The Fourth and other Channanigans

It has been quite some time since I have posted with pictures. Living at our in-laws we were using their computer until recently. We set ours up and I finally took a minute (actually, a couple of hours) and loaded my hundreds of pics from my memory cards. We have lost out on five houses, but we are hoping and praying that the right one will come along. Everyone keeps telling us that Heavenly Father must have some magnificent plan for us, and has a specific place he wants us to be. We keep praying this is correct. Thanks for your prayers and your love!
Please enjoy the pictures, in no particular order!
My cute Hubby and I on the 4th of July this year! What a sweetie he is! I am ever so grateful for his love and constant support! Without him, I am nothing.
My sister in law, Molly and I enjoying fun before the fireworks! I love this girl so much! She teaches me volumes everyday about patience and the love our Heavenly Father has for each of us!

Sweet little Hannah who makes me smile and feel like a million bucks!
I made this adorable diaper cake for my sister-in-laws baby shower. It was so fun! I can't wait to meet my new nephew.

Angela and I had a hilarious time throwing the shower with Amber's other sister-in-law Angela. (that's a lot of Angelas!)

Molly took this picture of the 3 of the "Sister's-in-law" from the bottom of the playground equipment. I love these girls!

Mother-in-law, Kathleen, and I got into a frosting war. I am pretty sure I won!

One of the most spiritual moments of my life was my sister-in-law, Molly, baptism. The spirit was so incredibly strong and there was not a dry eye in the room!

Matt helped with the baptism.

From the lense of a 4 year old. How fun to see the world from their perspective.

Princess Molly

Matt's brother, Ben, graduated with his Master's degree.

Hannah Banana and I!

Heather Ridge Ward Pinewood Derby 2009

What a proud moment...winning the fastest car! I feel like a proud wife knowing my husband can build such a fast car!

Doogie did not particularly enjoy going for a ride in the baby stroller

When David and Amber were here from Kansas, we went on a big brother date. (Travis called it a Fourple). We had a blast at the Denver Aquarium. I love to see the 3 big boys together. It cracks me up and makes me laugh. I love these guys!

Sisters-in-law Again...Amber, Angela, Brandy
We make Kathleen laugh because Angela has dark hair, Amber has auburn hair, and I am a blonde.

Happy Father's Day!

What a very special day this is! Today is my sister-in law's birthday and baptism day as well as Father's Day. I look at some very special people in my life today and have to take a moment to give thanks.

My Dad: Growing up, I was always "Daddy's Girl" and I took great pride in that. I am not sure where we fell apart along the way, but I have great memories of my father. I remember him putting in Cinderella and watching it with me over and over, lying in my bed. My fondest memories are riding motorcycles and camping up in the mountains. I think it is from him that I gained my love and passion for the outdoors. I loved dancing with him at my wedding. One of my favorite shots on the wedding video is his hand placed on my back, both of us with a little tear in our eyes.

My Husband: He is a father. Point blank. He has been a father twice over and for that, I am so proud of him. He is the "father" to our puppy, Doogie, and he loves him so very much. I love sleeping every night to my best friend. In fact, I have a hard time sleeping when I do not feel him next to me. I am proud of the man he is and the man he continues to become. I love him unconditionally...at times we make each other angry, but I think making up is an important part of marriage. I look forward to the day when I can make him a daddy. I see the way he looks at and loves our nieces and I just know, he will be an amazing father! I love you hunny bear!

My Father-in-law: I call him Dad. I love him to bits and pieces! How could it be that I could marry into such an unselfish, strong family? My Father-in-law is my husband's hero, the man he wants to become. I never hear him complain about anything. He loves and loves and never expects anything in return. He is a source of strength and inspiration for our family and I am so grateful for him! I love him so dearly as my own, and he accepts me and loves me like I have always been there!

My Step-Father: Chris loves my mom and that is the most I could ever ask from anyone! I love my mother dearly, and she deserves only the best! Chris has such a contagious smile and even though he hasn't even been part of our family for a decade, it seems like he has always been there. He is a strong willed man and I am grateful for him!

Grandpas: My Grandpa Jensen passed away many years ago, but I will always remember his amazing smile. I loved sitting and playing in the hot hub with him. He was always so proud of me and I take a little bit of him everyday with him. I love playing solitare because I remember watching him for hours playing, giving me all of his little tips. Matt never got to meet him, but we have both had special dreams about him watching over our little boy in heaven. We KNOW that my Grandpa Jensen is with us!
My Grandpa Willey: I love him for everything he is and does! He is one of the most unselfish people I know! I remember as a little girl he would give me the money to pay for lunch and I would always ask if I could keep the change. He has such an electric smile that makes me giggle like a little girl all over again. I love it when he tells me stories of when I was little...I feel so special! And his "whiskies!" I am a grown woman but I still have to ask my Grandpa for "Whiskies" every opportunity I can!
Grandpa Wilson: I am so grateful that he has accepted me as his own. What an amazing man! I am grateful for his love, his testimony, his priesthood, his smile! He shares such amazing stories and jokes. I love to hear him recite poetry. He has accepted me as part of the family and he is a great example to my husband.

I really could go on and on with other men who have loved me, accepted me, counseled me, held me during times of trial, comforted me, and been great examples to me. I have to mention just a couple:
Daddy Dennis Hill: Thank you for always being there for me! Thank you for your love, your support, your hugs! You have always just loved me as your own! I consider myself your "adopted daughter"!
Larry Petersen: Thank you for your humor, your laugh, your hugs. Thank you for welcoming me into your home and your family!
Kurtis Hill: What a fantastic brother you are! Thank you a billion times over for the friend you were and the brother you are! You are a fantastic father to your little ones! So much of the woman I am today, I owe to your friendship and love!
Ben and David: Thank you for always making me laugh! Thank you for being such great men in my husband's life. We are both so lucky to have you and we miss you!

Thank you to all of those I call "brother!" I have been so blessed an hundred fold and then some! Thank you for the worthy men, priesthood holders, fathers, sons, friends and examples that you are! I appreciate you! My life is full of men who do nothing but love and for that, I consider myself blessed on this Father's Day!

I'm still alive

I realize I haven't done a lot of updating. I think part of it is that I am waiting for something amazing to happen, and it just doesn't seem to be. We have put bids on three different houses and been outbid every single time. This last one was very upsetting because we walked into the house and felt so "at home." I could picture my little boys throwing parachute men off the staircase (and even jumping off and breaking an arm), late night book reading in my master suite, birthday parties in the back yard...we even overbid on the home by $7,000, but the house went for $25,000 more than the listing price. We didn't stand a chance. I even bought furniture, we were so certain and had such a great feeling about this one! I guess the furniture will really go in any home. :)

So, we have some frustration around the house. Thank goodness for an amazing realtor. She is in my in-laws ward and she said, "Maybe we are looking in the wrong places. Heavenly Father must have a special place for you prepared and we just need to find where that is." She said that her family would fast for us this Sunday to find the place where we needed to be. We have asked all of our family to do the same so we may "find the place which God for us prepared." In the meantime, we are so grateful to my in-laws for letting us bunk with them. I love them dearly!!! They are incredible people, but I think I am ready for my own place. :)

Somewhere around eighth grade I was diagnosed with clinical depression. It isn't something I am extremely open about because of the stigmas that so many people have about depression. One thing I am certain is that I am not faking it (as I was told so many times). I am seen by so many as a typically happy person, and I am! But things have been so hard lately. I try to stay positive, I try to keep the faith. I don't use my depression as an excuse as to why I have been so down lately. I am working hard.

Thank you for all of your kind words and support! I am so blessed to have such amazing friends and family! I love you all so dearly and I miss you!

Hello

I love Matt so very much! I just don't think I ever get to tell him that enough! All of eternity does not seem like enough time to get to know him and love on him! He is my Superman, always coming to save me! I am so blessed to have had so much time with him, just the two of us. I love him dearly! I am irrevocably, completely in love with that man! He is so patient and kind!

We still haven't found a house, but we are hopeful that the right one will just pop up! Every weekend brings up something that gets in the way, but I have faith that it will happen when it will happen!

Do you think I'll ever have anything new to write about?

So, nothing really to report. We got moved into the in-laws two weeks ago. It is going well! I am gone a lot for work and I barely see anyone. Sometimes I leave in the morning and get home at night without seeing anyone! Sad days...We are still in the process of looking for a home. Matt is up for a pretty significant promotion at work and if he gets it, it will make house hunting much easier and open up some other things that wouldn't be available otherwise. We are keeping our fingers (and toes and anything else we can cross) crossed, and our prayers strong, in hopes of getting it. It would mean another step up in the company for the boy.

I absolutely loved General Conference and I am so grateful for a living prophet today who leads and guides our church. I loved every single talk. I did something I have never really done before and that is come to conference with specific questions. It was so neat...I felt like every single speaker was speaking directly to me, as if I was right in front of them! I a so grateful for the knowledge peace the Gospel brings!

Just a short little post

I think my little apartment should be considered a disaster site!! I have so much to do this week, and so little time to do it! I have been packing most of the morning and I feel like I have barely made a dent. We still don't have a house, but we are moving into a storage unit this weekend! I am so grateful for ward members who are so willing to help. Thank you!!
I just wanted everyone to know that we have not fallen off the face of the earth, things are just absolutley crazy around the Anderson household! Thanks for your care and concerns!!
My Grams told me she reads my blog, so I have to give a shout out to her! I love you so very much!!

A not so exciting update, but one none the less

I have friends requesting an update on the Anderson Family, and the update is that there really is no update. :) We haven't found a house yet, but our real estate agent is hopeful, and that makes us feel a little better. We walked into one house that was a disaster area. The people just up and left and left nearly EVERYTHING behind! Both Matt and I felt such a sadness in the home, but it was and incredible floor plan and I could have my own massage room! The front room was large enough that I could teach infant massage classes too! But, it was defiantly on the upper end of our price range. I'm not sure why we torture ourselves that way. We could afford it, but we would be married to our mortgage. No dollar movies or anything, and neither of us were sure we could live like that. So we keep looking, and hoping and praying that something comes along. Our agent is so incredibly patient with us, and I'm not sure, quite frankly, how she does it! But she continues to give us hope and love us right along! Thanks Natalie!

Last weekend I took an infant massage class and it was so incredible! It just affirmed to me that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. I am walking the path I was destined from birth to walk. So, I need to teach 5 parents with babies under 7 months the strokes, so if you know anyone interested, spread the news. I have a lot to get done before July!! I want to teach the world this amazing tool! We had a mom with a baby in the class and she said he was usually so very fussy and he only pooped ever 3-4 days. (I think I would be fussy too!!) By the end of the 4 day class, he was pooping 4-6 times a day!! Talk about a lot of back up to get rid of! And not to mention, he was one of the happiest babies I have EVER met!

Right now, our apartment is in shambles, boxes everywhere (empty boxes I might add...we are both dragging our feet when it comes to packing!), and we are just going crazy. We have accepted our in-laws invitation to room there for awhile until we can find a home. That way, we can save up money for a down-payment and maybe some furniture, since we don't have any. :) I am working a ton of hours, but I still enjoy what I do for the most part. Matt has put in an application for a manager position at his job, and we are really REALLY hoping he gets it! He works so incredibly hard for that company and he does not make even half of what he is worth. He won't even have an interview until April because the person who needs to interview him went to Hawaii for a month.

And that is your Anderson Update in a nutshell. Thank you so much for caring! We are so grateful to have friends who love us and check on us! Keep us in your prayers!