Mother's Day 2010

Today was a truly WONDERFUL Mother's Day. Last year our entire family, except Olivia, got really sick with a stomach virus. We could not go to church, we barely even open cards, and we all basically laid on the ground moaning and running to the bathroom frequently. It took both Mark and I to change Sam's diaper because neither of us had enough energy to do it on our own.

This Mother's Day was so great, though. I've decided that I really don't want or need any store-bought presents on Mother's Day. I love the home-made cards, baskets, pictures, and other items I get on Mother's Day. This year we had church at 9:00 and Sam didn't wake us up until 7:30. Mark got up and took all the kids downstairs. I stayed upstairs trying to pretend that I was sleeping. The kids delivered my breakfast (fried egg, toast, lemon poppy-seed muffins, and orange slices) along with their precious presents. Olivia gave me a basket she made at school, Ella gave me a beautiful picture she drew of a poppy that was framed with black construction paper and laminated with the sweetest little poem on it she titled My Mother. It said,
"Mom your the nicie mom I know. Only my mom macks me smile. Thank you for everthig mom. Her heart is filled with love. Evring is special to me from you. Really your the best mom. LOVE ELLA 2010". It was very sweet and of course made me tear right up. Next came a painted pot from Annie with chocolates in it that she couldn't wait to give me, along with her hand-print and the hand-print poem. They all also gave me cards. Finally, the grand finale was Mark's video. He made me a precious slideshow video, complete with pictures of me with all the kids and their births, each of them saying sweet things about me, and the song "In My Daughter's Eyes".

Then we went to church (late after all the festivities). Our ward does the best Mother's Day celebrations. For the third hour the women all meet in the cultural hall where we are served all manner of delicious desserts, made/pruchased by the men in the ward, we sit at nice tables, and the youth pour us water and clear our dishes when we are done. Usually the bishopric gives us a Mother's Day message and then the primary comes in and sings a special Mother's Day song. Also, letters are delivered to each of us from our families and usually a little gift. This year I received letters or pictures from Mark and each child along with button bracelets and soaps made by Olivia in Activity Days.

After church we headed to my mom's house. I gave her a CD I made with songs that make me think of her. It is really interesting to be a daughter, but also a mother. You realize that we are all doing our best in this life and how much everyone around you sacrifices and works to help each other along the way. My mom is an amazing woman who has given so much for her family. She is a great example to me of a nurturing, self-sacrificing woman who really endures to the end, as she has had to endure many many trials that I hope I never have to endure. Through it all she has remained true and faithful.

It was a really special day for me that rejuvenated me in my role as a mother and made me want to do better and be better for these amazing people that God has entrusted to my care. I love them each so much and, more than anything else in the world, I want to be a good guide for them while they are here on this earth.

Here is the video that Mark made me:

Movin' On

Well, I know I haven't updated in just about FOREVER, but I thought I would let everyone know that we will be moving to Spokane/Coeur d'Alene at the end of June. We are excited and sad about this. We have absolutely loved living in Issaquah and have made such good friends here. On the other hand, we have great friends in both Spokane and Couer d'Alene and we are excited to be near them as well. We have found a home to rent near CDA and we are going to try out living over the border. It is very beautiful there and close to all the outdoor things we love to do, much like Issaquah. If the commute is too hard, we will move over to the Washington side, closer to where Mark will be working, although it is hard to imagine the commute being bad compared to his commute here. We will be living about the same distance from his work there as we are now, but with almost no traffic. Right now if he gets home in 30 minutes (the actual no traffic amount of time it should take), I am surprised to see him...it almost always takes him over an hour to get home right now. The house we are going to be renting is pretty cool. It is on 5 acres and has a GIGANTIC barn on it (20 stalls). We don't have any horses, but I figure I can put a play set or trampoline in it. It also backs up to a mountain where there is mountain biking out our backdoor, hiking, etc. It should be pretty fun and we will get a chance to see if we like having that much property.


Here are a few pictures, the first of the house, the second of the crazy barn!