I was telling Karleah recently that she is our "guinea pig" because we had NO idea what we were getting ourselves in to when she was born. She taught us about being parents, and we know she has had a hard time with it. She is expected to grow up too fast. It's sad when I look at her, and realize how little I managed to teach her about the gospel in the years leading up to her baptism. I never read scriptures, or taught her any responsibilities. I changed her clothes and diapers in the living room, and she still likes to get dressed wherever she can, without thinking about who may see her.
I let her stay up late, and eat junk food all the time. I disciplined her far too harshly, but failed to actually teach her to do things.
Yet somehow, this lovely child has still turned out to be kind, respectful, caring, and spiritual. She has taught me much more than I have taught her. She is the one that wanted to teach the other kids the Articles of Faith. She reminds us to have family prayer, and read scriptures together. She has set an example for non-member friends by telling them to pray about struggles.
This past week, our neighbor's daughter passed away. This family is a pillar of the community, SO many people love them all. It was truly heart-breaking. They were one of the first people we got to know when we moved here. Well, I took Karleah aside and told her that they were sad, and I know they loved her, and maybe she could just go say "hi" or give them a hug. She didn't think that was enough. My sweet little girl got out a pencil and paper, and wrote a letter. She shared a brief testimony that she knows they will see their sweet daughter again, and told that she has had experience losing loved ones. She made a box with "negative points" (tally marks) and told Glenn to work on moving the points to the "postive" box. She told him the ways he could get rid of negative and bring the positive back.
I cried when she let me read it. Aaron cried too. She is MY daughter. I can't take any credit for it, because I really haven't taught her a lot. She will play so sweetly with the other 4 kids. It's hard to be so much older, when the other kids are all so close in age. But she is amazing, and I know she will be an incredible mother some day. I am SO blessed to call her MINE.
Showing posts with label Karleah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Karleah. Show all posts
Monday, May 7, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
My Kids, to the Rescue!!
OK, enough about all the CRAP. I need to stay positive, because today has not been very good. I don't know why, just one of those days when I'm really down and nothing seems to help. Even though I still feel the "blues" I am not going to blog that tonight.
The last couple of weeks, Aaron has been dropping me off at work and then picking me up. It's actually been kind of nice, chatting in the car......alone..... I've been reading my blog to him, and I didn't realize how negative I can be. So, my kids are my focus tonight. I am going to wrack my brain and try to remember some of the great things they've done, that I have failed to mention.
Nathanael, Carson & Vanessa L-O-V-E Super Why and they are always pretending to be one of the characters on there. Yesterday, Vanessa would put a basket on her head (it's actually one we use for shoes....gross) and yell "boo" so I would make my "damsel in distress" cry and Carson or Nathanael would come running, shouting "Super Carson/Nathanael to the rescue!" and then they would tell me all about their super powers. It's the cutest thing.
Faith is really in to mimicking. It's adorable how she tries to copy my facial expressions. I tried to get a picture, but she won't hold still, so maybe I'll get one in a few days. She will come up to me, make a face, and walk off again because she knows she got me to laugh. She tries SO hard to copy words we say, and she will scrunch up her whole face, then spit as she tries to say the word. Her favorites are "pup" (puppy) "mow" (more) and, one our neighbor taught her, "ding-dong" while she pushes on her belly button. She also puts her hands on her cheeks and says "oh no!" or smacks her forehead. Cutest baby.
Karleah had a great idea to teach all the younger kids the Articles of Faith. It's adorable to hear Vanessa and Nathanael say them. I'm so proud of Karleah for wanting to help them all learn these. She is a great example to the other four. When I was pregnant with the twins, she was worried that we wouldn't have time for her anymore. I sat with her one afternoon, and told her that it would be a lot of work, but we were going to make the most of it. I said: "these babies are going to be SO lucky to have a big sister like you." She replied "I'm the lucky one, mommy. I get to have them as siblings." I try to remember this every time she asks me why I ever gave her siblings. Or when she says she hates them all. In fact, I'm pretty sure she denies that this has ever been said.
Nathanael loves to tell me about his day in school. He tells me about all his friends, and what they play, and what they learned. Karleah was never like this, so it's really fun for me. Plus, he tells really great stories, and is SO animated. I'm sure he'll be a writer or actor. He's so cute.
Vanessa is still sucking her thumb. She got a paper cut on it the other day, and had a band-aid on it for several days, I hoped that would break her habit....no such luck! She always sucks her left thumb and plays with her hair in the right hand. She twirls it so tight it looks like ringlets in the back, and her hair is NEVER going to grow long. She is a girly-girl, through and through. I am in awe at her personality. She will go far if she never loses her 'zest' (now I have a jingle stuck in my head....)
Carson is still not potty-trained. I'm thinking maybe by the time he is ready for college we'll try again. He is so sweet and cuddly (when he's not smearing toothpaste all over the bathroom, or coloring on walls/monitors/desks/floors/bedspreads/snake cages [this is a never-ending list] or wiping soap all over the hallway, or pushing the baby over, or throwing a tantrum because I want him to use a word instead of grunt & point).
I love the way Vanessa will tell me I'm the "best mommy in the whole wide world" when I wash her favorite pajamas so she can wear them again. Or when Carson finally decides to open up and talk to me, he has the sweetest voice. Karleah can sing like an angel. Nathanael, seriously the most loving, sensitive kid I've ever known. Faith is a great cuddler.
Mostly, I love the way they all play together. I say mostly, because they do have those typical sibling rivalries, and I hear a lot of "MOM! so-and-so did such-and-such" but sometimes, I just sit back and watch them play. They are so imaginative. Karleah comes up with the silliest games, and she can motivate the little ones to do just about anything. When I can't convince them to pick up toys, she makes a game of it. I wish I had that kind of creativity. When they're all getting along, it's the most peaceful thing to sit back and watch them all. Crazy as it seems, I also love to watch them eat. When they are enjoying something Aaron & I worked to buy, and I worked to 'create' I feel fulfilled.
So, even when I'm depressed, or angry, my kids always come to the rescue and make my life worth living. They were worth the wait. The pain of giving myself shots for 3 months, the never-ending tests and doctor visits, the tears shed....none of that compares to the joy they bring to me.
Tonight, it was frozen pizza in front of the 1987 movie "Hansel and Gretel" (the kids were all very enthralled) and LOTS of cuddling. I'm pretty sure Nathanael, Carson, and Faith all sensed my need for love. They all wanted to be in my lap, and I didn't mind ONE BIT. Aaron was cuddling with me, too and it was sooo nice to feel needed.
I love my kids. I can't say it enough. They are my life. My joy. My comfort, peace, happiness, and chaos all at once. K,N,C,V,F thank you for "choosing" me as your mommy. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for lending me these amazing spirits. I hope I can teach them their potential.
The last couple of weeks, Aaron has been dropping me off at work and then picking me up. It's actually been kind of nice, chatting in the car......alone..... I've been reading my blog to him, and I didn't realize how negative I can be. So, my kids are my focus tonight. I am going to wrack my brain and try to remember some of the great things they've done, that I have failed to mention.
Nathanael, Carson & Vanessa L-O-V-E Super Why and they are always pretending to be one of the characters on there. Yesterday, Vanessa would put a basket on her head (it's actually one we use for shoes....gross) and yell "boo" so I would make my "damsel in distress" cry and Carson or Nathanael would come running, shouting "Super Carson/Nathanael to the rescue!" and then they would tell me all about their super powers. It's the cutest thing.
Faith is really in to mimicking. It's adorable how she tries to copy my facial expressions. I tried to get a picture, but she won't hold still, so maybe I'll get one in a few days. She will come up to me, make a face, and walk off again because she knows she got me to laugh. She tries SO hard to copy words we say, and she will scrunch up her whole face, then spit as she tries to say the word. Her favorites are "pup" (puppy) "mow" (more) and, one our neighbor taught her, "ding-dong" while she pushes on her belly button. She also puts her hands on her cheeks and says "oh no!" or smacks her forehead. Cutest baby.
Karleah had a great idea to teach all the younger kids the Articles of Faith. It's adorable to hear Vanessa and Nathanael say them. I'm so proud of Karleah for wanting to help them all learn these. She is a great example to the other four. When I was pregnant with the twins, she was worried that we wouldn't have time for her anymore. I sat with her one afternoon, and told her that it would be a lot of work, but we were going to make the most of it. I said: "these babies are going to be SO lucky to have a big sister like you." She replied "I'm the lucky one, mommy. I get to have them as siblings." I try to remember this every time she asks me why I ever gave her siblings. Or when she says she hates them all. In fact, I'm pretty sure she denies that this has ever been said.
Nathanael loves to tell me about his day in school. He tells me about all his friends, and what they play, and what they learned. Karleah was never like this, so it's really fun for me. Plus, he tells really great stories, and is SO animated. I'm sure he'll be a writer or actor. He's so cute.
Vanessa is still sucking her thumb. She got a paper cut on it the other day, and had a band-aid on it for several days, I hoped that would break her habit....no such luck! She always sucks her left thumb and plays with her hair in the right hand. She twirls it so tight it looks like ringlets in the back, and her hair is NEVER going to grow long. She is a girly-girl, through and through. I am in awe at her personality. She will go far if she never loses her 'zest' (now I have a jingle stuck in my head....)
Carson is still not potty-trained. I'm thinking maybe by the time he is ready for college we'll try again. He is so sweet and cuddly (when he's not smearing toothpaste all over the bathroom, or coloring on walls/monitors/desks/floors/bedspreads/snake cages [this is a never-ending list] or wiping soap all over the hallway, or pushing the baby over, or throwing a tantrum because I want him to use a word instead of grunt & point).
I love the way Vanessa will tell me I'm the "best mommy in the whole wide world" when I wash her favorite pajamas so she can wear them again. Or when Carson finally decides to open up and talk to me, he has the sweetest voice. Karleah can sing like an angel. Nathanael, seriously the most loving, sensitive kid I've ever known. Faith is a great cuddler.
Mostly, I love the way they all play together. I say mostly, because they do have those typical sibling rivalries, and I hear a lot of "MOM! so-and-so did such-and-such" but sometimes, I just sit back and watch them play. They are so imaginative. Karleah comes up with the silliest games, and she can motivate the little ones to do just about anything. When I can't convince them to pick up toys, she makes a game of it. I wish I had that kind of creativity. When they're all getting along, it's the most peaceful thing to sit back and watch them all. Crazy as it seems, I also love to watch them eat. When they are enjoying something Aaron & I worked to buy, and I worked to 'create' I feel fulfilled.
So, even when I'm depressed, or angry, my kids always come to the rescue and make my life worth living. They were worth the wait. The pain of giving myself shots for 3 months, the never-ending tests and doctor visits, the tears shed....none of that compares to the joy they bring to me.
Tonight, it was frozen pizza in front of the 1987 movie "Hansel and Gretel" (the kids were all very enthralled) and LOTS of cuddling. I'm pretty sure Nathanael, Carson, and Faith all sensed my need for love. They all wanted to be in my lap, and I didn't mind ONE BIT. Aaron was cuddling with me, too and it was sooo nice to feel needed.
I love my kids. I can't say it enough. They are my life. My joy. My comfort, peace, happiness, and chaos all at once. K,N,C,V,F thank you for "choosing" me as your mommy. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for lending me these amazing spirits. I hope I can teach them their potential.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The First 3 Years
When we got married, Aaron and I decided to live with my parents and save up for a house, that way we wouldn't have to rent. The first year was hard. We fought A LOT. My dad was a great help, he'd sit between us and help us figure things out.
Before our first anniversary, we bought a house in Tooele. I LOVED that house. I won't kid myself and say
we were the happy newlyweds in a new house, but we tried. We had problems, and we worked through them. We wanted a baby, and when it didn't happen as fast as I wanted it to, we adopted a dog. Molly had 3 legs. She was a black lab, she was beautiful. She was sweet. She was my first "baby". I cried on her shoulder month after month when we didn't get pregnant.
Just before our 2nd anniversary, we found out we were pregnant. I had a pregnancy test, and decided to take it on a Sunday morning in February. We were both home, and it would be fun to find out together. Unfortunately, I had had it so long that I had lost the instructions and we didn't know if it was positive or negative. Aaron & I drove to a few stores before we found one that stocked the brand we had at home. We grabbed the box, looked on the back, and there, in the middle of Albertson's in Tooele, we found out that our first baby was on the way. Aaron picked me up and spun me around. We kissed and danced in the middle of Albertson's.
When we found out we were going to have a girl, Aaron cried tears of joy. He had always hated the Savage Garden song "I knew I loved you" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjnmICxvoVY) but that day, he decided it was perfect for the way he felt. We went to breakfast at Arby's, and he said "I LOVE my baby girl. But I've never met her." He couldn't wait to hold his little girl. We had so many dreams.
Karleah Shannon joined our family on October 25, 2001. It was my mom's 51st birthday. She was beautiful, she was healthy, and she was worth every second of waiting, every tear shed when I was anxiously waiting for her to come.
I specifically remember going to an appointment when she was a few days old. I think we were refinancing our home loan, and the receptionist said "there's a family here to see you." It was the first time we'd been referred to as a "family" instead of a "couple". I was thrilled.
Karleah still brings so much joy to our lives. She is wonderful. I love my little girl!!
Before our first anniversary, we bought a house in Tooele. I LOVED that house. I won't kid myself and say
we were the happy newlyweds in a new house, but we tried. We had problems, and we worked through them. We wanted a baby, and when it didn't happen as fast as I wanted it to, we adopted a dog. Molly had 3 legs. She was a black lab, she was beautiful. She was sweet. She was my first "baby". I cried on her shoulder month after month when we didn't get pregnant.
Just before our 2nd anniversary, we found out we were pregnant. I had a pregnancy test, and decided to take it on a Sunday morning in February. We were both home, and it would be fun to find out together. Unfortunately, I had had it so long that I had lost the instructions and we didn't know if it was positive or negative. Aaron & I drove to a few stores before we found one that stocked the brand we had at home. We grabbed the box, looked on the back, and there, in the middle of Albertson's in Tooele, we found out that our first baby was on the way. Aaron picked me up and spun me around. We kissed and danced in the middle of Albertson's.
When we found out we were going to have a girl, Aaron cried tears of joy. He had always hated the Savage Garden song "I knew I loved you" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjnmICxvoVY) but that day, he decided it was perfect for the way he felt. We went to breakfast at Arby's, and he said "I LOVE my baby girl. But I've never met her." He couldn't wait to hold his little girl. We had so many dreams.
Karleah Shannon joined our family on October 25, 2001. It was my mom's 51st birthday. She was beautiful, she was healthy, and she was worth every second of waiting, every tear shed when I was anxiously waiting for her to come.
I specifically remember going to an appointment when she was a few days old. I think we were refinancing our home loan, and the receptionist said "there's a family here to see you." It was the first time we'd been referred to as a "family" instead of a "couple". I was thrilled.
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