Spiritual Menu Board

Well, it has been over a year since I posted here. I'm not even going to pretend to make excuses. I'm just not a very good blogger. But today, I feel like I have something to say. Jacom has been gone for almost 10 months. It has been very difficult and very fulfilling taking care of things with him gone. I sometimes wonder how I'm going to get through a day, but then I look back and I am amazed at the things that I was able to get done. I have been able to do so much more than I ever imagined possible this past year. I moved while pregnant, without a husband, but with the help of many wonderful family members and friends. I took care of my 2-year-old, had a baby with skype as my only link to my husband, without any medication I might add, and I have been taking care of a baby and a toddler on my own for the last four months. Now I am not trying to boast of myself. I know there is no way I ever would have been able to do this on my own. I have been bolstered and strengthened in so many ways. My life has been touched by the caring and service of ward members, family members, my dear army wives, and my wonderful husband who is half a world away. The saying, you never know what you have until it is gone is sooo true! Jacom and I both didn't realize how blessed we were, until he left.
That being said, I didn't get on here to write about my struggles as an army wife. I have another goal in mind. Last night I made a menu board. I know many people who have them, and I have seen them all over pinterest. And, finallly, I got the materials to make my own. I was so excited, because I hate the idea of coming up with a menu and a shopping list for the week. I hate it mostly because I hate going out shopping-late at night if I don't want to take my kids with me, or with a crying baby and a whiny toddler in tow. So, I figured that if I finally got a tangible menu board, I might do better with figuring out what to fix and writing down my shopping list. I made it. It is super cute! I am so excited to use it. I even wrote out tonight's dinner menu to start off using it with a bang.

This morning, as I got ready to go to church, (I was blessed to be able to sleep in til 7:30 because of daylight  savings time throwing off my children's sleep patterns) I started to think about how excited I am to use my menu board. Then I paused and thought about my spiritual menu. Here I am constantly thinking about what I am going to fix for dinner, if I have to go to the store, how good it is going to taste and if my toddler will eat it. I rarely think about what is on the daily spiritual menu. I say my prayers, I read my scriptures, I try to teach my children to love the Lord, but half the time, when I think of spiritual things it is a half-hearted thought.

I have decided I am not a very good blogger. I have been so busy taking care of other things that this becomes my very last priority. As of now, Jacom and I are living in Heber City, having a great time. Andre is the most adorable child in the world. His smile is what keeps me going! Jacom is working as an Electrician and doing really well with it. He is also preparing for deployment with the Utah National Guard. I can't say when the deployment is, so don't ask. We are all getting ready for this monumental change in our lives.

As I prepare for this event that I really never wanted to come, I think about all of the other families who have gone through this same situation. I have often wondered, "How do they do it?" I was one of those girls who swore I would never marry a military man. I didn't want to be the wife sitting at home worrying about whether or not I would ever see my husband again. I guess the Lord had something completely different in mind for me. I am sure this is going to be a time of learning and growing, full of ups and downs. I am grateful for the time that I have been able to spend with my husband and the fact that we are sealed to each other for time and eternity. I most definitely don't know what I would do without the knowledge of God in my life. He is ever present. I really wonder how people who don't believe in God can even deal in situations like this. Just knowing that this life is not the end makes things so much more bearable.

My heart goes out to all of the families who are missing their loved ones in the armed forces. You are amazing. And no one understands until they have been there. Thank goodness for our military. They are keeping this country free.

Happy Sunday

Jacom came home for Christmas! I was so glad to have him home. I haven't blogged in quite awhile, but Jacom has been in Basic Training. We were lucky to have him for two great weeks in December. We went to my parents' house and took family pictures. I love dressin Andre in his Santa suit. He just looks so cute!

Hand Cream and Bread Dough

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So Andre is 3 months and one week old. I can't believe how quickly he is growing. We started him on rice cereal last week and he likes it now. He has had some rough times, but he is doing so good. He is such a beautiful little boy. When he smiles it lights up my whole world! He has gone to the doctor monthly since he was born because he is supposed to go at 2 months and 4 months, and at 1 month he was not feeling well, and 3 months he wasn't doing so good either. I guess we will see at 5 months. :) Jacom is enlisting in the National Guard this week and we will be moving to Heber soon, so that we can be in a place on our own. We can't say a place of our own yet, but at least we will be living on our own. :)
So it has been a few hours since I started writing this, and since then, I have discovered that Andre is teething, which would explain the drool and the crying. Poor boy. He is just growing way too fast!!!

Our Sealing!

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Andre

My beautiful son is almost 3 weeks old! He is growing soo quickly! I am so grateful for him and for everything he brings into my life- except maybe the exhaustion! Andre was born June 7, 2010 at 6:35 PM. He was 8 lbs 10 oz and 20.5 inches long. I was induced into labor that morning at 5:30. I had gone in the night before and gotten cervidil to soften the cervix. When I went in, I was dilated to a 2. Apparently I had been having some contractions, but I hadn't felt them. All that night, I had contractions, but I didn't feel them. When they started me on the Pitocin, I was still only dilated to a 2. I did start recognizing contractions, but they didn't hurt. They checked me a few hours after they had started me, and I was still only at a 2. I was not progressing at all, and they were concerned. Then at 12:00 noon, the doctor came and talked to me. He talked about sending me home on a therapeutic rest, and then he checked me, and I had dilated to a 3. The nurse asked him if he was going to try to break my water, and he said there was no try about it. He broke my water, and I started feeling the contractions much more. I was dilated to a 5 when I got the epidural. It was a perfect epidural. I didn't feel it go in, and I was still able to feel my legs and my belly, just not the pain! I started pushing at 6:00 PM. Andre's head was sideways and stuck, so he had to be vacuumed out. He screamed the instant he came out. There was no concern about his lungs. I cried when they gave him to me. It was such a miracle. The next thing I knew, I almost passed out, and I was on oxygen. I was very weak that night, and I was not able to hold my baby for very long. They did blood work on me, and the next day I had a blood transfusion. They gave me two units of blood, because my hematocrit level was extremely low. They tested my blood again Wednesday morning, and I was good to go. I was sent home with instructions to eat lots of green leafy veggies and red meat. Now I am doing much better. All is well, except that Andre is having a growth spurt which makes it hard for me to sleep. Still happy to have him here though.