Girly, Girl...I think not

Elizabeth hates dressing up in girl clothes.












Sometimes she will tolerate it...

And sometimes she acts silly with it...

But most the time she cries and....

cries until it comes off

Fears

Few people know this but my greatest fear is fire.

Once when I was a wee little girl...I read a goosebumps book about a girl who didn't know she had died in a fire.  She had started the fire on accident and then went to sleep.  She wandered around doing normal things for days not knowing she was dead.  Anyway I can't remember more than that but I do remember that it sparked a huge fear of fire in me.

Then when I was in high school,  I accidently set a lamp shade on fire in my room.  I put it out and and threw away the lamp.  It wasn't in flames, just burned a hole in the shade.  It was a long time until I bought another lamp...

Then last week fires were breaking out all over the place near Houston, in Magnolia and Waller Counties, about 30 minutes from where I work.  I heard on the radio that the Fire Dept was going around those areas and giving people 10 minutes to get their stuff and evacuate.  I had a dream Thursday morning, that the Fire Dept came to me at work and gave me 10 minutes to evacuate with all the kids.  My first thought was good think D has E this week so the kids actually all fit in my car.  My second thought was I can't do this. I am terrified of fire.

So I brought the kids to the park. Stupid thing really, there was quite a bit of smoke and haze.  Came home put N to bed.  I was getting ready for lesson time and I heard BANG BANG BANG....DING DONG DING DONG.  I thought "Good crap, what in the world???" I open the door and there is the Fire Chief in all his glory.

And I panicked. "We have to evacuate" Oh no...my dream is a reality.

Actually it was worse.

The fireman said, "We got a call that your fire alarm was going off and smoke coming out of your house?"

 I just stared at him.

"Your neighbor was walking by and noticed it."

Me: "We just got home and the alarm wasn't going off, I didn't smell or see anything, but I will do a walk through of the house.

Fireman: "Okay Ma'm we have gotten a few false calls today b/c the increase in smoke in the area."

Oh crap. Now I was worried.  I should of asked him to do the walk through, but he would of been loud and clunky.  And I had a baby sleeping.  So I nervously walked through the house.

It was all good. False alarm.

Thank goodness.

Then I saw this today: http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2011/09/fire-breaks-out-near-george-bush-park/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Memories not to be forgotten

So I don't have my camera with me most the time.  It is too much hassle to bring it back and forth between Houston and Beaumont.  But here a few moments I want to remember.  So use your imagination.

• E screams if I carry her on the stairs.  She is a big girl and must go up and down all by herself.  I can't even hold her hand.
• E can scoot herself forward and backward on a small tricycle or bike.  She has a little airplane that she rides a lot
• Everyone is surprised when they see E going down the big slide at the park.  But she has been a pro at sliding for at least two months.  I don't even have to stand at the bottom of most slides now.
• Some of her favorite words to say: Uh-oh, thank you, dog, momma, dadda, and she whispers "Whats that" "Who's that" when we hold her to a mirror and say it first
• She refuses to keep her cup her high chair.  It must sit on the table, and when she wants it she will point at it.  When she is done, she will hand it back to you if you are near and say thank you, but if you are not near she will throw it. Stinker.
• She is supposed to be sleeping right now...I hear her making cute noises :)
• E pretends to soap herself in the bathtub.  She will put her hand next to her baby wash and then rub her tummy.  It is too cute
• The other day, the Taylor Family was leaving to go out to Chick Fil A.  E saw them get their shoes on and started whining.  So I tried to put her in her high chair for her dinner.  She whined and kicked.  She wanted to go out with them.  I gave in.  I am a sucker for Chick Fil A.  The cow was there, E cried when it got close.  Poor baby.
• E loves French Fries...probably her favorite food.  She also likes all fruits, especially strawberries.
• E is a thief.  First a car. Now she mooches off of every other babies snacks at church. Probably because they have sugar snacks and I don't.
• She has 12 teeth: 4 front, 4 bottom, 4 molars; currently her two top pointers are coming in too.  That is a mouthful of teeth.
• She loves to watch Yo Gabba Gabba at night before bed.  She also will watch: Baby Einstein, Wiggles, Backyardagins, and Wonder Pets.  (She watches less than an hour of TV a day)
• E sleeps with a bunny and/or cheetah and she has her own pillow now.  I guess it won't be long until she goes to a toddler bed
• Last night I gave E her bath right after dinner, instead of right before bed.  So I forgot to change her diaper right before bed.  Fortunately, I realized it 10 minutes after I put her to bed. So when I went to pick her up she was lying in the exact position I put her down in. and her eyes were wide open.  I changed her and put her back in bed without a complaint.  
• I love my baby

5 best things this weekend

5. Swimming

4. Eating Banana Bread

3. Spending time with my family

2. Meeting Elder Jeffery R. Holland at Stake Conference

1. Listening to Elder Jeffery R. Holland Saturday night and Sunday morning

Broken

1. Elder Hollands talk on Saturday night was amazing. His message was on how to fix broken things. Our broken hearts. I love Elder Holland. His message is just what I wanted to hear...needed to hear. These past few months have been hard. Really hard. I don't like being so far away from David and I know he misses me and Elizabeth terribly. But our house isn't selling. Depression has hit me in ways I didn't know existed. I have said way too many times "I can't take it anymore" But this weekend I was given hope. I am broken, but through my Redeemer I can be healed. All I need to do is learn how to offer my broken heart on the alter for Christ to mend. As I have been mulling over his words and viewing my friends comments on Facebook I realized there is a song by Kenneth Cope that beautifully captures his message

I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that He died for me and suffered so that I may be whole again. While I am far from being healed this very minute. I know that I can continue and that the Lord is watching out for me. We all have to suffer just a little of what He suffered, so that we can become like He is. It gives a whole new outlook towards the atonement. I am so grateful that I have a loving Father in Heaven who is looking out for me.

The other thing he talked about that really hit me was also about the Savior. He told the story about Christ and the Apostles on the boat in Mark 4

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,^aPeace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great ^bcalm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so ^afearful? how is it that ye have no ^bfaith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Some key points in this story:

• Christ had a pillow to lay his head upon; He sacrificed and had so little, but had a pillow on this stormy night
• The apostles were fishers and used to storms. Yet they were afraid of this storm. It must of been extremly bad
• Christ is always working and teaching and healing. He must of been exhausted to be able to sleep during such a storm
• Yet, the apostles still woke him up.
• The Lord rebuked the wind, and the waves, and the apostles.
• When lifes storms come upon us, we too should turn to the Lord with faith that he will calm the storm
• We should stay in the "Boat" (Church). The dumbest thing we could do is jump ship in the middle of the storm and not seek help from our Savior.

This reminds me of a beautiful Hymn "Master the Tempest is Raging" by Mary A. Baker

Master, the tempest is raging!

The billows are tossing high!

The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness,

No shelter or help is nigh;

Carest Thou not that we perish?

How canst Thou lie asleep,

When each moment so madly is threat’ning

A grave in the angry deep?

• Refrain:
  The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,
  Peace, be still!
  Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,
  Or demons or men, or whatever it be,
  No waters can swallow the ship where lies
  The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
  They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
  Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
  They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
  Peace, peace, be still!

Master, with anguish of spirit

I bow in my grief today;

The depths of my sad heart are troubled—

Oh, waken and save, I pray!

Torrents of sin and of anguish

Sweep o’er my sinking soul;

And I perish! I perish! dear Master—

Oh, hasten, and take control.

Master, the terror is over,

The elements sweetly rest;

Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,

And heaven’s within my breast;

Linger, O blessed Redeemer!

Leave me alone no more;

And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,

And rest on the blissful shore.

4 years

4 years ago I married my best friend. It was the best day ever. I didn't have a blog then. So I will tell our story now. D and I started dating in May 2006 after running into each other at the grand Morris Center. Despite my sudden decision a month later to live and work in Vegas for the summer we continued to date long distance. Then towards the end of the summer D's car broke down and he had to fly to Texas to pick up a car from his parents house. I decided I wanted to go down see my family for a few days and then drive back up to UT with D and his brother. We had been dating 3 and 1/2 months. Everyone said by the end of drive, we would be engaged or broken up. We were neither.

However as the fall semester started up we continued dating. In September we went to football games and enjoyed being around each other again. In October, I started to get scared. I had never dated anyone for longer than 3 months. D and I had reached 5 months and I was still completely content with our relationship. I was so scared by this that I even pulled out the mission card, just wanted to see what he thought about me going on a mission. He told me he would not wait around for me.

Then November came. Thanksgiving. D went to visit his brother in Colorado and my dad suprised me with a plane ticket home. The first time I got to be at home for Thanksgiving since leaving for college. I spent the whole time missing D. I couldn't get back to Provo fast enough.

Following Thanksgiving were finals, which as you know is a time when you don't have a lot of time to spend with anyone. Lame. I didn't want to be away from D for Christmas break. It was only going to be one week, I know... but Thanksgiving was fresh in my memory still. But our relationship wasn't at a point to visit each other over Christmas, so I went to Orange and D went to G-town and we talked everyday on the phone. That is when I knew that I never wanted to spend another holiday without him. I tried to get him to say the "L" word over the phone. He said, "I lion you." I said "HUH??????????"

January, going on 9 months of dating. We were in love, but hadn't told each other. We were watching my roomates copy of Cinderella. He wanted to watch the scene with Gus Gus's shirt rolling up over and over. Finally after the millionth time, I got an idea. I told him that Cinderella was being held hostage. Until he could fix the "Lion" statement.

Yes.

It had been a month since Christmas and I was still hearing "I lion you." Needless to say he got to see Gus Gus and "catcat" soon after that.

For Valentines, I got him the Cinderella movie, so he could watch it all he wanted. I also got him his own Gus Gus and Jacque mice stuffed animals, they were cute. We still have them somewhere.

March, April, May....not much to say. We were still very happy and talking about marriage. We went ring shopping and found the perfect ring. Then I started working at Dillards. D was supposed to pick me up one evening in May. When he didn't show up, I called him. He didn't answer. So I called his brother, he told me D was down by FYE or something. So I go over there and see D in the ring store....buying my ring! Whoops! He told me it was for his other girlfriend. I told him he has to work really hard to surprise me now that I knew he had the ring.

So I sit around waiting. And waiting.

On June 23, 2007 we were eating at my favorite resturant, Brick Oven. During the conversation, his mom calls and asks if he was going to propose. All I heard was his side which went something like this, "I haven't asked her dad..." "I dont have it with me now" "not tonight" So my hopes were dashed. He has had that stupid ring for a MONTH! Why was he making me suffer!!!! grr I was so anxious, lol

After dinner we went for a walk in the park and he suddenly without warning dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him! I was so excited. I said yes and we went back to his house to get the ring. He had asked my dad, but really wasn't planning to ask me that night so didn't have it with him.

Well we spent the month of July planning for a wedding and got married August 18, 2007 in the Manti UT Temple. Here are a few of my favorite memories from that day. I love you D, Happy Anniversary!



We had lots of people come celebrate our joyous occasion



















Our families


















Our loving Parents



















My bouquet


























One of 700 pictures, but my favorite





























Doesn't he look so happy here? I love him!


























Standard under the veil kissing photo

























Our wedding rings


















Off to start our new life together

Tender Mercies

So these past 6 months have been interesting to say the least. I have been living in Houston working with E. And D has been in Beaumont going to school. During March and April I got to see D on Tuesday and Thursday evenings after his clinic and then of course on weekends. Then his schedule changed and his clinics were in Beaumont. So I tried going back to Beaumont once or twice during the week. It was great to see him more, but waking up at 445 am was mind numbing. I was a zombie all day. It was horrible. But I still had E with me and her cute face.

But last night D told me he wanted to go visit his parents this week and take little E with him.

So now I am stuck here without my husband and without my baby.

As I was wallowing in my loneliness and self pity. I was watching a TV Show where a man was grieving his late wife who died from cancer. Then just after that I got a song stuck in my head. I kept humming the chorus aloud over and over until I realized what the song was.

If you want to know the song go here

I just sat there and sang it over and over until I felt better. Because I knew that my husband and baby were coming back in three days. They aren't gone forever and they are with people that love them and Heavenly Father is watching over them and me.

Here is a picture of that cute baby who mom loves.