Easter

So Easter this year was great. Fun, friends, and low key. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to work it this year. I wanted to impress on the true meaning of the holiday and still keep up with some of the other fun activities. I didnt know if I wanted to keep Sunday strictly for religious things and do the other things on other days or combine them. Luckily it all kind of just fell into place. We planned to have an Easter dinner with a few other couples and a sweet elderly gentleman and Saturday we had traditional home made hot cross buns with some other friends. Schedule wise we actually never got around to doing an egg hunt. Which is pretty ironic since it was Easter last year that made Erik obsessed with eggs, and that obsession continues. But he had plenty of other fun stuff. Sunday morning he woke up to an Easter basket and I felt really comfortable with doing commercial holiday stuff with the religious part due to the fact that throughout the weeks prior as we taught about Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection Erik was very keen to learn and talk about the true celebration of the holiday. We didn't have the camera out as much as we should have and then we finally did pull it out it died within thirty seconds.

These are two guys Achilles and Jermaine that were a part of our get together. I was going around the room to take pics but like I said the camera died, so you only get to see these two. Their lovely wives were there as well. Achilles is a musician and Jermaine is a rugby player....we really like rugby and have gone to one his games where he scored! He is trying to make a career of rugby and is at the level where he plays on a feeder team for a pro team. And both of these couples are awesome!

 But I digress....here is the only picture I got of Erik in his cute Easter outfit. Well the more casual after church version. He had on nice slacks and a button up shirt at church but for dinner we went for polo and shorts. But he sure was handsome! The Easter bunny gave him all sorts of goodies ---actitivies for church and General Conference (handmade), very few treats, marbles, and a super cool airplane. Here he is shooting the camera. He has great aim and hit the camera right in the lens. Little stinker

All in all it was a great holiday and I got to introduce deviled eggs to these aussies while enjoying lamb and other yummies. Erik's favorite scripture story before Easter was Abinadi and now it is Christ's death and resurrection. We actually found an awesome app for the ipad from the lds church's bible videos. It is so awesome! You can watch the videos and also explore the land where it all happened and learn more about the people and what living was like back in that time. It is his favorite thing to do when he has the opportunity to use the ipad.

Funniest thing about it is that he will of course watch the crucifiction video the most and he always wants to watch from the point when Christ is being whipped and abused before he is nailed on the cross. we were getting a little worried that he skipped to that point every time and would watch it over and over. That is until we spoke to some one else about it and she had said that she read that children at his age dont understand that the story doesnt end the same every time so they reread or watch it to see if maybe it may change. A week or two ago he told Lindsay and I that he needed to get something so that he could save Jesus. Sweet little guy thought if he figured out a way he could save Christ. That then turned into further opportunity to explain why Christ needed to die for us. I dont think he quite grasps that one but it has been absolutely awesome to see him learn and absorb all of this information. Many days when he chooses what he wants to read together before quiet time or other times of the day when we read together he always asks to read his "gipsures" or scriptures. I am not going to complain or argue with that. It has been great. We just use the Book of Mormon reader that is animated with pictures. So lovely!

Heart Scare

In March our family had quite a scare regarding Lindsay. He went in for a routine EKG that has to be done every so many years and it ended up coming back abnormal. Without making the story longer than normal he underwent nearly every possible testing on his heart to find out what was wrong and what treatment would be needed if any. One of the tests he did was he came home with all these probes on his chest and abdomen tethered to a small electronic device that recorded every beat and signal his heart sent out for 24 hours.

He came home with these on a friday night and saturday morning I had planned a fun date because his birthday had been earlier in the week and we didnt get to celebrate. Problem was our date was to go take pictures with his new present (a tripod to use with our camera) just for fun and to get out for some one on one time but Lindsay still had all these electrodes on and the electronic thing. Not a huge deal but its still hot here and we were outside and we were getting sweaty and he didnt want them to get itchy or slide from being too sweaty so our date didnt last long.

Plus along with this testing came a fair amount of concern and stress as to what this could mean for our family. He was not allowed to fly (non-flying status) as soon as the EKG came back abnormal and without a flying status that means potentially his career was on the line. If results came back with something being wrong or that the Flight doctors deemed not suitable for flying our lives would majorly change. From worst case scenario being us leaving the military and not sure what to do or staying in the military and cross training into a different career (that was actually Lindsay's biggest fear) to the best case, getting a medical waiver and continueing in the profession that he LOVES. I was a wreck but was trying to hold it together best I could.

Prayers were answered and in the quickest manner! We thought once we heard the cardiologists results it would still take about a month for each military (Aussie and American) to decide if they thought Lindsay could gain his flying status back. But we exercised faith and starting playing the what if game. Tentatively thinking about the possibility of our time in Oz being cut short and such. But nearly two days after the cardiologist gave us the results that Lindsay does indeed have an irregular heartbeat but he is healthy and doesnt need any treatment, just suggested getting his heart checked out more often to make sure everything stays looking good, we got word from both countries that he was given medical clearance and regained flying status! YAY for us!

I know that we are very blessed in many many ways to have a stable job with great benefits. One that offers us opportunity  to travel and gain experiences that most dont get to have. Lindsay is in a profession that he absolutely loves and I think would do for the rest of his life if the military worked that way. We are so blessed. Those three weeks were not fun for me in the least. Lindsay is so chill that he did well. Not to say he wasn't worried or stressed because I know he was but I think I was the mess. To think about all those changes coming so quickly.

I had selfish thoughts too....if we move now or soon, that is one more time I have to start from ground zero in creating a support network for myself in a new place, one more time I have to put myself out there to make new friends and get to know the best places to get the things I need/want. One more time to set up doctors and car insurance and all the other crap you deal with every time you move to a new town whether near or far or in another country. I just didnt want to think about doing that again so soon. Establishing new people and places for Erik and dealing with a new career. Not to mention learning what the heart problem would entail and dealing with that.

But the Lord blessed us and although a HUGE curveball was thrown into our lives and blindsided us we came out not much worse for wear. We are so grateful!

I have been stretched beyond my limits (or what I thought were my limits) a lot with this military assignment. I have learned a lot about myself....strengths...weaknesses....coping skills..........priorities....patience......true wants/needs...........and many other countless things. This assignment has been absolutely amazing in so many ways and sometimes I have days where I just wish I could call up my mom or Lindsay's mom or my best friend and her show up on my door step 10 minutes later. But I have learned that it is not good to dwell on that wish nor be jealous of those who have that, because frankly that is not my reality nor will it be for years to come. I have to find ways to cope now that will help me now. I need and want to embrace and capture everything I can get while I am here and now so that I can look back and know I have done my best in every way possible and didnt continuously crawl into a deep hole that is so easy to do sometimes.I have to look for the bright side, the silver lining, and usually that means looking at the two leading men in my lives to ground me.

Fantiggidytastic!

That title is for you Haley Jo!!!

So today marks a couple of milestones in Linds' and my life. Right about now exactly 5 years ago today....Lindsay and I were sitting together on a bench in a sealing room in the Spokane washington temple with President Wagstaff talking to us about our marriage that was about to take place.

As I reflect back I remember lots of things about that morning.....waking up early nervous and excited.........going to the salon to get my hair done by Eleasha..............rushing to the temple to get in my dress and meet Lindsay.................sitting together in the celestial room while we waiting for our guests to go into the sealing.......walking into the sealing room hand in hand and amazed that so many people had shown up (we had standing room only!)...............looking into Lindsay's eyes as we were sealed for time and all eternity knowing that he is my best friend, my companion, my lover, and who I wanted to spend forever with!

It was so grand! I remember coming out of the temple that morning and being surprised that it was snowing like crazy! My nerves were gone by that time but I still didn't feel well. Lindsay and I had gone to lunch at applebee's with his family and his best friend Erik following the temple and then Lindsay and I went back to our first apartment to finish packing for Mexico. I remember feeling so sick in the car on the way that I almost wanted to make him pull over....I didn't say a word and Lindsay still claims to this day that I was sick because I got cold feet. I assure you that was not the case, I was truly sick (I had even called in sick a few days prior to the wedding from work). Once at the apartment I ended up puking and I was so embarrassed....who wants to be sick on their wedding day and have their new groom watch that? Not me.

So we finished packing and left for the reception. By that time it was like a blizzard out but we didn't care we were excited to celebrate and head to mexico. The reception was splendid, we have my mom who was a huge part of the planning to thank for that!

And then it was off for our first week as a married couple.

So today we not only celebrate 5 years together which have been fun, tough, a learning experience, blissful, emotional, and adventurous but we also got to talk to our sweet birth parents on the phone for the first time. It was amazing to hear their voices, to hear their strength, to talk about some of the details with traveling and openness.......today is just a great day!

S and B (birth father) have decided for right now that we will send them pictures and letters to let them know about how the moon babe is doing after placement. We are so glad that modern technology makes this communication so much easier than in previous generations to help them heal and move forward. Honestly I feel so blessed to have these two individuals in my life, I could not have picked better people! Poor Lindsay got sick while he was out of town this week and so was all congested but it was nice to talk. And S's caseworker seems fantastic and very on top of it! She has been working on getting things laid out for all of us for when placement occurs. It would be nice to have her there for S and for us but we will all be all right!

So everything is falling into place, Heavenly Father is paving the way for us. I truly believe that. I was a bit worried last night that Lindsay was going to miss the call because he was flying home last night and his flight was delayed, and earlier in the week when he left the same thing happened and he almost missed his training, we prayed that he would make it so that he wouldn't have to reschedule this training. I know that by our faith and asking for help that we are all being blessed!

Also I talked to a woman who owns a rescue this morning about Sadie and she will take her! We are going to continue to foster her for a little bit but the rescue is going to pay for her to be spayed and the rest of her shots and then will take her out to get her a forever home, such a relief!

Hope all of your saturday's are going well! I think you should all help us celebrate and buy yourself a nice hot cocoa with caramel or mint mixed in or something. Today should be good!

Survivor Sadie!

So little Miss Sadie is a trooper to say the least! She is coming back from the nasty disease of Parvo and she is coming back with a vengeance! She is still rail thin (we have been calling her our back of bones-poor thing) but now she is not puking or having diarrhea and so she is now starting to gain back weight, which is great. With the weight her personality and spunk is back too and she is so fun. The potty training thing has totally reverted back to square one but she is smart so I am sure she will do just fine.


This is a picture of where Lindsay found her when we was getting ready to finish his business. SOrry-kind of gross, but too funny not to show! And the second is just a picture of her curiosity.





On friday night Lindsay and I attended our Ward's Trunk or Treat and because it was raining we passed out candy from the classrooms. It was a fun night, it was especially nice to get out after having cabin fever with Sadie all week. It was nice to be her little nurse but nice to socialize too.




This is my dear friend Amy and her sweet Hannah girl! I am lucky that I get to see her cute dimpled face in the mornings when we walk and whenever else we hang out.






I talked to Haley (BEst friend and Sister in-law) this weekend and even though I already knew we got to talk a bunch about her pregnancy and how she is having a sweet little girl! My brother and his wife Wendy are also going to have a baby next year, but we don't know what they are having yet. If they have a girl then Lindsay and I will have 5 nieces and no nephews, crazy huh? But that's all right that just means everyone can share hand me downs and girly stuff. I miss our families so much and hope that we can make it home for Christmas.

Families have been on my mind a lot lately and I was reading another blog yesterday where they had bore their testimony. I thought that was very courageous and inspiring. So today I would love to share a part of my testimony with you all as well and please feel free to follow suit on your blogs or in emails!

I know that Heavenly Father has an amazing plan for each of us, the plan that some of us know as "The Plan of Happiness." I also know that each of us while here on earth will suffer and go through things that we think we can not handle at times. Whenever I get to this point, I am always humbled as I pray-feeling warm conforts from the spirit and knowing that part of Heavenly Father's plan was to have an Atonement. This event that continues to play out in all of our lives leaves me speechless! I know I do not understand the whole thing but I do know that it has given me the most rich blessings and I can't wait to learn even more.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to pray and talk to my Father knowing that He hears AND answers my prayers. And when I recognize the answers it always makes my heart swell with JOY because it makes me feel special that he knows me so well and always gives the best answer, even if it is across the moon different from what I had in mind.

I know that Families are forever and that through temple ordinances our families can be sealed for all Eternity, the Greatest Blessing! I love my husband with my entire being and am so glad that no matter what we will always be sealed.

I hope that each of you feels the love that God has for you and knows that YOU are HIS children and he loves you. I look forward to reading your testimonies as well.

With love,
SOmmer