The News

I've started a new blog here. I've been blogging for 4+ years and have over 1000 posts here, but there are some changes in our family that I think need to be documented on a dedicated blog. I may or may not blog at frootloops anymore, so please add the new blog to your reader or become a follower!

Thanks for reading!

Happy Anniversary, Baby!

So, today marks our 4th wedding anniversary. It's crazy that it's gone by so fast! There were days and times that didn't, of course, but looking back over it all? Speedy quick.

Those of you who were there for me 4 years ago while we dated, after he proposed, when things looked shaky, and when they were grand, thanks. For those of you who weren't, well, today is a look back on those days, so you can feel cool too!

In March 2006, I was told I needed open-heart surgery for a heart condition I'd had since birth but didn't know it. We scheduled it for July 6 of that year, around my family's reunion so that I could have lots of help afterward. Just after that, Virgil asked DisGrace if I'd ever go on a date with a Samoan, not knowing the husband is Tongan. I said sure, but I wasn't looking for anything serious. hahahahaha. The same day Virgil asked the husband about it, the husband's dad told him he needed to go on a date. With a girl. So the husband instantly said yes, just to get his dad off his back.

We went on our first date April 8, 2006. Blind date with DisGrace and Virgil (and Dizzy) along for the ride. It was a lot of fun and he asked for my phone number. He texted me a few days later to see if I'd go out with him again.

The next weekend, I took him Easter shopping for his daughter -- she was living with him at the time, and Easter is a big deal to me, so we made her an Easter basket! We had dinner that night, too, and he threw a shrimp tail down my shirt. Accidentally, or so he said.

We watched movies at the condo the next weekend, which is where we shared our first kiss.

I'd kissed plenty of guys before, at least in the double digit range, though definitely not a LOT of men. But kissing him was something different. It was electrifying and rocked my world. We still have great kisses, but I remember that one specifically. It was that powerful.

The next day? Yeah, he asked me to marry him. I told him maybe, that I needed to think about it. I think on some level I knew we'd get married, but I was still freaking out about my heart. I went back and forth and remember telling Steph that I didn't think I loved him, and she countered with, "I don't understand why you think you don't." haha.

Another powerful moment occurred when Kiddo asked me if I was going to marry him, and I said I didn't know. We were on the swings at the park by our condo, and I almost fell off of mine. "Did you pray about it?" She asked me. I said yes, I had, but didn't have an answer yet. "I bet if you're really quiet, Heavenly Father will give you an answer."

I think he just had. I finally said yes on Memorial Day.

At the end of June 2006, his daughter was taken back to California to live with her mother. That was really hard -- we'd planned on being a family of four, and suddenly we didn't know if or when we'd see her again. Just a week later, I was checking into the hospital for my surgery.

My husband (then fiance) drove me to LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City. We got me all checked in and my parents came to spend some time with me/us. I had a bunch of lab work done that day, and then spent the night in the hospital. The nurses gave me Valium so I could sleep, and put up a cot for the husband to share the room with me. We watched some lame movie and tried to sleep. I had to get up very early the next morning and shower with Hibiclens (a surgical prep), and then they got me ready for surgery and took me off to the OR.

My mom said when I came out of the OR, I was asking for the fiance. Not her. I'm sure that hurt her feelings. Sorry Mom. When I realized he'd stayed the whole time, and when I asked him to stay and he did (trying to sleep on uncomfortable cots and benches in the ICU waiting area), I was relieved that he really wanted to be with me! Like the whole 3 months previously had been a joke or something.

Eight weeks later, we were married.

I wish I could say everything has been easy, but it hasn't. There have been some very bad, very dark times in these last 4-1/2 years. But there have been some amazing times and wonderful times and even just so-so moments as well. Even though our life isn't perfect, we are happy and our kids are happy ... and we're getting back on our feet.

Thanks for reading my reminiscing, dear readers. There will be some changes on the blog going forward, which I'm excited to tell you about very soon.

Dead Computers Aren't Much Fun

Yes, I use an antivirus. So does the husband. But we've had both computers in the compooper hospickle this week for viruses. Loverly.

I have 176 unread items in my reader. Sorry. I'm going to have to pick and choose what I get to, since I have a LOT to do this weekend!

We got rid of a fridge, a dresser, two mattresses, an entertainment center, 3 broken chairs, and a wrecked side table today. Thanks to Virgil and Lu. I spent my "chore time" today bleaching the inside of the fridge, so the rest of the house has gone to pot. Hopefully I can get a bit of it picked up ... and finish the mending DisGrace sent home with me (because I have Mom's sewing machine). And then I can finish the diaper bag I started the other day! And maybe get Bitty's quilt sandwiched!

OH! Kristina asked if I really can make diapers. Yes, I can sew cloth diapers. I don't love doing it, but I can! If the end of the world comes tomorrow, at least my babies' butts will have cute fluff on them. Even if the rest of us go nekkid.

I have sick babies.

Maybe I shouldn't have celebrated church nursery success quite so much last week. Little Mister got sick and has been more than a handful this week. He's also gotten everyone else in the family sick. Including the baby. Though my being sick seems to be just starting. Woooo!

Baby girl coughed so loud last night, she woke him up. Payback!

The husband says he'll go to church by himself ... Hope so.

In other news, my mom loaned me her sewing machine that lives here locally. I hemmed 7 pairs of pants that night and have made 3 shirts for Little Mister. Who may or may not be called Stitch from here on out.

I believe Stitch was created by someone with a busy, naughty, destructive (not intentionally) 2-year-old. Stitch was programmed to destroy things. So are 2-year-olds.

I'll see if I can get some decent cell phone shots of the shirts later on.

My ankle is feeling much better, and I am still being a good girl and wearing my brace when I'm awake.

Stitch is trying to help. I'd better save the baby and the computer.

I'm Broken

Not exactly broken. How about torn? My ankle has been hurting for a while and swelling not going away. Driving makes it worse. Walking makes it worse. Standing makes it worse. It's really bad when the 2-year-old hangs on it. So I went (driving) to the store yesterday (walking) and bought a cheap wrap (standing) so I could put it up (hanging on it). I also called the podiatrist and made an appointment for today because that is just not okay.

He asked me to tell him how I injured it. Is it so sad that I could not remember what I'd done to it? I remember that I'd twisted it twice last week while packing and cleaning the condo, but I couldn't recall specifics of the injury.

They took x-rays and it's not broken, but the ligaments are torn. Awesome. I have a (more expensive) brace now and instructions to stay off of it for a few weeks, and to go back if I'm not better in a month. Perfect.

To add insult to injury (ha) I finally remembered how I did it. I stepped on the mini trampoline to step over a gate to get behind it, only I slid while I was stepping. That prompted me to move the trampoline, gate, and couch. Then, while I was taping boxes closed, I stepped into the middle of a roll of packing tape. Awesome, eh? I am a klutz.

I'd take pictures of my swollenness, but my son broke my camera this morning. I don't know if it's fixable.

And I broke my sewing machine the other night. Pardon me while I go cry in my Coke.

Couponing

I have to get back to this. After getting the bath and kitchen unpacked, I realized I haven't had to buy toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, hand soap, dish soap, etc., for MONTHS. And I still have some in the cupboards! The stuff that's down there I got for pennies on the dollar. Gotta get back to it so I'm not running out and paying full price in emergencies.

Off to bed now. Babies are sleeping and I should be too.

Churchy stuff

One of our goals when we moved was to go to church every Sunday, as a family, no matter how tired the husband is. (unless we're sick.) Oh, and we knew we wouldn't go that first Sunday, the day after we moved and still didn't know where our clothes were. So, we've all gone the last two weeks. Little Mister ran right into nursery the first day and didn't look back at all. Before, he freaked out if I left him in there. He'd scream for 15-20 minutes, and I'd go back and get him. It was horrible. Kiddo has actual girls her age, enough for their own class, and there are quite a few young women and enough young men to bless and pass the sacrament! That's a first for me since I moved back to Utah 7-1/2 years ago -- I've been in wards where the elders had to do it. And the husband is actually enjoying being in church and learning and not feeling judged.

I'm not saying our last ward was bad by any means. I loved it there. I miss my friends. But I think maybe all the financial difficulties we've had were partly so we'd get out of there and find a ward that is better suited our entire family.

Oh ... California finally fixed the child support problem, so they are no longer double garnishing us. Sweet.

Must go put on the wrap so I can wear the baby and get a few boxes unpacked/sorted/tossed.