LIFE - can't complain :)

Matthew's doing well being back. Of course he's adjusting to the never-ceasing needs of the kiddos, yet remembers well how to tune them out at appropriate times.

I LOVE having him here, he's so helpful around the apartment, with the boys and I'm actually getting about 6 hours of restful sleep, which is amazing compared to the 3-4 of the past and waking up to messes or fighting boys! I haven't snored in months and now I do every night! sorry hun

Pray Matthew can find a good job that he enjoys, quickly! I'm sure his stay-at-home-dad routine will lose it's appeal soon, especially with the poor little guys being sick last week and having too many bodily fluids coming out at inconvenient times.

For now, we're doing fine. The hospital bills from Stephen's visit aren't covered as much as I was hoping for, but we'll take what we can get. We qualified for CHIP for February, so that reduced what would be about $9,000 to $2,000 when all is said and done. (I'm knocking on wood, because it's only what we've been told.) Thank you all for your prayers and caring about him, he recovered quickly and is doing great!

Matthew and the boys are heading out to California for one week, I'm lucky enough to have purchased a plane ticket for $37 round trip, so I'm flying out for Fri, Sat and coming back Sunday before work. Fun times!

Footprints in the Sand

I keep crying as I think of my husband coming back from New York. Not of sadness, but relief. The past 6 months really have been the hardest of my life. It taught me the strength I have, it taught me to not sweat the small stuff and taught me I still have many weaknesses to work on.
The last 6 months as a single mom were definitely hard. But, truthfully, some things were too easy. I have two jobs that I love, I have family who are very helpful and live close by... As I thought of both aspects, I couldn't help but finally realize I am living in a time of being carried. If you're not familiar with the poem (the title of this note), there's a man seeing his lifetime and also 2 sets of footprints in the sand. They belonged to the man and the Savior. The man was troubled and said, why is it that in the hardest times in my life, there was only one set of footprints...you abandoned me? ... the Savior says something similar to, "I didn't leave you, it was then that I carried you."
I SO don't deserve all the help I've received from the Lord, but I am certainly grateful for it and humbled to know I could not have lived the life I have with the attitude and ability I have, if it weren't for Him.
I'm excited to have my teammate back to help out with the boys and keep me company. He's on his way back here, and then we have the rest of our lives to figure out how to be the happiest we possibly can.

Matthew's coming back to Utah next week!

Stephen's situation has taken much attention, so many people don't know he's coming back here for sure and he's packing up this weekend and starting the drive! He'll probably arrive on Wednesday.

Me and the boys are way excited. And I can't say it enough, I'm so ready for the sun to set on this day. This has been the hardest six months of my life - I learned so much and gained so much, but, "check, please!" I'm finished with this one.

We are looking forward to seeing you honey, drive safe!!!