Hope

I know that this is my second post of the day, but I fought back and forth in my heart about posting this. I decided that if nothing else, support and prayers will come out of it all. Thank you ahead of time for your love!

As some of you may know, Matt and I have been trying to have a child for over 2 years, but with little success. We miscarried last year and have been devistated about it, but luckily we have a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and have found a peace amidst all of the turmoil. We decided to meet with a Social Worker and start filling out paperwork for adoption. We held onto the paperwork for quite sometime trying to decide if this was the right option for us. After much praying and fasting, we both recieved a confirmation that this was going to be a good road to travel down.

We haven't heard anything since putting our papers in. In the meantime, we have fun trying to concieve as well. :) Saturday night I recieved a call from Matt while he was out running an errand for me. His mom's friend in Texas had recieved a phone call about a child that needed to be adopted immediately. The adoptive parents had pulled out at the last minute. Tears filled my eyes: this was an answer to many, many prayers! And then Matt relayed the story of this sweet, precious little girl. She was born with a severe handicap called Prater Willie Syndrome. I spent a lot of time reading that evening and a lot of time praying and speaking to friends and family. This child would require 24/7 care, millions of dollars in medical bills, and a very strong mommy to take care of her. Logically, I knew I could not do it. I felt deep down inside that I was not the Mom this child needed right now, and Matt had the exact same feeling. But emotionally I thought, if anyone can give this baby girl enough love, faith, and hope for the future, it was me.

Matt and I dropped to our knees many times to pray and even fasted yesterday about it. I recieved a peace, a peace I wasn't expecting. I had assumed that Heavenly Father would say, Yes, please raise this child up in the Gospel. But the answer we both recieved was we are not the parents for this special child. So, although my heart is broken, I am at peace with it all. I have shed my tears and now I smile for the future of this little one. I pray for her and hope that she will be with the mommy and daddy who need her as much as she needs them.

No Modem and we are staying!!

I went to get online last week to do the ward bulletin and no connection. After a friendly conversation with Tech Support they informed us our modem was dead, no more, non-existant! How can I live without my electronic universe?? Because of work schedules it took me nearly a week to get in to exchange it and now I feel much more reconnected. I have also found a lot of long lost friends who also "blog" or on Facebook and I feel so much more alive!

60% of homes are foreclosing in our area which leaves all of those people needing to live somewhere...apartments! The complexes have taken advantage of that and hiked up their rates. But after endless hours of looking, we decided to stay here. We are happy and feel at home. Matt and I have done a lot of Spring Cleaning and have a lot more to do to make this place feel like new. We feel we made the right decsion.

A Woman's Work

It is not often I have a morning off (last time I did I created my blog!) but after a particularly rough day at work it was nice to come home and relax. Of course, you know what "relaxing" means: there is laundry and dishes to be done, dust bunnies screaming for their safety, clutter to be removed, toilets to be scrubbed; a woman's work is never done! So I took the morning to "fix" my blog. I must have tried 20 differant templates before I realized, "I don't like a single one!" So, I took it back to what it was originally. I thought, I have wasted an hour of my day! But in reality, the dishes are running, the washer and dryer are humming right along, and I feel reconnected to the world.

Matt and I have a rough couple of weeks ahead as we prepare to move to a new apartment. We don't know where we are going or what we are doing, but we are trying to stay in our current ward (Matt just got a Stake calling and he will be gone a lot of the time, so I want to be in a ward where I know people). When we found the apartment we are currently in, it was as if the heavens opened up and angels started singing. We knew we were "home." I keep telling Matt I am sure that will happen again, but no such luck thus far. I have to make a decsion soon though. Time is running out. Wish us luck. Thanks for all of your comments. I have really felt loved and connected to friends from all over the place! Thanks so much!!

The Story of Doogie

So, the tale of how our little Pup came to be ours is quite an interesting one. In March of last year, there was an announcement made in Relief Society: A sister had broken her ankle in NY while vising family and the person caring for the dog could no longer do so. They were looking for someone to watch over the dog for a few weeks while she mended and could fly home. Matt and I volunteered, and what was supposed to be a matter of weeks turned into 3 months. When the sister finally came home in June, we had grown attached to the little guy!

After returning Doogie we got phone call after phone call telling us how he was into trash, chewing up furniture, not eating, etc. He had never done this at our home! He was missing Matt and me!!! We let him settle back into his old routine with his old owner, but missed him dearly. In October, a call came. This same lady was heading off to trucker school and needed someone to take Doogie for six weeks. This time, I put my foot down and said that I would not do that again to the little guy. After much comtemplating on her part, she asked that we take him for good or she would take him back to the pound. My heart went out to the little guy. Doogie has been with us ever since!

He has been such a sweet little puppy (and spoiled too!!) We take him every possible place we can, buy him anything that will make him happy. He has been the joy in our lives and we are so grateful for our little pup. Below are some pictures of him. We realized that we have more pics of him than we do of the two of us together. We are so grateful for Doogie and the light he brings to our lives!
Peek a boo Puppy!

I dressed both of my boys up for Halloween. I am one mean mommy!

Here is Doogie and Matt sharing a nap together! I love my boys!

Doogie stopped to smell the roses!

Have you hugged a Teacher today?

This is a photo taken after Matt's graduation this past summer. I thought it fit so appropriately with today's posting....

I just finished up finals for this quarter and let me tell ya, it has been a doozy! The older I get, the more I respect the past and those that worked so hard to get me where I am today. I owe a huge thank you to my teachers, from preschool all the way through college! They really shaped me, by large, into the person I am today. I realize that I didn't respect them or love them the way they really deserved. I am held accountable everyday for the actions of my students: If they don't turn in homework or do well on a test, if they don't show up for a class or forget to bring their supplies, I am immediately questioned. What could I have done better or differently? By and large, it takes so much to be a teacher: not only do you wear the hat of teacher, but of policeman (breaking up a fight every now and again), firefighter, counselor, therapist, doctor.....it is not easy! But it is all completely worth it! When a light bulb goes off and they just "get it" for the first time, when they smile at you, when they say "thanks for making my life better" it makes the job all worth it! I wouldn't chage what I do for any amount of money!

So I just wanted to say, have you hugged a teacher lately? Have you hugged someone who has made a differance in your life? If not, please do so! Everyone needs to know they are appreciated! I love you!!

Entering blog land

I have finally done it....I entered blog world! I am not very computer savy, so I am hoping this will not be too difficult to figure out. I have enjoyed reading my friends' blogs for quite sometime now and I thought it was time I just bite the bullet and do it. I have waited so long because I thought, we don't have kids yet, who will want to read about my boring life? But I realized, we don't need kids to have an interesting life. I hope I can share my thoughts, my feelings, my pictures and my testimony through this blog. Thank you all for being such great examples of what a good blogger should be :)