A Moment of Peace

Where do I begin? I'm not posting this for sympathy, but to share the beautiful experience I was able to have today. First of all, I want to say to all those Mom's whose husbands are away from home....those husbands that may be serving our country, or something else that keeps them away from home for long periods of time, I don't know how you do it. Jim has been gone since the first of January with the exception of most weekends. It has now switched over to being gone two weeks at a time then home for a very short weekend before he is gone again. These weeks have seemed like an eternity. This has been a very hard thing for our family, especially because we are the type that tries to spend as much time together as we can. I have reached my breaking point several times the last several months, but with the support of family, I have pulled through. I know this has been very difficult on Jim also. He misses his family very much and wants to be home to see his girls.

As I looked over the schedule of events for this week, I knew it was going to be a very busy one. There was a doctor's appointment, soccer almost every night, and piano. On top of that there was trying to get the house ready to sell. It all seemed very overwhelming as I realized I was doing this myself. Wednesday I remembered that this Sunday is my turn to teach Relief Society. Oh great, when am I going to find time to prepare a lesson. Oh ya, we also signed up to clean the church on Saturday. Of course it's the weekend Jim is gone. Let's hope the girls are willing to help and that Samantha sleeps while we are cleaning. As I sat in the kitchen Wednesday with Lexie trying to eat some lunch, Lexie points out the ants crawling on the kitchen floor...What!!!!...Just another thing to deal with. That's when I remembered that the previous Sunday in church they announced Ward Temple night on Friday. I immediately thought, "I need to go to the Temple. I can go on Friday. Jim's mom can watch the girls. It will work." As the next two days unfolded, I kept waiting for something to come up that would keep me from going because something usually does. I arranged with Connie to watch the kids still expecting something to happen so I wouldn't make it there. At 2:50 P.M. I found myself sitting in the waiting room for the session to start. It has been a very long time since I have gone to the Temple without Jim. This made me miss him even more. The session was very beautiful. As the session ended, I realized that I was the last one to enter the Celestial room. I sat down to enjoy my time there and within a few minutes, I was the only one left in the Celestial room (besides the matron). I became so overwhelmed with the spirit and the peacefulness that I felt. I didn't want to leave, but knew I had a hungry baby waiting for me. I took in every second that I could and just enjoyed it. After picking up the girls from Connie's and doing a little grocery shopping, I returned home to the same house that I left.....dishes in the sink that have been piling up for two days....and ants mounded around a french fry that was dropped on the floor two days ago. Only now I was much more relaxed and those messes didn't bother me. I know Heavenly Father made it possible for me to go to the Temple today. Whenever Jim and I go to the Temple I usually say afterward, "Ha Ha Satin, we made it and you didn't stop us!" This time I didn't say that because Satin was no where around. Everything just opened up and it was so easy to be there. I thank my Heavenly Father for letting me have this experience today. I know things will still be difficult the next few months, but I can look back at this experience and hold onto that peace I felt and know that I can return to the Temple to feel it again.

Spring Break/Easter

After getting the news that we would be moving to Neveda, I decided that I and the girls were going to take a longer than normal "Spring Break" and go to Koosharem. We left on Saturday the 4th and headed on our way. We stopped in Salt Lake and picked up Aunt Suz on the way, then also made a stop in Lehi to buy the girls' Easter dresses at Kohl's. For normally a 4 hour drive it took us 6 hours. Thanks Suz for helping with the girls on the way down. We had a great week and I even got to see each of my siblings...it may have only been for five minutes, but I did get to see them. I went to Richfield to do some shopping and ran into Julianne. She took me to lunch then we went shopping at Albertson's together. I just have to say, shopping with my sisters is fun (when I leave my kids at home). I wish I could be closer to them so we could get together more often.

The girls also got to participate in the Easter egg hunt at Koosharem Elementary. Lexie is still determined that her and Ryder (cousin) won the game because they had the most candy. Thanks Koosharem PTA for letting us join in on the fun!

Now for the pictures

Lexie and Samantha were laying the same way so I went to take their picture. As I snapped the picture Lexie put her hands up to her ears and started itching them. She was itching them more than normal so I started checking her. Within an hour her whole body was covered with hives and she was itching like crazy. After waking Mom and Suzanne up we got some Benadryl in her and rubbed some anti-itch cream all over her. The hives cleared up and we aren't quite sure what she had a reaction to.

Brindley, McKinley and Samantha

We saw some of Cory's family for a minute as they were on their way to Lake Powell.

Grandma, Grandpa and Samantha

Dad had training in Reno while we were in Koosharem, so he left me to take care of Mom. Well, she took care of me instead. She helped with Samantha alot so I could have a little break.

While Dad was in Reno he drove over to Carson City one evening and took Jim to dinner. Jim was so glad to see someone he knew. Thanks Dad for doing that.

I forgot to take a bouncy seat with me or something to put Samantha in while we were fixing food, so I found a nice thick blanket and put her on the table. She loved staring at the light in the kitchen.
Grandpa and Samantha snoozing together!

Meet Daisy!

Brindley fell in love with Daisy and even called her dad to see if we could bring her home. Obviuosly not the best time for us to have another dog.

What do puppies do best?

Chew on things!

Smile!!!

Lill and JR

The dogs that live with Suzanne.

We left Koosharem on Friday the 10th. We drove straight through without even stopping for a potty break and made it home in 4 hours. The next day the girls went with me to grocery shop then I let them color Easter eggs. What a collage of eggs we ended up once Lexie figured out what to do.

Easter dresses. The outfit Samantha has on was given to me from Aunt Sharon when Brindley was born, so yes, this is the 4th girl to wear it. It is one of my favorite.
Jim got home late Saturday night and was flying out early Monday morning so I suggested we get a motel in Salt Lake so we could spend some time with him. Jim took the kids swimming. Aunt Suz even came to the motel and swam with them also. They had so much fun and enjoyed playing with their dad for awhile.

Why do we have eyebrows?

This is to thank those hard working primary teachers.

My conversation with Lexie this morning:

Lexie: Why do we have eyebrows?

Mom: I don't know, why don't you ask Heavenly Father.

L: I can't, he is too far away. He can't hear me.

L: Is it still Easter?

M: No

L: Jesus is alive!!!

Yesterday he was dead, now he is alive!!!!

He had nails in his hands and nails in his sides and that hurt.

And he was in a bed.

How did he get to Heavenly Father?

M: He just went up to him.

L: Did Mary take him?

M: No

L: Did he walk?

M: Where did you learn this?

L: My teacher told me.

Thanks Jess for the time you put in for these little sunbeams! With all of the easter egg hunts/candy that Lexie had, I am glad that she can associate Easter with Jesus.

Finding Joy in the Journey

The title of my post is the title of Pres. Monson's talk from General Conference last Oct. This was the talk that I used for my lesson in Relief Society a few weeks ago. I know I was given this lesson to teach for my own benefit. If you haven't read this talk, I would recommend it.
With the changes our family has faced the last several months, I was reminded to enjoy each moment of what I am doing now. Take advantage of where I am at and what I can experience here. Find joy in the present. With this being said, it is with very mixed and uncertain emotions that I tell you all, we finally have a destination as to where we will be spending the next few years or more. As many of you know, Jim has been training since the first of January to be a Regional Manager for a group of retail stores. The stores he will be over are in Nevada. We will be moving there (Carson City/Reno area) when the girls get out of school for the summer. We are nervous and excited at the same time. No, it's not where I would like to be, but I am looking forward to the new experience. I have been very sheltered my whole life. I have never lived outside of Utah, so this will be different. In the 13 years I have been in Cache Valley I have made alot of friends. I am going to miss you all so much. I have learned something from each of you and will treasure the time I have had with you. My emotions have gotten the best of me, so I will end this post, but will keep you updated on the move in the future. Until then, I am going to "Enjoy the Journey"!

Samantha was blessed this last Sunday. It was an enjoyable day even with all the snow. Thanks to all who came and also those who helped with food. I didn't get my camera out until everone was ready to leave, so I didn't get pictures of everyone that was there. Dad, where's the picture of you with Samantha?
We are very lucky to have Samantha in our home. She has been a blessing and is loved so much by all of us!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIM!

To my best friend..

I hope you have a wonderful day. I know we won't get to celebrate today, but I want you to know how much I love you. Thanks for all you are doing to support our family. Thanks for the sacrifices you are making for us. Thanks for being such a good dad to our 4 girls. Thanks for pushing me to be better and for having patients with me. Thank you for being worthy to have the priesthood and guiding our family with it. We all love you! Happy Birthday!

If you look closely on the tree you can see that it says Jim (Hearts) Kristi Jo. Jim carved that our first year married when we were deer hunting. It was on a tree that we never thought we would be able to find again...well off the beaten path (unless your Ryan)...when we went hunting in 2007 we happened upon it so we couldn't leave without signing it again.

The things Lexie does for fun....

Can't you see the mischief in her eyes!

I didn't think those plastic toy scissors actually cut. They work on the back cover of Brindley's BOM.

The other day I sent Karissa to check on Lexie for me. Karissa came back saying, "Lexie is doing something very bad." I asked what she was doing and Karissa explained that the blue thing you put water in when you are sick, well...Lexie took the top off and was bathing her barbie in it. Yes, it is the humidifier.

I'll spare you the picture of her fun yesterday. I had just put a new roll of toilet paper on my dispenser. Not even an hour later I went into my bathroom to help Lexie. She apparently didn't need help. She had used everylast section of toilet paper on that new roll and put it all in the toilet. Now I know how the toilet got plugged the last two previous times. I luckily caught her before she flushed and yes it took me a day or so to get around to getting all the toilet paper out of the toilet. Luckily we have two other toilets we could resort to. And yes, this time I just shook my head and laughed.

I love my Lexie Lou!