Someone has a new number!

Little Mr. Ruger has a new number!  Up until this last birthday, he was obsessed with the number 3.  We could easily say that the number 3 was his favorite number (just like his Poppy Beck!).  He would see the number 3 somewhere and yell, "That's my number!"

But now he has a new number!

 We first celebrated his birthday at MeMaw and Poppy's house with his cousin, Spencer.

 I actually really like sharing birthdays with cousins.  I think it is because most of the time, we are not living by cousins to even be able to do this.  So this is special to me.  And even more so that Ruger got to spend it with Spencer.  I say that because it was just a month or so ago that he spent the weekend, alone, with Spencer and his family.  They were so good to him and spoiled him rotten!

 I didn't really get any good pictures of him and his presents but I thought the look on his face in this one said it all!

 When his actual birthday came, our family went to Golden Coral.  I love this picture because of the raspberry that he is making in it.  I am kinda fascinated with the way that people do raspberries.  I know it is weird, but if you look at the way each person does it, they all do it differently with their mouths.  They do!  I'm not crazy!  Well, Ruger is the only person that I know that does it like me!  Both of our top lips go so far up that it almost touches our noses when we make the sound.

 Our "server" brought over a little treat for the birthday boy!

So this boy....where do I start?  He is still the most active child that I have EVER met.  And as much as it is exhausting, I couldn't imagine him any other way now.  I used to dream of him calming down.  Now with him in daycare while I home school Brigham and Hyrum, Ruger seems so much more enjoyable.  He definitely makes me laugh!  

We had a "Linger Longer" after church this last Sunday.  A linger longer is when people bring food for a potluck after church.  You get to sit at tables with friends or new people that you want to get to know better.  Well, Ruger is obsessed with the missionaries right now.  He talks about them a lot.  A few Sundays ago, we were in Sacrament and he started to draw a picture.  All of a sudden he gets up, runs to the missionaries a few rows back and hands them his picture and starts talking to them.  Yes, right in the middle of the meeting!  

So we are at this linger longer and he will not leave us alone about how the missionaries have to sit by us.  They were adorable with him.  One of the guys that was sitting next to us said something about how hard it would be to get mad at someone so energetic like Ruger.  That has come to my mind a few times since then.  That same energy that Brother Lawrence was talking about is what used to drive me nuts about Ruger.  It was exhausting but now I'm seeing more and more how it is infectious.  People just want to be around him.  They really do.

Thankful For Friendship

When we come back to Jay in December I really want to focus on my family as well as David and I anniversary, so I made it a point to see as many friends as I could during our little trip in Jay over Thanksgiving break.

Seemed fitting since I'm incredibly grateful for my life-long friendships that I have with these girls.

Like I was saying in my last entry, I was really struggling with fatigue but the girls did have me laughing at times so that helped a lot.  Or had me remembering how easy it has always been to talk to them.  Once I remembered that, I could relax more and just enjoy the time spent with them.

I've said it so many times before, and I'll say it again, I really do have the greatest friends.  They are good to me.  They love me.  And they support me.

Thanksgiving 2018

Cousins...

 ...cousins...

 ...and more Cousins!

 Annual Turkey Football!

 Poor David had to watch from the sidelines.  He won't be playing football anytime soon with his shoulder.

Poppy lit up the house for the first time that night.

Thanksgiving was wonderful, of course, because so many of us were together for the holiday at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  But I really struggled that day.  I was pretty sure that before we left OKC, that I was dealing with a flare up and by Thanksgiving, I knew it.  I guess now is the time to journal that I have Lupus.

I've known for a few months now and instead of being devastated when the doctor told me that a few of my tests came back positive, I was actually relieved.  Relieved that I finally had an answer.  Relieved that it finally made since why I would get so tired at times, that I could hardly function properly (and that is not an exaggeration).  Relieved that I wasn't just this lazy forgetful person.  Brain fog is a real thing for someone with Lupus.  I was not like this growing up.  In fact, I'm embarrassed to admit this but I used to get mad at my Mom for forgetting a lot of stuff.  I just naturally remembered things back then.  Not anymore.  Both long and short term memory is a problem for me now.  I guess it serves me right for being irritated at something that my Mom couldn't control.  

I'm also relieved to have a little bit of justification in my depression as well, I have to admit.  Or that my excema gets worse with my Lupus flare ups.  Or that I'm just in pain.  That one is hard to explain.  

So Thanksgiving was a little rough on my body, which is always hard on my Spirit.  But I was grateful to be with my family.  This time next year, who knows where we will be, but I'm next to positive it won't be here so again I say, I'm so grateful we got to be with our family.

I'm grateful for the things I've learned about myself recently.  I'm grateful for a patient and loving family.  I'm grateful for second chances.  I'm grateful for patience and grace.

How do you view yourself?

I caught David staring at me in Sacrament meeting.  When I look like this above picture, then I can see a little bit why.  But when my hair is pulled back and I have no makeup on, and he still looks at me that way, I'm baffled.  

Growing up, my Dad used to say that my song was "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" by Sammy Kershaw.  I always put that compliment off by telling myself that he was my Dad and was supposed to think that about his daughter.  Now I have a husband who thinks I'm just as pretty and probably more.

My point is not to brag that 2 men in my life think I'm beautiful but to journal how grateful I am for men in my life who lift me up.  Who see what I can't in order to try and see myself differently.  Women are so hard on themselves and I'm no different.  I'd really like to start working on loving the inside of myself as well as the outside.

Here's to new outlooks on the way I view things!

Just another random post

Levi made some money cleaning up the temple site.  Most of his money went to Driver Ed School but some of the leftover money went to this Ramen hoodie.

 It made me laugh because of the obvious but also because it reminded me of my youth.  I spent my money on clothes all the time...and then I lived on my own and became really cheap.  Ha!

 Just a cute fall school picture of Ruger.

 I had a Pinterest Party today with some friends that I go to church with.

 So, everyone found something on Pinterest and made 3 of them.  We put our names 3 times in a bowl and then drew names when it was our turn to show everyone what we made. You then give your creations to the 3 names that you drew.  This way, you come to the party with 3 things that you made and leave with 3 new things.  I really, really enjoyed the time spent with these ladies that I look up to.

This picture of Brigham, on Halloween night, is all his creation!  He and David went to Goodwill and found this ensemble.  He called himself the "Taco Bandit." 

K.I.S.S. Crop 2018

Years ago, I was able to go to a couple of scrapbooking weekends with my sisters and Mom.  But this year and last, while living here in Oklahoma, I have been able to do it each year with them.  Both times it was just what I needed at that time. 

It was at the Grove Convention Center again.  About 400 women attended.

(One of the projects I worked on)

 Twinkies in style and heart.  My Sister, My Friend.

I laughed at silly things.  I cried over sweet realizations.  And I grew closer to these wonderful women in  my life.

Parks

One of the Sunday activities that we like to do is to go to parks.  Sometimes it's a walking trail and sometimes its a playground.

 Route 66 Park

 Piedmont Community Park

Of course, Ruger is going to love parks.  He even likes walking trails because he seems to find excitement in most things.  But sometimes it takes a bit for the older boys to "get into it."  Usually by then, they are just goofing off but I sure do love to see them outside.