{me and my three babies}

Well, this isn't going as well as I hoped! But here's to a new commitment to write!

Day 6: HOT showers

 So if you know me, you are probably very surprised this didn't make the top three! If there is something I am SO grateful for and really wouldn't trade for anything, it is a hot shower. Jeremii just recently tried to change our water heater to make less time during the day having our water heated, to save on our gas bill. Here in Germany it is very expensive, and the billing is quite different than in the states. The Gas company figures a sum that you pay every month depending on your family size, then at the end of the year, depending on how much you use, you get ether a refund or a heavfty bill! Well we are hoping for the former- but I will not give up my hot shower.


Day 7: Peanut Butter
 
  Need I say more? I cannot live without peanut butter!! I don't think I can go more than a few days without, so guess what I have more than plenty of in our food storage?






Day 8: Family Home Evening (FHE)

  I am grateful for the blessing of family home evening! This is something that we do, as members of our church, with our family every Monday night.  "The home is the most important place for gospel learning. No other organization can take the place of the family. Latter-day prophets have repeatedly called on parents to nurture their children with love and gospel teaching." I love nurturing Hallie's testimony of the Savoir each week as we sing, pray, and learn together. Each day I strive teach her the gospel through my words and deeds, but having a designated night to gospel study has enriched our family relationships. It allows us to stop, slow down and listen to each other.
 "The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest.”



Day 9:  INTERNET

  I am SUPER grateful for the internet! I don't know what it would be like to not have the world at my fingertips! I love to look anything up- places, travel, Pintrest, and it keeps me connected to everyone and everything I want to! Even anything that I don't want to! Thank you, to the early computer scientists who put this incredible resource together!

Day 10: Creativity

   I am grateful for the ability we have to create. We all have this talent-whether its creating a business, baking homemade bread or crafting up the next hype on Pintrest, we all have the ability to create something out of nothing. What an incredible thing that is! Here is my little artwork I made today: (compliments of.. you guessed it.. Pintrest!)

I had the cutest, best date with my favorite boy today. I can't believe he has hit the double digets- 10 months! I love that Hallie has preschool all day, two days a week so I have one-on-one time with Carden. I can say that I continue to fall in love with him the more I spend time with him- I don't even know how its possible, but it keeps happening! He loves: vegetables, climbing, fresh laundry (who doesn't?) and to explore, just like his dad. He took more than 4 steps today, so I think I can say he is almost walking! Gosh I love my boy!

  Today, I am grateful to be an Air Force wife. The military has its many ups and downs, but overall it has been a blessing for our family. It has given us: healthcare, a stable job through a declining economy, and a community of incredible people who have become my dearest friends! It has taken us to Europe; to experience life in a whole new way-something that would have never been possible if we were to do it on our own. I am proud of my husband for serving our country in this noble occupation. I can't say we will be in the Air Force forever, but for now, I surely am grateful for it.

Day 3: the tears and joys of Motherhood


  It is not easy finding the words of gratitude for my two sweet little ones. I am so grateful I have been entrusted with these sweet spirits in our family. Its hard to imagine love expanding so far and so deep before you experience what it is like to be a mother. It is not easy being on call 12 hours a day after working 12 hours,  but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am so grateful I am able to be a mother full time; I know it is what the Lord gave me time to do.


Day 4: Soy milk

  Alright, enough of this sappy stuff already! I am so grateful for soy milk! I am not sure what happened to my stomach a few years ago, but I must have lost the enzyme that digests milk in your stomach. So until I find it, thank heavens for soy milk! I mean who can live without eating a bowl of cereal? And just one bowl? I'm just not sure its possible.

    I LOVE October, it is by far the best month of the whole year. Football, chili, cozy sweaters, boots, leaves changing colors.. I could go on and on! I look forward to it all year long, and I am sad another year of October has come and gone, but I am excited to celebrate a month of being thankful. This year I am going to write a post a day, to "vocally" thank my Father in heaven for all of my many blessings He has blessed me with. So, here's to day 1 & 2.

   First and foremost, I am so grateful to my Father in heaven and my Savoir, Jesus Christ. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and my life has been exponentially blessed because of it. I know He is the creator of the heavens and the earth. I know He is my Father, who created me, loves me, and knows me better than I know myself. In times of trials in my life, He has never forsaken me- even when I push Him away He has never given up on me. He has been my strength, my beacon, and my greatest friend. I know the Book of Mormon to be true, and its teachings help guide me day by day as I fight my own battles against enmities that I cannot see. I am grateful for the light and knowledge that the gospel gives me, for I know I have a purpose to fulfill here as I also prepare myself for greater things to come. I know that "by small and simple things, great things come to pass," and that everyday I must prove myself worthy of His spirit to help guide me in all things. I know that I cannot make it back on my own without the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and for this, I am forever indebted to Him, and eternally grateful. 


  Second, I am grateful for the man who has stood by my side, through all our ups and downs- the one I get to cuddle with every night! He is wonderful, and if I were to be completely honest- he is better than I expected him to be. You know the silly list that you made when you were in high school of all the attributes you wanted your husband to have? Yes, you know you did it too.. well, he has all the attributes I had written, and then some. One attribute that stood out to me that he had was to be slow to anger, and I love that about him. We can almost always talk our way out of an argument, which is such a blessing. He taught me to say "I'm sorry" right after I do something, instead of my usual walk-away-and-forget-about-it method. He is kind, loving, and is such a great father and example to my children. He is a hard worker, and would do anything and everything to support our family- which he has proven in the past. He is unwavering in his testimony of the gospel, and our Savoir. He is the glass is half full kind of guy. He may not be the best at telling me how he feels everyday, but he shows me with his dedication and love to me and our family. He makes me laugh everyday, and when we get on a laughing streak- no one can stop us! I love his love of nature, need for adventure, and love of the unbeaten path. I love everything about him, and his flaws are what makes him perfect.

I just had the "talk" with hallie. I never thought we would have had this conversation at 4 and 1/2 but she wanted to know. No no.. not that talk. The talk of dying. She really wanted to know what was going to happen to us, and all about heaven. It went something like this:

"Mommy, what happens when we become pop pops and grandmas, where do the other ones go?"
  "They go to heaven, and wait for us. They might even be our guardian angels. Did you know we all have guardian angels? They might even be our family."

"I am going to miss being a kid when I am a grown up. I am going to miss my stuffed animals and you."
      "I never want you to grow up"
"Why don't you want me to be a mommy and have babies like you?"
      "Because you won't want me all the time."
"Yes I will, I will miss you. Maybe we can have houses that are right across the street from eachother. Then we can have playdates all the time!"

 "I think all angels have white dresses."
"I think so."
  "Probably."
"When we die, are we angels?"
   "We have spirit bodies, kind of like angels."
"Are they grown ups in kid bodies? Are their kids there that are grown ups?"
   "I think we are all grown ups."
"Probably."

   "Did you know that when mommy and daddy got married in the Temple, that we were sealed together, and that means you are sealed to us too? We will always be together."
 "Like its made of wood?"
    "Stronger than wood. You can't see it."
"What if someone took a knife and tried to cut it?"
     "It can't be broken. You can't see it, and the Lord created it."

   "Did you know that animals go to heaven too?"
"Like they become animal angels?"
    "Kind of. They have perfect bodies too."

"When we are angels we can fly. I want to fly like Tinkerbell."

"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Sure!"
"Jesus loves us so much"


  I wish I had a better memory to capture the whole conversation, but this is pieces of it. I am so in love with my little big girl.

Lets see what we have missed in the last few months...

Jeremii went to scout camp in the Alps:





Someone learned how to ride a bike without training wheels:

enjoyed the 3 days of sunshine at the pool:

Made new friends, went on bike rides:

Went to the annual pumpkin festival:



 Aaaand last but not least, I have a new sister!



      We just got back from the states! Yes, for the first time in 2 and 1/2 years we were able to go "home". It was wonderful to see family- my whole family hasn't  been together since our wedding almost 7 years ago (gasp!) It took 15  hours on a plane, and almost 18 hours in the car to get to Utah.. but it was worth it. It was so good to see our family again. I know we have forever with our families, but it would be nice to see them once in a while! I absolutely love my new sister Elisabeth.. mark definitely married up! Blog post of the wedding coming soon :)