Obviously, life goes on. And on. Nothing stops because you suffered a bit of a loss or faced a challenge in your life. Since my last post I feel like a different person. Obviously, life goes on.
What have we been doing to fill that time you ask? The kids in school and the big changes for all of them that come with the advancement of a grade include a much greater homework load. I am actually amazed at how much homework the 3 of my school-aged children end up with each week!
Speaking of school-aged children, I guess I technically have 4 now. Wyatt started pre-school this fall!!!! I can't believe it. He is attending Mclean Munchkins, the same place that Maren went for pre-school. He likes it and I am so happy for him to have more socialization because he has really missed Maren since she is gone all day this year. His "school" is only 2 hours 2 or 3 days a week. He actually only ends up going about 10-12 times a month because of the scheduling with the high school block days. It is just the right amount for us and I'm so happy he is enjoying it.
The boys also played another season of fall baseball. Maren is taking ballet on Mondays, and the boys have been busy with scouts. We had a fun Halloween with my mom coming into town and our family dressing up like the Wizard of Oz characters for Halloween! I'll have to post some pics.
Spencer had a birthday party last week with his friends from church (there are 8 boys in his primary/sunday school class) so he had them over on Friday night for pizza and a movie to celebrate his upcoming 12th birthday this Friday. I can't believe he will be ordained a Deacon and passing the sacrament. I will be a proud Mama! I'll miss him in Primary, though, as he will be attending the Deacon's quorum instead of coming to Sharing Time. What a wonderful boy my Spencer is! I love him to pieces. I love all of my children to pieces.
Thanksgiving is next week and Luke's parents are coming into town. It should be a lot of fun with them and THEN Luke and I are going on a cruise!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
A Parental Payday
My friend sent me an email today with a link to her blog. This is what it said and includes the link:
Hi Hillary,
I did a blog post a few days ago that you may be interested in reading. I waited to send you the link so you could see the comments people made about your totally awesome son. You and Luke are doing an amazing job raising your kids. They are fabulous little people!
Cheers!
Genevieve
http://www.thespringgarden.blogspot.com/
Hi Hillary,
I did a blog post a few days ago that you may be interested in reading. I waited to send you the link so you could see the comments people made about your totally awesome son. You and Luke are doing an amazing job raising your kids. They are fabulous little people!
Cheers!
Genevieve
http://www.thespringgarden.blogspot.com/
This was an inspired message sent to a mother today that had completely lost her temper with a 9 yr. old son who very, very, VERY frequently does not seem to listen to her, especially as we're trying to get out the door in the morning. This mother was feeling extremely guilty after her son left for school. This same mother was in tears reading her blog post, reminding her that she has a pretty great son, IN SPITE of the fact that his mother is not always the kind of mother she should be. Thank goodness my children can demonstrate some goodness, IN SPITE of me!!!
I'm going to focus on the good in my children instead of their shortcomings. There is oh, so much good!!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
The roller coaster ride of life.....
(This was copied from an email I had sent to a friend, and it was as close to a summary of the prior events of our lives that I could find) It has been a crazy couple of weeks for our family. 3 weeks ago we were getting ready to head for the beach when we got news that my grandmother passed away (Grandma Beck). She was my last living grandparent and I was very close to her. Anyhow, we went to the beach with some friends in our ward and then I had to leave the beach mid-week to fly to UT for the funeral. I was there for 5 days and really enjoyed my time with my family and was so grateful for the chance to be there to honor my grandmother.
I came back on Sunday evening the day before Labor Day. On Labor Day I started spotting a little bit, but the next morning I had a dr. appointment and an ultrasound already scheduled. When we went in for the ultrasound they couldn't find a heartbeat of the baby. They scheduled a D and C for later in the week. However, later that afternoon at home my water broke and I actually delivered the baby here at home. I was only 14 weeks, so the baby was so tiny. We called the Dr. and she said to come right in, and on the way to the Dr. I started to hemorrhage (an unbelievable amount). I was leaving a trail of blood as I walked in, and I'm sure it was terribly disturbing for people to see me covered in blood from my waist down!! They immediately rushed me to the Operating Room and did an emergency D and C. So, it has been quite an emotional roller coaster for us but I am doing much better now.
It was interesting because the recovery was similar to my other births, but I just didn't get to have a baby to enjoy. I also had to take 4 different prescriptions which was different because I normally don't have to take anything other than tylenol after my babies are born. The medications were for things like shrinking my uterus (since I wasn't nursing) and an antibiotic to ward off infection in my uterus because of the stress, etc. etc. It was the drugs that made me feel so yucky and seemed to slow down my recovery. I still am not supposed to lift anything over 10 pounds, but I go to the doctor this next week and hopefully she will give me the okay to resume so normal activity!
Overall it has been a good experience for our family. It has made Luke and I realize that we really do want to have another baby, and we will definitely try again. It has given us a renewed desire to focus on what is important in life, and that ultimately nothing else matters than what we do to bring our family unto Christ. We also treasure our four healthy children, and want to add to our little family! It has been a very emotional and spiritual experience for our kids, especially for Spencer and Logan. They were so excited about having another baby in our family, and they were so devastated when all of this happened. It was a bonding experience for all of us to go through this together and to learn and grow in this experience.
Our family has also been OVERWHELMED by the outpouring of love we have felt from friends and family through this experience, and we have had a meal every single night for the last 11 days! My kids have really been touched by the service that has been rendered on our behalf, and it has been a motivating thing for them to feel like they want to serve and repay people for the kindness that has been shown to us. So, overall, we have truly felt like this has been a blessing for our family.
Well, sorry for the long details of the events of our lives as of late. We are now doing well and the kids are really enjoying school. The boys are playing baseball and Maren is taking ballet and tap. Piano, scouts, etc. keep us busy, as you well understand!!
I came back on Sunday evening the day before Labor Day. On Labor Day I started spotting a little bit, but the next morning I had a dr. appointment and an ultrasound already scheduled. When we went in for the ultrasound they couldn't find a heartbeat of the baby. They scheduled a D and C for later in the week. However, later that afternoon at home my water broke and I actually delivered the baby here at home. I was only 14 weeks, so the baby was so tiny. We called the Dr. and she said to come right in, and on the way to the Dr. I started to hemorrhage (an unbelievable amount). I was leaving a trail of blood as I walked in, and I'm sure it was terribly disturbing for people to see me covered in blood from my waist down!! They immediately rushed me to the Operating Room and did an emergency D and C. So, it has been quite an emotional roller coaster for us but I am doing much better now.
It was interesting because the recovery was similar to my other births, but I just didn't get to have a baby to enjoy. I also had to take 4 different prescriptions which was different because I normally don't have to take anything other than tylenol after my babies are born. The medications were for things like shrinking my uterus (since I wasn't nursing) and an antibiotic to ward off infection in my uterus because of the stress, etc. etc. It was the drugs that made me feel so yucky and seemed to slow down my recovery. I still am not supposed to lift anything over 10 pounds, but I go to the doctor this next week and hopefully she will give me the okay to resume so normal activity!
Overall it has been a good experience for our family. It has made Luke and I realize that we really do want to have another baby, and we will definitely try again. It has given us a renewed desire to focus on what is important in life, and that ultimately nothing else matters than what we do to bring our family unto Christ. We also treasure our four healthy children, and want to add to our little family! It has been a very emotional and spiritual experience for our kids, especially for Spencer and Logan. They were so excited about having another baby in our family, and they were so devastated when all of this happened. It was a bonding experience for all of us to go through this together and to learn and grow in this experience.
Our family has also been OVERWHELMED by the outpouring of love we have felt from friends and family through this experience, and we have had a meal every single night for the last 11 days! My kids have really been touched by the service that has been rendered on our behalf, and it has been a motivating thing for them to feel like they want to serve and repay people for the kindness that has been shown to us. So, overall, we have truly felt like this has been a blessing for our family.
Well, sorry for the long details of the events of our lives as of late. We are now doing well and the kids are really enjoying school. The boys are playing baseball and Maren is taking ballet and tap. Piano, scouts, etc. keep us busy, as you well understand!!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The Tim McGraw Effect
A few years ago Luke and I went to the Tim McGraw concert in D.C. A week or so later I found out I was pregnant with Wyatt. Fast forward 4 years and Luke and I went to a Tim McGraw concert. A week later I find out I'm pregnant!! So what is it about a Tim McGraw concert that makes the little pink line show up on a pregnancy test?? Now just to set the record straight (as Luke has so carefully reminded me that I must) by the time I find out I'm pregnant I am already 4-6 weeks along, SO it is NOT going to a Tim McGraw concert that MAKES me get pregnant, just in case you were thinking I really like Tim McGraw!
So, yes. It is official. We are going to have 5 kids come March!! I can't believe it. I really always knew we'd have one more, so I'm glad it is finally happening. However, I have been sick, sick, SICK!!! I can't believe I forgot how rotten it is to be pregnant. I feel awful ALL day long and it progressively gets worse throughout the day. By the end of the night I am ready to die. And believe me, the thought crosses my mind often that I think I would almost rather die than endure one more day of this. (Sorry for the drama-maybe it is a girl and I have too much estrogen pumping though my blood).
So tonight we told the kids that I was pregnant. Well, we had actually already told Spencer a few weeks ago but he was really good about keeping it a secret. We told him because I desperately needed the extra help and sympathy from Spencer, especially last week when Luke was gone all week. Spencer was really excited and immediately wondered how Wyatt would take the news. Spencer has also been extra sweet and kind to me, which I have really appreciated. The response from the others tonight was quite a surprise to us. Logan was ecstatic- jumping up and down and cheering! Maren had a dumbfounded look on her face and just kept saying, "What! How is that possible?" and Wyatt said "I hate little babies!" So, there you have it. Quite a range of emotions from our children. I was really pleased with Logan's response and his enthusiasm he kept expressing throughout the night. Maren kind of surprised me! I thought she would be the most excited and I thought for SURE she would say she wanted a sister. The response from the kids was once again very different. Logan said, "I hope it's a girl." Maren said, "I hope it's a boy," and Spencer said, "I hope it's alive." If Spencer's response doesn't give a great insight into his way of thinking and his worrisome sense of responsibility that he feels for his siblings, then I don't know what does!! He is so protective and feels such a responsibility on his shoulders as the oldest child! We try very hard to alleviate that, but it is just an innate part of Spencer that I love.
So, yes. It is official. We are going to have 5 kids come March!! I can't believe it. I really always knew we'd have one more, so I'm glad it is finally happening. However, I have been sick, sick, SICK!!! I can't believe I forgot how rotten it is to be pregnant. I feel awful ALL day long and it progressively gets worse throughout the day. By the end of the night I am ready to die. And believe me, the thought crosses my mind often that I think I would almost rather die than endure one more day of this. (Sorry for the drama-maybe it is a girl and I have too much estrogen pumping though my blood).
So tonight we told the kids that I was pregnant. Well, we had actually already told Spencer a few weeks ago but he was really good about keeping it a secret. We told him because I desperately needed the extra help and sympathy from Spencer, especially last week when Luke was gone all week. Spencer was really excited and immediately wondered how Wyatt would take the news. Spencer has also been extra sweet and kind to me, which I have really appreciated. The response from the others tonight was quite a surprise to us. Logan was ecstatic- jumping up and down and cheering! Maren had a dumbfounded look on her face and just kept saying, "What! How is that possible?" and Wyatt said "I hate little babies!" So, there you have it. Quite a range of emotions from our children. I was really pleased with Logan's response and his enthusiasm he kept expressing throughout the night. Maren kind of surprised me! I thought she would be the most excited and I thought for SURE she would say she wanted a sister. The response from the kids was once again very different. Logan said, "I hope it's a girl." Maren said, "I hope it's a boy," and Spencer said, "I hope it's alive." If Spencer's response doesn't give a great insight into his way of thinking and his worrisome sense of responsibility that he feels for his siblings, then I don't know what does!! He is so protective and feels such a responsibility on his shoulders as the oldest child! We try very hard to alleviate that, but it is just an innate part of Spencer that I love.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Rewind 10 years
Last week my wonderful friend Kathryn and her husband came for a visit. They were our very first friends when we moved to VA almost 11 years ago, and they moved away 8 years ago. It was so wonderful to have them here! I am so thankful for good friends.
The week before they arrived I had gone to Walmart and ran into 2 girls from my ward. They are young, student's wives, and each have a baby boy. As I talked to them for a minute and they commented on my FULL cart (compared to the very few items they had in the cart they were sharing!) I kept thinking that this was Kathryn and I ten years ago! We were young, each with a baby boy, we didn't have any money, we each only had one car that we took turns sharing with our husbands (we would take turns driving to our shopping destinations) and I can remember being at Walmart with Kathryn and we looked just like those 2 cute girls I saw that day!
Fast forward ten years, and Kathryn is visiting with her husband and baby daughter (named Hillary!!) and just like the old days we went shopping! Now we each have four kids and lots more experience under our belt, but things were still the same. And instead of buying our 99 cent tshirts at the Children's Place we were buying $3.99 shirts at Gymboree for our girls. We were really splurging! I love that about friends. You can be apart for years and years but when you are together again it feels like nothing has changed.
The week before they arrived I had gone to Walmart and ran into 2 girls from my ward. They are young, student's wives, and each have a baby boy. As I talked to them for a minute and they commented on my FULL cart (compared to the very few items they had in the cart they were sharing!) I kept thinking that this was Kathryn and I ten years ago! We were young, each with a baby boy, we didn't have any money, we each only had one car that we took turns sharing with our husbands (we would take turns driving to our shopping destinations) and I can remember being at Walmart with Kathryn and we looked just like those 2 cute girls I saw that day!
Fast forward ten years, and Kathryn is visiting with her husband and baby daughter (named Hillary!!) and just like the old days we went shopping! Now we each have four kids and lots more experience under our belt, but things were still the same. And instead of buying our 99 cent tshirts at the Children's Place we were buying $3.99 shirts at Gymboree for our girls. We were really splurging! I love that about friends. You can be apart for years and years but when you are together again it feels like nothing has changed.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
A New Beginning
I have decided to start blogging. I gave a half-hearted attempt almost 2 years ago, but it didn't take. My only reason for doing this is that I NEED TO KEEP A RECORD OF OUR FAMILY. In my attempts to create a safe haven (thus, the blog title HILLARY'S HAVEN) for my family, there are many events, experiences, and feelings that need to be recorded in my efforts to create this haven. I used to be a faithful journal writer that kept copious details of my life. Over the years (and with each additional child) my journal writing has gradually diminished and has now vanished. I am hoping that a blog will change that, as it is much easier for me to sit down to the computer than it is to sit down with my journal and pen in hand.
I have also started a new hobby of decorating with "re-finished" treasures that I find at yard sales, thrift shops, dollar stores, Craigslist, etc. etc. that I can transform and make beautiful. It has been so much for me to discover this new hobby!! I seriously love it, and it gives me something to think about other than my failed potty training attempts (more on that later) and my endless loads of laundry.
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