He'll Carry You

Well, There are some days that are harder then others in this life, and I am having one of the harder days. Owen had a job interview that seemed hopeful, but turned out to be just another so sorry, we loved you, but decided to hire someone else who better fits the job. This letter, like many others have crushed my heart over and over again. I know that things happen in the Lords time, but I have been praying so hard for that time to come before we lose are house. I love being here in my house so much, although it's not a big house, it's my house. Owen and I have worked so hard for what we have and when he was laid off, I would have never imagined it would be like this so many years later. We just thought things would get better, find another job and would pick ourselves back up again. That's not how things are working out. Year after year, it has become harder and harder. We have become so far away from where we were, that it's hard to remember what it was like to have stable jobs and income. I am good at acting like everything is great and dandy, while on the inside crying to myself in fear for what's to come. I know we should not live in fear, but have the faith we need in the Lord to carry us through our trials. The truth is when you have all these little lives you are in charge of looking to you for everything, it's really hard to smile and say every things going to be just fine, when your not sure yourself that they really are. I know we have trials in our lives to make us stronger, and that we go through them to learn the things we need to learn here on earth. I have begged God to just tell me what it is that we must learn, so we can move passed this point that we are stuck in. I have told him that I am kind of a blond, so maybe he needs to tell me straight up what it is we need to know and learn. I have come to the understanding that it doesn't work that way. I am ok with waiting for the Lord to answer our prayers and lead us to the place we need to be, but I am human. I live with doubt and fear at times, and sometimes wonder how strong I really am and how much I can handle. I am not sure where we will even end up moving, but Owen is bringing home boxes every week. The reality of our situation makes me sad, but I know that where ever we end up, is where we are meant to be. God has a plan for each of us, and sometimes that plan has lots of ups and downs. He gives us the strength to endure the downs so that we can be grateful for the ups. Even though, I feel as if we have more downs then ups lately, he has been there for us every step of the way. This is just a small glimpse into my life, but there are many others in the world, who are struggling to make it through this life the best they can. Many who are going through unthinkable trials, but I know one thing for sure. He will carry me, and he will carry you!

♬♪ The Spirit of Christ ♬♪

Dieter F. Uchtdorf: In our modern world, we often think of giving and receiving gifts when we think of Christmas. Although this can be part of a cherished tradition, it can also detract from the simple dignity of the season and distract us from celebrating the birth of our Savior in a meaningful way. It doesn't take expensive gifts to make Christmas meaningful. This year, we are probably in our most destitute situation we have ever been in, but through our trials we have learned a lot about the real reason we are here on this beautiful earth. This life is not about what we have, it's all about what we do. We have the chance in this life to serve others including our own children and families. When I look around me, I know that we have many who struggle. We struggle in different ways, but we go through a lot of the same feelings, emotions and hardships. We need to take what we learn from our trials, and help each other. The Christmas season should be a time of showing our love to those around us, giving to those less fortunate and giving service among our brothers and sisters here on earth. I have heard so many who are stressed and sad that they can not afford to give much to their children for Christmas, yet is that what Christmas is all about? I have seen my children go without many many times. Our Christmas has been small for many years. They know that what ever is on their wish list, if it's expensive, they won't be getting it. Even Santa has to spread his toys among many in the world, so we don't always get what we want. Yet, they are still so excited for Christmas to come every year. They love the special traditions we have and what they do receive. So if you are among the many who can't afford much, then I promise you, on the 25th when the children wake up and run to the tree, their will still be sparkles in their eyes and smiles on their little faces. Through our trials, we have learned that the spirit of Christmas is what you create. If you find yourself stressed, sad, mad, or even angry about your situation to the point where you cannot feel the spirit of Christmas within your heart, then I have something for you to try. Step back, and look at those around you. Find someone who you can see needs your love and service and act. Take it upon yourself to help that person, or family. Our Savior Jesus Christ was such a wonderful example to us through the love and service he did for his fellow men. He healed the sick, the dead he raised, the hungry he fed, and the children he loved. If we focus on what we can do for others, and put the things we can't control within our own lives on the back burner, I promise your trials won't seem so big, and you will begin to feel the true meaning of Christmas within your heart. No matter how big or small, your service for others can change the lives of the people around you. What will you give for Christmas? What will you give for Christ?

Our tough good bye

Wow, what a long and hard road life is(right). Knowing that we will have to move within the next few months, we decided to give our chickens away, and find our Irish Setter Alroy a new home. We knew with him being a big dog, it would be unlikely and probably impossible for us to find an apartment to rent and keep him. I didn't want to be doing these hard emotional things during the holidays, so we opted to go ahead and do it before. On Sunday a few weeks ago, I had a great family from Sandy Utah come meet Alroy. They were super excited to have him as the newest member of their family. I knew the day they came to meet him, they would take him home. Alroy has a personality that I have never seen in a dog before. I think he was almost human. That was a super hard day for us as a family. We love our animals, just as much as we love one another in this house. The chickens left to their new home that Tuesday. While we have shed many tears, we all know that the homes they now have, are just as good as ours. We as a family have gone through many tough times, and have always come through them ok. This is a finial good bye to our baby Alroy...

Saturday's Surprise Announcement

Saturday's surprise announcement was an amazing blessing to us and many other families. First of all, I am super excited for all those in the Tucson Arizona area for the future Temple that will be built within a few short years. What a blessing it is to have these marvelous temples so close to home, but my excitement today really comes from the announcement made by our beloved Prophet Thomas S. Monson, that all young men age 18, and young woman age 19, worthy and have graduated from high school can now (effective immediately) serve a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. I was shocked, yet super excited for those this will effect. This is a life changing blessing for many to come. My son Mitchell, will now only have 2 years 8 months to prepare himself to send in his papers and dedicate his life unto the Lord as a full time missionary. I have always been worried for him, because he will only be 17 years old when he graduates from high school. 19 years old is a long time to wait. I feel as if this is a true blessing for him and all other future missionaries who are in the same situation. When he heard the news, he was so excited as was all my kids. What a blessing for us all. I am truly grateful! What a day to remember!

He Will Give You Help

I saw this on Monday and just couldn't stop thinking of my ten year old Nephew Cameron. He lost his Best Friend ~his Father~ Sunday night due to a motorcycle accident in MT.   My heart hurts for him, but I want him to know that while you are faced with great pain and loss, God will give you help. I know our earthly trials are so hard at times, but there will never be a time that the Lords tender mercy won't mend a broken heart.  He knows of our burdens, pains and broken hearts..  He understands us more than anyone here on this earth.  He blessed your life with an amazing Mother.  She will be there for you always.  I know that there is life after we leave this earth.  You will one day be able to put your arms around your Dad and hug him again.  He will always love you Cam!

WARNING ~I am just a little stressed out~

Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!   I started my college semester a few weeks ago asking myself the question, what college major do I choose?  I made the decision to choose Business Administration as my major.  Well, that's a great choice, except this caused me to drop the classes I was taking that were teach help classes and replace them with business classes. Let me just tell you *NEVER EVER change classes two or more weeks into the semester.  I thought to myself, no big deal,  I can just play catch up (right)?  I was dead WRONG!  After attending just a few classes, I have had to take the first exam's for each class.  Talk about STRESS!  I did HORRIBLE! Now I have to work twice as hard throughout the semester, just to get my grades up.  Melt down valley is where I am right now.  Just to tell you a little bit about myself,  I can't handle failure.  Not only can I not handle it, but I need poor Owen to not want to leave me, because I turn into a CRAZY woman.  I will admit that if I see a grade less then an A I freak out-if I get less then a B, I cry.  I have cried more within the last two weeks then I have tears for.  To add on the stress, I have been trying to be mom, college student, employee, accountant, house keeper and so on.  I think by the time I get through this semester, I am going to either lose all my hair, get really fat, or age fast.  I wish stress would help me lose weight, but with my thyroid disease that will NEVER happen. (DANG IT)  So to keep this short and sweet, I ask for lots of prayers.  I feel like the only way I can make it this semester, is through the help of the Lord.  This is one of the times I will beg for him to to carry me through my hard trials and lighten the load of stress I feel I'm under.  Owen, I am so thankful you are here for me.  Thank you for giving me a shoulder to cry on, your wonderful hugs, unconditional love and most of all~thank you for not putting me in the nuthouse.

WARNING TEENAGE DRIVER

Mitchell got his drivers permit!!!  This moment didn't come easy, and it took a few tries.  Mitchell was just about done with the whole testing part, but he didn't give up on himself and passed....  So WATCH OUT PEOPLE, there is another teenage driver out on the road... ~Congratulations Mitchell~

Our First Day Of School

3rd Grade

5th Grade

8th Grade (Middle School)

Sophomore (High School)

Our first day of school is always CRAZY, but we seem to make it through the day...  This is one of the only days throughout the whole school year the kids are all excited to go to school.  That fades away way too fast!  We have Mitchell in high school already.  Time flies by so fast, that I need to really cherish the time we have left with the kids at home.  Noah is in the Middle school, and I really can't wait to get him out of that school and into High school.  Seth and Jiselle are in Elementary school, which this will be Seth's last year in that school, before he goes into ACYI...  CRAZY I KNOW!  Trust me, I am not looking forward to next year when I will have all four kids in four different schools...    ~HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2012~

Dang football! Seth's broken arm

Seth broke both of his bones in his arm

Coach Moody brought a signed Bees hat from all the kids on his team to the hospital

Seth is now the water boy for his team

Go Bees!

The week before Seth's first football game he caught the ball and was running it down field, when he was tackled, a knee hit his arm that was carrying the ball. The impact broke both of his bones in his arm.  This kid is so tough, that he had not one tear through the whole ordeal.  I had let Noah use my phone and went to the grocery store, he left it down stairs.  We came home, walked in the door and my phone was ringing.  When I answered it Seth's coaches wife on the other end telling me that I needed to get to the hospital ASAP.  She stated that Seth's arm was badly broken. Owens' car was not working well, so I prayed all the way there that his car would make it. My heart dropped when I first looked at his arm.  YUCK!!!  Everyone in the ER was so wonderful to us and they took great care of Seth.  The surgeon Dr Higbee has been so good with Seth. He had his first cast on for five weeks and just got a new one put on for the next three weeks.  We hope that after this three weeks is up, he will be cast free.  A big thank you to the two coaches and wife's that got Seth in the car and to the hospital, and a big thank you to his awesome coach who brought him his hat that was signed from everyone on his team.  That made Seth's night... Seth has been more upset he is out for the football season, then he has ever cared about his broken arm.  (BOYS)

Footprints in the sand....

 

I can not tell you how many times in my life this has happened.  Guess what?  I am not perfect.  I go through trials and sometimes they seem so hard for me.  I take my trial head on, and in the mist of that trial I add another.  Sometimes I feel as if I can go no more, I just can not live through anything else happening.  Then what do you know, I add another.  I have gone through the darkest times in my life and looked back on them thinking how did I get through these trials.  Well this poem explains it all, word for word. I know the Lord has carried me through so many trials throughout my life.  He has heard me when I have begged him to get me through hard times.  He has heard my cries, he has witnessed my pleads and he has healed my broken heart over and over again.  I know that we are never alone, even through our darkest hours he is there for us.  I have thought to myself, why do I have to face these trials over and over again, such as never having enough money.  That's just it, it's my trial. I can not tell you how many things have happened, that has to do with money in the last two months.  I get down and discouraged and want so bad to throw my hands in the air and just give up.  Nope that doesn't work.  We have to just keep going and have FAITH that he knows exactly what we are going through and exactly how we feel.  I have a testimony that he does know.  He has been in my shoes, he has felt my pain, he has wiped my tears.  The Lord is cheering for me to make it through this life, no matter the trials I have to suffer.  I am never alone.  This is a lesson I am trying to teach my teenagers.  The life of a teenager is so hard.  I know that, I have been there  (although, I am old and really in their eyes have no idea what the heck they go through).  In all honesty - I really get.  I felt when I was that age that my life was so hard.  I made decisions that made my life even harder, but I have always known that the Lord was right there beside me.  Even back then - he had to carry me, but do you know what?  He will always be there for anyone of us when we need him.  He will never give up on us.  I say in this life, we are all here on this earth to be tested.  The trials we have to face and go through are all different, but really the same, because we all have to learn to overcome each of them.  All I ask is that you never give up.  No matter how hard and out of control life can seem, there is always peace amongst the worst storms.  How many times have we each looked back and saw one set of prints? 

Jiselle was Baptized August 4, 2012

This was such a special day for Jiselle.  We are so thankful that we have so many great family members and friends that came to support her.  Jiselle turned 8 on July 18 and she was looking forward to her baptism long before that.  Grandpa and Grandma Metzger drove up from Arizona and boy was she excited!  The day Grandpa and Grandma show up, is one of the most exciting for my kids.  They love and miss them so much, but if you wonder why it's so special for them, they only see them once a year for usually a weekend.  I know not enough (right).  We planned to have a lunch/dinner before the baptism, since it was at 6:00 p.m.  Owen was our chef and the food was (as always) super yummy!  Thank you Owen!  Jiselle was so beautiful in her pretty white dress and a big thank you to Aunt Jean for braiding her hair.  The baptism was wonderful, we could feel the spirit so strong.  Jiselle is now baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We are so proud of her for making the decision to be baptized. She is such a sweet spirit and we love her so much.  There are great things in store for Jiselle, as she is such a caring person, always willing to help out anyone.  I am looking forward to her growing up and gaining her own testimony of the Gospel.  Thank you Jiselle for letting us all be apart of your special day!

Brigham City Temple Open House

August 18, 2012

Families can be Together Forever!

The Price Family

The Causey Family

Kaylee and Jiselle(So Beautiful)

Mitchell, Justin and Jordan(Best Buds)

Best Buds!

Crazy Seth!

Brigham City Temple

I am super excited for the wonderful blessing of having a Beautiful Temple just four blocks away.  I was so wanting the tickets to get into the open house on the first day it was available to (us) the public on August 18, 2012. I remember sitting at work just planning my break at 10:00 am, so I could get on the internet and reserve our tickets.  It took a few min. to get on the site, knowing that it was flooded with thousands of people wanting the same thing. I was able to get our reservation for August 18th at 5:30pm.  I reserved tickets for everyone in our family here in Brigham City.  It was such a great blessing to go with the most important people in my life. What an opportunity to share with them. We met at my house and just walked down to the Temple.  It took no time at all before we were entering into the path to get our white booties on over our shoes and enter into the beautiful baptismal room. The first thing I remember was looking at a beautiful painting of an Indian Chief being baptized in the river, and the beautiful baptismal font. (Which I found out was an Indian Chief from here in  Brigham City)  From room to room and up the stairs I was amazed at the beauty and craftsmanship of each and every square inch of the Temple. It is just breath taking! Walking into the sealing rooms I was just thinking of how wonderful it will be to someday be able to see each of my children sealed to their eternal companions. What a true blessing we have to know with out a doubt that we can be sealed together forever and ever.  My all time favorite room was of course the Celestial Room. The beauty was overwhelming and such peace came over me as I stood and pondered at the beauty of the room. This Temple will be dedicated to the Lord on Sunday, and I am looking forward to being able to go and be apart of this special moment. I can't tell you how blessed I feel having this beautiful Temple right down the street. Owen and I look forward to the many walks we will be going on to the Temple at night. 

Old pictures I never published of Seth and Jiselle

 I found this post that I never published from a few years ago. Look at my cute babies! Oh my how fast time has gone by.  I couldn't resist just adding this to my blog.  I love these two so much....