Catch Up Time

 Well, what can I say?  I have slacked in my journal writing.  But, as usual, I will forgive myself for my shortcomings and move on.

Since coming back from Utah we have been keeping busy with the usual.  School, Church, Youth Activities, etc.  Young Women's has been keeping me busy...but it's the kind of busy that I love.  I absolutely love and adore the Young Women in our ward and I love having this opportunity to spend time with them.  I truly love them.  I'm very much looking forward to Young Women Camp in a few weeks!  Tuesday through Saturday...sleeping in a cabin with 15 girls (most 11-12 year old's) and one other leader - whom I've really come to love and admire over the past six months as we have been able to work together.  I am so grateful that Heavenly Father is allowing me all of these wonderful opportunities during this time in my life  It's truly a dream come true.

I started taking a six week Anatomy/Physiology class at AVC last week.  It is going to be keeping me very busy.  I've got to study/read/complete lab exercises for at least 1 chapter a day.  And these are huge and complicated chapters.  I will be gone for 4 days at YW camp...which makes the schedule even tighter.  But, with the Lord's help, I know I'll be able to do it.  I'm motivated to do well.  I want to get into the LVN program.  This is the last class that I need in order to apply to the program, which I won't be able to do until February of 2022.  I do eventually want to go to nursing school, so I'll continue to take the necessary classes in order to make that happen.  But, perhaps the LVN program will be sufficient.  I'm feeling like this is what I really need to do.  I have felt this way ever since I kneeled by my bed about a year ago and pleaded with Heavenly Father to help me get over the fact that we were done having babies...and the thought clearly came into my mind that I needed to go to nursing school.  It was a compelling thought that dried up my tears and propelled me forward.  I truly feel that it is the right path for me.  I hope that I can get accepted into the program.

This school year is nearly over.  The longest school year ever, ha ha.  I'm sick of first grade...and I think Caitlyn is as well!  I am really looking forward to the upcoming summer days.  Lizzie and I will be going to camp the 2nd week of June, a few days later is Caitlyn's birthday, Jon and Bryce will be going to camp the 3rd week, the 4th week Lizzie will be going to St. George with Jon's parents, and then the next week we will be going to Utah for about a week (over the 4th of July weekend).  Tara's family will be in CA the week after that, a few weeks later it'll be William's birthday...and then the school year will start!  We will have a 9th grader (high school!), a 7th grader (middle school!), a 4th grader, a 2nd grader, and a kindergartner.  I can't believe we have already reached the point when all of our kids will be school-aged.  I'm going to apply to be a substitute teacher, hoping to substitute only at Del Sur.  I'll be a substitute teacher until I get accepted into the LVN program, which could possibly be next fall of 2022.

This is how I see my life going in the near future...but I recognize that Heavenly Father may have a completely different idea for my life.  I have faith that I will end up exactly where I am supposed to end up as long as I do my best to follow the guidance of the spirit.

I memorized the new Young Women Theme this week.  It is a beautiful document.

"I am a beloved daughter of Heavenly Parents with a divine nature and an eternal destiny.  As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I strive to become like Him.  I seek and act upon personal revelation and minister to others in His holy name.  I will stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places.  As I strive to qualify for exaltation, I cherish the gift of repentance, and seek to improve each day.  With faith, I will strengthen my home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, and receive the ordinances and blessings of the Holy Temple."

What beautiful words to have memorized and to be able to recall throughout the day.

Lizzie was in charge of a YW activity a few weeks ago.  She taught them how to make paper flowers.

How I love these Young Women!

We went to the park the other day (Mason had an activity days activity) and William was begging me to take his picture.  He's adorable...what more can I say?

We got Popsicles as well!

Look at that little handsome spikey-haired baby boy, baby joy...who isn't a baby any longer!

Bryce wrote Mason a letter, put it in the mailbox, and signed Ty-Ty's name to it...Bryce fooled us all - even me!  I took a picture of Mason and sent it to Tara, telling her how excited that Mason was to get Ty's letter.  She told me that Ty hasn't written Mason a letter in a year, ha ha.  We were tricked!

The birds are always trying to build a birds nest in the hanging light on our front porch.  The other day they even laid an egg in the nest, which promptly feel out of the light and shattered.

My ministering partner (Dawn Anderson) and I planned and implemented a breakfast for the sisters whom we minister to.  It was so wonderful.  The first time that we have gotten together with our sisters since the pandemic began.  Things are starting to get back to normal!  On June 6th, we are starting 2nd hour church.  It'll only be 30 minutes long...but no more zoom lessons.  Hallelujah!!

The kids loved the waffle toppings that we had for our waffle bar breakfast.  Maraschino cherries, special buttermilk homemade syrup, coconut, and Nutella.  Delicious!

Catilyn loves her teacher, Miss Roadhouse!

Mason created this card for his teacher, Mrs. Cross.  I love me sweet little Mason-Man!

William created this giant picture of himself.  He was sad when I threw it away...but I can't keep everything!

This picture popped up on our electronic picture frame.  This was Caitlyn when she was a baby, I think around 2 months old.  She cried and screamed all night long sometimes.  No matter what I did (walked around, bounced her on the exercise ball, fed her, etc.)...she just screamed.  I remember this night so clearly.  It was late.  Everyone else in the house was asleep.  And I was alone in the family room area...trying to deal with a screaming baby and failing.  I remember just putting her on the couch and taking her picture.  I knew that those sleepless nights would eventually pass and that it would only be a memory.  I was right.  The sun always rose again after those long, sleepless nights.  Things often looked better in the daytime...and then the dark nights would come again and I'd find myself alone in the dark with a screaming baby.  Those days were difficult...but I would do it again in a heartbeat.  I truly would.  How blessed I am to have been able to give birth to 5 precious babies.  The greatest blessing in my life has been the ability and blessing that I had to stay up at night and attempt to soothe them as they cried.  At times, my arms ache to go through that time again.  I would keep having baby after baby after baby if I could.  There is nothing better than being pregnant, giving birth, and caring for a baby who is entirely dependent on you.  Motherhood is the absolute greatest blessing of my life.

Here is a beautiful image that William drew.  I spelled it all out on his own.  The image is of Jesus' hand...with the nail inside and the blood all around it.  What a beautiful message.  Jesus Christ loves us...we know this from the fact that he chose to suffer and die for each and ever one of us.

Bryce got to drive the tractor for the first time last weekend!  He ended up doing quite a bit of yard work with it -- amazing how motivating a tractor could be! 

The kids were having a difficult time behaving in sacrament meeting since we started going back.  I suppose they were out of practice.  Last week, however, I bribed them.  I told them that we could make cookies after church if they behaved in sacrament meeting.  The behaved!  And they got to make cookies. Whatever works!

Mason made a lego replica of "The Iron Rod/Tree of Life" Book of Mormon Story.  I love this kid!

Caitlyn made her own version!  She is such a sweetheart!

I am so grateful that Lizzie is starting to feel better.  It was a very difficult month and half for her.  She was in tears every day from the pain.  Countless blood tests, 2 CT Scans, x-rays, an ultrasound, and multiple doctor visits all revealed that there was nothing seriously wrong.  She had an ovarian cyst.  She had remnants of Valley Fever in her lungs (the cause of the nodules that were found), and she was diagnosed with IBS and extreme constipation.  I also think that she has some anxiety going on as well. Whew!   She is now on a steady diet of water, smoothies, probiotics, and other vitamins and minerals.  She has felt a lot better.  I hope we can keep up this healthy streak!  It was so difficult seeing her suffer...and I'm sure it was awful being her, actually being the one who was suffering.

The weather has been very nice!  It's been beautiful.  Kind of hot in the middle of the day, but the mornings and the evenings are perfect.

I absolutely love and adore these five perfect humans.  I don't know what I would do without them.  My life would be void without them.  I am truly blessed!