This post is for the whopping two people who are my die hard blog followers, and are telling me its time to update. I haven't posted much since we left Hawaii. Maybe its because coming back to Utah seems like coming back to reality and no one wants to hear about reality. Or do they? I guess the excessive amounts of reality TV proves me wrong. So here you go; here's my reality in all its glory.
*We visited the lavender farms in Mona
*I ran over a skunk and our car reeked for weeks (even after a good in/out car wash)
*Addie chopped her hair- mom laughed, dad cried (almost)
*The oldest four girls started piano lessons
*We spent Thanksgiving day in No. Utah and the weekend after in So. Utah where Justin underwent some foot zone therapy to attack his kidney stones
*Justin decided he wants to go into the physical therapy field, and also started a new job
*December came with the old familiar (but not missed) stress of paying for Christmas
*Lilly turned 9
*We received a Christmas jar on the front step with nearly $400 worth of cash, change, and gift cards
*We received an envelope from family members containing nearly $400 in cash
*Our car needed repairs, costing about $400
*We received a letter from the North Pole containing $100
*We decided to move
*Someone gave us a queen bed we needed as well as a toddler bed
*We received an anonymous Christmas card containing about $60
*We seemed to experience a miracle almost daily during the entire month. I told my mom it was like the Lord was doing the 12 days of Christmas to us
*Christmas came and was magical. Not because of the "stuff" we were able to provide for the kids due to all the gifts of money and other donations, but because of the realization that once again the Lord had heard our prayers, and had answered them more fully than we could have ever dreamed.
*Jeff and Abby came to visit with their three cute kids
*We spent New Years Eve at home watching, (can you believe it), "Harry and the Hendersons" and taking care of sick kids.
*We found a place to live and moved the beginning of January
*Mindy and Jared gave us their old (but nice) couch they didn't need anymore
*Mike and Andrea had an extra table they didn't need and gave to us
*Andrea's sister had a spare mattress she gave us, which was the last one we still needed
*Justin switched to swing shift
*Allyson surprised us by sending over new dishes, dish towels, glasses, silverware, and several other house warming gifts
*We went to church in our new ward, (same ward as Stephen and Amy), and everyone is so friendly
*Justin and the girls all started their new school on the same day... all survived
*I spent several days fighting to get an internet connection and finally figured it out, (with some help from Steve)
*We had YW New Beginnings and the Maturation program all within a week
*Addie is now finishing the first two sets of frontline phonics readers
*Malia finally decided she wants to start walking but is making us wonder if she has a hip problem. She walks so skiwampis (s?)
*Isabelle got voted class president
*Rachel got her clarinet repaired, (we got her a used one for Christmas that needed pads replaced), and is in the band at the new school
*Haley is finishing first semester tests on K12 and is trying to play catch up for the days she missed while moving and getting hooked up
*Lilly about had a heart attack when her new teacher tested her reading level and said she needed to work on comprehension. She didn't know what to think when she was placed in the second highest instead of the top reading group. Come to find out the next day that there was a mistake on the teachers part and now Lilly is very relieved to be in that highest group where she likes to stay
*Addie turned 4 and was so excited to finally have that birthday she's been talking about for months
*Everyday I get up and do the mom/wife thing. Get the kids ready, take them to school, get Haley going on her school, clean up breakfast, get myself ready, make lunch for Justin, play with the baby, entertain Addie, get the girls lunch, clean up lunch, send kids to naps, start laundry, help Haley, make Justin's dinner to take to work, pick up kids at school, help with homework, make dinner, clean up, story or play time, pj's, bedtime for kids, ahhhhhhh....... nearly 4 hrs to myself!!!!! Read scriptures, read other books, write in everyones journals, make bread, vacuum, fold clothes, surf the net, and BLOG (only after significant begging from devoted followers)!
And that my friends is my reality. Can't say I'm rich, but I have a rich life and I'm thankful for everyday. No matter how mundane.
