There is Sunshine in My Soul Today

Me and the girls, enjoying spring-like weather a couple days ago

Ellie, watching the spring flowers grow

One thing I love about living somewhere with all four seasons is the anticipation just before a new season begins, and the feelings associated with that new beginning. In the fall I look forward to making soup and pumpkin muffins and the start of a new school year. Winter brings Christmastime and beautiful, clean, fluffy snow and hot cocoa. Summer means vacation! And now that we're by the ocean summertime means beach time. 

Maybe it's because Spring is just around the corner, but I feel like it's the most anticipated because it's a natural anti-depressant. In the spring the air smells so fresh and crisp and like newly mowed grass (sometimes with a hint of skunk here in our neighborhood). I remember pulling out of our garage last May with the window down and being caught off guard by the absolutely delicious smell of the lilac bush in the driveway. Lilacs remind me of my Mom because they're one of her favorite flowers, and in that moment my heart was so so happy and felt like it was overflowing - I just knew that Heavenly Father loved me. And the sunshine. Oh how I LOVE the sunshine - it truly just brightens my soul and makes the day happier!

To me, it's no wonder that the sun and The Son are homophones. Just as the sun brings light and happiness into our lives, so does Jesus Christ. He truly is the light of the world! The more we allow Him into our lives, the brighter our lives will be.

If I had a Million

I think it's fun to play the "What would you do with a million dollars" game.

*I would live in a beautiful home (ideal location, size, style, yard...)

In all honesty I wouldn't even want a house this big, but I do love the federal style

*and have a cleaning service come once a week


*Go to Europe once a year

*Shopping spree

*New cars
*My girls would get to take all the dance, gymnastics, music and sports lessons they've ever dreamed of (too bad you can't buy more time)

Just the other day we were playing this game with some friends and I realized something for the first time. If I had a million dollars I probably wouldn't actually appreciate some of these things. At least not as much as if I had to scrimp and save for them. New car? No biggie, I get a new car every two years. Shopping spree? I go shopping whenever I want and buy whatever I want. Clean house? Someone does it for me. Going to Europe? I go every year.

Anyway, you get the picture. So, basically I'm glad that I don't have all the money in the world because it makes my life a little more exciting that way. And half the fun is in all the anticipation anyway, right?

The everyday

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, savor you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may,for it will not always be so." 

-Mary Jean Irion

Right now our our family life is pretty normal. No major illnesses, financial disasters, or marital problems. But we do have the occasional cold or flu and wish we had just a little more money and occasionally get annoyed with each other - normal right? Well, someday we may have some big trial come our way, and I'll wish for these normal days back. So, I'm trying to be more grateful for the everyday.

"Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation." Robert Schuller

The day-to-day process of raising our children is quite unspectacular and I would say even downright dirty work sometimes. But those few perfect moments when you wish you could freeze time and make that memory hold fast in your family's mind forever; those moments are spectacular. And I'm sure when twenty years have passed and I see what truly amazing women our three girls have become (because I'm sure they will be absolutely amazing), it will be spectacular! 

At the same time, even though life isn't always spectacular, there are always moments to enjoy and I love this quote:

So often we get caught up in the illusion that there is something just beyond our reach that would bring us happiness: a better family situation, a better financial situation, or the end of a challenging trial.

We shouldn’t wait to be happy until we reach some future point, only to discover that happiness was already available—all the time! Life is not meant to be appreciated only in retrospect. “This is the day which the Lord hath made … ,” the Psalmist wrote. “Rejoice and be glad in it.”

President Uchtdorf

I just love Pres. Uchdorf! (General Conference is in just 4 weeks - yay!)

Accepting this Blessing

Aaron had been applying for other Landscape Architecture positions for the past several months and had gotten a couple responses from firms in other states, but no job offers. After several applications and resumes sent, we were beginning to think we would just have to stick it out at his current job until the economy picked up again. His current job just wasn't his ideal job and his boss was far from an ideal boss - but we figured this job was better than no job. Well, about a month ago Aaron found a job opening at a firm in Connecticut that looked awesome - so of course he applied. We didn't expect to hear back from them, but about two weeks later they contacted him for a phone interview and two weeks after that they flew him out to Connecticut so he could see the office and meet everyone there. I was a little pessimistic (because of Aaron's current job situation) and figured that it wouldn't work out, but when Aaron called on his way home he said it went really well and he felt really good about it. So, long story short (there was a lot of stress for a few days on our part), Aaron got an official job offer with Cummin Associates and would start the beginning of August!

(So, now on to the title of this post - Accepting this Blessing.)
After having gone through unemployment once and then Aaron having a really hard boss and negative work environment more recently, I've personally had a hard time accepting this wonderful opportunity as being real. The other night I had a dream that we moved our family and all our stuff to Connecticut just to find out that the new boss didn't want to hire Aaron after all. In the dream I kept asking Aaron if he was being serious or if he was kidding with me. I was so scared because now we didn't have a job and didn't know anyone in Connecticut and I didn't know what in the world we would do! It was a nightmare - I woke myself up and had to convince myself that it was just a dream and not real! That dream is only a slight exaggeration from the feelings I'm constantly trying to push away. I keep thinking it's too good to be true - living in New England, Aaron's dream job, great boss, and good compensation. We've spent so long being under-compensated, and in jobs that we can't see a future in that we had just resigned ourselves to living that way indefinitely and trying to figure out what Heavenly Father wanted us to learn from it.  So, now I'm having to re-train my thinking, allowing myself to believe and accept this blessing, and reminding myself that we are deserving of this blessing.

Beautiful Heartbreak

One year ago today, my nephew, Blake Derek Johnson, passed away. It has been a sad year missing Blake and feeling Ken and Gina and their kids' heartbreak and wishing we could see Blake and express our love in person. But today was also a beautiful day because his dad, Ken, was able to go to the Mt. Timpanogos Temple for Blake to receive his endowment. Aaron and I were privileged to be there, as well as Gina, Mom and Dad, Angela and Jimmy, Stephanie, and Ashley (and some of Gina's family). I am sure Blake was there also. What a blessing Temples are - we can be together forever!

Gina was reading a book about a person who had a near death experience and they wrote about how they were met by someone on the other side. Gina was wondering who might have met Blake since he was not very close to any of his relatives who have passed on before him. I'm sure he was met by loved ones that he recognized and loved from the pre-mortal existence. This life isn't the beginning and it's not the end either.

There once was a very young couple

who had three theories about raising kids.

They now have three kids,

and no theories.

(A qoute I heard somewhere, but actually fits us quite well)

What do I have to complain about?

I've had a few pity parties for myself in the last month or so and the other day I came across this quote. You've probably seen it before, or some version of it. (sorry, the formatting is a little crazy.)

If you wake up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed
than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never
experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of
imprisonment, the agony
of torture, or the pangs of starvation...you are
ahead of 500 million people
in the world.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your
back, a roof overhead
and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this
world.


If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare
change in a dish
someplace...you are among the top 8% of the world's
wealthy.

If you can read this, you are more blessed than over 2 billion
people in the world who cannot read at all.

If you hold up your head
with a smile on your face and are truly
thankful...you are blessed because
the majority can, but most do not.

So, what reason do I have for throwing a pity party? After reading this,
none. Plus the fact that I have so many more blessings on top of this. Including
the fact that of the billions of people who have lived or will live on the earth
I am one of the very few who has the blessings of the gospel in my life! I truly
do feel blessed!

St. Patty's Day & Super Powers

St. Patrick's Day was also the day of my first Enrichment as the Enrichment Leader. Thanks to my AWESOME committee the night was a success (as far as I could tell). We had a delicious dinner and a video presentation of Sherri Dew giving a talk at Women's Conference. We also had some conversation starter questions at each table which was fun. One of the questions was:

If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Normally I would choose flying - just to feel the sensation.

But considering my current life circumstances I would have to choose endless energy/no need for sleep (self explanatory, right)?

Aaron says he would want to be Superman because he has it all. But, I explained to him that the question said a super power not a super hero. So, then he chose "either speed, or strength, or flying" (middle child syndrome - can't make up his mind. :))

So, what about you (and why)?

The End . . . of this Chapter

a.k.a. Super-long Post

On May 10th Aaron earned his Masters Degree in the field of Landscape Architecture!
We moved to the Salt Lake area 3 days ago and . . . . lets just say we're getting used to it. I've shed a few tears of homesickness. I'm definitely not used to living in a big city (I.F. is the biggest city I've ever lived in).


Here are some graduation pictures:
Aaron and Steve Drown (Aaron's major professor)


My parents and us (Carly is such a character)


Aaron's parents and us (I was closing my eyes in most of the pictures)
Note: My mom - barely 5'; Aaron's mom - 4'10" Is there any question as to why Carly and Ellie are under the 5% on the height curve?

Missing Moscow: I wasn't sure what to expect when we came to Moscow 2 1/2 years ago, but I know I didn't expect to love it as much as I have. These are a few of the things we will miss here.

I think it is the people who really make a place great, and that is no exception with Moscow. We have so many great friends there that will be missed. I was really nervous about making friends when we moved here, but I had nothing to worry about because the people there are so wonderful!
-The Palouse rolling hills - much better in person!




- The beautiful U of I campus - old architecture and mature landscape

- Ladie's Nites with friends

- U of I Institute classes and "Happy Thursday" (fresh homemade bread at the institute building - free for all)

- The Nielsons (see the post below for more details)

- Our ward family. I know that Carly and Ellie are going to miss Bishop and his goodie jar.

- Library Story Time with Miss Kathy

- Farmers Market

- so many parks to go to

- the water park (we only went the first summer we were here, but it was fun the few times we went)

- the small college town atmosphere - some people would think I'm crazy, but I love the size of Moscow

- the people here, they are so down-to-earth and friendly.

- Eastside Marketplace's inside play area (it's great when you are desperate to get your kids out of the house in the dead of winter)

- Hillside Village apartments - we were lucky enough to have awesome neighbors and tons of little kids for Carly and Ellie to play with.

- The view coming down Rodeo Dr.

- Grittman Hospital (I loved their new maternity wing when I had Ellie)

- Main Street

- Loco Grinz Hawaiian "kalua pork" (I've tried to make it and it's just not the same)
- For the most part I think that Moscow is a good distance from SE Idaho (not too close, not too far)

- the opportunity to make friends who aren't LDS

- celebrating holidays for the first time on our own - I was really nervous about this, but I've really enjoyed starting our own traditions and not stressing about how to split our time between my family and Aaron's family.

- the Landscape Architecuture program (Aaron has learned a lot and really enjoyed it). Aaron has made friends with people he wouldn't have known otherwise. One person imparticular is Aaron's major professor, Steve Drown. He really saw Aaron's talent and potential and has given Aaron confidence in his abilities and really encouraged him. I am so grateful that Aaron had such a caring and excellent professor.

- the farm animals down N. Polk road (horses, chickens, goats)

The Spokane Temple