Spring Has Sprung

I know I'm almost a week late with my title. For some reason I kept looking at the calendar thinking this Thursday was the 1st day of Spring. Oh well, at least I didn't miss Easter. Look at this beautiful patch of blue sky we saw this morning. I wanted to post an update for Darryl on the status of Cora's princess tree. I think I've mentioned before that is how she is monitoring the time when Darryl gets home. She knows once the blossoms have come and gone, then the leaves, then Daddy. She has watched out her window everyday faithfully since the first buds appeared. Just in the last few days it has really started to blossom. She is so so happy. The cutest thing is Cora trying to teach Shay the song Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree, hand motions and all. I'll have to try and get that on film for Daddy. *Good news from our FRG Leader yesterday, looks like his return date will be June 5th instead of the 25th. Of course subject to change few days before or after but that was wonderful to hear. Of course we're really hoping and praying he makes it home before the 11th of June for Cora's birthday. Horay for spring!

Reflections on Easter

This is one of my favorite paintings by Greg Olson titled "He is Risen". Today I wanted to write about some of the thoughts and feelings I experienced this Easter. Our church meets at 1pm so we have ample time in the morning to do things. I started reading the March Ensign and the first article was written by President Hinckley on Testifying of Christ. With President Hinckleys recent passing, when I read this article it was as if I was hearing him speak his special testimony of the Savior. I truly felt the Spirit testify to me that the things that I was reading were true.
During church I felt the Spirit again during the talks and especially the music during sacrament meeting. My friend sang one of the special musical numbers and it is one of my favorite songs, He Came For Me. Playing now. The version I am familiar with is sung by Hillary Weeks. Music has always held a special place with me and it really helps me to feel the Spirit. This song especially. I have a special memory of listening to this song with my brother and sister that I treasure.
I teach the 3 yr olds in Primary and this was another time during my day when my testimony of the Savior was strengthened. Their childlike faith was so wonderful to see as I explained to them about the resurection of our Savior. They were so interested and genuinely expressed their love for Him.
This past week I focused a lot on myself. Easter helped to put things back into perspective. I have truly relied on the Savior this year without Darryl. I feel I have grown closer to Him and have felt His love. I know that by going through these experiences on earth it helps us gain knowledge and understanding. I love the Lord and I am grateful for this time that we celebrate that He lives and He is there for us always.

Look Daddy it's Almost Easter

The sun was peeking in and out today. So Cora took the opportunity to teach Shay how to Easter Egg hunt for the big Dupont Egg Hunt tomorrow. I don't think Cora remembers but for Shay's age group they literally just place them on the ground in a roped off area and let them loose. Cora still had fun teaching her. I think we'll even try our own Easter egg hunt at our house tomorrow.
Cora had fun coloring eggs today with her buddy Evan. She made a very special one for Daddy. It sounds like she's planning on giving it to him when he gets home in June...I might have to intervene on that one. For some reason I don't think Darryl will mind. We'll take a picture of it though. It's definitely the thought that counts.

One Year

Today marks one year from the day Darryl left to go to Iraq. I can't believe we've come this far and made it to this milestone. In a way it is such a huge relief and I couldn't be happier. We have just about 3 months to go. I've been fighting the other emotions that I've been feeling which is the tired, worn out, are we there yet, types of feelings. I figure it's ok to feel all of them. The hardest part or the biggest speed bump that I think I have to overcome is that with Darryl's first deployment at this point he was home. Not this time. My brother Tim called on Sunday and said "don't look at where you've come from with the time that has past. Just look forward. Three months, piece of cake."
These are the latest pictures Darryl has sent. They were taken this last week he was out traveling. One of the biggest lessons I have learned during this deployment has been to learn to see things from another's point of view. As I sat home worried for Darryl's safety as a moving target, he was having totally different feelings about his sanity. Being on the base over there day in and day out in Darryl's words can start to feel like a prison. It's so restrictive and the walls start closing in around you.
Darryl was excited to travel to see new faces and people. Seeing these pictures also helped me to remember why he is there and that there is great purpose in helping these people. To hear Darryl describe these children after not seeing his own for such a long period of time was so sweet. He spoke of the way this father and grandfather were so proud holding their sweet little daughter/grandaughter up in the air so Darryl could see her. Truly children and love can break all barriers that make us different. I am so proud of Darryl and my heart is so full. He is a good and honorable man. Many look up to him and see his good example. I'm grateful for his service to his country and to the people of Iraq. Hang in there honey!

Happy St. Patricks Day

Shay not so happy on the green adorning holiday. Speaking of green. How come I have the hardest time finding our green clothes come today. We're not Irish but I loved this bow that my friend Sara picked up for Shay. This was the item that sparked our green clothes frenzy this morning. Hopefully after Shay takes a nap she'll be in a better mood to enjoy the green rice krispy treats I made for family night.

Pot of Gold?

Totally appropriate nature shot for the upcoming St. Patrick's day holiday. Cora was so excited when she looked out the window and spotted a rainbow. This is the
2nd day in a row we've seen one. Yay for nature and for rainbows.

3 Little Ladies and a Bug

Watching these 3 the other day enjoying the sunshine and a lady bug was so refreshing to see. It really brought me back to the "good ol' days" of my youth when there were no worries or cares in the world. Just friends, family, and fun.
Ahh the days of our youth...definitely to be treasured. How fun to watch our own children enjoy these carefree childhood days and recall our own.

Perspective

So this past week I kinda felt like this picture. The weight of our little lives on my shoulders. Darryl was off on a mission to fix computers somewhere in Iraq. He was not able to say where. I hate when he travels over there and it seems like he's been doing that an aweful lot lately. I knew we wouldn't get to talk to him for the duration of his trip, so that made the week even harder. Thanks to friends and various activities I was able to get thru and focus on other things. An email was sent to me earlier in the week by a friend where you type in your birth month and date and a scripture comes up. So here is mine.

Matthew 11:28
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

What a perfect scripture to put things in perspective.
So last night Darryl was finally able to call and said it was a successful mission. It was so good to hear his voice after a long week. Now I'm looking at that picture from a whole new point of view.


*Funny thought..might ruin the mood of the post..but I was looking at my birthday scripture thinking that would have been very appropriate for my "birth" day espcecially from my Mom's point of view.
Anywho....

Song Inspired Memory

I was listening to some songs tonight that I haven't heard for such a long time. Almost all of the songs we listen to lately include various Disney tunes, primary songs, or songs with some cartoon character in them. I actually came across a very special song that I first heard right after I found out we were pregnant with Cora. I Can't Count the Stars by Julie de Azevedo. To give a little bit of a back ground we had done in vitro a number of times with negative results. As we waited for news from the Doctor for the results of my blood test I think I ate a whole bag of starbursts I was so nervous. The nurse called and it was so nerveracking...she told me it was positive. I couldn't believe it and I actually asked her if she was joking (only because all of the previous times we had heard a negative answer). She said she would never joke about something like that. I couldn't get a hold of Darryl on his phone so I decided to drive on post to tell him the news in person. As I was driving this song played on my CD and my spirit just soared. In all of our years of trying to get pregnant our dream had finally come true. So many prayers, fasting, shots, and surgeries brought us to that moment. Such a wonderful memory. This song made it even more special. Glad I came across it tonight.

Nemo Newsflash!

Nemo has been found! Pretty funny I just wrote my previous post about "remembering Nemo". Never underestimate the power of prayer and the faith of a four year old. We were talking to my parents yesterday after church and Cora exclaims to my parents.."I know where Nemo is". Mind you this is after endless searching. We've been back in Washington since January 8th. And my parents still hadn't found Nemo...till yesterday. Cora then tells them "my mind tells me he is under the bed where Mommy was sleeping in the back." I didn't realize during our conversation my Dad had left to go see if Cora was right. Low and behold he comes back on the phone and tells us "Cora I have a surprise...you were right Nemo was under the bed." I wish I had a camera to capture Cora's face at that moment. Pure joy. Her friend had been found. Her prayers had been answered.

Now the big problem. We were all done. The thumbsucking had ceased. She can fall asleep with out Nemo. Her thumb has healed and her teeth are straightening. My Mom did promise her if they found it they would send it to WA. I think that was just so Cora could feel ok about leaving FL w. out her precious blanket. Now he is on his way back to Washington. Stumped...then tonight I was talking to Cora and she tells me that she is ready to give Nemo to a baby who needs him. What a big girl she has become. I'm so proud of her. Every night after we "lost" Nemo she prayed to Heavenly Father to help us find him. So tonight at family home evening we talked about prayers and how Heavenly Father always hears them and how we need to have faith. I'm so grateful she has learned this powerful lesson and even more grateful she has gained new "security and comfort" within herself and her family. I love you so much Cora. What a big girl you are.