Amidst all the day to day chaos of caring for and cleaning up after children, I feel that I really need to express my appreciation for the great kids that I have and their many great qualities.
Lets start with our oldest Rachel. She has such an amazing imagination! She is always pretending. It's hard to keep track of who she is or I am at the moment. She is often a kitty, but likes to alternate also between puppies, bunnies, kangaroos and various cartoon characters. Sam, Daddy and I are always included in the play, we then become Mommy Bunny, Daddy Bunny, and Sam Bunny. Often times we are just each other, with her being mommy, me being Rachel, Daddy being Sam, Sam being Daddy. Shrewd as she is though, while pretending to be Mommy, I said, "Mommy cleans up the house and picks up the toys, I'm Rachel I'm going to play." She quickly changed to kitty mode and I was again Mommy. She also enjoys reading and often pretends to take pictures out of the book and then play with whatever it is.
Desperately longing for summer, she puts on her swimsuit and pretends the living room floor is a pool. Education wise, she can now count to 10 and is familiar with most of the alphabet. Artistically, we have high hopes since she likes to pretend to paint(we had some bad experiences with real paints). But for the most part, she likes to be very active, always playing, always in motion. We have great hopes for athletic aspirations with how interested she is in basketballs and tennis rackets. She is very strong and determined, her first response to any kind of percieved failure is "Thats OK, try again!" She looks like she will be a really tall girl (she is built much more like Daddy than me) With rising college costs, Jacob and I can't help but think, athletic scholarship, please!
Most importantly she is very caring and loving. She is always ready with a hug. Becoming more and more generous with sharing with Sam and requesting to play with Sam everyday, she has shown what a great big sister she is. She shows a lot of concern for others, every morning she wakes up and asks "Where's Daddy? Where's Sam?" and whenever someone coughs or falls, her first question is "You Okay?" She still talks about Annie, our dog we have boarding with some family since we could not find adequate housing that would let us have pets. All her stuffed animals are named Annie and she says on occasion that she misses her. She enjoys being around other children and is very friendly when meeting any child at a playground, ready to go play with them. I have also been very impressed at her ability to adjust to all the different living situations we've gone through in such a short time. She always has such a positive attitude, as long as she has us and a few toys, she's fine. There is much I can learn from my little Rachel!
And then there's Sam...what a fun little guy! He is so happy most of the time. He loves to play with his Rachel and often mimicking what she does. He has been confidently walking since January, since then, they have been great about playing with each other. He doesn't say much yet, other than a few little words, "off, up, mama, daddy." But there is much he does say with his expressive eyes. Though he can be shy at times, he can also be very friendly and outgoing in stores smiling at and greeting anyone who cares to look. He has the best laugh, also, often laughing so hard that he falls over! He gives the greatest hugs, loving to cuddle with mommy the most. We have finally started to wean this week, with winter coming to a close. He is handing it very well. He seems almost happier to be walked and sung to than he was nursing to make him go to sleep for naps and bedtime. Being very interested in whatever mom and dad are doing, he is always there, wanting to be picked up so he can see. He loves to watch us cooking and whatever else we are up to. He often wants to "help" with the housework, his favorite chore being loading and unloading the dishwasher. He sincerely does try to clean up his spills, he will try to wipe it up with his hands and then is most delighted if you hand him a towel! You can tell he so much just wants to please us most of the time. Also, I think it is great how attached he is to everyone. He cries when Jacob or Rachel walks out the door, not just me. He has such a love for all of us. We are so blessed to have his special spirit in our home!
As I look as how truly special these little ones are, I can truly see the Saviors teaching of "Suffer the little children, for such is the kingdom of heaven."
Monday, March 3, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Life
It's been a struggle this past week to think of what to say on here without depressing people. Not that anything tragic has happened. It's just life. Doesn't John Lennon's saying "Life is what happens to us while we're busy making other plans" ring true for so many of us? We keep hoping and praying our Montana house will sell. Oh, the things we could do if we weren't saddled by that mortgage! When we're longing so much for a big event like that to happen it's easy to overlook all the many blessings the Lord has given us.
We were unpacking a few boxes and I came across my journal from 1997-2000 (college years) Often, I have avoided looking at this journal because of what a complete idiot I've perceived myself as being during this period. But, this time I decided to look. And since I started to look I couldn't put it down! There were so many great insights and realizations that I'd made that I haven't stayed in touch with over the years. Sure, I had my stupid moments, but as I read I realized that all the while I was trying to learn from these things. So if anyone out there has a journal they would just as soon shred and then burn so noone could ever piece it together. Maybe you should take a second look back at it, you could have been learning a lot valuable lessons during this time.
I found this quote taped into my journal that I'd like to share:
"If you could look into the heavens and see who you really are, you would be overwhelmed with your capabilities, your talents, your spiritual qualities, and the visions of what you are able to become. If we knew now who we really are, we would feel different about ourselves. We would be excited and enthusiastic about this life even with its burdens and frustrations."
-Harold B. Lee
I think also by looking back, it makes me so grateful that my life has turned out so well. And like in the quote I have become more than I was. Though there is still so much room for improvement! Lately, I was starting to long for those care free days of being single. Somedays, I feel so confined with two kids, no car and a big mortgage for a home we're not even living in. Why, oh, why hadn't I made even better use of those days than what I did? I especially regretted not putting things in order to serve a mission. But reading back makes me realize everything I was going through and that I really did the best that I could given the situations I faced. They weren't at all care-free. It also makes me really glad that those days are over! But in seriousness, I need to be really grateful for all that I learned during this time. And again, it makes me really grateful that I now have those blessings of marriage and family that I'd longed for so much during that time and I have this great man for my husband. He is better than anything I'd ever hoped for, prayed for or imagined at that time. The same can be said for our marriage.
So, there is much to be joyful for in old age!:-) Things aren't so bad. Just be glad that none of us ever have to be young and foolish again!
We were unpacking a few boxes and I came across my journal from 1997-2000 (college years) Often, I have avoided looking at this journal because of what a complete idiot I've perceived myself as being during this period. But, this time I decided to look. And since I started to look I couldn't put it down! There were so many great insights and realizations that I'd made that I haven't stayed in touch with over the years. Sure, I had my stupid moments, but as I read I realized that all the while I was trying to learn from these things. So if anyone out there has a journal they would just as soon shred and then burn so noone could ever piece it together. Maybe you should take a second look back at it, you could have been learning a lot valuable lessons during this time.
I found this quote taped into my journal that I'd like to share:
"If you could look into the heavens and see who you really are, you would be overwhelmed with your capabilities, your talents, your spiritual qualities, and the visions of what you are able to become. If we knew now who we really are, we would feel different about ourselves. We would be excited and enthusiastic about this life even with its burdens and frustrations."
-Harold B. Lee
I think also by looking back, it makes me so grateful that my life has turned out so well. And like in the quote I have become more than I was. Though there is still so much room for improvement! Lately, I was starting to long for those care free days of being single. Somedays, I feel so confined with two kids, no car and a big mortgage for a home we're not even living in. Why, oh, why hadn't I made even better use of those days than what I did? I especially regretted not putting things in order to serve a mission. But reading back makes me realize everything I was going through and that I really did the best that I could given the situations I faced. They weren't at all care-free. It also makes me really glad that those days are over! But in seriousness, I need to be really grateful for all that I learned during this time. And again, it makes me really grateful that I now have those blessings of marriage and family that I'd longed for so much during that time and I have this great man for my husband. He is better than anything I'd ever hoped for, prayed for or imagined at that time. The same can be said for our marriage.
So, there is much to be joyful for in old age!:-) Things aren't so bad. Just be glad that none of us ever have to be young and foolish again!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Being Born of Goodly Parents
I feel that I left out something very important in my introduction. I know I mentioned two good families that helped me out to get to where I am today, but I never mean to diminish the importance of my own parents and heritage. In a primary lesson I just taught last week it discussed a family being like a hand and we need all the fingers on our hands to work together. And in someways our whole church is like one big family, isn't that why we're called brothers and sisters? And I think sometimes there are people that come into our lives to be our extra fingers, not that the other fingers aren't equally important. Both my parents have endured so much in their lives and I admire them both for the strength they have in their individual qualities.
At the heart of my mother is about the kindest soul you will ever find. She is always so willing to help and give to others. Really, all you have to do is ask and she will do all that she can for you.
My father has shown so much strength over the years. He has always instilled in me the value of committment, never giving up. He is a great source of wisdom in many areas of life. He has also taught me how to plan for the unexpected and how to appoach all things with practicallity. Lessons I still continue to learn. I am so grateful to have had their love and support in my life. I know that they have sacrificed so much for me.
Since this is a Sucob blog my husbands parents deserve mentioning. After all as the Lord said, If ye are not one, ye are not mine.
Jacob's mother is the absolute embodiment of strength. She has overcome so much in her life. Triplets...at 40! After already having 6 other children. That says so much in who she is and what the Lord entrusted her with. She is nurturer at heart as I have seen her with her children and grandchildren. My husband's father, I have to say is one of the smartest men I've met. He has so much knowledge and ability. Just ask about taxes or family history and he will get you all set up! They are both pillars of strength in their faith. I feel so blessed to be a part of this family.
At the heart of my mother is about the kindest soul you will ever find. She is always so willing to help and give to others. Really, all you have to do is ask and she will do all that she can for you.
My father has shown so much strength over the years. He has always instilled in me the value of committment, never giving up. He is a great source of wisdom in many areas of life. He has also taught me how to plan for the unexpected and how to appoach all things with practicallity. Lessons I still continue to learn. I am so grateful to have had their love and support in my life. I know that they have sacrificed so much for me.
Since this is a Sucob blog my husbands parents deserve mentioning. After all as the Lord said, If ye are not one, ye are not mine.
Jacob's mother is the absolute embodiment of strength. She has overcome so much in her life. Triplets...at 40! After already having 6 other children. That says so much in who she is and what the Lord entrusted her with. She is nurturer at heart as I have seen her with her children and grandchildren. My husband's father, I have to say is one of the smartest men I've met. He has so much knowledge and ability. Just ask about taxes or family history and he will get you all set up! They are both pillars of strength in their faith. I feel so blessed to be a part of this family.
The Mommy Diaries
I've lately been struggling with a few common things that I'm sure all stay-at-home moms of young children go through. Maybe someone out there has a few good pointers that I haven't thought of.
Schedules: Don't have one. What is the point of one anyway if you can never stick with it, right? If Rachel wakes up early one day, she sleeps in more the next, and then does not want to get up early that day, sleeps in then is up late. I don't know, it just seems that everyday we're just trying to play it by ear of when she needs to go to bed as to avoid the melt downs. Which in of themselves aren't so bad, we can ignore the fits. But what about poor Sam who already went to bed, who her screaming will inevitably wake up. Sometime's Sam's is off also. One day he'll wake up at 6:30, the next at 9:00. I have noticed in general a 3-hour pattern of awake time, then it's time to nap. But the days get thrown off since everyday the wake up time is different. Hopefully, we'll figure this one out somehow.
Empty Mental Time: Being a stay-at-home, physically, can keep you very busy. But mentallty I feel like I am rotting at times. Lets face it, when the most intellectually stimulating thing you do all day is debate the rules of Candy Land (Do you have to draw a purple card to win it? If you draw two oranges at the beginning can you still go up the rainbow? What about gum drop pass?) the mind starts to go. Sometimes I can become filled with discouragement with dwelling on all my inadequacies, the unalterable past decisions, and the uncertainty of the future. When I was in Montana I helped fill this gap with going back to work. But now I am determined not to give into that temptation.(Tempting also of course for the financial perks) We have found that it creates more problems than it solves. That is how our schedules got so messed up to begin with. (I worked night shifts)And it just seems to make life harder on everyone. I find this blog is helping some to fill the gap, so I can go through out the day thinking about things that might be worthwhile to say on here. It seems more fulfilling than a journal which I know, nobody looks at, and it is just not very gratifying for me. This I type up and it looks all pretty and instead of someday when I'm dead my children will read it and feel inspired in someway, I might be able to help someone now and also print it up to keep for posterities sake. Also, I am reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish. I did once before when I was in Ecuador. I am surprised how much vocabulary is coming back to me. With Jacobs job he will get to travel to Central and South America. (He served his mission in Guatemala) I am hoping someday to catch up with him. Even bettter, sometime we'll spring for a plane ticket and I can come along!
Pattern of Prayer: I went to the Leadership meeting on Saturday where President Monson spoke for the first time. He said the number one thing we can do for our families is to establish a pattern of prayer. That is a struggle for us at times, for a while we got so busy we weren't saying prayers at all. Even for dinner, we'd just grab our food and go off somewhere to eat. It has been difficult to teach Rachel about this also. At first she was excited about it, but when it became an everyday thing, especially a bed time thing she has not wanted to do it. So we are trying to say her prayers before reading stories or any other pre-bedtime activities. We're hoping this will help some. Plus Jacob and I are working on getting back into the pattern of family(also before dinner and staying at the table), couple, and personal prayers. We have noticed our spirits have been lifted up some and our relationship has been strengthened since we've started to do this again.
Schedules: Don't have one. What is the point of one anyway if you can never stick with it, right? If Rachel wakes up early one day, she sleeps in more the next, and then does not want to get up early that day, sleeps in then is up late. I don't know, it just seems that everyday we're just trying to play it by ear of when she needs to go to bed as to avoid the melt downs. Which in of themselves aren't so bad, we can ignore the fits. But what about poor Sam who already went to bed, who her screaming will inevitably wake up. Sometime's Sam's is off also. One day he'll wake up at 6:30, the next at 9:00. I have noticed in general a 3-hour pattern of awake time, then it's time to nap. But the days get thrown off since everyday the wake up time is different. Hopefully, we'll figure this one out somehow.
Empty Mental Time: Being a stay-at-home, physically, can keep you very busy. But mentallty I feel like I am rotting at times. Lets face it, when the most intellectually stimulating thing you do all day is debate the rules of Candy Land (Do you have to draw a purple card to win it? If you draw two oranges at the beginning can you still go up the rainbow? What about gum drop pass?) the mind starts to go. Sometimes I can become filled with discouragement with dwelling on all my inadequacies, the unalterable past decisions, and the uncertainty of the future. When I was in Montana I helped fill this gap with going back to work. But now I am determined not to give into that temptation.(Tempting also of course for the financial perks) We have found that it creates more problems than it solves. That is how our schedules got so messed up to begin with. (I worked night shifts)And it just seems to make life harder on everyone. I find this blog is helping some to fill the gap, so I can go through out the day thinking about things that might be worthwhile to say on here. It seems more fulfilling than a journal which I know, nobody looks at, and it is just not very gratifying for me. This I type up and it looks all pretty and instead of someday when I'm dead my children will read it and feel inspired in someway, I might be able to help someone now and also print it up to keep for posterities sake. Also, I am reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish. I did once before when I was in Ecuador. I am surprised how much vocabulary is coming back to me. With Jacobs job he will get to travel to Central and South America. (He served his mission in Guatemala) I am hoping someday to catch up with him. Even bettter, sometime we'll spring for a plane ticket and I can come along!
Pattern of Prayer: I went to the Leadership meeting on Saturday where President Monson spoke for the first time. He said the number one thing we can do for our families is to establish a pattern of prayer. That is a struggle for us at times, for a while we got so busy we weren't saying prayers at all. Even for dinner, we'd just grab our food and go off somewhere to eat. It has been difficult to teach Rachel about this also. At first she was excited about it, but when it became an everyday thing, especially a bed time thing she has not wanted to do it. So we are trying to say her prayers before reading stories or any other pre-bedtime activities. We're hoping this will help some. Plus Jacob and I are working on getting back into the pattern of family(also before dinner and staying at the table), couple, and personal prayers. We have noticed our spirits have been lifted up some and our relationship has been strengthened since we've started to do this again.
Not That We Are Glad
I feel the need to emphasize that we are not always glad that these things happen. Not that it is by any means what we wanted to happen. For example, I will never be glad about the passing of my brother. Though I have tried to learn from it. But I think to be grateful is to try to look at the whole picture of what has happened because of this trial. One might have developed more in areas of charity, patience, humility...who knows... But the important thing is to recognize what, perhaps, the Lord is trying to teach us, rather than to bemoan our fate.
I thought that these scriptures in D&C put things much more eloquently than I can. Note the emphasis on bear all things and then recieve all things with thankfulness.
17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are as little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.
19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more
I thought that these scriptures in D&C put things much more eloquently than I can. Note the emphasis on bear all things and then recieve all things with thankfulness.
17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are as little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.
19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more
Monday, February 11, 2008
Introduction
Hello to the world of blogging! I can't believe how easy this was to start! I just was never sure if I was quite bright enough to even figure out how to do this. But it is surprisingly easy!
Obviously, most of you know me already if you've come to this page. But to the person that might be randomly surfing or maybe has never even known me that well. I'll give a little introduction. My name is Susan Davis, formerly Domer, my husbands name is Jacob and we have 2 kids, Rachel Nictae who will be 4 in March, and Samuel Quentin who is now 14 months old. We met at the LDS institute ward in Corvallis, Oregon and we're married not quite 3 months later in the Portland, Oregon LDS temple. Fast I know, especially considering it wasn't exactly love at first sight. (Maybe for him, but not me:))But about 1 month into our friendship we both realized, that Bam! This is the person for me! There was such a strength in that realization, we just knew, as strongly as we have ever known anything that we were to get married. And everyday I am grateful for that realization and that I am married to this wonderful person and that we have the greatest friendship I have ever had with another person. How grateful I am that I opened myself up to his friendship and didn't follow my initial shallow instincts in thinking well... he's a geek. And though, he still is a geek, I get him and I realize that I am a bit of a geek also.
Prior to all this, I grew up mostly in Plevna, MT. A very, I mean very small town out in Eastern Montana. The population is approximately 150, there were 10 kids in my graduating class. Most of the student body was from farms/ranches outside of Plevna. I was the only LDS person in my school. And in all honesty, never really found my place among them. With the exception of one very faithful family who had two younger children. This family is who I learned so much from drew so much spiritual strength from. They will always be close to my heart and I will forever be grateful to them for all the support and love they've given to me.
In life after high school...Truly the beginning of life! By no means, the best years of life. I attended Ricks College (now BYU-ID) A year of pre-requisites and 2 years of nursing program later, I became an RN. During this time I also got to have the experience of attending BYU-Jerusalem for 4 months. I am so grateful for the freindships I made during these years and for even the trials I had. And how did I end up out in Oregon, from Ricks? That was all the result of a very big trial when a very good friend knew what to do and how to help me and wasn't afraid to offer the help that I needed. My friend was from Corvallis and I stayed with her and her family. I will always love her and her family! ( On a side note, I spent 4 months in Ecuador volunteering in orphanages with a program called OSSO, right before I met Jacob, I will be setting up a link to their home page). I also have to say how grateful I am for having these years to get my education, have a chance to travel, to serve and develop my talents! It all went towards preparing me for my marriage. And anymore I don't get to get out nearly so much! From there I fell in love with Oregon and eventually found my sweet husband who I've already said so much about.
I have moved personally many times in my life, and since my marriage to Jacob, I figured out that we have moved 9 times in the past 5 1/2 years. Five of those being interstate moves. Oregon to Arizona to Oregon to Montana to Utah. Our latest move has been one of the greatest trials of faith we've gone through. One week, I am not kidding, one week after we moved into our custom built dream home we had constructed for us in Montana that we spent the previous two years dreaming about, working and saving for(we had a fixer-upper for our first home that we flipped to be able to afford this one), Jacob got a call for a job in Utah. He had interviewed with this company back in January. He had a slight interest in them and it would not have been a huge strain to finish up the house, sell it and move to Utah at the time. But we never heard back, we forgot about it, it was not a big deal. He got this call. The job was better, the job was a really exciting opportunity compared to the one he had initially interviewed for. They had remembered him and thought he would be perfect for it. It hadn't even been posted yet. What a shock it was! But we just had gotten our house... It was very tempting and would have been so much easier to turn it down... his MT employer even offered a raise to stay. But we made the mistake of praying about it...:) And the right thing to do Jacob felt overwhelmingly so and I felt at peace about was to take the job and move to Utah. Four months later, our house is still for sale. But I have become grateful for this trial. We have conscientously budgeted our money for only those things we need. I have lost weight! Due to not eating out and not buying junk foods. We have not jumped right into another house, which we probably would have done, had it sold right away. This has given us the leisure of time and to be thoughtful and prayerful about going into another mortgage. I have realized that maybe I would like less house next so we don't have to live on such a tight budget with the next mortgage. And how grateful I will be to even have a house! As much as I would complain about the maintenance that it requires, I truly miss having the opportuntity to develop the talents of painting, gardening, etc that home ownership provides for. I am very humbled about how unimportant material things truly are and how quickly it can all be taken away. And those things which truly matter are our families, the gospel, service and maintaining our own sense of peace.
We had a talk in Sacrament a few weeks ago about being grateful for all things, even our trials. This brought on a great deal of reflection about the trials I've had in life and how I can be grateful for them. The house was the first thing that came to mind which is how I came to the above conclusions. But then I've thought, about how everything has worked together, the good and the bad to bring to the point I'm at in my life today. What about the arguments we've had, the downright conflicts with others? Sometimes I come to the realization of what their view point is, why they felt that way, what experiences in life they've had to make them the way they are. Which then in turn makes me more grateful for these interactions to help me be more empathetic with others. Not that by any stretch of the word I am perfect. Sometimes the only conclusion I can come to is: Wow.
I know there are people out there who have had a lot bigger trials than I can even imagine. There is one sweet person who is in my e-mail adress book who has lost more than I can even fathom in a very short period of time: a mother, husband, neice and nephew she was very close to. How grateful I am for all the lives that I have involved with mine, to try to cherish them, because it can slip away from us so easily...
Of course with these postings, I hope to keep family and friends up to date on all that is going on our lives. And especially, I hope to be able to reach out there to others. It's easy to be grateful for the the good things, the kids, the house, etc. But to be grateul for all things, well, that is a challenge. Isn't it? Like a good friend recently told me, we all take different roads to learn the same things. Maybe there are those with trials I might be able to uplift, maybe they can relate to my own, maybe this will help someone realize how they're trials are really disguised as blessings in some way and that their burdens might be made a little lighter.
Obviously, most of you know me already if you've come to this page. But to the person that might be randomly surfing or maybe has never even known me that well. I'll give a little introduction. My name is Susan Davis, formerly Domer, my husbands name is Jacob and we have 2 kids, Rachel Nictae who will be 4 in March, and Samuel Quentin who is now 14 months old. We met at the LDS institute ward in Corvallis, Oregon and we're married not quite 3 months later in the Portland, Oregon LDS temple. Fast I know, especially considering it wasn't exactly love at first sight. (Maybe for him, but not me:))But about 1 month into our friendship we both realized, that Bam! This is the person for me! There was such a strength in that realization, we just knew, as strongly as we have ever known anything that we were to get married. And everyday I am grateful for that realization and that I am married to this wonderful person and that we have the greatest friendship I have ever had with another person. How grateful I am that I opened myself up to his friendship and didn't follow my initial shallow instincts in thinking well... he's a geek. And though, he still is a geek, I get him and I realize that I am a bit of a geek also.
Prior to all this, I grew up mostly in Plevna, MT. A very, I mean very small town out in Eastern Montana. The population is approximately 150, there were 10 kids in my graduating class. Most of the student body was from farms/ranches outside of Plevna. I was the only LDS person in my school. And in all honesty, never really found my place among them. With the exception of one very faithful family who had two younger children. This family is who I learned so much from drew so much spiritual strength from. They will always be close to my heart and I will forever be grateful to them for all the support and love they've given to me.
In life after high school...Truly the beginning of life! By no means, the best years of life. I attended Ricks College (now BYU-ID) A year of pre-requisites and 2 years of nursing program later, I became an RN. During this time I also got to have the experience of attending BYU-Jerusalem for 4 months. I am so grateful for the freindships I made during these years and for even the trials I had. And how did I end up out in Oregon, from Ricks? That was all the result of a very big trial when a very good friend knew what to do and how to help me and wasn't afraid to offer the help that I needed. My friend was from Corvallis and I stayed with her and her family. I will always love her and her family! ( On a side note, I spent 4 months in Ecuador volunteering in orphanages with a program called OSSO, right before I met Jacob, I will be setting up a link to their home page). I also have to say how grateful I am for having these years to get my education, have a chance to travel, to serve and develop my talents! It all went towards preparing me for my marriage. And anymore I don't get to get out nearly so much! From there I fell in love with Oregon and eventually found my sweet husband who I've already said so much about.
I have moved personally many times in my life, and since my marriage to Jacob, I figured out that we have moved 9 times in the past 5 1/2 years. Five of those being interstate moves. Oregon to Arizona to Oregon to Montana to Utah. Our latest move has been one of the greatest trials of faith we've gone through. One week, I am not kidding, one week after we moved into our custom built dream home we had constructed for us in Montana that we spent the previous two years dreaming about, working and saving for(we had a fixer-upper for our first home that we flipped to be able to afford this one), Jacob got a call for a job in Utah. He had interviewed with this company back in January. He had a slight interest in them and it would not have been a huge strain to finish up the house, sell it and move to Utah at the time. But we never heard back, we forgot about it, it was not a big deal. He got this call. The job was better, the job was a really exciting opportunity compared to the one he had initially interviewed for. They had remembered him and thought he would be perfect for it. It hadn't even been posted yet. What a shock it was! But we just had gotten our house... It was very tempting and would have been so much easier to turn it down... his MT employer even offered a raise to stay. But we made the mistake of praying about it...:) And the right thing to do Jacob felt overwhelmingly so and I felt at peace about was to take the job and move to Utah. Four months later, our house is still for sale. But I have become grateful for this trial. We have conscientously budgeted our money for only those things we need. I have lost weight! Due to not eating out and not buying junk foods. We have not jumped right into another house, which we probably would have done, had it sold right away. This has given us the leisure of time and to be thoughtful and prayerful about going into another mortgage. I have realized that maybe I would like less house next so we don't have to live on such a tight budget with the next mortgage. And how grateful I will be to even have a house! As much as I would complain about the maintenance that it requires, I truly miss having the opportuntity to develop the talents of painting, gardening, etc that home ownership provides for. I am very humbled about how unimportant material things truly are and how quickly it can all be taken away. And those things which truly matter are our families, the gospel, service and maintaining our own sense of peace.
We had a talk in Sacrament a few weeks ago about being grateful for all things, even our trials. This brought on a great deal of reflection about the trials I've had in life and how I can be grateful for them. The house was the first thing that came to mind which is how I came to the above conclusions. But then I've thought, about how everything has worked together, the good and the bad to bring to the point I'm at in my life today. What about the arguments we've had, the downright conflicts with others? Sometimes I come to the realization of what their view point is, why they felt that way, what experiences in life they've had to make them the way they are. Which then in turn makes me more grateful for these interactions to help me be more empathetic with others. Not that by any stretch of the word I am perfect. Sometimes the only conclusion I can come to is: Wow.
I know there are people out there who have had a lot bigger trials than I can even imagine. There is one sweet person who is in my e-mail adress book who has lost more than I can even fathom in a very short period of time: a mother, husband, neice and nephew she was very close to. How grateful I am for all the lives that I have involved with mine, to try to cherish them, because it can slip away from us so easily...
Of course with these postings, I hope to keep family and friends up to date on all that is going on our lives. And especially, I hope to be able to reach out there to others. It's easy to be grateful for the the good things, the kids, the house, etc. But to be grateul for all things, well, that is a challenge. Isn't it? Like a good friend recently told me, we all take different roads to learn the same things. Maybe there are those with trials I might be able to uplift, maybe they can relate to my own, maybe this will help someone realize how they're trials are really disguised as blessings in some way and that their burdens might be made a little lighter.
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