Reflection

I have to speak at church on Sunday and the topic is "worth of a soul". For some reason I keep thinking about children and why God wants us to become like them. I have no idea what I am actually speaking about but today I think I figured out somewhat what he means by becoming like little children.


I teach primary (well taught as of last week) and often the kids arent very nice to each other and I kept thinking what is so great about THIS that we should become like it, then we went to soccer. Every week Braxton gets two treats and he cant wait to share one with his brother. In fact, now he shares one with Dakota and one with Cameron (he doesn't even want one for himself). He also went birthday shopping with my mom and she said he was so worried to get something for his brothers the whole time. That is pure christlike love. That is one quality I believe we are to strive for to be like a child.

Another example is the school walk-a-thon. The kids go around and around the track just to be able to earn a medal that they proudly wear around thier necks for days after. I ask different kids and tell them how proud I am of them and thier faces just light up. They are so happy to know they have accomplished something on thier own and were rewarded with this medal. I will be honest I dread the walk-a-thon because it seems to be an all night adventure, but I can't explain how the smiles radiate across thier faces as they get that medal. It spreads so much joy across that park, it is awesome.



Anyway I have no idea what this has to do with the worth of a soul, but I am sure I can tie it in somehow. Hopefully because I've got nothing else!

7 years ago today

This day is always bitter/sweet for me. Birthdays are always such a happy day, but for many reasons I am often brought to tears many times every year on this day.



7 years ago today I became a mother.



7 years ago today I felt my highest high right after he was born and my lowest low when they told me he could not breathe on his own and would have to be admitted to the NICU and intabated (a ventilator to breathe for him).



7 years ago today I cried my eyes out in my room all alone because Shane was at the cafeteria when they called to tell me.



7 years ago today my husband blessed my child and my wonderful father-in-law was in tune with the spirit enough to bless me and Shane, who probably needed it just as bad.



This was far from the worst day of those dreadful 27 days, seeing as everyone downplayed it so much at this point, but it is the day I am flooded with emotions every year and reflect on how blessed I am that Heavenly Father let me keep that little boy all those years ago (which seems like yesterday).

All I can say is it has been a wild ride that I am sure is only just beginning and I am thankful everyday for Braxton, and his spirited self.

Family Night

I took these cute pictures on a Monday while we were having Family Night. Shane had been home from work that day, and we needed an idea for FHE, when the boys wanted to play with playdough, I thought we may as well make sugar cookies and eat our "playdough" mess. Shane helped each of the boys cut out thier hand and we decorated them after they baked. The next thing we knew it was a down pour outside and they wanted so bad to go enjoy the rain. I went out with them and they had a blast while I took photos.

I suppose it takes a child to enjoy those sort of adventures. I personally think the rain is very wet, but they see it as an opportunity for play, as well as to show off thier moves for the camera :)

My husbands obsession

It's that time of year again when I become a single mother while my husband goes out and lives his dream of killing animals in the backcountry. He prepares for months; shooting his bow everyday and exercising like crazy. He also spends tons of money getting the right gear and the tags to hunt out of state. This obsession just started last year, but I assume it will be continuing well into the future. This is the first kill of the great Wyoming deer hunt. They hiked in 6 miles (on horses this time) and were both able to kill one within the first two days. Jake found his right after, but Shane wasn't that lucky, he hunted around for hours trying to find him, but to no avail. When they returned to camp in the pitch black that night.....

This is what they found. Their camp had been ransacked by a bear while they were gone. The tent was smashed, the food drug all over the mountain, and hundreds of dollars in lost gear. Of course it was the middle of the night and they were scared out of their pants. They wanted to leave that night, but Jake's deer was up the mountain in some snow, so they went across the meadow with whatever they could salvage, and tried to sleep with a horse on each side as a guard dog. They did not have any protection except bear spray and two bows. I can't even imagine what a fearful sleepless night that must have been.

Well they had been home all of 5 days and were chomping at the bit to go find Shane's deer. As you can imagine Alayna and I were almost as scared to let them go as they were that night on the mountain. They left without their best protection--the horses, and hiked in for 4 hours in the pitch dark. I know you are thinking they are NUTS, but those are two men whose minds are not easily changed especially when there are animals to be killed. I was of course thinking I really did not want to permanently be a single mother, so we insisted they take a gun this time, and they were to hang their food in a tree this time. I am not sure they really listened to us the wives, but I am telling you after all the bear dreams I had all week, I was very scared.

Well they made it back safely with about 43 hours of driving, hiking, and complete exhaustion, but they found the deer. Shane was about the happiest man on earth. He had been so excited when he killed it and so down on himself when he didn't find it, I was very happy he found it. It was full of maggots and chewed up, but the head was good and the picture looks nice after a little photoshop. I fear that this will only feed the fire and the obsession, but I suppose he is doing what he loves :) and I am just soooo happy he made it out alive and hope they learned a few lessons along the way.

First day of Preschool

Today is Dakota's first day of preschool. He was very excited and walked over there like a champion. The good old Plain City mosquitoes attacked us on the way over there, and he had about 10 bites before we got there--poor guy. I guess that is the one downfall of this town, can't win them all I guess.

Dakota is such a big boy, he is learning to write his name, and sings his alphabet all the time. He even writes us notes all the time, in scribbles and chicken scratches, but to him they definitely say something important. He is such an easy child. He obeys, tells the truth (which keeps other children in check), loves his dad and mom, and is an overall wonderful child. One thing Dakota doesn't do is the dentist. He has a very small mouth and can't stand to open it for anyone. I have to take him to get a cavity filled today, only after giving him a sedative and hopefully that combined with the gas will "help" him relax. The freaking out from last time about put this mother in her grave, so we are trying the knocking out method to see if it works better.

We had another little boy almost as excited as Dakota and insisted on wearing his new shoes and carrying a backpack. I am so excited to have two hours two days a week to spend alone with this handsome guy, Cameron is so fun to be with. He talks up a storm now, thinking he is much bigger than 22 months old. The other day I got him out of his bed and he said "Hi, Geana" I couldn't believe it, it was so funny.