Honoring Patrick

I love my husband. He is not perfect. He works too much. He’s got a short temper. We are both very different people. But who would I be without all his little quirks?
I’ve learned so much being married to this man. He’s driven and engaging. He has no fear to speak his mind and stands up fearlessly for the little guy. He has an amazing power to motivate. He can convince people to move mountains. He’s a great missionary and holds his religion sacred. He will give you the shirt off his back. He delights in spending money on his family. He sees the positive even in a fiery furnace. He’s a powerhouse. He constantly tries to perfect himself. He will give me anything I want. He survives on very little sleep. His pride is his family. He loves to give the kids experiences. He supports me in all that I want to accomplish. He gets out of my way because you all know, nothing can stop this woman. He is learning to listen to me. He respects my unique gifts and doesn’t shrug them off. He carries me when I’m not strong enough to carry on alone. He’s a father to all his children, not just the biological ones. He is fiercely protective of me. He honors his priesthood. He’s really good at making me feel beautiful. He’s not inhibited at all. He helps me let loose and not follow all the rules. He excels at his job not just for himself, but for me. I know he’d rather be self employed but is sacrificing his dreams for his children and his wife. He does the dishes. He folds his own laundry. He works alongside his kids and tries his hardest to solve problems even if he has no clue how. (I mean its kinda cute that he tried to drain the pool with a sawsall...) He’s ok with my independent nature. He wont quit. He never gives up. He cries at movies. He has a sophisticated palate.

He does this all and does not have the firm assurance that I will be his for all of eternity, and yet still he gives his all. What more could a woman ask for?

Happy fathers day Patrick!
Love you...

BooHoo for Bread

It's official...and I have the blood tests to prove it. I have Celiac disease. I've suspected it for months, but wasn't 100% sure until today. I've been off gluten for at least a good month and a half with 3 contaminations that have sent me reeling. Something as small as crouton crumbs on salad made me sick for 3 days. I often wonder how I survived for this long but have come to understand that wheat is like an opiate for me. That's right people, it attaches to the receptors in the brain simulating an opiate response....things that make you go hmmmmm!
Anyway, it's completely treatable. We are in the process of testing Brighten, who probably has it, and figuring out if there are other allergies at play as well.
As a side benefit, I've lost 13 pound in less than two months just by eliminating wheat and dairy. Now comes the hard part...how to incorporate "normal" items into my diet that don't have gluten. I've found a good cheese that is soy and dairy free, a good tortilla wrap, a good wafer cookie, a good ice cream...so if any of you have any hints, feel free to share them with me. It's going to be a journey.

To The Idiot...

I went out on a limb and discussed a very important topic for my mid-term in Public Speaking. My audience was my fellow classmates at BYU-Idaho. I thought, I'd do something a little more "churchy" because I knew a lot about my subject matter. My speech was supposed to be informative or in other words, to show how to do something. For this reason I chose to speak on mourning with those who mourn. 99% of my classmates loved it and felt like I had given them some real valuable tools to meet the physical, social, and emotional needs of people going through the grieving process. I made sure to give plenty of examples outside of my own experience and received 100% on my midterm. Except this one cranky butt man who just didn't get it. He had the gall to say that the speech just didn't apply to him!!!! So evidently the covenant you took at baptism to mourn with those who mourn doesn't apply to you? Ok, well just feel free to walk on your merry way through life and watch out for the lightning bolt. Also idiot, go read Job 24. There. Now I feel better.

I Worship at the Feet of Caroline Ingalls

I was enjoying my quiet house at 10:45 all by myself. My DH was busy praying at the temple about some big changes in our life and I was taking a very hot bath. When what do I hear? But the mad squawking of chickens trying to jump the coop. I immediately bound out of the tub, narrowly escaping a swift landing on the tailbone due to the wet floor and race over to the window. Frantically, I grab the first thing that cannot break and throw it in the general direction of the noise. No, it wasn't to shut those hens up, but to scare the SKUNK! Yes, we have had a visitor in our backyard for a couple of weeks now. Evidently he likes free range eggs just as much as me. I'll give him that, he has good taste. But I am sure my neighbors don't like having chickens wandering around in their front yards...I mean it is suburbia after all.
So I was pissed. That dang skunk wasn't going to keep doing this. And being the stubborn woman that I am, grabbed a red silky robe and ran down the stairs to finally take care of that skunk once and for all. No one was messin with my hens!
I frantically searched for a flashlight and turned on the porch light. I grabbed the hoe that just so happened to be teetering right next to the sliding glass door. Only when I stepped out, did I realize that I was still dripping wet and not fully clothed, but I was on a mission.
The hoe in hand and flashlight staring down that skunk I made my move...called him like a hide and seek game...come out, come out where ever you are little stupid skunk! Oh yeah, I knew I could be sprayed at any minute but I had a firm resolve. The only thing going through my mind was "I wonder how Caroline Ingalls would deal with this?" After searching high and low for the skunk and finding 2 errant chickens perched on the fence, I decided that Mr. Skunk was gone and it was more important to save myself the embarrassment of trying to chase chickens down the road. I shook Christian awake and he unconsciously made it outside to help me get the birds. Surprisingly easy actually to catch birds in the middle of the night. So now the hens were back in their house. The porch light was on and then I realized that I probably had just given my neighbors a show....still in the first thing I grabbed, a red silk robe...NICE! So not a Caroline Ingalls thing to do!

Oh Caroline, can I meld the farm life and the city life together much longer? It was easy when the coyotes ate all the skunks and the big dog scared off the little critters. Now I still get dead mice on my doorstep from my cats and I enjoy the fresh eggs, but I can't just fly outside half naked to chase down a varmint in the middle of the night. Dang it! Oh Caroline what would you do?

I Have Not Died

On average, I have 33 assignments a week. Yes, you read that right. So needless to say I am one busy lady! My blog is completely neglected. My house on the other hand is running swimmingly. You may ask, how the heck is that possible? Well I happen to be taking an organizational communications class and I am implementing everything I learn to my household. If ever you wanted a class on how to be a homemaker, just take this class. We have discussed everything from motivational theories to systems metaphors (the latter is more like math and makes my brain hurt but it really works). So my home is staying clean. I am no longer bombarded by stray dishes, errant shoes, toys on the stairs, and a filthy kitchen. The kids do it. They police themselves and I wont go into details until I know for sure it's sticking but basically, my job is to cook dinner everynight, do the grocery shopping, do the laundry on Thursday and vacuum. Pretty sweet deal for everyone. (Yes, I have someone come in and clean my bathrooms and kitchen 2 times a month because I really need them CLEAN) I'm still the mommy in addition to my household chores, but I don't do dishes, clean up after anyone and the house is running like a well oiled machine. Whatever grade I get in my class pales in comparison to the fringe benefits of a household running at an efficient level. Now about that abnormal psych class....Hah!

Mommy Rhapsody (Mother's Day Opening 2010)

Ecstasy

Daydreaming, reading Ethan Frome and Hugh Nibley collected works on the Old Testament, burying my feet in the sand, listening to music while napping on the sand, eating seafood, watching my kids enjoy themselves...that is ecstasy.