Welp lets update ya....

The pictures didn't upload in the right order but oh well! So first we had Sariah's birthday at the end of August. And we had a great BBQ this year. And of course I did all the prep work and Dwayne and his Brother Shawn took all the credit standing at the grill. LOL Sariah is now old enough to love babies and so she got a shopping cart for her babies with a bathtub and a doctor kit. She got Pajama's and coloring books. She got bubbles and a play camera. She had a great time. And of course I asked my mom to do the cake and she out did her self again. She made a cute princess crown cake with cupcakes. It was so good. Thanks to everyone who came.
And then it was time for school to start. I took some pics of Isaiah but of course I left my camera at home when I went to Micah's school. So those are on my phone which I don't know how to upload to the computer. But Isaiah insisted on wearing his new yellow shirt with his yellow backpack. He loves school this year. He is in a self contained class with only 6 kids from k-2nd grade. He also goes into the Gen Ed class a couple times a week. His teacher says he's the best kid in the class ( poor teacher!!) this year so far. He is really smart when you can get him to focus for a min. He goes all day which is great. And then Micah is in 2nd grade and he goes to a different school than Isaiah. So it's a little hard this year with different days off, but it's OK. He had a little bit of a rough start. He would blurt out answers and read when the teacher is talking. But we have worked with his teacher, who is wonderful by the way. And we have come up with some god solutions to help him, and he's making progress.

And then we had Halloween last week. The boys both wanted to be Ninja Turtles. My mom helped me make the costumes for them. The were very excited this year. And then Sariah was a "Baterina". She looked so cute and when we went Trick or Treating she would walk right up to the houses and in her very little voice she would say "Trick or Treat". She is getting old enough to understand Holidays now which is so cute. But dangerous because she is circling things in the Toys R us catalogue. She has a pretty big list for Christmas.

Other than that the only new thing is that we are waiting a year to apply to med school. Dwayne needs to get his GPA up from when Isaiah was born and in the hospital. So he's taking classes this semester and next and summer. And then next fall we will start applying. It was a little bit of a downer to hear form his Pre-med advisor he needed to get that up. But I know the lord has a plan for us. So we are trying to be patient as one by one our neighbors move out because they are done with school. But at least we have one neighbor who is applying at the same time. It always helps to have a friend doing the same thing at the same time. So that's what been up with us lately.
Happy Fall!!!

I haven't updated in a while, oops!!! But here are some of the most recent things that have been going on in our crazy lives. Micah had his Art Celebration at school right before school got out for the Summer. He painted two pictures one was trees and the other one was a praying mantis that he gave to his Grandma for Mothers day. She hung it in her kitchen so next time you are over please take a look. And then he lost his two top front teeth within a week of each other. So he talks with a lisp right now. Can't believe my little boy has finished 1st grade and is moving on to 2nd grade. But I do love having an older child to kind of watch out for his brother and sister.

Things new with Isaiah, He finished Preschool and Ensign Elm. He had a little graduation party for the parents, They had a slide show and gave out diplomas. He will miss that school so much he had the best teachers! Nest year he will go to Emerson Elm for Kindergarten. He will be in Special Ed still but it's what is best for him right now. And then the pic with the stickers, well he did that without me asking but some days I wish he could tape his mouth. He gets on phrase in his head and repeats it over and over again. But I love how sweet he is to his sister!!

And then Sariah she is getting cutter and cutter every day. She can talk really well so she tells you what she likes and doesn't like. She is a bit sassy right now she loves to tell us NO!! She copies what her brothers do hence the pic with her reading the Toys r us add that came this week in the mail. She is too funny sometimes. And then Grandma bought her that cute purple dress and she insisted on wearing it two days in a row. I'm sure she would wear it every day if I would let her. She is getting to be so much like me it's scary. She love shoes and clothes of course and just got her first barbie at Mc Donalds. I love having a little girl!

And Dwayne is still studying for the MCAT. And then will apply to Med school in the Fall. I am still the secretary in the Relief Society which keeps me pretty busy and I have anew found love for reading. Just finished Some one knows my name. And it was a great book!! Looking forward to a fun filled rest of summer and maybe a vaca or two after Dwayne's test and the end of July. So there is our little update! Have a fun 4th :)

Well so much has been on my mind this last week. I hear things about others that make me sad inside!! I hear things about marriage that make me wonder why are you even married if you allow your self and your spouse to do things like that. It makes me want to to cry for them. In this last General Conference there was a talk by Richard G. Scott about The Eternal Blessings of Marriage. It talks about how important it is to have faith in your spouse and never speak unkind words to them. It also talks about keeping your covenants you made with the lord when you were married. And even if you weren't married in the temple you should still hold respect for your marriage. You shouldn't do things to put your marriage in jeopardy!

It really struck me when he talked about his son passing away and how he and his wife were comforted in knowing they would see him in the next life. And that made me wonder, Are we really doing all we can to get back to our Father in Heaven? And are we doing all we can to preserve our marriage? I was recently talking with a friend and she told me that in her first marriage she was asked by her souse to do things no one should ever have to do , not even in a marriage. And that she was miserable having to put up with this. And I say at what point do you say to your self that no marriage can make it with these things getting in our way?

We know that pornography is bad but why would we let it in to our marriage? Marriage is most sacred to the Lord. And what we do in our marriage effects the rest of our lives. I firmly believe that it effects our professions, our friendships, and the way we parent our children. Some times I wonder if we wouldn't let our children watch it because of profanity or nudity why would we let ourselves watch it.

It hurts my heart to know that some of the best people I know have let the adversary get in to their marriage and potentially wreck that sacred bond between husband and wife. I would hope that sooner rather than later they will understand why it's so important to not let Satan dictate your marriage because it will only lead to unhappiness in every aspect of your life. I love all my friends and only want the best for all of you!!

What's new...

Well what is new you might ask I got a new camera for Valentines. And as soon as I figure out how to hook it up to the computer I will post new pics!! So Dwayne registered for the MCAT! It's in June and he will be sending out Med school applications in April and May. So we could start next Fall :) It's becoming a reality that we might be moving out of state but our first choice is Utah. And then Isaiah is getting evaluated for medication next week. Which is good for all parties involved!! And then Sariah has been getting so big and she is talking so much. I love to listen to her and her little voice. And who knew she loves shoes!! I wonder where she got that? And shopping for her shoes is so fun because they are so small! We are getting cabin fever with all this crazy weather we are having. We had a few good days to play outside but nit all the snow had melted so with that comes muddy shoes and clothes. But anything to get out some energy. Especially Isaiah!!

I'm thinking about going back to school and doing some online classes this Summer or Fall. I can get all my general ed classes done and then when Sariah starts school I can take my major classes. Still haven't decided if I'm going to finish up music or do something else. I really like Child Life or Nursing. I love that when we go to the hospital they have such wonderful people who explain things to Isaiah so he can understand them better, and they play so well with the sick kids. And I love the nurses there too. I would love to work in a children's hospital some day! But we'll see I first have to do Math, yuck! I sucked at Math so I might have to have Dwayne tutor me. He is so good at math it's ridiculous. Any way something to think about but I have lots of time.

So that's what's going on in our busy house right now. Just waiting for things to get moving and for the warmer weather!!

New Beginings

This being my first post of the new year I thought I would share with you some goals that we as a family have made for the year. In our ward this year we are trying really hard to accomplish the ward goals. They are have 52 Family Home evenings. This has been much easier with Dwayne working days and having one class in the morning and one after work and being home in time for Family night. the next goal is to read the Book of Mormon as a family. Dwayne had a great idea of reading the Joseph Smith History first. And this has really helped us to be more interested in reading. It helps to know how the Book of Mormon came about. And how the gospel was restored. The next one is to have 6 missionary experiences this year. And we already have one in the works. Our neighbors from India have let the ward missionaries in to their house. And then last week before we left for church they asked if they could join us next week for church. We have stated planting the seed with them by just helping them get adjusted to Utah, and help them get things they need for their apartment. And now they want to know more about our church. Also visit the temple 12 times in the year. We didn't get to the temple in January but we have set aside a day every month to go to the temple. And I know it will help strengthen our family if Dwayne and I visit the temple every month. And I will start going with the Relief Society in the mornings on Sat. or doing Sealings with the ward once a month. And then we need to read the New Testament as a couple or individually. We are in the Marriage and family relations class right now but in a few weeks we will be back in Gospel Doctrine so we can catch up on our reading.
We are excited to so these things because we know if we do them it will make our family that much stronger!!

Also there have been a lot of changes for us this new year. Dwayne got a new job working in Customer Service for the University Hospital. And it works nicely around school he works 9-3:30 m-f so he can have a class in the morning and one at night and lab on Tue nights. He is also taking MCAT prep course on Sat mornings. He is super busy but he has more time to spend with the family now.

As for me I just got a new calling in our ward. I'm the Secretary in the Relief Society. This calling is a calling that will force me to get organized. I have to make all the appointments for the Presidency visits. Make agendas for our meetings, and get the Visiting teaching reports to the stake every month. I also have to take roll every Sunday. Lots to do but I'm sure once I get the hang of it it will not be so hard.

Micah is doing well in school. After Christmas we told him we did not want to hear again from his teacher that he was getting up in class and talking to other kids during math time. We did not tell his teacher what we expected. But the first day back she sent home a note saying Micah did a great job at listening today. We were so proud. He is getting done with his math fast still but he now reads quietly instead of talking.

Isaiah is doing well in school. His teacher said he is the "leader' when they have free choice time. The other kids love to follow him and do what he is doing. But on the other hand when they are having a structured time like circle time, if he hears the tiniest noise he gets distracted very easily. Also he left the water running in our bathroom last weekend after stuffing a pencil, toothbrush and some toilet paper in the drain. We had quite a flood to clean up. So we have decided that now is the time to put him on medication. After talking with his teacher and the therapists we all feel like we want to see what the effects will be before we decide where to place him for Kindergarten. if he does well he will go into a mainstream class if not he will continue in Special Ed.

And Sariah is almost 18 mo. time flies so fast. My baby isn't a baby anymore. She has started going to Nursery at church and she loves it. We have been blessed all of our kids loved it. She is starting to talk more and make some animal sounds which is super cute. And she has a little attitude which is not so cute! She loves going over to Grandma's and playing and being spoiled. She loves shoes and playing with her babies.

So we have a lot of new things this year but are excited for what the new year brings!

Service and Such

So this time of year is usually a time when most people think of doing service for others. We usually wait until the holiday's to think about what we could do to help our family, friends, and neighbors. But why do we do that? Why can't it be an all year thing. With my current calling in my church as compassionate service leader over pregnancy's I have the wonderful opportunity to make this and all year event. I get the phone calls from the ladies who are pregnant and heaven forbid have a problem or complication and I get to help assist them in getting what they need. This last week I had two. One of my neighbors who is 7 mo preggo was in a car accident! And while she didn't sustain any serious injury to her or the baby she did have some contractions on the day of the accident and then was just stiff for a while. And then another girl due the same day as the other one fractured her foot. And so it was hard for her to get up and around. So I got to call people to line up dinner for them for a few days. I love helping others and I love getting others involved.
And then I had two ladies who had babies in November. And I get the wonderful opportunity of bringing the first dinner when they arrive home from the hospital. I love this because I get the first peak at the baby's!! That's why I love this calling. But it extends even farther than just the church. My new neighbors across the hall from me are from India and they are expecting their first baby! And I thought well why couldn't I use my resources to help them also. So I have put out the word to help get some baby items for them as well. And we plan on helping them with meals when they get home from the hospital. The other thing we have been able to help them with is driving them to the store when they need a ride. The husband is taking driving lessons now but in the mean time we help out when we can. We have introduced them to the DI to get things like a T.V.

And all of this gets me thinking why I wasn't doing it before it became a "calling". I mean I don't think of it as a chore now because I find pleasure in helping others, but why wasn't I thinking of others before like this. And I realized it was because I was so wrapped up in my own life. I would dread getting the e-mails about someone needing dinner. I would delete it before even reading it. I would think it was so hard to plan a meal and then walk it the 50 feet or so to my neighbor's house. But now I think of it as Ok I'm making chicken in my crock pot so I'll just add a few more chicken breasts so I case I need a dinner for some one it's already there. And I heard a great thing at church yesterday. When your grocery shopping buy one can for you and one for your neighbor just in case you find some one who might need extra food. And why not, why couldn't you do that. If you are not able maybe your the one needing the extra food then think of other ways to serve. I also pass along clothes that my boys wear out to others who may not be able afford new clothes. I mean why not give perfectly good clothes to those who need it.

And I want you to know this is not a post to say how great I am at helping others. It is my way of hoping to inspire you to get out there and find ways to serve. And not just at Christmas time. People need help all year and if you have the resources you should get out there and help!! Even if it's a small effort of just saying Hi to some one new and making a new friend, or listening to a friend. Everyone is capable of helping someone!! You will never feel better about yourself then when you forget yourself and think of others! Now I encourage you to go out and find ways to help others and then post in on my comments section we can all use a little inspiration form you all!

To medicate or not to medicate

I haven't updated in a few weeks because it's just been so crazy around our house!! So Isaiah got his casts on and only had to wear them for two weeks instead of three. his range of motion in his heels was much improved after two weeks. So now we just wait for his night splints to come in. Not sure how long he'll have to wear them but we will see if the help also. And the newest thing with Isaiah is that his school has said they have done all they can for him at this point. He was going to a special therapeutic pre-school to help him with peer interaction and his ADHD. Well now he plays well with the other kids and gets along with them which is great! But on the other hand his teacher has said that they have done all they can to help him with his ADHD but they feel as though it might be out of Isaiah's control. That he might now be able to just work on it by himself. They want us to talk to the phychiatrist at the school again about putting him on some medication. The problem we have with that is the psychiatrist only gave us one option that she recommends. And I would like to know more options before I say yes to medication for him. So in talking with the occupational therapist she suggests that we have him seen by a Nurophycologist first. She said they might have some other things we could try before jumping into medication right away. So we'll see if we can get in soon for that.

So on that note he will start at a different school in January. He will go to Ensign Elementary to special needs pre-school. And this class will have speech and occupational therapy in the class room.We will see if this is enough to stop going to private therapy. We love the therapists he has now but would love not to have to drive out to Sandy 3 times a week. And also today was our primary program and of course he wouldn't be Isaiah if he didn't march around clapping and yelling the songs. And while is highly entertaining for the rest of the parents we are just hurting inside because we don't know what to do right now to help him pay attention better. Sometimes I just want to cry inside knowing that my son is "different". I mean I see the way other 4 yr olds act and then I see Isaiah who can't stay focused on one thing for more than 30 seconds. And he makes silly faces all the time and sings to himself while he's rolling around on the floor. I love him to death and I think that's why it's so hard to watch him go through this stage in life so "different" from all the other kids. I wish he came with a handbook so I could know what to do at every stage in life. But part of being a parent is to learn with your child and help them find their way in life by guiding them in the right direction. I'm his mom and it's my responsibility to make sure he has everything he needs. And even though at times it seem overwhelming, I'm very happy when things go right and something for Isaiah is improved. He is so much better that he was when we started this whole process when he was 16 mo. old and he couldn't walk or talk.

Other new things are that Sariah is talking now. She can say uh-oh and mommy and daddy. And the rest is alsdflkj laskdfj woeiru mxcnbm. But none the less it is the cutest thing. And she is just running around all over the place! And Micah's football season came to and end last week. They improved a lot over the season. He still has one more year of flag football before he can play contact with pads but he's doing great! And it's fun to watch Dwayne in his element coaching the team!
And thanks to every one for the great birthday wishes yesterday!! This was the year for jewelry. I got some great purple necklaces and bracelets! And Isaiah helped Dwayne make me a cake, and it was edible! So that's what's new around here. Thanks again for reading my blog everyone!!