My love…

It's funny to me how a little time apart really makes the heart grow fonder. Except, every time we are apart I have had a little piece of him with me i.e. Mister M or Miss C. This trip has really opened my eyes to Ed's side of the whole traveling thing. While I know he has to travel for work, when I am in the midst of a 3 day single parent stint it so easy to forget how hard he really works. For that I admire him and so thankful for the wonderful husband and father that he is. I remember back when we first got married thinking "how can I love him more?" well time has truly shown me how much more. Each day it seems to grow and each day we become closer. Don't get me wrong neither one of us is perfect (as hard as we try), we each have our days, but through it all I always know that he loves me and I love him

Soon I will be home with my family and I can't wait! But for now here are the few things that I missed.

1. Ed, his loving touch at just the right moment, his willingness to tag team with the kids, his kisses and getting to share our day with each other every night.
   
2. My kids, this weekend I visited with 5 really great friends, most had their husbands with them and all had some of their children. What a great time it was, though my arms felt a little lonely. No one to hug while watching the fire, no one to worry about, just me. Though my friends' children were great and really fun I wish my kids could have met them too.
   
3. Our Bed, yes I missed my own bed because really no bed ever compares, plus Ed will be next to me
   
4. My car, I have had the Rodeo for over 10yrs, that 1/3 of my life and 2/3's of my driving time, so the little rental car I had just did not compare.
   

This trip was wonderful and THANK YOU Ed and Bruce (for a part ticket!) for making it happen. I will always treasure this trip and knowing that the kids while I was gone were in the best possible hands, their Daddy's, really calmed my fears.

I’m on my way…

Here I sit some 30000 miles above the ground, ready waiting and excited. Today I am off on an adventure off to meet up with some dear friends in the great state of Tennessee. Not everyone could make it, I am sad not to them but some day I will get to! I honestly am not sure but I don't think I have ever been to Tennessee.

This morning came a little early with the alarm going off at 3:30am for a 6:00am flight. After one kiss to each of my sleeping family I headed out into the dark stormy streets of Portland. Smart me thought "hey I don't need the GPS my phone has one" of course it choose today as the day not to work, must have been the rain. So with a little detour I eventually made it to airport (okay a big one and luckily I used some common sense and ended up getting to the airport right in the nick of time).

The plane was a little delayed as there was a small flood found in the back of the plane, I choose to sit close to the front for this flight, because really you can't be sure. Plus, it was dry.

The choice to come on this trip was really difficult for me. Time and money did not allow the kids or Ed to come with me so I was leaving them home with Ed for 3 days. Something I have never done before but really, always dreamed ofJ. Not in the bad way, the kids just love their Dad so much and a weekend with them will be good for all of them. Today the kids will be with a brand new babysitter while Ed works and of course I couldn't get the Magic Jack to work with Windows 7, so no phone in the house. I am praying she has a cell phone, I mean what 17 yr old doesn't right? Also, it doesn't help that I didn't think about the phone problem till 8pm last night.

The plane is getting ready to descend and soon the next part of my journey will begin!

ETA… she did not have a phone but everyone survived and the kids had a great day!

Loving and Missing

18 hrs ago I left our home; I have been missing them since.

Ed has been doing a great job, kids are fed and in bed. Hope they have fun this weekend!

It has been so long...

This summer has really taken a toll on my blogging. I can't believe how little time there is in the day, between 2 kids, 1 husband, 3 houses and some work oh and MOVING again who has time to do anything?

We have been here in Portland for just over 3 weeks and finally we are getting settled. This weekend we spent 2 great days together. Saturday we went trick-or-treating with the kids and it was a perfect night, moon, warmth and candy! We did miss the Perzack haunted house though!

I keep looking back at the past year and all the changes we have had.

Lets see, right now we have 3 houses to our name. The one we own in Utah, the one we are still renting in Nevada and the one we are currently living in Oregon. Crazy stuff, luckily the Nevada one will be done in less than 2 weeks. The one in Utah will be empty as of Dec. 1st so who knows what will happen there. It's funny, I had always wanted our home, in a neighborhood where our kids could grow up with friends they have known their whole lifes. Well here we are 2 moves later and looks like that dream has just been altered. I guess the old saying is true "go ahead and make plans God need a laugh today".

I must say that this move, while it has had it's tough moments, was not that bad. Of course having my mom here for 2 weeks was a great help and relief. Our last house there were a few friendly neighbors but really we rarely saw them and leaving was just not that hard (we had some great memories though). This neighborhood has been AMAZING. When we looked at this house (#33 in 3 days) the neighbor was very friendly and while we had a very hard choice, but I think we choose the right one. As luck would have it a woman in our old ward's sister in law lived up here and as luck would have it she also was in our new ward. So the day we moved in the Elders showed up and some great families from the ward came over to help out! They also brought over dinner that night which was amazing. In the 3 weeks we have been her we have made some friends and even a few house's over there are kids the same ages as M and C.

Ed has been enjoying work, he jumped right into it the monday we moved in, wish it could have been just a few days later but he has been doing amazing. We miss him greatly during the week and it is kinda tough getting used to the 8-5 m-f job vs the his old schedule. The weekends have been nice.

M has started preschool 4 days a week 2 hrs a day, about half of the services he was getting in Vegas but so far he has been adjusting well. Just today he "learned " to whistle. It was the greatest thing, he has been growing so much. He is such a great helper at school and truely is becoming a real little friend maker! The other day 2 "older" (like 9) boys were playing catch in the cul-de-sac and he and C. were their cheering squard, they so did not want him to play but he has so much fun cheering for them.

C. turned 2 and we moved, just like last year and she turned 1 and we moved. She is such an amazing spirit who really has brought such amazing energy to our family! She is as tough as they come and soo in love with her Daddy. M. is totally a mom and dad boy but Miss C. she is 100% a Daddy's girl. She has discovered Barbies in the last few weeks and loves dressing them, well really she only has 1 regular one and 1 one soft one but still she loves them. Her language skills are slowly emerging.

Me, I joined a mom's group here in town and actually went out to dinner with some of the girls. It was a HUGE step for me, that same day I also went to a Womans Lunchen for church. So that made 2 new groups in one day, I even took both kids to the events and survived. It is an adjustment getting used to a whole new state and area. I haven't moved to a new state since 1999, even with all the moves (9) since then always it has been between AZ, UT and NV well except for that 3 months in Cali in '03. We actually got Oregon Driver Licences and really that is a huge step.

So I have change the name of this blog to Little Leaps of Faith, since it seems really aren't all of our choices just little leaps of faith?

Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers Day!

To my brothers, Thank you. My nieces and nephews are so lucky to have you guys as Dads and I am grateful for all you do to lead them and help them.

To my Father in Law, may he rest in Peace. Thank you for being the best Dad to Ed. We miss you and M. still remembers things which 2 yrs later amaze me. Know this, you are loved.

To all my friends who are now Dad's. Happy Father's day. What an amazing gift you have and are to these precious children.

Of course there are two Dad's in my life I am who without I am not sure where I would be today.

(me & my Papa)

To Papa, thank you for always being there for me, even when it was tough and I was not always the best daughter, you were always there. I am who I am thanks to you and Mom. I could not ask for a better father. I have proud of your work and what you do to help others, it take a special person to do your job and I think they have found the right one in you. I love you.

(M & Ed)(C & Ed)

To my husband, Ed. The father of my 2 precious children. Thank you. Thank you for all you do for this family, I know it can be hard to go to work each day and leave them behind, but know this we are so proud of you! The kids and I love you so much and thank God for you always.

4 years...

We welcome our son 4 yrs ago in to our family. These years have been a blur and he has been such a joy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

MR. M.!

Rock Star!

nuff said.

6 months.

6 months ago today we uprooted our family and headed down to Vegas. The last six months have been crazy and at time dragged big time but still here we are on the downward slop of our 1 yr commitment. School for M. has been a blessing in disguise, something more than we could have ever hoped for. He has been making huge strides and we are enjoying life.

Now we moved here at the right time, we have been enjoying the wonderful weather. Last week that changed when we almost hit 100*. Boy are we in for a LONG summer. The heat just wipes us so indoor activities here we come.

So what does the the next 6 months hold for us? Will we stay here at the end? Will we move home? Who knows? If you would have asked me a year ago if we would ever, ever be living here in Las Vegas again I probably would have laughed in your face. But here we are. So I wonder what the next 6 months will bring?

Happy Mother's Day!

My 5th Mother's Day (I count being pregnant). My kids are my joy and I am so proud to be their mom. Thank you lil' munchkins for making me a Mom.

School Pictures

How is he big enough to be getting school pictures??