Late night, "I can't sleep" thoughts

I love the rain.  It is raining right now and the sound of it hitting the skylight in my master bath can be heard in my bedroom.  I love it.  It soothes me deep to my core.  I see it out the window and smile.  I think my love for rain comes from growing up in a place that rains often.  It is like it is part of my deep down make-up. 

I've come to realize that just because you grow up with something doesn't mean you love it or embrace it.  Sometimes the opposite happens and you do not like it at all.  For example, say you grew up in a PERFECTLY clean house.  As an adult you may rebel and decide that keeping a PERFECTLY clean house is not important to you OR you may keep a PERFECTLY clean house because that is how you grew up and feel that is the correct way to do things.

I've said it before but I LOVE my in-law family.  They are not perfect (who is right?) but they really are loving and caring people.  I am grateful I came in with an open mind.  I prayed to marry into a strong LDS family and truly believe my prayers were answered.  I think that marrying into a family is never an easy transition for anyone to make.  I want to teach my children to love and embrace their in-law family, and realize that they will do things differently than we do, their traditions are not likely to be the same as ours, but that does not mean they are wrong, only different. 

(Thanksgiving 2007)

I try to always put myself in the shoes of others.  This all started when I had kids.  Well it didn't start then but it became important for me to do this at that point.  Aimi Lark has always been (not as much anymore) a bit of a push-over or in other words not the most aggressive kid on the block.  She would sometimes get bullied and when it happened the other parent would apologize and I always said it wasn't a big deal, and I meant it.  All the while I was thinking (and sometimes saying) it could have just as easily been the other way around and Aimi Lark could have been the "bully."  I realize that kids will be kids and mistakes and accidents will happen no matter how hard I try for them not to.  I am learning as a parent that no matter how hard I try to keep an eye on my child at all times I won't be able to, despite my best efforts and I cannot beat myself up over things/incidents I cannot change.  I can only apologize and move on.  My kids aren't perfect, I'm not perfect, and I do not expect perfection from others, only kindness and understanding.

"Kill 'em with KINDNESS" 

is what my Mama always says.

I have also come to learn that I am the type that loves other people's children.  I know it is only natural to love your own children more but I am the type that truly likes other peoples children.  Back when I did childcare from my home I had many people think I was, quote, unquote, CRAZY.  They told me that watching other people's kids was not for them.  I agree and realize that watching other people's children is not for everyone, but I personally do not mind one bit.  I love children.

Above is most likely my favorite daycare picture.  Emily and William Wood, April 2006.

I am FREEZING tonight.  It is so weird to be so cold.  Jake said it was just me, he isn't cold, I am ALWAYS hot...

I love all the moving we have done in our marriage.  I am comfortable moving.  I changed schools 5 times during my public school career and don't feel like I ever skipped a beat.  I have enjoyed meeting new people, learning from others, and getting to experience so many different states and cultures since Jake and I have been married.  I moved from Vidor, TX to Provo, UT.  Neither are exactly diverse places to live.  So the first summer married Jake and I moved to Sacramento, CA

(seen here that summer on a day trip to San Francisco)

 I experienced quite a bit of "culture shock" and that is putting it lightly.  I still struggle with the idea of living in California.  It is outside my "comfort zone" a bit, not to mention it is so dang pricey to live there.  I plan on embracing it wholeheartedly but at the same time not losing the Southerner in me.  Yes, I will expect sirs and ma'ams to be said by my children, we will say y'all, buggy, and any other terminology I wish to push upon my children.

That brings me to some thoughts I had while visiting home for Kayla's wedding.  I LOVE the South.  I love that I can identify with a culture, a heritage, and an entire group of people.  I didn't realize til coming to BYU just how ignorant and backwoods the South was perceived, and yes I know I sound naive.  I know the South isn't perfect but it is dear to my heart.  The tall tall trees, people with manners (I know people outside the South have manners), activities on the water, humidity, good cooking, lots of land and much much more.  

But the mosquitoes, I could live without.

Our military life is not a typical one.  We have done the enlisted 

(signing out Jake during Basic training so we could spend a few hours together before graduation the next day)

and now officer route, 

 the training/active duty and now the active duty guard route.  

I love the military.    

I think eventually I'd love to do a tour of full-fledged active duty.  

We have been in the guard for 5+ years now and been on active orders all but a few months of that.  It is a great way to go for us thus far.  Jake has accomplished so much with his education this way and we have been able to expand our family.

I am so excited for Monterey.  

 (the view from our apartment on the Presidio)

I have a friend (pictured below)

 who is living the dream (literally).  We met in Monterey right before Jake went into Bravo Co.

(seen below LEAVING/graduating Bravo Co.) 

 She and her husband took us under their wing, helped us adjust to life after BCT (basic combat training) and we even squeezed in this trip with them to the Oakland LDS Temple

 before Jake had to move into the barracks.  He did become great friends with Seth 

 (Larkie's future husband) during Bravo Co. so I guess B. Co. wasn't all that bad.

Ok back to my point, they moved back there after her husband finished his military service and are a total inspiration to me.  I cannot wait to get back and do all the things she Facebooks about, Lover's Point (seen here), 

Point Lobos, the aquarium,

 (at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, with Jake's family, summer 2006)

you name it!  Check her out here!

  

I didn't grow up with a sister.  My little sister Delaney was born after I was married.  

(holding Delaney after she was born, July 2004, and yes that is Beau on the left and Brody on the right)

When I left for BYU I wanted to room with as few girls as possible to hopefully avoid any "girl" drama since I did not grow up with sisters.  This is how I met my future sister in law Ashely, she was my roommate at BYU.

 As I have gotten older (and hopefully more mature) I've realized just what an asset other women can be.  I have some amazing sister-in-laws.  We are all SO DIFFERENT but at the same time can learn so much from each other.  

(Larkie's wedding Nov. 2006, I'm pregnant with Aimi Lark)

I love the above picture of my sister-in-laws, I wish I had got IN the picture instead of taking it, but then again I had Aimi Lark two days later and was not going caroling this Christmas time 2006 with them.

 

In our military career I have met so many amazing women who have taught me so much about myself, the world, and inspired me to do more and be better.  Getting to know so many ladies from different age groups, backgrounds, and even being from different parts of the country teaches me so much and helps me to stay open-minded.  Here are a couple friends I don't think I have mentioned on here.  Our husbands studied Chinese together at DLI.  Nikki moved to KOREA and Andrea moved to ALASKA after DLI but they are both originally from the NW.

(Nikki Pettijohn)

(Andrea Thomas)

I am so glad I am better about taking pictures now then I was in the past.  I do not have a single picture of a single friend I made during our four short months in AZ.  I learned so much while in AZ.  The ward there held weekly playgroups that I attended.  It was so great to stay busy since Jake was gone before sun-up and only came home to (literally) sleep.

Seriously, I'm pregnant in like ALL these pictures.  Good thing I absolutely love being pregnant and as odd as it sounds (to some) feel BEAUTIFUL when I'm pregnant.  But with that said, that doesn't mean I'm liking all these pictures where I personally think my face looks "puffy."

Being married adds a whole new dynamic to friendships.  It is great to get to know the wives of Jake's friends and vice-versa.  

(camping in Tahoe with the Keetons, June 2006) 

I love being able to hang out with married couples and learn from them.

I also realized that I really enjoy baking.  Probably not the best thing to enjoy seeing as I want to lose these last 10lbs or so... 

I have a new love of cleaning with baking soda and vinegar.  It is like a science experiment as I "safely" clean out my drains. 

 1/2 cup baking soda

1 cup vinegar

1 gallon boiling water

Put in baking soda, add vinegar, it will "fizz," then wait about 20 minutes and flush with boiling water

I love the Internet and the ability it gives me to keep up with friends and family.  I feel instead of having an hour long phone call once a week I can read blogs, check my email, and sometimes Facebook (I always think of deleting my FB account but know that it is "technically" needed in our world today).

My mom 

(isn't she beautiful!?)

gets here on Tuesday night!  I am so excited.  She will be here for 2 weeks,  

2 WEEKS!  

I don't know what we will do to fill the time, I haven't made any plans (besides Beau's baptism!) but I'm sure we will do lots of playing with the kids.

Yes you read that correctly, BEAU is getting BAPTIZED! 

This Saturday, at Noon.

I am so proud of him.

He will also be headed to EFY (LDS youth camp) the following week.

I went to EFY the summer after I joined the LDS church (2001) and it was such a great experience.

Below with a girl named Valerie who was in my group on the left and Sabrina Packard who is from my hometown and was later my roommate at BYU.

 (back before digital and when I "cut out" scrapbooked)

I really shouldn't blog this late at night.  I ramble all over the place. 

I'll wait and post this in the morning after I have time to re-read it with less tired/burning eyes...

Well I briefly re-read this just now, that will have to suffice.

I have been waking up with headaches lately (maybe allergies or sinues?)so I'm not really in the mood to proof-read PLUS Malachi just had ANOTHER explosion, Brody wants to wear SHORTS to school but it is SNOWING.

Well, not exactly snowing, flurries, lots of flurries. 

Aimi Lark keeps telling me now she gets to go SKEEDING!

I keep telling her to talk to her Dad about that when he gets home from PT.

Ok now the 

FLURRIES 

have turned to 

FLAKES 

that are sticking to vehicles and the flag that is twisted up outside my house 

( I need to take it down).  

 This cannot be good for my garden...

Did y'all know I LOVE flip flops?