This 1st week of 2010 has not been terribly kind. I was knocked flat with strep throat, and have finally come back to the land of the living to find it is Thursday and I am terribly behind in life, laundry and drinking/eating (lost 10 lbs though!) Jestin has been incredible to keep the home fires burning as far as feeding, shuttling car pool for school and dishes. Our home still looks almost like it did the day after Christmas (you know...like Christmas threw up all over LOL) but the kids have quietly played near by, or watched netflix on the Wii while I tossed and turned in fits of agony/sleep on the couch. It was fun. (not)
On an upnote, Jes had two small jobs this week. We may make the rest of the payments we needed to pay last month, with the exception of our mortgages, which are in modification process still (though we have a trustee sale date of January 28th!) and the supply house bill that seems to never end. This recession has kicked our butts so hard we have lost the ability to let it get us down. Curse or blessing? Not sure. We just find joy in each other, in life, in serving and in living the gospel and leave the rest to God. I guess if we end up living in the camp trailer for a while... maybe we will start traveling the country like snow birds? Bwahahaha
He is still applying anywhere and everywhere. We can't believe how qualified out of a job he is. Small jobs keep trickling in, and meeting our very most basic "needs" so we wonder what that means? Is the answer "hang on a little longer and your business will pick up" or is it "you are not looking in the right places" or is it "the path was present months ago and you missed it" or is it "have faith...keep being 'an example' to others...and we'll see just how much you can really endure before you both are in the nuthouse/poorhouse"?? Bwahahaha. All we get when we seek answers is peace. Handy... but terribly helpful.
Emma was not happy to start the second half of the year. She is SO like Jes in regards to change. She wants things to stay the same. She is adjusting. She wrapped up her voice class and now is starting piano! :) She is excited! She has been a strellar little woman these last 5 weeks. I am telling ya, if you are going to have a stroke and try to keep a family of 6 running, everyone needs an Emma. I would be lost without her. She is starting to wear thin, but I have improved so much I am trying to take on much more and let her be the sister again instead of "mom's manager" (you know...like I am the CEO and she is the running manager LOL) She is just awesome and I am so lucky to have her. She really is one of my best friends.
Cody is plugging along. Most people think he is Jes on the phone now his voice has changed so much! He is officially a 1/4" taller than Emma and quickly approaching me. *sigh* He's 11. Heaven help us! I just pulled up our family photos from Fall 2008 and there was Cody, walking next to Jes, and he barely reached his shoulder! No wonder we can't keep the boy clothed and shoed! LOL He also has quite the fuzzy mexican lip fuzz (ucky) but we are trying to avoid his shaving for a little while yet. Poor thing! He is loving his newest game for the DS - Bookworm - and we don't mind him playing for hours! (especially when he teaches us all the meanings of new words! :) )
Cameron is doing much better these days. He was really acting out for a while. Jes discovered the discipline tool that works with his personality. Push ups. Without fail... they impact his behavior for the better. It's so crazy how they all respond so differently to different parenting styles. It's a lotta work to be a parent and figure them all out! Until they have a growth spurt/hormones and everything changes! Tee hee! He is loving the MP3 player Santa brought him for Christmas and is often listening and singing (*grin*) while wandering about the house. Tee hee. yes it is off key because he can't hear himself. It's funny. Sorry. We giggle.
Caleb is bursting forth into independence. It is a blessing... and a sorrow. He really doesn't "need" me for any of his basic care anymore. He eats, dresses, showers, pottys, makes his own food, brushes teeth, etc etc. I still get to read to him, but that is quickly going to be coming to an end. He is not the baby anymore. And he is amazing! He can put together practically ANY puzzle, build anything he sees out of anything he wants (ie; paper, cardboard, clay, garbage) He is quite the inventor. It's fun.
The chickens are having a hard time with the cold weather. Jes put a heat lamp in the coop, but now they tend to pick on each other a little bit more... maybe because they can see each other all night? One of them grabbed the comb of another during the night one night last week and spread loaded the coop with blood all over. It was a mess! Silly birds! We are only adveraging 3-6 eggs a day from all 10 birds.
Stroke recovery is moving forward. I am slightly affraid that more is coming before it is over, simply because many of the avenues I need/want to chase are not fesible for me/us right now, but I am holding tight to my priesthood blessings, and hoping my interpretations and understandings are what the Lord really meant. ;) This illness has set me back a bit, but my Dr. ordered one more round of steriods to help promote healing in the brain, so that is good. The biggest loss I have found with the strep is my speech. Reading aloud (one of my exercises) is torture! I have lost something there. Can't say big words, complicated sentences, etc. I am looking forward with great joy to a time when Jen can come and do my massage therapy again as well. We haven't been able to hook up since Christmas, and now with being sick all week, I am betting someone else will get it, so we are not up for visitors to take it home with them! : P The other thing I am looking forward to with great joy is driving again. I am SO stir crazy not being able to do what I want/need to without needing someone else to take me. It's hard.
Anywho... That is a quick update on us. How are all of you? We need to keep up on here better. We really enjoyed having you that could come down for Christmas! Dinner was lovely and the chance to hang out was even better! (and thanks for letting us feed the Wilkin's as well... she is telling everyone in the ward how absolutely amzing my family is... it's a story they will all hear over and over and over now *GRIN* you'll be famous! tee hee)
We are looking to 2011 with hope... even with this rocky start of a week. Haven't we hit the bottom yet so we can come back up? I am fully willing to submit to whatever the Lord has in store for us, I just really would like it to be a little less stressful. LOL
Love you all!
Heather
btw... had to change our look on this blog to get the photo of all of us to fit properly. Hope everyone is ok with the colors/layout etc. If anyone finds a better one...run with it ;) ((hugs))
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