Job Update!

I should have done this blog post awhile ago! Jeron will be starting a permanent position on May 2nd at Wells Fargo! We have felt all of your prayers through this time. We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts! The job is going to be good for him. He is excited about it. The hardest part now is waiting! As of May he will no longer have to work on Saturday's! (Yippee) He will get a raise and there is an opportunity for good bonuses every month! And we will have insurance as of June 1! We feel really good about the things that are happening for our family and again we thank you! We have truly felt your love and prayers as we have faced this.

Our New Addition!

Yes, we have added a new addition to our family! We are very excited about this and have been waiting and wanting it for some time now! And this weekend it finally happened!

We bought a Suburban!

It is beautiful and everything we were wanting to find!

All the fun features (even if the DVD player is super small!) we wanted and even some extras!

Just the right year and millage.

But most of all it was the right one at the right time!

Some of you may remember a post I did last year about one we almost bought. We thought it was right, but it just wasn't. It was a little older then we wanted to go and had more miles, but... It had this and that, but...

I think we knew it wasn't really right the moment we drove it off the lot! I felt more peace giving it back then I did having it!

This time we drove it a couple of times. Talked to the dealer a couple of times. But most of all we went home and prayed about it, a lot! Jeron and I both felt a lot of peace. Not that it was going to work out for sure, more that the right thing for us would work out. If it wasn't this one it would be another one. When they called and told me that the payment had come even lower then we asked for I knew it was right! It was still more then a little nerve racking! We hadn't bought a car in more then 7 years! And that time we had to because the other van had been totaled!

I am very excited about our new addition! It is fun that it has all the bells and whistles! But it is even more fun thinking about all the places we are going to take it! All the things that we will be able to do with it! The memories and fun stories I hope my children have to share when they are older. I hope it does for them what "Big Blue" did for me as a kid!

Hymns From The Heart: I Know That My Redeemer Lives

My Hymns From The Heart posts have gotten a bit behind! I know! Some of that I was sick but most of it I have just been lazy! Now I'm having Hymn overload! Just in the first session of Conference today there were so many Hymns mentioned that touched me I was amazed! It was wonderful to be reminded how the music we sing is a wonderful window to our spirits! So, now I have a list to draw from if I ever have need. Today I am going to focus on the rest Hymn from the morning session, Hymn #136 I Know That My Redeemer Lives. I used to take this song for granted. But I can no longer sing it without my heart swelling and threatening to take over my whole body! I'm not sure when it happened, or if there was some specific reason. All I know is that I am overwhelmed with the spirit by the words of this song.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead.

He lives, my everliving Head.

He lives to bless me with his love.

He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed.

He lives to bless in time of need.

He lives to grant me rich supply.

He lives to guide me with his eye.

He lives to comfort me when faint.

He lives to hear my soul's complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears.

He lives to wipe away my tears.

He lives to calm my troubled heart.

He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end.

He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing.

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath.

He lives and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare.

He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

I could have gone through each line and verse to tell you of personal experiences of why I know that particular line is true. But then this post would be a hundred years long! What I can say is that I testify that the words of this Hymn are true. All of them! I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that when I go to Him my hungry soul will be fed and He will bless me in my times of need. I have felt His comfort many, many times! I feel the joy of this knowledge even now. I know that my Redeemer lives!

Priesthood Power

On March 4th Connor turned 12. On March 6th he was ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. I have been humbled and blessed to be able to watch him pass the sacrament for the last 3 weeks. We have church at 1:00pm right now. I know this should make it easy to be to church on time. But on the weeks that Jeron and I both have meetings throughout the morning it can get a little tricky! Most of the time Jeron's meeting are early so he is home while I'm gone to help the kids stay on track. With Jaxon now being a Teacher we have set the goal to leave the house by 12:30pm so he can be there early to help prepare the sacrament. I have come to really enjoy this time. At first I worried it would be hard on the girls to have to sit still for so long but it really hasn't been. If anything it has been helpful to all of us to have that quiet time to prepare ourselves. As I listened to Conference this morning I was touched. I think it was Elder L. Tom Perry (I can't even remember now - how sad it that!). He talked about our young men preparing and blessing the sacrament just as the Savior did. I called the kids into my room and did a little rewind and pause! This was something I wanted to make sure they got! I had them listen to what had been said again and we talked about their part in the sacrament and how important it is. I was grateful I had taken this teaching opportunity when Connor looked at me with those big eyes of his as big as they would go and says to me, "Mom, I didn't know I was passing the same way Jesus did." I am humbled with the responsibility I have to teach these young men. With helping them understand the responsibilities they take upon themselves with the Priesthood. I am even more humbled as I watch them preform their priesthood duties with a reverence that shows not just myself, but their Father in Heaven as well, that they do understand.

Something Does Not Have To Be Done MY Way To Be Done WELL!

A couple of weeks ago I made a goal to vacuum my living room every night before I went to bed. I found if the living room was clean enough to vacuum in the evening I really liked how it felt the next morning! (And I was more likely to try and keep it clean all day!) Sometimes it didn't happen until 10:30 or 11:00pm but it was happening! And it was even starting to spread to the rest of the house! And then I got sick. It took everything I have just to make it through the day. Vacuuming just isn't going to happen!
Awhile back I got a new vacuum. I got a Dyson! I won't let my children use my Dyson yet. (They have to get a Dyson licence after going through Dyson training!) I don't want my Dyson broken and my children break vacuums! And, well, I have a little problem. I like certain things done certain ways. For example: When Jeron and I first got married he tried to help me fold laundry. I have never let him help me fold laundry again. All because I didn't like how he did it. I did it better, or so I thought. So, I'll be honest. My Dyson is not the only reason the living room has not been getting vacuumed while I have been sick. I like my living room vacuumed in a certain way. I know, you don't have to tell me, I'm crazy!
Well last night I couldn't stand it anymore! I needed that living room vacuumed but I just didn't have the energy to do it. So I asked my sweet and wonderful husband to do it for me. And he said yes! Of course! As he started, in a different way then I do it, I almost said something. Then I stopped and thought (shocking, I know!) I thought about how he was doing this as a favor to me. What kind of person would I be if I told him he was doing this favor wrong? How would I feel if this was reversed? Instead I just watched him for a minute. Guess what I saw...my living room getting vacuumed, well! He did a great job!
Do I still like certain things certain ways? YES! Will I still vacuum my living room they way I always have? YES! Will I still teach my children to do things the way I like them done? YES! However, I am going to give my best effort to NOT re-do things. To see the effort others put in instead of seeing that it wasn't done my way! If my kids find an easier, for them, way to do something and it is still done well then I say go for it! I might even go a little easier on myself. See, I remember being told, "if you can't do something right, don't do it at all!" Which is a great thing, except that when it comes to my house I think, "I don't have time to clean my whole kitchen!" So I don't do it at all! Now, I'm sure when my Great Grandma Rose would say to me, "if you can't do it right, don't do it at all!" This is NOT what she meant for me to gain! So, I'll just have to learn to be happy with "right" being whatever I can get done at that moment!
I'm feeling better, just not 100%. Honestly, I can't wait for the day that I can fold a batch of laundry without feeling like I'm running a marathon, or load my dishwasher without feeling like I'm going to pass out! There is nothing like being sick to make you appreciate being healthy and all the "have to" things I GET to do being a mom! In the meantime I really do appreciate my family and THEIR way of getting things done for me!

Potty Training!

Maycie started showing signs of being ready to potty train before she even turned 2. But I kept making excuses.

"We're in the middle of football season. That would just be WAY too hard!"

Then it was:

"It's the middle of Christmas. All the parties and get togethers. That would just be WAY too hard!"

And then after Christmas I went to the store to get diapers and when I put them in the cart Maycie burst into tears. I didn't fully understand what was happening. I bought them any way. And every time I changed her diaper she would cry, "I no diaper!" So I started asking if she wanted to go on the potty instead. The answer was always yes with no results! So when it was time for more diapers we bought pull-ups instead (I was NOT ready to go cold turkey!) and we really started trying! We had our first success! We were on our way! And then she wouldn't want to try anymore, it just took too much effort! But the moment I would mention diapers we would be back on track!
We tried all kinds of things, and they would work for a day or two and then we were right back where we started. Over time I realized she would do fine if she was in panties and wouldn't even try if she had on a pull-up. So I started telling her if she was awake she wore panties while still putting her in a pull-up if we were out and about. I quickly realized we were to our last hang up one day while I was at a presidency meeting. She told me she needed to go like 3 times but wouldn't go on the "big potty". I hurried home and guess who was still dry! That is right, she held it, and went the moment she sat on her potty! I knew if I could just get her over this hurdle we could say POTTY TRAINED!
It took us a couple of weeks, A LOT of trips to the potty (we even took her little chair with us a few places), and a few accidents but I think we can say we are there! It is still taking a trip or 2 for her to relax (especially those ones that flush by themselves! Those REALLY freak her out!) but she goes...on the "big potty"! At home I don't even think about it anymore! And when we are out I trust her to tell me (for the most part =))! While I have been sick it got a little hard to run her over and over again and have her not go. But there was a little voice (everyone around me plus the one in my head!) telling me, "at least she's not having any accidents!" I'm sure there are still some in our future, but I feel I can safely say that Maycie is potty trained! WAAAHHOOOO!!!!!

Potty training is very hard on you!

In fact, you might say, it is down right exhausting!

Hymns From The Heart: How Gentle God's Commands

I mentioned in an earlier blog entry a regular blog entry I have been wanting to start doing. Last year I did an entry about the Hymn, "Welcome, Welcome Sabbath Morning". After I did that entry I have had similar feelings of inspiration many Sundays as we have sung Hymns in Sacrament meetings. I have regretted not writing down those thoughts and feelings. I began thinking that a weekly entry about a Hymn from my meetings would be a good way of sharing my testimony. The problem is I did a lot more thinking then I did writing or sharing! Well, I have decided I have done enough thinking! It is time to start sharing!
This week's Hymn is, "How Gentle God's Commands". I wasn't at church this last Sunday. I was home sick in bed. So this is from Sunday the 13th. As I looked over this Hymn the feelings I felt, even more then a week ago, as we sang it as our closing Hymn that Sunday came back to me. I would like to share some of those with you now.

How gentle God's commands!

How kind his precepts are!

Our Father in Heaven is loving and kind! The things He asks of us are for our good and not meant to make things difficult for us.

Come cast your burdens on the Lord

And trust his constant care.

He wants us to bring the things that are difficult for us, the things that weigh on us, to Him. His love for us is constant and unconditional.

Beneath his watchful eye,

His Saints securely dwell;

That hand which bears all nature up

Shall guard his children well.

The Lord is always mindful of us. If we are doing the things we should (following those gentle commands!) we have nothing to worry about.

Why should this anxious load

Press down your weary mind?

Haste to your Heavenly Father's throne

And sweet refreshment find.

Why do I let the things of this world worry me? Why do I let things that have no lasting consequence get in the way of the eternal things? If I will just focus on the things that are really important I find the sweet refreshment and peace our Heavenly Father so very willingly offers.

His goodness stand approved,

Unchanged from day to day;

I'll drop my burden at his feet

And bear a song away.

The Lord does not change. He stands firm, as a beacon to lead the way for each of us. If I will take my burdens to Him He will lift me and make my burdens light!

I testify that these things are true! I have experienced it for myself. I have felt the love of my Savior and Father in Heaven. I have felt my burdens lifted and my load lightened!

I am grateful for the Hymns and other good music the Lord gives us to invite the spirit into our home and lives. For these moments we are given to help us remember.

PS- if you click on the link of "Welcome, Welcome Sabbath Morning" it will take you to my blog entry. If you click on the link of "How Gentle God's Commands" it will take you to the church web site so you can listen to the song, see the sheet music, and learn more about it! =)

2010 In Review

As the year ended Jeron reminded me about how it had begun. It wasn't good and the rest of the year kind of followed. As I looked back over our last year I thought about the old saying, "hind sight is always 20/20" I say that all the time. I am always feeling like I see things more clearly when I look back on them. And as I looked back this time I did see things more clearly. I saw my Father in Heaven and my Savior lifting me through the many hard things we went through. They were ALWAYS there for me in some way or another.
This is not to say we didn't feel the pain of what we were going through. We did! But I know that the love of my older brother and Savior lessened that pain more then I realized as I was going through those experiences. I thought about going through and talking about some of the things we went through in more detail, but as I started this entry I realized that is not really what I wanted this to be about. I guess what I want you all to know is that I have a testimony of the love that our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ have for each of us. They want nothing more then to be there for each one of us. To be able to put their arms around us and hold us. To make all the pain go away. I know they love me! No matter what I do, they love me! As I make mistakes, repent and try and do better they are there waiting for me with open arms! I know I probably could have had even more help if I had been doing a better job on my end of things. I am not perfect, not even close! I am just trying to be better today then I was yesterday. And one of the things that I have learned this last year is today, right now, that is enough. As I keep progressing I will have to keep moving forward. I can never stand still and be idle. But as I keep trying, and picking myself up as I fall my Father in Heaven and Savior will keep helping me, as they will for us all.
I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am a Mormon! I know that the things I have learned by going to church have helped me! I don't know of anyone who isn't LDS who reads this blog but if you aren't and want to know more about why my faith has been able to help me and more about what we believe and who we are please visit mormon.org by clicking on the link!

Christmas 2010!

Christmas this year was maybe a little too good! We really did have a wonderful season and felt the blessings of the Lord in our home.

Christmas Eve PJ's!

(Thanks to Grammy!)

Maycie was very tired by this point and didn't want to stand in her place! This was about as good a picture as I could get this year!

Like I said before, Christmas might have been a little too good this year! Even though I tried to tell our Bishop we didn't really need the help he called me to repentance and told me we were going to take the help, and like it! =)

The help came from another ward. When they called to talk to me about what kinds of things to do for the kids the Brother that I talked to was very nice and very in tune with the spirit. He told me things that the Lord knew I needed to hear. He told me they had a list of a number of families and they could only do a few of them. He then went on to tell me that he didn't know why they needed to do this for our family, only that he felt very strongly that they did need to do this for us.

Our 12 Days of Christmas from Grammy & Papa K

Porter got this huge Nerf gun!

Emma & Maycie got bunk beds for their babies and a baby to go with it!

Jaxon got a PSP (Play Station Portable)!


Maycie with the baby bunk beds!

Connor got a rib stick!
He has been wanting one of these for YEARS and was beyond excited to see this with his stocking!

The amazing thing is how we were taken care of, not just with the Sub-for-Santa, but with everything. Things that should have cost us a small fortune we got for beyond cheep or for free. And just when I would be out of ideas for what I could do for one child the right thing would just fall into place. Not one of my boys would ask for anything this year. At one point I did ask Porter and he told me, "just things I need mom." Like what? "Oh, socks and underwear. Things like that."

It was wonderful to see them be taken care of and to see them show so much gratitude for what they have. To see that they really know the difference between needs and wants. It was wonderful to see how the Lord took care of us and then some!

12 Days of Christmas! (2010)

We did 12 Days of Christmas for our kids again this year. It is something my mom and dad started doing for us and in trying to start new traditions for our own family we decided to take a few things from each side of our family and make them into one of our own. So, we start with PJ's (my side) and end with an ornament (Jeron's side).

I was going to make the PJ's this year. Really, I was! But then I couldn't find the material I wanted. I found out they don't make it any more. I had even talked to my mom about using her sewing machine (mine just would have thrown fits at me doing that much at once!) and everything! But I just waited too long and then found out that PJ's were on sale and I could get them cheaper then the material would have cost me! So I caved and bought them again! But I'm going to start in July this year and make them! Or that's the plan any way! =)

We had a hard time finding ornaments that we really liked. (And we did start looking early for these!) I just couldn't find the right thing. And then my mom did it for us. She made an ornament with my Grandparent's wedding picture in it for each family in her extended family and then for each of her grandchildren. Jeron and I decided that was better then any ornament we could have bought for them!

Everything else was just stuff, but it was still a fun thing for all of us and great way to start the Christmas season off!