Failure, persistance, growth

 SO......If you read my last post you would know that I haven't really acheived all of my goals....especially writing in here once a month.  But, we can always  change!  I believe in change.   I guess I need to specify a time that I will write so it doesn't get lost in my to do list.  Here's my goal recap:

1. Exercise.... well I'm still working on it.  I'm pretty good at getting 3 days of exercise and working to make better plans for the other 2 days.  My biggest struggle is that I don't really want to wake up early to do it, but just need to go there.  I have tried a couple of different gyms.  I love taking classes, but they are never when I want them to be.  I am currently at the south riding community center.  It's good, but i can't always make the times work.  Sometimes I just need to work out at home which is not my favorite, but I can do it.  Also need to let go of the dream that my whole family with want to go to the gym with me every day.  

2.  Eat healthy....what does that even mean?  uggh... I'll let that one sit for a moment as I sip my 3rd diet coke for today.

3.  Scriptures:  consistent with family scriptures...I think I'm consistent with personal, but really i need to work on it.... probably do it more like 4 days a week.  definetly room for improvement.  

4.  potty training....uggh.... still working on it.  he is good at peeing.  Poop. gross. don't know how we will get through this.  strangely, He does better when he's not at home.  He with holds a lot.  

5. Nathan:  so much progress.  He now has his license.  His eagle is almost done as in all he needs is to have his board of review.  Science project is done.  Got his wisdom teeth out this week.  He even agreed to go to Prom.  Excited for him. 

6.  Michelle driving....need to make her drive more

7.  Success!!  started tutoring English once a week at the library.  It makes me so happy.

8.  write down books check!  it's in the notes on my phone.  I've enjoyed reading book club books and a few more.

9.  working on staying connected with kids.  check 

10.  parents and siblings check

11.  Hobby time....sewing Nathan's quilt and some chair covers

12.  go to the temple. check!

13.  write in blog.  It's in the calendar now.

But seriously, aside from this super long list of goals, I think the thing I've been trying to learn the most from this year is to persevere.  This move has been hard.  Nathan especially has had a hard year finishing up all of his things for senior year and we've both felt a lot of loss for the experiences he's missed and the lack of acknowledgement for his successes.  But I can see a lot of growth in him.  He's had to advocate for himself a lot at school going to the counselors and talking about what he needs to graduate and checking up on requirements he needs to graduate.  He had to talk to adults a lot with his eagle project as well.  Also, he has been able to acknowledge that he is smart, and he did a great job at his science project.  He is learning how to advocate for himself and the beginning of that is believing in himself.  Even though I've complained a lot about his injustices in moving, and felt very victimized, I can tell that he has actually grown from his trials, and I am grateful that he's had this trial before he heads off to adulthood.  I'm glad he can learn how to advocate for himself before he leaves for school.  Hopefully it will help him as he heads off to college.  It's a tricky balance between acknowledging loss and trials, and staying positive.  Positivity really opens doors.  Being optimistic does help as we build for the future.  Above all I'm so proud of him for the progress he's made.  

Happy New Year! 2022 recap and Goals for 2023

 2022 was a huge year for our family.  We moved from Japan to Virginia.  Joey married Lauren Morris.  John married Allison Hoffart.  Samantha left on a mission, and we almost got Adam potty trained....we'll have to finish that in 2023.  

We also had lice for like 5 months...seriously it was the worst!  Hopefully no one I know actually reads this.  Two days before we left Japan (in the middle of cleaning our house and moving in to a hotel and selling cars etc. Kate tells me that her head is super itchy.  We check her and she has lice.  We of course treat it and do all of the other stuff we need to get ready to move and have a wedding in the next week or so.  Thought we were done with it....went to Virginia to get in our new house and drop off luggage, go to the wedding, travel through the sequioias make it back to virginia.  Back in Virginia we realize that Kate still has lice....and maybe a few others....treat it.  Recieve our household goods which are full of mold.  Work with the movers to get rid of the items that are damaged.  Take pictures and record everything....wash everything that we keep ....washer and dryer are running constantly.  Turn around and drive out to Utah a few days late for the reception and a family reunion and Education week.  During our reunion Samantha tells me that her head is itching and she thougth she found a bug in it. ...yep more lice.  We discretely wash all the girl's hair with lice shampoo.... buy new brushes etc.  Even wash the pillow cases and sheets in the airbnb.  Finish the reunion, go to education week drive back to Virginia.  a few weeks later...yep lice again.  We treat again  (this time Adam and I have it too and Michelle and Saamantha and Kate) and wash all the sheets and vaccuum the couches...then go to Maia's house in September so Justin can speak to her stake...yep..the next week we find lice again.   Treat again..... I go to my mom's house  and everyone else joins us for John's wedding.  We have a great time...  a week or two after we get home..... lice again...everyone but Nathan and Justin....I make Nathan treat himself too....can't control Justin.  Clear for a few weeks....Just before Samantha leaves to go to England...yep lice again... We treat everyone, clean everything.  I go to the doctor and get a perscription for ivermectin, but my insurance doesn't cover it becuase it's over the counter and it's expensive.  Finally find some on the shelf for a bit less.  Samantha comes home from England and sure enough lice again.  Use ivermectin on everyone.....finally become super vigilant about combing out everyone's hair every night for 2 weeks....so much time.....and finally done with lice just on time for Samantha to fly out to Mexico.  Whew!  I've never had something so pervasive....that was a lot of work....and now we've been lice free for about 6 weeks.....crossing my fingers....

But now that we're through that, I feel like we can accomplish anything lol, so here are my 2023 goals:

1.  Exercise consistently (5 days a week)

2. eat healthy consistently 

3. Read scriptures consistently

4. Get Adam potty trained

5. Get Nathan ready for adult life...finish eagle

6. Help Michelle get her license

7. start volunteering again

8. Write down the books I read

9. Spend one on one time with each of the kids still at home, call married kids once a week to check up on them.  

10. Stay close to my parents and brothers and sisters.  

11.  take time each week to develop a hobby.  sew again, paint with Michelle, Finish furniture projects.

12.  Go to the temple once a month.

13 Write in my blog at least once a month.  It really helps me to be grateful and look at my life more positively.  

I'll have to take time later to flesh out more of what I want to specifically do for some of these goals...mainly the health ones.  Personally I'd like to join a gym, but not sure if I want to pay for it.  

gratitude journal

​I just started an emotional resilience class and for it I have to write one thing I’m grateful for everyday.  Since it’s Valentine’s Day, I’m grateful for my husband.  I’m so lucky to have someone who tries to do what’s right even when it’s hard.  

John is coming home!!!!

He’s on his way!  I’m so grateful!  I can see the hand of the lord in the way that he is getting here. Just the day before he left he was able to receive  the second dose of the vaccine. That was a blessing.  Then the day he left his flight was rescheduled and he didn’t have much time between his flight and the connecting flight and he was worried about missing the second flight.  He was blessed with a tailwind and got to his destination 45 minutes early and was able to get to his flight with 30 minutes to spare.  I was especially touched when I learned that his entire seminary class from England was praying for him.  .  Can’t wait to see him!  

Broken dreams

Today I tried to fix my kitchen aid, but I broke it worse than it already was broken.  I also went to cooking class.  It was great! Made fugachi, soup and gyoza.  It was yummy!

hope

Today I was reminded of the power of hope.  Really hope in Jesus Christ.  I have faith in Jesus Christ and because of this I can hope for my development into a perfected being.  I can hope and trust that my loved ones can also be perfected.  What a blessing!  I am grateful.

i also got to watch Nathan improve in cross country.  He did a great job.  I love watching him run.  5 th today and 19:50.  

I’m getting excited for John to come home next week.  What a joy!

church callings

I made a goal with the missionaries to write in my journal daily.  It only needs to be a sentence so here goes.  Today I had a district relief society meeting.  Adam and the other kids ran around the church.  We made lots of plans for our upcoming training meeting, a newcomers fair and a dance that is coming up.  Lots of exciting things.!  Meanwhile Covid is Pretty bad right now.  Lots of kids have to stay home from school because they are close contacts.  It’s really bizarre.  Strange new world that we live in.  John comes home in 2 weeks! Can’t wait!