Los Aldama

Thank you for all of your kind comments and emails. Sometimes you just need to vent and let it out, so you don't feel like you are going crazy. We just walked through our home and have been told that it will be completed in 3 weeks. Looking at it, you would never guess it, but they are doubling up on contractors and working long hours to get it done. I am so excited, it does not seem real. I think it will be like Christmas opening up all of the boxes that we have not seen since May. I was just talking to Corom about his bunk beds and bedding (that we have not seen since May because it is in storage) and he was arguing with me about not having bunk beds. Won't he be in for a treat to see that he actually has toys and pictures to hang on the wall! Tonight, as a family, as mentioned, we walked through the construction site, stopped to get ice cream and went on a drive through the country! It is stunning. Most of the fields are in harvest and it is green, a stark contrast to the dead fields we saw when we came to tour the city last winter. I needs more evenings like this to find balance and beauty with my family. Thank you all again for your love and support. This summer has been tough, but we look forward to brighter days and settling down!

Preschool is a kick. Tomorrow we are talking about Jack and the Beanstalk. This too, has been a blessing for me to find structured time and something to keep me busy away from my everyday duties! Have a great week! I can hopefully post house pictures soon.

This entry is one that has been on my mind for quite awhile, but I usually try to keep things light, fun and family-friendly on my blog. The truth is that these last few months have been really trying. I don't know if I have ever felt such intense feelings of loneliness, inadequacy and discouragement. When those who are close to me question why, I can't explain it. We are building a beautiful home, have beautiful children, are earning a "real" income after years of schooling, have our health, live close to a temple, are part of a wonderful ward (congregation), and have been taken in by a great family while our home is being completed. I recognize these things, and appreciate these things, I have just been in a slump. I believe that Satan works on us when we are weak with thoughts like, "You aren't good enough", "Life stinks" "What are you worth anyways?" It has felt like a constant battle to be a good parent and wife when I have felt lost in this world of "Oh poor me." Today in my Sunday School Class, I was teaching the teenagers about Spencer W. Kimball and the refining moments in his life. I do believe that we are given these periods in our life to prove that we can be better, that we can rise above the blues to be grateful for the beautiful gifts that we have been given. I have had confirmation after confirmation that Heavenly Father is aware of me, that he loves me, but that it is my job to CHOOSE to be happy, to be a good friend/wife/mother/daughter/etc. Last night I was able to slip away for a bit of "Filling my spiritual cup" time. I attended our General Relief Society Conference. Among other speakers from the General Relief Society Presidency, Elder Uchdorf, one of the counselors to our Prophet, spoke. He used the analogy of Willy Wonka and talked about how in life we are often too busy looking for our Golden Tickets to take delight in simple beauties of life like the chocolate bar itself. If you have not yet viewed the talk, it is archived on the LDS.org website. It was wonderful and I believe it was written for me. I left there saying, "I am now living in this new city and can CHOOSE to be happy here, to find beauty in being the person that I am, with the responsibilities that I have been given. I am committed to humbling myself to seek inspiration and guidance in my pursuit of happiness in this phase of life." I have so much to be grateful for. I don't know why life gets us down sometimes, but when it does, it is difficult to rise above it. I am eager to feel like myself again, and to not only be where I was, but to become who I really want to be. Thanks again for checking in on us. I miss my friends and family dearly and feel that these connections and updates are priceless.

After months of preparation, we are in business! I opened a preschool with a friend, Brenda and we have 7 children in our class. The preschool is held in Brenda's basement, but as you can see below, the basement has been transformed into a gorgeous classroom! We are still in a period of trial and error as we get to know the individual personalities in our class and see what motivates them to learn. We have discovered already that they all love music! Some of the children have longer attention spans than others and we are working on transitioning activities to accommodate the differences in attention span. (Some kids could color a picture to perfection while others scribble a few scribbles and are ready for the next task) As discovered in years passed, it all comes down to routines and over-planning! This month we are studying a letter a week and the theme "All About Food!" This week we will talk about produce and grains and will do among many other activities, fruit and veggie stamping with paint. I LOVE IT! My sweet Corom is thrilled to giggles about starting preschool. He giggles at every joke we say and anything he finds fun or funny in class. Brenda has a little boy the same age as him and they get a kick out of it! The children we have enrolled are delightful, which makes hard work all worth it! Elijah goes to a baby sitter, but I am able to have Noelle with me, as she is enrolled in PM kindergarten. She too, is finding it fun and enjoying the activities, especially the awesome assortment of dress ups. As far as home updates go, we have been told October 19th and though we are not holding our breaths, we are hopeful and excited. Have a great week!

It has been way too long! I have been fussing with my IPHOTO and have been having trouble putting my pictures on the computer. It isn't much fun to blog without pictures. Well, we are officially basement dwellers. Like previously posted, a wonderful family has taken us in while we are waiting for our home to be completed. With that said, it has been a wild month. We, as a family, are about as off-routine as any family can be. We came with only our basics and are trying to make do with what we have. After a really frustrating summer of construction delays and after expressing our frustrations repeatedly with the builders, they have promised that they are doing everything possible to get us into our home. (Keep in mind, we were supposed to be in our home on August 16th. It is now September 11th and the home has been sitting still for over a week awaiting the HVAC and framing inspections) My kids are getting really used to driving by the house and hearing my growl. It is REALLY frustrating! But, I think that we have come to terms with the slow process and will wait with patience and anticipation for the completion of our home. Life does go on, even if you are living with another family and some BIG events have happened this month! I will let the pictures speak for themselves. My family is getting big and every day I watch my children in AWE that they are really mine. We are so blessed. I keep thinking that this time last year, Elijah was just turning one and starting to walk. Now, he is speaking in full sentences and so active! Life is flying by! This Tuesday we begin our in-home preschool that I am opening with a friend. It has been ALOT of work, but has come together well and we are anxious to get it going! Corom will be the first to benefit from this preschool and can't wait!

NOELLE started kindergarten at our rural elementary school. This little school building houses over 700 kids! She was so excited (and a bit nervous) to begin! We are so proud of her for being so BRAVE!



Last weekend we slipped away for a day to Boise to school shop and play! Dan helped Noelle pick out some skinny jeans, ballet flats and other cute clothes. My 5 year old and husband are way more fashionable than me! WE LOVED OUR TIME THERE! While there, we found a wonderful park. These pictures are of Corom and I watching Noelle's back-to-school fashion show! The ones below are of Dan and the kids in Boise!




Elijah's Birthday was on September 1st and our baby turned 2! (So sad! I would love for him to stay a baby) But, two he is! He fits every two year old stereotype. He is inquisitive, playful, energetic, talking like crazy and climbing out of his crib! HE MAKES ME SMILE! I cannot imagine our lives without this beautiful child! For his birthday, we went to the park with the Weavers (the family we are living with) We ate cake, opened presents, did a pinata and PLAYED! At our 2 year old checkup last week, Elijah weighed in at 27 pounds. He is in the 75% for height and the 50% for weight. (Corom has always been in the 3rd) He is healthy and growing like a weed! Happy Birthday to my sweet baby boy!







Here is a picture of the construction. It is a little out of date, as we now have windows and felt on the roof. WE CANNOT WAIT! I am hoping the next pictures will be with all of the siding, rocks and roof on! Those materials have all been dropped off. Soon, we hope!

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK! LOVE YOU ALL!