"You can look back, but don't stare.
The best is yet to come."

This week, I had one of the worst days I can remember. It was a bad day for my kids as well. I could have earned the meanest mom award.


I am really trying to "enjoy the journey" more. It is a constant struggle. I feel a lot of guilt and always have, deal with feelings of inadequacy, worry and stress more than I probably need to.

I felt helpless as I hugged my "baby" that is almost 12 years old as she cried about missing her friends and her struggles of finding her place in her new surroundings.

Sometimes there is not a quick fix, no magic fairy dust to sprinkle, no magic wand, it takes time...and there will bad days. But I do know that there will be some good days too.

I am not much on being a testimony sharer, just not. I do know that prayer works. I know that when you put all your ping pong balls (you know the church stuff) in the jar first that miraculously all the beans (LIFE which is busy!!) do fit. We have been praying and praying that our house would sell for months and months.
Jakob asked "mom, why don't you ask that it will sell on a certain day" So I did, that night I prayed that our house would sell that week. The next day the realtor called and said we had received an offer on our house the night before.

Whether or not things will pan out with this sell, I am happy that my children and I could have that wonderful experience.

Chris keeps a jar of rusty old water...he has had it since he was a child. When he was on a vacation, he prayed that it would snow. It did. That water is the melted snow.

No matter how far away I feel from the Lord...I do know that if I pray He will hear me.

I am hoping that as we go through difficult times, that my kids will know that too. They are sometimes a great example to me because I see my girls reading their scriptures more than I do. They have great faith in all things.

It is nice to be reminded of how simple things are sometimes.

here is my new favorite item...the Aden & Anais burp cloth/bib. If your baby is too big to be swaddled by the great gauze blankets, get these. They wrap all around the shoulder, there is no retarded pocket to "catch", but really means just make another mess, and they are soft and lightweight. I LOVE them. you can get them at your local Target. (and the blankets too, if you have an itty bitty baby)

The kids started back to school last week...one of the many changes we are all trying to get used to, going to school the beginning of August and school hours that are too early. I drive them or they would get on the bus when Owls, bats, and other nocturnal creatures are still scurrying around. None of them have come home in tears yet, so I think they may be adjusting fairly well. We still miss a lot of things about Hershey, but are enjoying reaquainting ourselves with some very good friends and making new ones. I am busy with cleaning...whoever loves ceramic tile that is not textured you are CRAZY! I feel I need to clean the floor constantly (though it doesn't always get done). I think some area rugs in the living area with wood floors would help out in my dilemma. In my dream house we are not getting ceramic tile of any kind. I am also busy being a chauffeur to the kids activites which are increasing, and entertaining the littles and trying to enjoying their "creativity" in all forms. We have tried out a bunch of new recipes and when my two boys stop their training for the UFC I will post them.