Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Today I am so glad that I have just a few minutes to sit here and write down my thoughts. I am going to ramble a little, so if you are not a good ramble reader then save yourself now!

Life right now feels pretty good to me. I have a home to live in, food to eat, cars to drive, clothes to wear, children, a husband, the gospel, a paycheck and good health. There are so many more things, but those are just a few that I feel so fortunate to have right now. I know that times are tough right now for everyone, and they are tough for us too, but I am trying so hard to remember every day what President Packer said in our last Regional Conference. He told us that times were tough, and that they were going to get tougher, but it doesn't mean that we cannot have happy families. It's so easy to sit and stress about the world and the troubles out there, but I just feel like I'm cheating myself and my kids out of life when I do too much of that. So, my new goal is to make more memories with my family, get me and them spiritually ready for what's to come, and have LOT'S more fun!
I do feel and urgency to get myself and my children spiritually ready for what is to come. Family Home Evening, Prayers, Scriptures...... Those are all things that I feel are so important right now in my family. I know that my kids are going to need all the spiritual strength they can get to make it! I am so far from doing even a GOOD job, but we are trying. These were all things that were important in my family growing up, and I feel like that is why I feel it's so important. I remember the good feelings that they brought to me. Is doing these things a guarantee that my kids will always choose the right and never have troubles? Absolutely not. I didn't always choose the right, but I think that it will always be what leads them back to where they need to be, just like it did for me. (I am so thankful to my parents for building that foundation for me.)
Making memories is not that hard if you don't make it too complicated. This is something that I have had to learn. On Spring Break the kids and I were able to go to Pima for a few days and they were able to spend time with their cousins & Grandma & Grandpa. *MEMORIES* I was able to spend time with my sister Misty. We just talked. *MEMORIES* On Saturday we built a fence around our garden together as a family. *MEMORIES* We got a new game called Hyper Dash $11 at Wal Mart. We play it every day now. It's super fun. *MEMORIES* We made pizza together for Family Night. *MEMORIES* Mike, Gavin & I went to Show Low to get a few things and ate a little Quizno's and just chatted about life. *MEMORIES* So cheap, so easy and yet our kids ate up every moment and so did Mike and I. Why have I not done more if this? I know that for my family we just get into the busy, busy of life and forget to be eachothers best friends. Mike, Katlyn, Carter, Gage & Gavin are now and always going to be my best friends.
I have a sweet, wonderful friend that is just getting out of a rehabilitation center today. She spent weeks in the ICU under sedation. She was not able to move the left side of her body, and is still spending every day training it to work again. She has been away from her little girl and husband since February 5th, not being able to spend but a little time with them. I went to see her and she was so happy! Happy to be alive, and happy to be in physical therapy every day because it gets her closer to going home. This sent my mind spinning. Life is such a blessing. Just being here every day is such a blessing and what am I doing with every day that I'm here? Do I even realize how lucky I am? No, I don't. I take it all for granted all the time. I have GOT to do better! I thank my dear sweet friend for reminding me of that and hope that soon she will make a full recovery.
I have become so much closer to my sisters recently. This is such a blessing for me. They drive me crazy sometimes! I know I drive them crazy, but we LOVE eachother very much. They are each there for me anytime I need them. I talk to them at least a couple of times a week. They are the first ones I think of when something funny or special happens to Mike and I. I could not ask for better. Love You Guys!
Right now I am totally in love with my husband. Getting older has been good for us. In many ways we grew up together, and it was not always easy, but here we are almost 9 years later and I still look at him and think I got pretty dang lucky. I remember the moment that Katlyn was born. I looked at him and he was just a boy, so nervous and scared. I remember the moment that Gavin was born. I looked at him and he was a man, overcome by emotion and prepared for what was to come. Never has there been a day that I have questioned whether or not he would or could take care of us. He has worked so hard every day since he was only 17 to provide us with everything that we need. He never got to be a single guy with money and time to kill and no responsibilities. But never once have I EVER heard a complaint about that come out of his mouth. I love him, and I want my children to know that and see it every day.
Life is good. Could it be better? Absolutely, but I am going to try to make the best of each day that comes. These are the days that our family will grow closer. These are the days that we will see what we are made of. These are the days that the gospel and our family will hold us together. These are good days.

Monday, March 23, 2009

CaSe In PoInT.........

This my friends is why I do not like the wind..... I'm sure our neighbors were SO excited to wake up this morning and find our trampoline in the front of their house! WHY WHY WHY?

Sunday, March 22, 2009

WiNd WiNd go away! Come again some other day!

A year of blogging cannot go by without me doing a post about the wind in Snowflake. Today it seems the spring winds have officially come to our little town. How long will they stay? That's anyone's guess, but if you have any work to do outside or dreams of having an outdoor BBQ, you had better put it off indefinately. My dress flew up in the church parking lot today. My window in the kitchen in whinning. My trashcan stays in the same place for only a few seconds at a time. The days of leaving my hair down have come to a halt. Will Melinda and I be able to walk without blowing away? Will the sprinklers really sprinkle our grass or the neighbors dirt? Will Mike be able to put up the fence around the garden tomorrow? How many golf balls caught by the wind will hit our house? It's anyone's guess. Oh, I do not like the wind! If it brought rain it would be different, but here it seems it just blows and blows for no reason at all. I sometimes dream of living somewhere the wind DOESN'T blow, but lets face it, it wouldn't be home without it.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Gavin's Blessing Day

We blessed Mr. Gavin in Mesa this weekend. A lot of people who love him showed up!!!!!
Isn't he so handsome?
Here are just a few of the people that love him....
Mom almost couldn't get the top button to button over all the chubb!
He's priceless!

I'm so Thankful... Thankful for the 4 little individuals that I feel priveleged to call my children. They make me smile, laugh and cry. I know they were always meant for me to have. Thankful for the man that I call my husband, who is amazing, my best friend and puts his family first. Loyal and loveable. Thankful for my family... They are always there for my little family no matter what. I can always count on them. I always feel loved. Thankful for my husbands family... Always show love and excitement for us. Never a dull moment. Make me feel like I belong. Thankful for friends... I have many and am a much better person from knowing them. Thankful for the gospel... I know who I am, why I'm here, and where I am going. Such a comfort in this harsh old world! Thankful for the smile on my baby's face right now. These are good days!!!!!


Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Just a Few Details......

ChOColAtE anyone? This was a crack-up! The kids snuck a bag of chocolate chips and someone must have dropped on on Gavin. It got lodged in his rolly neck, and when I picked him up this is what I found. Yummy!
Last night was a rough night for the Papa Clan! Mike got a nice broken nose at wrestling. Now he says all he needs is a good cauliflower ear and he'll be a REAL MAN!
Next event.... Gage was in the bathtub, and I left the razor on the edge earlier so he decided he "wanted to be like dad" and shaved his face. What a cutie! That sucker bled for a LONG time.
Katlyn played Little League Basketball this year. It was a rough start, because she always wants to do everything right and perfect and basketball is not an easy sport to learn. But, after the first game or two she popped out of it. She scored a few points in almost every game, and had a TON of assists. She was usually the point guard, which makes her mom proud. That was my position in Little League. She's a good little dribbler! I love this picture. The girl next to her is her friend Jessa. Katerbug is a little on the small side isn't she!
Last, but not least..... Carter is doing wrestling this year! It's so dang cute. This picture is him and his friend Jacob learning take downs. Carter LOVES to go be just like his dad! Do we have another future wrestler? I guess we'll have to wait and see!