Catching up

Nathan can jump with both feet at the same time. He also talks a lot. Our favorite first phrase is "I don't know." Now his common words/phrases include things like: "My turn," "Please. Mom," "Ont sun dah (I want some of that.)," and, of course, "NO!" He also makes lots of animal sounds. His favorite is a cat . He loves running and climbing and reading books and his blankie, which now has a name! Whenever Nathan wants blankie and comes to me looking for it I'll say "Where did blankie go?" We make a game  of it and I think it makes him love it even more. Because children tend to hear the ends of phrases best (as I'm learning in my online class currently), the only part of the sentence he has picked up  are the last two syllables: kie and go. So that is what he calls blankie. He will now wander around the house saying "Keeko? Keeko?"

Benson is also talking a lot and making lots of messes and developing a very fashionable taste. He loves wearing ties to church. His new favorite wardrobe item is a belt. If I put it on tight enough to actually do anything he complains but he likes wearing it just the same and purposefully looks for pants with belt loops. And pockets. Thats another fashion love for him. His favorite pair of shorts has "lots of pockets!" The other night he actually cried because we have exhausted the supply of new "summer" pajamas for him. And I thought girls were high maintenance!

Benson is also talking a lot more and a lot more clearly. There are still things he struggles with and we don't understand everything he says, but tonight when the new sister missionary asked his name and age he said both loud and clear.

Brooklyn is way to big for my baby girl. I am already dreading first grade when she will be gone all day! But she is ready. She loves riding the bus with her friends and telling me about all the funny things they do and learn. She is getting so at reading and loves to make books. She has probably made or started making one for you (yes, all of you who read this) that hasn't been finished or hasn't been mailed or hasn't survived the next spilled cup of water or food. One of these days I will get her to write you a letter and we'll send it right away. :) She is also becoming more interested in choosing the right and saying the right answer and doing good. She's a great example to us and a light to our family.

Just today she was asked to do something she didn't want to and threw a fit. I left the room to let her cool off and so I could function in peace. A few minutes later she came in to wear I was, only a little weepy, and said, "I want to tell you something and I don't want to say it." I finally got out of her, "Sometimes I just don't feel loved." Having to write that I realize how heart wrenching it is but I was really proud of her for calming herself down and expressing her feelings so clearly and respectfully. It also gave me an opportunity to explain and assure her of my love as well as testify of the love of God and the power and blessing of prayer. I love being her mom.

Matt is doing well at work. He feels like he is not the highest achiever but he is doing well. He is getting ready to do a lecture for the department. It is required of all residents but this is his first one. He is focusing it on some of his master's work with the Notch pathway. He recently found some interesting articles about Notch and its relationship to cancer, so it will be more applicable to pathologists and, hopefully, interesting. Prayers for him are encouraged. He will be presenting Tuesday, May 27th.

There have not been a ton of responsibilities in his new calling in the Elder's Quorum Presidency, but I think it has blessed his life. He got to teach today and just the preparation for that is so rewarding for him. I miss him in the nursery but I have a new partner now who is dynamite. I am so excited to learn from her and get to know her better. I think the sociality will be good for both of us. Her husband is actually the Elder's Quorum President so our families have a good chance of being well connected. And that's wonderful.

I am still trying to figure out how to be a good mom and keep my home functional AND taking the last class necessary to renew my teaching license. We had a discussion tonight as a family about reaching our main goal of living with Heavenly Father and each other again and made some specific goals and plans to help us toward that. Being consistent in that is always a challenge so you can pray for me on that too. And it will probably take a miracle to get my home functional (or even just clean) so if you have extra faith to add to the cause, I will take it!

My class is very interesting. It is an online course through the University of Phoenix and I have to say that they know how to do online schooling. There are SO many good resources and the class discussion is structured in a really great way that promotes lots of good and accessible conversation with classmates and teacher. It is pretty time consuming. Every nap time and evening I feel the pressure to do my homework. But it is nice to use my brain more in that  way. And it is amazing to learn what I can accomplish during nap time! What used to be a directionless, sleepy, and often wasted two hours has become incredibly productive. It gives me hope that it can continue to be this way.

We have a good life. Not perfect. But very good. Happy. Loving. Fun. Challenging. :) It's a good life.