Life is busy......

and crazy and happy........

.........unlike my poor neglected blog :( 

I will be back someday to chronicle our lives - but for this exact moment in our life - I am just going to have to live it - cause it sure is a roller coaster ride and I am holding on tight and smiling through it all and enjoying the ride (well - mostly ;)

I WILL be back - soon......

I think ;)

Okay - I admit it....

I lied - I wasn't really back.  I have turned into a lame blogger.  It's just that life seems to get in the way.  There is so much I want to share - but - I just don't seem to be able to MAKE the time to do it.  I have the time - I just don't take it - I choose to do some other time sucking activity - like catch up on FB or check out pinterest or something.  It is lame of me - for sure.....

I will try to be better - but - I can't promise anything - cause - well - I've turned into one of those lame-o bloggers - neglecting my poor, but still loved, blog.  I feel like it has happened to a lot of bloggers - or a lot of my friends who have kids with ds, anyways.  But, I think it is important to share our kids and their lives as they grow - as that always seems to be a theme of people looking for information when they are deciding whether to terminate or not - where are the stories of all the older children and young adults..... 

Soooo - I plan to start blogging again - soon - really....

REALLY REALLY!!!!!!

I'm Grateful!!!!

that C is coming home today.   Soooo behind on my blog posts - but, as you recall, C and G got married in April, and G whisked her away to work in Washington state - sooooo she has been gone since MAY!!!  For a momma who has never gone more than a few weeks without seeing her kiddos, 2 months is a loooooong time :(  

Sooooo - today - C is coming home for a few weeks, and I am soooooo excited to see her!  I have missed her so, so, SO much!!!!  

Can't wait!!!!!

Sunday Grains of Gratitude :)

 

 I'mmmmm back! 

Well - maybe LOL  I'm trying to be back - is that good enough?  These last couple of years have been so dang busy, I just haven't had time to blog - I am sure I will regret that some day, when I look back and don't have any record of our day to day or week to week - since I use my blog as a journal, of sorts :(   Of course there are things I don't want to remember - icky school years and frustrations, disappointments, frustrations, sadness, anger etc....  but - those are all things that are part of being human, and living, and part of the journey.  Things that help us learn and grow and know that we can overcome - so in a way, it would probably have been good if I had included all those posts.  They just weren't very fun to write - so I figured they wouldn't be very fun to read either.  Sooooo - no posts :)

But - how appropriate that my first post back is a grains post?  Because, isn't that one of the most important parts of our lives - expressing gratitude?  Don't things always go better if we do this on a regular basis?  I really believe so - looking for all the good, because it is there, when things are NOT going so good, is never an exercise in futility - it's always worth it!

Soooo - here it is!

This week I'm grateful.....

That my 3 younger kids are done with school - woot woot!  H will never have to wear a uniform again (well - until he goes on his mission, then suits and ties will be the outfit of the day - er - two years).  Brady can put an awful and frustrating 3rd grade experience behind him - and hopefully we will move on to better and healthier years - starting NOW :)   I am so happy to be out for summer!

That J was able to get his grades up enough to still be eligible for a significant scholarship that will pay his half of housing for a couple of years (if he keeps his grades up) - woot woot - that will be so helpful - with our two weddings 4 months apart :)  He has worked very hard to stay on top of things and to do well on his assignments and tests this last month (okay, okay - he was under a little duress from mom and dad) and I am proud of him for actually knuckling down....  Now on to his eagle...  I think he thinks it will never end....  Ummmm- yup - welcome to real life :)

That we were able to go out to Missouri for C's and G's open house/reception.  It was fun to see G's home and the state where he grew up.  I loved going to church history sights and the spirit we felt there.  I can only imagine the distress of the pioneers when the governor issued an extermination order - how did those sweet mothers and fathers bear it - so much hatred :(  I am glad that although members of the church still suffer from bias and misunderstanding and some persecution, it isn't nearly as bad as it was in those times.  It probably is still just enough that there won't be a LDS president in the US this year ;)  They are working out of state this summer and I am going to miss them a lot - C has never been so far away from home :)   She is very excited for the adventure though :)

That K and C are moving along with their wedding plans.  K got her engagement ring this week - it is very pretty :)  They are just so in love and excited, although K says she doesn't think planning for one day should be so difficult ;) ha ha ha  It's a big day, sweetheart :)  We got to spend some time with them last night and it was fun to chat and talk :) 

That I get to see my parents this week - woot!  They are coming in for J's HS graduation :)  I am so grateful that they are healthy enough and have the means that they can come celebrate his special day with him - it means so much to all of us!  Love you Mom and Dad :)

That tomorrow is Memorial Day - I am so grateful for all those who have fought, and continue to fight for freedom and liberty in the world and at home.  Grateful for those who died, who gave their lives for freedom.  I include pioneers, and ancestors who sacrificed everything to come to the US, along with servicemen and women.  When you think about it - soooo many have gone before us, and sacrificed much to help us have the freedom that we have now, the lives and luxuries that we enjoy that so many many others around the world don't have, the relative peace that we live in.  I am grateful, so very grateful.....

What are YOU grateful for today?

Changes, changes, changes - but change is good - right????

Wow - you can tell it's been a while since I've blogged - Blogger has totally changed!  I'm not sure I am tech savvy enough to blog anymore ;)  ha ha ha  

But - Blogger isn't the only one who's gone through some changes!  Take a look at our KIDS!  See anything different?  Ummmm - like maybe a few more?  

No, no - we didn't adopt them (well - maybe our daughters did ;) ha ha ha  But - they ARE now a part of our family!  C and G were married last month, and K and C will be married this summer!  

I know - crazy eh???  I'm FAR too young to be a mother-in-law :) ha ha ha

And, of course, I won't be one of THOSE mother-in-laws anyway :)  I promise G and C :)

Soooo - there you have it - the boys now wayyyy outnumber the girls :)  

Just thought I should share our big news with our friends not on FB :)   Brady's bunch is GROWING!!!!!

Hoppy Easter!!!

May you all have a blessed Easter! So grateful for my Savior who atoned for my sins, gave his life for me, and was resurrected and made it so I can live with Him and my Heavenly Father once more. He is risen!!!! Happy Easter!!!

You know those nights....

the ones where you sleep - then get woken up - then can't go back to sleep?

Those ones?

Well - tonight - actually last night - actually right now - yup - it's one of em.....

I hate it when they happen - but yet - the quiet, the peace, the stillness - and knowing that each one of my babies - and a couple of other people's babies - are safe and sound and off in dreamland, under my roof - is a comforting thought. After all - soon my one baby (who is TWENTY today) will officially fly the nest and belong to someone else. 3 more weeks and she won't even share my same last name. She is, of course, totally over the moon - and rightfully so. We are also so excited for her - and at the same time, it is a little bittersweet - because after all - just like my momma said - and you hear so much and think - oh that is soooo cliche... it goes soooo fast. Don't blink - or you might miss it.....

Missed opportunities - I think about those all the time. This song from Mama Mia! goes through my head on occasion......



but at the same time, I realize that I have tried my best to be the best mom I can possibly be to my kids and I hope that they know how much I love them and how wonderful I think they are. Being a mom to them has been my greatest gift, and I am grateful that I had the chance - even if we didn't get in everything I would have liked, and even though it went too fast! I am so proud of each of them and the people they have become :)

So - as I sit here - not sleeping - and thinking about the past, and the future - I wish for the very best for each of you- my sleeping babies - all grown up, and on their way to being grown up. I love you - and I'm grateful that I got to have you for a little while!