To the Zoo with my Lukey Loo!

May 3rd was Luke's big field trip to the Zoo.  This is a fun field trip because lots of parents come, and it's almost a 1 to 1 ratio with parents and kids.  So it's a little like just hanging out with my little man, just he and I :).  

We had a lot of fun, especially on the bus... with all my kids, this has been a highlight, and it didn't disappoint for Luke either.

At least we both look distorted in this one... I'll spare you the low self-esteem comments about myself :)

At the beginning Luke was VERY anxious to get pictures of himself everywhere.  :)  It was fun for me :)

But that kind of died out quickly.  

We had a funny group this time.  Another Mom and her son, and another little girl. There was another little girl who was supposed to be in our group, but her mom had brought a friend, and they kind of just ditched us, so the poor little girl was stuck with two boys all day.  I felt bad for her.

These kids were hilarious.  I don't think they were all that entertained by the zoo.  About 15 minutes in, they all started begging to have lunch.  Now this is not a short field trip, we have ALL day at the Zoo, so we weren't about to eat lunch at 10:00.  We made them wait til it was at least 11:00.  It was a long hour :).  

They did love lunch time.  This is the first time they've taken a lunch to school and eaten together, so that makes sense :).  Lukey had gotten up early that morning, and packed his own lunch, all by himself!  I was so proud of him!  That's just so not like him ;).  He enjoyed his Go-gurts, and the chips especially :).

After lunch, the kids complained about every animal we looked at and just wanted to go to the playground.  I kept thinking, 'at least they all want the same thing, could be worse'.  So, to the playground we went.  

Course we had only spent about 45 minutes there when they all started begging to go back to the bus and go home!!!  These kids were so funny!

We had about an hour to kill still.  So we walked back slowly and took a little detour into the gift shop.  This was right down all three their alleys.  We spent almost the whole hour in the gift shop if you can believe that!  I'm sure they touched EVERYTHING in there!  But they were having so much fun :)

I had a lot of fun talking with the other mom the whole time as well.  Field trips are the place to make new friends for me.  She is new to the area and I just really enjoyed hearing about her life.  She recently quit her job so that she could stay at home with her 2 kids.  The things she said about being a Mom and the Day Cares in Utah, just impressed me so much!  I really admire her strength to cut back so much financially and make the sacrifices necessary to stay home.  That would be so hard!  To go from 2 incomes to 1.  But she's all gung-ho, and had so many great things to say about staying home.  I loved it.  She is a good example.  

I've been blessed to be able to be at home with my kids and not have to be a source of income for our family.  I can't tell you what a HUGE deal this is to me!!  All I ever wanted to do was raise my family and Nate has made that possible.  I'm so grateful for that.

So anyway- back to the Zoo :).  We hurried back to the bus with only a minute to spare and drove home!  Luke was so tired on the way home, there was less goofing around on the bus and he even took a short nap.  I LOVED spending the day with him though.  He's such a sweet little boy.  It's funny to recognize how grown up he is, but in the same instance, still noticing what a cute little boy he is too.  My sweet little Lukey will always be my little boy :)

When I asked him what he wanted to see most, as we were walking up to the Zoo, he wasn't sure.  I said, "Well, what's your favorite animal?" and he said, "Cheetah, but they don't have cheetahs."  I couldn't convince him that there was anything else he WANTED to see.  And when we were leaving the Zoo, we realized that the things those three kids enjoyed the most, were the man made exhibits!  Funny kids. Good thing they have all the animal statues to climb on and the big elephant to get sprayed with!!  Would have been a total drag without them :)

Spring is officially here :)

Last year, AFTER the Summer was over, the kids FINALLY filled up their service jar with marbles.  It took us a LOT longer than we had anticipated and buying a trampoline in the winter seemed like a silly idea, so we made the kids wait.  

Well, Spring is finally here, and so is our new trampoline!!!!  

Everyone's had so much fun on it, I don't know why I don't get my camera out later on in the day when the big kids are on it too.  But here are some of the littles :)

Nate put the enclosure up a week later, since time would not allow it when he put up the trampoline.  And this is where the sanity level of my brain could be questioned.  I nagged Nate like crazy and was all worried about not having it up in the beginning, and as soon as he got it up, I was bummed.... I liked it better without.  

Either way, the kids will be safer, so I should stop thinking about it.  I have a good husband though, who puts up with a lot.  He deserves a high five for not killing me in the process :)

The only problem with the trampoline is that Buddy gets less attention when he's outside. :(  But look how big he's getting!!!  His face just looks older!

Journaling

- Monday, we took all the littles and Charlie and Carter to Kangaroo Zoo.  We still had a few turns left on the card we got a few weeks ago and thought it would be a fun way to get the kids' wiggles out and also let Nate and I relax and talk.  It was a fun time.  I loved watching what they all found entertaining.  Noah and Charlie were especially cute in the bounce house, pretending that there were storms outside and all that good stuff.  Cute kids.  Erika had a total blast this time too, I couldn't believe how well she climbed up some of the big ones!  4-30-12

- Also, on Monday, we had something really cool happen!  We had talked Brent and Sarah into coming with us to Nielson's Frozen Custard for our FHE treat.  This was our first time going and the only reason I had wanted to try it was because of how well Brent had sold me on it.  So they had to come with us ;) Make sure we oredered the right thing.  So anyway, we got there a little early and were sitting outside when all of a sudden someone pulled up next to us.  The person in the passenger's side was making a surprised face, and started pointing at me.  I immediately tried to figure out who it was, but I couldn't tell with the glare on the windshield.  Then I convinced myself that this person was probably motioning to someone behind me which, coincidentally, happens quite often!  The mystery woman got frustrated by this time and climbed out of her car.  I couldn't believe my eyes!!!!  CHARITY MANWARING!!!  IN UTAH????  It was SUCH a pleasure to see them!!!  And such a coincidence that I couldn't even begin to think it was one ;).  We chatted for quite a while out there, neglecting her family and Brent and Sarah once they got there.  It was really nice to hear how they were doing though.  It's really been too long since we chatted.  I got to hear about all her adoption chaos, and then introduce her to Erika and Noah (grown up- she did get to hold him when he was a few months old).  It was so fun to see them!  I can only think that the reason we ran into them was just to have her influence there, around me, one more time.  I think I needed to remember that I do have close friends that I love and who care about me as well.  Sometimes it's hard to remember that.  Heavenly Father does these little things for me because he loves me, and for that I am grateful.  I do miss Alaska, and seeing them made me think about it again.  I miss the friendships I made there.  I miss the people and the atmosphere.  It's too bad I could never guarantee that we would be in the Russian Jack ward again, with all the right people :) or I'd probably want to go back.  It was a good adventure though.  And I'm so grateful for our friends the Manwarings who came out of it.  I hope they know we look up to them and love them immensely!  They will forever be miracle-makers in our lives.  And answers to many prayers.

- We got up early on Tuesday and got things done quickly so that we could drop the kids off at school and go pick up our trampoline!!  I think we'll get a lot of good use out of this thing, but I can't help but thing we just bought ourselves a hospital bill!  We'll see! 5-1-12

- Thursday was nuts.  I knew it was going to be.  I asked Nate to take the day off and he filled in for me, with all the crazy things we had going on, so that I could go with Luke on his field trip to the Zoo.  Which I will post about later with pictures.  Anyway, Nate had to get the food in the crock pot for the neighbor for that night, unload the video camera for Kelly's Marionette Program (which I will post about later as well), pick up some extras for dinner, get the kids to the school at 2:00, and then all the extra stuff that happened without my help.  He did AMAZING!!  It was a relief to know that he was taking care of it all!  Then he made dinner for us as well!  He's just perfect.  I don't know what I would do without him.   5-3-12

- Nate had his certificate ceremony at work on Friday and then Friday evening was our big celebration dinner with Nate's family.  I arranged a dinner at Tepanyaki with whoever could come.  Adults only.  I thought we had a good turn out, and I was so grateful that Nate had the support of so many.  He really has worked so hard, and I think it means a lot to him to have family there to celebrate it with him.  We wanted to be able to thank everyone for their love and support.  I had a total blast sitting by Jen and laughed the whole time.  She's pretty entertaining!  Congratulations, BABE!  5-4-12

- Saturday was another hectic day filled with running around to play at a baptism, kids' friends' birthday parties.... it was fun though, a nice change.  5-5-12

Pregnancy Journal

4-30-12
I went in for my "official ultrasound" and things looked really well!  I was glad to see the placenta on the back of my uterus, and glad to see his cute little boy bumb again, and know that we are really having a boy :).  I couldn't believe how painful that ultrasound was!  The lady was pushing SO HARD!!  And maybe it's because my bladder was a little full, but it wasn't too full, just the 8 oz they requested.  I couldn't believe how awesome the quality on the ultrasound was.  We could see his cute little profile, skin and all, it was so neat!  I need to scan the pictures still, I will get around to that sometime.
After the ultrasound, we sat and waited FOREVER for my doctor and then he did next to nothing.  Just reminded me of the things to watch for as far as early labor goes, and then talked with Nate about the Jazz... very anticlimactic :).... but I guess that's better than bad news.
Thanks to Sarah and Brent watching the three little ones, this visit was possible.

5-4-12
I had a strange little conversation with someone last night that had me crying in the evening, then tossing and turning all night with strange dreams.  It was really frustrating.  The person I was talking to had been talking to someone else, about me, and this other person who works in the Labor and Delivery floor of the hospital as a nurse and had talked about me and "my situation" to doctors at work, and was "really worried about me having a 7th c-section because you're not supposed to have more than 4".  Duh.  First of all, why does EVERYONE TALK ABOUT ME BEHIND MY BACK???  This is not the first time I've heard the phrase, "_________ and I were talking about you and ________"  It's SO WEIRD!!!  Second!  I'm already halfway there!!!  I cannot do anything about this pregnancy except wait it out.... and HAVE A C-SECTION!!!!  So why do we feel the need to say anything about anything being dangerous, or not the way it should be?!!!  And THIRD!  Do they think I don't have a Doctor??  Do they think I just carelessly get pregnant without thinking it out or making sure it's okay???  Do they think I'm an idiot???  I'm not stupid, I KNOW it's strange to have 7 sections.  I know this is NOT the norm.  I have MANY friends who have been told "no more" after even 3.  I am not going to pretend like this isn't unusual.  But I have gone out of my way to make sure it's okay.  My doctor has NEVER said anything to make me think I shouldn't have more kids.  They have, on the other hand, told me how well I heal, how little scar tissue I have, how strong my uterus is, just about EVERY TIME I've been under the knife.  I go to the doctor before I get pregnant, I get all my exams, I make sure things are okay to have another baby, I'm not just accidentally getting pregnant, these are planned out.  I make sure to ask my Doctor EVERY TIME if it is okay to have another c-section.  He is not concerned.  WHY does someone who barely knows me (and doesn't have the decency to talk to me themselves) have the nerve to pretend to be worried about me and then talk about me behind my back?!!!!!  UGH!!!!!  Then she tried to tell me how I should "tell my doctor to deliver at 37 weeks or my uterus will rupture".  Yeah right.  I'm gonna go tell my doctor what to do, like he doesn't know what he's doing already. I know I'm probably blowing this out of proportion, but I just wish everyone would just mind their own business.  It is nobody's business what I do with my body.  I can do whatever I want.  I personally do want to take care of my body and don't want to do anything that would hurt my body.  I do what I can to make sure I am.  But it's nobody's business either way!!  My own Grandma had c-section with her first baby who was still born, then her uterus ruptured with her second pregnancy because she was carrying twins.  They told her not to have any more kids and she still got pregnant 4 years later and was able to delivery a healthy baby via c-section with that one.  She took a risk.  She did something that was totally frowned on back then.  But she knew it was the right thing.  Whether this is a risk for me or not (which I don't feel it is), it is the right thing to do.  And nobody seems to understand that.  It's not something that I am doing without thought and prayer.  I wish everyone could just leave me alone about it.  If this was a close friend, telling me this personally, and was genuinely concerned, I MAY have been more receptive and not so sensitive, but she's not!!  She's just some random person who really enjoys discussing me and my life choices to other people who aren't really close friends either!  And frankly, telling a pregnant woman that she should worry about her pregnancy and delivery is like telling a dog to bark.  THAT'S WHAT THEY DO!!!!!

I get so sick of the opposition with pregnancy.  And I'm not talking about how I feel (which is ALSO, HUGE OPPOSITION!).  People ask me how I feel, I tell them I feel like crap, and then dump some more crap on top of it as if there wasn't enough.  As soon as I find myself a happy place and feel like things are going to be fine, someone stomps on it all and smears it around.  Then I have to start all over.  I am just not emotionally stable enough for this right now.  I have been getting so overwhelmed with all the things I have on my plate right now.  And I'm sure it's nothing, just me being overwhelmed, but it gets to be too much for me mentally sometimes.  More than I feel I can handle.  May is always crazy with all the end of the year school stuff.  Programs, field trips, projects, bla bla bla, and then on top of that, I have all of these sudden assignments with my calling.  I LOVE my calling, please do not misunderstand me, but I just think there's a lot to do with it.  Because we are "probably moving" before September when our Primary Program is, instead of just releasing me and finding someone who can start working on the Program now and not be having a baby the month before, they want me to get the Program ready and have it all written up NOW.  Before I move.  Ugh.  I guess it's not the program part of it that's hard for me, it's finding the time to do it.  I'd like to be able to talk with all the kids individually and get some of their own words into the program, but as of this Sunday I will also be filling in for the Primary Pianist until we can get someone else.  I have no idea when I will be able to meet with the kids.  This tires me out just thinking about it.  Then I am still supposed to find time to practice for the Organ, and the piano now.  UGH.  I don't mean to complain.  I don't want to complain about a calling because then I miss out on all the blessings.  I just need to talk about it.  Get some of my frustration out so that I can move on and just do it all.  It's going to be interesting.

There.  I feel better.  Sorry if you read this whole post.  I promise to calm down and not hurt anyone.  Though I have considered forbidding myself from going out in public for the next 4 months.  It just might be safer for everyone.... including myself.

Journaling

- We got to go to later church on Sunday!  Well, I had a meeting at 7:30 in the morning, but frankly, it was the best thing that could have happened to me ;)  I LOVED that meeting!  The Stake Presidency spoke, and there were so many great things to think about.  President Dibb told us to ask ourselves, "What am I doing to lead?"  And I really appreciated that.  I need to rethink how I fulfill my calling and if I am doing all that I can.  I know I've had my mind elsewhere for the last few months, but I really can't let my calling go.  President Mabey spoke about some of the races he's run in.  He said his fastest Deseret News one that he ran was when someone jumped in fresh, when they were passing the zoo.  The guy was all chatty and friendly and asked if he could run with him.  It was mostly annoying to President Mabey, but when he finished the race, he realized he'd run quicker when that guy was there, than he had at the beginning.  He had someone to lead.  He had someone who had not traveled the same road he had, but was willing to go the rest of the way with him and help him make it to the end.
The fastest other one that he talked about was when a lady caught up to him, asked if she could join him, and she was all chatty.  Which was annoying, but as he talked to her, he learned that she was 3 months pregnant, had just had her knee scoped, and that she had had many other trials that his wouldn't compare to, and yet she still had the confidence that she would make it to the end.  He said he ran fast that time because he knew that with the little he had been through, he could do it if she could.  He had someone who had been through more, and she stuck by him, to give him the confidence he needed.
All of these can be compared to life.  I love that.  I want to be one of those people who helps others finish the race at their best time!

The rest of the day was less than my favorite.  I missed the last half of ward conference because I was manipulated into doing some things that ideally could have taken me a lot less time, but because I was lied to and tricked, they took much longer.  I hate to be bitter about it, but I REALLY hate being taken advantage of.  And in such a manipulative way.  I love to help people, I really do, I would do anything if you just ask, just don't try to trick me into helping you!!  That bugs.  But either way.... it happened.  We came home and had a lovely evening with a very nice dinner made by Nate.  He's such a good man to me.  He keeps making dinner and making my life easier.  Love that!!!  4-22-12

- For FHE Monday we talked about obedience and then went outside to play Mother May I? and Red Light Green Light.  Lots of fun!!  Cambri was our special visitor, and I think she actually had a good time :).  She's a cute girl.  We had the yummy Cinnamon Donut Muffins for our treat.... love those!!!  Good times 4-23-12

- Monday night Luke and I finally put his little Star Poster together, with his pictures and stuff.  He was so cute picking out which pictures he wanted to show off to his friends.  I love that kid!  At one point I realized that we were going to have a LOT of pictures, and they would all be crammed together on this small poster, so I asked him if he would want to eliminate a few.  He said, "Most people don't do a lot of pictures, so I want to do all of them!"  What a cool kid!  He wanted to do what most people DON'T do!! :)  I love that he is himself.  I don't know why it surprises me, I was expecting him to say, "most people don't, so I don't want to" but duh... this is Luke we're talking about ;).  Anyway, I just thought it was cute!  And I was very happy to be done with the Spotlight posters for the year!  I have way too many pictures to go through.  Kinda makes me crazy searching through them.  Though I do love the reminiscing, I need a new system.
4-23-12