Note to self:

Dear Lindsey,
In your spare time, could you create a new blog header?  Lucy is 3 and Camille isn't even in the picture. Seriously, lady.
Thanks,
Self

Creating Memories

Several years ago Lindsey and I decided on a general rule that we would try to give experiences as gifts rather than stuff.  We feel this makes gift-giving more meaningful since it usually requires a little more thought and effort in finding the right gift.  We also find it can have a lasting impression.

Looking back I can remember specific gifts I had received as a child: a red fire truck, a bike, some Lego sets.  But those memories are not as strong as the experiences given to me.  I'd have to ask my dad if he remembers, but I remember going to a football stadium as a kid to see his alma mater play.  That experience is a major factor in why I love collegiate football.  (That, and because Aggies rock!  WHOOP!!)

For Father's Day this year, we gave my dad four tickets to a minor league baseball game.  We picked a date that coincided with Gramma Camp when the older girls would stay with them for a week.  Seats were front row on the 1st base line AND it was $1 hotdog night.  We included parking so they only had to show up.  They had a blast!  Sydnee did end up with a souvenir, but it wasn't just another ball to add to our stuff: it was a foul ball she got to take home from her first baseball game.  That ball is much more meaningful to her (and my dad) than anything else we could have thought of.

A little memoir for my sweet Lucy Lou!

On February 20th 3 years ago I woke up in the middle of the night feeling a bit off.  I wasn't sure what was wrong, so I got out of bed and then discovered my water had broken.  Guess that is a bonus of being a light sleeper.  Since this was not our first rodeo, I woke Todd and he got on the phone.  Shortly afterward, Uncle Jim had arrived- excited and nervous for us.  We left for the hospital...and then turned around b/c we forgot our camera. :)  Lucy's delivery was not an easy one, it was more like Ava's than Sydnee's.  The epidural only worked on half of my body, which by the way is not very pleasant.  She came in about 12 hours- bright-eyed and happy.  When Ava was born Todd and I were just not sure what to do once she had arrived...with Sydnee we were a little more prepared...and with Lucy we were so excited to meet this new little girl.  Lucy was an easy baby and her sisters and family adored her instantly.  A month into her life she was set to be "blessed" in church and the night before she came down with a really high fever.  Worried, Todd and I took her to the hospital.  We were grateful that Scott & Katie were staying with us, so leaving in the middle of the night was an easy option.  At the hospital, they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her and ran a lot of tests.  Our whole family was in town awaiting the big day, but we had to cancel.  It was a rough 3 days.  We had a fabulous team working on Lucy.  We were especially grateful for our pediatrician, who through some additional testing discovered she had a UTI caused by a level 1 kidney reflux.  With medication we were sent home and we felt so grateful that it was nothing worse.  Lucy took medication for everyday for an entire year and when checked again at a little over a year old, she had outgrown the reflux and everything was normal.

In the time Lucy has been alive, we have had some crazy life experiences.  We began a legal dispute over an illegal foreclosure forced upon us, Todd lost his job, we built a house we were never able to live in, and we moved to a different town- leaving family and friends.  In fact in her 3 years, we've moved 3 times.  And despite the stress that these events have caused, Lucy has always been a little ray of sunshine.  I can't express how grateful I have been for that. Each family member brings something of value into the family dynamic- and Lucy has always been the sunshine on a cloudy day, the laughter among the tears, and the rainbow after the storm.  She is adventurous, and rarely fearful of anything.  She isn't afraid of heights or challenges.  She is a good eater, and willing to try new things.  She has an amazing smile.  Lucy makes friends easily and is happy to tell total strangers, "Hi!"  In fact most of the time, she will say "Hi!" over and over again until she is heard!  She wasn't the first at much of anything- her sisters hold those records.  However, she is capable of getting all of us to do things we normally wouldn't- just to get a laugh or a smile from her.  She is precious beyond words and we all adore her.

Lucy is speaking more these days than she has been and its fun to discover her conversation.  She's been mimicking "talk" for a long time, but now that we know she is actually saying something- its been really fun.  She has her own sweet way of saying her sister's names:  A-ya and Syn-nee (hard to type).  Lucy loves watching cartoons, singing, dancing, playing outside, jumping, Tinkerbell, and Minnie Mouse.  She loves sharing a room with Sydnee and on many nights we will hear, "Lucy!  I'm trying to sleep!" (Lucy is always ready for a party). She is stingy with kisses, but will tell you she loves you over and over again.  She has a great laugh.  She is named after my mother/grandmother's middle name- Louise C and her middle name after my mother-in-law Christine.  I think she represents the best of them all.

I have often thought that I have never met anyone like Lucy.  She is not happy ALL of the time, but most of it- and even when she is upset, she doesn't stay upset long- she moves on quickly.  She can be crying one minute and laughing the very next.  I have no idea what the Lord has in store for this little lady, but I am grateful to be along in the journey and to be able to share her sunshine with the people around us.

Happy birthday my sweet Lucy Christine!  You've made these last 3 years a piece of cake. I am one blessed Momma!  Love you bunches!
xoxo, Me

The Big Chicken

She was so proud and so darling. Made me a little teary-eyed. She didn't realize that the blue ribbon meant first place until we told her. She was beyond excited. So cute. She was selected to represent her grade for Frank. Just having her name on the school intercom was a huge deal to her, but this was so great. Sydnee often gets overlooked in our family and it was so nice for her to receive some individual attention. Hannah G got to represent 3rd grade and also got a blue ribbon, so we got to go to the exhibit with our best friends. What a neat experience! :) Proud Momma

A rare blog entry :)

Hello people!
Well, we had a super productive weekend.  We finished setting up my office and master bedroom. It is just so nice to walk into the office and my bedroom.  There are still some things we need to add/adjust in the bedroom- but its so nice to have a little sanctuary! And the office just makes me feel good inside!Tomorrow I teach preschool and I have a little area in my office that will double as my preschool teaching area/ homework area for the girls.  I'm not ashamed to say that I LOVE IT!

Today we have been to Wal-Mart where the girls went down the toy aisle and told me some things that they would like for their birthdays.  Poor Sydnee.  It must be hard to be the ONLY one not born in the month of Feb!  Hopefully this little one will help by coming in March and spread us out a TINY bit.  Of course, I would have liked for all of them to be spread out a bit but apparently I'm not the boss here. This little girl inside of me is almost here!  Today I am hoping to do some laundry and work on the baby's room.  I need to get out the bedding and go through the clothes.  And do some basic organizing. I think once that is finished, then my mind can settle a little bit about all the things that need to get finished in the house.  I have to remind myself constantly that we will be here a while and its not necessary to just get it all done NOW.

We too had a good Sunday.  Its nice to have early church (9am).  We get all our stuff ready the night before and then just spend the morning getting ready and go.  It was Ward Conference and sacrament went over by 30 minutes.  That threw Primary into a bit of a scramble and despite my friend's efforts to keep her lesson short- I only had about 6 minutes in Senior Primary (I normally have 20).  Oh well! :)  I had 15 in Junior, which is too bad because they were CRAZY rowdy in there!  I would have been happier with 6 minutes. :) Maybe I need to pull out my net again "caught ya being good".  Anyhow, I'm doing this neat thing.  I have asked parents (Moms, really) to send me pictures of their family/kids and I am adding them to a flip chart for the song "I Am A Child of God".  I just showed them the first verse yesterday and wow- I am going to have to keep it together!  Its so touching and sweet to think of these children as children of God and to see their faces light up when their picture pops up.  I hope it drives the concept home for them.  I sure love my calling.

Last night we decided to eat dinner outside.  It was a little chilly, but the girls had been itching to go outside all day, and so we gave in.  They were bouncing on the trampoline while Todd was cleaning up dinner, and I had some "alone" time while everyone was focused on their activity. It was nice, I don't get them often.  I sat there and reflected on my blessings.   I remember not knowing how long we could survive, and what the Lord had in store for us.  I remember feeling a little sore about it all- hadn't we served faithfully?  Hadn't we given up our hearts and souls and countless hours to the Lord?  Surely He hadn't abandoned us now in our time of need.  We really never lost hope, though- just moments where we doubted the plan.  We knew that the Lord had better things in store, if we could just keep the faith.  And although the process was so ugly at times- it really seems like a short period of time now.  And I am so grateful that the Lord knew that  we would have to go through this rough time in order to get us where we are now.  So I sat there.  Drinking in my blessings.  Three little girls happily jumping on a trampoline in the cool winter night.  A loving husband who loves his job now, who puts his family first, and is always trying to find ways to serve me and our little people.  He is so self-less. I need to follow his example a little but more! Anyways, I sat there- healthy, happy, with a baby in my belly who is also healthy and apparently an excellent soccer player- reflecting.  It was a good moment, where I felt truly loved and grateful for the trials.  There are plenty of times that I have questioned "why" but at the end of the day- if the road had been any different, then I wouldn't be here.  Finding joy in the journey.  Its hard to do, but when you have those gratitude moments- the tender mercies of the Lord become more apparent and you realize- you were never really alone.  The plan wasn't meant to be easy- but it will always be worth it.  I often worry that challenges of such magnitude will come again- but then I think, He believed in us then.  He loved us and supported us then.  He has proven himself trustworthy (a line in my patriarchal blessing).  So, I guess the take-home message here is, just keep swimming!  The life guard is on watch.

Love to you all!
Happy MLK day!
xoxo