brothers

Our little boys are the best.  When I was pregnant with Israel, even in the very beginning Jensen would always fall asleep cuddling my tummy.  Now that Israel is here, Jensen has to be holding  Israel's hand to fall asleep, even for his naps, or when  they are riding in thier car seats next to eachother.  Izzy looks at Jensen different than anyone else.  I love it!   I love the  special bond that they have!    I  think when they were up in Heaven waiting to come down they were the best of friends, and they decided they wanted to be brothers.    Jensen knew that Israel would be special, and wanted to be the one to be his friend and brother and help him through his struggles.   In turn the spirit Izzy has to offer will help Jensen through his struggles.   I know as they grow up there will be times when Jensen has a hard time accepting that his brother is different than other kids, but  I love how it is right now.   Their souls are still so pure while they are so little, that feel like we have a window to how it was before they came here.     I am so thankful for my sweet little boys!

The Good Life

Izzy getting loved by his cousin, Monica Casey

We just came home from Jared's parent's for the day, and  I am overwhelmed by the blessings that we have!  I have been blessed with such a great family for in-laws.  I am truly thankful for  all of them, and I count them as one of my greatest blessings.   I think lately I have been faced with the idea of my mortality, and it has had us counting our blessings.  We wake up every day in one of the most beautiful places in  the world, surrounded by great people who are striving to be their best.  We have great families and beautiful children. The biggest blessing of all, and the one that I have been  struck by lately, is that we have a Father who loves us.   I think that is so amazing!  It has been a constant thought in my head...   No matter what happens, no matter how bad it gets, no matter where  we are, He loves us.   Not just me and my family, but everyone!  It makes you think differently about someone (the crazy neighbor or the person who is annoying or whoever) when you think about how much they are loved by our Father in Heaven!      I am so glad that I know this.  It makes every day better.  Life is Easier when I know that life might be really hard, but Heavenly Father loves us and will help us through.    We also just wanted to say.....Thank you so much to each of our family and friends for being such a great blessing in our lives!  We love you, and are so thankful for the people that you are!

Funny kid

 Jensen pretending to be a pizza

This is kind of a stupid thing to put in,  especially when we need an update so badly.  But... all things in due time!   Today Jensen Israel and I went out to lunch with my sister Kristi.  As we were driving home, Jensen noticed that there was something brown on the bottom of one of his shoes.   He said, " Mom, I've got poop on my shoe!" then   "Kristi pooped on my shoe!"  Then, under his breath....  "Stinkin' Kristi." THAT KID KEEPS ME LAUGHING!!  (by the way, Kristi didn't poop on his shoe.  I think it was a horse.  ;)   

Izzy's First Word!

We have been working on sign language really hard with Israel, and it payed off!  At the beginning of the week Izzy signed mom, then he said Dada and did the sign for dad.    Now he does it all the time to get Jared.  It works!   Daddy won the first word competition this time!  (I lost last time too.  Jensen's first word was 'hey'.")    Daddy +1  Mommy +0

Light

 I had an epiphany today.  I have had random strangers comment on how positive I was with my recent situations.  I usually reply back with, " anyone would be doing this well."  I really beleived it, until today.  I had an interesting experience that made me change my thought process.   ..... I have had such a great life.  Especially now.  It is easy to see past the darkness of our trails and see the beauty in our lives.  Unless you misplace your light.   I think we each have our light, but we have to live life so it wants to be there.  There was some time in this week that I lost my light.  I got dragged into something I have spent my life trying to avoid, let some contention in...  and my light vanished.  The difference was as obvious to me as turning out a light switch.   Then it hit me.  The only reason I even make it from day to day, let alone smile, or be positive was because of the light.  It gives me power to go on and be positive and I 'd had it for so long I had taken it's prescence completley for granted.  I learned my light runs easily, and that I need it.   I HAVE TO live so that that light can stay with me,  or I won't make it.  It was so amazing the difference it made in my life, to see the light go out for a while.   Now... I have a challenge for you.  If you have chased your light away, go find it, and  invite it back.  Then see what you can do with the power your light gives you. 

St. George

                  

                                                                                                       

 At the beginning of the summer Jared surprised me by taking a week off of work.. We headed down to St. George to go visit John and Kristin Budge, my neice and have some fun in the sun.   It was great!   We stayed at their beautiful house. Kristin was so wonderful, and even put a cute basket with soap, shampoo and conditioner and you would get at a hotel.  Jensen was pretty sure he was in heaven with all the attention from Kristin and another guy around to play ball with.  He also loved to see my neice Amanda and get his hair cut.  (we even attempted to give him little blonde tips, but it didn't work.)   Israel was snuggled by Kristin the whole time.  He loved looking up at her and gooing little stories to her.  John is awesome.  Everywhere we went he would help carry the car seat (it is so heavy!)  or Jensen.    One of the nights we left the kids with Amanda, and John, Kristin Jared and I went to Tuacahan to see Les Mesirables.  We were on  the back row, which was the handicapped row, so there were two seats together, then a gap for a wheelchair, then the next chair. It looked so much like Jared and John were on a date! 

    Jared corrupted John and Kristin and taught them how to play Texas Hold 'Em. I have a sneaking suspision that next time, Jared will get schooled.    Thanks to the great Budges, for opening their home to us and our chaos!

Is he 17?

Jensen is throwing Jared and I for a loop.  He is two and a half.  The average two year old goes to bed between 8-10 I would think...   Jensen goes to bed  between 11:30 and 2.  I deprive him of his nap, but it does nothing.  He sleeps in till between 9-11 almost every morning.  Now, you might say, don't let him sleep in, right?   The child is COMATOSE.  No joke.  I walk in and out of his room, talk to him, play with his hair, I have even jumped on his bed.  All I get is a dirty look.    He has Jared and I wondering if he is really a seventeen year old masquerading as a two year old.  Another thing...    We got the back to school ad from Express, and it had a poster in it of some girls that were very pretty, but not very dressed...    He brought it to me and said    "these are pretty mom, I wanna see em.  I want em on my wall."    Great.  We thought we had a few years at least! He also LOVES roller coasters, or anything really fast and scary.  It all has us asking....  Exactly how old is our two year old?       Any words of advice?