An 11:32 p.m. post- warning - a bit mushy!!!

So, it's kind of lame when you post more than once in a day, I know. But if I keep my mind preoccupied, my body can forget it wants to put my insides on the outside :)

So I'm kind of glad I've been sick. No, really. I have gotten a little desensitized to Bryan's health issues lately, so it has been so good for me to gain a little perspective, and realize how much he does day in and day out, whether he feels good or not. He is my rock, and I've said it before, but I seriously don't know how I got so blessed. He can make me laugh so hard my cheeks hurt. He can make me cry he does the most sweetest amazingly thoughtful things. He is the most awesome example to me and my children. He is smart. He is humble. He has the most beautiful eyes, and a tender heart. He has more education than most, but never flaunts his knowledge. He loves to read, which makes my kids love to read. He loves all kids. He adores our children. His priorities are always straight. He works 2 jobs so I can stay home with our kids. He tells me every day the only thing he wants to do is whatever I want him to do.

He hates it when I write about him, but since he has admitted that he doesn't read blogs much any more, I think I'm safe.

Through no fault of my own, I really did marry the perfect man.

What I'm grateful for today...

I am copying my friend Angie (sorry Ang), but she got me to thinking about what I am grateful for today, so here's a quick list. If you haven't figure it out yet, I'm all about lists :)

• my daughter giving me an unsolicited hug...a hug that lasted for more than 8 seconds. My gift of the day.
• my two baby boys taking a nap at the same time
• my oldest getting his own breakfast because he could see I was rushing this morning. I could have kissed him :)
• following the Spirit...and the feeling of peace that follows
• heroes
• trials...most of the time...not yesterday or the day before that, but today I am grateful :)
• honest men (and women)
• people who care
• not getting everything done, but not freaking out about it. (for those of you who don't know me well, this is a MAJOR accomplishment for me)
• having enough boxes to share with people who are moving
• realizing I don't have to be the person I was yesterday if I don't want to be
• good renters
• kind medical secretaries
• caring doctors
• and of course....brownies :)

So THIS is what it feels like!

After so many months of waiting, wondering, stressing, yada-yada-yada...we closed, and yesterday we got our first draw reimbursement on our house, so it's for sure a done deal!!! I didn't realize how stressed and anxious I was, until all of the sudden, I WASN'T! Is this how happy people feel, cuz it's awesome!!! If I'm this happy, and we technically haven't started yet, can you imagine my elation on moving day??? :)

Today's Happy List

Things that made me happy today:

1. Getting a building permit
2. People who actually return phone calls
3. Having someone to talk to
4. Back to school night
5. Meeting the woman who will spend more time with my son than I will this next school year...she's nice...thank heavens!
6. NOT crying at back to school night
7. Realizing that Asher had unbuttoned my shirt and my bra was showing...as we were leaving back to school night :) No idea how long it was like that. Good times.
8. Friends and family who are kind enough to babysit
9. Clean kids' rooms
10. Having old friends remember you.
11. Having my daughter want to scrapbook with me.
12. Watching Zerin get stuck in a tree...I didn't think that was possible...kind of funny :)
13. Watching Aeden help his grandma carry in her groceries
14. Watching Liah change pajama's 5 times...so far.
15. Having Asher cry unless I press his face to my cheek...then he snuggles, sucks his finger and calms down.
16. The hope of a house of order...someday.
17. Watching Zerin act shy around his new classmates.
18. Knowing that when I get off the computer, there are brownies and ice cream waiting.
19. Knowing that even if certain people never get better, it will all be okay.
20. Getting hand-me-downs from my sister-in-law. Thanks Marne!

Meet the Fam...

Meet Zerin

Age: 6 going on 35

Favorite Activity: Going on long bike rides with Daddy

Favorite Foods: Pizza, Top Ramen, Tacos, McDonalds hamburgers with nothing but the patty and bun

Biggest Fear: Eating a Vegetable

Biggest Accomplishment: Making it to the top of Grandma and Grandpa's treehouse by myself

Biggest Quirk: I have to smell everything. The fork, the monkeybars, the shoes...everything.

Biggest Talent: Climbing!

Favorite Subject in School: Math (it's easy), and Reading. I love to read.

What my mom likes best about me: Zerin can pretty much sit down and tell you, in order, every story in the Book of Mormon, all the characters, which are good guys, which are bad guys, and the morals of the stories. It is pretty incredible.

Meet Liah

Age: 4

Favorite Activity: Shopping for and trying on shoes

Favorite Foods: Broccoli, Pizza, Broccoli, and um, everything.

Biggest Fear: Alligators, and being alone

Biggest Accomplishment: Learning to ride a 2 wheeler. I am really good, my dad said so.

Biggest Quirk: I have to have pretties...especially when I am sad. Whether it's a blanket, a pillowcase, a ribbon...gotta have a pretty.

Biggest Talent: I am really good on my bike, and dancing, and making up songs

Favorite Thing to do when I'm home: I love to draw and make pictures. I make beautiful things.

What my mom likes best about me: Liah is so kind and selfless (most of the time hahaha). She worked so hard the other day earning money with her dad, and when she found out Zerin was a little short for something he wanted to buy, without a thought she handed over her hard earned cash.

Meet Aeden

Age: 2

Favorite Activity: Doing happy dance, riding bikes, jumping on the tramp, and swimming

Favorite Food: I devour pretty much everything.

Biggest Fear: Being thrown, going too high, or anything that seems scary

Biggest Accomplishment: I am 2...everything is an accomplishment.

Biggest Quirk: I cannot pass up an opportunity to cheese for the camera. Doesn't matter if I am supposed to be in the picture or not, I physically cannot restrain myself.

Biggest Talent: I make people happy.

Favorite thing to do when I'm home: I like Mommy and Daddy to read me books.

What my mom likes best about me: Aeden is our comic relief. Doesn't matter how on edge or stressed someone is, he comes up with some wacky thing and has that person laughing within seconds.

Meet Asher

Age: 7 months

Favorite Activity: Bathtime!!!

Favorite Foods: Peaches and Sweet Potatoes

Biggest Fear: Being alone

Biggest Accomplishment: I can do pushups! Not girl pushups either.

Biggest Quirk: I suck my pointer finger.

Biggest Talent: I am the world's best snuggler

Favorite thing to do when I'm home: Play with my brothers and sister with their toys.

What my mom likes best about me: Asher makes everyone he's around happy. Doesn't matter where we go, I always have a crowd around me vying for his attention.

The best $20 I've spent all week.

Today, I rented a carpet cleaner to go over our basement carpets, and it just looks awesome!Something about shampooing my carpets and furniture makes me feel like a good person. Whether it's the lack of spots, or just knowing that I am on top of something, whatever it is, I have started looking forward to this biannual chore turned tradition.

My reason to smile for the day

Zeirn has been begging me for days to put a bunch of his rocks on ksl.com so he can earn some money for a happy meal or something else equally important :) I have put him off (intentionally), but this morning he caught me in a foggy-eyed weak moment and I succomed to his request. He may be Donald Trump in miniature, but he sure is cute :)

Here is his ad:

My 6 year old is bound and determined to make money this summer, and he finally
cornered me long enough to write this ad for him....so here goes...in his words.
He is hoping a scientist will buy them and use them for amazing experiments or
display.
"The first rock is $20 because it has little pieces of gold in it."
(not really)
"These next 2 rocks are $2 each because they are so cool and
flat."
"This white rock is $10 because it is worth it."
"This rock is
like a geode, but not. I broke it open and there are cool little crystals in it,
so it is $10. 25."
"These little pencils (golf pencils) are all sharpened, so they are 10
cents each."

Good news, good news, and more good news!

I dropped off our building permit application to the city today, which could mean that in 2 weeks WE CAN START!!!!!

I was feeling a little rebellious so I made a bit of a major change. Not sure if it's my best color, but it was so fun being brave :)

Someone in our extended family got some AWESOME news!

I took my kids and 2 of their friends to a movie today...and it was a blast! We didn't have to get up and leave, and I didn't lose anyone :)

Asher pooped all over me while I was in the city offices paying a utility bill, and none of it got on the floor! My shirt and purse have magical poop-sucking powers apparently.

More Progress!

Guess what?!? We are inching ever so much closer to our goal of finishing our house...or at least starting it :) Today, we got all the paperwork to the bank and are waiting to see what they say. Since we no longer have buyers for our current home, we have to find out if we can move forward now, or if we have to rent it out in order to qualify. We should know that in a couple days. You would think that with that kind of prospect, I would be stressing over all this uncertainty, but I have had the most peaceful feeling all day. It is wonderful :)

Our sweetheart of a contractor even showed up this morning with all of our bids and everything else we need for the city (we are just waiting on one last thing before we can send that in....I'm hoping to take it tomorrow). He has been going through a very difficult time in his family, so it has been even more humbling that he has been willing to help us. He is so honest and humble and kind... he has really helped me realize how important it is to be that way even when your life is in chaos.

Then to add a cherry to my dessert of a day, I took the van in to get inspected and registered (can I just tell you I love one stop shopping!), and I was in and out within 5 minutes!!! It passed, no problems!!!! Miracle of miracles :)

SurPriSeS!!!!

Surprise 1:

We had to borrow my Dad's truck for several weeks over the past few months in order to work on the house. This last time we borrowed it, I left our car at my mom's house. What happened next was most unexpected....

I drove up to her home, and immediately noticed something unusual...it was clean!!! I would soon discover, this was the least of what she had done. Since you have to make some effort to get up her driveway, I figured masked bandits weren't to blame, so I headed inside. She quickly ushered me back outside to look at the car, and upon further inspection, I noticed the following:

* our broken antennae had been replaced * the cigarette lighter had been replaced * the little change cubby had been replaced * the rust spot had been carefully painted over * the 2 year old ink spot on the front seat was gone * the 1 year old melted crayon on the backseat was missing * the dome light worked * the door light shut off when the door shut * the a/c worked * the gas gauge worked! * our glove box had been neatly organized and compartmentalized * our trunk had been cleaned, organized and stocked * and....

....there was a full tank of gas.

This, she said, was Bryan's birthday present. How do you even say thank you for something like that...I am still stunned and overwhelmed by the whole thing. We had just been talking about how we would probably have to work into our budget money for a new car because we figured this one was on it's way out. So as you can imagine this couldn't have come at a better time, and we are so humbled by her kindness.

Surprise 2:

My scriptures have been missing several pages (Alma 5, some bible dictionary stuff, and probably more) for about a year now. I have really missed Alma 5. Then, a few months ago, the kids practiced their culinary talents on what was left of my scriptures and they "peeled" the cover off completely. I was left with a slightly sparing literal paperback. To further explain, I have this quirky thing, where I can't color with dull crayons, write in a notebook with scribbles in it, and reading a broken book is nigh impossible for me. Because of this, I've been using Bryan's scriptures for the past little while. So that being said, we were sitting in Sacrament meeting waiting for it to begin when Bryan asked if I remembered my scriptures. I gave him a funny look because he knew I don't like bringing those. He was like, "oh that's okay, you can just use mine." He handed me these gorgeous new scriptures!!! I was dumbfounded...for the 2nd time in 24 hours! I thumbed through them, and guess what I found???? ALMA 5!!!! Happy day :)

The Saga Continues...

Good news for the day:
-We are having a cousin party...11 kids including my own at one point (2 babies, a 2 year old, a three year old, two 4 year olds, three 6 year olds, a 9 year old and a ten year old). I love having a full house. We watched Mr. Magorium and Bridge to Terabithia on the projector with some fabulous microwave popcorn.

-My cousins' 91 year old grandma went through the temple today for the first time...how cool is that?!?

-We got our structural engineering stuff back. Not really sure what that means, but I know we need it, so woo hoo!

-Bryan got into the doctor, and the doctor is cool! He wears hawaiian shirts, drives an old, beat up truck and saw Bryan for over an hour!!! Hoe-Lee Cow!

-I successfully got all 8 children to sleep before midnight...my house is now silent!

-Bryan's doctor says that all the other doctors Bryan has gone to in the past took it upon themselves to tell him what he didn't have, but that his job is to figure out what Bryan does have.

-On his to do list, the doctor even wrote "follow this through to the end." Kind of sweet :)

-The doctor says that since he has had these problems for 3 years, it most likely isn't something scary.

Optimistically-challenged news for the day:
-I didn't get pictures of today with all the kids because...did I mention I had 11 kids here?!? I will try again tomorrow.

-It looks like the sale fell through on our house...again. Kind of a bummer, they are really nice people.

-Our house project has become a circle....see below.

In order to get our loan, we have to rent out our house

To rent out our house, we have to move to our new house

To move to our new house, we have to finish the kitchen and bathroom (at least)

To finish the kitchen and bathroom, we need a loan

Repeat.

-Bryan's doctor says that since Bryan has had his problems for 3 years, they are probably here to stay. He will have a bunch of tests in a couple weeks, so we'll see what that brings, but just having someone validate Bryan that there really is a problem was a great step for him.