So, when you leave your blog for four months...

Blogger invents new templates. And then it changes around the setup page. And THEN you remember it's three email addresses behind, and it's trying to start a whole new blog for your whole new email address. And then you find one lonely little comment waiting to be moderated (Sorry Sarah!). And then you wonder if anyone will ever read it. And then you debate putting it on facebook, because you write about your kids on here, and maybe they don't want you linking to their baby pictures to all of the kids at school. BTW, I am friends with LOADS of kids from school on fb, Dustin thinks it's so I can win at the Great Friend Race, but really I know a year from now those kids won't friend me, and I hope to keep tabs on things. There is a reason my kids think I know everything!!

Did I mention my husband and I are both friends with the chief of police as well?

So, what to talk about. I was bored, put it as my fb status, and was reminded that I could blog. That just means I could bore all of you two million (hey, I remember how!) people right along with me! I could tell you about:

-Thomas's foot fetish, we discovered it months ago.
-All the things he puts in his mouth.
-The occasional thing we manage to get back OUT of his mouth.
-Dustin doing soccer doubles.
-HOLY COW MY KID IS A FRESHMAN!!!!!)!
-Zachary driving me crazy looking for reasons to complain.
-Michael begging me for a haircut. Oh, maybe THAT'S what I should be doing, *I feel sheepish*
-Brian announced at his doctor appointment today he hates school. I had no idea.
-Kids all have colds. Except Z, he's just whiny.
-4 boys got shots this week, wanna guess who lucked out (Nicki can't play this game)?
-One has a rash, little spots that showed up this evening, I am hoping viral non-chicken pox spots.
-It's 8 PM and my husband is STILL not home from work.
-He told his boss he needed a raise if he was going to have to babysit coworkers. His boss said he wouldn't ask him to babysit coworkers anymore.
-Our house is supposed to be under renovations.
-The federal government employee in charge of the paperwork is the quintessential federal government employee.
-Michael will graduate COLLEGE before we renovate.
-I haven't eaten because I'm waiting for my husband. I just remembered I told him he should stop and get something. Maybe I will go eat. Good boredom buster!

Any requests for elaborating?

Refrigerators

So, yesterday I cleaned my fridge. The stars aligned Sunday evening and my teenager was home with the garbage near full and loading the dishwasher. So I emptied the science projects, put their containers right in the dishwasher which was run, and then he took out the trash.

So, Monday morning before I bought groceries I cleaned my fridge. And now it looks like this.

But my abnormal brain is terrible at figuring out the "right" place to put things. The kitchen cupboards prove it. And so, dear reader, I would LOVE to have your thoughts on where you keep something in your fridge. I said something hoping you could pick any old thing. Please don't say butter, I keep my butter in the butter dish, and at least one gallon of milk on the door. Any other ideas?

A rose by any other name...

Bill wants to open the blog up for name ideas. I will be switching back to allowing anonymous comments for it, since a lot of you read blogs but don't write them.



Be aware, if the meany who said nasty things in the past comments something rude it won't be approved, so don't bother.



I have an idea for a name in mind, but Bill is excited to hear what you all will suggest! Please bear in mind, I will be checking the meanings of all the names, as that is very important to me!! And as a small disclaimer, I get to name this baby, Bill named Brian and Zachary (we make sure the other one doesn't hate the name, of course) and I named Dustin and Michael, so it's totally my turn. Therefore, don't be bummin' if I don't use your idea!!

FYI

Just thought you should know I'm still here.

Baseball is started. Red Sox Schmed Sox I root for the A's and the Bobcats. AYS teams, that is.

Everyone is grouchy round here. But we voted.

Finally finding a groove with the job. But now I have to go to a last minute meeting at 8:30 in the morning to get reemed out that our area isn't pulling it's weight. I'm pulling all the weight I agreed to pull, so we'll see how this goes.

Been a long day. Headed to bed very, VERY soon.

No, we still don't know if the baby is a boy or girl. May 6.

Learning a lot

Sarah asked how the job was going. Well, I can honestly say I'm learning a lot. I'm learning lots of little side streets, that my car is too hot on cool air and too cold on ac, and that I don't like working full time. I'm also learning that my kids don't get out enough, because frankly they are thoroughly enjoying spending time out at sitter's, I'm not much missed! I also learned about myself that I do NOT like to be focused on making money. That whole thing where I can only stay focused on a certain number of things, trying to earn money is not what I like to focus on. You know, that whole how many hours and where can I fit this in and such. Not my style. I make a very good stay at home mom. On the plus side, I can honestly say that I have never been one to want my husband to work work work to earn money either. There is just so much to be said for family time, that I hate to sacrifice it for money.

Of course, that explains why we have debt as well.

*sigh*

But we have well adjusted, happy kids. Who are tired of spending time with their mom.

I DID IT!!!

I had no idea on Monday just how satisfying this would feel! I completed the entire week of training, all four nine hour days, though the 4th day cut out early and I wasted no time leaving! I am now gainfully employed! Birds are singing (seriously, my windows open) children are happy (they actually griped when I came to get them early, thanks for the great job Nicki!!) and I can breathe a bit easier.

Now I am going to plan out my routes for tomorrow, when I hope to get in my first day out "in the field"! Honk if you see me, I'll be the minivan with the US Census Bureau Official Business sign!!!

April Fooled

I thought I would let you all in on the joke I played. Yep, I played an April Fool's joke, and it worked.

I went to familyfun.com because I am not creative. They had this joke, which suggested to put an elastic around the sprayer at the kitchen sink. My elastic didn't fit right, so I thought about it, and since the sprayer is black, I used electrical tape. Oh yes I did. And then I laid down with Z for a nap, giggling uncontrollably.

When Dustin and Brian got home, I waited. Then Z woke up, and went out to see them. I waited. He asked for grapes we had just bought that morning, and Dustin took some and rinsed them for him. In the kitchen sink. Nothing.

I got up. I asked him about the grapes. He gave me a weird look, and kept saying, "Yeah, I just rinsed enough for Zachary." I kept looking at the sink, and he kept saying, "What?"

Not enough tape. Electrical tape has this interesting stretchy quality, and so it had stretched.

Dustin and Brian joined in the giggling as I retaped it. With lots of layers. Then I ended up going to Walmart. I called as I headed home at 5:00, Dustin was still doing homework, and so I asked Brian to start cutting the english muffins for english muffin pizzas for supper.

When I got home, Brian said, "Mom, it works! I spilled pizza sauce, and went to get a dish cloth, and forgot and sprayed myself!!" We laughed heartily, especially because Brian has been working through a list of practical jokes he's played on others all day long!

Dad arrived minutes later, and got in the shower after a day in the cold mud, having dressed for 50 degree weather. Oops. When he was dressed again, I moved to the dining room to wash the table and asked him to make Kool-aid. Then I asked Brian to put away the Cheez-Its he had snacked on. So Brian was in the kitchen, watching and waiting.

Oh yeah. Not only did Bill get wet, but Brian laughed so hard he fell to the kitchen floor.

Who do you suppose Bill assumed the guilty April Fooler was? Yup. He turned the sprayer on Brian!

I laughed and laughed! Brian was still laughing when he said it was Mom, who was still safely around the corner where the sprayer would never reach! I did get a big wet hug though, and reminded Bill I don't have any other (maternity) clothes , so be nice to me! It was blissful.

Next year I am doomed.

Better

Not a lot better, but definitely better. I have to give a shout out to my favorite doctor. I am seeking a new midwife office, I think, because having been to the Farmington practice twice now I'm not satisfied. My family doc was disappointed that I didn't press the OB further to help me with my nausea. For the betterment of pregnant women everywhere that would have been the right thing to do, but I was just too exhausted to care. I knew I could make an appointment with her, and be listened to. I think the OB knew what most pregnant women complain of, and dismissed it as typical, while in the same breath reassuring me that this being my fifth I surely know what I'm doing. I'm considering keeping the appointment made when I left his office, just to tell him why I'm dissatisfied and changing doctors. But I don't think I will, I doubt it would matter. It does speak, however, to the wonder and joy that is found when you can find a medical professional who actually listens to the words you say, and will seek beyond the knowledge in their head to find your answers.

Unisom. Don't lecture me, I'm taking half a tablet (no gelcap, different stuff) at bedtime, and as an antihistamine it is helping me not feel nauseous at every gentle pressure on my abdomen, including my clothes! AND it's actually rated a class A drug, safe for pregnancy. It would be nice to not need it in awhile, but in the meantime, I actually took Z out to the library today for story time, AND went to the grocery store.

Also, I'm taking extra B6. It's helping to prevent that feeling of my food just sitting in my stomach like a rock, it's a metabolism aide. Evenings are still pretty rough but I can sit upright all afternoon. My kids have noticed the change, and I still promise you that they (and Bill) are the only reasons I haven't just allowed this to run it's own course, this baby needs a mommy, but so do my other boys!

The News You've All Been Waiting For...

It's a BABY!

Yep. The heart is beating, and the little person has been there for a WHOPPING 10 1/2 weeks. I have to admit, I let out a little shout for joy knowing it was a week and a half more than we had originally thought.

That works for me.

September 20, for those of you who care to mark their calendars.

Heaven help us all!

Yes, I have pictures.

No, I haven't copied them to put them on here.

Give me a few months, I will get to it.

The boys? Mixed reactions, mostly trying to figure out what all of this means. You know, kind of like Mom and Dad are trying to do. ;-)

Thank you for your prayers. I'm still sick as a dog for now, feel free to keep them coming!

My Blessings

I want to thank everyone, including my aunts through email, for their sweet thoughts and comments, it has been really nice opening my email to sporadically find people thinking of us and wishing us well.


I also want to warn you, this blog is the closest thing I have to a journal right now. I have learned to hesitate from putting my most intimate thoughts, this is after all the Internet. And I enjoy meeting new friends and reading about each other's lives. There is a mom in Chicago who could be me five years ago!


But this whole pregnancy issue is such that I just feel I have embarked on an emotional roller coaster, and if you are willing to hang on tight you are invited to come. I can't promise where we will end up, unlike parks and Disney we may get dropped miles from the beginning. But the Lord promises me it will be where we need to be. I can't begin a separate pregnancy blog, as I have seen others do, because unlike other women being pregnant seems to consume every fiber of my being, and I can only be one person. If it's too much to take, know I love you, and won't be mad if you leave me for awhile.


At the moment, things are really good. I feel the need to count my blessings, they may not all be blessings in your eyes, but they sure are in mine!


1. First and foremost, my wonderful husband. The man is truly a gem, even though he had the nerve to ask me if I was ok when I was in the middle of barfing my guts out the other night. He also manages to do every little thing I ask him to, and the man keeps house better than me, even with a 50 hour a week job. The best part, is that when I ask him to come and sit with me instead of whatever he was doing, because I need a distraction from myself, he jumps to it. I could never get through this without him.


2. My kids. I have four, you know, potentially a fifth on the way. They love each other, they love me. They worry about me, they teach me, they even take care of me. My darling three year old loves to come up to me when I'm not feeling well and say, "Mommy, do you want me to get you a drink of water?" He also asked about Advil until I finally told him Mommy can't have Advil anymore right now. He's a peach. They all are. Michael hugs me with great frequency to help me feel better, and Brian and Dustin are quick to do anything, firewood into the stove, make their little brothers' lunch, anything I'm not up to doing. They even pick up toys and fold laundry, bless their hearts forever. Oh, and they read Zachary stories, a true gift.


3. My mom. My whole extended family, but really the most is my mom. I told her about all of this last Tuesday, and she called me that Friday morning to tell me she finally woke up without a headache. She thinks she is past worrying now, because really she is not a worrier and worrying won't help a thing anyway!


4. I have enough. I have a warm house, food to eat, clothes for myself and my family, and even a little extra. We even got satellite service back this week, I never knew how much I would miss Noggin.


***WARNING*** It's about to become VERY random.


5. Noggin. I actually watched it the first hour after the installer left, even though the older boys were at a movie and Z was asleep!


6. I've been feeling a bit better since Sunday. Smells still get me badly, but yesterday I even forgot to eat my mid-morning snack until my stomach lurched.


7. I threw up last night. It was the after taste in my mouth that did it, it was nauseating so I tried brushing my teeth, figuring either I'd be better off or puke. I puked.


8. Puking is a blessing to list. You see, miscarriage tends to follow feeling suddenly better, as my hormone levels drop. So being sick like that suggests still pregnant.


9. Still pregnant seems like a blessing. A week ago, it didn't, but man, if my pregnancy could go on like this, I could not just live with it, but be happy in the midst!! Ah, the gifts of God.


10. Prayer. I am so grateful I can talk to my Father in Heaven, and know that He will listen to me, and help me feel better, even if the trial doesn't go away.


11. Scriptures. I have my very own copy you know. There was a time that such a thing was hard to come by. Now scriptures are everywhere, even on the .net, and yet people don't make the time to read them. Lately, I have made time, and I am grateful. If this pregnancy doesn't result in a baby, but does result in my daily scripture study being strengthened, it will all be worth it.


12. My friends. I have great friends online, but I have superfabulousfantastical friends in real life. They are good to me.


13. Sneakers. I like my sneakers.

OK, I'm tired now. The rest of my blessings will be numbered in my head. Nap time.

Best Laid Plans...

I haven't been around much, sorry about that. I have an award from Jenn and a give away win from Tracey I meant to post, since DECEMBER, but I figured the Christmas rush would be over and I would have plenty of time.

I FINALLY took down my Christmas cards, yes, on VALENTINE's Day.

I still need to take my Christmas/Winter decorations off my front door, but don't have the gumption to do it.

I lay on the couch most of the time feeling nauseous, and none of my clothes are loose enough to be comfortable, but I haven't gained weight. I rarely have had the energy to even use my laptop, sitting upright for long is just too uncomfortable.

I've puked three times in the last week, but I don't have the flu.

I can't cook dinner any more, the smell of it drives me to hide under the blankets of my bed, and I refuse to allow my husband to cook anything for longer than 20 minutes, same reason. I did put a roast in a crock pot yesterday with no problem, but I let it cook in our garage.

I can't stay up past nine without feeling disgustingly bloated up so that I can't stand myself anymore.

I overheat at the drop of a hat, and the overheating makes me nauseous. But my feet are ALWAYS freezing cold.

So, if you showed up to read this, and made it this far, you either know what I'm about to say, or deserve to find out.

I'm pregnant.

Yeah. Uh huh. I know. We can't afford it, we have no where to put him/her (her? who are we kidding?) and after the last pregnancy the odds that this one will go well are extremely slim.

And I don't want to be pregnant. Yes, I know what causes it, the methods of prevention, not to get careless, please spare us the lectures. We do, well, did all that, and here I am. The only thing to save me now is divine intervention, which would be ok with me. My poor kids have suffered enough lately, the Lord has put us through a lot. It just seems mean spirited to ask them to go through this now.

OK, the part you hung in for. The reason you are still reading, and hopefully don't walk away hating me.

But, the Lord God Himself knows best for me, and my family, and this little person that appears to want to join us. He knows what will strengthen us, and what we can do to uplift His other children. He knows where we belong, and when we need to come, and I'll be darned if I am going to argue with Him about it.

No, even though my youngest born starts preschool this fall, and I had all sorts of ideas on how to spend that time (I even applied for a job, hah!!) the fact of the matter is the Lord knows best, and I trust Him.

I might not be too thrilled about it as I lay exhausted from... well, blogging, on my couch, but I'll get past that. And we will do what it takes to clothe, feed, and love another baby. Who will grow to be a fine young person who may very well save the world. The potential is always there. We just have to let God do His work.

Oh, Glorious Day!

It was even better than I hoped. I drove to pick up my kids at school, and cringed as we left the elementary office, as the secretary's computer was playing the inauguration and Obama walked onto the platform.

We hurried, and I called Dustin (who is home ill) to see what was happening. He said Obama was indeed there, but they were not starting yet. We made it home in time for the invocation! Always odd to me that a prayer be read, but so be it, it was still beautiful. The boys, sensing my urgency, even hurried in from the car, leaving backpacks there.

And then we watched.

I spoke to Z numerous times and finally made him sit on the couch. I would have let him play, but his toy of choice was the Fisher-price Garage, and his use was moving the noisy elevator up and down, so we couldn't hear.

Other than him, they were mesmerized. I panicked when, after Biden's oath, the comment was made that Obama had been president for 4 minutes, then I realized they meant because noon had come and gone. Tears were in my eyes as Obama, the first black president of the united States of America, said, "So help me God." I applauded. And then we listened, intently, all of us, to the hope that God wants all of us to hold to. I was pleasantly surprised to hear our president speak so candidly of the new beginning, not feeling any reason to mince words with the former president sitting right there. His speech was encouraging, uplifting, and at one point I uttered aloud, "Go ahead and say it..." though he didn't. His encouragement to the individuals of our nation was to take example from our men and women overseas, and seek not for the good of the individual, but for the greater good. Be willing to make simple sacrifices in order to ensure that our neighbors have enough. I heard the words of J.F.K. ring in my ears, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

It's a turn from the selfish to the selfless. It's not about your education and your hard work that you think should result in your glory. It's about the learning and work of the nation, that should result in the glory of a nation before God. Nobody will care, when all is said and done, if John Q. Ordinary died with a million in the bank. What will matter, in my opinion, is what the generations after his will think of us one when they look back at us from the future. Will they see us as self-centered gluttons who ate our own feet? Or will they see us as one nation, united in purpose, striving for the greater good of all mankind, even a nation of King Benjamins working together to serve each other and serve God.

With leadership like Barack Obama, I have hope they might see us as the latter.

Where have I been?

Sorry, I hope there are still a handful of people out there who will stop by now and again and see if I've written anything. Where have I been?

Well, right here in Maine. I've been:

*making phone calls for my calling (to find people to do service that needs doing)
*helping out in Primary
*decorating a Christmas tree
*tutoring
*babysitting
*assimilating truckloads of new things into my home (i.e. Christmas)
*reading a series of books (I'm on book 3)
*laundry
*playing Settlers of Catan
*taking down the Christmas tree
*sweeping
*watched Bedtime Stories at the movie theater (LOVED it)
*watched Bill make homemade ice cream that wouldn't solidify
*volunteering to make copies at the school
*answering emails from teachers about my kids
*cooking dinner for 9+ (we've had a full house a lot lately, it's noisy but a lot of fun)
*sorted all my pictures through 2008 and archived them on my EHD
*washing my bathroom mirrors. Over and over. I'll blog that later.
*painting trim
*eating brownie batter
*baking cream cheese chocolate chip cookies. They aren't that good, but Nicki and Melissa liked them.
*attempted to scrapbook, once.
*sending kids out in the snow to play
*wiping up snow when kids come in
*forgetting to tend the fire
*moved furniture for Melissa
*dragged Nicki to Melissa's to run phone wire
*throwing away broken toys
*wishing I had SOMETHING to blog about.

I WROTE A POEM

To a form, even, called a pensieve. Robin, over at Pensieve, (and yes the spelling is a play on pensive Nicki and mom, read her blog post for the explanation!) created her own style of poem, she describes it like this:

Pensieve: A titled, five-line poem; each line correlates to one of the five senses--sight, sound, scent, taste, touch--and describes the subject (title). The goal is for the reader to take on the poem as his own, being able to "experience" your subject through your words, by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling what you described.

I totally loved the thought. She is holding a contest, you can enter either a haiku or a "pensieve" on the subject of Winter or Christmas.

I chose both ;-).

So, here it is, be gentle.

Christmas Tree Hunting

The cold bites the skin, but the hopefuls press on
The laughter fills my ears, as snowballs are tossed OVER my head!
The green of the firs is deep and everlasting, as our Savior they represent,
The smells are faint, teasing, but promise to explode in the warmth of our home,
The cocoa warms the soul, comforting and bringing peace.




*edited to add*

click here for more poetry with the same guidelines!

Nicki asked if you can vote for me, I don't think so, but leaving her a comment about liing mine could never hurt!! She's supposed to pick her favorite, and their IS a prize at stake!!

Christmas Meme

In need of something cute and happy to post, I decided not to email, but blog this reply to an email my mom sent. So, the Christmas edition of "Getting to Know You":

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Definitely wrapping paper, just like my mom, But unlike her I prefer to go boxless and have quirky shaped packages under the tree!!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real, not only for the smell and the fun of watching my husband crawl under it to water it, but because we go and cut our own, and those are memories I refuse to give up!!

3. When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving, we start looking for Saturdays when no one has to work, no activities are planned, and then we wake up and squeeze it in somewhere and tell the kids no we don't have time to decorate it until way too late at night and then we are all cranky!!! Oh, and I insist on videoing the whole thing. Good times.

4. When do you take the tree down? Whenever I get to it. Usually I can't take looking at it anymore a day or two after Christmas. When I had Michael (the day after Christmas) I agonized that he wouldn't feel like we did his birthday the way we did all the others. So for the first few years I raced that morning to get it down, out, and cutesy birthday things up. Then when I knew I wouldn't have much time last year, I asked Michael how he felt about it. He said the tree made his birthday even more festive! So, I'm back to whenever!

5. Do you like eggnog? LOVE it! But it has a weird after-taste, so you have to keep drinking more!!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I've had a lot. But the first that came to mind was an overgrown stuffed dog. It was HUGE. My Dad said he had picked it out, and that was just cool.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My stepmother

8. Easiest person to buy for? Well, my mom said "ME!!", and while she is easy to buy for, I would have to say Zachary.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, and my kids are more than welcome to play with it, as long as they play with it on top of the dresser I put it on.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, around 40 in fact!!

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I would never tell, because I wouldn't want to hurt the giver's feelings.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the original cartoon. My family watches, and recite every line!!!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever something strikes me as cute, I've been known to pick up one thing in February or something like that. The bulk begins around November, though. I am just about done now, except for what I make.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yup. Well, sort of. I don't give them away, but we have given them to people to give away in the past. Sue me.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Aunt Janet's peanut butter fudge, it's dry without being grainy, just the way I like it.

16. Lights on the tree? Duh. The more the better, and I always remind Bill to put some way in by the trunk. I love lights. And they MUST be colors, white lights look very sterile. And I don't like them to flash, you should always be able to see ALL of them!

17. Favorite Christmas song? Little drummer boy, normal renditions. The poor boy gives all he has, his talents, and the baby Jesus smiles at him, what greater gifts are there?

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Christmas morning in our own beds, but we drive to grandparents to visit for the day.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Only if you want me to sing! "You know Dasher..." yeah, I didn't think you wanted to hear that!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? "Angel. She has to tell Santa if we are being good!" said my mom. She took the words right out of my mouth!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning, and Santa's gifts don't come wrapped, just presents from Mommy and Daddy are wrapped.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Trying to cut costs without disappointing people. It's not an easy juggling act.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Anything my kids make at school.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? "Anything as long as I don't have to cook it." said my mom. Ditto. My favorite thing to eat is Grammy's potato casserole. It used to be cranberry sauce, until I learned you can buy it in the grocery store. Now I get that whenever I have the craving!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? "A trip to Hawaii and warm sunny weather all winter long. I know . . . ain't gonna happen! I'll settle for happy kids and grandkids and not TOO much commotion on Christmas Day." said my mom. I want an apology (not from her, from someone else). I guess we both dream big. I will settle for a level of understanding in my heart that makes me stop needing the apology. That might actually be possible.

Oh crap, this was supposed to be cute and light. Maybe I should move that last one up?

Too much work, just go back and read #19, ok?

Delving into unchartered territory...

I received a difficult to read email forward just a bit ago. For any readers who were unaware, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's not a statement I take lightly. It has huge implications, and is pervasive throughout my being. It is who I am. It is why I get out of bed every morning, why I make dinner every evening, why I go where I go and do what I do. It has been commented only recently by my son's teacher, "I don't know how you do all you do..." and my faith in Christ, my particular faith in the teaching of this Church regarding Christ, is the answer. I do what I do, because, "If not by me then by whom?" My Savior has given so much to the world, to little old me, it is in my hands to do all that I can for my brothers and sisters as he asks it of me.

I am not perfect. I actually get a lot of it wrong. However, my intentions are good, I obey the laws of the land, I respect the right of others to disagree, and I try not to be contentious, although it is definitely in my personal nature. I take heart that my politics favor agency for those on the earth today, trying to stay out of moral legality. It was with great difficulty that I listened to the prophet of our church, a man who receives direct inspiration from God for us in our day, tell us that we need to be opposed to gay marriage.

I was stunned. Obviously, we preach, and I believe, that homosexual relationships are inappropriate before God. It is not in His design. This gift has been given to men and women, in order to fill and replenish the earth. But to take a political stand, which the Church works very hard not to do, on such a personal topic was hard for me to swallow.

I finally determined to make peace with the issue when a fellow blogger, not of our faith, raised her concerns about the Church's involvement in her area of the country. It was time to seek for myself why the Lord felt so strongly on this issue, not just that it is wrong to practice that lifestyle, but to not be legally married.

The conclusion I have come to is almost lost in the semantics. The Church has not asked then homosexual people not be allowed to live together. We don't oppose that these couples receive health insurance through each other's plans, death benefits, tax benefits, raise children, or even hold hands in public, and so on and so forth. We, as a Church, oppose the use of the word marriage to define that relationship. Marriage occurs when a man and a woman come together before god, and begin a family. From the official Church news website:

"Marriage is not primarily a contract between individuals to ratify their affections and provide for mutual obligations. Rather, marriage and family are vital instruments for rearing children and teaching them to become responsible adults. While governments did not invent marriage, throughout the ages governments of all types have recognized and affirmed marriage as an essential institution in preserving social stability and perpetuating life itself. Hence, regardless of whether marriages were performed as a religious rite or a civil ceremony, married couples in almost every culture have been granted special benefits aimed primarily at sustaining their relationship and promoting the environment in which children are reared. A husband and a wife do not receive these benefits to elevate them above any other two people who may share a residence or social tie, but rather in order to preserve, protect, and defend the all-important institutions of marriage and family.
It is true that some couples who marry will not have children, either by choice or because of infertility, but the special status of marriage is nonetheless closely linked to the inherent powers and responsibilities of procreation, and to the inherent differences between the genders. Co-habitation under any guise or title is not a sufficient reason for defining new forms of marriage."

-full article found here: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage

Oh. That tells me again, we are not opposed to people of that mindset receiving the rights and privileges given to those of a heterosexual persuasion. Just don't corrupt the word marriage any more than it already has been by the word divorce, please. Marriage used to be a lifelong commitment, even an eternal nature, a triangular covenant made in a church before God. But often now is not seen that way. When it becomes inconvenient, we quit. But the thing I want my children to know, is that when children are involved (as is often the case in heterosexual marriage) divorce will never sever that tie. That father and mother are forever connected, whether they like it or not, through the child they created. So don't create one unless you want that connection!

Back to topic, though, the state of California voted against Gay marriage in November. Not against gay rights, or homosexual partners living together, but against their saying they are "married".

And apparently, Latter-Day Saints are an easy target:

Yes, the police are protecting the Los Angeles temple from... demonstrators.

Perhaps it's because, as a rule, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints try to respect other's opinions. I know that, as a CHURCH, all laws and guidelines were followed in lobbying against California's Proposition 8. Now, just like the church itself didn't back Mitt Romney when he ran for president, there are individual members with their own agency to do their own thing. I refuse to say no member of the Church in California broke the rules out there, it simply is not a likely statement.

But, as a member who has had to take tedious steps to try to handle being reimbursed for items, and provide documentation up the wah-zoo, and not been allowed to show Disney movies to a nursery class because of copyright infringement concerns, I know that the Church follows the law. Perhaps a primary teacher was spotted in your neighborhood, putting up a sign in an illegal spot. Or a Young Men's president was scene taking a No on 8 sign from your yard. If so, I apologize for your being offended. I am equally offended by those who break the rules and hurt others by doing so.

But my friends, those picture of the temple in Los Angeles hurt. Badly. Worse than the signs screaming hatreds that were in other photos in the email. Because if it had been a Jewish church, their would have been an up in arms. Or a Catholic, Methodist, or any other. Shucks, they didn't even attack a Mormon CHURCH, they attacked the TEMPLE itself. A place Holy and infinitely more Sacred to us. Were there cries of hate crimes? No. Was there righteous indignation? Or restraint from those officers standing by, watching the vandalism? Apparently not. Because of all the churches who involved themselves in the cause, we are humble enough to turn the other cheek. To strive to be peaceable, and to avoid contention, knowing that Satan is the father of all contention, and not wanting to invite him into our hearts.

I do not refer to God as God. The world has taken the word "God" and desecrated to something no more than a meaningless exclamation. I believe in the power of Deity, and so to refer to Him I use the term Heavenly Father, not only because I believe he is the Father of my spirit, but because I want to show the respect in my voice that I feel in my heart.

Will we need a new word for marriage?

Be proud of me

I think I might be ending my tetris streak. For those of you unfamiliar with tetris, go here:
www.tetrisfriends.com

For those of you who think no one is unfamiliar with it, remind me to introduce you to my aunt Donna.

Anyway, in an effort to still love my laptop, and not waste time, instead of tetris when I'm done my email I have been sorting pictures.

Even better knowing that at least in theory I am scrapbooking this weekend.

I say in theory only because our fearless leader (aka the one with the place to go) now needs to spend Friday at the hospital and leave Sunday to attend a memorial service. Both very legitimate reasons to set aside scrapbooking, of course, but I have yet to wrap my brain around the details of it all. Perhaps we'll get to that today.

Oh, and I am being somewhat cautious of the blog world today. You see, I have allowed myself to breathe today knowing that a democrat is headed back to the white house. Perhaps people of the nation will be able to have money in their pockets in a few months. My husband's employer being able to afford the gas to send him to a service call would be nice. Even my friend's husband's job prospect relies on the government being able to afford to hire him.

CHANGE is good.

Not everyone agrees, one I read is afraid of their husband being told what to do at work.

Hmmm.

Sorry, I have no sympathy for that. My husband is told what to do at work every day.

CHANGE is still good.

Hobbies

My husband has taken up a hobby while he watches TV. It's productive. Good for both the environment and our pocketbook.

Me? I have a hobby while he watches TV too.

It's enormously productive!! Hey, just let me live in my dream world for a few minutes, k? Some day I'll enter a Tetris competition and win millions and help him retire early.

Or...

NOT.

I have, however, managed to figure out how to show you video... maybe. Try this, it's not my best video ever, but he's so darn cute. He was showing me in slow motion how he ran across the room!

The paint

So, some input on what we were up against.

See the light? It used to be over about 14 inches. They apparently used part of this room when they built on the room Bill and I have, and didn't re-center the light.

So we did.

See the boards? They didn't want to tape the joints. So they boarded them. Nice, huh? And then, get this, they caulked them. Crazy. This just means instead of rolling the whole ceiling you have to use a brush on the boards and each side of each board. Then you can roller in between. There are three boards, just so you know.

They wanted to put a door over this closet. It's what's left from what they took from this room, they kept it on this side. To put a door they didn't want to custom, so the door was about three inches wider than the opening, and they trimmed it out, and painted the trim, that's right, and about an inch of the blue paint on either side. It took four extra swipes of primer to cover the mess of it, but we did!

This is the closet we re-did to get rid of the sliding doors that broke. It also gives a closet for kids, and a closet for MOM!! In a house with 3 bedrooms, 4 kids, and no basement, storage is at a premium.

But we never bought the trim for it. It's next on the list.

They painted the outlets. Blue. So we have to change them out.

This little eyesore still exists. Another throwback to the 70s, we need to buy a plate to cover it.

So, before:

The ceiling:

And done!!:

We don't need no stinkin' drop cloth!!

Oh, ok, we did.

The best part... the second coat of primer and the paint I did ALL BY MYSELF!! I was very proud!

Done.

The primer anyway. Today...

I buy the paint. But, it's a half day of school, so I don't expect to get the paint ON.