The Dog Days are Over...

So last time I posted it was a little sad right? Well here is the good news. Over the last two months since I last posted I was very blessed to be able to clearly see the wisdom in my husband being without a job and all the blessings that Heavenly Father bestowed upon us during the last year and 31 days. (Who was counting right?) It became very apparent the lessons I was to learn and quite frankly I was humbled beyond my own comprehension. Without going in to all the lessons in detail, basically I learned the benefit of wonderful friends, service, serving, patience, long suffering, faithfully serving in church and wisdom in trials.

I know most people think it is so ridiculous to be grateful for trials but this one I am grateful for and was before.... JAY GOT A NEW JOB!" Other trials, like loosing loved ones, specifically my mother not so much, but this one I am. I can't really express in words how grateful I am that my prayers were answered even though it wasn't what I was praying for. Heavenly Father does hear and answer our prayers in the ways that will benefit us the most.

Now details, Jeremy accepted a position for a local interactive design firm, (same type of work as before) as their Director of Technology. (please do not congratulate him on Facebook as he is continuing to grow his own business and doesn't want to compromise those relationships.)

I miss having him at home. It is so funny because the first 5 months were okay with him here, the next 4 months were AWFUL, and then the last 3 months it has just become normal and we have worked out all those kinks only to have him gone now. I miss him but I must say we are settling back into normal life quite nicely. He said to me tonight that he misses being able to come in and see me when he needs to go to the bathroom, grab a drink or food, or just to come chat. I miss it too but also am glad he is back to work.

All is good here in the Riley household if not because of Jay's job then because Nicole is running and mainly doing kick-boxing. Yes I LOVE it and it is so fun... well after I move past the white light I see calling me home. For the first 45 minutes all I think about is my possible grandchildren and running in this big open field that I hope we have some day. What I say to myself? "Come on Marino, do it for those little ones, they need to love you more than the other grandma" I am suddenly filled with a burst of energy and I no longer see white light! :)

I'm going to try to be better mom.

New post

Why haven't I posted in so long? Because life has sucked for us for 2010. I could go on and on about all the little blessings we have had amongst our trial but the reality is, I have noticed them, I do notice them and now I am done. I have had faith, patience, I've been long suffering, served righteously in all my callings, payed a full tithe and well it just hasn't paid off. 11 months unemployed and well no Christmas at our house. So that's where I have been. Busy being cheerful, busy being optimistic and it hasn't paid off. What more do I have to learn, nothing. Now I just sit and wait and hope.

Happy Holiday's!!! ( still haven't lost my fantastic sense of humor)

Things I want to hold onto

Sarah's pat's when she cuddles up to us. The special opened mouth kiss that every baby gives. The sounds of my girls giggling as Sarah makes them laugh. Sarah's feet kicking wildly as her sisters run by. the word Mama, The way Sarah points at something or us and doesn't say anything but spits a little, the phrase, "mom I want to spend time with you." Reading at bedtime, Singing in the car at the top of my lungs with three little lady's who think I am the funniest, bestest, most fun mom ever, at least at the moment, a nice clean NAKED baby who wriggles ups so close as you take her out of the bath, Patty cake, mouse trap, connect four, peek a boo, the smell of baby lotion, the big fits of laughter only little girls can seem to muster as they play together, waking up to a baby touching my face, swimming with three little girls who obviously should live in water, matching Sunday outfits, tender little hugs from three tender little girls.

"These are the times to remember, these are the days to hold onto."

Are we done yet?

So our neighborhood has a community garage sale once a year. Per our HOA we can only do a garage sell at that time of the year. I was all prepared to sell all things baby but I admit I haven't prepared much. There really isn't any need. Baby clothes are already separated by size in bins so I waited until tonight to just do a quick run through and set things up. I was fully prepared to sell all my baby clothes for close to nothing to rid myself of them but tonight as I popped open some lids it became all to apparent that this little mama may not be ready to do so.

I guess the biggest thing for me is that all of my 0-12 months clothes were basically purchased by or with my mom and I can see all three of my baby's in them so vividly. There are some outfits that all three girls have worn and they are in mint condition. As I peered into the storage bins and began looking at the clothes I would have no trouble selling I realized I just couldn't yet. What is weird is that I feel very comfortable selling the bouncer, swing, car-seats, and excer-saucer. What do you think it is? Do you think I am just to emotionally tied to these little bits of memory's still?

I guess the good thing is that there aren't a lot of them. There are only 4 large storage bins of these clothes so for now I don't see a huge problem holding onto them until it isn't so painful to say goodbye to those memory's with my mom. Or maybe there might be another little angel needing to come to this family? Who knows, all I know is that for now it is just to painful to say goodbye to those little memory's.

Where did the Holy Ghost go?

I really knocked the ball out of the park tonight for FHE. We did Lehi's dream and the girls helped create parts of the dream. Paige drew the big and spacious building, Taylor drew the water and I drew the tree of life. My tree of life had skittles on it for the delicious fruit When the girls got to the tree of life they got to partake of the fruit.

That's not what my post is about. My post is about the testimony's we bore at the end of FHE. Mine good, Paige's much better then mom breaking the Sabbath, and Taylor's, well I'd like to share verbatim.

Taylor's testimony: "I know Jesus is true and that Heavenly Father made our bodies with skin and bones. I know the Holy Ghost helps us and he went to jail and he didn't like it." At that point I had to intervene.

Taylor

So I have two things to share and still need to blog about Paige's birthday. I will get to that.

First, Taylor began riding her bike without training wheels on Saturday. Took them off and there she went. She mastered it her first time! We are happy for her new found freedom!

Second, I sang at a baptism yesterday. Well when it was over I left and had only brought Paige and Taylor. While driving home I decided to fish for a compliment from my girls. WRONG choice. Lol I asked the girls if I sounded good. They both said yes. Then I said, "did I sound good or just okay?" At which point my very musically inclined Taylor, mind you she loves to sit and watch orchestra's on tv., says "just okay". LOL LOL Then Paige quickly realizes what Taylor may have just done and says, "no mom it was really good." Taylor dead serious looks at Paige and says, "no it wasn't Paige it was okay." NOW this didn't bruise my ego much because I thought that Taylor surely doesn't know the difference between good and okay.

So at dinner I made homemade mac and cheese. It was really amazing. Both girls without solicitation said, "Mom this is sooooo good." I decided to seize my chance and promptly said to Taylor, "Taylor is it good or okay?" She then says emphatically, "REALLY GOOD". So in fact she does know the difference...

LOL LOL