A month to remember...

Dear Joanie Girl,

Last year in February, we met you for the first time. We loved you from the beginning. You were absolutely beautiful. You were searching for answers as you were carrying a sweet baby boy, right next to your heart. We prayed for you every single day. We prayed that God would give you the strength you needed to make a hard decision.

As we think about the month of February, our hearts are filled with so much love for you. We still love you. When we talk to you, we can feel of your goodness, and you are still a stunning young woman. You are incredibly beautiful. We still pray for you. We ask God to keep you strong and help you in your daily life. We pray that you will be eternally blessed because of your goodness.

I love to see Henry dance when I get out the yogurt (because it reminds me of how you ate yogurt every day during your pregnancy. ) After his bath, I love to see his hair hold onto a little curl, just like yours. I love that when he stands up, he curls his toes on the carpet--just like you. I love that he has so much of you.

I love February, because it reminds me of you. It reminds me of Henry. It reminds me of the forever part that you play in our family.

Even if they took away all the celebration of Valentine's Day-- February would still be the best month to remember, because it means that we met you and you joined our family forever.

We Love You Joanie Girl

Best Friends.

Happiness.

A Family is Forever...

Saturday was such a special day.

It will be forever etched in my heart.

My heart was overflowing with love.

I can pinpoint significant memories where this same love has overpowered me;
The day I married David .
The day Lincoln joined our family
The day Our Joanie Girl chose us to love Henry forever.
And Valentine's Day, where we knelt and had Henry sealed to us.

Henry was so happy all day.
He smiled and ga-ga-ga-ed the whole time.
Lincoln's strong and gentle spirit allowed him to sit quietly through the sealing.

The sealer said something that reminded me once a again of the tender mercies given to us from a loving, and all-knowing Heavenly Father.
He said, "Well, Henry may have been sent to the wrong address, but he ended up in the right house."
We are so happy, Henry, that you joined our eternal family.

I could not stop thinking about our Joanie Girl the entire day.
As David and I waited for our friend, President Giles, to seal us, I was overcome with emotion.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as we reverently spoke of the sacrifice made by a brave young woman, and our eternal love for her.

After the sealing, some of our family, and closest friends gathered as David gave Henry a name and blessing. Once again, my heart was flooded as Henry was promised that, like his birthmother who made the right decision against all odds, he too would be able to make the right decisions, even if they weren't popular.
Thank you Joanie Girl. We Love You.

This journey has been filled with a lot of emotion.
There were days that I cried more than I breathed.
There were days I thought the Lord was trying to give us a raincheck on this sweet baby.
There were days that I was furious with infertility.
There were days that I thought, that just this once, the Lord was trying to give me more than I could handle.
And Yet,
I would cry again.
I would welcome a raincheck, again.
I would embrace fury, again.
I would go to the outer limits of what I thought I couldn't handle, again.
Because, When we dressed in white and saw forever standing with open arms
I knew that
the joy of having a forever family was worth it.
every.

tear.
Thank you for all your prayers, your tears, your love, and your support.

Eternity never looked so good.

The blessing (with David's family)

My family

Best Friends


The priesthood members.

Outside the Winter Quarter's Temple.

(my eyes are red because of all the tears)

Saturday was such a special day.

I Love To See The Temple....

Tomorrow

at 2:00 p.m.

We are having this beautiful face

sealed to us

in this beautiful place.

We feel the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father.

Our hearts are filled with love and gratitude for His kindness.

Eternity just keeps getting better.

I couldn't stop the tears last night

...as I sang "I am a Child of God," to my almost three year old. (He turned three today). I never realized how quickly time would go, and how much my heart would ache that he's growing up so fast.

On the day Lincoln was born, we gathered as a family, with my parents, and David's parents, and we sang "I am a Child of God." Then we had a prayer all together. We felt an overwhleming spirit that this was a special little boy that we would get to love.

Lincoln has been sung this same song almost every day of his life, and he knows all the words. He says his own prayers now, and I marvel that this special child of God was entrusted to my care.

In three years, we have loved the miracle of Lincoln.

He is our Sweet Boy.

Happy Birthday Lincoln Daniel.

We Love You.



This is Lincoln at the hospital. They wanted him to be a baby model for the city buses in Utah.


This is Lincoln on his first birthday, right after his first hair cut.


This is Lincoln on his second birthday, and as a tradition, we took him to McDonalds for an ice cream cone. He did a lot better eating his ice cream at two, than he did at one.
(Since today is Sunday, we will take him for his ice cream cone tomorrow for FHE, after his haircut!)

Now, can you see why my heart was so full last night as I looked at this child of God who I get to call my son?

I Love being your Mama, Lincoln.

I love you soooooo much.

Tons Bit.

The most-ever-in-the-whole-world.
(which is how much you tell me you love me.)

Pay It Forward...

I love to

Pay

It

Forward.

"The Pay It Forward Exchange is based on the concept of the movie "Pay it forward". I will send a gift to the first three people who leave a comment to this post requesting to join the PIF exchange. All the gifts will be made and posted out sometime within the next month What you need to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

So, to recap:

a) be one of the first three to comment

b) post this same promise (or your modified version) on your blog

c) make sure I have your address

d)wait at home all day and night for the awesomeness that will be your present!

Note to receivers: This promise use to say a handmade gift....but, let's be honest, I will not be making something, but you will get a gift!

Have Fun!

Who Am I?

In my email, I am starting to get rquests to fill out "Getting to know your friends in 2009."

Last fall, my mother-in-law invited me to go to TIME OUT FOR WOMEN. There, I was really touched when Kenneth Cope said, we need to be honest. He said, you would be amazed how many women go to church and smile for three hours, but really they are aching inside.

DON'T WORRY. This post will just be information about me (not a long sad story about life.) Real information. The truth, and nothing else. Because really, what I ate for breakfast and what color my socks are will probably not help me or you learn anything of value about each other.

Getting to know the real Brandi; 2009

I am 28 years old.

I remember when my mom was 28, because I was 7.

My favorite colors are pink and yellow.

I think one of God's greatest creations was making Gerber Daisies in my two favorite colors.

We have struggled with infertility.

We have been eternally blessed to have Lincoln and Henry.

We love Our Joanie Girl.

I still believe that I will conceive again.

To me, miracles are such things as snuggling with my kids until they fall asleep, hearing Lincoln sing all the words to "I Am A Child of God," and hearing Henry laugh.

My husband is my favorite person, he is my number one, and I would give my life for him

It is he who has taught me about forgiveness, compassion, and patience; not because I have to be these things with him, but because he is these things with me.

He graduates from Law School in May.

This is an incredible milestone because he has planned on going to Law School his entire life.

We are so proud of him.

I plan everything in advance.

When we go on a trip, I lay out clothes at home so that I know our kids have something clean to wear when we get home.

I organize my shopping list according to the layout of the store.

I do laundry just about every day.

I love food, but my husband is a way better cook than I am.

I'm okay with that, because he still tells me how good my dinners are.

When my two year old yells, "Mama you are my best friend, ever, in the whole world," I say "Really?" but honestly I am wiping tears away from my eyes, because I love him that much too.

I have three brothers, 5 sisters-in-law, and two brothers-in-law, who I love. Individually, they have each impacted our family at different times, and in different ways, and I know no matter what,

they've got my back.

I would be willing to fib about how bad my back really hurts, if it meant my doctor would prescribe a weekly massage.

My dad called my boyfriend when I was 17, and told him to kiss me.

His reasoning was that I would cry and say my world was ending

because I had never been kissed.

He. Was. Right.

(first he called his bishop and seminary teacher to make sure he was a good boy.)

I always go on a least one date with my husband a week. When he winks at me

I get the exact same butterflies I got when we were courting.

I'm afraid of the dark.

But mostly, I'm afraid that someone

will break into my house and I won't be able to save both my kids.

I don't like ice cream.

I love Salty snacks.

I love the sunshine

I don't have any love for the snow.

I like Nebraska.

I LOVE Arizona.

I want 6 more kids, all in the next 4 years.

Who Are You?

I'M NOT A SHADE TREE....

Today is Monday, January 19, 2009.

As I thought about New Year's Resolutions for this year, I had decided that I wanted to be able to keep the goal(s) I set, instead of just making it to March.

I even considered not having a resolution. That would make the already chaotic 2009 more attainable. (in the upcoming months we have to sell our house, find David a job, finish my music for Brazil, and re-apply for adoption (The reapplication happens in April. SO, IF ANYONE KNOWS A BIRTH MOTHER LOOKING FOR TWO AWESOME PARENTS--LET THEM KNOW ABOUT US.).

I have been thinking really hard about what I can do this year to be a better me.

I would like to state here that I will not be making any goals that have to do with dieting. I actually like who I am. I am not a size 6 or 105 pounds, I like to eat "Blondies" from Applebees once in awhile, and I don't always walk three miles a day. I don't want my kids to grow up thinking that they should be dieting all the time. And, I definitely don't want a negative self-image to be put on them because their mom was never happy with her own body image. So, let it be known. I like me.

As we were getting ready for church yesterday, we were listening to some of David's favorite church music, "The Garden," by Michael Mclean. I was trying to listen and understand the message, and then something amazing happened. The Lord sent and abundance of tender mercies, infiltrated with my 2009 New Year's Resolution.

I will not be A SHADE TREE.

Yes, I know. What the heck is a shade tree?

Now, before you read on keep in mind that I count myself EXTREMELY blessed to have the beautiful children and the most amazing husband the Lord has so lovingly given to me. I don't want that to go unsaid.

I love them more than my own life.

In the song, "What Good Will I ever Be," The old, barren olive tree sings a song that I have felt in my own life numerous times. She desperately says,

"The sun is setting, without regretting

another day has passed again and left me barren

Nothing is showing. No buds are growing,

my branches ache to hold the fruit I should be bearing.

Oh what good will I ever be?

This isn't living

If I'm not giving

What I was made to give when first I was planted

What curse forbade me?

I'M NOT A SHADE TREE

I wish to bear the fruit most gardens take for granted.

How else will I be known

If it's not by my fruits alone?"

Oh what good will I ever be?

Sometimes shade trees are really nice. Especially when they are shading us from the heat, exhaustion, and trials of our lives. But sometimes, we, I get to comfortable under the shade and accept that it will probably always be too hot or to exhausting to do anything but sit under the shade tree. Sometimes we invite those we love most to come and partake of the shade we are willing to share. We become their shade trees. We don't help each other realize that the greatest blessings come from our willingness to accept the Lord's will and become the people the Lord would have us become.

In my early twenties, I wanted to get married like all my friends. I was shaded by the fact that the Lord had a plan for me that was different than the plan I had for myself. When I accepted His will, and went out into the wild unknown, he blessed me with a strengthened faith. He regenerated my body. He first gave me David; the greatest blessing of my life. Then he blessed my bodyto be strong, healthy, and ready to become a mother. He gave me Lincoln; my first sweet boy. With the curse of infertility, I allowed the shade back in. But, as soon as I moved an inch and accepted that the Lord knew what he was doing, he blessed us with Joanie, and with sweet baby Henry.

I hope this year allows me to remember to be accepting of the Lord's will. I pray that my faith will be strengthened daily and that I can be accepting of the adventures the Lord has in store for my family. I am grateful for the Lord's gentleness and compassion in teaching me that:

I am not a shade tree

SUPER Tuesday...

Tuesday was a SUPER day at our house.

Henry legally joined our family.

We'd like to first thank our Heavenly Father for managing our first adoption experience. It was an overwhelming, emotionally charged experience that we would definitely do all over again. We have felt and continue to feel the Lord's tender mercies in our family as we think about our sons. We love them, and we are so grateful we get to be their mama and daddy.

We'd like to thank our lawyer, Chris Curzon, who has handled 16 years of LDSFamily Services Adoption hearings. He treated us with kindness, and we felt the Spirit together at the hearing as we expressed our love for Henry Louis.


Thank you Judge Rouse for asking us if we loved Henry. When you welcome a child into your family the traditional way, no one asks you if you love them in order to make a decision to allow you to keep the baby. But, being asked this question allowed us the opportunity to remember the countless prayers sent to heaven, pleading with the Lord for another choice spirit to love.


On Valentine's Day this year, we will have Henry Louis Johnson sealed to us for eternity in the Winter Quarter's Temple.

We love you Henry.
We are so glad you were born.

To Birthmothers and Birthfathers...

Today, ADOPTION is really on my mind.

I would like to dedicate this post to those young women (and men) who are trying to decide how to proceed with an unexpected pregnancy.

Let me start with a confession.

I love Birthmothers and Birthfathers.
My husband loves you.
My boys love you.
(in fact there are thousands upon thousands of people who love you more than you'll ever know.)

And just in case you ever wonder: You are prayed for.

Every.
Day.

Now, I cannot even begin to pretend what it would be like at 14, 15, 16 (or any age really) to find out that you are unexpectedly expecting. For some of you, you still have visions of high school football games, music concerts, good grades to achieve, getting into college, PROM, and graduation. For others, you are starting college or working full time. No matter the situation, you are now facing a major decision.

What do you do? How do you cope with this? How do you get the support you need?

Some of you are terrified to tell your parents because they might overreact (they might tell you how disappointed they are by yelling or other such things...they are human too, and this is a whole new experience for them.) Some young women hope and pray that this new life will go away.

but after the yelling
the hoping.
and
the praying,


there is still a new life to be thought about.

What are your options?

This is where I want to express our family's love for adoption and especially our love for our Joanie Girl; our Henry's beautiful Birthmother who was able to make an eternal decision for Henry; and for our family. I remember Joanie telling me that someday she wanted to have a family (a husband and kids), but she knew right now she couldn't provide for a baby. She completely ruled out abortion as an option, as she knew that her pregnancy was the result of her decision to have unprotected sex.

Don't be fooled. Adoption was not an easy decision for Joanie. I know that she cried hundreds of tears during this time. I talked to her many times as she went through the grieving process. Throughout the entire experience, there was one thing she knew for sure; she needed to provide Henry with the best life. Choosing adoption vs. raising a baby was an internal battle that she finally conquered. She set all else aside, and put the needs of someone else first.

From watching her go through this amazing experience two things are undebatable:

First:
Joanie loves Henry. She won't ever stop. And he will always be taught to love the mother who loved him more than she loved herself.

Second:
Adoption allowed her to offer Henry the best life; --a life she knew he deserved; a life she knew she couldn't offer at this time in her life.

As I think about our Joanie Girl, my heart is filled with incredible love that a 17 year old young woman, who got pregnant by a 22 year old truck driver, was able to stand immovable in her decision to choose adoption for baby Henry. She didn't have a lot of support around her,
but she, LIKE YOU, had thousands of people praying for her and other girls in her same situation.

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to love these precious spirits that you carried next to your hearts. We honor you. We cherish you. We love you.

Adoption; it's about love.

Because Tuesdays were made for laughing

Back to the Future

I know.

I know.

I didn't post pictures of my family at Halloween, so here they are now. The greatest part about Halloween was Lincoln's idea of trick or treating. He would knock, say trick or treat, take the offered candy, and then he would run into people's houses yelling, "I need to see your dog." He also needed to pet one woman's cat, and see one man's tank of fish. I was driving around laughing while BatDaddy was patiently trying to man BatLincoln. Sometimes BatMommy's need a good laugh...BatHenry just smiled with me.
.
(Yes, my mom has already grounded David for holding Henry like this on the palm of his hand)

(Consequently, this is one of my favorite pictures. This shows how much Lincoln look up to his Daddy. )


I know.

I know.

I didn't post anything about our wonderful trip to see my Aunt and Uncle and perfect little cousin during Thanksgiving (this is mostly because our memory is too full to download one more thing onto the computer....so until we figure that out...no new pictures. Bummer!)

But, thanks to little M, I did learn how to make pipe-cleaner flowers, draw countless pictures of Cinderella, learn about (and implement) No-Thank-You Bites, see my extended family whom I haven't seen in 13 years, play games until my brain gave out on me, and enjoy every minute of my 5 day vacation. I was actually rested when I got back.

I know.

I know.

Oh Sweet, I haven't passed Christmas yet.

Twilight..Disgusting

No, this post is not about any Stephenie Meyer books, or movies. Sorry to disappoint!

It's about TWILIGHT.....the time of day when we put our kids to bed.

The other night, (about half an hour past normal bedtime) Lincoln said to me,

"Mama, I don't want to brush my teeth. I just want to go up the stairs to bed."

Now, I am a fanatic of teeth brushing, but I am even more a fanatic of kid's bedtimes, so I said,

"Okay Sweet Boy. Let's go!"

"Will you carry me mama?"

"Sure, Sweet Boy. I will carry you."

"(Now in his bed) Will you sing me a song Mama?"

Understand that this melted my heart, because for the past four weeks, every night at bedtime, Lincoln has become adamant about not having any songs, but would rather have stories about Austin, the Giant. (Yes, I make up really great stories about Giants who play baseball.)

"Sure, Good Boy. What song do you want?"

"I Am A Child of God."

"Okay." (I sing, and then start giving him kisses before I leave."

"THAT'S DISGUSTING!"

"What's disgusting?"

"Your kisses!"

(I keep kissing him.) "My kisses are not disgusting." (more kisses)

"THAT'S DISGUSTING, Mama!!!"

David thought it was really funny...

until he tried to kiss me

AND

I told him

kisses .
were .
disgusting.

In other news...I hope Henry likes kisses because he has started eating Sweet potatoes and carrots, and I don't want to know what his ideas of kisses are disgusting looks like all over my clothes...

OOOOOO,

because we all know that

XXXXXX.
are.
disgusting.

Tagged

A girlfriend from college, Leah, tagged me!

First, let me say that I love Leah! We completely disagree politically, but we are bound through music, our religion, and tagging people on blogs. Thanks Leah!

Here are the rules:
1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules on your blog.
3. Tell about six quirks you have.
4. Tag six fellow bloggers to do the same.
5. Leave a comment to let them know.

1) I plan completely in advance. I lay everyone's clothes out the night before (WELL! if there was a fire we would all have readily available clothes.) My grocery list is compiled according to the set up in the store.

2) I really think my husband is perfect. The only people that seem to disagree with me are his parents. And not that they don't know him, but he really is perfect. I refuse to argue with anyone that would tell me differently. He is my favorite person; my best friend; lover; and eternal date.

3) I love to mix ketchup, mustard, and relish together when I eat my hot dog for breakfast. My two year old loves hot dogs, and I'm afraid he got it from me.

4) I want to have 12 kids. Watching Cheaper By the Dozen only amplifies this desire. I love my baby boys. They are good boys, and I am living my life long dream of being their mom. Honestly, I would have loved having 6 kids in 6 years, but that obviously didn't happen. Sometimes I wonder why--but infertility is not a quirk so I'll stop there.

5) I usually fall in love with the beat and melodies of music before I really understand the lyrics. When I was about 14 Garth Brooks was singing, "The Thunder rolls, " and I said to my dad, "I love this song," After it was over he said, "do you know what that songs about?" hmmm....He explained it to me.....still like the beat and meoldy
Fortunately and Unfortunately, at 28, I still have this problem. The following songs I LOVE. thankfully most of these are actually songs with great messages.... You can click on them if you want to hear them.
a. PICTURE ( this might be the only song on the list that doesn't uplift you)
b. Life in a northern Town
c. Come What May
d. Sing your Praise to the Lord
e. Bye Bye Bye
f. Anyway


6) Sometimes I say "H," or "D" Those are actually what I say. Sorry to offend any readers, but sometimes there are no other letters to describe a situation. Seriously, sometimes there are no other words.

I tag....Mookie, Tiny, Amy, Rebecca, Becky, Sherrie,
and MomJ--I am tagging you in hopes you will update the blog!

Hope

Today, I have been inspired.

I read Elder Deiter Uchtdorf's talk

"The Infinite Power of Hope."

(October 2008 Conference, Sat. morning)

In my life, I have hoped for uncountable blessings.

Some of these include:

To get a Teddy Ruxpin doll

To get baptized

For my brothers to play with me

To go on a date to a very expensive restaurant with my dad;

JackInTHeBox

To make cookies with my mom.

To get contacts.

To wear make-up

To have a phOne in my room

To sing in Sahuaro Singers

To Travel To Europe

To go to EFY

To work for EFY

To get asked out on a date

To get a kiss

To write music

To get a scholarshiP to college

To have a car

To transfer to BYU

To go on a mission

To get asked out on a marriage material date

To get marriEd in the temple.

To have babies.

The Lord has blessed me abundantly. He has blessed me with so many things

that my heart has earnestly desired.

In HIS time, of course.

It's amazing that I ever have moments where I start to question whether the Lord is actually going to bless me this time, or if He has forgotten us in lonely Nebraska.

Elder Uchtdorf says:

Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness.Its absence—when this desire of our heart is delayed—can make “the heart sick.”
Hope is a gift of the Spirit. It is a hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His Resurrection, we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our faith in the Savior. This kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment, and, as with all commandments, we have the responsibility to make it an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope. Hope in our Heavenly Father’s merciful plan of happiness leads to peace, mercy, rejoicing, and gladness. The hope of salvation is like a protective helmet; it is the foundation of our faith and an anchor to our souls.
Moroni in his solitude—even after having witnessed the complete destruction of his people—believed in hope. In the twilight of the Nephite nation, Moroni wrote that without hope we cannot receive an inheritance in the kingdom of God...

Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is confidence that if we live according to God’s laws and the words of His prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future. It is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.

Here's to not losing hope in the blessings I pray for daily.

I have Hope

that David will get a great job.

I have hope

that we will have more babies.

I have hope

we can raise our children to LOve the Book of Mormon and

to have Faith in Christ.

I have hoPe

that our eternal marriage will be filled with continued happiness.

I have hope

that the Lord will be gentlEwith my weaknesses.

I have hope.

God Bless America

Dear Brett and Jay,

Today is a special day in America. Today we celebrate Veteran's Day. Today, In other parts of the world, they are celebrating Remembrance Day . How appropriate. We, at the David J house want you to know that we remember your sacrifices, and we love you. We know you are being led by God to protect, honor, and defend our country. And today, we remember you.

God Bless You.

God Bless America.

Every time we are able to witness a flag being raised, lowered, or blowing at half mass, tears of gratitude and awe fill our eyes. We realize it is because of you, and millions like you that we are able to enjoy the freedoms that America offers.

God Bless You.
God Bless America.

Every time we listen to patriotic music, the conversation stills, and we hold hands. We are reminded that you are making eternal sacrifices so that we can enjoy walking, talking and breathing in a Free America.

God Bless You.
God Bless America.

We want your wives to know how grateful we are for their sacrifices that allow you to continually support our country. We want your children to know how grateful we are that they are willing to miss out on more Daddy time because of your willingness to fight for your wives, your children, your brothers, your sisters, your nieces, your nephews, your moms, your dads, and your country. We salute you, and honor you today.

God Bless You.

God Bless America.

We hope that everyone will take a moment today and stand with their families or by themselves and say the pledge of allegiance.

We will be doing that at the David J Home.

We love you.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all."

God Bless You.

God bless America,

land that I love

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night

with the light from above

From the mountains

To the prairies,

To the ocean white with foam

God bless America,

My home sweet home.

Out of the Mouth of My Babes...

LINCOLN

Dear Lincoln,

Thanks for the sweet reminder of how much our Heavenly Father loves us.

LINCOLN: Mama, I am really scared.

ME: You are. Come here. Mommy will keep you safe.

LINCOLN:Mama, can you say a prayer for me?

ME: Of course Good Boy. Come Here. (insert big crocodile mommy tears here)
Me: (I say a prayer that Lincoln won't be scared, and he will feel safe.)
Me: Come here Good Boy, Mommy will snuggle you.

LINCOLN: I'm all better now Mama.

You are a good boy. I love you.

HENRY

Dear Six month Old Sweet Boy,

Thanks for helping me remember that I need to stress less, and enjoy more, this time that is passing way too quickly. You are growing so fast.

And, P.S.

Please stop crawling. Please stop pulling yourself up on furniture.

You are a good boy. I love you

DAVID

Dear Lover,

Remember when we married for love, and it didn't matter how much money you made at the job you didn't have? Remember when we married for eternity and it didn't matter that I was the Sugar Mama with all the money? Do you think we could renogotiate just a tiny bit? We could keep the love and the eternity, but do you think you could make a lot of money, so I can buy luxurious items like a house with no mice, a mini-van, some more children, kitchen aid attachments, and clothes that don't come from Wal-Mart-Fall Apart?

Could you at least think about it? I'm willing to negotiate the kitchen aid attachments.

I love you with all my heart, and no doubt I will love you forever even if you never make any money, but who knows, I might love you like you've never been loved before if you were really rich. Anyways, just something to think about.

You are a good boy. I love you.

I might have the flu, but at least my heart isn't weak...

YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD DAY
When my two year old woke up this morning, he said, "Let's go vote," I revel in the fact that I got to go with my family and vote yesterday. What an incredible experience for me and my husband to have, to be able to teach our boys the importance of voting.

We are truly blessed to be able to love in a country where we disagree, make decisions based off of our personal beliefs, and then make the changes we feel necessary.

Yes, I can vote. And, you can too.

God bless America.

YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD DAY

With all due respect to President Obama, a leader with whom I do not share many common beliefs, it is wonderful that we have a smart, educated, strong African American Leader to be a role model.

This is a monumental experience in American History.

This is something that thousands have been waiting for since the time of the Civil rights.

Yes, I can stand in awe of the miracle of a free country.

My Country, tis of thee, Sweet Land of Liberty.

YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD DAY

When I listened to President Bush speak this morning, I felt the Spirit testify to me that if President Bush , a man who probably has less in common with President Obama than I do, can be supportive of our Nation's new President Elect

then yes, I can too.

He said, "Last night, I had a warm conversation with President-elect Barack Obama. I congratulated him and Senator Biden on their impressive victory.No matter how they cast their ballots, all Americans can be proud of the history that was made yesterday. Across the country, citizens voted in large numbers. They showed a watching world the vitality of America's democracy, and the strides we have made toward a more perfect union. They chose a President whose journey represents a triumph of the American story -- a testament to hard work, optimism, and faith in the enduring promise of our nation. It will be a stirring sight to watch President Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their beautiful girls step through the doors of the White House. I know millions of Americans will be overcome with pride at this inspiring moment that so many have awaited so long. I know Senator Obama's beloved mother and grandparents would have been thrilled to watch the child they raised ascend the steps of the Capitol -- and take his oath to uphold the Constitution of the greatest nation on the face of the earth.

Yes, I can be supportive.

I can do my best.

I can respect a man

who will uphold the Constitution

of the greatest nation on the face of the earth,

even though he does it differently than I do.

YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD DAY

It is looking like Proposition 8 will pass. With 92% of the vote in at 52% for Proposition 8 and 48% against, we may have hope that many Americans, democrat, republican, or any other party, still want marriage to be defined as union between man and woman..

Yes! Yes! Yes!

YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD DAY

today will be a good day too.

and if anyone read yesterday's post....

Thank goodness for Pepto Bismol...

P.S. Apparently, I need to add the disclaimer that yesterday's post was written many hours before the votes were in.

Obama; vomit in my mouth.

Have you ever been so sick with the flu that you wretched every thing in your body until only bile was left.

I have. And, it isn't fun.

One year at Christmas Break, I had the flu for two weeks.
Two
straight
weeks.
I was really ill. While my brothers were up playing with their new toys, my parents desparately tried to get me feeling better. When it was over there was an inescapable relief that this horrific vomit-inducing sickness was over.

When I think of Barack Obama as the future president, it's like the flu all over again.

Vomit in my mouth.
really people? four years of throw-up!
Come on!

I don't understand what draws people to him.

If I were ranking Obama on moral and ethical decisions that are important to me, I'm not sure I'd even be comfortable giving him an "F."(but if it got him out of my classroom and out of my country, I may consider it...)

To express one last time, my vote against Obama, I will share my feelings on the factor that was most poignant in making this decision.

Pro-life vs. Pro-Choice:

Pro life:

What happens when you find yourself pregnant at a young age; too young to be able to provde proper care for this new life.

Well, Obama says "“Look, I got two daughters — 9 years old and 6 years old,” he said. “I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby..."

Vomit.
In.
My.
Mouth.

thank goodness for pro-life.

Yes, you Pro-life have actually been taught morals and values. You believe that you have to accept responsiblity for your actions.

Senator McCain stands with you and says, "We must begin a dialogue and a discussion on the issue of abortion. Both pro-life & pro-choice people believe very strongly that we need to eliminate abortion. I and my wife, Cindy, are proud adoptive parents.
We need to encourage adoption in America.
We need to improve foster care dramatically.
We can work together...."

Ahhh...
two weeks of sickness followed by sweet relief.

Pro Choice:

"I should be free to have sex whenever and with whomever I wish, but if I get pregnant (a natural consequence of sex), I should be free to erase that consequence."

ummm.....

It seems kind of silly. We don't get that choice in other domains. "I should be free to go skydiving, and if it turns out that my parachute doesn't open, I should be free to not collide with the earth with fatal velocity."
and even if you have a parachute that opens 99.99% of the time, you still have to face the consequences if you fall into the .01% that doesn't open.
So the, "Yeah, but I used a condom, so I was being responsible" argument also fails.

Thanks, but no thanks, Obama!

Number 1: Vote

Number 2: Against

Number 3: Obama

Pillars of Strength

This past weekend I was invited to go to Time Out For Women. I laughed when I finally realized that it was indeed a time out for women.

I wish my two year old enjoyed his time outs as much as I enjoyed mine.

One speaker really stuck out to me. She talked about making a difference. As I have pondered on this the last few days, I wanted to share a little bit about the women that have made significant differences in my life.

These are they: (They are all related to me....I am one LUCKY girl)

Sherrie J is FAITH. “Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21).

If you asked me to sacrifice my eternal companion for three, four, or five months out of the year (or more) I can’t say I would be a cheerful giver. Sherrie, mother of four, has dedicated her life to being a wife and mother. From her own journal of sorts she has said, “How grateful I am for these sacrifices that are still being made to keep my family and this great nation safe. Sacrifices that are not unfamiliar to me. Sacrifices that affected my family directly. My husband has gone to fight in this war, on multiple occasions. I know what it is like to try and struggle as a single mom, trying to make things work while he was gone. Trying to comfort children while you feel like your own heart is breaking.”
And yet, without a perfect knowledge of the future, she continues to hold on to the faith that as long as she does her best, the Lord will bless her and her family. From her I have learned the importance of enduring with faith. I LOVE YOU Sherrie!

Becky Jo H is DIVINE NATURE. “Be partakers of the divine nature.... Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (2 Peter 1:4–7).

Becky Jo has so much passion. But the thing I love about her is that she has dedicated her life to being a wife and a mother. I have watched and learned so much from Becky. She and I are similar in so many ways, (which consequently has gotten us into trouble a few times…heehee) but today I feel strongly, the need to express my love for her. Through the brain surgeries and C-sections (at the same time), diagnosis of autism in one of her daughters, and the uncertainty of where her family would go next, Becky has shown an incredible amount of patience; a quality I wish I could have more of. She has researched every book, magazine, and web page that she can to learn about how to take the best care of her family. With everything she has been asked to endure, the things she talks about the most are face cuddles, snuggles, and what a spectacular family she has. She has written, “I love being a Mom! We are so proud of Brett. We are so blessed.” From her I have learned the importance of counting my many blessings. I LOVE YOU Becky Jo!

Tina B is INDIVIDUAL WORTH. “Remember the worth of souls is great in the
sight of God”(D&C 18:10).

Tiny is the perfect woman. She is faithful, righteous, pure, humble and beautiful. She is without guile and withholds judgment. She loves perfectly. I am certain that if the Savior came today, she would be invited to stand by his side because of her goodness. She carries with her a feeling of peace that stays with you when she leaves. Her profession as a nurse suits her because she is able to continually look outside of herself and see the needs of others. She knows who she is as a child of a loving Heavenly Father and she wants to share that with everyone. She and Dan love to laugh because they are happy. I love that they spend a whole car ride going back and forth about the things they are grateful for, or spending the whole car ride smiling until someone just breaks down and laughs. She can do that, because she knows who she is. From her I have learned the importance of enjoying to the end. I LOVE YOU Tiny!

Darci B is KNOWLEDGE. “Seek learning, even by study and also by faith”(D&C 88:118).

I am a firm believer that my mom is better than she thinks she is. She, like many women, is too hard on herself, and often forgets the impact she has had on so many. About my mom, I believe firmly the words of a sealer in the Manti Temple who said, “the purest form of revelation is a righteous woman’s intuition.” Today, I hope to add my love and adoration for a woman who has listened for the whisperings of the Spirit and heeded the promptings. This has allowed her to be a savior in the midst of thousands of children for the past 30 years. More specifically it allowed her to raise four children who all served honorable missions and married in the temple. I have felt the love of my mom in my loneliest hours and my happiest moments. It is from her that I gained a love of teaching. It is from her that I gained my orneriness, my passion, and my very good looks. It is from her that I have learned the importance of always being anxiously engaged in a good cause. I LOVE YOU Mookie!

Rebecca B is Choice and Accountability. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve….but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”(Joshua 24:15).

When she joined the church, some of her family was not pleased with her decision. She wrote me a letter when I was serving a mission and said, “I had a choice to make between my earthly father and my Heavenly Father. Duh! Which one do you think I chose?” Rebecca has gone on to serve a mission, marry a very handsome boy (my baby brother) in the temple, graduate from BYU-Hawaii, and start a PhD in Texas right along side her sweetheart. It is from her that I have gained an understanding of how the choices we make now DO affect us for the rest of our lives. Thank you for making such eternally good choices. I LOVE YOU Beck the Heck!

Tammy J is GOOD WORKS. "Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (3 Nephi 12:16).

She has done an incredible job raising her children. I am so grateful that my husband has been raised by a faithful daughter of God, who understands her purpose here. It is from his mom that my husband learned to serve with his whole heart. I have seen her goodness every time I am with her. There has never been a time I have been to her home that she is not letting someone move in with her, cooking for someone, driving somebody to an appointment, babysitting, teaching seminary, talking for hours to the lonely, doing visiting teaching, or serving in ways that not all are willing to do. (She LOVES serving as Stake Camp Director and Nursery Leader. Seriously) I have often been the recipient of her goodness. I especially am grateful for the prayers she has offered for our family. If I could grow up and be half as good as she is, I think I might make it. It is from her that I hope to learn the joy of serving to the end. I LOVE YOU Mom J!

Amy B is INTEGRITY. "Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me” (Job 27:5).

I recently read the following, “integrity is a matter of persons integrating various parts of their personality into a harmonious, intact whole.” Amy is my perfect example of integrity. When we visited her home, I remember the feeling of being in a house like the Doctrine and Covenants described when saying, “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God; “
While most of our generation would live off of credit cards and debt, while trying to find happiness, Amy has established a house of God. I believe that Amy’s integrity is more than just being honest, true, and chaste. While she embraces all of these qualities, her integrity is such that she could stand before the Lord and answer honestly that she prepared her home as a place He could be a welcome visitor.
From her I have learned the importance of preparing a harmonious home so that I too can be ready. I LOVE YOU Amy!

Today, I feel extremely blessed.

To you faithful women: Thank you for being my pillars of strength; faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works, and integrity.

It is from you that I continue to gain a deeper understanding of who I am

and who I am becoming.

I love you.

Pumpkin Patch

For three years now, we have gone to Vala's Pumpkin Patch with David's family.

When October comes around,
I get REALLY excited about this event.

I plan as far in advance as I can .

This means:
I clear my schedule as soon as I find out the date we are going.
I get Lincoln really excited by telling him about the pumpkin eating dragon.
I get out our warm clothes. mmm...
I dream about the pig races
and
the caramel apples that David's dad shares with the grandbabies.
(subsequently, Henry was asleep, so the older grandkids helped grandpa share.)

It has become a fun tradition.

I don't remember any pumpkin patches anywhere else I have lived, and I will always remember the midwest for such wonderful adventures in the land of pumpkins, corn mazes, and beauitful leaves.

(actually now that I mention it, I will probably never be able to get away from the pumpkin patches here. I have come to grips that we might live in Nebraska forever...heehee)

Anyways: These are a few pictures of our trip.

This is just to show you how our family has grown since last year



Here is me with the love of my life.


Lincoln and Liberty


Hernandez Family (and you can't see in utero baby Jack)


Our Family!


What happens when you try and get the grandkids to stay still for one more picture!


Thanks Mom and Dad J for helping us build such fun memories.


We love you!