Blessings in Disguise

It has been said that the mother of the household sets the tone of the rest of the house. With that being said, I was having a particularly hard day a week ago or so and was having difficulty putting it behind me so I could be a happy mom that day. It was a day that I didn't get in the shower until 1 p.m. because of business demands, crying and tantrum children, etc. So as I was in the shower, contemplating how I was going to snap out of this mood and get happier when I heard the door to my bathroom open. I just sighed, asked Lexi what she was doing. Nobody answered me so I hurried to finish my shower and go check on the girls, who were supposed to be coloring at the table. I came out of the shower and there on the counter were two folded pieces of paper. I opened them to see Sadie had helped Lexi draw and color a heart on the paper for me. The other piece of paper Sadie had colored a heart with my favorite color and tried to spell out I love you on the paper. I just stood there as the tears started to fall and I realized I have much to be happy about , which two of those reasons just did the most thoughtful thing for me. When I later asked Sadie why she did that for me she said "I just thought you needed a picture to show you I love you." What a blessing she is for me!

Thanksgiving 2009

I'm a little behind here but I will try to catch up. We were kind of boring for Thanksgiving. We stayed here in Leadore but went over to Cory's parents house for dinner. We had a good time and the kids had fun. It was great to just relax and visit and play games instead of going over there with a time crunch. Cory's sister Angie was going to come up with her family but her daughter got sick so they had to stay put instead. I am reminded of all that I have received for blessings in my life at this time of year and how blessed I really am. I love that Cory's family literally surrounds us out here where we live. They are such a blessing and we enjoy being close to them. I love my family and miss them during the holidays as we don't see them as much. My little family is so fulfilling to me. I enjoy most days (we all have some days we wish would end so a new one could come) staying home with my children and I feel very blessed to be able to do so. My Heavenly Father has given me so much in my life and he continues to do so, I am continually grateful for all that I have.

The Almost Blessing

We were supposed to bless Haylee this past Sunday, but due to events beyond our control it didn't happen. Many of you know all about this so bear with me if you do. We received a phone call from Cory's mom on Saturday morning saying that school was cancelled for Leadore on Monday because of so much flu and sickness going around. Over half of the school was out sick on Friday. So we called the bishop of our ward to see what they would be doing for church on Sunday. The bishop is also a school teacher so I found out the reasons for missing school as well. There were no reports of swine flu just a lot of colds and regular flu going around. So the bishop first told us that they would hold church regularly. We called all our traveling family and friends to warn them of the spreading sickness out here just as a courtesy. Then the bishop called me back to tell me that church had been changed to just sacrament at 10 a.m. So I made another round of phone calls to let them know of the change and found out people were not coming because of the time difference or because they didn't want to get sick so we decided it was in our best interest to cancel the blessing. Jenn and Clay were already planning on coming up so they came and we had a fun time with just the Andrus family. Here is the kids lined up eating dessert on Saturday night.





We all stayed home from church because we were healthy and I wanted it to stay that way for Haylee especially. It was nice outside so we let the kids to ride horses in the corral. They had as much fun playing in the chutes as riding the horses!

On Monday I found out that two cases of swine flu are reported here and one was a girl in the high school. I kept Sadie home from pre-school on Tuesday as well to find out that still half of the school kids were home sick. I think it is more prominent here where there are so few kids in the school but this flu bug seems to be kicking everyone in the rear!! Hope all you are healthy and staying out of this cold spell!

What Really Matters

I feel that this blog is a journal of sorts so bear with me as I share my thoughts with you today. On a more somber note, I pondered the things that were really important today as we received a phone call from Cory's dad telling us that one of Cory's aunts passed away this morning. Brenda Bird was walking her dog early this morning and came home when she collapsed and died. We don't know the cause yet or any other details but it makes you stop and reevaluate your life a bit. Brenda was the most kind and thoughtful person I know. It didn't matter what needed to be done, whether it was cooking, cleaning, visiting someone or helping check the cows in the middle of the night, she was there to do it without complaint. She was always smiling and such a happy person all the time. She brought a light into the room with her positive attitude and smile.
I wonder how well I would be able to cope with something that devastating and it makes me so grateful for all the blessings I have. I love my life and everything in it. I love my husband of almost eight years and the wonderful father he is to our children. He constantly worries if he spends too much time outside our home and away from us. I appreciate his wisdom and constructive criticism he offers to make me stronger and a better person. My two girls are the brightest spot in my life as they challenge me and love my unconditionally even when I just hollered at them for making a mess. I'm thankful for the third addition we will add in August and how blessed we are for having these wonderful gifts in our life.
I'm very thankful for my family both far and near and the memories we make. I cannot put into words how my heart aches when they go through trials and how my heart soars when they triumph. I love all my family members; the Bird family close by and the ones just a drive away. I love Mom and Dad and how they have blessed our life and helped us out. Cody and Cary are the best uncles I could have asked for , always thinking of my kids and how they can entertain them for me. My sisters that live away from me but keep me going with their phone calls and support. Their cute families that blend so well with mine. My Mom and Dad even though I don't see them as much, they still are there for me. My brother, wherever he might be, we love and miss him too.
I have such great friends both far and near that uplift me, support me, and carry me through the rough spots. I can't believe how blessed I am. I was thinking yesterday about how I wish we could build a better house, how I haven't seen the movie Twilight yet and am wishing to do so; such trivial things now that are put in prospective after something like this happens. I love my life and everything in it-I am so blessed! Thank you all who support me through this blog and bring light into my life with your thoughts. I love you all.