Our Week

Becca loves this song.  People have asked me if I had known how hard having Bella would be and everything we would go through, would I have adopted her.  That is a hard question, but I think so.  My 15 year old believes that trials make you stronger when you rely on God (go back and listen to the song).  My 12 year old is compassionate and focuses on others.  She tells me that she has learned to listen to the Spirit.  We have been blessed – we have our beautiful girl and my children have learned huge life lessons.  We have learned that life is about getting back to Heavenly Father, but also about helping those around us.  We have learned the value of a life.  Bella is a double blessing.

Our friend Linda fell and hurt herself.  We weren’t comfortable leaving her alone, so one of the kids stayed with her every night last weekend and Monday.    Linda thinks they were helping her.  They were really having a wonderful time.  I asked Lizzy how she felt after helping Linda all day on Monday and she said, “Sweet, like a lollipop.”  Sweet girl.

Meanwhile at home on Monday:

Becca is working on a quilt.  We designed it on Excel.  It’s what I know.

Sammi and Jessi being creative:

And Family Home Evening’s dessert – an original cookie creation by Jessi.

Tuesday – my sweet girls playing, Bella had a doctor’s appointment in the middle of the day, so Sam spent Monday night and Tuesday day with Linda.  It was so weird for me to only have the two little ones.  I decided that if I only had these two home all day, I would have no excuse to not have a clean house – I had so much free time on my hands.  I tackled the changing of the sizes.  It’s my least favorite chore – going through the old clothes, packing them away, and putting in the new size.  For some reason it’s an emotional chore for me.  There are memories associated with clothes to me.  And I still keep everything – until the family is complete. One day someone will inherit all of these bins of clothes.

Wednesday Joy went back to the ENT.  Her hearing has improved a little on the right, but they still want another test.   Sammi and Jessi spent the day on the couch.  There is a lot of junk going around, fortunately most of it is short lived!   That night  Becca and I went to Young Women.  It was a special combined YM/YW Bonfire and Theme Introduction.  The Mutual has a theme every year and Salt Lake sends a wonderful DVD for us to use in association with the theme.  We watched clips from the DVD, then moved outside around a bonfire.  The Bishop spoke and then the kids had a testimony meeting.  I marvel at these youth.  They are so strong. 

Thursday – healthy again!!  Thursday night was the Rodeo Art Show.  Lizzy was a finalist for elementary.  Way to go babe!  Joy was so excited to see her OT – we had to cancel on Tuesday.  She was thrilled the entire hour of therapy! Sammi’s art club started back up – they used sand paint.  It has a very interesting texture.

Friday Sammi and I spent some time at the library.  She is doing a research essay on bento boxes.  Come to find out one of the librarians used to live in Japan –Sammi  was delighted and could have talked to her for hours.  After that we decided we needed to do some more “research” and check out a local restaurant that the librarian told us about.  This is one happy girl who loves “research.”

Friday was pizza and movie night.  Really, I cannot express Joy’s love of pizza.  She just adores it!  She eats more than I do.  Saturday Jason and I attended another class – this one on behavior modification and physical restraints.  Fun.  We did meet another LDS couple going through the same agency.  It was great to talk to them about our desires and concerns.    Jason and I stopped and bought some big kid games, Apples to Apples Family and Rummikub.  We had so much fun playing – lots of laughing and giggling.

 

With a voice of gladness I call your attention to this picture.  All of my children are around the table playing – all of them.  Wahoo!!