Love is the Answer

Tonight I stayed away from home too long. I finished at the gym at like 9:00, but I started talking to someone...and 20 minutes later...my kids weren't too happy! When I got home Jack was thrilled and was literally kissing me all over my face. Evan decided to follow suit and I was being kissed all over my face by both boys! I can't understand why they love me so, so much, but they do!

Fast forward a few hours later. One of my older children who isn't quite so affectionate was sick in bed. He was rather upset and was unaware that I could hear his cries of pain. I came in his room and asked him if he needed help. He said no. I then proceeded to lay next to him and scratch his back. I offered him a tissue, he accepted. I lay there for a while and we said a prayer together. I tried my best to comfort him. It seemed to help a little bit.

I wondered if I could do anything else for him. After just laying there next to him for a bit, I asked him if he was alright. He said he was and I told him I loved him and I was going to bed. It was a rare moment where he accepted my offer to help him. He often tells me he doesn't need my help, but I know better than that.

Our children will always need us. They always love us even if there is dead silence when we express our love to them. The moments of being showered with kisses are brief and pass way too quickly. But love is forever and my children will never be able to get rid of me. I will always be there for them even if they don't want me or think they need me. That's what Moms are for. To be there for us even when we don't think we need them or when we feel we are a lost cause.

I am so blessed to have a Mother and Father who would do anything for me. They would even sell their second car to help a daughter who is struggling financially. The other night I was having a particularly dark moment and I called my Dad. He said "We wish we could be there to help you." I knew at that moment that he really meant that, I mean truly meant that he would do anything in his power to support me. I am so truly humbled by the love my parents have for me and the love my children so freely give me even though I am unworthy of it. Love really is the answer. Sometimes it is all we have to hold on to.

Keeping It Real!

So I am very grateful for the safe and warm shelter the Lord has provided our family, but I need to vent about our rental!! I strongly dislike the green carpet that is so worn down that you can feel the cement floor underneath (including the bumps) when you walk on it. I hate that I have to vacuum once a day because it shows EVERYTHING because of the color and lack of pile. I dislike that when ONE person showers the hot water runs out and when I took a bath tonight...the first one to bathe since early this morning...the hot water ran out when it was only half full and I sat and cried because I was so cold!! I detest the white tile in the kitchen that always looks dirty unless I finished mopping it two seconds prior. I dislike the huge cuts in the counter top and the lack of cabinet space. It has the least amount of storage of any of the homes we've lived in including our first studio apt!!! The oven from the 1970's is not my favorite appliance ever...On to our master bath....it's literally at least 10 degrees colder than any other room in the house including the basement. It is the smallest bedroom we've ever had and the master bath, which I am thankful to have one....is the size of a coat closet...

The basement is a little better. It's a nice space the only major drawback is the white walls which make the whole house feel nice and sterile and the WHITE carpet. It does have a nice bathroom and huge laundry room. I can't complain about those features. OK so I just had to get that out!! We've been renting this place since June and I know I should be more grateful but it's starting to annoy me. It is challenging to go from beautiful homes to this wonderful shelter that I can't change because it's not mine. We moved here to stay in the ward and I'm grateful it was available but am so looking forward to when we can buy again so I can paint and have flooring that is not nasty and to have something to call mine own again.

We've had three beautiful homes and one day we will buy another house and it will be fantastic!! My standards will be much lower the next go around....as long as I can have decent flooring, I can paint the walls, and the kitchen is not from the 70's or at least is changeable, I will seriously be fine!

There are so many, many things I took for granted...I hope I can be better now and I am looking for the good in this home, I really am...I just had to vent for a minute. Thanks. Peace out.

Look to the future

Highlights of 2010

It has been quite the journey this year! I have learned so much about myself, I've been humbled, stressed, blessed, and very enlightened. Here's a video of some of the events of the year. We truly are blessed!

January- Mark started a practice in Lehi. It is about a mile from our house and in an ideal location. We were very excited about it!

February- We went to San Diego as a family and had a great little break. We brought our niece Brianna with us and she really got to know us---maybe a little too well! My friend Brooke was a wonderful host! Mark's Dad was in the hospital but being well taken care of.

March- Lots of birthdays this month...lots of fun parties.

April- Spring in Utah is beautiful. One of the best months of the year, weather wise! Mark's Dad returned from hospital.

May- Interviewed for my first job in about 10 years and got it! I got hired at "Learning Dynamics Preschool" but wouldn't start until August.

June- School got out, we moved a street over, my parents came to visit, and our kids got to be in a parade for the city, and I ran my first 5k. Life was fun!

July- Mark's niece got married and we went to the reception in Colorado Springs, CO. We had a great time and it was fabulous to see so much family we love.

August- My Dad came to visit along with my sister and we had a awesome time in SLC one day together. I also started working. Football started.

September- School was in full swing....Seth is now in eight grade, Luke, sixth...Macy is in third and Evan started kindergarten. Jack began preschool 3x a week and I was teaching twice a week. Mark continues to work really hard to grow his business! Seth and Luke played football and we had practice and games 4-5 days a week....but they loved it! Luke really excelled this year! He was a team leader and if there were MVP's awarded...he would of gotten one for sure! Seth worked so hard and he loved his team even though they failed to win any games...he learned how to be a good "loser" but we know he is definitely a winner!! He was an amazing defensive player!

October- Halloween was so much fun and the weather was quite pleasant. Work was stressful for Mark and I but we continued to pray and try to have faith in the Lord. Football still dominates much of our time.

November- Football ended in the middle of the month for the boys. Mark's Dad broke his leg and was not doing well at all for a while, but soon "recovered" and spent time in a rehab hospital. Thanksgiving was awesome up in Ogden with my Mom's sister- Sharon. Mark got a great opportunity to work in SLC part time. We were ecstatic!

December- Mark's Dad is still in rehab hospital and we were amazed at his longevity. I had a great month at work and I really love the twenty three 3-year olds I get to teach! Mark worked in SLC a few days and made some great bonus money. My parents came to visit and Ami surprised all of us a few days before Christmas! It was awesome! We had a fun Christmas, family reunion on the 28th, which also happened to be our 15 year anniversary!

What a year!!!! I didn't get into too much detail about the stressful times...tried to focus on blessings! But the Lord blessed us in so many ways by providing us with people in our lives that were a wonderful support this year. We couldn't of survived this year financially without our parents! We love you all and here's to 2011!!!!

January Birthday Boys!

My two oldest boys both celebrate their birthdays in January, which is now their favorite time of year because it's NFL playoff time! Luke turned 11 on January 9th and we had fun celebrating his big day. We picked him up early from school and let him pick out what he wanted for lunch. He is an all-American boy so he got a huge bacon cheeseburger, fries, and topped it off with a mouth watering grasshopper milkshake. We had cake and ice cream as a family and it was a good day. He is a smart, funny, thoughtful boy and a wonderful addition to our family.

So the oldest, Seth, officially became a teenager. He somehow swindled me to let him stay home on his birthday. I took him to lunch with his cousin Brianna and later that night she took all the kids to an indoor trampoline place where they had a blast! After five kids, I'm not much for jumping on tramps, but they enjoyed it. So here's some pictures of my baby boys who are growing up WAY too fast!!!

Macy's Special Day...Wearing Her Second White Dress

Macy was baptized on December 5, 2009 and it truly was a beautiful and miraculous day. To give some background, Macy's grandparents (Mark's parents), are in poor health. Her Grandpa Everett is especially frail and weak on his bad days and we weren't sure if he would be able to attend the special day. I had a feeling that the tremendous amount of love he has for Macy would give him the strength he needed that morning to get to the church. Bertella, Macy's Grandma, is a little stronger, but has other health issues that make it VERY difficult for her to be places before noon. She struggles a lot in the mornings. But we knew what a wonderful speaker she is and asked her to give a talk, hoping she could get there by 10:30 to attend the service. We were SHOCKED and so thankful to see them walk in only five minutes late. It really was a miracle, truly! Macy was beaming! In fact, the whole day she glowed!

I couldn't help but think about what that day will be like, in the VERY distant future, when she will once again wear another white dress. I also reflected on the day that seems like yesterday, when she was blessed in her first white dress as an infant. I look forward to loving her until that special day when she will kneel across the altar from a handsome young man and becomes his eternal companion. She is such a sweet child and I am so thankful to be her Mother. I am truly blessed to have this privilege and honor to raise my cute little monkeys. Her baptism day was by far one of the greatest days I've had as a mother.

We had over 60 people in attendance; my parents, Uncles and Aunts, cousins, Mark's brothers and parents, and friends in our new ward. I'm going to post pictures of Macy in her dress before the big day that my cousin's husband took and then the ones from the big day.

Thanksgiving 2009

So I have to write about Thanksgiving before I can post about probably the best day of the year...Macy's baptism. Before I get to that, I want to highlight our first Thanksgiving in Utah. We were asked to host, because we had nothing else to do, (I swear I'm not bitter), and I gladly took it on! Everything went fairly smooth despite the arrival of 9 guests an hour and 15 minutes early...anyone who knows me well knows that equals disaster! I didn't handle this situation very well, but after a minor tantrum, we regrouped and the rest of the day was wonderful! Mark's fabulous brothers, his gorgeous older sister LaRetta and his parents came and the cousins really enjoyed being together. Probably the most interesting thing that happened was when Mark decided his brother needed a haircut. It went well for Mark, but Jeff wasn't feeling it quite as much. Looks like Mark wanted Jeff to join the "no hair on top of your head" club. I think barber Mark did a fine job, but Jeff took it pretty well. What else could he do?

I felt pretty bad because it was kind of obvious that Jeff wasn't real thrilled about his haircut. So later that week, we gave Jeff a homemade hat that said "I love Mark". We also made him a shirt that said "I went to my brother's for Thanksgiving and all I got was a bad haircut". The peace offering made Jeff smile and when he immediately changed into the new outfit, I knew everything was fine between the two brothers.

Thanksgiving was a bittersweet day, mostly sweet, but my heart was a little sad. Across the country in the great state of North Carolina, all my siblings were feasting together around my parent's table. I am grateful to be here in Utah and for the chance to get to know Mark's family better, but we did miss the annual "Tucker turkey Bowl" (football) game that is always so much fun. We know we were missed in NC but were thankful that day that our little family of Aldridge monkeys was together.