful I am for what I have and be less demanding about what I don't have because EVERYTHING I have is a miracle from God. I am also grateful for a man who recognizes the needs of others and is willing to do something to help.
This day was a very strange day from start to finish.  We were asked to be in Utah so Thayne could meet with the owner.  There were so important things that needed to be discussed and Thayne was more nervous than I had ever seen him.  The past several days had been a blur and we had truly felt like the hand of the Lord was leading our lives in a strange new direction and Thayne, especially seemed to be feeling emotional about all that we have been blessed with in our lives recently.  We drove over late Thursday night and were up early and ready long before the time we had to be at the office.  Thayne was... well, he was a wreck.  We decided to run down to the buffet for breakfast and eat and then pack and head over to the office. 

We got down to the lobby with a group of people eating breakfast.  I noticed a man standing off, alone and with a cane.  It was apparent he was blind, but the way he was waiting in the lobby, I assumed he was waiting to meet someone.  We grabbed our plate of food and I noticed he was still standing there... still waiting.  I started feeling that maybe he wasn't waiting for anyone and had a feeling that maybe he needed help.  But I felt uncomfortable about going up and asking him.  I know it was my own fear more than anything else, but still I hesitated. 

The man walked near the buffet table as Thayne got up to get something.  I started to tell him to maybe ask the man if he needed anything.  But Thayne had already felt the need to help and was explaining to him exactly what was offered for breakfast, and then helped dish up a plate. 

As Thayne sat back down, we looked at each other and both had tears in our eyes.  We have had such an emotion, spiritual time and that man did something to both of us.  We can't be afraid to reach out and help.  We can't let our fears determine our actions.  We need to express gratitude every single day of our lives for even the most simple things.  I don't think much of my sight every day... but that day, I counted it as a blessing, but even more, I counted the blind man as one of my blessings, because I remember that we are all blind in different ways, and we all are in need of help, of guidance, and of compassion and love.

Gratitude Post Day 8

Today I am grateful for adversity. I know... It's a strange thing to be grateful for but sometimes it's the trials that make your path clear and gives you the desire and the courage to take on hard things and make them wonderful. When it seems like something or someone is out to get you, stand back and see the big picture and understand that anything worth having is going to take work. If it didn't, it isn't worth having.
There have been some really interesting things going on at work.  They seem to be a road block, but I think that if we walk through this, it could end up being a big stepping stone.

I was supposed to go in and be trained today by Jan, the office manager from Utah.  She is an amazing lady and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from her.  As I was preparing to leave, Thayne called and said that the internet was down and they were saying it would be down all day.  My first thought, after all of the 'road blocks' that had happened all week was, "EVERYTHING is going wrong... WHAT is the problem here???"  Instantly I heard as clear as could be, "Did you think something so wonderful would be without adversity???"  and it felt like fire ran through my body and I knew exactly what was going on.  This IS something wonderful, and of course there would be adversity.  It's now just a matter of how we react, and how hard we are willing to work.  Will it be worth it or not?  Only we can determine how well we succeed!

Gratitude ~ First Week

I haven't dropped off the face of the earth... although some days it feels like it.  Life has just been incredibly BUSY!  Fun, crazy, exciting but so very busy.  We have spent days on end working in the shop and turning the office into an... OFFICE!  Things are taking off and it is so exciting to see it happen.  So that is where I have been.  We have gutted, painted, moved, cleaned and rearranged and finally we have a place that looks and feels like an office.  It is so fun being with Thayne every day.  Fun to watch his enthusiasm and energy and best of all, to be together for such a great adventure!
November 1, 2012
I love the Thankful Challenge every November, and have been thinking about what I am thankful for since I woke up this morning. Today, as I worked in the office with Thayne I decided that my first thankful day would be how thankful I am for the opportunity to work with my husband to build a dream! That I get the chance to work with him makes it all the more wonderful. The fact that the owner is one of the most gracious, good men we have known makes it all the sweeter and I can't wait to see where this adventure takes us!

November 2, 2012
Today I am grateful for the opportunity to be a mom. I know the blessing it is and do not take it for granted, knowing how some ache for that blessing. I am grateful for what being a mom has taught me, for all that it has given me, and for how it has fulfilled my every dream. I am grateful to be loved by some of the most incredible human beings ever born to this earth. I am grateful that every...

day they give me a million things to smile about, and sometimes a million reasons to cry. I have learned to appreciate the good, and the bad... I learned that it is possible to love so much your heart feels like you can't contain it all. I have found joy as they learn to fly and I love their attitude and zest for life! Being a mom was my only dream. I didn't have a plan B. I count my blessings every single day for that!

November 3, 2012
Today I am grateful for the ability to work, and the desire to do it. We spent the day working on the office and I felt very grateful that we find joy in working, especially towards accomplishing a dream. As I painted and scrubbed and cleaned I thought of the story of the Little Red Hen. I think that too often we all want the fresh cooked bread, the end result, without being willing to gather, grind and bake...without putting forth the necessary effort. I am especially grateful for the opportunity to work beside my husband, and watch how things come together! My feet ache, my back hurts and my neck is in pain, but it felt good to get so much done!
November 4, 2012
Today I am grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it! I love the peace it brings in a world that is often less than peaceful. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so very thankful for what that does for my family.

November 5, 2012
Today I am grateful for the kids I gained through marriage. Matt, Tiffany and Caitlyn have blessed our lives in more ways than I could ever put into words. I appreciate how they love my children, how they honor their marriage and how much they love the beautiful grandchildren they have given us.

I want you all to know that you are as precious to me as my own kids and that I love you and thank Heavenly Father every day that you came into our lives.

November 6, 2012
Today I am grateful for amazing kids who are willing to step up and help us as we are getting the shop and office ready to go. Thanks! You guys are amazing!
November 7, 2012
I am thankful thankful today that I had the opportunity to sub in seminary. Thanks Connie for asking. We have some amazing youth.