Gentle Reminders

Occasionally I get caught up in my busy happy life.  (check previous post)
Occasionally it takes a gentle reminder to slow me down.   
To slow me down enough to remember to pray for thanks.
To slow me down enough to remember to love and show it.
To slow me down enough to become the person I need to be.
I wish that I did this all on my own.  I wish that I didn't need reminders.  But, I am only human and so I will take the reminders and learn from them. 
Learn to serve more.
Learn to laugh more.
Learn to hug and kiss more.
Learn to appreciate more.
Learn to dance more.
Learn to balance and use my time wisely.
Learn to be... something that is going to be a life long process.

Learn to enjoy all of the moments in life before they pass me by.

Like capturing moments of Lewis climbing everything in sight.  Seriously when did he get big enough to do that?

Like watching these two learn to play together and be brothers.  Something that I hope they can enjoy and cherish. 

Like playing with these two at the splash park and learning about their very different personalities.  Thomas is much more timid and only does things on his time. He needs a little encouragement but will not be forced.  Lewis is more brave and content just hanging out.  He is easily entertained and didn't mind just looking at the water come out. 

Like spending time as a family at the cabin.  Taking hikes, roasting hot dogs and mallows, and riding in the back of grandpas trusty blue truck. 

happenings and such

we have been busy.
the good kind of busy.
summer sun kind of busy.
i am afraid that my blogging has slacked immensely because of it.
it is quite unfortunate i am afraid.
only because my boys are growing up right before my very eyes.

Big D has been working super hard for Parker and loving it.  he has been waking up early so he can come home to us earlier.  i haven't been brave enough to wake up early with him.  which makes his waking up early even more amazing.  he also is taking an online class.  being super daddy (he has recently remembered the promise he made when we first got married and has embraced the roll as dish boy).  he came home the other day with a bouquet of flowers for me.  and he is working on his summer tan. 

thomas not only had a big birthday (even if he spent the actual day throwing up)  but, he got a new hair do.  he is tall and loves baseball.  he can hit the ball and runs around the bases.  not always in the right order.  but running non the less.  he calls everyone holding a glove, a glover.  makes sense right.  he has totally embraced summer and we spend every spare minute outdoors.  he wears a captain america mask around the house while doing his signature trade move... the double hit.  he is really good with words and says things like "mom, I don't know how to get to sesame street" and "mr-sissippi" he runs like football player.  he sings the abc's and just learned that there is a letter j.

lew is the light of my life.  he is a ball of joy and his laugh might be even cuter then his smile.  if that is possible.  he is standing on his own and may or may not start walking soon.  he loves balls and is getting pretty good at throwing them.  he is a mommas boy through and through.  and still gets angry as all get out.   he is still nursing but, getting better at eating everyday.  he can pound a sippy cup of water... almost as fast as his dad.  he loves bath time and swimming in our pool even more.  he looks exactly like his father except for his tongue which is usually hanging out of his mouth, which he might of gotten from me.

as for me.  i am just taking care of everyone and also enjoying the summer sun.  my house isn't as clean as i would like and i definitely have laundry that needs to be done.  but i did clean my bathrooms this week and i am just trying to enjoy all of my boys before they are bigger then me.  which at the rate we are going could be any day.  i am considering a half marathon at the end of the summer and pretending to train for it any chance i get.

until next time...

we are alive

we are alive.  only missing in action.
a few letters on my computer have stopped working.  the L, K, O and (
it is driving me crazy.  i can't use my email or log into anything that i have a password for.
it is driving me more crazy trying to figure out Daniels computer. 
so is life right?
well we are staying busy.
enjoying some sunny days.
hiking.
getting our first sunburns of the season.
going on walks.
we even had a bbq.
we are without a full functioning computer but, for now we are just enjoying a few weeks with Daniel before he starts his internship.
hopefully we will be back in full swing soon.  
 

My heart is full.

Starting in November of last year Daniel started interviewing for internships for this summer.
With each one he would clean up his resume, put on his new grey suit, and prepare to wow those who interviewed him.
With each one we would talk about how great the company was and how it would totally fit into our plans.
With each one we would get excited thinking about where the internship could take us.

Sometimes it would be a family event.  I think we always got the good end of the deal.  I would much rather eat gelato,swing and hang out with these men than interview.

Sometimes he would just go alone.
But, in the end our hearts would break because he wasn't the one they wanted.
Daniel held up through all of the pressure extremely well.  He was a rock.
But, after months of waiting and heart break after heart break when I seriously thought that our hearts couldn't take any more rejection and any more "not knowing" we got the call.
Yesterday, while playing outside in the warm sun the phone rang.  I couldn't see my screen and who was calling but I answered anyway and I heard the lady on the other end say, "....we sent him an offer email and want to hear back from him as soon as possible."
I started to jump up and down and could hardly finish my conversation with her.
After hanging up the phone I screamed out loud.

Now we really feel like this is the greatest company and it totally does fit into our plans.  Daniel will be able to commute to Ogden, and we wont have to pick up and move.
We are so excited with the connections and possibilities that this company will bring.  It is exactly what Daniel wants to do with his career.  Not just an another internship.
We have always known that the Lord was watching out for us and had something great waiting, we just had no idea what it might be and when we would finally find out (you see classes end tomorrow) He totally was making us wait until the last minute, pushing us and helping us to grow and to become what he needs us to be.
Now we know without a doubt that this is where we need to be.

My heart is full and proud.

Easter and the celebration of 60

This past Easter weekend we were able to celebrate Grandpa Packers 60th birthday.
Activity of choice, chosen by the birthday boy himself, a half marathon.
What a better way to celebrate your life?!
Loved it.
Even if I myself didn't participate fully.
The family all wore matching shirts (thanks liz) in celebration!  "Bye bye super fly"

Later on in the day we also were able to have the traditional Packer easter egg hunt.
The kids loved it and we still have colorful chocolate eggs to prove what a success it was.
It was a great weekend in windy and bitterly chilly Rexburg with all of our family that we love so dearly.

(notice Thomas is posing with his mitt over his knee)