Weather Aware!

 

What a Spring we have all had here!  It's been a wild one and I'm so thankful that my family is safe.  I'm pretty tired of being so "weather aware," but so grateful that there are people that are amazingly good at what they do and can warn us of dangerous storms.  Other than a flooded back yard and a beehive that floated away we are unscathed, and that is more than so many of our fellow Okies can say.  Our prayers are for them, I'm grateful to be in a possition where we can litterly help. After this past month, I can now imagine utter distruction.  Places so close to us look like war zones.  What once was organized is completly wiped out.  It's a sombering thought.  After the flooding of last weekend, it doesn't take my imagination, to picture what 40 days and night of raining could do.  I have felt how insignificant and what little control I really have.  My feelings this past month have been interesting ones.  They have gone from worry, to scared, to sorrow, to gratitude, to anxiety, to panic,to nervous, to peace, to empathy, to relief, to guilt, to hope, to determination, to shock,to horror, to obssesive, to happiness.  I've learned a few things this past month or maybe just relearned them in a very real sense. 

 

1-  If  we are prepared we shall not fear.  (the tornado shelter is being installed in a couple of weeks, I sure miss my Kansas basement.) I have felt such a heavy responsiblity for my kids.  Mike and I keep them safe, we protect them!  I've thought a lot about being prepared physically, and spiritually.  Sometimes there isn't any time to "gather and get ready." Sometimes you just need to go now!  I've had time to ponder, my plans for my family.  And I realized this month that no matter what I do, I might not always be able to keep everyone safe.  That is an awful thought.  Storms may rage, that I can't keep at bay.  Other peoples poor choices may hurt us, but even though I am not all powerful someone is. 

 

2-  I've learned that when I remember that there is a plan of happiness, I feel peace.  When I've done all that I can do, whatever happens will be ok, because Christ is in control and he can make all things right.  He has a plan for my family and it is the best plan.  For my bennifit, our little family has had a few talks these past weeks about that.

 

3 -  People are more important than things and people are good.  In awfulness there is goodness.  Where there is hurt there will be helpers.  It has been touching for me to see the goodness of people.  It has been edifying to see the light of Christ in so many eyes and to remember that when people try to act like Him hearts are softened. 

 

4-  When the sun comes so does hope and peace.  Our days have litterly gone from dark, eery, and dangerously stormy to sunny and bright all in a few hours.  Christ is the ultimate light and hope,  I like the feelings of the sun.

 

5- I'm so grateful for the "watchmen" chasing the literal storms but even more grateful for our "watchmen" warning of more dangerous spiritual storms.  How blessed we are to have a living prophet and the Holy Ghost that can warn comfort and bear testimony to us. 

 

It's been an interesting spring, we are not totally out of the woods yet, but I'm grateful for the opportunity I've  had to see first hand how good Okies can be. 

 

 

Somebody is 4

 

This cute kid turned 4 on March 30th!

 

 

 

He woke so excited, came down to the decorated family room and opened presents.  The lucky kid then got to  go to two Easter egg hunts before...

 

His Awesome Three Amigos Birthday Party.

 

 Yes my child wanted a Three Amigos party.  I couldn't change his mind.  He wanted his cake to look like Lucky Day's shirt.  He wanted to break an El Guapo pinata.  What???  This kid cracks us up and I laughed the whole time I was "creating" the Lucky Day cake.  What a fun little man he is.

 

Jake has charmed a few older women.  Here is Jake and his cute 8 year old friend Kennedy.  I want to have Kennedy live at my house.  She is adorable and made Jake the cutest book for his birthday. 

Friends came over for a little party between 4-5:30.  We mixed Jake's two loves....apparently the Three Amigos, and his never ending love of all things cowboy.  I guess the two go nicely together.  The kids played pin the tale on the donkey, had a stick horse relay, took turns roping our calf head, made their own bandannas, mixed their own trail mix, chased and captured three bad banditos, and broke a cowboy pinata.  It is quite the thing keeping 10 little 4 year olds entertained for an hour and a half.  Thank goodness for fun moms who help and willing big brothers. 

 

 

I think the hit of the party was "catch the bad guys".  Here are Will and Ike with their buddy Braydon they were the three bad banditos. 

 

 

Birthday days are always tender for mom.  I can't believe my Jake is four.  He has blessed my life, and I can't believe life without that spirited little boy.  He is a joy, is full of shenanigans, and gives the sweetest kisses. 

 

 

He also informed me yesterday while sitting at the table eating lunch, "Mom, I hate to tell you this but I'm going to drink beer"

 

After doing something naughty the other day, Mike asked Jake why he did it and Jake said, "Dad, I did it because I just don't know the gospel very well."

 

Hopefully 4 will be a good year for us, we can teach him the gospel and change his drinking ways.

 

We Love You Jake! 

 

 

Perfect Moments

Yesterday afternoon I sat on the rocking chair, in the family room, and rocked Bracken.  He was talking and smiling at me, oh so happy.  The three year old was crashed out on the couch, exhausted from living life at full speed.  Isaac, still dressed in his Sunday clothes, was folding paper airplanes on the floor next to me, humming.   Mike and nine year old, Will, were in the living room finishing up their father/son interview.  I realized that my one concern at that moment was whether to bring banana bread or cookies to our friends house later that evening for dinner.  As I was contemplating that decision, I had to stop and realize how blessed we were.  I wasn't concerned about where to find food to feed my family, or what I had to dress them in, or where would they sleep tonight.  They have cloths to wear, beds to sleep in, a mom and dad and brothers who love them.  Aside from a pesky cough that Ike deals with every so often, we are healthy.  My boys bodies and minds work so well.  My husband is a wonderful man, a humble, worthy, Father who works so hard for us.  I love him.  We are equally yoked in faith, family, and dreams.  I know he is pure and good.  He is faithful and kind and fun to be around too.  He is steady and reassuring.  We are blessed to have friends, even friends who have us over for dinner....

 

 (Wild moments in the family room.)

(Fall 2012 "Homecoming" trip to Utah)

 

Sometimes I can get carried away thinking about everything that I want to fix and change with my house, the mess that seams to never stay cleaned, some politics at the moment, or some issue with a child, and forget to realize, like I did this afternoon, that we truly are so blessed...so blessed.  We have sufficient for our needs, we have love in our home and a knowledge of a loving Father in Heaven above.  These moments are good for my heart and this afternoon I had to say a little prayer of gratitude, as contentment filled my soul.

6 months

Goodness I love this boy.  He is the most mellow, patient, easy going baby.  I lucked out with this guy.  At 6 months he is charming.  His new trick is to stick out his little lizard tongue back and forth and giggle.  He can roll over both sides and is superb at baby crunches.  He babbles and coos and says "Aye."  He is always waiting to catch your gaze so he can gift you with a smile.  He waits with anticipation for life to happen around him.  His eyes are always twinkling and he is an Olympic cuddler.  He likes to nuzzle.  He loves to pull my hair.  He sometimes looks like Winston Churchill.  He loves to chew on his thumb, not suck, but chew.  He really loves to gnaw on any ones chin. We keep waiting for teeth but none have come.  He is happy!  He loves food, (boy does he fit in with the rest of his brothers).  We started solids this month and nothing he has eaten has fazed him.  We have stood, ready with the camcorder, to catch the grimace but none have ever come.  He is just content to have us spoon all these new tastes in.    

Here is the traditional 6 month old "overall picture".  We have one of these of all our babies at 6 month.  I love a baby in a white onesie and overalls.  Of coarse, he is growing too fast and I want to hold these moments forever.  So grateful he is ours. 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

 One thing I love about my kids school are the programs!  Every year each grade puts on a program with lots of singing, dancing, etc.. They are quite the productions.  The third graders always perform their program in December and this year they did " How the Grinch Stole Christmas."  It was pretty fabulous and Will even had a great speaking part!  The students were asked to all dress like "Whos"  We worked our magic and this is what we came up with for Will.

I had fun making a big bow tie and I thought he looked pretty handsome in his festive attire.

 

"Three thousand feet up, Up the side of Mount Crumpet.........." 

Will was pretty awesome and we loved watching him!.  He, unlike his mother, loves to be in front of people.  He is so social and has no qualms about performing.  I asked him if he was nervous and he said, "no not really."  He sounded so calm, and enunciated so well.  I was really proud of him. 

 

 

 

One of my favorite aspects of this whole performing week was Jake's enthusiasm.  He was so excited for Will and loved that Will had a bow tie.  He wanted one so bad too.  Funny boy, I made him a little one and Jake wore his faithfully to all three of Will's performances.  What a supporter!

From the mouth of Jake

 

 

 Jake loves cowboy boots.  He wears them religiously.  Lucky for Jake, Santa brought him some, much needed, cowboy boots on Christmas. He loves them to say the least. The other day while wearing them, he wound up and kicked Ike as hard as he could in the shin.  Poor Ike,  ouch!  Needless to say, after a little time out Jake experienced the natural consequence of loosing his new boots for the rest of the day.  That was a bit traumatic.  Later that night as I was putting Jake to bed he said, "Mama, I wish I would have kicked Ike with my old cowboy boots."  Wow, at least he's honest if not always gentle. 

 

 

To paint a better picture of my three year old, I have to say that he is my best little buddy these days.  I love spending time with the kid and his twinkly eyes and funny sayings melt my heart.  Yesterday, Jake, Bracken, and I we went on a walk and looked for treasures.  We would walk a little and then Jake would say, "Mom, lets take a little break, we need to sit down and think of important things."  So we sat down and thought about important things like worms crawling through the cement cracks and the clouds in the sky, berries with seeds in them and acorns.....we would then continue on our way and Jake would remind me, "Mama it is good to hold hands."  I hope to never forget the sweet feeling of my three year old boys little hand in mine.  I'm sure in the late twilight years of my life, the memory of that hand in mine will warm my heart and soul as much as it did yesterday morning.