Last month I read "Someone Named Eva" and enjoyed it. The ward Book Club was reading it so I did as well and then went to the book club meeting. It was fun.
This month the book club is reading "The Midnight Ball." It looked so much like a book I would LOVE. So I am reading it. I've only read three chapters but I already think it's going to be my favorite book.
Reading this book reminded me of a story I wrote when I was young. I started writing short stories in high school and continued writing a bit after high school. I only finished a few of the stories. The one I finished was 21 pages, well written and I was so proud of it. I leant out a few copies for friends to read and leant out my last copy. All of my three friends lost the copies and so I lost my work.
I was very upset for years that I had lost one of the few stories I had ever completed.
Now I'm over it because it was written with two main characters based off myself and Justin H. It was about an LDS girl who met a boy in high school who ends up later in life joining the LDS church and they of course marry each other in the end. It was a cute story. The girl had just moved, her senior year of high school, to a new town when she met the boy. When they dated it was interesting because they came from two different worlds but were striving to live the same way in their present day.
The other story I recall I finished was about a girl who lived back when everyone dressed fine, the women in dresses all the time, and courting was essential to a relationship.
The girl was coming to adulthood (18 yrs) and wanted to stay a child. Her best friend was a little older and a male. I can't recall if they were officially intended to wed each other or the young man was just obviousely hoping for it.
The girl and the boy have a cute, fun relationship. I used Zack and myself for the inspiration in this story. Zack and I never dated but being such best friends with someone of the opposite gender, you know the thought of "Should we ever date each other?" has come across both minds a time or two.
I was never attracted to Zack in any way other than a bosom friend. Someone I could rely on and turn to any day. Someone who truly knew me and loved me no matter what.
But we had some amazing times together. One time we went to the movies and afterward got ice cream cones. We were up on the parking lot top floor at The TEXAS in Las Vegas walking to the car as we ate our ice cream. I can't recall if it was Zack who pushed his cone into the tip of my nose or I who did that to him. But it was funny and we started a little ice cream fight almost. I added that in my story.
Anyway, the girl runs away from her life when she sees a fairy in a wild flower field one day and follows it. She ends up on a magical adventure, being magically transformed to the size of a fairy herself and entering into their world.
The fairy she had followed was male. She becomes friends with him and learns that fairies are playful and whimsical to the point that they are irresponsible and self centered. She learns the importance of growing up...atleast to a point.
When she returns from her adventure she is ready to court her best friend and face her life.Something similar happened in the movie that came out a year or so ago Alice in Wonderland with actor Johnny Depp. Note; I wrote mine first (years ago) :)
A few stories I started writing but never finished. One was about a girl in a make believe world where electricity did not exist and times were simple. In a world where falling in love was a fairy tale and did prove to exist. Couples were matched together and wed without meeting each other prior.
In a small village a girl prepared for her own match with the help of her friends.
She was not happy with her forced marriage and her life planned out for her.
She is blessed however to be matched with such a man who would be the hero of any story.
The girl goes through all sorts of emotions, fear being the most overwhelming, as she and her new husband ride a wagon out of town to start their new life. The first year of marriage is to be spent alone, just the husband and wife, away from any town. Supplies are brought to them regularly so they need never enter society. They spend their first year, their Honeymoon, getting to know each other and build a foundation for their life together.
In a cottage in the woods they have their honeymoon. The girl is not accepting of the marriage. She is a bit bitter and won't let him near her. Being married to a wonderful they eventually find themselves in love. I never finished this one. I don't think I even got to the part where they fell in love. They were being kind to each other but had not reached Love yet.
I tried to work more on it but could not find the inspiration. I don't think I have that one anywhere anymore.
When we were preparing to move to Italy Sterling and I went through all our belongings. I found a few stories and cannot recall if this last one was among my things or not.
I do know I have the story I started after high school inspired by Alissa and myself. At one point we called each other Assila and Ynaffit because we would spell and try to speak backwards. lol
I changed the names to look better Asyla and Inafit or something like that. Or maybe I just used the Asyla and found a different name for myself.
It's been a while since I looked at it even though I know exactly where it is at this moment. In my bedroom on my bookshelf.
It is a story that only has a start. A world of king's, their daughters, knights, fairies and all things magical. The king decides to go on a quest. I cannot remember much about it. It really only has a few pages, if I recall correctly.
Another story I started was of a princess who meets a knight. I believe he came across her castle when he was escaping a battle and seeking help. The king takes him in and supplies him with the food, bed and medical attention he needs. The knight is bedridden and the princess introduces herself one day. They became friends and she kept him company as his body healed.
While he was still bedridden a prince came to the castle. I believe he was intended for the princess. She was reluctant, against the idea of being forced to marry. The prince has some sorrow in his background. I believe his father, whom he was very close to, was dying or already gone.
The prince had a lot of character but struggled with his current situation.
The princess and prince start to get to know each other.
Eventually the princess finds herself torn with feelings between both men.
The knight gets well and chooses a life of adventure, planting no roots. The princess and the prince get married and strengthen each others character. I don't believe I got to the point though. I think I stopped writing it when the knight was almost healed. I knew how it was to end though. At one point I considered having the princess kill herself and nobody has a happy ending. lol. But that's just too dreary. For a while I looked at reality as not having happy endings and wanted my stories to be realistic.
I remember one more story. I started it after high school. It was a story about a princess who was to choose a husband. Her father collected a group of princes and held a week long event at his castle. The princess and princes would spend their time in the grand ball room (something like that). Events, parties, etc would go on so that this single princess could spend time with and meet these eligible prospects. Some archery and sports events were held so the princess could see who was strong and who excelled in different areas.
The princess was shy, being thrown into such a situation.
She meets a lot of puffed up men, some idiots and lot of jerks. She also meets a man who is not very pleasing to look at. He is a prince and he is beautiful on the inside.
I cannot remember if there was another contender who actually had a chance. I think there was...a handsome prince who was decent. Or a servant who held her heart but could not hold her hand.
Anyway, I never finished this one but I believe she was going to choose the ugly prince because she knew what was important.
After high school I found it hard to write well...probably because I was out of practice. That is probably why most of my stories were never completed more than half way.
I wanted to write this entry to remember what I could of the stories I have lost. This way I might have a way to remember as my life gets longer.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Each Day Is A Gift
There are stretches of time where my life is solely bliss. Every day is amazing. I find joy in every bit of my day...every bit of my life. I just have to smile because I could not be happier.
Then there are times when life is a little less perfect...but it's usually based on my outlook or mood. Recently I came out of the bliss part and started another less perfect part of my life. The difference, I'm guessing, is my health. I was not taking my multivitamins and then started feeling not so great. I start to feel a little depressed. I have found that when I take my vitamins, eat healthy and exercise regularly I get back into that state of bliss I wrote about.
This time it may also be due to the fact that I started to feel less happy when I returned to Italy; leaving my Boren family in the states (possibly not to see them again for two more years).
I looove being in Italy! I am happy being with Sterling and my two sons. However, I miss my family.
Sterling and I have a wonderful marriage. We call it ideal.
We talk to each other. That is so important. We like to go hiking and do things together that give us great opportunities to find random things to talk about. When we don't make time for that activities we may go a few days without good conversation and that's when we start to miss each other. Especially Sterling. He loves to talk and really converse and have deep conversation. When we don't get a lot of that time he feels neglected and far from me.
We have many things to work on in our marriage. But we are so happy and so in love. We care so much for each other and that our marriage be perfect. I personally need to get better at telling Sterling how I'm feeling and how much I need him. Since that is something he needs most...that's his love language I guess.
We have a lifetime to perfect it.
I wanted to type this entry to say that our life right now, while we are young together, is not perfect.
Right now I am having a really hard time.
After Tiberias was born I still weighed a lot. It took a long time before I started to lose the weight I needed too. Going from the fattest I've ever been to the thinnest I've ever been in just a matter of months made me feel amazing. I was eating healthy and hiking a lot.
Then I went to America to vacation. I spent a month visiting family, shopping and eating food I don't typically eat here in Italy (fast food - because there are so many options there & junk food - taking a break from my healthy diet). I did not gain too much in America but when I came back to Italy my diet was ruined. I was no longer in those healthy habits. And so I started gaining weight. I have gained about 6 lbs in the last three months.
I need to lose that weight and then maintain a diet that keeps my weight still. It is really hard to go from eating when I'm hungry to counting calories and limiting my daily calorie intake! It's also hard to get back into working out. And we've been doing no hiking. It gets dark early now and I hate hiking in the dark. So yes, I'm not currently in the pure bliss part of my life. lol
In other news...Sterling and I have our first bed ever! We still sleep on the king sized mattress Sterling bought us before the day we married but now it sits on a bed! It's beautiful and big and takes up most of our bedroom. lol
Lachoneus also received his new queen sized mattress yesterday! He loves it!
We threw out his broken toddler bed I've hated.
The new mattress sits on his floor. I will probably start teaching Tiberias to sleep on it soon...for naps. I remember how difficult it was teaching Lachoneus to stay in bed and go to sleep when he moved out of the crib. You have to find a way to keep them from playing with the light switches (cover them with bookshelves or try to tape them down). You have to stay by the door listening to make sure they are ok. And soon they learn to open doors and you have to keep putting them back into their bed as they cry the whole time. With Luke I kept doing that until we both got tired of that and we decided to stay in bed if I was standing in the doorway watching him ...ready to put him back in his bed if he even tried getting up. I had to stand there until he fell asleep.
Tiberias is older than Luke was when Luke started climbing out of the crib. Ty does not try to climb out yet but he is over 14 months old so it won't be long.
I love being a mother! My boys are so fun and adorable and smart!
Sterling and I are very blessed.
Then there are times when life is a little less perfect...but it's usually based on my outlook or mood. Recently I came out of the bliss part and started another less perfect part of my life. The difference, I'm guessing, is my health. I was not taking my multivitamins and then started feeling not so great. I start to feel a little depressed. I have found that when I take my vitamins, eat healthy and exercise regularly I get back into that state of bliss I wrote about.
This time it may also be due to the fact that I started to feel less happy when I returned to Italy; leaving my Boren family in the states (possibly not to see them again for two more years).
I looove being in Italy! I am happy being with Sterling and my two sons. However, I miss my family.
Sterling and I have a wonderful marriage. We call it ideal.
We talk to each other. That is so important. We like to go hiking and do things together that give us great opportunities to find random things to talk about. When we don't make time for that activities we may go a few days without good conversation and that's when we start to miss each other. Especially Sterling. He loves to talk and really converse and have deep conversation. When we don't get a lot of that time he feels neglected and far from me.
We have many things to work on in our marriage. But we are so happy and so in love. We care so much for each other and that our marriage be perfect. I personally need to get better at telling Sterling how I'm feeling and how much I need him. Since that is something he needs most...that's his love language I guess.
We have a lifetime to perfect it.
I wanted to type this entry to say that our life right now, while we are young together, is not perfect.
Right now I am having a really hard time.
After Tiberias was born I still weighed a lot. It took a long time before I started to lose the weight I needed too. Going from the fattest I've ever been to the thinnest I've ever been in just a matter of months made me feel amazing. I was eating healthy and hiking a lot.
Then I went to America to vacation. I spent a month visiting family, shopping and eating food I don't typically eat here in Italy (fast food - because there are so many options there & junk food - taking a break from my healthy diet). I did not gain too much in America but when I came back to Italy my diet was ruined. I was no longer in those healthy habits. And so I started gaining weight. I have gained about 6 lbs in the last three months.
I need to lose that weight and then maintain a diet that keeps my weight still. It is really hard to go from eating when I'm hungry to counting calories and limiting my daily calorie intake! It's also hard to get back into working out. And we've been doing no hiking. It gets dark early now and I hate hiking in the dark. So yes, I'm not currently in the pure bliss part of my life. lol
In other news...Sterling and I have our first bed ever! We still sleep on the king sized mattress Sterling bought us before the day we married but now it sits on a bed! It's beautiful and big and takes up most of our bedroom. lol
Lachoneus also received his new queen sized mattress yesterday! He loves it!
We threw out his broken toddler bed I've hated.
The new mattress sits on his floor. I will probably start teaching Tiberias to sleep on it soon...for naps. I remember how difficult it was teaching Lachoneus to stay in bed and go to sleep when he moved out of the crib. You have to find a way to keep them from playing with the light switches (cover them with bookshelves or try to tape them down). You have to stay by the door listening to make sure they are ok. And soon they learn to open doors and you have to keep putting them back into their bed as they cry the whole time. With Luke I kept doing that until we both got tired of that and we decided to stay in bed if I was standing in the doorway watching him ...ready to put him back in his bed if he even tried getting up. I had to stand there until he fell asleep.
Tiberias is older than Luke was when Luke started climbing out of the crib. Ty does not try to climb out yet but he is over 14 months old so it won't be long.
I love being a mother! My boys are so fun and adorable and smart!
Sterling and I are very blessed.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
4 Years Married
Yesterday was mine and Sterling's 4 year Anniversary.
Sterling's been working 12 hour shifts...so he worked all day. He picked up the babysitter on his way home. We call the Stevens family when we need a sitter. They have a 17 year old boy 16 yr old girl and a 12 yr old girl and a 10 yr old. Jessica, the ten year old, likes to tag along to learn how to babysit.
We got Josh and Jessica to sit last. I think Josh is better at it than Raquel (the 16 yr old).
Sterling brought home a gorgeous bouquet he chose each flower for. He picked four red roses and four pink lilies then filled the bouquet with white daisies and some babies breath.
He also gave me a Willow Tree figurine. I love the Willow Trees. He picked out a mother rocking her child in a large quilt. I love it.
I gave Sterling a Grillers cook book. I also made Sterling a card. Inside I wrote ;
"Four Years
Our first year as husband and wife we learned a lot about each other.
We learned how to be a married couple.
We prepared to invite a baby into our life and start our family.
Year 2 we learned how to be parents for the 1st time.
We enjoyed spending time with our families. We went to Zion's with my family and to Disneyland with yours.
Our 3rd year we face another adventure and moved to Italy.
I was not afraid to move across the ocean because you were with me.
You hold my heart. You are my best friend. You are "home" to me.
Wherever we go, whatever we face, as long as you are with me I can face it strong and confident.
I feel our relationship grew to perfection that year.
Perhaps it was because we are far from our families and have to completely rely on each other for love.
We also decided during year 3 to have a second child. Tiberias was born.
Year 4 we faced the challenge of finding time to make love and enjoy intimacy being parents of 2 children. This year has been the best year of my entire life.
Seeing the world, raising two adorable sons and spending lots of time with you!
I absolutely love the man you are! I love watching you teach and play with our sons.
I love that they have you to look up to and follow. You will be their hero and their guide.
You will teach them to live the gospel and be a servant of our Heavenly Father.
From you they will learn to walk on this earth valuing and practicing honesty, hard work, virtue, faith and love. They will come to love learning as you do, I am sure of it.
And you will teach them self reliance with many valuable skills such as gardening, how to use tools and how to build things.
You amaze me! I could not be happier in any life than I am as your wife.
I truly, faithfully love you."
Lachoneus cried when he realized we were leaving him. He doesn't cry when we leave but this time he did.
We drove up to Barcis for dinner. We ate at a restaurant and then took a moment to look out on the lake before the sky grew dark. It was gorgeous! We had a great time.
Tonight we are going to Porcia to do our family portraits. Josh is coming along to get the kids to look to the camera and smile.
I am going to be really busy until I leave for the states next Thursday...if we get to leave that day.
Ty's birthday is next Friday. I'm going to wait until I'm in the states and celebrate his birthday with my family. They can help me decorate Ty's first birthday cake. I can teach my niece how to do it. It was Sterling's idea to celebrate late with my family instead of early.
I am so excited to have my family see how big my sons have gotten! And for my boys to spend time with their relatives! But we will really miss Sterling!
Sterling's been working 12 hour shifts...so he worked all day. He picked up the babysitter on his way home. We call the Stevens family when we need a sitter. They have a 17 year old boy 16 yr old girl and a 12 yr old girl and a 10 yr old. Jessica, the ten year old, likes to tag along to learn how to babysit.
We got Josh and Jessica to sit last. I think Josh is better at it than Raquel (the 16 yr old).
Sterling brought home a gorgeous bouquet he chose each flower for. He picked four red roses and four pink lilies then filled the bouquet with white daisies and some babies breath.
He also gave me a Willow Tree figurine. I love the Willow Trees. He picked out a mother rocking her child in a large quilt. I love it.
I gave Sterling a Grillers cook book. I also made Sterling a card. Inside I wrote ;
"Four Years
Our first year as husband and wife we learned a lot about each other.
We learned how to be a married couple.
We prepared to invite a baby into our life and start our family.
Year 2 we learned how to be parents for the 1st time.
We enjoyed spending time with our families. We went to Zion's with my family and to Disneyland with yours.
Our 3rd year we face another adventure and moved to Italy.
I was not afraid to move across the ocean because you were with me.
You hold my heart. You are my best friend. You are "home" to me.
Wherever we go, whatever we face, as long as you are with me I can face it strong and confident.
I feel our relationship grew to perfection that year.
Perhaps it was because we are far from our families and have to completely rely on each other for love.
We also decided during year 3 to have a second child. Tiberias was born.
Year 4 we faced the challenge of finding time to make love and enjoy intimacy being parents of 2 children. This year has been the best year of my entire life.
Seeing the world, raising two adorable sons and spending lots of time with you!
I absolutely love the man you are! I love watching you teach and play with our sons.
I love that they have you to look up to and follow. You will be their hero and their guide.
You will teach them to live the gospel and be a servant of our Heavenly Father.
From you they will learn to walk on this earth valuing and practicing honesty, hard work, virtue, faith and love. They will come to love learning as you do, I am sure of it.
And you will teach them self reliance with many valuable skills such as gardening, how to use tools and how to build things.
You amaze me! I could not be happier in any life than I am as your wife.
I truly, faithfully love you."
Lachoneus cried when he realized we were leaving him. He doesn't cry when we leave but this time he did.
We drove up to Barcis for dinner. We ate at a restaurant and then took a moment to look out on the lake before the sky grew dark. It was gorgeous! We had a great time.
Tonight we are going to Porcia to do our family portraits. Josh is coming along to get the kids to look to the camera and smile.
I am going to be really busy until I leave for the states next Thursday...if we get to leave that day.
Ty's birthday is next Friday. I'm going to wait until I'm in the states and celebrate his birthday with my family. They can help me decorate Ty's first birthday cake. I can teach my niece how to do it. It was Sterling's idea to celebrate late with my family instead of early.
I am so excited to have my family see how big my sons have gotten! And for my boys to spend time with their relatives! But we will really miss Sterling!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
It has been an interesting day!
Tiberias was awake crying for most of the 3:00a hour. I refused to get up and feed him. He has been sleeping all the way through the night lately and I need that. Plus, I am only breast feeding him once a day now...as of a few days ago.
I could not sleep much while Ty was crying that hour. Then I had to get up at 5:30a with Sterling. I had to get the boys out of bed so we could drop Sterling off at work.
I came home and put the boys back to the bed. They protested but then Ty fell asleep fast. Luke was quiet a while but then got up and came downstairs.
At 8:40a we left for the base. I needed the car today to go get Tiberias added to my Soggiornos. The building is right next to Sterling's work. He said he was going to try and meet us there. My appointment was at 9am. At 9:20a I was done. It was quick. But now I have to wait two months before I actually get it. They told me the pick up date is September 15. That ruined my plan to take Tiberias to the states with me on August 25th! I want to go home to attend Eliza's wedding reception and ring ceremony. Tiberias cannot leave Italy and return again until he has a soggiorno (temporary permission to stay in Italy).
I was crushed. I was determined to go home and see my family. I miss them so much now!
I decided if I had to leave Tiberias here for a week, take Luke to the states with me, I would. But then Sterling told me that I'd have to be in the states two weeks because there would be no military SpaceA flight the week I wanted to return.
I can't leave Ty for two whole weeks. I was crushed again.
Sterling drove the boys and I home so he could have the car for the rest of the day.
When we got to the house he noticed another paper the Soggiorno office gave us. I had not even read it because I was so distraught over the news of Ty not being able to go to the states. The paper was permission for Tiberias, Luke and I to go on the rotator even though his soggiorno won't be here yet.
Hallelujah! Now the only obstacle left is to get seats of the rotator plane the week we want to fly to the states.
Tiberias was awake crying for most of the 3:00a hour. I refused to get up and feed him. He has been sleeping all the way through the night lately and I need that. Plus, I am only breast feeding him once a day now...as of a few days ago.
I could not sleep much while Ty was crying that hour. Then I had to get up at 5:30a with Sterling. I had to get the boys out of bed so we could drop Sterling off at work.
I came home and put the boys back to the bed. They protested but then Ty fell asleep fast. Luke was quiet a while but then got up and came downstairs.
At 8:40a we left for the base. I needed the car today to go get Tiberias added to my Soggiornos. The building is right next to Sterling's work. He said he was going to try and meet us there. My appointment was at 9am. At 9:20a I was done. It was quick. But now I have to wait two months before I actually get it. They told me the pick up date is September 15. That ruined my plan to take Tiberias to the states with me on August 25th! I want to go home to attend Eliza's wedding reception and ring ceremony. Tiberias cannot leave Italy and return again until he has a soggiorno (temporary permission to stay in Italy).
I was crushed. I was determined to go home and see my family. I miss them so much now!
I decided if I had to leave Tiberias here for a week, take Luke to the states with me, I would. But then Sterling told me that I'd have to be in the states two weeks because there would be no military SpaceA flight the week I wanted to return.
I can't leave Ty for two whole weeks. I was crushed again.
Sterling drove the boys and I home so he could have the car for the rest of the day.
When we got to the house he noticed another paper the Soggiorno office gave us. I had not even read it because I was so distraught over the news of Ty not being able to go to the states. The paper was permission for Tiberias, Luke and I to go on the rotator even though his soggiorno won't be here yet.
Hallelujah! Now the only obstacle left is to get seats of the rotator plane the week we want to fly to the states.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Wedding Bells R Ringing
I have been babysitting full time. My friend Carla is working and I watch her daughter Amber. I get less time with just my boys...a lot less time. But I love getting paid. I spent $200 to get a robot vacuum which is an amazing help to me! And I am saving my money because I want so much to go home and see my family.
I thought that I could make it four years without going to the states to see my family. When we moved to Italy I did not plan to fly back to the states because of the money. But it is affordable when you fly Space A (military flight from Europe to America).
Sterling went to the states for TDY a few months ago and was able to spend a week with his family. So with my little sister getting married I really wanted to go to the states. They ended up moving the actually wedding up to this month and I was not able to go. They were married and sealed in the Salt Lake temple yesterday! But they are having a ring ceremony and reception in the beginning of September...when they are out of school.
I have been doing everything I can to make it possible for me to go see my family and celebrate Eliza's wedding. But I keep getting hit with obstacles and I keep being crushed.
Sterling did not want me to go I think because he will miss me and he may not have gotten over being away from me so long from his last TDY he returned from just a few weeks ago.
It would not be such a big deal if I did not feel so disconnected from my family. And if my family were not having so many problems right now.
Financially, physically, and some even spiritually. Tereasa is in a wheel chair!!
And my niece and nephews are growing up!
Once I told Sterling how important it is for me to go to the states he started looking into making it happen instead of trying to convince me not to go.
In the wedding card I am sending Eliza I wrote some advice for their marriage. I told her that she and Florencio should always be considerate of each other's feelings. Sterling taught me that by example. He thinks before he talks so that if he needs to tell me something that might hurt my feelings he does it the nicest way possible. He is amazing.
My second bit of advice for their marriage is to each be selfless. I honestly believe that is the cause of most failed marriages today. Thinking of themselves instead of putting their spouse above themselves. Two selfless people in a marriage will love each other and be happy forever.
Sterling and I have learned this together. We are truly happy and in love. More in love than ever before! As we grow and change together our bond becomes stronger and we don't know how we can be any happier in our marriage.
I thought that I could make it four years without going to the states to see my family. When we moved to Italy I did not plan to fly back to the states because of the money. But it is affordable when you fly Space A (military flight from Europe to America).
Sterling went to the states for TDY a few months ago and was able to spend a week with his family. So with my little sister getting married I really wanted to go to the states. They ended up moving the actually wedding up to this month and I was not able to go. They were married and sealed in the Salt Lake temple yesterday! But they are having a ring ceremony and reception in the beginning of September...when they are out of school.
I have been doing everything I can to make it possible for me to go see my family and celebrate Eliza's wedding. But I keep getting hit with obstacles and I keep being crushed.
Sterling did not want me to go I think because he will miss me and he may not have gotten over being away from me so long from his last TDY he returned from just a few weeks ago.
It would not be such a big deal if I did not feel so disconnected from my family. And if my family were not having so many problems right now.
Financially, physically, and some even spiritually. Tereasa is in a wheel chair!!
And my niece and nephews are growing up!
Once I told Sterling how important it is for me to go to the states he started looking into making it happen instead of trying to convince me not to go.
In the wedding card I am sending Eliza I wrote some advice for their marriage. I told her that she and Florencio should always be considerate of each other's feelings. Sterling taught me that by example. He thinks before he talks so that if he needs to tell me something that might hurt my feelings he does it the nicest way possible. He is amazing.
My second bit of advice for their marriage is to each be selfless. I honestly believe that is the cause of most failed marriages today. Thinking of themselves instead of putting their spouse above themselves. Two selfless people in a marriage will love each other and be happy forever.
Sterling and I have learned this together. We are truly happy and in love. More in love than ever before! As we grow and change together our bond becomes stronger and we don't know how we can be any happier in our marriage.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Busy, Busy
Sterling was called to be the Ward Clerk right before he went TDY. I was called as Primary 2nd counselor. Then the 1st counselor was released. After a while a second counselor was called. Mind you, we dont' have a secretary due to the ward being so small. So for a while it was Amy Niebuhr (Primary President) and myself running Primary. Of course we have a teacher over each class then a pianist (Rebecca Seamon...whom Ster and I went to Salzburg for the first time ever with)and a Music Time teacher (Mari Lazenby...the bishop's wife).
Before the new 2nd counselor (Vanessah Braithewait...recently moved here)was called the president went back to the states to visit family. So for a week or two I was the only Primary presidency member here.
Amy has been in the states for about a month and will return in a few weeks. In the meantime Vanessah and I have been switching off, weekly, who give the Sharing Time lesson. The one not doing Sharing Time does the conducting.
Vanessah has a four month old son. Mari has a one month old daughter she has to bring because the bishop is busy. Rebecca has as
I have a 10 month old son, whom I have to take with me to Primary most of the time because 1. Ster was gone for a month then 2. came home to have to learn how to do his calling. He's been so busy learning to be Clerk and get things in order because they were chaotic...and busy helping in Nursery. With the lack of ward members and our nursery leader always going on trips due to wanting to see more before she moves back to the states this month. So Sterling would help out in nursery when I could not find someone to help in nursery. And the nursery grew so huge and the young ones crying the entire time that the adults in nursery could not handle it. To fix the problem, I, being in charge of Nursery have decided we have to have three nursery teachers. And that when the nursery is full and difficult the older nursery kids need to be moved to another room. So I divided up the nursery to junior and senior classes. Currently four kids in each class but three kids will be added in just a month.
Then, Sterling is required to attend the bishopric meetings every morning. The bishop usually picks him up around 10:30a. Church starts at 1:00p. So I get the boys ready by myself and get them to church. Since there is not parking at the church I have to park down the street. If I am lucky there will be a spot available close otherwise I have to park way down the street. If I am really lucky Sterling meets me in front of the church and I drop the kids off to him.
I need that because I also carry a big, somewhat heavy, diaper bag with me. It carries all the boys' needed things for church and also my Primary binder. I need my binder at home during the week to keep track of primary information for when I email stuff out to parents or teachers. Then I need it at church each Sunday to know all the info still.
I am in charge of doing the monthly primary newsletter and email it out. Also, making the assignments chart...which children is in charge of prayer, scripture and talk each week....and emailing reminders to parents.
Sister Braithewait goes to the ward council meetings so I don't have to. But when Amy gets back from the states I am hoping to pass on the primary assignment responsibility to Amy or Vanessah. I do too much.
So Sterling and I have a crazy day every Sunday! And when church is over I hang out with Luke and Ty in the primary room waiting for Sterling to finish his duties there...usually 30 minutes after church ends. Then we finally go home, thankful it's all over. And we make dinner...usually something fast and simple. Then Sterling and I eat dinner watching a movie or show while we ignore Luke, if he's not passed out on the couch. And Tiberias falls asleep right after church every time. He is cranky all through the 2 hours of Primary because he's ready for a nap! No fun.
And during the week I have Amber Monday-Friday 7a-5p. She is in between Ty and Luke age-wise. Having three so young that long each week is hard. I can usually get Amber and Ty to nap at the same time. But it's still a rough day. I make sure to atleast take them all out on a walk, if not to play at a park, daily. I have a double stroller that seats 2 kids. And Luke is old enough to walk or ride his tricycle. He usually rides the trike.
Doing school with Luke is hard when I have Amber because she's too young to do any of Luke's school work or games. So if I do school with Luke it has to be done during Amber's nap. And I usually have a list of things I want to get done while Amber is asleep.
When Ster came home from TDY he was on crazy shifts. And it kept being changed, even in the middle of the week. He even had to work a few 12hr days. But last week he was finally put back on days...working 7a-2p. Of course he doesn't get off until 2:30 most of the time.
This week is Independence Day celebration week, pretty much. So Carla has work off for two weeks actually. And I may have to watch Amber one day this week.
Last Saturday Sterling and I took the boys on a 45 minute drive up to Ikea. We bought a table and four chairs for my craft/sewing area for the upstairs spare room. We bought a giant car rug for Luke's birthday. We bought a few other things we felt we needed. Then we decided to drive an extra 40 minutes or something to get to a cool castle in Slovenia. We had fun! It was a beautiful day!!
We went through the castle and even bought a few souveniers. Luke wanted a Slovenia flag and Ster bought it for him. So we also bought a snowglobe that has the castle on the base.
Today is Independence day! This morning we went shopping on base. We bought a comforter set because we needed new bed sheets and the sale going on got us a whole comforter set for half the price of a sheet set. It's beautiful too.
We also shopped for Luke's birthday party. He turns 3 years old this Thursday!
For dinner today we went over to our friends the Mangle's home. They have the Braithewaits, Lazenbys and Carla&Amber Wright over. They barbecued a delicious meal. A wonderful Independence day meal of ribs, chicken and beef, corn on the cob, potatoe salad, chips, watermelon. Mmmmm.
The kids played and we all sat and socialized. I, of course, took a few pictures.
Sterling worked in the back yard...moving the chicken's fence back so it only takes up half the yard instead the whole yard. He also moved the tv ONTO the wall and built a shelf. He put the shelf up and put the dvd player and other things up there. Now there is more floor space in the living room. But now we have some rearranging of furniture to do.
I worked on getting my craft station together upstairs. It's coming along nicely...yay!
Tiberias is taking a nap and it's almost 8pm. We plan to take the boys out for fireworks tonight. They start at 10:10p. Hopefully Luke will wake up enough to enjoy the fireworks. We've never had a good celebration for the 4th since we got married. We've never had a good view of fireworks for the 4th of July since we wedd either! So I'm excited to be doing stuff this year.
We wanted (I really wanted) to hike up to the old church on the mountain (a small hike) to view the fireworks. But it is turning out to be rainy and cloudy on the mountainside. So we are just going to drive over by the base and get out of the car to see the fireworks. Hopefully Luke will enjoy them.
Tomorrow I start making Luke's birthday cake. I'll make the cake tomorrow then have two days to decorate it. It's going to be a cute train cake...hopefully even cuter than the awesome cake I did for his 2nd birthday (fishing).
Thursday night at 7pm we are having a birthday party at a park. We will have cake, Klondike ice cream bars and cold water. I handed out adorable hand made train invitations to 7 kids. With sibblings and extra kids we could have up to 14 kids at the party. We bought Matchbox cars to hand out as party favors at the children leave. It is a late party so we don't expect all the invited friends to come. But we hope we have a good turn out.
Luke will get his big gifts from Mom and Dad at home...a bicycle! And the car floor rug. We'll probably wrap up the Cars beach towel and give that to him at the park.
It will be a quick party. We'll start the party with the cake and ice cream then let the kids eat and run around playing for about half an hour. Then open gifts. It has to be late because it's hot outside and it has to be a short party because kids will be heading home to go to bed.
I will be video taping Luke open his gifts this year. I am excited.
Then on Saturday we get on the ship for our cruise! We'll need a day or two to pack and get ready for that.It will be amazing!!!
Before the new 2nd counselor (Vanessah Braithewait...recently moved here)was called the president went back to the states to visit family. So for a week or two I was the only Primary presidency member here.
Amy has been in the states for about a month and will return in a few weeks. In the meantime Vanessah and I have been switching off, weekly, who give the Sharing Time lesson. The one not doing Sharing Time does the conducting.
Vanessah has a four month old son. Mari has a one month old daughter she has to bring because the bishop is busy. Rebecca has as
I have a 10 month old son, whom I have to take with me to Primary most of the time because 1. Ster was gone for a month then 2. came home to have to learn how to do his calling. He's been so busy learning to be Clerk and get things in order because they were chaotic...and busy helping in Nursery. With the lack of ward members and our nursery leader always going on trips due to wanting to see more before she moves back to the states this month. So Sterling would help out in nursery when I could not find someone to help in nursery. And the nursery grew so huge and the young ones crying the entire time that the adults in nursery could not handle it. To fix the problem, I, being in charge of Nursery have decided we have to have three nursery teachers. And that when the nursery is full and difficult the older nursery kids need to be moved to another room. So I divided up the nursery to junior and senior classes. Currently four kids in each class but three kids will be added in just a month.
Then, Sterling is required to attend the bishopric meetings every morning. The bishop usually picks him up around 10:30a. Church starts at 1:00p. So I get the boys ready by myself and get them to church. Since there is not parking at the church I have to park down the street. If I am lucky there will be a spot available close otherwise I have to park way down the street. If I am really lucky Sterling meets me in front of the church and I drop the kids off to him.
I need that because I also carry a big, somewhat heavy, diaper bag with me. It carries all the boys' needed things for church and also my Primary binder. I need my binder at home during the week to keep track of primary information for when I email stuff out to parents or teachers. Then I need it at church each Sunday to know all the info still.
I am in charge of doing the monthly primary newsletter and email it out. Also, making the assignments chart...which children is in charge of prayer, scripture and talk each week....and emailing reminders to parents.
Sister Braithewait goes to the ward council meetings so I don't have to. But when Amy gets back from the states I am hoping to pass on the primary assignment responsibility to Amy or Vanessah. I do too much.
So Sterling and I have a crazy day every Sunday! And when church is over I hang out with Luke and Ty in the primary room waiting for Sterling to finish his duties there...usually 30 minutes after church ends. Then we finally go home, thankful it's all over. And we make dinner...usually something fast and simple. Then Sterling and I eat dinner watching a movie or show while we ignore Luke, if he's not passed out on the couch. And Tiberias falls asleep right after church every time. He is cranky all through the 2 hours of Primary because he's ready for a nap! No fun.
And during the week I have Amber Monday-Friday 7a-5p. She is in between Ty and Luke age-wise. Having three so young that long each week is hard. I can usually get Amber and Ty to nap at the same time. But it's still a rough day. I make sure to atleast take them all out on a walk, if not to play at a park, daily. I have a double stroller that seats 2 kids. And Luke is old enough to walk or ride his tricycle. He usually rides the trike.
Doing school with Luke is hard when I have Amber because she's too young to do any of Luke's school work or games. So if I do school with Luke it has to be done during Amber's nap. And I usually have a list of things I want to get done while Amber is asleep.
When Ster came home from TDY he was on crazy shifts. And it kept being changed, even in the middle of the week. He even had to work a few 12hr days. But last week he was finally put back on days...working 7a-2p. Of course he doesn't get off until 2:30 most of the time.
This week is Independence Day celebration week, pretty much. So Carla has work off for two weeks actually. And I may have to watch Amber one day this week.
Last Saturday Sterling and I took the boys on a 45 minute drive up to Ikea. We bought a table and four chairs for my craft/sewing area for the upstairs spare room. We bought a giant car rug for Luke's birthday. We bought a few other things we felt we needed. Then we decided to drive an extra 40 minutes or something to get to a cool castle in Slovenia. We had fun! It was a beautiful day!!
We went through the castle and even bought a few souveniers. Luke wanted a Slovenia flag and Ster bought it for him. So we also bought a snowglobe that has the castle on the base.
Today is Independence day! This morning we went shopping on base. We bought a comforter set because we needed new bed sheets and the sale going on got us a whole comforter set for half the price of a sheet set. It's beautiful too.
We also shopped for Luke's birthday party. He turns 3 years old this Thursday!
For dinner today we went over to our friends the Mangle's home. They have the Braithewaits, Lazenbys and Carla&Amber Wright over. They barbecued a delicious meal. A wonderful Independence day meal of ribs, chicken and beef, corn on the cob, potatoe salad, chips, watermelon. Mmmmm.
The kids played and we all sat and socialized. I, of course, took a few pictures.
Sterling worked in the back yard...moving the chicken's fence back so it only takes up half the yard instead the whole yard. He also moved the tv ONTO the wall and built a shelf. He put the shelf up and put the dvd player and other things up there. Now there is more floor space in the living room. But now we have some rearranging of furniture to do.
I worked on getting my craft station together upstairs. It's coming along nicely...yay!
Tiberias is taking a nap and it's almost 8pm. We plan to take the boys out for fireworks tonight. They start at 10:10p. Hopefully Luke will wake up enough to enjoy the fireworks. We've never had a good celebration for the 4th since we got married. We've never had a good view of fireworks for the 4th of July since we wedd either! So I'm excited to be doing stuff this year.
We wanted (I really wanted) to hike up to the old church on the mountain (a small hike) to view the fireworks. But it is turning out to be rainy and cloudy on the mountainside. So we are just going to drive over by the base and get out of the car to see the fireworks. Hopefully Luke will enjoy them.
Tomorrow I start making Luke's birthday cake. I'll make the cake tomorrow then have two days to decorate it. It's going to be a cute train cake...hopefully even cuter than the awesome cake I did for his 2nd birthday (fishing).
Thursday night at 7pm we are having a birthday party at a park. We will have cake, Klondike ice cream bars and cold water. I handed out adorable hand made train invitations to 7 kids. With sibblings and extra kids we could have up to 14 kids at the party. We bought Matchbox cars to hand out as party favors at the children leave. It is a late party so we don't expect all the invited friends to come. But we hope we have a good turn out.
Luke will get his big gifts from Mom and Dad at home...a bicycle! And the car floor rug. We'll probably wrap up the Cars beach towel and give that to him at the park.
It will be a quick party. We'll start the party with the cake and ice cream then let the kids eat and run around playing for about half an hour. Then open gifts. It has to be late because it's hot outside and it has to be a short party because kids will be heading home to go to bed.
I will be video taping Luke open his gifts this year. I am excited.
Then on Saturday we get on the ship for our cruise! We'll need a day or two to pack and get ready for that.It will be amazing!!!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
With Lachoneus and Tiberias both in the EDIS program I have someone from EDIS coming to my house twice a week! There are two different women helping Lachoneus and two different women helping Tiberias. Once a week someone comes for each boy...but on different days of the week.
We have just started so I don't know what it will be like every week for Luke's meeting. But I imagine for Ty's it will be just as it was this morning...Sheri came and asked me how Ty is doing. She played with him on the floor to see what he can do and how he is progressing. She asked what we have done with him to help him in the last week and gave us some more exercise ideas.
So I imagine with Luke it will be the same, but not for his physical strengths and weaknesses. Since his problem is socializing and mental problem solving it will be different from Ty's. They will test how he is doing to socialize with them and answer questions etc
My life is focused on my children right now. I have made a schedule to help both of my children. This is the schedule:
6:30-8:30a Kids watch tv and hang out while I get my computer/internet time, shower and get ready for the day.
8:30a-8:45 Tiberias stretch and Tummy Time
8:45-9:30 Luke's Lesson
9:30-10 Clean the livingroom
10:00-10:20 Tiberias stretch and Tummy Time
10:20-11:00 Lachoneus Art/Craft Time
Educational/Imaginative play with Mommy
11:00-11:30a Outside time (park, walk or backyard)
11:30-11:45 Tiberias stretch and Tummy Time
12:10-12:30p Books/Calm down time
12:30-2:30 Nap Time
Lachoneus has a lot to work on. The subjects I am teaching him in his lessons are Pronouns, Action words(example: the boy is running. You are swinging, etc), Music/Dance time (he needs to start learning songs and rhymes. And I think he should learn to dance too), Letters/numbers, colors and shapes.
My goals for Lachoneus are to teach him to
And for Tiberias I have made two charts. One to keep track of how long his tummy time is and how many minutes per day he is getting. The second chart is to keep track of which stretches I am doing with him daily. This will also help when his EDIS consultants come to see how he is doing. (Having worked a few years in daycare has taught how to be organized when caring for children)
Before I got pregnant with Tiberias I weighed 145lbs. After he was born my goal was to get back down to that same weight. But breastfeeding, hiking, and cutting back on my milk intake has seriously blessed me! I am down to 129 at bed time each night. 126 every morning.
None of my jeans (even the size 6 I just bought) fit me. They are all bigger than I would like them to be. So most days I am wearing baggy pants...lol.
Sterling just started seriously cutting back his food less than a week ago. He is eating every two hours a day but eating 100 calorie meals/snacks. He eats one big meal a day where he can allow himself to get full. He did great the first 4 or 5 days! Now he is finding it a real struggle! But I am proud of him and he is losing weight already.
The Lazenbys have just moved to Budoia. They were living two streets away from us and we loved that. But they have moved to a bigger place with a huge yard and fields next to them. Mari is going to have a third daughter in April. Her due date is April 23.
She refuses to let us throw her a baby shower so we are going to take her out to lunch in April while the husbands watch the kids. We'll let her pick who she wants to invite to the lunch and we'll have a girl's date out. We just won't tell her that we're bringing gifts for her. She doesn't want gifts or attention...lol.
Anyway, they moved all their stuff from the one home to the other Saturday morning with the help of ward members, including my husband. Sunday was Stake Conference in Venice...I guess the Lazenbys stayed in their empty house in Ceolini because they were not yet allowed in the new place.
Monday morning Dewayn and Mari (with the help of some friends) finished cleaning the "old" house for the inspection. I watched their kids Sarah and Sam (Anna was at school). Sterling made homemade pasta...a whole delicious lunch. The Lazenbys and their friends came over for a lunch break and then finished moving out of the one house and had the inspection. At 4pm they picked up their kids. I was really glad to help but it wore me out.
Sterling is learning to be romantic with me! He surprised me a few nights ago with news of a romantic getaway (with the kids) he had secretly planned! He was not sure if I would rather he tell me a few days before the trip or a few weeks. So he played it safe. "A Second Honeymoon" is what he called it. On the 21st of this month we are going on a week long vacation to Genova and some places near there. It is a beautiful sea side getaway! We will be hiking, swimming, going to a large Aquarium and more. I am so excited!!! I love my husband!!!
I did decide it would be more awesome if he were to surprise me with the news just a few days before the trip...if he ever does anything like this again. I'm sure he will. :)
The strangest thing happened. Just over a week ago Sterling remembered an exgirlfriend and decided to tell me about her. He told me about Michelle for about 15 minutes as we were out driving in the car! He talked about some other exgirlfriends too. I didn't feel jealous.
He said she was really flirty and dated one guy after another. No long relationships. I thought "That sounds like me when I was in high school." He said they only dated each other like a month and she was still hooked on some other guy when she was dating Sterling.
Anyway, a week after this conversation we were at Stake Conference in Venice. And who in the world did we run into? Michelle! She married an Army man and is now Michelle Naylor.
She has been living in Vicenza longer than we've been living here. Somehow we have gone to a few Stake things she and her family have been at and we didn't know the other was there.
Meeting her on Sunday I was a little jealous. She is very pretty and thin. I don't like Sterling running into exgirlfriends.
But how weird is it that he would think of her just a week before randomly running into her?!
We met her husband, sort of. And everyone (except myself) decided we have to all get together for dinner. So I was suppose to befriend her on facebook.
So I did find her and friend her on facebook. I took a look at a few of her pictures. Sterling had said when he saw her Sunday he did not recognize her! She recognized him.
And when I was looking at her pictures I could see why. Every picture she had made her look like a different person. Short hair, long hair, brown, blonde, dark. Even her face looked different in each picture.
Sterling wanted to look at her profile pictures but I didn't let him. Yes, I am a little jealous. But I'm allowed to be. Sterling and I don't fight about anything. We love being together and we love doing nice things for each other. But we seem to never argue and this makes of us kind of boring. I don't want to be boring to Sterling. So I have to be something other than happy and easy going all the time. So, the way I see it this is a good thing that I'm a little jealous.
Sure, I'll agree to do a meal with these people once. I probably won't want to become annual vacation friends with them. But I'll be friendly and try to get over my jealousy.
We love our life. We think our marriage relationship is perfect. And we love the future we have together.
We have just started so I don't know what it will be like every week for Luke's meeting. But I imagine for Ty's it will be just as it was this morning...Sheri came and asked me how Ty is doing. She played with him on the floor to see what he can do and how he is progressing. She asked what we have done with him to help him in the last week and gave us some more exercise ideas.
So I imagine with Luke it will be the same, but not for his physical strengths and weaknesses. Since his problem is socializing and mental problem solving it will be different from Ty's. They will test how he is doing to socialize with them and answer questions etc
My life is focused on my children right now. I have made a schedule to help both of my children. This is the schedule:
6:30-8:30a Kids watch tv and hang out while I get my computer/internet time, shower and get ready for the day.
8:30a-8:45 Tiberias stretch and Tummy Time
8:45-9:30 Luke's Lesson
9:30-10 Clean the livingroom
10:00-10:20 Tiberias stretch and Tummy Time
10:20-11:00 Lachoneus Art/Craft Time
Educational/Imaginative play with Mommy
11:00-11:30a Outside time (park, walk or backyard)
11:30-11:45 Tiberias stretch and Tummy Time
12:10-12:30p Books/Calm down time
12:30-2:30 Nap Time
Lachoneus has a lot to work on. The subjects I am teaching him in his lessons are Pronouns, Action words(example: the boy is running. You are swinging, etc), Music/Dance time (he needs to start learning songs and rhymes. And I think he should learn to dance too), Letters/numbers, colors and shapes.
My goals for Lachoneus are to teach him to
- Not put stuff in his mouth. And close his mouth more. He still drools way too much.
- Say his name when asked
- Understand directions such as "in, on, out off, etc"
- Accurately respond to the question "Do you need to go potty?"
- Use a fork and a spoon to eat
- Hold a pencil with his fingers while holding the paper still to draw
- Draw shapes when asked
- Ask for "more please"
- Address his friends and familiar adults
- Learn the concept of 1 and more than 1
- Play pretend
And for Tiberias I have made two charts. One to keep track of how long his tummy time is and how many minutes per day he is getting. The second chart is to keep track of which stretches I am doing with him daily. This will also help when his EDIS consultants come to see how he is doing. (Having worked a few years in daycare has taught how to be organized when caring for children)
Before I got pregnant with Tiberias I weighed 145lbs. After he was born my goal was to get back down to that same weight. But breastfeeding, hiking, and cutting back on my milk intake has seriously blessed me! I am down to 129 at bed time each night. 126 every morning.
None of my jeans (even the size 6 I just bought) fit me. They are all bigger than I would like them to be. So most days I am wearing baggy pants...lol.
Sterling just started seriously cutting back his food less than a week ago. He is eating every two hours a day but eating 100 calorie meals/snacks. He eats one big meal a day where he can allow himself to get full. He did great the first 4 or 5 days! Now he is finding it a real struggle! But I am proud of him and he is losing weight already.
The Lazenbys have just moved to Budoia. They were living two streets away from us and we loved that. But they have moved to a bigger place with a huge yard and fields next to them. Mari is going to have a third daughter in April. Her due date is April 23.
She refuses to let us throw her a baby shower so we are going to take her out to lunch in April while the husbands watch the kids. We'll let her pick who she wants to invite to the lunch and we'll have a girl's date out. We just won't tell her that we're bringing gifts for her. She doesn't want gifts or attention...lol.
Anyway, they moved all their stuff from the one home to the other Saturday morning with the help of ward members, including my husband. Sunday was Stake Conference in Venice...I guess the Lazenbys stayed in their empty house in Ceolini because they were not yet allowed in the new place.
Monday morning Dewayn and Mari (with the help of some friends) finished cleaning the "old" house for the inspection. I watched their kids Sarah and Sam (Anna was at school). Sterling made homemade pasta...a whole delicious lunch. The Lazenbys and their friends came over for a lunch break and then finished moving out of the one house and had the inspection. At 4pm they picked up their kids. I was really glad to help but it wore me out.
Sterling is learning to be romantic with me! He surprised me a few nights ago with news of a romantic getaway (with the kids) he had secretly planned! He was not sure if I would rather he tell me a few days before the trip or a few weeks. So he played it safe. "A Second Honeymoon" is what he called it. On the 21st of this month we are going on a week long vacation to Genova and some places near there. It is a beautiful sea side getaway! We will be hiking, swimming, going to a large Aquarium and more. I am so excited!!! I love my husband!!!
I did decide it would be more awesome if he were to surprise me with the news just a few days before the trip...if he ever does anything like this again. I'm sure he will. :)
The strangest thing happened. Just over a week ago Sterling remembered an exgirlfriend and decided to tell me about her. He told me about Michelle for about 15 minutes as we were out driving in the car! He talked about some other exgirlfriends too. I didn't feel jealous.
He said she was really flirty and dated one guy after another. No long relationships. I thought "That sounds like me when I was in high school." He said they only dated each other like a month and she was still hooked on some other guy when she was dating Sterling.
Anyway, a week after this conversation we were at Stake Conference in Venice. And who in the world did we run into? Michelle! She married an Army man and is now Michelle Naylor.
She has been living in Vicenza longer than we've been living here. Somehow we have gone to a few Stake things she and her family have been at and we didn't know the other was there.
Meeting her on Sunday I was a little jealous. She is very pretty and thin. I don't like Sterling running into exgirlfriends.
But how weird is it that he would think of her just a week before randomly running into her?!
We met her husband, sort of. And everyone (except myself) decided we have to all get together for dinner. So I was suppose to befriend her on facebook.
So I did find her and friend her on facebook. I took a look at a few of her pictures. Sterling had said when he saw her Sunday he did not recognize her! She recognized him.
And when I was looking at her pictures I could see why. Every picture she had made her look like a different person. Short hair, long hair, brown, blonde, dark. Even her face looked different in each picture.
Sterling wanted to look at her profile pictures but I didn't let him. Yes, I am a little jealous. But I'm allowed to be. Sterling and I don't fight about anything. We love being together and we love doing nice things for each other. But we seem to never argue and this makes of us kind of boring. I don't want to be boring to Sterling. So I have to be something other than happy and easy going all the time. So, the way I see it this is a good thing that I'm a little jealous.
Sure, I'll agree to do a meal with these people once. I probably won't want to become annual vacation friends with them. But I'll be friendly and try to get over my jealousy.
We love our life. We think our marriage relationship is perfect. And we love the future we have together.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Letter to Mom
Hey Mom,
So it seems a lot had changed in the last two weeks!
1. I have realized I have lost a lot of weight. I don't feel any different than I did 5 months ago and I don't see a huge change. But I do notice the fat under my chin is gone and that my legs/thighs are thinner. I have been buying new jeans lately because none of my pants were fitting me. So I bought a pair and they were too big. So I started buying size 8's and they were still too big. So I bought a pair of 6's, crossing my fingers that I am thin enough to fit in them. And it turns out they are even a bit large on me. So maybe I'm a size 5 jean? Anyway, I'll just have to wear my big pants because I can't go buying more now after buying all those. Luckily most of them were clearance and were $4-$8.
How did I lose the weight? Breastfeeding, hiking, cutting back my milk and sugar cereal intake and refraining from having ice cream in the house.
2. I have always really disliked the fact that Sterling's motivation to eat less and lose weight depends on me. I have tried to eat less and eat better so that he will but it's so hard. However, at the moment it is a great thing. Since I am currently thin he is motivated to lose weight too. He is eating a lot less now and staying away from high calories. Yay!
3. We have finally decided what to do about Luke's education. We wanted to put in him in the Italian school at age 3. But his communication and connecting with people (kids, adults, friends, family, etc) is not so good, nor his speech, I'm not sure that would be a good idea.
We decided we'd have to get a second car for Luke to go to school this year and we are not willing to do that. So I have decided to start home schooling Luke now.
We have him in the EDIS program. They evaluated him and pointed out to us what he is doing and what he is not. What is normal for his age and what is not. I have a whole list of things I am going to work on with him. From eating food with utensils to answering questions to drawing a circle.
It's funny how both my kids need extra teaching and time at the same time. Tiberias with his physical therapy and Luke with his learning. I am not even thinking about painting the living room yet because I have to give all my time and attention to the kids.
So that is what is new with us.
Love, Tiffany
So it seems a lot had changed in the last two weeks!
1. I have realized I have lost a lot of weight. I don't feel any different than I did 5 months ago and I don't see a huge change. But I do notice the fat under my chin is gone and that my legs/thighs are thinner. I have been buying new jeans lately because none of my pants were fitting me. So I bought a pair and they were too big. So I started buying size 8's and they were still too big. So I bought a pair of 6's, crossing my fingers that I am thin enough to fit in them. And it turns out they are even a bit large on me. So maybe I'm a size 5 jean? Anyway, I'll just have to wear my big pants because I can't go buying more now after buying all those. Luckily most of them were clearance and were $4-$8.
How did I lose the weight? Breastfeeding, hiking, cutting back my milk and sugar cereal intake and refraining from having ice cream in the house.
2. I have always really disliked the fact that Sterling's motivation to eat less and lose weight depends on me. I have tried to eat less and eat better so that he will but it's so hard. However, at the moment it is a great thing. Since I am currently thin he is motivated to lose weight too. He is eating a lot less now and staying away from high calories. Yay!
3. We have finally decided what to do about Luke's education. We wanted to put in him in the Italian school at age 3. But his communication and connecting with people (kids, adults, friends, family, etc) is not so good, nor his speech, I'm not sure that would be a good idea.
We decided we'd have to get a second car for Luke to go to school this year and we are not willing to do that. So I have decided to start home schooling Luke now.
We have him in the EDIS program. They evaluated him and pointed out to us what he is doing and what he is not. What is normal for his age and what is not. I have a whole list of things I am going to work on with him. From eating food with utensils to answering questions to drawing a circle.
It's funny how both my kids need extra teaching and time at the same time. Tiberias with his physical therapy and Luke with his learning. I am not even thinking about painting the living room yet because I have to give all my time and attention to the kids.
So that is what is new with us.
Love, Tiffany
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Little Moments
Yesterday I was feeding Tiberias little tastes of bread. I decided to see if he would try and pick it up with his own fingers. So I help a tiny piece in my palm in front of him and said "Can you get it yourself?" He took a moment to decide what to do. Then he leaned forward until his face was to my palm! lol! Cute kid.
This morning when I came downstairs from my shower I found Lachoneus had been up to some trouble. My daily showers are short because I have kids to take care of, but it doesn't take long for a 2yr old to get into mischief.
Unfortunately I found a wine glass broken on the tile floor. Luckily Luke didn't get hurt. The wine glass was a gift Ster bought from work (a fund raiser) for me for Vday. It had a delicious desert in it when he bought it. I had shared it with Sterling and left the glass by the tv the night before. That was a mistake.
Anyway, the reason I am telling this story is because of what happened as soon as I saw the broken glass. Luke knew he was in trouble. Before I said anything he walked over and put himself in Time Out. lol.
This morning when I came downstairs from my shower I found Lachoneus had been up to some trouble. My daily showers are short because I have kids to take care of, but it doesn't take long for a 2yr old to get into mischief.
Unfortunately I found a wine glass broken on the tile floor. Luckily Luke didn't get hurt. The wine glass was a gift Ster bought from work (a fund raiser) for me for Vday. It had a delicious desert in it when he bought it. I had shared it with Sterling and left the glass by the tv the night before. That was a mistake.
Anyway, the reason I am telling this story is because of what happened as soon as I saw the broken glass. Luke knew he was in trouble. Before I said anything he walked over and put himself in Time Out. lol.
Monday, February 14, 2011
This Saturday Tiberias will turn 6 months old. He loves to jump now! He is exactly like Luke was as a baby in that...you help him stand and all he will want to do is jump.
But Luke was a very energized baby and Tiberias is not. Or maybe "motivated to move" is more true...I can't be sure. Luke use to move and try to learn something new physically, like rolling over, all the time. Ty does not. I am so excited Tiberias has finally learned to roll over!!
I didn't know how to help him learn until I got some advice. There is a clinic on the base that helps children under 3 years of age with special needs such as physical therapy and speech therapy.
Our friend Dwayne (bishop of our ward) is a doctor in this clinic EDIS. So we had Luke evaluated for their services for communication, vocab, speech, etc. To make sure Luke is close enough to where he should be socially etc for his age. A month ago Luke was doing terrible. He was not understanding or communicating. He would try to grunt instead of speak.
But we, Sterling and I, started giving him more time and attention and teaching him. And now he is great. He was evaluated last week and did not qualify for the EDIS program...which is good.
But while the EDIS people were at our house I pointed out Ty's misshapen head. They hooked me up with s physical therapist for Ty at EDIS. At his 4 month Pediatrics appointment my doctor did not think Ty's stiff neck and misshapen head for anything to worry about. He said to help me stretch to the right at home because he only looked left. So I tried but wasn't getting anywhere.
We met with the physical therapist last week and learned exercises to help Ty stretch his neck to the right. They told us we have the option of getting Tiberias a helmet which would help his head get back to a normal shape. This would have to be worn 23 hours a day for months! And it would be a couple of thousand dollars for the helmet.
Ty's flat spot on his head is low...at the bottom of the head. Typically for Torticollis the flat spot is at the top of the head. So the physical therapist could not do their normal measurement. They did not know exactly what to do because Ty's is not a normal case.
We've had Tiberias on his tummy a lot lately. And he finally learned to roll over! He is doing better...able to look right pretty well already. So we believe he won't require the helmet. He will get better and better at turning right and then won't be on his left when he sleeps (hopefully) and his head will grow normal.
We'll meet with the physical therapist now and then as we work on Tiberias.
Lachoneus started singing last week! He has been singing Disney Ooh and Aah monkey's song and trying to sing his ABC's. SO cute!
We have gotten many comments by other parents that Lachoneus is a great listener. When we tell him to do something or stop he immediately does it. Not always, especially at home. But when we are out and he starts running away or doing something he should we tell him to stop and he stops. He is a very good boy.
Lately he uses the toilet more than his training potty. He can climb up all by himself and do everything himself. Well, I usually flush for him.
But Luke was a very energized baby and Tiberias is not. Or maybe "motivated to move" is more true...I can't be sure. Luke use to move and try to learn something new physically, like rolling over, all the time. Ty does not. I am so excited Tiberias has finally learned to roll over!!
I didn't know how to help him learn until I got some advice. There is a clinic on the base that helps children under 3 years of age with special needs such as physical therapy and speech therapy.
Our friend Dwayne (bishop of our ward) is a doctor in this clinic EDIS. So we had Luke evaluated for their services for communication, vocab, speech, etc. To make sure Luke is close enough to where he should be socially etc for his age. A month ago Luke was doing terrible. He was not understanding or communicating. He would try to grunt instead of speak.
But we, Sterling and I, started giving him more time and attention and teaching him. And now he is great. He was evaluated last week and did not qualify for the EDIS program...which is good.
But while the EDIS people were at our house I pointed out Ty's misshapen head. They hooked me up with s physical therapist for Ty at EDIS. At his 4 month Pediatrics appointment my doctor did not think Ty's stiff neck and misshapen head for anything to worry about. He said to help me stretch to the right at home because he only looked left. So I tried but wasn't getting anywhere.
We met with the physical therapist last week and learned exercises to help Ty stretch his neck to the right. They told us we have the option of getting Tiberias a helmet which would help his head get back to a normal shape. This would have to be worn 23 hours a day for months! And it would be a couple of thousand dollars for the helmet.
Ty's flat spot on his head is low...at the bottom of the head. Typically for Torticollis the flat spot is at the top of the head. So the physical therapist could not do their normal measurement. They did not know exactly what to do because Ty's is not a normal case.
We've had Tiberias on his tummy a lot lately. And he finally learned to roll over! He is doing better...able to look right pretty well already. So we believe he won't require the helmet. He will get better and better at turning right and then won't be on his left when he sleeps (hopefully) and his head will grow normal.
We'll meet with the physical therapist now and then as we work on Tiberias.
Lachoneus started singing last week! He has been singing Disney Ooh and Aah monkey's song and trying to sing his ABC's. SO cute!
We have gotten many comments by other parents that Lachoneus is a great listener. When we tell him to do something or stop he immediately does it. Not always, especially at home. But when we are out and he starts running away or doing something he should we tell him to stop and he stops. He is a very good boy.
Lately he uses the toilet more than his training potty. He can climb up all by himself and do everything himself. Well, I usually flush for him.
Monday, January 31, 2011
2nd Counselor in Primary
January 31st , 2011
Yesterday at church I was sustained and set apart as the 2nd counselor in the Primary Presidency. I was asked just a week ago if I would accept this call. I felt privileged to be given such a calling. At the same time I had no idea what that calling would entail, how difficult it would be for me, or even what the order/schedule of Primary was.
The President is Amy Neihbur. She and her family moved here about a year ago. She and her husband have two children...both adopted. Cade, their youngest, was born the exact same day Lachoneus was. The two boys love each other.
Rachel Wynn is the 1st counselor in the Primary right now. She has two children, a daughter who is 3yrs old and a son who is 2. Cardon, the 2 year old, is not close to Luke even though they are both in nursery together.
Sterling and I have had many families from our ward over for a meal. We like to invite a family now and then to join us in our home. It is fun!
But the Wynn's we have never had over yet. We will soon...brother Wynn is deploying in March. Sterling was also going to deploy in March but just a week or two ago we learned he is no longer going. They want someone with three stripes more than Sterling has to go do the job Sterling was told (originally) that he would. It was going to be Sterling's first deployment. He was happy to finally experience deploying but sad at the thought of leaving with wife and children for six whole months. Now that he is not going I don't have to worry about the struggle it would have been for me to be without my love, my best friend, for that long.
I would probably have been fine being mother of two by myself for 6months. I probably would have been fine doing the finances. But being away from my husband would truly be a trial.
I am so excited Sterling will not be missing the big milestones Tiberias will hit this year...crawling and walking.
Back to the original topic though...my new calling.
The previous 2nd counselor (sis Vanessa Hatcher) did a fabulous job at her calling! She even took on pretty much all the Secretary's responsibilities as well...because there is no secretary.
So now I have huge shoes to fill. And being great with kids and having many talents I know I am expected by the presidency and the bishop to be great at this calling.
I still have my Ward Historian calling but that doesn't require my time every week. That is basically me keeping an eye out for big events etc in our ward and the lives of those in it. When things do happen I take pictures if possible and record the facts and maybe a few fun tidbits as well.
I met with Vanessa Hatcher this morning in her home. She gave me a binder of 2nd counselor and secretary responsibilities. She showed me how she did things, most all were on the computer. So a lot of what I do will be on the computer...making lists and a newsletter and emailing such things to the right people. Then on Sundays, as I learned at church yesterday, I am in the Primary room for the 2nd and 3rd hour of church. We have the jr primary (the youngest half of primary) and we do opening exercises, music time, a child gives a talk and a child reads a scripture, prayer and announcements. Then those kids go to class while the older half come from class to primary where we do the same thing over again.
I will be required to do Sharing Time now and then, conduct once in a while but mostly keep the kids reverent during Primary. I make sure the kids have teachers each week. If their teacher cancels or just fails to appear then I find someone to teach...I do it myself if I have to.
Sterling will take care of Tiberias the first hour of Primary. But the 2nd hour he goes to fulfill his own calling in young men's. Having the baby in Primary is a distraction for the children...especially the older children. They want to play with and hold the baby. Plus, if I am holding the baby it is hard for me to get the children to quiet down. And Tiberias is teething so yesterday was in the back, holding Ty, trying to keep him quiet the whole time.
I could easily find people to hold Tiberias in Relief Society that last hour of church. But I don't want to be without my baby. Two hours without him (except for feeding and diaper changes) is not easy. Knowing he's with someone else...that's hard.
And yesterday Luke cried all through Nursery. With the church time change from 9:30a last year to 1p this year Luke has not adjusted yet. He napped before church yesterday but we can't always get him to take an early nap. He was unhappy all day yesterday...either sick or just growing. Either way we decided, the nursery teacher along with Ster and I, to bring Luke's beloved blanky to nursery each week. We did that once or twice already this year and it kept him calm. So days when he ends up tired or having growing pains his blanky should help. That means I have to remember to wash it every Saturday.
Talking to Vanessa this morning made me feel I could become overwhelmed at all this. But I am trying not to let that happen and am hoping that all these responsibilities individually are simple...that once I start doing them all I will not struggle.
My first task is to hurry and get the February newsletter made and emailed out because tomorrow is February. The newsletter technically is the secretary's job but Amy asked if I would do it and I am happy to. Once I get going in this calling I will see what secretary responsibilities I might want Rachel or Amy to do. I cannot yet tell what will be too much for me...if I could do it all myself.
I know I can do this. It is a big job. But I worked two full time jobs and even tried a part time job for a week when I was single and living in Spanish Fork. I had no time for a social life but that's not the point. The point is that I was able to do that and keep my sanity and my health. So I think I can be a mother of two and fulfill all three of my church callings (Visiting Teaching being the third calling).
And one big thing I've noticed since moving into this ward is how much the Bishopric pushes "family first." They tell us to fulfill our callings for church but to not let them interfere with our families. Our husbands and children come first. I wonder if they are pushing that notion all over the world now...if the Prophet and his Presidency have sent out letters informing all steak and ward leaders that this is #1 priority. To make sure all church members know that family comes first.
I love that.
Sterling and I do our best to make our family as happy and strong as possible. We focus on our marriage first and our children second. Well, technically we focus on our sanity second :D
We are still in "the Honeymoon phase." We've been married three and a half years and are more in love than we have ever been. Our marriage is stronger than it has ever been.
When we got married I believed that the honeymoon phase ends in all marriages and that often (many years into the marriage) individuals fall out of love. One will still be in love while the other is not. But that they fall back into love eventually. Marriage takes work. It's not easy.
But now I believe, as does my husband, that maybe the Honeymoon phase does not have to end. It seems we can be in this phase the rest of our lives...if we continue to ever to work at it. We take time to be together, without the kids. Whether it's a date (which is expensive...to go out and do something while paying for a sitter) or doing something with worth when the kids are asleep.
We went on a date Saturday night. We got Burger King and saw the latest Harry Potter movie in the theater. We had a lot of fun! But we didn't get a lot of time to talk to each other. So last night Sterling told me his plan "After the kids go to bed I'll light some candles in the bedroom, turn out the light and we just lay in bed and talk." And that's what we did. Well, Sterling's brother Jon called and they talked a long time and then we finished watching a movie before we went upstairs. So by that time we got to our quality time together I was sleepy. But we took a few minutes, by candle light, to just talk and enjoy being together.
Since we are truly happy, our marriage is practically perfect, we then focus on our children. Naturally, I can't let the baby cry so I can spend time with my husband. I take care of the kids as they need it.
I do what I can to make Luke and Ty happy and keep their sanity (which often requires getting outdoors into the fresh air). I try to make real quality time with Luke at least once while Sterling is at work. Sterling takes some quality time with Luke and Tiberias when he is home.
I love watching all three boys together. Their father is so different with them than I am!
I love to watch Sterling wrestle with Luke. I love watching his read to the boys with one child on each leg. I love seeing Lachoneus and Ty play together with Sterling's help. This morning Sterling had both kids and they were sitting on the floor. Tiberias kept grabbing at luke's toys and clothes and leaning in toward him. Luke thought it was funny...like he was playing with his brother. Then Sterling helped the baby attack Luke (wrestle him) and Luke loved it. Luke is very good at being gentle with Ty. Even though Tiberias was wrestling Luke he was careful not to grab back at the baby or accidentally kick him. It's such a joy to see! These moments are so precious!
Tiberias is a few weeks away from turning 6months old. He is still too young to play much with Luke. But I can see Luke finding a friend in Ty already. Someone to kind of play with. Someone to share the toys, parents love and home with. Luke loves not being the only child.
Yesterday at church I was sustained and set apart as the 2nd counselor in the Primary Presidency. I was asked just a week ago if I would accept this call. I felt privileged to be given such a calling. At the same time I had no idea what that calling would entail, how difficult it would be for me, or even what the order/schedule of Primary was.
The President is Amy Neihbur. She and her family moved here about a year ago. She and her husband have two children...both adopted. Cade, their youngest, was born the exact same day Lachoneus was. The two boys love each other.
Rachel Wynn is the 1st counselor in the Primary right now. She has two children, a daughter who is 3yrs old and a son who is 2. Cardon, the 2 year old, is not close to Luke even though they are both in nursery together.
Sterling and I have had many families from our ward over for a meal. We like to invite a family now and then to join us in our home. It is fun!
But the Wynn's we have never had over yet. We will soon...brother Wynn is deploying in March. Sterling was also going to deploy in March but just a week or two ago we learned he is no longer going. They want someone with three stripes more than Sterling has to go do the job Sterling was told (originally) that he would. It was going to be Sterling's first deployment. He was happy to finally experience deploying but sad at the thought of leaving with wife and children for six whole months. Now that he is not going I don't have to worry about the struggle it would have been for me to be without my love, my best friend, for that long.
I would probably have been fine being mother of two by myself for 6months. I probably would have been fine doing the finances. But being away from my husband would truly be a trial.
I am so excited Sterling will not be missing the big milestones Tiberias will hit this year...crawling and walking.
Back to the original topic though...my new calling.
The previous 2nd counselor (sis Vanessa Hatcher) did a fabulous job at her calling! She even took on pretty much all the Secretary's responsibilities as well...because there is no secretary.
So now I have huge shoes to fill. And being great with kids and having many talents I know I am expected by the presidency and the bishop to be great at this calling.
I still have my Ward Historian calling but that doesn't require my time every week. That is basically me keeping an eye out for big events etc in our ward and the lives of those in it. When things do happen I take pictures if possible and record the facts and maybe a few fun tidbits as well.
I met with Vanessa Hatcher this morning in her home. She gave me a binder of 2nd counselor and secretary responsibilities. She showed me how she did things, most all were on the computer. So a lot of what I do will be on the computer...making lists and a newsletter and emailing such things to the right people. Then on Sundays, as I learned at church yesterday, I am in the Primary room for the 2nd and 3rd hour of church. We have the jr primary (the youngest half of primary) and we do opening exercises, music time, a child gives a talk and a child reads a scripture, prayer and announcements. Then those kids go to class while the older half come from class to primary where we do the same thing over again.
I will be required to do Sharing Time now and then, conduct once in a while but mostly keep the kids reverent during Primary. I make sure the kids have teachers each week. If their teacher cancels or just fails to appear then I find someone to teach...I do it myself if I have to.
Sterling will take care of Tiberias the first hour of Primary. But the 2nd hour he goes to fulfill his own calling in young men's. Having the baby in Primary is a distraction for the children...especially the older children. They want to play with and hold the baby. Plus, if I am holding the baby it is hard for me to get the children to quiet down. And Tiberias is teething so yesterday was in the back, holding Ty, trying to keep him quiet the whole time.
I could easily find people to hold Tiberias in Relief Society that last hour of church. But I don't want to be without my baby. Two hours without him (except for feeding and diaper changes) is not easy. Knowing he's with someone else...that's hard.
And yesterday Luke cried all through Nursery. With the church time change from 9:30a last year to 1p this year Luke has not adjusted yet. He napped before church yesterday but we can't always get him to take an early nap. He was unhappy all day yesterday...either sick or just growing. Either way we decided, the nursery teacher along with Ster and I, to bring Luke's beloved blanky to nursery each week. We did that once or twice already this year and it kept him calm. So days when he ends up tired or having growing pains his blanky should help. That means I have to remember to wash it every Saturday.
Talking to Vanessa this morning made me feel I could become overwhelmed at all this. But I am trying not to let that happen and am hoping that all these responsibilities individually are simple...that once I start doing them all I will not struggle.
My first task is to hurry and get the February newsletter made and emailed out because tomorrow is February. The newsletter technically is the secretary's job but Amy asked if I would do it and I am happy to. Once I get going in this calling I will see what secretary responsibilities I might want Rachel or Amy to do. I cannot yet tell what will be too much for me...if I could do it all myself.
I know I can do this. It is a big job. But I worked two full time jobs and even tried a part time job for a week when I was single and living in Spanish Fork. I had no time for a social life but that's not the point. The point is that I was able to do that and keep my sanity and my health. So I think I can be a mother of two and fulfill all three of my church callings (Visiting Teaching being the third calling).
And one big thing I've noticed since moving into this ward is how much the Bishopric pushes "family first." They tell us to fulfill our callings for church but to not let them interfere with our families. Our husbands and children come first. I wonder if they are pushing that notion all over the world now...if the Prophet and his Presidency have sent out letters informing all steak and ward leaders that this is #1 priority. To make sure all church members know that family comes first.
I love that.
Sterling and I do our best to make our family as happy and strong as possible. We focus on our marriage first and our children second. Well, technically we focus on our sanity second :D
We are still in "the Honeymoon phase." We've been married three and a half years and are more in love than we have ever been. Our marriage is stronger than it has ever been.
When we got married I believed that the honeymoon phase ends in all marriages and that often (many years into the marriage) individuals fall out of love. One will still be in love while the other is not. But that they fall back into love eventually. Marriage takes work. It's not easy.
But now I believe, as does my husband, that maybe the Honeymoon phase does not have to end. It seems we can be in this phase the rest of our lives...if we continue to ever to work at it. We take time to be together, without the kids. Whether it's a date (which is expensive...to go out and do something while paying for a sitter) or doing something with worth when the kids are asleep.
We went on a date Saturday night. We got Burger King and saw the latest Harry Potter movie in the theater. We had a lot of fun! But we didn't get a lot of time to talk to each other. So last night Sterling told me his plan "After the kids go to bed I'll light some candles in the bedroom, turn out the light and we just lay in bed and talk." And that's what we did. Well, Sterling's brother Jon called and they talked a long time and then we finished watching a movie before we went upstairs. So by that time we got to our quality time together I was sleepy. But we took a few minutes, by candle light, to just talk and enjoy being together.
Since we are truly happy, our marriage is practically perfect, we then focus on our children. Naturally, I can't let the baby cry so I can spend time with my husband. I take care of the kids as they need it.
I do what I can to make Luke and Ty happy and keep their sanity (which often requires getting outdoors into the fresh air). I try to make real quality time with Luke at least once while Sterling is at work. Sterling takes some quality time with Luke and Tiberias when he is home.
I love watching all three boys together. Their father is so different with them than I am!
I love to watch Sterling wrestle with Luke. I love watching his read to the boys with one child on each leg. I love seeing Lachoneus and Ty play together with Sterling's help. This morning Sterling had both kids and they were sitting on the floor. Tiberias kept grabbing at luke's toys and clothes and leaning in toward him. Luke thought it was funny...like he was playing with his brother. Then Sterling helped the baby attack Luke (wrestle him) and Luke loved it. Luke is very good at being gentle with Ty. Even though Tiberias was wrestling Luke he was careful not to grab back at the baby or accidentally kick him. It's such a joy to see! These moments are so precious!
Tiberias is a few weeks away from turning 6months old. He is still too young to play much with Luke. But I can see Luke finding a friend in Ty already. Someone to kind of play with. Someone to share the toys, parents love and home with. Luke loves not being the only child.
Lachoneus' speech skills
Dear Journal, January 19th, 2010
Here in Italy kids start attending school at age 3...Italian school. We were considering putting Luke in the Italian school. But if he has language/communication problems in his own language then it might make it worse to put him in an Italian school.
Luke still speaks as much gibberish as he does real words. And of course, most of the real words he says only I can understand.
He does not say yes or no. He says "uh-uh" for no and if he means "yes" he repeats what he wants. If I ask him if he wants a sandwich and he does then he says "sandwich."
If I ask him his name he says nothing. If I tell him to say "Luke" or "Lachoneus" he says "uh-uh" (meaning "no"). He use to try...about six months ago he would try to say his name. Guke is what he would say.
He also said prayer a few times...about six months ago. But if we ever try to get him to pray now he gets really silly and starts making goofy sounds. He refuses to be serious if we ask him to pray but he'll be serious if we don't ask him. And he won't repeat a word we say.
I was in nursery for a minute the other day and the teacher was teaching about prayer. She asked Luke to say the prayer and I was a little embarrassed. I explained to her that even at home he just makes silly sounds for prayer.
It is this nursery teacher that has Sterling and I worried about Luke's speech. Her oldest son (now 7) has some communication problems and has had speech therapy. She has asked me three weeks in a row about Luke and his development. Pointing out that I might want to watch carefully and maybe get him evaluated.
It didn't offend me. We are friends.
At first Ster and I agreed strongly that Luke is fine and normal. But as we watched Luke we started wondering.
We did realize that his lack of speech and communication lately is our own fault. Letting him watch too many Donald Duck cartoons (because Donald is his favorite) and not reading enough books to him. He has not gotten enough attention from us since Tiberias was born.
Not just because he have a baby now but because we've been so busy. After our parents' visits we moved apartments. I'm still settling in our belongings and decorating...it's a long process.
So it's been a few days now that we've been really focusing on Lachoneus. Limiting his Donald Duck intake, reading to him a lot more and spending quality time with him. Even coaxing him to use complete sentences.
He has started to do better. But I think we are going to have him evaluated. Our bishop is a childrens' doctor. Specializing in stuff like this. He is going to give us pamphlets and things to help us decide if we want the evaluation. Then we can have either the bishop or other people come to our home to ask us questions and observe Luke.
We don't typically go for this type of thing. But we want to know how normal he is and if there's something we need to focus on with him. We need to know if we should start planning for him to attend Italian school or not.
They do have an American school here on the base. But I think that starts with Kindergarten (age 5). And we'd rather Luke go to an Italian school than to the American school here. That would help me as well. We'd want Luke to not be too uncomfortable going to a school where he is not use to hearing the language spoken. So we'd need to start speaking Italian in our home asap. I don't know much but that would really help me. If we try to speak only Italian in the home for a while I'm sure I'd catch on. It would motivate me to actually study the language too.
Dear Journal, January 21, 2011
Yesterday at work Sterling was told he will not be going on this Spring's deployment! The spot Ster was deploying to fulfill is now requiring a Master Sergeant...three stripes higher than Ster is.
There is still a possibility he might have to go in the end but as of now he is not going.
When I heard the news I was somehow a little disappointed. Probably because he had made the plans for him to be gone six months. But then I realized he is not going to leave me for six whole months anymore! He is not going to miss seeing Ty learning to crawl and walk too!
He will probably go on TDYs...maybe even up to 6weeks at a time. But that's not a problem!
And now that he is not deploying he can take that schooling he needs to get his promotion. He'll get it earlier this year instead of having to wait until after the deployment!
He dropped off his uniform just Tuesday to get his Senior Airman (SrA) patch sewn on for deployment. Now he has to go stop them from doing that and have them sew on his Staff Sergeant (SSgt) patch because he's going to promote! He's going to have four stripes on his patch instead of 3.
We were going to plan a trip to Switzerland to attend the temple and see if any friends wanted to go with us...right before his deployment in March. Now we can plan it for the summer and go in nice weather...plan some sightseeing on that trip as well.
We were going to take family pictures right before he deployed too. Now we can wait another month or two and have beautiful green in our outdoors family pictures.
We were planning to go on a cruise after he returned from deployment. Now we can look at the calendar and decide if we want to do that sooner rather than later in the year.
I think we have decided to plan to put Luke in the Italian school next school year. He turns 3 in the summer and then will be old enough for Italian school. If he/we don't like it we can always pull him out. And if we do keep him in and we do live here until 2013 he'll get 2 years of Italian school. He should know the language by then...me too. :)
Tuesdays at 10:30a is Story Time at the library. The story lady comes and reads to the children who attend. My friend Nelli Mangle takes her kids often and told me about it. I am excited that Sterling is coming with us to Story Time next week! I love it when he's so involved with his sons! He is a wonderful dad!
Another event I am looking forward to is January 29th. Ster and I are taking our Valentine's date early. We wouldn't want to try going out on Valentine's day...it'll be busy everywhere. And we are planning to go on a date to see the Harry Potter movie that night anyway. So we'll figure out plans for dinner and maybe Sterling will come up with some romantic surprise to make it Valentine special. I already told him he should...without telling him "you should." And if he doesn't I'll be fine...I've learned not to get upset when he fails to romance me when I want it. But he's gotten pretty good at the romantic stuff recently. I think he'll pull through.
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