Christmas Cheer

"The new star of Bethlehem would have had to be placed in its precise orbit long, long before it shone so precisely! By reflecting such careful divine design, it underscored what the Lord has said: "All things must come to pass in their time" (D&C 64:32). His planning and precision pertain not only to astrophysical orbits, but to human orbits as well. This is a stunning thing for us to contemplate in all seasons!...There is a personalized plan for each of us. Like the Christmas star, each of us, if faithful, has an ordained orbit, a priesthood path, as we pass through this second estate." -Neal A. Maxwell

I'm not sure if it's the postpartum emotional roller coaster I'm on..or if the Lord is making sure I realize all I have been blessed with this Christmastime, but I have definitely been more emotional than usual the past few days. I have always loved Christmas..everything from the shopping to our traditional manger scene reenactment. But, for some reason, this Christmastime I feel especially close to my Savior and my heart feels like it may literally burst because of all I have to be grateful for. It seemed to start last Saturday when I was sitting in the car at Syracuse High, feeding Drue and watching Mark and the boys sled down the hill behind the football field. Despite the sign that read "No sledding, tubing, or snowboarding on school property", there were at least 50 people there enjoying the snow. I happened to be listening to The Forgotten Carols, and as one of the last songs played-a song I don't remember hearing before-I started bawling...the chorus went like this:

"All I ever wanted, all I ever dreamed of, everything I hoped, and all the things I prayed for, couldn't hold a candle to what I've been given, I've been given what I need."

Then last night we had our annual Christmas Family Home Evening where we each write down a gift we want to give the Savior this year. We read the book "This is the Season, Beloved of the Year", wrote down our gifts, sang carols, and bore our testimonies. Despite the expected moments of teasing, laughing, and general lack of reverence, the spirit was there, and I was so impressed by the quotes by prophets and apostles found in "This is the Season", there were so many I wanted to include in this post...but I picked my favorite-the one by Neal A. Maxwell. I know we all have a personal plan, and that God is not only aware of each of us, he is deeply interested in what happens in our lives and loves us beyond any love we can comprehend. I feel so much joy this year, not because we have a perfect life, or because we will be able to buy our kids what they want for Christmas, but because I know God lives and that he sent his son to earth to live and die for us. There is nothing in the world that means more to me.

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Birthday Ty!

Happy Birthday Ty!! He turned the big 4 today and could hardly stop smiling! Here are just a few things we love about Ty:
*When he says to Mark or I, "You should be ashamed of yourself!".
*When he holds his cheeks together with his hand to try to keep from smiling
*When he gets in the car after preschool and insists that I wait until he shows me every paper he has before we go home
*When he says, "I'm not cute! I'm awesome!!"
*His long eyelashes that literally touch the tops of his eyebrows
*When he says, "You're the best mom in the whole woold"
*The fact that he doesn't understand length, time, or distance and says things like, "I can ride my bike real fast, like five inches".
*"My name is T-Y Ty".
We Love You Ty-Ty!!!

Happy Day

Today was a happy day in more ways than one. Mark turned 36 today....oops, should I mention his age?? He IS getting old :) On Thursday night I was at the hospital feeding Drue when I texted him to ask him if he wanted to go out to a movie on Friday night for his birthday. He texted back and said that he had forgotten all about his birthday!! We have been just a little busy this week. But, we did go out, and today he opened presents and his parents took us out for lunch. At 4:30 I went up to the hospital to feed Drue and the Neonatologist asked me if I was ready to take her home!! I was so excited! I called Mark and my mom went over to watch the boys so Mark could bring the car seat up and get us. It is so good to have her home! The boys love her so much, and I feel like things are finally complete. It stinks to go through labor and birth and all that, and not come home with a baby.
For those of you who haven't heard the story.. Drue was born on Tuesday Nov. 17. She weighed 8lbs 9oz and every thing went well. Mark and I had her in the room for about an hour before the nursery came to get her. Later they had Mark go back and give her a bath. Right after her bath she started turning blue. They put her on oxygen and took her to the NICU for observation. X-rays of her lungs looked pretty bad, but they didn't know if it was an infection or fluid she had aspirated during birth. They admitted her to the NICU and ended up putting her on antibiotics just to be safe. After two doses she was off of oxygen and doing much better. Now she just needs the bili lights-which is why she has white circles on the sides of her head, they keep the little sunglasses on.
So, Mark didn't just get Pumas and a Dunder Mifflin t-shirt for his b-day, he got to bring his baby girl home! Happy Day!!

First Night Down

The boys slept in their new room last night!!! The carpet was laid in the afternoon, and when Mark got home from work we started moving the beds and the dresser down. We have a small couch that is also a hide-a-bed, so we put that in there, too-knowing that Ty would want to sleep down there with them for awhile. I was really proud of them! They stayed downstairs all night without a peep! I have to admit, though, it was a little hard on me having them so "far away". Now Devin and Sam get to clean up their old room to make room for Ty and Noah...that should take a few days-at least. :) We really are going to put things up on the walls...but I guess the paint needs a couple of weeks to "cure"? Anyway....pretty exciting!!

The Final Countdown...

The boys' room is nearing completion! I was reading my journal the other night and had to laugh because we had planned on finishing their room before Noah was born. Oh, well. We've been a little crowded, but not too bad. It will definitely be nice to have the room done before Drue needs a room, though. Ty is even getting excited because he will get to sleep on the bunk bed when the boys move down! He's not too sure about sharing a room with Noah...but, that will grow on him, too I'm sure. We are excited about how the paint turned out. And the carpet comes tomorrow! I have to give a shout out to Terry for all the work he has done on the room. He was literally here every day there for a while, and that kept Mark motivated :) We wouldn't have the room without him! Thanks Terry!!

More photos to come!

Free Fall Fun

The boys re-discovered paper airplanes this afternoon and spent at least an hour throwing them around outside. The weather has been so beautiful lately-I feel guilty for being too tired to take them anywhere, but they had a lot of fun in our very own yard today! It was great. What made it even better was good friends! We love Blakers and Presto! Every time Noah sees Blake he gets so excited and shouts out, "Bake, Bake!". Too cute.

The Dreams of a Pregnant Woman

I don't know about the rest of you Moms, but I seem to have the most vivid and disturbing dreams when I'm pregnant. A few weeks ago I had a dream that Mark was a polygamist!!! Then I had a dream that I was getting a face transplant!? Last night I dreamed that it was illegal to say anything bad about Weber High School to anyone who worked at or attended Weber. I was walking with someone and I told them that I hated Weber High and was glad I didn't have to go there. The principal of Weber overheard me and called the police. I was put on trial and tried to explain that I was talking to my friend, who wasn't an employee or student at Weber, and that I wasn't talking directly to the principal-he just happened to be near by. No one would take my side. I was so frustrated and upset. Weird. It would have been more realistic if it would have been Davis High instead of Weber...;) Just Kidding all you DARTS!!!!!!