Blessings of colds

First, I crack myself up. Sometimes it's hard to see blessings when you seem to be endlessly sick. We've been down with colds for a good while now. Starts with one and gets passed to another. Been stuck inside the house for a bit due to cold weather. I've been the nurse with the basket of meds, attending to each kid constantly. We also had fevers for one day, nothing too horrible, but kids with warm heads and sleepy bodies. Helped the fevers go down and went back to nursing the colds. 

Blessings from all this:

Shaun was home when I was the sickest and felt like a zombie. He kept washing the dishes, giving us meds, and had the super power of not getting sick. My hero:)

There were times when Kevin and I would be snuggled in my bed together, watching Downton Abbey on the iPad. Good times. 

Brooke thankfully never got the cold as hard as the boys did. She still wants to strip her clothes off all the time. Stinker.

We've enjoyed puzzles immensely this week. I love wooden puzzles. 

Grateful that I bought an essential oil diffuser before we moved. It's been in use heavily. 

Asked questions on FB, and learned some great things. How to give herbal tinctures more effectively. Learned of a new essential oil company called Butterfly Express. Very affordable. Also, learned again about making garlic oil and using it for Ethan's earache. Took care of the problem quickly. 

Heard two of my friend's beautiful and comforting voices on the phone. Blessed phone calls. 

Warm beds and water bottles to drink from. A hot shower. 

Crockpot to make salsa chicken when I had no will to stand in kitchen for a bit to cook. 

Pandora stations Hilary Weeks and Steven Sharp Nelson. 

Playing the YouTube clip of the Frozen song 'Let it Go' for the kids, and singing any harmonies I can hear for it. Fun. 

These are the blessings from having a cold that lasts awhile:)

Sunshine

We discovered the Ridgefield Fairgrounds park. Lovely park on top of the world with an amazing view. The sun doesn't come out as much in the winter here. It's been a tad challenging to adjust to, to be honest. When the sun comes out, we drop everything and get outside. I'm grateful for this park, and the kind people there that played with the boys. 

So much green and trees! It's another planet up here. Isn't this picture amazing? It's a small glimpse of what we see daily. We're still trying to adjust, but we are keeping busy. Shaun met with an advisor at the college, and got a clear road map for nursing school. Two years of pre reqs, and then two years of full time nursing school. It seems so very long to me. I can't think of it sometimes, but hopefully, it will go by fast. Doesn't it always seem that something you want to reach so badly seems like an eternity away?

 So many other families have done the school route with kids, and we will be entering that path soon. I have so much respect for those who have done full time school with kids, and reached graduation. I'm a little scared of how to balance everything; giving the kids more attention than ever, Shaun being able to study and still spend time with the kids, not seeing Shaun as much, and more. I guess I will learn my best when it starts this year. Big chapter.

Great parenting quote

A wonderful friend gave me a great idea. She told me of this quote that she has printed out and hanging on the wall by her bed. Each day she reads it, and it gives her great comfort. I printed it out for me, and now read it often. Great peace and comfort.

“You are doing God's work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you, and He will bless you, --even--no, -especially--when your days and your nights may be most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master's garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and weep over their responsibility as mothers, `Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.' And it will make your children whole as well.” 
― Jeffrey R. Holland


From Elder Holland, the big guns, of course. He gives such great talks. Hope this idea and quote helps someone out there. 

Good day

We had a good day this week, actually, two good days going on three in a row. After many storms of struggling in parenting, the storm went away for a bit. We prayed, searched general conference talks, and worked hard and lovingly with Ethan this week. The past three days have been wonderful. Here, we were having a good homeschool day working on writing. I used a pinterest idea of 'rainbow writing', having them trace their names with many colors over and over again. It was fun, it helped them write better than ever, and the kids didn't fight. Glorious! Brooke was enjoying some board games, which gave me a chance to work with the boys. 

Huge fan of the twisty crayons! No breaking. 

I took Ethan on a date. We rode bikes down to the store close by. He's gone a few times before with Shaun. As we were riding, he told me the specific directions to get there. I told him that I was glad I was with him so I would't get lost. He sounded so grown up it amazed me. He wanted to practice counting the soup cans as high as he could go. More learning. Easy math. I love it! 

Then, the best story ever. Things have been stressful and nerve wracking as we have been searching for employment for Shaun. You all know how that is. Job hunting, oi. Well, we paid what little tithing we had, sent in tons of resumes, and were blessed with two job interviews this week. We did our dardnest to exercise faith. We prayed specifically "Please help us get a job this week.", thinking not at the end of the month and not next month. We need a job this week, and we believed that it would happen. 

The day after an interview, Shaun got a call that made us all cry with joy. Ethan was with us while the kids were napping. I jumped off the bed, and said 'Everyone get on your knees now! We're praying.' We said a prayer of thanks. The sun literally came out of the fog while we prayed, and disappeared a little bit afterwards. I cracked up over that. 

We took that leap of faith, tried to be brave, and our prayers were answered. Good day. 

Kind words

I just love this picture. Total essence of the kind of mother I am trying to be. I read a great little book, 'What would a holy woman do?" Such good thoughts on trying to be holy in the everyday things we do. I remember reading being holy is not perfection, but just striving to be a little more kind, a little more patient and thoughtful. I tried to think this way through the week. Here's what I noticed:

• I enjoyed taking the time to sit and play with Kevin. He loves his little dinosaur, 'Diney.' He loves to build houses and forts for his cars and small toys with blocks. He is so imaginative. 
• Ethan hugs more and smiles when I try to listen to him better. His patience level is pretty much zero, so when I try super hard to be patient with him, and speak calmly, (insanely hard!!), somehow, it helps. 
• Brooke is just a darling who is going through the possessive phase a bit right now. Toddler stuff. She shrieks and cries when something is taken away, usually by her brothers. I try to help the boys remember to not snatch toys, and to be more gentle with her. Today, Ethan spent a good ten minutes playing hide and seek with Brooke. I just sat and watched, soaking in the moment of them being kind to each other. Blessing. 

Yesterday was Sunday. We survived another episode of 'Church with young kids.' Later that night, I asked on Facebook about helping kids with their temper tantrums and such. Whenever I post anything about the trials of kids, I do it so timidly and with a bit fear. I don't want to post negative stuff, or sound whiney and complaining about my kids all the time. I know that I am not the only mom out there struggling with kids. We all have at least one kid that is our hard one, and the one that will teach us some great lessons. 

I ask questions on FB because there are so many other friends out there that have such wisdom and insight that sometimes I don't even think of. I treat asking questions on FB as opening a vault of gold, and receiving some nuggets of help. I just always do it with a little bit of fear for being so open. Yet, sometimes I get a message from another dear friend who thanks me for sharing my struggles. It helps me so much, and I always get surprised that I actually was helping someone by my whining.

 I got a message from a sweet friend last night, and it just really touched me. Here's a snippet:

"Thank you for sharing your struggle in motherhood so others like me can learn from them. Also thank you for loving your children so much. In every status, every blog post one thing is for sure, you love your family and that you have a testimony of the gospel. Not very many people can say that."

I read that, and was just humbled to the ground. It was so thoughtful, and was such a lift that has helped me do better with my kiddos today. Isn't it wonderful when kind words are shared? It's so easy to share them, and it has such a powerful effect for good. They don't cost anything to buy and give, and we have them inside of us all the time to give to others when they need it. I'm so thankful for my gift of kind words I received. 

My new delightful obsession

This week is a funny and different type of blessing; a tv show. I fell down the rabbit hole of watching Downton Abbey. Timidly at first, because so many tv shows today are nothing but crap, sexual content, and no decent substance. I'm so out of the loop with tv shows.

I realize that so many of my friends are avid fans of this show, and are up to date with the latest season. I will not let myself research it online, because of spoilers. I'm enjoying the story unfold so much, and the character development.

I began watching the first season, and realized that this is no ordinary show. I had a heck of a time going to sleep the first night I began watching it, staying up till 1am. Curses! Didn't function so well the next day. The following night, I capped it at 10pm, and did much better.

Here's what I love about this show:

• The immense beauty and attention paid to details in every room a scene is in; the vase of flowers on a table, the plush arm chairs and lavish paintings on the wall, the candles, the cakes and desserts shown in the kitchen, the extreme etiquette in serving and eating a meal, and the proper speaking and politeness spoken. It's a completely different world. 
• The genuine acts of kindness that the characters show to each other. 
• The stories that each character has to tell, where they've been, and what they have learned. 
• The gorgeous cinematography. The lush hillside shots, trees, and the immense castle.
•  The elegant dresses, exquisite hats, and the long, arm length gloves. It makes me wish I could go around my days in a long dress and gloves, but alas, I'm in a t-shirts and jeans world. 
• The great little words of wisdom spoken here and there that make the whole show worth it. Oh, I love those parts. "Life isn't worth living if you don't let it change you." "Everyone has parts to play. We must let them play their parts.", and tons more. Ah, love it. 
• I've learned that any time someone carefully opens an envelope and has a note to read, it pretty much means a bomb is going to go off with some big news. Envelopes and cards. Life before text messages.

I just love it. I'm on season 2, and I sure hope this show goes for awhile. It is so refreshing to have something beautiful and thought provoking to watch in the sea of media filth we live in. 

Beauty of the sun

I've noticed that there are many days here in the winter when the sky is grey, cloudy, and basically the sun does not come out all day. Some days have been foggy, and mystical looking to me with the trees poking out through the white fog. I've been trying to adjust to this, as I'm so used to sunny days back home. Now, when the sun comes out, I appreciate it so much more, and savor every drop of it. I am so very curious to see what spring and summer will be like. It will be amazing to not have 110 degree summers. I can't wait to garden. With those thoughts, I patiently endure the grey, overcast days. 

We got out to play and explore. I find it so beautiful when there are rain drops on the bare tree branches. Thousands of little crystals. 

We were driving, and stopped to look at a view from the top of the hill. Trees and trees, surrounded by fog. It was a neat sight. We just stood there, and went 'Wow'. 

The boys rode their bikes for a bit, and Brooke was content on pulling the wagon around. To be a toddler and only worry about pulling a wagon, carrying precious cargo of toys. Simple joys. 

Another blessing that happened was when Kevin was starting to push my buttons, and I started yelling. I stopped and said "Uh-oh, Kevin. I need to whisper when I talk to you.'. It was something dumb that was getting me riled up, and yet, it took such a conscious effort to control my voice, and not lose it. I'm trying to remember that these kiddos are little grown ups in small bodies, and that they deserve respect. It's easy to think that I'm the parent, I'm bigger and know more than them, and sometimes I think I don't treat them as I should. Their guests in my home from Heaven above. I love them, and want to treat them better. 

Parenting thoughts

Today was Kevin's birthday. We tried to make it a special day for him. Got the birthday banner out, the plastic goblet cup to drink from, and I made a chocolate cake for him. It was also a very challenging day for Ethan. After I put the kids to bed, I sat on the couch, head in my hands, exhausted and heartbroken, but grasping onto the strength to not cry but to seek guidance from above. 

Perhaps Ethan was sad that it was not his birthday, and the attention was not on him. Maybe he needed to know that he was equally loved and I did not do a good job communicating that to him today. It could be a multitude of reasons. 

After teaching the young women today at church about making their personal prayers more effective by offering a kneeling, vocal prayer (thank you, missionary training center teachers!), I knelt down and prayed out loud myself, asking for help with Ethan. Again, I was reminded at how effective that method of praying is, and wrote down impressions that came to mind. 

Some of them were: 

Hang more pictures of Ethan around the house to remind me how much I love him. 

Pick a random day to just celebrate having him in our family. 

I also searched through my gospel library app for any conference talks on parenting. Like searching through a gold vault. Seriously. The quotes are from M Russell Ballard's talk 'Women of God'. He gives some great thoughts on mothering. It gave me peace. 

Here's on more thought from his talk. I hope it helps some reader out there:)

Daily devotional

Last Sunday, the third hour of church was incredible. It was a combined gospel study of class for the youth 12 years and up and all grown ups. One of the main things that hit me the hardest was feeding your soul with continued daily devotionals of reading scriptures, meditation, prayer, and coming closer to the Savior. When one stops doing this, the well of spiritual water dries up, and one cannot survive happily. It's a lesson I keep learning over and over again. Thank goodness Heavenly Father is so patient and forgiving of His children, and is always there for me when I keep trying again to be consistent in my spiritual nurturing.

My goal is to wake up at 6am, and have some quiet moments to read and ponder before the kids wake up. The darn bed is too soft and comfy. Oh, it's hard! I got up at 7 today. Getting there.

This video was shown in the class, and I loved it. Just a simple, visual reminder. I'm so visual. I love good media.

Happy New Year!

I am a passionate lover of quotes. I save them, write them down in my journal, type some out and print them to hang on my wall somewhere. I saw this and thought it was perfect for today.

Last year went by in a blink. It was filled with memories and events that are precious to me. Do you find as you get older, the years go by faster? That dear friends and simple acts of kindness that happened to you are held close in your heart to treasure? I sure have, and I'm trying to recognize the good moments better, and to learn from them.

Today's blessings:

Ethan sat down beside me, and began helping me with the laundry. He sorted his clothes into piles, and began matching the socks together. I nearly cried tears of joy, and told him I couldn't wait to tell Dada how awesome he's been today.

The Raffi children's music Pandora station. It plays such soft, fun, happy little songs. Listened to it while I got the Twister game out I picked up at thrift store. Taught the boys how to play it, and they laughed. Ethan was very focused on keeping his body on all the colors he was supposed to. It was funny.

Happy new year, everyone. May it be filled with joy and peace for you all:)