Thanks for the blessings

Just a happy thank you to anyone who has been thinking about us or, even better, praying for us.  I was blessed with three days of work this week and things, for now, are lightening up a bit.  We are so grateful for the support we get.  Oh, and keep it coming.  LOL.  :)

Long time no write

Hey all!

I realize it has been quite some time since I downloaded any pictures and made an update on our life out here.  So here it is...

About a month ago, Madison used her birthday money/allowance to finally go build a bear.  She's been waiting for this moment for about 3 years, so it was a good day for her.  She chose a bear and named her Goldie and she wears a pink ballet dress with roses at the top.

We got some noodles for the pool.  The kids are loving them, but not just for swimming...

They also make excellent weapons of war.  At least they have helmets on!

It really stinks to be the littlest brother with only one sister.  I guess dolls got boring?

Clayton and his friends have been into collecting snails in the plants around the complex.  They are plentiful, and can grow very large.  On the day of this picture they had 26 in the bucket.  Dan convinced them to return them to their natural habitat, since they were making their way out of confinement anyway and we really didn't want them all in our house.

The most exciting thing we did this week was attend the temple open house.  It is absolutely beautiful, of course.  Madison followed right behind the tour guide the whole time and asked if we could go through two or three more times while we were there. 

Everyone had to take a picture of Moroni on top.  This was the winner.

Here we are in the sunshine out front.

And the kids in front of the door.

And two pictures of the bulbs planted on the grounds for Grandma.  You really should come out in April next year and see all the blossoms. 

Just a little rambling on faith, frustration, family and the future

Hey all.  I guess it's been quite a while since I last wrote.  Not much to say.  Or rather, things I just am tired of thinking about.  This post may be slightly down, but it's kind of where I'm at right now.  And mostly I'm just putting my thoughts into words.  As you might know, things have been kind of challenging out here on the West Coast.  Yes, the weather's good.  The job prospects are not.  The hygiene sector out here is totally saturated, so I am experiencing my first real time of unemployment.  I don't think I ever really understood the huge frustration and despair of wanting to work and being willing, able and skilled and educated to hold employment- yet having no employment to hold.  It is a very helpless feeling to sit at home all day worrying and hoping and praying that today will be the day something will come along.  There are so many other hygienists out here doing the same thing I'm sure. 

Anyhow, life is life and I guess we have to find a way to embrace this challenge and grow from it.  Conference was so uplifting and I re-focused my attention on my real number one job: raising my family.  They are the most important thing in this world to me.  I am trying to be grateful that I am able to stay at home with my kids, even if it's somewhat forced.  I also have a hubby who is already planning to apply for another part time job to make things work, and that is a wonderful blessing to be married to a man who is willing to do whatever it takes to provide for his family.  D&C 88:81-84 continues to be brought to my mind and I realize that the Lord knows us and our situation and he realizes we are simply trying to do what is best for our family and he will provide a way.  We know we are meant to be out here.  We have had that confirmed to us time and again in the little miracle that happened to bring us here.  I am trying to have faith so that, as someone in conference said, hope will come and therefore peace. 

I was remembering that Joseph Smith stated that one aspect of faith is knowing that the course you are taking is in line with the Lord's will for us.  I believe I am where I should be, but I can't help but wonder if something I am hoping for or some aspect of what I believe should happen is not what he has in store.  Last month in the Ensign Jeffery R. Holland wrote an amazing talk about leaving behind what you think your life should be and accepting what the Lord would have for you because it is always infinitely better than what we could dream up.  I suppose I fall onto what I have always known - and we have always been blessed with my ability to go in and out of work in my field.  Maybe that is not what the Lord has planned for me out here.  Perhaps he knows how much our family needs me at home in this tough area.  Perhaps we need to feel the discouragement of waiting and worrying so we can empathize with others in ths situation.  Perhaps we need to learn how to accept help from others.  Mom and Dad have already offered so much assistance in so many ways and I really struggled with letting that happen until Inalee finally told me to get over myself and allow others to serve us.  I hate it when she's right. LOL.  I don't know what we are supposed to get out of this.  Or maybe I just haven't reached the point yet of having real, solid faith that the Lord will help us out of this.  I still experience a whole lot of fear and anger and frustration - all of which are contradictory to true faith.

Anyway, that was way too intense.  Sorry.  We have an East Indian family in our complex that we have gotten to know and they recently purchased a house not too far away.  I asked their daughter, who is Clay's age, how she felt about moving and she told me she was not impressed.  I had the realization then that it's only us adults who worry about the size of our house or if we have a yard or whatever else we stress about all the time.  Kids are just happy to have someone to play with and a place to go where everyone loves you.  Why can't we all be satisfied with that?  Our Stake Primary president held a little orientation for our new ward president and, of course, her presidency.  She told us that long ago she learned from stake leaders that her stewardship did not simply include the children who come to church, and did not even fall only to those children who should be coming.  Rather, our stewardship extends to all children primary age in our ward boundaries.  I have been thinking of that for two weeks now and it has changed the way I view and interact with the kids around.  I realize they all need a kind word and gentle encouragement to be better and they need good friends who can help them be all they are.  What an insight.

Our temple open house begins next week.  We are so excited.  I can't wait to go do a session.  It has been so long.  I guess you don't miss it until it's really not an option.  May.  That's the big month.  I was also so excited to hear about my new nephew, Cason Reed.  Congratulations Walburgers!  I hope all is well with mom and baby and sisters and dad.  Let me know sometime what three has done to you.  LOL.  I miss you all terribly.  I love getting the updates from mom and dad, or sometime even through Steve's forwarded letters, but it's just not the same as being there and being able to hear it all from each of you.  I love you. 

Thanks for letting me just write my thoughts.  And if you got bored an just skipped to the end, that's alright too.  As our Great-Great Grandma always said (and I have been reading it lately) - Sunshine After Rain. 

Seven on Sunday

Wow, another week gone again.  Here it goes:

1. We made it through 4 more birthdays in our whirlwind of celebrations.  Everyone seemed to enjoy their special day and feel important and loved.
2. People who are willing to help out in the primary when we are short staffed.  That makes our job so much easier!
3. America's Funniest Videos.  We watch this every Sunday and spend an entire hour laughing together as a family.  Even Spencer and Malcolm crack up.
4. We have reached the stage where all of our kids are old enough to understand humor and be involved in most things we do.  Tonight we played the hot/cold hiding game and everyone can participate in all aspects of the game and have a blast.  Having them close together is starting to really pay off because right now the same things entertain them all.
5. Dan is one week closer to being done this crazy semester
6. Summer-like weather to enjoy.
7. All the new plants and flowers we get to see out here.  There are some truly amazing trees and bushes that I've never known before and it's great to have bulbs planted all around the trees and down the boulevards - daffodils are everywhere!

Sledge Hockey and a Birthday Turkey

Dan, Madison and Clayton were able to go down to UBC and see the sledge hockey game during the paralympics this past Tuesday.  They were so excited.  Dan was going with his disabilities class from the College and they had extra tickets so his Instructor let him bring the kids.  The game was the higlight, but riding the sky train wasn't bad either.

They got to watch Sweden and Italy duke it out.  Clayton had decided to cheer for Italy because his Grandpa on Dan's side was Italian, so he came home disappointed that Sweden won.

Yesterday was the last of our birthdays til the fall.  Malcolm has waited patiently through the other three until it was his chance to be the center of attention.  He wanted a train cake, so this is what we came up with.  He actually wanted Thomas, but I'm not that talented, so instead we just put a face on it.

As for the birthday turkey - we always let the kids decide what they want to have for supper on their special day.  When I asked Malcolm he told me he wanted chicken and potatoes, then took me to the freezer and pointed out a turkey we had hanging around.  So we took it out and cooked it for him.  Now we call him our birthday turkey (and I finally have room to put bread in the freezer!).  He was thrilled to be turning four, and even more excited to finally get his present from Grandma Scott.  Mom gave all the kids new towels, suits and flip flops for their daily run to the pool, so he knew that was what was in the gift and now he can use it.  He wore his flip flops all over yesterday.  They couldn't have come on a more perfect day.  It was 18 degrees here - like summer! 

We gave him a little Bumblebee transformer.  He has been asking for one since before Christmas, and around Madi's birthday he started informing us whenever he would see one in the store that he would be getting one for his birthday.  We let him open that last since once he did, nothing else mattered. 

So that's it for cake and ice cream for another year.  It's always fun, but quite a whirlwind to get through them all.  We just wish you could all be here to help us eat it and sing Happy Birthday.  But we sure are grateful for Grandparents who remind the kids how much they're loved and missed.  We're still trying to organize a pool party for one big celebration for all of them, but we never seem to find a good day.  Maybe during spring break...

Seven on Sunday

Another week of blessings to chronicle.  Here goes:

1. Being able to work with a new primary presidency.  They are excited and fresh, just what our little primary needs.
2. How things always seem to work out just when it feels like they never will.
3. The way children suck things up like sponges even when they don't seem to be giving you the slightest bit of attention.  Its a good things this is true, because otherwise my kids might not know anything about the gospel.  And then they pull an amazing answer out of thin air and you remember, "Oh yeah, we talked about that once in FHE.  I guess it stuck."
3. Having to prepare lessons which forces me to think about gospel concepts that I might otherwise skim over. 
4. Visiting teachers that are consistent and care about us, but don't overstay their welcome when they come visit.
5. Kids that are more excited for the paralympics than they were for the able bodied Olympics.  It's good to know they don't see differences as a disability.  Of course, being able to go to a sledge hockey game might also have something to do with it.
6. Lots and lots of parks to go burn energy on.  We just found a public bike park on the way home today.  Clay is laying in bed right now dreaming of using the jumps and the teeter-totter thing.
7. People who are just behind us in the whole raising kids business.  We get a good laugh at ourselves and it reminds me that its all just a process.  You grow a little everyday, and what worked once probably won't work again.  If you aren't adaptable then parenthood isn't for you. LOL.  Still, it's nice to see people trying all the same things you tried once and swore by.  One day they'll find out just like we did that everything changes, especially from one child to the next.

another day, another birthday

Well, we've gotten through birthday number 3 of our February/March birthday run.  Clayton had a good time turning seven.  He was given some ramps and half pipes to go with his tech decks and those have been keeping him busy.  He requested a Superman cake, but I convinced him to settle for a Superman logo.  I tried to make it look alright, but here's my pathetic non-crafty attempt:

Clayton told me as long as I tried my best it was good enough.  Big vote of confidence.  Oh well, it still tasted good.

And here's just a fun picture of Malcolm falling asleep after begging for a sandwich at bedtime.  That always makes me laugh.