I've been contemplating a change...I was right in the middle of creating a new blog, just for me, when I had the thought that I have tremendous problems keeping up with one. SOOOOO...In order to have a blog that is both for me and a means for my far flung family to keep up with us, I've decided to have ONE blog, but two ways of posting. So if you don't want to read my personal ramblings, you don't need to. They will have the heading "Stockholm Syndrome" above them so you'll know they are completely about me, and not about my children's potty accomplishments, etc...
I'm gonna try this out soon...but not today. The little men SUDDENLY need my rapt attention.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Stake Conference Talk
This past weekend I had to speak in stake conference...pretty big grown-up stuff! Thought I'd post my talk so that all could enjoy. I wish my family could have been there to hear it, but in reality that would have been more nerve racking. Brian can tell you all how it really went, if you are wondering, but for now, here is the print version. ENJOY!
I love to run. Recently, because of a leg injury, I’ve been having to rest. I don’t rest well. Because of this particular injury, I’ve been spending a lot of time at Physical Therapy. During one appointment, the aide and I were talking about the differences between Slow and Fast twitch muscles. It was a fascinating conversation that I continued to think about for several days. In fact, it kept coming back to me and started to twist its way around the concept of building faith, much in the same way we build muscles. I’m grateful that the Lord blessed me to have those thoughts and to dwell on them because that is what I’ve been asked to speak on tonight: How I can build my faith.
The LDS website gives us this definition of faith:
“Faith is a gift from God, but we must nurture our faith to keep it strong. Faith is like a muscle. If exercised, it grows strong, if left immobile, it becomes weak.”
Human muscles contain a genetically determined mixture of both slow and fast twitch types of muscle fiber. This mixture is what separates the sprinters from long distance runners. Slow twitch muscles are programmed to be our endurance muscles. They are more efficient at using oxygen to generate fuel for continuous, extended muscle contractions over a long period of time. They fire more slowly, and can function for a long time before they become fatigued. It’s our slow twitch fibers that help us to run marathons. I like to think of these muscles as our “endure to the end” muscles.
Endurance muscles need a specific type of training. First, they need the chance to endure, good long runs. Next they need slow, consistent, weight baring exercise, the kind you do with little weights. In fact it’s those weights that do these particular muscles the most good. Finally and probably most important, and it pains me to say it, they need adequate rest.
Like these endurance muscles, our faith also needs a very specific type of training.
A quote from the talk “Help Thou Mine Unbelief” By L. Whitney Clayton given October 2001, states this:
Developing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a step-by-step, line-upon-line, and precept-upon-precept process. We promote the process of strengthening our faith when we do what is right—increased faith always follows as a consequence. If we exercise our faith daily with PRAYER, STUDY, and OBEDIENCE, the Savior helps our unbelief, and our faith becomes a shield to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked”
I’d like to compare Study to the small weights one would use to strengthen endurance muscles. I believe that studying means much more than we can imagine. In order to exercise our faith we can study the scriptures, study the words of modern day prophets, study the covenants we have made with the Lord, and if we are able to attend the temple, participate and study there. Study our lessons both in church and in school, listen and respond to the still small voice, who is a great study partner.
I have a testimony that we can strengthen our faith in every situation we are in everyday, if we study the lessons out in our minds and apply the knowledge gained.
In Ether 12 :27 it states:
27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
He has promised to help us become strong through study…opening our minds and hearts everyday will help us to build our faith muscle.
Second I would liken obedience to a good long run. Running is a learned art, which consists of constant tweaking. Obedience is also a learned art, and it seems to me that it too consists of a good deal of tweaking. Again if we consider that faith is achieved a little at a time, by our study, then, we can assume that we obey a little better each time we learn something new.
The LDS web site said this about obedience. “We can strengthen our faith by keeping the commandments. Like all blessings from God, faith is obtained and increased through individual obedience and righteous action.
When I run, I have a slow foot. Recently I met with a form coach to help me. After running behind me for several minutes he told me how to fix the problem. Two very easy fixes, but I have had to change the way I hold my arms. While I wasn’t running badly, the new information helped me to place my feet more correctly, and in a way that would get me moving forward faster, and with better efficiency than before. As I have practiced this new form, I’ve noticed that my leg fatigues a bit faster, as I have to use my muscle in a slightly different way. It may take a couple of good long runs to fix that problem, but with obedience to the better form, my endurance will build.
In much the same way, the Lord gives us great coaching advice on how to move forward faster, and with more efficiency, but we must be open to both the suggestions and the long run involved. Sometimes the suggestions will mean that we might fatigue a bit, but part of obedience is enduring to the end, by trusting that the coaching is for our ultimate benefit.
I have a testimony of obedience. It has created a peace in my life that nothing else can bring.
Lastly I’ll liken Prayer to rest…Like I said before, I don’t rest well. Rest is the key to recovery. A tired muscle never performs to the best of its ability. In fact, even endurance muscles fatigue at some point, in running it’s referred to as ‘hitting the wall’. At that point, it seems like nothing but prayer will get you through. I do a lot of praying during my runs.
In life I often ‘hit the wall’. Prayer strengthens my faith by bringing my will in line with my Heavenly Fathers’ and, it gives me an opportunity to give my cares and concerns over to someone who can and will help. Most importantly, praying gives me the ability to rest.
I love in the 34th chapter of Alma, when he is teaching the humbled Zoramites about prayer and he lists the appropriate times, and places, and reasons for prayer. I’ll paraphrase:
19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.
20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields,
21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, morning, mid-day, and evening.
26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually
Just as I have trouble resting, I also have trouble handing my cares and concerns over to the Lord. Running has actually helped me to gain a testimony that Heavenly Father cares about all of the things that concern me. He cares how fast I am running, he cares how badly my leg hurts, and he cares that sometimes I am just not breathing well. He takes my burdens and carries them for me, so that I can run and not be weary. Mostly, I think he is just really happy that I’ve let him into the loop.
I have strengthened my faith by learning to pray, by studying out the ways that work best for me and by being obedient, even though sometimes I get fatigued by the process.
I have a testimony that prayer will indeed help us to strengthen our faith muscle. It will improve our study, and help us to be more obedient. Prayer will help us to find the rest that we need in order to endure all of the trials that face us.
I love to run. Recently, because of a leg injury, I’ve been having to rest. I don’t rest well. Because of this particular injury, I’ve been spending a lot of time at Physical Therapy. During one appointment, the aide and I were talking about the differences between Slow and Fast twitch muscles. It was a fascinating conversation that I continued to think about for several days. In fact, it kept coming back to me and started to twist its way around the concept of building faith, much in the same way we build muscles. I’m grateful that the Lord blessed me to have those thoughts and to dwell on them because that is what I’ve been asked to speak on tonight: How I can build my faith.
The LDS website gives us this definition of faith:
“Faith is a gift from God, but we must nurture our faith to keep it strong. Faith is like a muscle. If exercised, it grows strong, if left immobile, it becomes weak.”
Human muscles contain a genetically determined mixture of both slow and fast twitch types of muscle fiber. This mixture is what separates the sprinters from long distance runners. Slow twitch muscles are programmed to be our endurance muscles. They are more efficient at using oxygen to generate fuel for continuous, extended muscle contractions over a long period of time. They fire more slowly, and can function for a long time before they become fatigued. It’s our slow twitch fibers that help us to run marathons. I like to think of these muscles as our “endure to the end” muscles.
Endurance muscles need a specific type of training. First, they need the chance to endure, good long runs. Next they need slow, consistent, weight baring exercise, the kind you do with little weights. In fact it’s those weights that do these particular muscles the most good. Finally and probably most important, and it pains me to say it, they need adequate rest.
Like these endurance muscles, our faith also needs a very specific type of training.
A quote from the talk “Help Thou Mine Unbelief” By L. Whitney Clayton given October 2001, states this:
Developing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a step-by-step, line-upon-line, and precept-upon-precept process. We promote the process of strengthening our faith when we do what is right—increased faith always follows as a consequence. If we exercise our faith daily with PRAYER, STUDY, and OBEDIENCE, the Savior helps our unbelief, and our faith becomes a shield to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked”
I’d like to compare Study to the small weights one would use to strengthen endurance muscles. I believe that studying means much more than we can imagine. In order to exercise our faith we can study the scriptures, study the words of modern day prophets, study the covenants we have made with the Lord, and if we are able to attend the temple, participate and study there. Study our lessons both in church and in school, listen and respond to the still small voice, who is a great study partner.
I have a testimony that we can strengthen our faith in every situation we are in everyday, if we study the lessons out in our minds and apply the knowledge gained.
In Ether 12 :27 it states:
27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
He has promised to help us become strong through study…opening our minds and hearts everyday will help us to build our faith muscle.
Second I would liken obedience to a good long run. Running is a learned art, which consists of constant tweaking. Obedience is also a learned art, and it seems to me that it too consists of a good deal of tweaking. Again if we consider that faith is achieved a little at a time, by our study, then, we can assume that we obey a little better each time we learn something new.
The LDS web site said this about obedience. “We can strengthen our faith by keeping the commandments. Like all blessings from God, faith is obtained and increased through individual obedience and righteous action.
When I run, I have a slow foot. Recently I met with a form coach to help me. After running behind me for several minutes he told me how to fix the problem. Two very easy fixes, but I have had to change the way I hold my arms. While I wasn’t running badly, the new information helped me to place my feet more correctly, and in a way that would get me moving forward faster, and with better efficiency than before. As I have practiced this new form, I’ve noticed that my leg fatigues a bit faster, as I have to use my muscle in a slightly different way. It may take a couple of good long runs to fix that problem, but with obedience to the better form, my endurance will build.
In much the same way, the Lord gives us great coaching advice on how to move forward faster, and with more efficiency, but we must be open to both the suggestions and the long run involved. Sometimes the suggestions will mean that we might fatigue a bit, but part of obedience is enduring to the end, by trusting that the coaching is for our ultimate benefit.
I have a testimony of obedience. It has created a peace in my life that nothing else can bring.
Lastly I’ll liken Prayer to rest…Like I said before, I don’t rest well. Rest is the key to recovery. A tired muscle never performs to the best of its ability. In fact, even endurance muscles fatigue at some point, in running it’s referred to as ‘hitting the wall’. At that point, it seems like nothing but prayer will get you through. I do a lot of praying during my runs.
In life I often ‘hit the wall’. Prayer strengthens my faith by bringing my will in line with my Heavenly Fathers’ and, it gives me an opportunity to give my cares and concerns over to someone who can and will help. Most importantly, praying gives me the ability to rest.
I love in the 34th chapter of Alma, when he is teaching the humbled Zoramites about prayer and he lists the appropriate times, and places, and reasons for prayer. I’ll paraphrase:
19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.
20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields,
21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, morning, mid-day, and evening.
26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually
Just as I have trouble resting, I also have trouble handing my cares and concerns over to the Lord. Running has actually helped me to gain a testimony that Heavenly Father cares about all of the things that concern me. He cares how fast I am running, he cares how badly my leg hurts, and he cares that sometimes I am just not breathing well. He takes my burdens and carries them for me, so that I can run and not be weary. Mostly, I think he is just really happy that I’ve let him into the loop.
I have strengthened my faith by learning to pray, by studying out the ways that work best for me and by being obedient, even though sometimes I get fatigued by the process.
I have a testimony that prayer will indeed help us to strengthen our faith muscle. It will improve our study, and help us to be more obedient. Prayer will help us to find the rest that we need in order to endure all of the trials that face us.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Gratitude and Pride
I'm guessing...Anders at 2? Probably not more than 2 and a half.
This picture is notable for two things. The first being the ever present Binky, or in our family speak, KIKI. Second is the cars. The two things that 1). we NEVER left the house with out and 2). where the items of comfort in any given situation, church, grocery store, school, home...never without them. This being said...
Anders has given up the KIKI! All on his own. About 4 weeks ago he just gave them to Brian, completely unprompted and out of the blue, and stated his intentions of becoming a big boy. And he never looked back. If you ask him about it you receive his beautiful shy smile and the little mumble about being a big boy and not needing to have his Kiki anymore. I am so proud of him. He made it through the first couple of night with only a tiny, two minute suck to calm his brain down, then he would hand it to us and we would walk away. I am utterly amazed by the progress our little boy has made in his life! He is an amazing testament to hard work, (on his end), to overcome some huge challenges. I am thankful for the many hours of therapies, and the therapists, that have given him the tools he needs to function. What a blessing they are and what a blessing he is. I'm thankful to have had the huge support system we have, and to know that God sent this boy to us because WE needed the education, and because he trusted us to learn AND grow by helping him to learn and grow.
SO...on to the next thing. Whatever that may be. But, I'm happy to say that it's probably not going to be Anders' struggle, he is a big boy now.
I do have to mention for posterity's' sake, the fiery temper tantrums that have come with no "off" button... but those are making their way out as well.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
An Update: But, Sadly, NO Deep Thoughts...
This is Elleory (front row, second from the left) singing in the Lake Washington School District Honor Choir Concert. It is a privilege given to a select few sixth grade students, and Ellie was chosen! After a few (5 total) practices, they preformed 4 very well sung songs. My favorite was the "meow" song, in which the whole choir meowed and acted like two different cats. One side was 'Bailey' and the other side was 'Bella'. The song was entitled "Comic Duetto Di Due Gatti" The song is actually a song from an opera by Gioacchino Rossini, adapted for cats and little humans. Very Funny!
We have made it through potty training! (CAVEAT: Anders has been trained since July) Both boys are now peeing in the potty! HAPPY DAY! After much resistance from Liam, and much persistence from Mommy, it actually went well and fast. Liam is not the guy who gets left behind. HOWEVER, he was very resistant to giving up his diapers, and wouldn't wear big boy pants for about a week, thank goodness for pull-ups. What finally got him over the hump? Princess Panties. YEP, you saw that right. I borrowed Princess Panties from my friend down the street, and Liam wore those pretty panties for the entire day. Maybe he just needed to be different from Anders? Who knows... it worked. He is now in regular boy undies, and is so potty trained that when Brian took him to the park today, he took off his pants and pooped in the grass. When a guy has to go, he has to go.
Anders, in his IKEA reptile hat. Which he loved THE day I bought it but won't put it on again. BUT, no one else (read Liam) can wear it either. It's all part and parcel of the sensory thing that comes with The Great Anders package. He has a thing about having his shirt off right now, also, sensory. I can't get him to wear a long sleeved shirt to save my life and he would wear shorts, if he could find them. (It's winter...they are hidden. I'm a resourceful mommy. ) What this boils down to is a naked Anders for a lot of the time he's at home. I fully support nudity. He come by his sensory stuff completely honestly. (From me. And I understand every little bit of it, but struggle helping him to get comfortable. We'll get there... I don't strip off and go into the street to play...very often.)
This cute boy is Elleory's Best Friend Braven. They do pretty much everything together, but most importantly they are snowboard buddies. For the last couple of Saturday's they have headed up to the mountains with his dad, and hit the slopes. Brian and I are green with envy, and are thinking about hiring a babysitter so that we too can hit the slopes. (We are all aware that every time I plan to go snowboarding, I end up pregnant, so maybe we ought to go. SOON.)
FOR SALE: One very cute Three year old boy.
We have made it through potty training! (CAVEAT: Anders has been trained since July) Both boys are now peeing in the potty! HAPPY DAY! After much resistance from Liam, and much persistence from Mommy, it actually went well and fast. Liam is not the guy who gets left behind. HOWEVER, he was very resistant to giving up his diapers, and wouldn't wear big boy pants for about a week, thank goodness for pull-ups. What finally got him over the hump? Princess Panties. YEP, you saw that right. I borrowed Princess Panties from my friend down the street, and Liam wore those pretty panties for the entire day. Maybe he just needed to be different from Anders? Who knows... it worked. He is now in regular boy undies, and is so potty trained that when Brian took him to the park today, he took off his pants and pooped in the grass. When a guy has to go, he has to go.
Anders, in his IKEA reptile hat. Which he loved THE day I bought it but won't put it on again. BUT, no one else (read Liam) can wear it either. It's all part and parcel of the sensory thing that comes with The Great Anders package. He has a thing about having his shirt off right now, also, sensory. I can't get him to wear a long sleeved shirt to save my life and he would wear shorts, if he could find them. (It's winter...they are hidden. I'm a resourceful mommy. ) What this boils down to is a naked Anders for a lot of the time he's at home. I fully support nudity. He come by his sensory stuff completely honestly. (From me. And I understand every little bit of it, but struggle helping him to get comfortable. We'll get there... I don't strip off and go into the street to play...very often.)
This cute boy is Elleory's Best Friend Braven. They do pretty much everything together, but most importantly they are snowboard buddies. For the last couple of Saturday's they have headed up to the mountains with his dad, and hit the slopes. Brian and I are green with envy, and are thinking about hiring a babysitter so that we too can hit the slopes. (We are all aware that every time I plan to go snowboarding, I end up pregnant, so maybe we ought to go. SOON.)
FOR SALE: One very cute Three year old boy. Totally Kidding...I would not sell him, but I do consider loaning him out.
I am actually scared about how much Liam looks like Max from "Where The Wild Things Are". Which is exactly how he is behaving lately...right down to the "I'll eat you up" phrase.
We have a saying in our home, "Angry Monsters Work." Liam has been cleaning out the car A LOT lately. He is very cute and very, very, three. I keep trying to remind myself that four is the reward for not killing them when they are three. Anders is so very, very four.
Thank Goodness!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Creation. A wander around my mind
Quite a few people know, mainly because I don't see the point in keeping it secret, that we are trying to have another baby. Brian and I have always felt like four is the right number for us as a family. In the [song] words of Big Bird..."[We] just adore four, it's the number for [us]." Also as many of you know...I'm just not really good at pregnancy. Well, not pregnancy per say, the "getting there" part, and also a little of the "staying there" part. Liam being the ONLY exception to this statement.
This time around we are coming up to our year mark, as to the decision to pull the (mostly unneeded) goalie, and go for it. Brian of course is going to correct me and say that while the goalie came out almost a year ago, I did officially panic and stepped up the defence a little, so we actually haven't been "trying" for a year, maybe 8ish months...BUT STILL...
I teach primary at church, the 11-12 year old class. This year we are studying the Old Testament in the Bible. Next week we are discussing the Creation. I found a quote from the Prophet Joseph Smith in my lesson for next week that gave me cause to pause, and think as I was reading. It goes like this... “Now, the word create came from the word baurau, which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship”.
So here's the thinking part. Somewhere I've read, either in the Old Testament, or in the books of Abraham, or Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, that Jesus commanded the dust to ORGANIZE it's self into a world...and it obeyed. Viola, EARTH. Now this could be the Big Bang Theory, it could be the Creationism theory, it could be something we have never considered, it really doesn't matter to me.
The take-away from this is "CREATE=ORGANIZE".
God gave a Man and a Woman the Divine power to create life. I'm not trying to open an anti-gay subject here, but we all know that a man has a seed that reacts to the seed that a woman has to create a beautiful miracle. It's the way it's been since the beginning of time, and will be forever. Science STILL needs the seeds that humans create in order to make babies. Even to clone. Test tube babies are first organized as seeds taken from a man and a woman. I think you get the picture.
I pride myself on my ability to organize. I am really, fairly organized. Only a few areas of my life are under-organized. I work to straighten those out daily, and have realized that sometimes, those fall into the "forces of nature" category, and can't be forced into a box, or a folder, or even filed away, however...I'm an organized person. (Please, in no way, take this to mean that I could write a book on the subject...)
However, after today's wander through my brain, I have come to realize this...
Apparently I(my body) suck(s) at organization, and furthermore, I'm (my body is) not as obedient as even the dust of the earth.
I guess I'm going to have to see a specialist, and get ORGANIZED. :(
This time around we are coming up to our year mark, as to the decision to pull the (mostly unneeded) goalie, and go for it. Brian of course is going to correct me and say that while the goalie came out almost a year ago, I did officially panic and stepped up the defence a little, so we actually haven't been "trying" for a year, maybe 8ish months...BUT STILL...
I teach primary at church, the 11-12 year old class. This year we are studying the Old Testament in the Bible. Next week we are discussing the Creation. I found a quote from the Prophet Joseph Smith in my lesson for next week that gave me cause to pause, and think as I was reading. It goes like this... “Now, the word create came from the word baurau, which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship”.
So here's the thinking part. Somewhere I've read, either in the Old Testament, or in the books of Abraham, or Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, that Jesus commanded the dust to ORGANIZE it's self into a world...and it obeyed. Viola, EARTH. Now this could be the Big Bang Theory, it could be the Creationism theory, it could be something we have never considered, it really doesn't matter to me.
The take-away from this is "CREATE=ORGANIZE".
God gave a Man and a Woman the Divine power to create life. I'm not trying to open an anti-gay subject here, but we all know that a man has a seed that reacts to the seed that a woman has to create a beautiful miracle. It's the way it's been since the beginning of time, and will be forever. Science STILL needs the seeds that humans create in order to make babies. Even to clone. Test tube babies are first organized as seeds taken from a man and a woman. I think you get the picture.
I pride myself on my ability to organize. I am really, fairly organized. Only a few areas of my life are under-organized. I work to straighten those out daily, and have realized that sometimes, those fall into the "forces of nature" category, and can't be forced into a box, or a folder, or even filed away, however...I'm an organized person. (Please, in no way, take this to mean that I could write a book on the subject...)
However, after today's wander through my brain, I have come to realize this...
Apparently I(my body) suck(s) at organization, and furthermore, I'm (my body is) not as obedient as even the dust of the earth.
I guess I'm going to have to see a specialist, and get ORGANIZED. :(
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
THE Witty Christmas Letter - 2009
Well folks, here it is, the labor of my extreme laziness this year. A Blog Post/Christmas Letter, for those of you who care to read it...
Merriest of Christmases to ALL of our Friends and Family!
I've been sitting eating Tacos while watching A Muppet Christmas Carol with the kids waiting for Brian to come home so I can walk out the door to do my last visit with a friend who is moving, and realized, I love A Christmas Carol. It has ghosts...It's a tiny bit spooky, in a Muppet way, and it fits right in with the spirit of my most favorite holiday, Halloween. I did a bit of soul searching this year to figure out if I'm just overly morbid, (I am), or if there was actually something else to it. There was, (thank goodness.) I love Halloween because it's a time when we get together as a nation and GIVE, really without thought of reward. We give candy, we give merriment, We give creativity, we give light, and warmth, and the occasional potty break to little kids all over our neighborhoods, and usually we do it without getting in return, in fact we spurn the gifts received. "I don't need anymore candy, but thank you for offering..." I love Halloween! And then along comes Christmas, bullying it's way right past Thanksgiving, (and I'm afraid if we don't start being MORE thankful we will ruin our chances at good Karma forever.) and STRESSES ME OUT! This is the reason for the Blog Post this year, too much to do, and not enough time or energy to get it done. So NEXT year, when you get our Happy Halloween letter, please don't be concerned. I just have a lot more energy and fun in October than I do in December.
SO... off of my soap box...
We are actually celebrating a new first this year in our family. We have now lived in the same home for four years. We haven't moved, it's amazing! We are thrilled! We are stable, we are no longer nomads...We NEED to sort and throw away stuff...
Brian is still with Microsoft, we love Uncle Bill and are so very thankful for the job. Brian is with the services group and he does something really important, I just don't know exactly what. He is still serving in our Church in the bishopric and is enjoying that calling. We are enjoying all of the many blessing we receive from his service. Brian also spends a bit of his time working with a company called Unitus. If your interested in learning about changing the world through micro-finance, they have a very informative web site. http://www.unitus.com/ Brian is an avid church basketball player, and a wonderful father and provider. We love him very much.
Elleory (11) is a flutist, piano player, composer, actor, choralist, and a smart 6th grader. She has a ton on her plate and generally loves every minute of it. We, as her parents, seem to always tell her to pull back a little, but she just keeps busy. It will all look very good on her college applications. She is really enjoying this year in school. She has for the first time ever a male teacher, whom we love, and whom really inspires her to reach for the stars. She is going into her last year in Primary in Church and will shortly be going into the youth group. I'm ready, I don't think Brian is. Having a teenager makes you old, fast...
I hate to lump Anders (4) and Liam (so close to 3 I'm just saying 3 now) into one paragraph, but they ARE a unit, both amazingly enough, wear the same size shoes and are a scant inch apart in height. So in reality, you just can't separate them. They are in pre-school together at Duvall Montessori. They are both so happy to be learning. Anders is really into writing, and Liam is into the songs at school and church. They are both really active boys, and there is hardly a time when I'm not cleaning up some mess or another. We are truly blessed to have them as a part of our family. I have thoroughly enjoyed boys so far. Can't wait to have one more!!
NO, I'm not expecting... Just really want another boy.
I've had a great year! Looking back I can't believe all of the things I've done despite being a really busy stay-at-home mom. I've run in two races this year, a local 5k, and a 10k at home in Colorado, certified to teach spinning classes (these are an amazing exercise classes, not a needle craft), teach a yoga class two times a week. It's no wonder I don't get a lot of my at home chores done! However, it's what I have discovered I love, so on with it! I started out the year working in the women's group at church, then was asked to be in the Primary with the children as the Secretary, and then asked to actually teach a class. I now have the 9 year olds, and will be switching again to teach Elleory's class next year. Never in one place very long...
We are happy and healthy, which is a great place to be, We are really enjoying living in Washington. As always, our door is open, please visit if you get the chance. We are incredibly blessed to know of our Savior Jesus Christ and to celebrate him at this time. May the peace of the season be with you all,
Much love,
Brian, Kate, Elleory, Anders and Liam
Sunday, December 6, 2009
WOW...Missed November Completely!
Apparently, I have been asleep at the wheel. I'm behind and backwards, and well, behind. I feel like this might be my second post about being behind this year...MY BEHIND! Well, I'm going to have to get back on the ball, pull my head out and dig-in...I've got some catching up to do.
But not tonight. Tonight, I'm going to bed. I'm worn out, and not really nice. I want to hole-up and watch a movie, while NOT folding laundry, I'd like to finally finish the book I've been trying to read for a whole month, so I can quite paying a library fine each day...I'd even like to sit in a warm bath and veg out, and plan THE perfect week in my head. I'll have time tomorrow to run (always the most important part of my day) address Christmas cards and write my always witty Christmas letter, update my blog and wrap Christmas presents. I might even have time to paint my toenails, and make a glorious dinner. But tonight...I'm off to cuddle with my pillow and fall blissfully asleep in the arms of my snugly snowmen...(sheet set.)
I'm sure Brian will join me soon. The kids will wear him out soon enough.
But not tonight. Tonight, I'm going to bed. I'm worn out, and not really nice. I want to hole-up and watch a movie, while NOT folding laundry, I'd like to finally finish the book I've been trying to read for a whole month, so I can quite paying a library fine each day...I'd even like to sit in a warm bath and veg out, and plan THE perfect week in my head. I'll have time tomorrow to run (always the most important part of my day) address Christmas cards and write my always witty Christmas letter, update my blog and wrap Christmas presents. I might even have time to paint my toenails, and make a glorious dinner. But tonight...I'm off to cuddle with my pillow and fall blissfully asleep in the arms of my snugly snowmen...(sheet set.)
I'm sure Brian will join me soon. The kids will wear him out soon enough.
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