So much is going on. We have had a crazy year filled with sickness, joys, successes and sorrows. But through it all, we have overcome. The Lord works in mysterious ways and with humor throughout. Earlier, I had hit rock bottom...Sunday, I should say. I had given up and decided that I wasn't going to try anymore than I had to. Fortunately, through prayer and study, the Lord saw fit to mend a bridge that needed mending. Although the trials and tribulations are still awry, they are much easier to bare now that I've acquired my partner again. And we, the 3 of us, can continue on this journey with open hearts and a willingness to learn and listen.
We have just recently had a baptism...the first in our family. Braden turned 8 in September and my Pop and his wife Rosalee were able to come and experience it with us. We were all really excited they were able to come.
On Friday, Landon will have his first sleep over party, by himself and will be turning 6. We are so proud of him. He has turned into such a special boy and has even managed to keep his beautiful blonde hair and his hazel eyes...just like Daddy!
On Thursday, Kaleyna will turn 2!! I know it was yesterday we were blessing her, but we are going on to the terrible twos and boy, is she good at it. Down to the drawing on the walls with pencils and sharpies to dumping out bags of crackers all over the floor, she is good at being 2, but we love her anyway! She is a big girl, a size 4T and is an absolute gorgeous girl. She is looking forward to Trick-or-treating on Saturday.
Brogan and Talhon are growing up super fast too. Brogan turned 3 in April and has taken on the middle kid role superbly! He seems to fit in with both sets of kids really well. He can hang with the big boys in video games and trampoline adventures, but can enjoy himself just as well playing toys with the babies! He's awesome...and soo patient with mom!!
Talhon is crawling up and almost down the stairs...a feat we have quickly had to master. He is always on the go and thoroughly enjoys being outside and exploring for himself. He is a joy to be around and, just as we've been told by many, at his worst, he is still an angel...although I don't think they've experienced him at 2 or 3 in the morning...but even then it's pretty hard to be mad at him.
Joseph is working hard, as always and has acquired a great job at a local company doing exactly what he loves. No more commuting and no more missing time with the kids for days at a time. We like having Daddy around more!
I am better than I was this morning and I feel like the Lord takes a special interest in making sure I know he lives. We had a fantastic experience at Time Out for Women this past weekend and I was able to meet some amazing people and share it with some pretty amazing people that I am lucky enough to have in my life. And may I just say how much I love Hilary Weeks! Her music and attitude inspire me to be better than I am and better for my family and friends.
There is always more going on, than I could ever keep up with, but I am so glad that I have the gospel in my life to ground me when I need it most. Prayer is such a powerful thing. And the knowledge that the Lord is there and knows who we are, makes being without my mother, so much easier to bare!!
Here's to the holiday!! May the come with happiness, love and charity...and may they last longer than they are!
Monday, October 25, 2010
It's Halloween
It's Halloween...almost!
It's interesting how life works. Some days you have amazing experiences that change your life. Then, in an instant, or in a few unchoice words, your life is changed all over again. I'm not really sure how or why things happen, but I do know they happen for a reason. The unfortunate thing right now, is that I don't know that I wanted to know everything.
How does one deal with the fact that for the past 10 years, the person you love and cherish and consider your best friend, has been setting you up for failure around every corner. I've been competing in a battle that I didn't know I was fighting and I believe that battle has been won, but not by me. I know my BFF loves me and wants only good things, but on the other side of that, a subconscious desire to be everything to everyone has left me completely sabotaged and aimed at destruction.
I may be a little melodramatic, but seriously, I am at a loss of what to do. Well, I shouldn't say that. I've have given up. I am going to have to start over from ground zero, which is clearly a most difficult task given my circumstances. I have 5 kids, so giving up is not really an option, it's just giving up on me and all the desires of my heart that I've given up on. I've lost a lot of faith in my BFF and unfortunately, I don't know if it will ever be regained. But, on the positive side of things, and probably the reasons for all the turmoil in the first place, I have managed to give up my life entirely to the Lord. (not that it wasn't his already, but I have certainly given up on trying to make things happen.)
Life will go on, and things will happen in His time regardless of what I do. So, with fervent prayer and a longing for a clear understanding of my purpose right now, I utterly give my soul up to any who are willing to take it. I don't know that there's much of it left, but it is anyone's for the taking.
Sincerely,
A lost soul, struggling mother of 5, and an abandoned wife and sister.
Friday, January 15, 2010
- Talhon (1 mo) - What a rough entrance into this world...this little guy has managed to create quite the upheaval. On November 19th, Talhon "popped" into the world at a scrawny 7lbs 2oz and only 20" long. He spent 4 days in the NICU and then 10 days in the hospital for RSV a week later. He has steadily gotten better since we've been home. He is slowly being weened from his many machines, but is expected to make a full recovery by the end of February. Everyone adores him and we are thrilled to have him here.
- Kaleyna (1) - What a joy it has been to have a little girl in our midst. Her brothers are quite taken with her and she is the happiest, and most smiley girl that ever was. She is almost walking and is growing as fast as her brothers are. She loves to sing and clap and laugh...and she always has a twinkle in her big brown eyes.
- Brogan(2.5) - My coy, little imp...is always into something...mostly snacks or candy, but with a twist of his head and a coy smile, he seems to get away with a lot more than we intend. He talks a lot and manages to still befuddle us with his speech, but he is eager to make his desires known and even more eager to keep up with his two older brothers...but is also always careful to keep a close eye on his two younger proteges.
- Landon (5) - Started pre-K this year and he LOVES it! He enjoys learning and seems to excel in making friends and participating in singing and show-and-tell. He loves to go to Grammy's house and playing with his cousins. Clone wars, xbox, and TMNT seem to be his favorite things this year...next year, Kindergarten and the BUS!
- Braden(7) - In 1st grade and as successful as ever. He has reached new levels of achievement and continues to soak up all he can learn. He will be entering the "gifted" program at school in the new year and has participated in advanced reading and math groups this first semester...he has even gotten to read to his last year's teacher's class. He looks forward to getting baptised next year and is on his way to finishing the Book of Mormon before that happens.
- Joseph - Started a new job only a month after he was laid off from Ista. The timing hit at a critical point in my pregnancy, but we managed through. He has been involved with scouts and enjoyed taking Braden and Landon with him for good bonding time. He is eager to get in shape this new year and we both look forward to looking better.
- Me - Had our 5th child in November. Started a food storage group to get our year's supply...for info on a great system watch the Wendy DeWitt videos on youtube. Life has been overwhelming to say the least. But we look forward to having a pregnancy free year and moving into a bigger house.
Braden, Landon, Brogan, Kaleyna, and Talhon
Friday, October 2, 2009
Things we've worked on:
So much has happened. I'm not sure where to begin. So will start at the last post and move forward. (there are some pics, but more to come!)
July:
We found out we are having another boy. His name will be Tahlen Reed (spelling is still up for debate) and we expect him around the end of November. PreTerm Labor has been held at bay thanks to injections I've been taking. We'll hope they continue through the cold that I've acquired!
Went to the Atlanta Zoo for the first time and it was a lot of fun. Spent a lot of time with cousins and in-laws before the start of school.
Started a Canning Club at the beginning of the summer and it has been pretty successful. We've had two meat canning parties and a trip to the cannery with more scheduled for the fall...hopefully.
August:
School started! Braden went to first grade with Mrs. Sheppard (his reading teacher from the previous year) and Landon started preschool at Legacy Academy. He has thrived and learned so much. It really has been a wonderful thing for him. Aside from the driving to and from, it's been perfect!
Family Vacation to Florida! Paid "work" vacation for the family in St. Augustine, FL. We went to the beach and the pool, but really stayed inside because of the muggy hotness. We went to a mini golf place and the old fort. Had dinner thrice with Joseph's boss and good friends the Giovanni's. And had a really relaxing time without any hurricanes!
Still no baby problems. Looking forward to being done with the pregnancy. But more excited for the hot summer to be over.
September:
Went to the Depeche Mode concert in Atlanta with Mark and Carrie Clark. It was a blast and such a great concert..
.Joseph's first ever concert. He liked all the ballads that Marvin sang.
Braden turned 7! My little man is 7! He had his first sleepover with 3 friends. Rocco Cooper, Sam (from down the street) and Jayden Johnson. What fun they had! He was challenged by his grandma that if he read the Book of Mormon by the time he got baptized then she would take him to Disney World. Nice Grandma! Will he do it? It took him a year to get to half way through 2 Nephi?? We shall see!
Landon went on his first Field Trip. He got to ride the bus and he got to pet some baby animals at the 4H farm.
Super bad flooding in Georgia after two days of non-stop rain. Our Air Conditioner went out and we had to use our attic fan which in turn got Kaleyna, Brogan and I sick. Thank you Adamss for fixing it for us!
Joseph was laid off from his company. He did get a 4 week severance, but how quickly will he be able to get a job before it runs out. Baby comes in 7 weeks and what to do about insurance? We have full faith that he will find a job quickly and even more faith that the Lord will take care of us regardless. But I do worry about no insurance and what will happen if anything happens like it did last time. I have faith though!
All-in-all, we are great! Kaleyna is almost walking. 
Brogan is almost potty trained and Joseph has several prospects for jobs. Braden and Landon are doing great in school and Braden is in the gifted program at school. We are proud, positive and anxious for the holidays. Hope you all are doing well and we'd love to hear from you!
Love,
US!
Monday, June 22, 2009
A little bit of summer....
Well, here we are, nearly July and I haven't posted since April?? Scary! I know some people think they are the worst bloggers in the world, but I am positive that I take that prize! Anyway, a lot has happened and rather than bore you with details, I will list them all for you.
- I'm pregnant! Due December 15th...it's high risk and I'm feeling great minus the migraines!
- Kaleyna has 7 teeth, won't eat anything, just started rolling over, and went to the pool for the first time and loved it!
- Joseph took and passed his CCNA (the only one of 10 in his class that passed both tests) and enjoys his job immensely.
- Braden finished his first year of school and excelled in every way. He started on a 15 reading level (which is half way through 1st grade) as a Kindergartner and finished off at a level 32 (which is a quarter of the way through 3rd grade). He loves science and reading the most, but thoroughly enjoys playing with his friends and consistently beats mommy in XBox.
- Landon has been accepted into the Georgia Pre-K program and will be attending Legacy Academy on August 10th. He is still a very sensitive boy and seems to require a little more attention than the other kids, but is learning to appreciate the time he gets and makes really good use of his play time with his brothers. We hope preschool will give him a more well-rounded and social experience...not to mention the help it will give me when his new brother or sister comes.
- Brogan is a monster at 2, but still sweet and endearing at the same time. So smart and so adventerous. Nothing really scares him. He's got an amazing bond with his sister, but seems to enjoy cuddling with Mommy and Daddy the most. He is saying quite a lot, but has a hard time articulating the ends of his words so it makes it difficult to decipher what he says...at least to Joseph anyway.
- As for me, I'm just trying to keep up with the mom thing. I sometimes wonder what the Lord could possibly be thinking by giving me another baby right now. He obviously has more faith in me than I do in myself, but we were rather shocked at the news. But, when the Lord tells you He knows I can do it...what more can I say than, ok...Thy will be done! I got my hair cut short...which I love...and I have been working on Food Storage and have started my own group to help others get it done. Now you can see why it's so hard to keep up the blogging!
That's us for now. We have enjoyed going to the pool and Stone Mountain, Helen and Helton Creek Falls, a hockey game, a Braves games, and Gatlinburg, TN this summer. We look forward to Lake Lanier, to a small vacation to the beach...finances permitting...and finding out what we are having. Hope you all are doing well and we look forward to hearing from you. God Bless and stay cool!
Love the Garfields!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
So much to post about...and no time to blog!
Well, an old month has passed and a new month has arrived...and yet...a 1000 things happen every day. I will have to edit with pics later, but I know if I don't start sometime, I will never get it all done.
March flew by like nothing...did it even happen? Several things happened, but the biggest one for our family was Food Storage! I have been bitten by the food storage bug. I helped my MIL give a presentation on a program she found that was done by Wendy DeWitt out of Arizona. It was a wonderful and easy approach to food storage and one that I am trying to implement with my own. Then, I got the crazy idea that it would be really fun to do it with people and I would be so much more likely to get it done if I had a "buddy" to do it with. So, I thought, "why not start a food storage group for enrichment?" Well, easier said than done. Lot's of walls and hoops to jump through, nothing has happened yet, but I'm determined to start something on May 9th. (so let it be written, so let it be done!)
Then, we found out that Joseph's brother Johnny was being sent to Afghanistan for the military and he will be missing the birth of his 2nd daughter in June. Super sad, but we are trying to have a better relationship with his wife and her family so she won't feel so lonely.
Then, we found out that Joseph's brother, Jared, and his family are coming back to GA from UT to live with my in-laws. So, my in-laws are trying to move into their garage until their new house can be built. Life is crazy, but I am thoroughly glad I'm here in my own house! I have enough crazy to deal with!
After March was over, Spring Break arrived. We have been paying for a vacation since last year and had really been looking forward to taking the kids and my in-laws on the MUCH NEEDED vacation. Well, the "time share" we were booking it through went under and another one bought out these mini vacations. So, when we contracted to receive $250 cash, 2 tickets to Dollywood and a gas card and found out that all we were getting were vouchers for my "time share" vacations we were a little miffed and our plans were shot. Not to mention, it snowed 2 days on our 4 day vacation, so the free stuff was even limited. After we got over the crash in our budget and the snow, we really had a nice time and we were able to enjoy each other, the indoor water park, and a lovely picnic in the Smokey Mountains! (side note: STAY AWAY FROM TIME SHARES! THEY ALL SUCK!!)
So, here we are in April and things continue to be fun and chaotic! Joseph is back at work, going a little crazy, but really enjoying himself secretly! The CEO of the company gave us these great tickets to the Tuesday night Braves game and we were literally 25 feet from the catcher. We only had 4 seats so we got a babysitter for the boys, took Kaleyna and some friends that took us to Joseph's first Hockey game. It was a littl e cold, but you couldn't get better seats. VIP boxes weren't this good. I was truly amazed out how close together everything seemed. The bases and outfield don't seem nearly as far away on TV as they are on the ground! Thank you Kearney for the fun night at Turner Field!
With Jared and Diane arriving on Friday, Joseph's and Brogan's birthday on the 23rd, Joseph's and My anniversary on the 21st, and my mother's being for 6 years on the 20th, there will, I'm sure be a huge amount more to blog about later, but for now, this will have to do.
By the way, Congratulations Katy and Brian on getting married on the 4th of April! We wish you a long life of happiness and success!
Until the end of the month!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Hail to the Leather Gods and the philosophy of a 4 year old!
Funny thing happened on the way home from Grammy's house:
(the following may be too much for your stomach's, so be forewarned!)
Daddy: "Landon, you need to eat the whole slice of pizza if you want to have a tractor ride."
Landon: "But my tummy hurts, Daddy!"
Daddy: "Landon, you need to eat your food so you can be big and strong...ok?"
Landon: "Ok, Daddy!"
(A couple hours later)
Grammy: "Landon, do you want a cookie for finishing your pizza?"
Landon: "No thanks, Grammy, I don't feel good."
Mommy: "Landon, what's wrong?"
Landon: "I just don't want anyfing"
(about 30 minutes later, in the car on the way home)
Landon: "Aghhh...I gonna throw up...(blaghhhhh - 3 times)...Mommy, I throwing up!"
Mommy: "It's ok, Honey, we'll clean it up at the gas station."
Landon: (a few seconds later) "Mommy! I feel better....the throw up made me feel better!!!"
Mommy: "Good Honey! Oddly, my car is now sick and so is Mommy!"
The wonderful played out philosophies of a 4 year old! If everything worked so easily. We ended up stopping at the gas station just before we hit the freeway and had to change his clothes (Daddy's job) and clean off the seat (Mommy's job). He managed to only get it on his chair...and seat belt. I love leather! And I will never own another car without it! Hail to the Leather gods!
