Joy in the Journey

Some days I feel really sick. I have issues with food, and I can't eat a lot of the things I once loved and craved. It's worse now that I am pregnant. And not being able to have a treat can take its toll. But not knowing if the dinner you are eating is going to lay you out for two days is down right nerve racking. Some days, when I am feeling especially bad, I feel pretty downtrodden. I have little pity parties from time to time. I'm not super proud of it, but even after over three years of dealing with this, some days are just harder than others.

I've felt pretty crummy the past few days. So tonight I made myself a typical "healing" dinner (chicken, carrots, and rice—with a little BBQ sauce because I am pregnant and really wanted it). As I was eating, I decided to grab an old issue of the Ensign to read (the official magazine for the LDS Church). It contained articles from the November 2008 General Conference. I opened right up to the article, "Finding Joy in the Journey." I admit I cried through most of the article. If you haven't read it, whether you are LDS, or not, whether you are religious, or not, I suggest you give this one a go. There are universal truths to be found. (To read, watch, or listen to the article/talk, click HERE.)

One thing I took from the article is that even though I can't eat many delicious things without becoming really ill, I do have many other delicious things in my life that I can feast on.

I can revel in the gorgeous place that I live. I can treat myself with the sweet love of my husband and children. I can delight in the talents I've been given and enjoy. I can indulge in my great friendships. I can feast on the Word. And I am very grateful for that!

(After I was done with dinner, Maya ran up with a mini pinwheel. "Here you go, Mommy! You can blow the pinwheel!" Then the train went past our house. "Look! It's the TRRRRAIN!!" The sheer joy of it...)

By way of announcement

There are quite a few changes going on in my life right now. But my very favorite announcement is brought to you by Finn and Maya:

An interview with a 6 year old

What's your name? 
Finn

Whats the meaning of life? 

To be kind to nature, taking care of your pets, being sweet, and helping people. That's all I know.

What do you love? 

I love the world that we live in.

What makes you most happy? 

My family

What do you want to be when you grow up? 
A police man

When do you feel the most loved? 

When my mom hugs me

What are you afraid of? 
Anything that bites

If you had one wish, what would you wish for? 
A happy family

What is the funniest word? 
Bilbo Baggins

What is the hardest / easiest thing to do? 
Climb up a cliff / Ride my scooter

What is the best / worst thing in the world? 
Family / Falling off a cliff
(Note to self: No rock climbing with Finn...)

What makes you mad? 
When Maya bites me
(Yikes)

What is the meaning of love? 
When you love people and you give them a hug and a kiss

If you had all the money in the world, what would you do with it? 
Go on a mission 

Who loves you? 

My mom and Dad and Heavenly Father and Jesus

*Finn has officially just made it into the sweetest boy in the world hall of fame.

Sleeping Beauties

As I Watch You Sleep

Wanda L. Gossett

I watched a little face sleeping,

Eyelashes fluttering so,

I wondered of the dream you were having,

and if Angles were playing there.

I watched a little face sleeping,

Your little mouth was smiling so,

I hope that you are as happy as me,

holding you in my arms.

I watched a little face sleeping,

making sure of the breath you take,

to watch you breathe and keep you safe,

is all that matters to me.

I watched a little face sleeping,

holding your small hand in mine,

five little fingers on each hand,

as one hangs onto mine.

I watched a little face sleeping,

and as I prayed to myself,

I thank God for letting me

watch a little face sleeping.

Happy Halloween from a fairy and a pirate!

Fall Break

I am going to act like it hasn't been a month since my last post. Onward and upward, right?

Speaking of upward, here is the view from by backyard today. The view from the front yard is even better. But this is still pretty glorious (despite the despised mulch from the neighbors behind us, and the next door neighbors who smartly put turf under their playset, but which also makes our yard look kinda bad—focus on the mountains, please):

So it's Fall Break around here. Not that it means anything, really. It just means Finn and Maya have a 4 day weekend while Wes is out of town and I have the stomach flu. So it does mean something, actually. It means I am struggling with two crazy kids at home. But luckily a friend from church came by to pick up Finn to play. It was perfect timing, and I really appreciated it.

Just before she just happened to stop by, Finn was doing this:

"Mom? Do you know what my favorite movie is? Jurassic Park Pirates."
"Mom? Do you know what dinosaur is the most dangerous? The Dilophosaurus. No Raptor."
"Mom? Do you know how to build a pirate ship airplane?"
"Mom? Do you know what we will do if the house catches on fire during breakfast, and we don't have time to pack our ham and eggs?"
"Mom? Do you know how to make a pumpkin bat?"
"Mom? Do you know what you can do if someone makes fun of your orange toenails? Just ignore 'em."
"Mom? Do you know that if I shake my Sprite it will spray down the WHOLE house?"
"Mom? Do you know if Maya is still napping?"
"Mom? Do you know if we are going to the park today?"
"Mom? Do you know how the Earth spins?"
"Mom? Do you know that today I learned how to use your big orange scissors?!" (As he holds up my Fiskars at a dangerous angle.

AAAGGGHHH! :) Then I realized this is the time he's usually in school. Clearly he was feeling the need for some mental stimulation. I wasn't doing a great job of fulfilling that need when the doorbell rang. Tender mercies of the Lord, I tell ya!

[making paper race cars]

A week of firsts

New home. New state. New schools. Last week Finn started kinder and Maya started preschool.
I'll let the cuties do the talking. *And lest you think I now have time to myself, Finn is in afternoon kinder that only goes for 3 hours (and 2 hours on Monday—wha??). And Maya has preschool 2 mornings a week. So now between school and soccer (which started today), I am a constant shuttle service. I more exhausted than ever. ;)

Finn's teacher had a baby three days before school started, and she STILL showed up for the first day! 

That's dedication. I ran to the store and bought her a baby present. Haha.

Pirate on his Show-And-Tell sack:

Buddies:

This girl wanted to wear a tutu 2 days in a row. Who am I to stop her?

Avast!

Last night Finn said, "Why don't you ever play with us?" Now, this might normally cause any mother to immediately reevaluate her life, fall on her knees and hug her sweet, neglected child. But coming on the heels of a water gun fight in the front yard, I knew this claim was ill-founded. But in his little 5-year-old defense, at the time Finn asked, I was checking an email. I do work some from home. So Finn is no stranger to me working. And when he gets very tired or bored, he likes to make me feel like I am not addressing his needs (usually in the form of a fruit snack plea, or a jab at my neglectfulness). He also calls housework (laundry, dishes, mopping) working, and I have explained on numerous occasions that if I didn't "work" a little bit every day, we would all be naked because of the piles of accumulated dirty laundry (to which Maya smiles and claps). The day ended with prayers, books, loud off key song-singing on my part, kisses, and then sleep. They had my full attention. I am a stay-at-home-mom for goodness' sake.

Then I woke up this morning to Wes asking me when I was going to start my day. (Sometimes when Wes is home in the morning and has fixed breakfast for the kids—which is every time that Wes is home in the morning—I like to stay in bed with the covers up to my chin and my laptop on my chest, and I get emailing out of the way, see what's new on Minted, maybe visit Nie Nie, and check out the new Mormon Message. Sue me.) So when I had the second prod at 8:15am ("Are you at least going to take a shower?"), I thought I had better pull out some mom greatness, lest this family starts to think I am being *gasp* lazy. Me? Lazy? In the summer? Nah.

Here's what we did today: PIRATE FORT!!! (OK, it's really a normal fort, but they are WAY more excited when the word "pirate" is involved. Finn and Maya share a tiny room—or "weeny," as Finn would say—and I knew it would be a challenge. But I think I did a bang up job.

I managed to fit a teepee in there. Go me:

(a teepee always passes in pirate play because of Peter Pan)

Maya the lookout:

Train table turned stowaway nook:

View from under the sails:

And, no, I still haven't showered today.

Mommy Notes

I hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day. Mine was low key. But since it included a nap, I consider that alone a success. Today when I picked Finn up from school, he handed me this. :) Not really sure what it says there on the third line. Maybe "kiss kiss spin?" Either way, my heart just melted!

Easter

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter! We sure did. Evidence to follow:

               Jelly beans!                                             Our sweet neighbor Dolly.