The Mailbox....

Since moving to Colorado I have loved checking my mailbox.  Not that I have ever been expecting anything exciting or anything.  I guess it was just something for me to look forward to everyday.  

Late last night I realized I hadn't checked and went out in the dark to check.

My sister-in-law Irene sent me a package that seriously meant a lot to me.  It's always nice to get an extra something in the mail...but it was totally something I needed to see yesterday...so, 

Thanks Irene!  You're the best!

Austin has been sick for the entire month of July.....super sad face.

I really enjoy being married to someone who cracks me up. Especially when I've had a long weird day.....all by myself, and still in sweatpants. Rock on!

{I never even went out to get the mail. sad-face.}

It would be such a bummer to have married someone without a sense of humor.

Weekend in Utah....

We went to Utah for a weekend during October last year. Austin needed to get all his gear together and ready for his hunt. While we were there Aust went golfing at Wolf Creek with his dad. So I hung out with Jordie, Steve, and Deac during their game. I told Aust to call us when they were at the green right above my parent's house....he did and I took Deac outside so we could wave. It took him a minute to see where Aust was. Once he spotted him he said, "Okay, let's go..." and started walking that direction. We stayed in the yard, but....

....they got to hang out and eat chips later.

We stopped by Erik and Kelli's house. Our timing wasn't super great. Erik was headed out to a Elder's Quorum meeting, but we got to play with the kids and talk with Kelli outside for a while.

But we made good use of our time.

Austin played soccer with Hannah, Cam, and Kate.

Kate and Cam....

Always a good trip when family is involved.

So the weather in Colorado is crazy! However, I am absolutely love, love, LOVING it! I thought the weather in Utah changed fast. It will be super sunny and a hot 90 degrees and then all of a sudden some clouds roll in and we will have a full on downpour. We have basically had severe {hurricane style} rain/thunder/lightning storms every day since I have come back from Utah for the 4th. Guarantee Austin and I have seen more lightning this past week than our whole marriage. There have even been several tornado sirens going off in certain areas and flash floods. A couple of days a go I had to take refuge in a Ross store. I guarantee I bought more than I intended to, and ended up taking a lot of it back after I got home because a lot of it didn't even work out like I thought it would. I don't know why I was refusing to leave, I was already completely soaked. Later I got home and watched the news. Cars were stranded in several feet of water in the middle of the road, basically all traffic was completely stopped.

We basically live right in the middle of the pink area north east of Denver....and it's crazy right now! I actually just came inside from our front porch. I had to take video because somehow, my darling husband has managed to sleep through all the thunder and lightning. I have no idea how, but now I have proof.

I am not one for gloomy overcast weather....but a good thunderstorm, for sure!

7.11.2007

Four years ago today we were married.

The time has gone by so fast. But it's been so much fun so far. Through all the trials and hard times, we have leaned on each other. But the good times have far out numbered the hard.

Here's to many more.

LotoJa 2010

Last year (October 2010) Austin and I drove to Utah. Austin was going to be the support crew for his brother Erik while he road in the LotoJa race. Kelli was a couple weeks away from delivering Avery, so I rode along with her while her parents, Chad and Cindy followed along behind us. It was fun to watch Erik and all the other bikers. I tip my hat to anyone willing to attempt such a feat.

Before we left that morning I hurried up to Eden to visit with Jordie and Deacon for about a half hour or so.

We left Ogden around 9:30 and were calling Austin all morning. He was giving us updates and letting us know where Erik was at. We couldn't believe how fast Erik was riding. We kept missing him at all the checkpoints.

Kelli may in fact be the only person who can truly appreciate these pictures. I took them because I was in such desperate need of a restroom. Traffic was at a dead standstill for a very, very long time, and it actually took us several hours to get to a gas station. I was really bothered these men could relieve themselves when I couldn't. This was their punishment. Yes, I took pictures to spite these guys I don't even know. Oh, well.

King of the Hill

After a while all the kids were a little bit stir crazy and ready to get out of the car. Cameron took the following pictures with my camera. It seemed to help his boredom, at least for a while.

He took at least 20 pictures.

We finally caught up to Erik a couple miles outside of Alpine, Wyoming.

The kids were super excited to be able to get out of the car and see their dad!

Giving the kids a hug before taking off up the canyon...

After Erik left I jumped in the car with Austin to run over to my sister's house. My dad and grandpa had been hunting up the Greys River and were heading home. We visited with them for about a half hour and then jumped back in the car toward Jackson.

We caught up to him about a couple of miles out from the finish line. Austin was getting anxious about missing the finish, so when we got to the finish line I let him out and went to park the car so he could run down and watch Erik finish.

All in all it was a super fun trip. Thanks Erik and Kelli for letting us tag along with you.

Sometimes my husband talks in his sleep.....and I feel guilty, only because it makes me so happy.

Tonight he sat up and started looking around the bed. He was patting the sheets and everything. I told him to lay down. He told me he was looking for the black thing. I asked what black thing. He told me the black thing you play games on. I asked if he was all the way awake and he told me yes. Poor guy, has been so sick the past couple of days, maybe it's the cough syrup talking. I guess we'll see in the morning whether he remembers our little conversation or not.

Greys River Elk Hunt 2010

Austin, my dad, and Jason Bradford drew out on the Greys River rifle hunt last year.

I'll let the pictures tell you how excited Austin was the couple of weeks before the hunt.

(don't look so excited Aust!)

He said he was just testing everything out making sure it worked okay.

Jason took his daughter Maddie, and my dad convinced Emma into tagging along to take care of the horses. I'm sad I don't have any pictures of Emmy, but here are a few they took.

What a hottie.....woot, woot!

They didn't end up getting anything. But they had a good time.

Aust went up the next weekend with his dad. It ended up snowing on them, and they didn't really see anything either. But it didn't really matter. They just like to spend time together.

14 years ago.....

....this picture was taken.

(It's obviously a picture of a picture.....but it's fun to remember.)

Serious Catching Up....

So I am way behind on a lot of fun memories and experiences....thus we're playing "catch up".

Jordan Sessions Photography

She's good.

....Right? And as luck would have it......she's my little sister.

Sometimes....

Our new bishop and second counselor came over last night to visit with us for a little while. The conversation was fun and we were able to talk about the connections we have with the Bishop's family in Utah. We talked a lot about politics and Austin's new job. It was all going okay until the bishop asked me what I would be doing. I feel like I usually handle these questions with relative ease, but for whatever reason I just didn't want to explain the whole situation again. I stammered and stuttered that I didn't know what I would be doing, trying to justify why I didn't need to have a full time job right now. In all reality I probably only stammered for seconds.....but it felt like I'd been carrying on for a half hour. Finally I looked to Austin to "save me". He quickly explained we'd been having a hard time getting pregnant and that I would probably be staying home in order to have time to figure things out. He told them we'd been getting set up for adoption through LDS Family Services before we'd left Idaho and that we'd been thinking lately about foster care.

I was so surprised with myself. I feel like I usually can quickly explain the situation with ease and not really show any emotion or the stress I feel. As they were leaving the bishop shared a scripture with us. I have heard it before, but I think it took on new meaning for me last night.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:

and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it's hard when you see young families playing together. Sometimes it's hard when a child at school calls you, "mom" instead of, "Miss Shawnee". Sometimes it's hard when people tell you they know how you feel because they know someone who knew someone who had the "exact" same problem. Sometimes it's hard when people are shocked you aren't working full time. Sometimes it's hard and you don't go to Sacrament Meeting on Mothers' Day Sunday because you don't want to be given the potted plant because "someday you will be a mother". Sometimes people tell you, "Don't do foster care. Some of those kids come with a lot of baggage. It would be super hard." Don't those kids need someone to love them? I know all the sometimes will pass, and my time will come. I am willing to wait, but if in the meantime all I am doing is waiting, am I showing faith?

Someday all my sometimes will go away. And in the mean time, I may not be working full time.....please don't judge me. If I work full time, all my sometimes will remain "sometimes" and being a mother will always be "someday".

President Monson gave a talk titled Showing the Love in Your Heart

Love causes change. Love brings healing to the soul. But love doesn't grow like weeds or fall like rain.

Jesus taught, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another". (John 13:34)

...Love had three different meanings: (1) It is a feeling in your heart. (2) It is a word you can say. (3) It is an action. The best way to show the love you feel in your heart is to tell others you love them and do something nice for them too.

It may not make sense to some. If I am working full time, yes I may be bringing in a pay check, but I can't put the time and effort into doctor's appointments, researching the best way to either get pregnant or finding other ways to build our family. But by me staying home, at least part time, I feel I am showing my love and a little bit of faith to my Heavenly Father, my husband, and my future family because I am doing all I can in order to get my future family here.