Monique

Well I have told you about the boys, you could say I am saving the best for last. Monique is the best little girl. She was awesome this last year when I had migraines, she would clean the kitchen, make dinner, and always keeps her room clean. Did I mention SHES EIGHT!! She will make a good mother and wife someday. Monique has struggled in school a little bit and has to work a little bit harder then the boys, but she has made Honor Roll twice. Monique has great taste in cloths, and will let you know if you mach or not, or if what your warring is fashionable. Monique has been a mommy’s girl from day one. I kept expecting her to change and be a daddy’s girl around three years of age, but it never happened. She was not a crudely baby at all she wanted to eat and then be put down in her own bed. To this day she will take up an entire bad no mater the size. Ok, we will have to see how the wife thing will turn out. They may have to have two beds. Monique has read half of the Book of Mormon by herself and is reading the other half with the family. I hope to have it finished when she turns nine in September. She is the only grand daughter on Tom’s side and is ready for a girl cousin ( hint, hint).

Tommy

I have some peace from the kids, so I wanted to tell you about Tommy. Tommy is my oldest child. He is the best big brother any kid could ask for, and one of the best sons. Tommy has a hug desire to do what is right and to please Heavenly Father. The other night he came into my room to tell me he found his testimony. I did not realize that he was looking, he knows what one is, and the basics, but he found more. Tom (his dad) went in his room late that night and talked to him about his testimony. It was a good experience as a parent and I was so proud of him for wanting to know the truth, and seeking out good. I would put a picture up but I packed then all.

What talk did I use?

I have been asked by a couple people what talk I ended up using; I didn’t use any of them. I received a call on Sunday morning that it was the talk on pg 54 in the General Conference issue, so I wrote another. When it was my turn I had planed to use the last one I wrote, but I ended up just saying what the spirit wanted me to say. All in all it went pretty well. I started to pack today and got a lot done. My house on the other hand needs some attention. I will be cleaning tomorrow, the entire time the kids are at school. I love when my house is totally clean. :-)

I wrote a talk, and another, and another.

Well it’s late and I had to prepare for tomorrow. I was asked to talk on knowing I am a daughter of God. I know what I wanted to say and wrote my talk and then another point entered my thoughts and I wrote a different talk and just as I was finishing and reading over the General Conference talk on pg 98 I had yet another point of view and wrote, another talk. All of them go in line with the subject and I am not sure which one I will use. I think it was for me to get back on the right track and understand the strength that is there to overcome trails in every day life. It’s amazing what we can do with a good attitude.

So much to do.

I have so much to do at the moment and yet I feel like I am wading through mud. Tom has been gone for a week and a half now in Missouri working. He will be there for about a month then, come to Arizona to get me and the kids. I am so glad that Tom has found something that can work for him and has potential. I have had him home a lot the past year and was glad to see him go, or that’s what I would have told you a few days ago. I have been a part from him before, but this time I feel the weight of the world on me. The only good thing from this is that I am eating maybe once a day, don’t worry I could stand to lose some weight. I have had a hard time going to sleep and even staying asleep, not because we are moving, but not knowing how it will all happen, and then dealing with all the problems here. I have learned that life has many challenges and trials all with their own unique level of stress and difficulty, with no way to measure or account for the level of difficultness. You know, I wish that I could be scored on how well I have done and what I have accomplished. Today my score would probably be a 5/10. I have a lot that I could have done different in the past. Tom is like my coach that encourages me and helps me improve and without him here, it is more difficult.

Brett

I love this picture of Brett!! It totally captures his spirit. I and the kids went to Wyo with my family. My cousins from Ireland and Scotland came to the States and we all went camping in Yellowstone. We had to stop to rest before heading back to the cars, it looks like Brett is trying to get a free ride back on his great cousins Gary's back. We camped, hiked and froze at Yellowstone. For some one that has grow up there I am so wimpy now when it comes to the cold. All the little monsters loved be around my relatives and picked up on some British slang's and a bit of an accent. I LOVE IT!! My cousin Kelly brought her 8 year old son over with her and my kids got a kick out of the things he said and did. Good times I tell ya. Well from the look on Brett's face you can see how much fun he had.

David

Well my three older kids went to visit my mom and dad last week and stayed there for ten days. David got to stay home with Tom and I and was an only child. David has been such a joy and never made messes and never got into trouble. Well, that is until the older kids where gone and I saw for my self the things David gets in to. I learned that David will hide food under the couches when Tom or I walk into the room. David leave toys out and does all the things that any four year old will do. Its amazing to see how different I have been with him compared to my older children. The youngest child does get a way with a lot, I don't care how tells you other wise. David also stopped giving me kiss, and when I ask him why, he said that I was his Dads girlfriend and you cant kiss other peoples girlfriends. After a couple of days of not getting any kiss, I put my head under a blanket and told him no one will see him kiss me under the blanket and sure enough I got a nice kiss on the cheek. No matter how many times Tom and I tell him that its OK to kiss your mommy he will not do it in front of any one. David is still one of the sweetest kids, but now he has to clean up his own messes and can't blame it on Brett any more.