Where are they now?

 I just happened across this old blog while I was "googling" myself.  Ha ha!  We are a full 8 years since my last post and not only do we have another child, we live in CHINA!!!

Dress up time!  Can anyone say cultural appropriation?  It was really fun anyway.

This was in Ganzhou where we spent time with our friend, Apple!

How many people do you see?

Splendid China has cultural shows from all the different ethnic groups China.  The shows are sooooo Chinese, meaning beautiful and long.

We love our new country of residence and have a bunch of third culture kids living an international life and hopefully becoming amazing global citizens.  

Boston

Here are some of the many faces of Boston.  He is such a sweet little guy.

When all of my roles collide

It is one of those weeks when every part of my life is demanding at the same time.  When I have a moment, I kind of panic and think I must be forgetting something because I know I have so much to do.

I felt especially torn about tomorrow.  I had an opportunity at my school to earn licensure points and $80 for 4 hours of training.  My sister was going to watch my kids so I was going to get to hang out with her also.  It turns out that this training conflicted with the primary program practice, a presidency meeting I had scheduled, and a birthday party for a boy in our ward that just got out of the hospital after having heart surgery.  As soon as I realized the conflict existed, I decided not to do the training but I was so disappointed.

I had very supportive friends telling me things like, "we have a whole ward family so no one has to do everything by themselves" and "Can't you find someone to help out? I am sure there are plenty of people willing" etc.  So I got it all worked out. I found other people to help with the party and my awesome 1st Counselor and Music Leader totally could handle the practice without me.  I even found a friend to keep Whitney and take her to the practice so she wouldn't have to miss it.

I kept thinking about tomorrow and I was just not feeling happy about missing all these things.  I remember really loving President Uchtdorf's talk from conference, so I reread it and changed my mind yet again.

To avoid some of the deepest regrets of life, it would be wise to make some resolutions today. Therefore, let us:

1. •Resolve to spend more time with those we love.
2. •Resolve to strive more earnestly to become the person God wants us to be.
3. •Resolve to find happiness, regardless of our circumstances.

I decided that the money and points wouldn't matter to me as soon as next month but my potential for making memories was WAY higher staying home and doing the practice and party.  I feel good about my decision but a little sheepish for not just making the correct choice and stickin' to it in the first place.

A Stroller and a Red Bull

So, as I was loading up the car with kids and groceries yesterday, a woman came up to me and told me some of her story.  She said that she had lost her job and moved here from Washington to live with her sister.  She didn't have any money to buy food for her daughter so she asked if I could help her.  Right then, Haylee needed to go to the bathroom so I decided that I could take Haylee in and then help this lady buy some groceries.

She didn't understand me so on the way in, she asked what we were doing.  I told her that I could buy some things for her if she didn't mind waiting until I took Haylee to the bathroom.  She said that she needed a lot of stuff and started listing off milk, bottles, a bottle cleaner/scrubber, a stroller, a few outfits for her daughter since it was her birthday, food, etc and kept repeating that she needed a lot of stuff.  I said I would help but that my husband is a student and we don't have a lot of money but I was sure I could buy her a few things.  (Ironically, I hadn't gone grocery shopping myself for two weeks in an effort to save some money and pay our bills.)

She waited while we used the restroom and I had a chance to think.  I decided that I would let her pick out about $10 worth of stuff and pay for it.  I did have cash in my wallet but I kept on thinking that I didn't want to just give that to her.  When I told her my plan, she started talking about how $10 wasn't enough to get very much.  She asked if I could just go to the ATM and get some money out to give to her.  I told her I could only get a $20 that way and I didn't feel comfortable doing that.  She acted really put out and I really just wanted to tell her to forget it but I apologized and told her that if she didn't want to do it my way, then I didn't need to help her.  (I feel a little guilty because I told her that I didn't have cash)

Anyway, I pointed out some strollers in the front of the store that we could get, or said we could get a cart and get some groceries or whatever she wanted.  She said a few more times how $10 wasn't going to get her very much, then she picked out a stroller.  As we were walking to the register, she asked, "Can I at least get a drink too?" like a spoiled teenager.  I felt embarrassed for her and super bugged but calmly replied, "Sure" and she grabbed a Red Bull.

I paid, she said thanks and left and I walked out with my kids feeling super dissatisfied.  In fact, it might be the least good I have felt about helping anyone before.  It might be that I didn't believe her at all, or that I lied to her about the cash, or her presumptuous manner, or being tired after my own shopping trip but I want a do over.

Family First

So I have never thought I was gorgeous but I have some beautiful ladies in mine and Jason's families so I was confident that my girls had a pretty good chance of getting the good genes.  Here is a perfect example.  My niece, Courtney is just pretty and Haylee looks a lot like her.  I love this pic up at the cabin.  

 I just like the poses in these pictures...

 Here is Jason's cousin with his new wife.  He hadn't seen Jason in 10 years and thus had never met me.  It was fun to make it to Beaver/Manti for the wedding.  We had a good time.

 I have been forcing my family to do pictures together whenever I think of it so hopefully we can get a good one every once in a while.  This one was OK but I didn't know Whitney was trying to put Jason in a head lock and Haylee never wants to smile when we are all together...Oh well.  That is the nature of family pictures I guess.

 My kids... you know with everything else going on right now, my kids are the easy part of my life.  I can look to them for snuggles and hugs anytime mommy needs a break and they make me smile.

Oh boy

So I got sustained on Sunday as the Primary president...  I have always been excited about callings but I am just freaked out about this one.  I knew for a week and was asked to submit a whole bunch of names because our ward boundaries were re-aligned and we lost a bunch of primary workers.  I was called as the secretary about 3 weeks earlier with a new presidency and had been working my tail off to get things going.  The previous presidency had not had a secretary for about a month so things were in disarray slightly.  I guess my hard work paid off...

Anyway, I was super anxious for Sunday because we didn't have an old presidency to help us, we just had to take care of business and there were still 3 classes without teachers (I spent last Friday and Saturday making phone calls to get subs) and I was doing sharing time...  I actually feel blessed by the circumstances.  The presidency I was in just got the ball rolling and we had direction and purpose so we are just going with it.

I reported to the high school on Monday and feel very lucky not to be teaching any new classes.  I can't believe how easy it seems when I don't have to write any new lesson plans.  I just get to fix up the ones I already have!  Piece of cake.  I am also fortunate that Whitney doesn't start school next week with the rest of her school because right now, Jason is working days and it would be a pain to throw drop-off and pick-up in the mix.

What I am struggling with tonight is this spiral effect I am feeling.  I don't feel like I am going to be able to catch my breath until next summer and at that point, I might be packing to move to China or who knows where.

I am mostly just typing word vomit.  I do feel lucky.  I do feel blessed but I don't want to get up early tomorrow.  I couldn't count how many times I said that I was glad I was the secretary in the previous presidency.  I really felt strongly that I loved playing the supporting role and did not want all the pressure that comes with being at the top of any organization.  They kept asking me to teach more classes at the school and I am super glad that I stuck to my guns.  I think I will survive!

Summer Birthdays!

Things are moving along.  Boston is 2 months old and about 16 lbs now.  He looks huge compared to the 20 other babies in our ward.  I exaggerate not, there are literally 20 babies at least in our ward.  We averaged 5 babies a month from January to July but lost a few to moves.  The mothers' room at church is crowded.

I have been able to get back into exercise somewhat.  I was running but have been busy with the garden and getting our house in order.  I didn't do spring cleaning because frankly, I just survived the spring being pregnant, teaching math, and Joy School... now everywhere I turn needs attention.  The kids are great about playing and entertaining themselves and Boston is still a great baby so I have the time I need.

Whitney had her 5th birthday.  It was pretty sad because we spent all morning getting ready for a party we had planned for the afternoon but no one came!.  We only invited 4 little girls Whitney's age because we were having a princess party.  One little girl got chicken pox so we knew she wouldn't be coming but we didn't find out the other three couldn't make it until about 20 minutes after they were supposed to be at our house.  It didn't seem to phase Whitney but I struggled to hold back the tears.  Instead, I tried my best to make it a fun party for just me and my cute girls.  Daddy came home soon after so from then on it was a piece of cake!  We went bowling and ate dinner and played games and opened presents.  We got Whitney a scooter and she is already a pro, riding it everywhere we will let her go.

We are super proud of Whitney.  She is smart, nice and sweet.  The most impressive thing is the way she learns.  She memorizes songs and names quickly and knows things that surprise us cause we can't figure out who taught her all that stuff.  She loves to dance and sing, especially for an audience and she likes to challenge herself.  She decides she wants to do something and she keeps trying until it is done.  The other day, I had her help me pick up apricots off the ground and for every 20 apricots, she got a nickel and she earned 5 because that was her goal.  Nothing I could say persuaded her to do more than that but she also made sure that every bucket had a few extra just to get the job done right.  She is super observant and has a great memory so we don't get away with much with her around.

I mentioned that Haylee also had her birthday but didn't really take the time to write anything about her.  I don't know if my girls could be more different.  They look so different and act so different.  It is amazing to me that they are sisters.  Haylee is quite shy.  I used to say that she was my quiet girl but she is not quiet anymore.  She performs but hesitates and usually only of her own free will.  She is even harder to persuade than Whitney.  Haylee is totally happy on her own.  She sometimes disappears and I don't hear from her because she is just entertaining herself.  She is super cuddly and when she is tired, she doesn't fight it.  She just comes and lays down by one of us and crashes.  She is so sweet and talks in the prettiest sing-song voice.  She comforts other kids when they are hurt and makes sure to say, "thank you for this yummy food, mommy" which about melts my heart.  She is smart but not in a showy way.  She will just surprise us by doing things that we didn't know she could do without seeking attention.

They are both such fabulous girls.  One thing that I learned while teaching Joy School is to point out that people and things are different and that doesn't make them better or worse and we use that a lot around here.  I know my girls will compare themselves to each other but I hope that more often they can appreciate their differences and see the advantages of being unique.

Who knows about Boston.  He has skin and hair color in-between the girls coloring and is so huge and content.  I am pumped to discover his personality and see these kids grow up although with Whitney going into Kindergarten and Boston skipping the infant stage, I kind of wish it would all slow down a little.