Me, Before Kids

I was thinking the other day about how much my life has changed since I've had kids. I was looking at me from my friends' eyes who never knew me before I had kids. I am a different person. My personality hasn't really changed, but my values and activities have. I'm not sad about it; I was just reflecting on all of it. For example, these are things I did pre-Amelia and Mikayla:

• My job meant everything to me; teaching was one of the most important things in my life...and I was good at it and even was nominated for awards!
• We woke up on Sunday mornings, went to church, came home and Dave fixed breakfast, fell asleep on the couch (the old green flowered couch that had a cat-pee smell that Dave found at a garage sale...remember Candace and Brittney?) until 4:00 when we woke up and went to Dave's parents' house for our Sunday roast dinner.
• It was easy to keep a house clean (maybe because it was a three room, cinder-block-wall student apartment).
• We mountain biked, hiked and camped more...and it was easy to just GO!
• I had acrylic nails.
• I didn't know who Bratz dolls or Zoe were.
• I had extra money.
• I spent that extra money on ME!
• I was smart. I could hold a conversation and could talk about current events and actually sound educated.
• I bought clothes at places other than Old Navy, Gap, Target and Wal-Mart.
• I wore shoes other than flip-flops.
• I didn't really understand what it meant to love someone so completely from the minute I saw them (or felt them).

When it comes down to it, I guess I'm the same person DEEP inside, but things sure do change! Someone said something to me the other day about my patience and how I was a good mom and they could never be like that....and I was thinking to myself, there was a time I thought the exact same thing about myself.

Today's Ramblings

When one totally submits to God's will with a life-changing situation, why is it that the choice is not made clear? I don't know if that makes sense, but if you are willing to do whatever God wants you to do, but you just don't know exactly which choice He wants you to make, it's so difficult. Anyway, if you have answers on that or insight I don't have, please share.

On another note...summer is here. We are having so much fun! I love HOT weather. I love to sit by the pool, hang with friends and play with the kids. I love to have Amelia out of school. I love to not have to be pressed to leave the house in the morning. I just love summer. I think that's one of the reasons I loved being a teacher; I still had that childhood anticipation and fun of summer! Now, I get summer through my kids.

My Mom

I love my mom. She loves her kids more than any mom I know. The thing about her that I love best is that she wants what is best for them, even if it may not necessarily be best for her (moving across the country, for example) BUT most of all, she just wants us all to be happy.

Mom has been through more than any person I know. She sacrificed so much for her kids, but she didn't give up so much that she has nothing left. She is fun, beautiful, and seriously funny. She is so talented...I will never forget when I had in my head exactly the dress I wanted for Senior Ball and I drew it on paper and mom made it. It was so pretty and I felt like a princess for the night. Who else can do that????? Certainly not me! She is an amazing artist and gardener. She is an animal lover. She has good friends that love her. All the little kids in the ward and neighborhood love her. She is just fun to be around and happy and strong.

Mom, you are the greatest. I hate it that it's not until we are old and have kids of our own that we realize just how good you were (and are), but I have realized it. Mom, you are my everything. You gave me the foundation to stand on. You lift me up and you love me. Words cannot express my feelings for you.

On another note...this is from a cute email that a friend sent:

THE MOMMY TEST: I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that. "Why?" my daughter asked."Because it's been laying outside, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?" "Uh," ..I was thinking quickly, " All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information."OH...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy.""Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my face and joy in my heart.

Happy Mother's Day!

Tagged!

I was "tagged" and here it is!
5 things in your purse:
Mary Kay lipstick
Cell phone
Band Aid
Extra ponytail holder
Baby Nail clippers

5 things in your fridge:
Diet Coke
bottled water
yogurt drinks for the kids
Kool Aid
cheese

5 things in your car:
crumbs
basket of toys
two carseats
car pool tag with "Amelia" on it
picnic blanket

5 things on your desk:
a gnome that Amelia painted
lots of speakers that don't work
pencil sharpener
lamp
card holder that Chell have us

5 things in your closet:
a mountain of sweaters (all Dave's)
a mile of clothes (all Dave's)
a pile of shoes (all Dave's)
an ironing board (Dave's of course...can't even remember the last time I ironed)
the girls' make-up (hidden, because they're grounded from it)

5 things in your backyard:
a putting green (really, a real-life putting green!)
a sandbox
a playhouse
a blow-up pool
a grill that I wheeled down the block from a neighbor giving theirs away

5 things in your garage:
camping gear
a golf car
lots of bikes, trikes, scooters and ride-toys
balls and sports gear
yard stuff

5 things in your kitchen junk drawer:
sunglasses
spare keys
hot glue gun
paper
pens

5 things under your bathroom sink:
blow dryer
back ups of all of the products we use that I buy on sale and with a coupon so I stock up
toilet paper
nail polish
a curling iron that I haven't used in over five years

5 things in your hall closet:
holiday decorations
coats
water storage (got rid of the food)
golf clubs
extension cords

5 things in your child's room:
bunk beds
a pretend flower garden with a picket fence
dressers
pillows
stuffed animals

5 things in your house you can't live without:
Dave
Amelia
Mikayla
my TV
my computer

5 people who you are tagging and need to make this blog:
Candice
Alli
Jessi
Jayme
um, all y'all

Amelia's Hard Work Documented

Look at my Baby Go!

I was so proud of her in the trike-a-thon earning money for her school. They worked so hard! The sweetest part was a little boy in leg braces who had to work twice as hard to go half as far. The kids all cheered him on. I am grateful to Chell's family (especially little Ryker who sent his own money) and Nana for supporting Amelia and her AMAZING little school that brings so much happiness to the kids that are lucky enough to attend there!

What am I?

My friend Jessi did this on her blog, so I thought I would try one myself. Here are nouns that describe me:

Baseball Game
Sunrise
Long hike
Friend
Flip Flops
Mother
Party
Sunshine
Dress-ups
Night Owl
Summer
Bedtime Stories
Music
Warm Night
Telephone
Teacher
Silly Dances
Sister
Wife