My VERY OWN Classroom

As difficult as it is to go back to work when the goal was to stay home, I'm very excited and truly blessed. This job couldn't have been more perfect for me and my family and I'm so grateful I only need to work part-time. Though my family and home were neglected for many days while I got things together, I was able to get everything ready. Here are some pictures of MY classroom:

I'm A Big Boy Now!

We bought Cooper his very own potty yesterday. We figured this way he can easily get on and off of it, but also to help him relax so he can actually go. We have been taking him to the potty and he finally went this morning. I have a feeling this is going to be a long process, but I'm so proud of my boy! He stood up and clapped when he was done. Super cute!

{Don't mind the other stuff he put in the toilet. Not even sure what it was! LOL}

An Opportunity

I've said it before that the Lord has a better plan for us than we have planned for ourselves. Though the goal was for me to be "stay-at-home-mom" this year, finding a full-time in Chris' career field has been difficult. So difficult that he hasn't found a job yet. Today, I was offered a job and it just seems right.

• It's younger grades (which I wanted). Kindergarten to be exact!
• It's part-time.
• It's mornings so that means less time away from Cooper because he will be sleeping when I leave and I'll still have my whole afternoon/evening/nights with him.
• Because it is kindergarten, it's half days. Which means I have MY OWN classroom and MY OWN class! As a teacher, it's been a dream of mine to do this at least once before deciding to stay home, but seemed impossible to do at part-time.
• This allows Chris to continue to look for a full-time job in his career field instead of getting a lame job just so I can stay home with Cooper. Happy husband makes for a happy wife!
• Chris will stay home with Cooper in the mornings while I work until finding a full-time job.
• When he does find a full-time job, we will be able to save for me to stay home next year and to have another child.
• If I teach one more year, I become qualified as a Level 2 teacher. I've already completed all the requirements and passed the exam, I just need to teach one more year. If I don't teach another year, the requirements could change and I would have to start all over as a Level 1 teacher. Not cool!
• I'll be at the same school I was last year. I love the staff and the principal. It's close to home!

I'm very excited, but it's hard to be excited about something that takes you away from your son at the same time. In many ways though, we feel this is what the Lord was having us wait for. Though it's not the plan we had, and I would do anything to be able to stay home with Cooper rather than work, it just seems right. So, here's to school starting in less than a week and an entire classroom I have to decorate! Ahhhh!!!

The Road Trip of Life

Life is a funny thing sometimes. I'm so grateful for the experience we had with Cooper being born early because it taught me that the Lord has a better plan for us than we have for ourselves. This has been something I've needed over the past almost 2 years, but now probably more than ever. I currently don't have a job. Our goal was for me to stay home this year to care for the little guy, but Chris has yet to find full time work. So, my last paycheck has come and I still don't have a job. Chris is still looking for full time, but there just isn't much out there. Hardly any teaching jobs have been posted. It's a trial and definitely one of faith. I was offered a job, but we both didn't feel it was right for our family so declined it. Talk about a leap of faith. I know things will work out. The Lord is looking after us. He always has. I know we'll look back on this and be grateful for what we learned... to trust in the Lord.

Weber County Fair

We went to the Weber County Fair this past weekend. One of the things I love about Chris' job is all the free event tickets we get. We got free tickets to the fair (and the Raptor's game we went to last time). It saves us money while allowing us to get out and enjoy time together as a family. Uncle Brandon and Nana went with us. Cooper also got to see Pawpaw and MeMaw while we were there. Cooper helped Nana feed the animals. He wasn't sure about it at first, but loved it by the end. He LOVED the carousal. When it finished he would tell us "more." He even won a ball at the duck pond. We had corn dogs, funnel cakes, and lemonade. We had a blast!

Girl's Camp!!!

I haven't been to Girl's Camp since my last year as a young woman. Though the initial thought of leaving Cooper for two days was difficult, I'm so glad I did. He had a fun time with his grandma, aunts, and his daddy. I got to know the girls and leaders better and feel the Spirit so strong. Us leaders were up so late the night I stayed laughing hysterically! I laughed so hard I had an asthma attack. Good times! Camp Woodland is BEAUTIFUL! Our tent was right by the river. I was able to hear the water at night and the crickets. I slept so well! The 2nd Counselor in the General Young Women's Presidency speak to us. She was so cute and said so many things that I needed. I couldn't help but crying feeling the Spirit and knowing my Heavenly Father was there and aware of my trials. The last night after testimony meeting I was given a letter from Chris (and Cooper). It was such a sweet, simple, thoughtful letter. It said just the things I have been needing to hear. I laughed and cried. I love these girls! I'm so grateful for my calling in the Young Women organization. I feel so blessed to work with these young, strong, beautiful girls.

Choo-choo!!!

Eileen, Cooper, and I went to the local Farmer's Market. Cooper enjoyed seeing all the dogs, played soccer with a horse, and rode the train with MeMaw!

First Baseball Game

Camille, Joel, Chris, Cooper, and I went to a Raptors game... Cooper's first baseball game. We were surprised that he made through the entire game. He loved it! He especially loved getting to sit on Grandpa's lap. He started swinging his hands like he was hitting a ball. Holding his hands together and everything. He kept hitting Grandpa in the face when doing this, making us all laugh. A sweet old man gave Cooper a foul ball he caught after the game. Cooper loved it! He was throwing it on the sidewalk to whole way back to the car.

My Little Ham

Cooper is our little ham. He's such a silly kid. We love his cute personality. He just loves to be silly and have fun. Having a child is the most amazing thing. How could you not want this in your life?

The Invisible Mother

A friend of mine shared this on Facebook and I love it. It describes motherhood quite well. It's something I want to be able to read again and again and that's why I'm sharing it here.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’

Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I’m invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?? 

Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, ‘What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Right around 5:30, please.’

Some days I’m a crystal ball; ‘Where’s my other sock? Where’s my phone?, What’s for dinner?’

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history, music and literature -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going, she’s going, and she’s gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’ It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription: ‘With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.’

In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: 1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names. 2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. 3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. 4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. 

A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it And the workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’ 

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was Almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.
No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. 

When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, he’d say, ‘You’re gonna love it there…’ 

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible mothers.

—Anonymous

The original story can be found here: http://whatcomfamilies.com/2013/05/11/the-invisible-mother/

Meet George

Cooper loves his new friend that Nana got him. He sleeps with him, reads books with him, wakes up with him, and occasionally takes rides in the car with him. They're best friends. 

He Loves "Wa-wa"

Cooper calls water "wa-wa." If he sees a watering can, he wants it full of water so he can water the plants (and typically himself). Here is a cute picture of Cooper and Grandma "MeMaw" watering the flowers.

Cooper's Developmentalist

Cooper has had a developmentalist visit him since he came home. It's crazy to think that that has been over a year! She's given us advice, encouraged us, praised us, and so much more. She's recommended games/activities to get Cooper caught up. He was caught up at 15 months, but she continued to visit us. Well, today was her last day with Cooper. We will forever be grateful for Kathy Otto. We know she receives some of the credit for him catching up so quickly. As a mom, it was great to know he was on track and exceeding expectations. It made me feel like I was doing my "job" right.

Bear Lake

As part of Cousin's Camp 2013, we went to Bear Lake. For us, it was also a much needed vacation. We spent almost a week up there with Chris' extended family. We were on the shore and in the water every day! We went boating, tubing, jet-skiing, paddle boarding, water trampoline jumping, and more! We played in the sand, went to the pool, played on the playsets, played Pit, and played a good ol' game of Sticks! It was a wonderful, much needed, relaxing week. It was nice to be in cooler weather, in a beautiful place, surrounded by family. We even had a famous raspberry shake EVERY night we were there!

{Summer Bucket List} Watch Fireworks

We saw fireworks on the 4th, but we went to our local Heritage Days to watch fireworks. We parked at a local church and walked to the park. We had the PERFECT view. When fireworks ended, Cooper said, "Wow!" He pointed at them and loved watching them. We enjoyed just the three of us spending some time together. It was great getting to take Cooper to see them this year. He's our adventurous little boy that loves everything!

{Summer Bucket List} Feeding the Ducks

For Family Home Evening we went to a nearby pond and fed the ducks. I found out that you aren't supposed to feed ducks bread because it has no nutritional value for them. You're supposed to feed them thawed frozen corn or lettuce. We chose corn. Cooper loved it! He even threw a few handfuls of his own. We ended FHE with an ice cream cone for Dad and Cooper and a Pace Bar for Mom. Mmmm!