An "Ah- Ha!" moment captured- part II

I've been up for about 4 hours with a really bad migraine. Usually this is not a blessing. But tonight I'm grateful (except for the sensitivity to light and movement, the intense pain and the vomiting) because it has allowed me a lot of time to sit and ponder. It is a rare thing for me to lay still and just think without being interrupted by this chore or someone needing one thing or another. And so I've been thinking and now that my migraine medicine has kicked in I've felt the need to write down some of the things I've had on my mind.

For 6 years I worked for a company in their quality department. Lately I've been looking on that time with rose colored glasses. There were definitely some growing experiences for me during that time but for the most part I remember that time fondly. Lately though I had been looking at my time there and almost regretting (for lack of a better word) my decision to be a full time mom. Working had it's struggles but it also had benefits. One of the biggest was that I was really good at what I did. The company that hired me took a risk at hiring a 20 year old girl who didn't have a lot of real world experience but was willing to learn. There was quite a learning curve but ultimately I was good at my job. And because I was good at my job I got a lot of positive feedback; from my supervisors, from other departments and from customers internal and external. One of the main reasons I was good at my job though was because I put a lot of effort into being good at it. I had my organizational systems, I created "to-do" lists, I made a conscious effort to meet or exceed deadlines.

Lately I have 'fallen prey' to the monotony that can be stay-at-home-motherhood. But as I lay here pondering a piece of advice that I was once given kept coming to mind: "Teach your children the gospel while they are young. Do not wait until they are in their teens for this is far too late." It was such a simple thought but yet so profound and powerful. If I want to be fulfilled in my role of wife and mother I need to put as much effort into this job as I had my other job. I want my children to have an understanding of who they are and where they came from. I want to teach my children the stories in the scriptures. And moreover they want to learn! And so it's my responsibility to teach them these things that I have often taken for granted. And furthermore, it's my responsibility to make it a priority!

As I caught hold of this idea it was like my mind had been opened. Ideas for how to implement these new priorities came flooding. The importance of having family scripture study every morning became clear. Ideas for making these scripture studies continue through our daily routine and applied to today came readily. I know my Heavenly Father is aware of me and my struggles. I know that he loves me and my children more than I can comprehend. And I know that he wants me to be successful in teaching my children about Him and His plan for them. I'm grateful for this "Ah-ha" moment, and for the migraine that triggered it.

Another week, another post.

So I really do try and update every week but lately it seems like things in our lives are so much the same that it really is hard to post. Life is going to get a little more interesting I suppose. Library time started last week so I take the boys there. They enjoy it and are some of the best behaved kids there (see it pays to be a mean mommy, lol). Starting next week Joel will get to go to a church run pre-school. It's only for a couple hours or so but I think he'll enjoy it and it will be good for him. I'm really excited for him and hope that he enjoys it! He has a couple friends from OUR church who will be going (it's not sponsored by our church) and so at least he'll already have a friend or two there. Vance is in the midst of potty training although if it doesn't get better soon (we've been working on it for a week) then I'll throw in the towel and try again in a couple of months. While life is pretty typical- we go to the gym, swim, play with our neighbors, etc.- it's never dull. The boys are always so silly and just crack us up. So in light of all that, here's a video clip of Vance. (And yes we make him eat with his shirt off because it makes for easier clean up. lol) Also, I guess I should mention that Vance is having a bit of an identity crisis- it's normal, we hope he grows out of it. Luckily he will still come if we call him by his name.


So without further ado I present, You wake my BABY up!

Summer Hair Cuts

So as anyone who knows Tj knows that for the last several years (basically since we've been married) he has progressively cut his hair shorter and shorter until he could get it no shorter and now shaves his head bald. Well after many discussions the boys decided to have daddy cut their hair like his.

May I present Summer Hair Cuts in August:


Joel went first. Going.....

Going.....
Gone!
Vance watching the action. I was actually curious to see if Vance would actually follow through.
Vance's turn. Going......
Going......
Gone!
Watch out Pa! You're next. =)

Love these boys!

So these boys crack me up! I love them so much. So they have really been using their imaginations and it makes me so happy and makes me laugh. They are so smart and have memories like a steel trap- unless it conveniently forgets. So their latest imaginary situation is them pretending to be dogs. Joel is Kensie and Vance is Woof Woof. We were over at Tj's parents house and they were loving pretending to be dogs and were even playing with Molly's dog bones and Tj's dad was putting the leash on them. They randomly will decide to play Woof Woof and Kensie and sometimes that's really fun and sometimes it's a challenge. But I love that they have "their" thing.

I love that they are song birds. Music has always been such an important in my life and in so many of my memories that I think it was inevitable that I would try and share that with my boys. Tj thinks we're a little crazy sometimes because we're ALWAYS singing and making up silly songs. But I love hearing them sing to each other or to themselves, singing along with the radio or asking me to sing songs with them.

Life is chugging along. We found a little preschool that we applied for to send Joel one day a week. It's just a little church preschool but one of his friend's from church is going to attend there and I think he would enjoy and benefit from it. If not he'll hang out at home with Vance and I some more, either way I think it will be a good thing. And we got registered for the story time here at the local library with one of Vance's friends. So hopefully we'll get into a routine- although our non-routine life has fit us pretty well for the last year. :)