When you're the little brother...

.. things like this happen to you

... and you don't even realize the embarrassing predicament of having underwear stuck on your head ... and you don't get why your older brother is laughing his head off across the room and pointing in your direction... so you just go back to playing with your fire truck.

Your mother's just glad they're clean :)

Trucks

Here is my boy who, for the last year has grown up in a construction zone... and because of it, has developed an obsession for trucks of all kinds.

Cement trucks, pick-up trucks, moving trucks, delivery trucks, fire engine trucks, the mail truck, dump trucks and the the ever favorite garbage truck!

Friday is garbage day and the truck usually comes for pick-up right after our lunch time. We hear it coming, Jack is beside himself with excitement and I can hardly open the front door or pull open the kid's front window fast enough. Then it's silent. Nobody makes a noise while we take in the sounds of garbage canisters being lifted and dumped as the truck makes its way around the circle. Then the truck pulls away and we cheer.

Today the garbage truck failed to arrive at its usual pick-up time. We played and waited and played some more until I felt like we couldn't wait any longer for nap time. I read him a story and rocked him to sleep. I love rocking my children for nap time. I love thinking... and counting my blessings as I hold them close. I love listening to their soft breathing while I gaze at their peaceful resting faces.

Jack was sound asleep in my arms... and then, in the distance, was the sound of a rumbling truck approaching. Though the noise was faint, Jack's little ears caught hold of that familiar weekly joy and he sat up in my arms like a little rocket ready for take-off. He pointed to the door and we hurried out of his room and to the front window. We watched as the green monster made its rounds and then grumbled down the street to the next neighborhood. Then quietly, we turned from the window, re-entered his room and nestled back into the rocking chair. In a moment he had dozed into dreamland. All was right in the world :)

Summer Catch-up

The next few posts will be a summer hodge-podge. Basically I will be playing catch up. So rewind back to May 26th-

Here was Sophie on her last day of K. My sweet, beautiful girl:

With the school year done we could now head off to Cali for family time and fun!

Here we are on our lovely 10 hr. car ride :) Actually our kids have turned into pretty amazing little travelers... with Ryan and I fully dedicated to our "traveling jobs." Ryan drives and I entertain the children. I always try to talk him into letting me give him a break, you know, I drive for awhile while he relaxes in the backseat with the kids... he never goes for it :)

Sophie reading her Dick and Jane treasury

Porter laughing for hours blowing up the whoopie cushion then releasing

Fuel stop and Jack enjoying freedom from the dreaded car seat

p.s. Happy July 12th my husband! 11 years ago today we first met and gazed into each other's eyes across a backyard barbeque :)

The good life

jack surveying the land

We spent Saturday outdoors, determined to beautify (or at least begin the process of beautifying) the exterior landscape of our little Herriman Homestead. Ryan planted 3 trees; two fruit trees for the backyard (plum and apricot) and a Redbud in the front. Ryan worked tirelessly digging the holes, the soil like thick riverbed mud filled with rock and fossil-type objects made the job rough. He was also so patient with our kids and all the neighborhood kids who wanted their chance to "help" dig. I have to say watching Jack stick his little shovel in with all his might and then bracing himself so as not to fall in head first was pretty darn cute. Porter even found a dinosaur tooth in his diggings :) Hopefully our trees will survive the winds and rocky soil of Herriman and grow to be beautiful and fruitful... they were actually included in our family prayer that night :)

While Ryan was busy with the trees I had the easier job of planting two Lilac bushes and a Honeysuckle in our flower beds. I put the Lilacs right under the kid's window and I must say I chose Lilacs specifically, just because of my love for a certain primary song whose lyrics include one... actually the lyrics mention a Lilac tree not bushes... but close enough :)

***********

donkeys

This evening after dinner I spent time playing in the kid's room... I taught Jack how to put the shapes through the holes in the shape ball, his sweet face lighting up with this new discovery. Tossed the football back and forth over the donkeys with Porter (if it touched a donkey, you lost a point). I played animal shelter with Sophie. She took care of the 3 puppies, bowl of fish, bear cub and baby penguin while I took calls and admitted new animals. We played with puppets and Jack's farm, and sang, "If you're happy and you know it," one of Jack's favorites. As I watched his cute little feet stomping and listened to the sound of Sophie and Porter's singing voices mixed with contageous giggling, my heart was full... and life was good.

10 year trip-Part 1

So last month we headed to Cali to visit family and celebrate 10 years of marital bliss :)

We couldn't wait to escape the cold of Utah and enjoy some real Spring weather.

Here we are... hello California!

Unfortunately California was having some unusually cold Spring weather the week of our visit. Luckily our destination would not include snow, only rain in abundance :) The picture above is on the pass (Tahoe area). We got stuck for about an hour... roads blocked because of dangerous weather conditions. Luckily we were stocked with snacks, blankets and good music.

Nothing could get Jack down, not even road blocks in the last couple hours of a 10hr. trip. In fact he was happy to be stuck for awhile. It meant freedom from the car seat!

J today

Morning bed head

Midday mess

note to self: don't leave the oatmeal in the pantry on baby eye level

p.s. still has bed head :)

Afternoon giggles

Evening discoveries

Also... signs of Spring!

Our front yard tulips are coming up (thank you Ry!)

Pics from our 10 yr. anniversary trip to come...

Life is good

(Jack enjoying a sucker in spite of his horrible cold and ear infection)

Why do we have hard times? Why do we have to go through trials?

Some of my answers:

To be reminded that our plan is not always God's plan and that our timing is not always His timing- Last week I miscarried. This was my fourth miscarriage and second at 13 weeks. I was shocked and devastated. I had been feeling so sick just days earlier. Why was this happening again? Just as frustration and fear began to creep in... peace came over me... and I was reminded of His love and the great blessings He has given me. I was reminded that He knows me and loves me. I was reminded that He is mindful of our family and has a plan for us... that He can see the greater picture and so His plan is better than anything I could ever dream up myself.

(Sometimes it just takes awhile for that knowledge to fully sink in, and for the tears to go away)

To grow and gain confidence in ourselves- When we face a trial and overcome, we become stronger. We learn things about ourselves. We are sometimes surprised by our strength, but sometimes learn what we need to improve on. Sometimes we feel that we are just surviving and not necessarily growing. But I think that sometimes the growth comes in just hanging on... and it shows our Father in Heaven that we trust Him, even if we might not be able to answer all the "whys."

To more fully appreciate the good times- Can't know the sweet without tasting the bitter.

To give others the opportunity for service- Last Thursday night I was taken to the ER due to excessive bleeding from the miscarriage. I was home alone with the kids. Ryan was 45 minutes or so away up at the U. I knew things were not okay... I knew it was an emergency situation. I had two angels (amazing neighbors) who served me and literally came to my rescue. One to watch my babies- to be calm, read to them and put them to bed... and another to drive me to the hospital and stay with me until Ryan arrived. Normally I would not have called on them for help. I'm a private person and struggle with letting others in to help me, but I was in need and knew it, and so the call was made... and they answered. And I am so grateful.

After being immediately admitted I passed out due to loss of blood. I awoke to the sweetest nurse telling me that I was doing great. I continued to hear that voice all night and into the morning as she comforted me through different procedures. I couldn't help as I was lying there to think about these amazing people called doctors and nurses. So thankful they had chosen this profession. So thankful for their care and their knowledge on my specific problem.

To learn- To be still and let God teach us.

It's easy in the midst of a trial to feel that we have been left alone or to be so consumed by the emotion that our focus is on ourselves rather than what He is trying to teach us. If we quiet ourselves we can know that He is always there, that we are never alone, and that the silver lining to the cloud might be precious knowledge- about ourselves, others, or the goodness of God.

Be able to bless and help others- Our trials are never in vain... if, we use the knowledge and experience gained to help and bless the lives of others and to improve our own lives.

To increase in humility and turn to God- These are moments when we are reminded that we cannot do it alone, or at least cannot do it alone and be successful. We need His help and guidance in all things.

Opportunity to count our blessings- Once you begin, you can hardly end. From the smallest blessings to the greatest, as we number them we are reminded once again of His constant goodness and love.

To become better than we are- If we let them, our hard times can help shape us into the people we need to be.

I probably shouldn't have announced so early that a baby was on the way, especially with my history... but babies are exciting... so it can't be helped I guess :)

... and hopefully we can be blessed to have another little one come our way when the time is right.

So my apologies for this very personal post. But writing is therapy for me and it gives me an opportunity to think about things... about life.

And life is so good. Each new day is a gift. Each trial an opportunity to grow... to become more like Him... the Giver of all good things.