Pity for myself

I was having pity for myself and my situation! I was frustrated this morning and if I could have would have never gotten out of bed. As Stewart from mad tv said when asked who he's mad at, " The World"! If you ask me why I can't really say I am just mad! I came home from dropping the kids off at school, looking at all of the skinny moms walking there kids to school and hating them. I drive home to my house thinking on how I am tired and don't want to pack today, but am reminded I have only two weeks and Dan heads out of town on Tuesday. Instead of working I sat down on the couch to look at blogs! It's my new favorite pass time! They have such amazing ideas, crafts, and sewing patterns that I can't get enough of it! But I mad at that to because I am instantly reminded I am not moving into "my" house I am moving into a small apartment! Ugh! I'm just done today!!!
Then I see Nie Nie has posted. I click on it excited by the title of her post, My perfect life! I read her post and I cry. My life IS perfect and amazing! We are healthy and happy(ok the happy part, working on it!)! We are trying to buy a beautiful home in a place I am excited to move to! We are starting a great new adventure and though it is not all the way I would have planned it, it is working out in the end! My life is Perfect! I needed someone else to help me see that and to help me to stop having pity for this perfect life and start enjoying it! Once again Nie Nie you did it! Thanks!

The Lord's Will (click on the picture to see the full view)

Dan and I had a discussion a while back. I was telling him about something when I said the phrase, " Doing the Lord's will". He commented how he thought people used that phrase as a "filler" because the truth was it was really their own will they wanted and not the Lord's. I was shocked and stunned that he would say such a thing! But that started me thinking, do we really use The Lord's Will as a filler or do we sincerely want his will to be done in our lives?
I thought about my life and everything going on with it. I realized I was wanting my house to sell, to move to Rigby, and all of it in the time frame I wanted. Dan had been right! I was wanting my will and I was wanting the Lord to sign off on it! So I stopped and thought about my prayers. I sincerely wanted the Lords blessings in my life and for my family, and I realized that His Will was apart of that. I also realized that,that meant my house might not sell or Rigby might not be the place for us or it might not all happen when I want it to.

That was a sobering moment for me to realize the Lord's will is not always our will. ( I know some of you had realized this before, but I can be a slower learner some days!) But then it made me think some more about how far are we willing to go or do to do the Lord's will? If He said to drop everything and head back to Missouri would you go? Or what if He asked you to get a two years supply of food storage, or give up tobacco, coffee, or Alcohol? Easy some of you are probably saying, well what if it was more like asking you to give up your job and your home to move in with Family to take care of them, or have them move in with you? Or what if it was to give up the thing your love doing to make a better life for your family by doing something you didn't enjoy? Could you do it? Or moving to the place you hated the most because it was best for your family ( and no I am not meaning us)? Or having 2 babies instead of 10 or 10 instead of 2? or giving up the life or your child or spouse?
I realized that sometimes it is easy to say, " The Lord's will be done", as long as it is my will also, but if it goes against what I want than not such a good thing anymore! It is hard to give up things we love and things we want in order to do what the Lord wants. But I know that the blessings we can reap are more than we can comprehend or imagine!
These changes in our life the last few months have put me on a spiritual journey I never expected but am extremely grateful for! I know I have changed and all of it for the better! You might say well what i wanted happened. But I don't know if that is true or not. I do know that my prayers have become very personal and my desires for my life and my families have become much more Christ Centered!
One more thought. I recently read the book, the Shack by W.P. young! It helped me in this journey! It is not by an LDS author though. But I know it is an amazing eye opening journey! I loved it! I recommend you read it! Your won't regret it! I also hope that each of you will think about the Lord's Will in your own lives and what that means! Thanks for Listening!

Don't mess with Papa Bear or his cubs!!

Dan and I ran to look at a rocking chair off of craigslist tonight. We decided not to get it. Since we had all the kids with us, He said why don't we get a treat at McDonald's and let the kids play at the playland. We were out at Post Falls so we went to that McD's. We unloaded everyone and went in to order and let the kids head into the play land. We quickly placed our order and than headed back to the playland. We were shocked to hear some boys screaming at the top of there lungs and parents not doing anything. We checked on our kids and Dan asked if I just wanted to leave. I said no, because we had just got there. 2 seconds later I here yelling and then Emma crying! I started calling to her and sent Dallin to help her come down! She came down sobbing that a boy had pinned/wrestled her down and had hurt her! Dan was up out of his seat! He was furious!
A little girl said it was her brother who had hurt Emma. The other Dad came over and I called all of our kids to our table. Our food came up so I ran to get it thinking I would just take our kids and our food and leave the playland. But that was not good enough for Dan! Someone had just hurt his baby! Within the first 5 minutes of being there! He asked Emma who hurt her and Emma pointed to this boy while she sat sobbing! Dan saw the Dad of the boy ( 7-8 years old) not react, Dan stood up and said it was not ok for his son to go around hurting kids! The man responded with, "they were just being kids"! Dan said "My kids don't act like that! They don't run around hurting people!" The other Dad said Emma had hurt his son. Dan pointed out she had been defending herself! The other parent's kept saying it wasn't a big deal. Dan walked back over to me and said we we're done ,we're leaving!
I was stunned and did not saying anything except to the kids to hurry and get there shoes and we were going! Dan said because of everything we would head to a park close by! We did, and had a great time! We talked to the kids about what happened. Emma said she was trying to help her friend from the boy when he hurt her. We told her next time she needed to yell STOP! and get an adult to help! Dan and I also talked. He said he just wanted to see the parent reprimand their child. But the Dad and the Mom acted like it was nothing and he wanted them to know it wasn't nothing, it was wrong! I was soooo proud of him! There has never been a doubt in my mind if Dan would protect or Defend us. But I have now seen it in person how he will stand up for his family! I think it was a good thing for his kids to see! Their Dad really could kick another dad's butt!!!

First day of school (Washington version)

Yay!!! First day of school arrived! I would say that I am Sad to see them go but they are excited and I am so happy they are going to get out and have friends at school to play with while they crazy life of moving is going on at home! Emma woke up at 6:45 and got dressed and then woke up aliya and Lilly ( who was not ready to get up). Dallin woke up around 7:15 a little less excited about the day and got in the shower! the were both dressed with their back packs on by 7:30. I told them to calm down and lets do hair and eat breakfast first! They rushed through it and then were ready to go ( Emma even asked to say the prayer so it could be short and they could go to school faster!) We got shoes on Emma then headed outside for pictures! Can you tell Emma is excited??
Kindergarten here I come!!
I'm to cool for 2nd grade

Was the wind strong this morning? nope just them!

Daddy and his big kids!!
We have a tradition in our house that Dad takes the kids to school andwalks them in while mom stays home with the others. It might sound weird to some, but I love it! Dan is not always able to be around for all the first but He has always made the first day of school an important thing! I get them ready and snuggle them at home and then kiss them goodbye as Dad drives them to school and reminds them where to go and then watches them grow up in an instant! He gets teary eyed as he watches them run to their new class, and watches them get settled in! It is a special moment for Him! I love it!! So Dan is the great Photog for all these next pics!!

Dallin meeting his new 2nd grade teacher for the first time ( He asked me if in 2nd grade they get more recess, I sadi probably not! Bummer!)

His new desk!

Already working hard!

Emma in line outside the school! Isn't she soooooo cute!!

With a friend from church! "Oh a familiar face!!"

Oh Our beautiful big girl!!!! Don't ya think She is stunning! And so ready for this day!

We are done!!!!

We are done! We accepted the fixes they requested, and we have sold our house! Dan at first was a little unsure if we had made the right choice but as we look around and see all the little things that still could be fixed or changed or improved upon we are excited that we don't need to do it!!! It is a wonderful feeling! We only have three weeks to get out so we are needing to hurry and pack! We do have a lot already done because we staged the house, but we realize we have sooooo much to do! But I am excited about all of it! We have a beautiful home we are in the process of buying. It is a foreclosure, so we are waiting on the bank. They have already said they would respond next week, which is a big deal for a bank! Keep your fingers crossed!! We will let you know what happens!

Do you love the sign?? Brian was awesome if you need a realtor call him!!!!! He is great to work with!!!

Excited, but, Not!

Tomorrow we find out! The home inspection was on Friday and tomorrow we find out what they want or that they walk! I am excited about all of this and not at the same time. I have done so much praying and thinking and wanting and hoping in the last month! Now that we are this close I am still hopeful that the house will sell but sad if it does and happy if it doesn't! Make sense? No? OK let me explain, We have lived here in Spokane for 5 + years! We have lived in this house 5 years in October. We have loved this house (and hated it ) for all of the work we have put into it! We made this house our home! It was our very first home that was ours! we ripped down walls and built new ones changed plumbing and stairs and doorways! we painted every room at least once and some twice! we have watched things grow and change before our very eyes! we have added two babies in our family and brought them home to this house! we have had so many firsts! dallins first day of school and emma's also! first broken arm, first pet, first lost teeth! it has been amazing here! and tomorrow we find out if it's over! ( daniel is reading this blog post and hoping they back out or wishing he could!)
But the truth is we have outgrown this house! it is a beautiful home but we have been trying to make it bigger for the last three years! And we are (very hesitantly) ready to move on and let someone else make memories here!
It is not a perfect house and we know that and as we look around at the future projects realize we are ready to not have them to do on the weekend. I am also ready to make more memories with family close by! I am already thinking about family dinners and game nights and going out trick or treating with cousins! I am excited for what the next chapter holds and yet at the same time not!

It's official we are for sale!

We are officaially for sale! We have scrubbed and cleaned and painted and finally we are showing! We have a great realtor Brian Smith. We have the sign in the yard and the lockbox on the door! We are keeping th ehouse clean and ready to show. The kids have given up most of the toys and are excited to move. Especially ALiya who talks about moving to Idaco (Idaho) every day! Dan and I have prayed hard and have done lots of soul searching and thought long and hard about what we want and need for our now and our future! We have put everything into the Lords hands! We feel great about it but don't know what the future holds which is always scarey! This is a link to the house http://www.windermere.com/lid66208224 If you know any one who would like to buy a house in a great neighborhood in spokane let us know!!