Blessings blessings blessings

We have been sooo blessed the last few days. Actually, throughout our marriage we have been blessed. But lately, its like the blessings are just poring on more than we can receive almost. We got that extra tax refund thing, that technically, we thought we couldn't receive because Charlie isn't a resident. But then it just showed up in our bank account a few days ago. We really needed the money too. And then Charlie got a call from Boeing saying he was hired for a summer internship. It pays awesome, but the best part is, Charlie feels like he's living the dream. He's wanted to work at Boeing since the day I met him. We almost didn't think it was really possible, but it really happened. And then there's been a few other little sources of income that we didn't expect, like selling some stuff for alot more than we thought we could. We have been feeling very poor for a very long time, and now suddenly, we don't have to worry where the money to survive the next few months is going to come from. Hurray!

Charlie and I sadly sort of agreed that we didn't really deserve all that. We haven't been the most faithful when it comes to improving and feeding our spirituality. But we have always been faithful with tithing and I can truly say that this is a blessing received directly based on that law upon which it was predicated. We do not have room enough to receive it, and we are so grateful, and I hope in the mean time it motivates up to cultivate our families spiritual life as well.

Money's for suckers

Today as I was trying to do our budget and balance our finances, it was like everything compounded all at once. We had some unexpected telephone fees, and we had to get our microwave fixed, and we had to pay for some school books that we didn't really have money for. And it was pretty stressful for us because we were supposed to be getting a full time income already which would have eased the strain, but Charlie's work hasn't assigned him the right hours yet, so no luck for that. Anyway, through all that there was a little glimmer of light called craigslist. I found a really great car seat for a really great price, but wasn't going to be able to buy it since we used up all our extra money on emergencies already. But I put a bunch of things up for sale, and quickly sold a little girls bike for 20 bucks, so since the car seat was only 15, I went to go see it today. Its beautiful. Its the sort of car seat I would see and wish I could buy at the store if I wasn't such a cheapskate and its in practically new condition. I can't believe that girl was selling it for so cheep, but boy am I grateful. Its amazing how a perfect little car seat for a bargain can make me feel so happy and like the money situation is all gonna work out and all is right with the world. But it has. I can't wait to see my baby's cute little bum sit in that seat.

snow is yummy

For the last several months I've been craving dirt like nobody's business. I sort of recall that when pregnant women crave dirt, it has something to do with lacking some minerals, but I don't remember which. Anyway, when there was so much snow this morning, I wasn't too happy about it until I went outside and got a taste. Mmmmm. That really hits the spot and takes care of my craving to dirt a little I suppose its not very good for me and that I should find out what my diet is missing, but I'm too lazy and in the mean time, I'm happy for snow. My husband doesn't like that I eat it, but he wouldn't even let me try eating dirt. Silly Charlie.

Today I'm grateful for snow and for my loving understanding husband who lets me sleep in and take naps without my baby. Yay!

Sleaping is awesome

My beautiful little Lydia is finally sleeping through the night at least 3/4ths of the time, but it happened so gradually and unexpectedly that I almost didn't realize it had happened. It shouldn't have been that unexpected I guess. I mean, we've been working and praying for it to happen ever since we found out we're expecting another baby. But after months and months of not really knowing what I was doing, and not being sure if I was really making any progress, I think in my heart I'd given up on it. I'd consigned myself to dealing with two non-sleeping babies at a time. People do it with twins after all, so its gotta be doable. Well now miracle of miracles, Lydia is in her own room, sleeping till ten in the morning and wow am I grateful. Its about time I recognize the blessing. How ungrateful and silly of me it was not to really notice when I received just what I asked for.

Funny, now I'm so used to not sleeping at night that I wake up all the time even though I don't have to. Funny too that when we lay down with Lydia at night, sometimes I have a hard time convincing Charlie to go back to our own bed because he likes being with her. So cute! Lydia really didn't have a hard time going through the transition, but Charlie and I kinda did. Ha ha. I'm grateful for my sweet husband and my sweet baby and the wiggly one on the way. Being a mom who loves her family is fun. I should do it more often. Its easier when I've had a good night sleep though, I can tell you that.

Little things

If I ever let the bad little things in my life bug me, (and believe me, I do) then I ought to be really grateful for the good little things. Today I was hoping to sell our computer chair, but it broke about thirty seconds before the girl came to pick it up. I felt pretty frustrated about it even though we were only out 15 bucks. I tried not to let it get to me, but I'm not very good at that.

Anyway, after I dropped Charlie off to school, I went to go get the oil changed and something about the environment at jiffy lube made me really happy. Those guys really get to have fun. Its like a pep rally or something. If you go in to top off your oil, the one you told yells out, "Top off!" and everyone else gathers around and yells, "Top off" "Top off" Just so they know their on the same page I guess. Then they just keep yelling and repeating every new command. So funny. It was also funny because our oil was really low, so they kept motioning people over to look at my oil stick, and saying,"whoa!" or laughing. I guess I should have felt self conscious about them laughing at how badly I care for my car, but I just thought it was funny.

So then I took the car to another place to fix the muffler, and the guy was really nice and personable and since he was pals with Charlie (and honest), he gave us a really great price. Its rare in my opinion to find a truly honest mechanic, but this guy is one, and that makes me happy. While he was fixing it, I had time to walk over to DI and buy a cute outfit for both me and Lydia and when I got back he was already finished and the car just purred all the way home, and if that wasn't enough to get me in a good mood, Lydia was asleep within 2 minutes. She even stayed asleep when we got home. Hurray for little miracles!

Prayers do get answered

Sometimes I'm afraid to really pray for something. I pray all the time, but when something's really important, I get scared and only pray halfheartedly, and then try not to think about it. I realize this is not the way to get prayers answered. It shows a complete lack of faith. I'm afraid to really care about the answer and then recieve a no, or even worse, no answer at all. Well, in case anyone was wondering, this is not the way to protect yourself, or to protect your own faith in the power of prayer. Of course not. In fact, all you get is alot of unanswered prayers and diminished self esteem.

It takes bravery to really ask, on a regular basis, for things you truly care about. Its hard work to truly exercise faith in every instance. The answer won't always be yes. Thank-goodness for that. So anyway, I really need to remind myself and record answered prayers occasionally. So next time the answer is no, I can see the bigger picture and know God knows what is best for me. Here's a recent story that is still fresh in my mind.

I am very very brain dead when I'm pregnant. Truthfully, I'm always brain dead, but even more so when pregnancy throws my hormones all out of whack. I'm always losing things. like important documents and my train of thought. Its very frustrating. Recently, I lost some very important papers having to do with my calling at church. Even worse, I forgot to look for them until several weeks later, almost a month. We searched the entire house, but to no avail. We searched the car, nothing. I had almost given up. It was humiliating, because there were several people in the ward it would affect. I had been continuously praying, but not with real effort or faith. Can God do the impossible if I threw them away? was always in the back of my mind. But the spirit told me that I needed to put away my fear and pray wholeheartedly. Afterward, the thought crossed my mind that I should call my mom, to see if there was a chance I had left the papers there when visiting on Sunday. Well, she didn't answer. On a whim I decided to call my sister Fae to ask if she had them. I had little hope of it though. I do spend alot of time at Fae's, but never Sundays, so it didn't seem likely. Well, lo and behold, the papers were at her house after all. I had completely forgotten that we had borrowed their car for a few days. She had found the papers when cleaning out the car, and miraculously had not thrown them away. I was in shock. And grateful. God can do what may seem to be impossible. And even though we need faith to receive answers to prayers, sometimes, he will except hope or even a desire to believe. He truly does want to bless us. How amazing, and yet, how consistent. Thanks for listening to a silly little story.