First Days Of School 2019/2020

And before I knew it, all my kids were in school...

 Ruger is technically in a preschool at the elementary school that he will one day attend but I'm still counting it since its 4 days a week and just as long, time wise, as the kindergartners go.  I actually cried when he walked away with his class.  I couldn't believe it had snuck up on me like that.  All my children in school.

 Really, it was a big year for most of the kids.  Hyrum was going to Junior High (7th grade) for the first time.  Normally I would be sick with worry.  Especially it being with Hyrum, my sensitive child.  Middle school/Junior High is a cesspool.  I can't think of an educational institution that is worse when it comes to kids acting out in all forms.  But this area that we live in now is so different.  And because of that, our Hyrum is making it through Junior High!

 This was the first year that Brigham went to High School (10th grade).  Most of the friends that he made at the end of Junior High last year, unfortunately, went on to a different high school but he seems to be handling school well.  Again, it makes all the difference when you live in an area with children that act so differently than other kids that you have went to school with in the past.

 Levi is a Junior this year and is reminding me everyday just how close he is getting to being on his own.  I am often reminded of little things, here and there, to make sure that I talk to him and the older boys about.  Those things that come along during the day that reminds me that I haven't taught them all they need to know to be on their own in the real world.  Its so weird being in this stage of life.  But if we are going to be in this stage, I'm glad we are where we are.

To Truly Sacrifice

It's interesting that I would journal about what I did in my last post.  How I'd be lost without David. Two days later, David came home from work to tell me that the company that he works for wants to send him to St. George, Utah (which is about 4 hours from where we live) for a project that would last 3 years.  When we moved this last time, we promised our kids that we would keep them in the schools that they are in right now.  That if we moved again, it would only be to buy a home and we would make sure that it was in a place where they wouldn't have to change schools.  Which only leads to the conclusion that David would live in St. George during the week and come home to us on the weekends.

We've done this before.  But not for 3 years.  Funny, when David and I first got married we always said we would never do this.  Never separate our family.  But just like life always does, it teaches you to never say never.  The first time we did this, it was only for about 3 months.  It was an internship while David was going to BYU-Idaho.  We couldn't lose our housing and the company that was taking David away during the week wouldn't pay for Levi and I to come along.  The second time we did this wasn't too long ago.  We were living in Washington Terrace, had just went through Ruger's foster care experience and adoption, the scare of Levi's lump under his chin and living in a hotel for a month because of the mold problem in our house.  When they told us that David would be gone during the week and coming home only on the weekends for almost a year it seemed daunting at first (especially with a toddler!) but it turned out to be a piece of cake compared to what we had just gone through.

The biggest blessing that came out of David being gone so much, though, turned out to be our relationship growing stronger.  We had always been so against separating a family before because of the fear of it tearing us apart yet the exact opposite happened.  We truly cherished our time together.

But this is for 3 years.

A job increase as well as financially will happen and we will have kept our promise to our children...but will it be worth it?

I have to have faith that the answers we received in the temple, prayer, and just plain faith in the fact that we are doing His will, will bless us beyond measure.

I never thought I would have to sacrifice so much for my children.  I'm sure David never thought he'd have to sacrifice so much to provide for his family.  And I'm sure David and I will never, even in this, understand what our Father in Heaven has sacrificed in making sure that all His children have a way to return to Him again.  I am surely learning that sacrifice is one of the hardest things one has to do in this life.

I'd Be Lost Without Him

David took the boys swimming today while I got school stuff ready for next week.  He knows me well enough to know how much I would appreciate a picture of the outing.

 As I was getting the picture off of his phone, I remembered that I never got the pictures from when he took them to Lagoon a few weeks ago (he had gotten some free tickets from work).

I really don't know what I'd do without him.  Knowing me so well.  Knowing when to take over when I've taken on too much.  Saving me from myself when I'm crying over things I can't change.  Loving me unconditionally when I feel I don't have much to offer.  How grateful I am that Heavenly Father has a plan for a man and a woman to help take care of one another in this world.  And even more grateful that He let mine and David's paths cross when they did so that it would lead to the family that we have today.

Summer Shenanigans

With School starting in about a week, I figured I should finally journal about our summer activities.  We didn't do a whole lot really.  But still...The Summer of 2019!

 I found myself at plenty of different parks at the beginning of summer, as the weather was still decently cool.  As it got a little warmer, I took Ruger to the splash pad that is close to our home.  I think it may have been the first splash pad that Ruger had ever went to.  It's so weird to be in this stage with teenagers and then a 4 year old.  Because I know the older boys wouldn't be interested, I sometimes forget to expose Ruger to certain things.  As you can imagine, he loved the splash pad!

 My college roommate, Brittany, was visiting Utah so we had dinner one evening.  As always, it felt like no time had passed.  She is a part of so many fun and growing memories of mine of a time when I was becoming an adult.  I'll forever be grateful for Ricks College for giving me the opportunity to grow in a safe environment.  I was immature and didn't do that well academically but the lessons I learned as I was coming into adulthood, well, I wouldn't change a thing.

 A pool opened up in our neighborhood a month or so ago.  The older boys haven't been that into it (it's small and crowded) but Ruger is definitely my swimming buddy.  He LOVES that pool!  And Mr.-I-Can-Make-Friends-With-Anybody, rarely plays with the same kid twice.  There is so many kids that come and go, that we don't recognize, but do you think that stops him from making a new best friend?  Nope! 

 Uncle Bubba and his family stayed the night with us on their way back home from visiting Oklahoma.  The month of July was kinda rough on me.  I really had a deep yearning for being home the majority of the month.  But Ronald coming with his family really helped to calm down some of that need I was feeling.  It may have been a place to rest for them, but I needed their presence.  I really did.

 David and I went on a double date with Levi and his girlfriend, Rachel.  We went to watch an outside production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  I still can't believe Levi agreed to go on a double date with his parents.  Well, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.  I mean, it is Levi.  He's just not an average teenager.  But still.  I don't know if the 2 teenagers would say the same thing, but David and I really enjoyed doing this with them.

Last night our family went over to the Avery's house to have dinner, smores, and play in the pool.  Earlier I wrote about Ricks College.  I met Carl and Kristie Avery at Ricks College.  Carl was my FHE brother and pranking recipient!  He make Ricks College so incredibly fun.  Incredibly fun!  And then he started to date Kristie, whom I fell in love with.  I never thought our paths would cross so many times, through all of our moves, but they have and we have got to see each other through the years because of it.  I'm blessed to have such truly good people that still want to be a part of my life.  

And that's about it.  Not a lot has happened.  But just like it always does, summer has just about passed and I've wondered where the time has gone.

Hyrum Turns 12

Hyrum had a long celebration for his birthday.  Because of schedules that weren't in sync, he got to celebrate his birthday for about 3 days.

 Hyrum had been telling me for a few weeks how much he really wished his brothers would play the game Terraria with him.  So I thought that would be a great birthday present for him.  So on Monday night, 2 days before his actual birthday, we had cake, a quick Family Home Evening, and then the boys (with Daddy) played Terraria for a few hours.  It was a simple gift but it was one he had been wanting for a long time.

 The next night, Hyrum and I drove to Washington Terrace to pick up the Peer boys and took them to a trampoline park in Ogden.  It was pretty unique compared to other ones because of the extra amenities that this one had.  But most importantly, he got to spend time with his old friends that he misses a lot.

He opened presents from family on Wednesday, his actual birthday.

We are just one year away from having 3 teenagers.  And yet, Hyrum is still so young in the way he acts that it doesn't seem like that could be possible.  But I'm so grateful he is that way.  He still has such an innocence about him.  He starts Junior High this year.  He still loves playing on the computer or X Box.  He is loyal, kind, and faithful.  He is a good example to me of just believing in simple concepts...usually the very things that most adults have a problem with because they lack faith.  I love my 12 year old very much and am so grateful he is in my life.