Tutu Run

Earlier this summer Olivia and I signed up to run a 2.2 mile Tutu Run.  We started running together 3 times a week until the day of the race.  I loved going running with her.  We talked, we listened to music and sang along and we set times we would try to beat.  It was a lot of fun getting to spend time with her.

Race morning finally came and Olivia was very excited to get her tutu!  Me, not as much.  I had never worn a tutu before and wasn't really sure I wanted to!  Tutu's are not my thing ☺  I did it though.  It had been a really rough week and I was running on very little sleep but we did it!  I let Olivia run ahead because I knew I would not be able to keep her pace.  She ended up running her fastest pace yet!  She was at the finish line waiting for me when I crossed along with Michael and Zeke.  Zeke ate my donuts for me while we waited for our friends to finish.

It was a fun morning and I'm glad we were able to do it together.  Maybe we can do it again next year too!

Before the race

After the race with friends from church (Olivia had just stuffed a chocolate donut in her mouth☺)

Lightning Struck

Wednesday morning I was laying in bed, enjoying the fact that there was no reason that morning to rush out of bed.  We had nowhere we had to go until later in the day, so I was in no rush to get up.  It was about 7:30ish.  I heard thunder and thought it was weird because there was no rain in the forecast. About 5 minutes later I heard another thunder way off in the distance.  I thought this was even more reason not to get out of bed because there was going to be a storm and we couldn't go out and exercise anyways. 

Another few minutes went by and then all of a sudden there was this huge flash of light right out of my bedroom window with an even bigger crack and a thunder boom all at the same time!  I jumped out of bed so fast, my heart beating, so glad I had gotten up earlier to go to the bathroom so I didn't wet myself!  I imagine I looked similar to Michael's sister the day that his dad came in and put a rattle snake in her bed while she was in it.  Had there been a camera rolling, I'm sure I would have won some money for it somewhere.  I jumped up, covers flying, eyes crazy, looking around like what the heck just happened!  I seriously had never heard anything so loud in my life!  I looked out the window expecting to see trees down or something destroyed or on fire, but I couldn't see anything.  I ran and got the kids up to get them downstairs in case there was some sort of severe storm on the way that I didn't know about.  It had barely started sprinkling.  I checked the weather and nothing.  There was this ever so small line of clouds showing on the map with a red center that just happened to cross over the top of us.  It rained for not even 5 minutes.  There was not another thunder or lightning that took place.  Within minutes, it was all gone.

We all looked outside trying to see if anything got hit but we didn't see anything.  Later that day, while Zane was out mowing by the barn, he saw it.  He came back to the house telling us he had found where it struck.  We all went out and there in the middle of this little grove of trees was the tree that had been struck.  It was an huge tree, one of the biggest in our yard I think.  The bark on one side was blown off from the bottom to the very top of the tree.  Bark and wood splinters were thrown all over the yard by the tree.  The tree still had a huge splinter of wood connected to it, but fallen down. It was crazy!  And so close to home!

The kids all thought it was cool and we had to take pictures and videos of it and tell everyone about it.  If you come to our house, you can bet that you will be taken out to the tree so they can show you up close.  Of all the serious, severe storms and tornado warnings that we have been in and not have anything happen, to have this little bitty cloud line pass over us and have lightning strike is crazy!

Here are a few pictures of our tree:

You never know what Nature has waiting for you ☺

Build Upon The Rock

This world has been getting crazy!  Some days it really seems as if all hell has broke loose and nothing can stop it.  Evil has even reached our little small towns out in the middle of rural nowhere.  It really makes you think what will be next?  How much worse will it get?  How long will it take for people to realize change needs to happen - and not the change that it taking place right now?  How do we stand strong in our faith when it seems everything is attacking it?

Last night we had the privilege of feeding our local church missionaries.  Before leaving, they gave us a spiritual thought.  They read Helaman 5:12 to us.  It says, "And now...remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

I think we are for sure seeing the devil and his mighty storms.  Our religion, our freedoms, our safety, everything is being questioned , restricted, removed, fought against.  It's scary!  I see the things happening in the world and it is so easy to get caught up in the whirlwinds and be overcome with fear and worry.  I think, how are my children going to survive this ever increasing wicked world?  It will only get worse before it gets better, we all know that.

Last night, as I listened to this scripture, peace filled my heart and soul.  Christ.  Christ will be the way to get through it all.  It doesn't mean that we won't feel any of this pain surrounding us.  It doesn't mean that we won't be affected by someone else's bad choice or by disease, death or heartache.  It does mean, though, that Christ will be the hope and strength that we need to get through it.  He is never changing.  He is solid and sure.  He is our Rock!  If we build our lives on Him, we can not be shaken.  When bad things come and hard times hit, we can have peace with the knowledge that all will be well with us. 

Jeffrey R Holland, a leader in my church, said this and I love it, “The future of this world has long been declared; the final outcome between good and evil is already known. There is absolutely no question as to who wins because the victory has already been posted on the scoreboard. The only really strange thing in all of this is that we are still down here on the field trying to decide which team's jersey we want to wear!”

We know who is in charge.  We know who will win this war that has been waged and is ever growing.  Why then, do we wonder what to do and how to do it?  We have the scriptures.  We have the gospel.  We have church leaders to guide us and help us.  We have prayer to communicate with our God in Heaven.  We have the Savior - His life, His example, His atonement.  We have what we need to choose our jersey, to fight this battle, to live our lives with hope and righteousness.  Jesus Christ.  His words, "I am the way, the truth and the light: no man cometh to the Father but by me." (John 14:5) In verse 27 of that same chapter He says, "Peace I leave with, my peace I give unto you... Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Our Savior and Redeemer, our Rock and our Salvation, will not leave us.  If we will follow Him in humble obedience, living our lives the best that we can, then He - our Sure Foundation - will not let us fall.  Build upon the Rock.

Weekend at the Races!

We just got back from our annual trip to the horse races.  We love going every year.  It's something that we look forward to every summer.  This time we got to bring a couple of Justins.  Dillon brought his friend, Justin and Maddi brought her "friend", Justin.  Everyone seemed to have a fun time.

We went to the races Saturday afternoon. Once the races were over we went to our hotel and swam.  The pool was small, but they all had fun.

 Before going to bed that night, Zeke had to make sure that all his animals had a soft place to sleep.  He even gave up his big pillow for his zebra and took a little pillow for himself.  It was pretty cute.

The next day we went to Cascade Bay in Eagan to swim and play miniature golf. The kids all had fun there going down the slides, floating in the lazy river and playing a round of golf.

After swimming, we went back to the races.  Our friends who had some horses running that day met us there.  We got to go into the saddling area and meet the jockey and watch him get on the horse before going out onto the track.  We watched some of the races down by the finish line.  The boys all picked their horses before the race and then kept track of who won and how many points they got for finishing.  I think Zeke won both days.  It was fun to listen to them talk, compete and yell for their horses!

After the races, they did a big fireworks show.  It was really neat to watch.  Monday morning we headed back home.  The kids were pretty worn out.  This morning everyone was pretty slow moving!

I love going every year, spending time together and watching the horses.  Makes me miss the horses and the horse life... So glad we still get to go and be a part of it every summer.

Born Again and Remembering

The last few weeks in Sunday School we have been talking about being born again and remembering.  Our teacher asked us all to think about that moment in our lives when we were "born again."  When we finally knew that Jesus Christ was our Savior.  When we finally knew the gospel was true.  When our testimony was finally our own and not some one else's.  Then he asked us to write it down and remember it.  Remember the feelings we had, the goals we set, the determination we had to do good for the rest of our lives.  Then he asked us to share it with those we love.

As I thought about it, I couldn't come up with a single moment when I all of a sudden knew.  I guess I have always known.  I don't remember not knowing.  I was born and raised a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I have been taught about Jesus my whole life.  From the time I went to nursery as an 18 month old baby to present time, I have had Sunday school teachers teaching me about Jesus and His gospel.  My parents always read the scriptures to us daily.  We have family prayer morning and night.  Every week we had family home evening where we would sing songs and have lessons about the gospel.  I read the scriptures on my own daily and had my own personal prayers morning and night.  I just always knew. 

I don't ever remember questioning the gospel.  There were times when I didn't always do what I should, times when I went against the teachings that I knew to be true, but I never doubted - I just chose unwisely. 

When I was 21, I served a mission for our church in Ireland.  We were taught to bear our testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ and of the message that we shared to everyone we met.  We listened to the people, we invited them to learn about the Savior and then we bore our testimony.  Every time, every single time, I bore my testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ, mine was strengthened.  Every time I did that, I knew again, in my heart, of the truthfulness of the gospel and of the love that the Savior has for me and for all of us.  Those experiences reinforced what I already knew and strengthened me.

Why remember?  Why hold these things close to our heart?  Remembering strengthens us.  Remembering brings it back into our heart, strengthens our resolve, increases our faith and opens our eyes to how much the Lord is involved in our lives.  Remembering allows us to see His hand guiding us through our daily lives.  I know there have been so many times in my life when I have been able to remember and draw strength to press forward through whatever was ahead of me.  It gave me faith to take one more step into the darkness because I knew that He had been there in the past to light my way and He would do it again.  Remembering gave me the hope that when I reached out my hand, He would be there to grab it.  And He has never failed me! 

I am so thankful for my knowledge of the gospel.  I am so thankful for the love that I feel from my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I am so thankful for being raised in a home where I was taught from a very young age to know these things.  I am so thankful for all the doorsteps that I stood on and had the Spirit of the Lord testify to me as I testified to others.  I am thankful for a Sunday School teacher who helped me remember.

Swimming Fun!

This last week we had a busy, but sun-filled week.  We had our normal physical therapy, rock picking and work.  We did workouts, had library and got our shopping done.  We also got to spend two different afternoons at the pool with great friends!  We were all having so much fun that I didn't get any pictures taken, so that will be my goal next time ☺

Monday we got to spend 7 hours at the Brookings Pool.  We got there when it opened and stayed until they closed only leaving for a few minutes to go get something to eat - the kids were starving!  It was so nice to sit in the sun and visit with an adult!  The kids enjoyed having someone other than siblings to play with too.

Friday we got to go swimming again.  This time we went to Watertown.  We spent 5 hours there.  We got there an hour after it opened and stayed until closing.  Then we all went to eat together.  This time I got to talk to two adults!  And Watertown has a lazy river that I love going on so that made it even more fun.  The kids had more friends to play with and the day flew by.

I feel so blessed to have friends that I can spend time with and enjoy.  I am looking forward to more days at the pool in the near future.  The kids are too!

Michael

Today, as we celebrate Father's Day, I am overwhelmed with the blessing that Michael is to our family.  Michael and I started this journey of ours over 16 years ago.  Who would have thought that in that time we would have 6 beautiful, slightly maddening children, lived in 14 different houses, five different towns and 4 states, finally settling in the middle of nowhere South Dakota? 

Over the years, Michael has always, always been there.  He has worked long hours to provide for us, allowing me to be able to stay home with the kids while they were little.  He has helped with diaper changes, night time feedings, cleaning, cooking, playing, repairing, building, washing, drying, folding, reading, teaching, and everything else in between.  He has always made sure that I am able to get away from time to time and enjoy a few minutes of non-mom time. 

Despite how tired he may be or busy he may be, he always finds time and energy for us.  He tries to get to the kids games and meets, which sometimes means getting up at 4 am so he can get chores done in time to make it a basketball tournament.  He has helped coach the boys in basketball, football and baseball.  The kids know that he is always there (though sometimes just in spirit and texts) to cheer them on.

He is always willing to help those around him.  He will be the first to offer help to the neighbors, his coworkers and our friends.  He will give up what little free time he may have to help where he is needed.

He is much more patient that I am.  (He doesn't have that red head gene like me...) He will take time to teach and explain to the children why what they are doing may not be the best of ideas. He takes the time to show them and help them understand a different way.  He is the chosen one to be in the front seat with the new, under-experienced drivers in the house. (I sit in the back and white knuckle the door handle while muttering some sort of cross between a prayer to God, my last goodbyes to my family and a death threat to our teenage driver as we take the corner on 2 wheels).  Michael calmly tells them to slow down a little before the next turn.

His funny stories and childhood "memories" bring so much laughter into our family.  The kids love to listen to his crazy stories about crossing the ocean as a baby, growing up with James (his older brother) and anything that starts with the phrase, "When I was a kid..."  The kids can't get enough of him!  His snuggles on the couch, him grabbing their toes and cracking them all at once, getting teased about what boy or girl they may or may not have a crush on, riding in the tractor with him, basically whatever he is doing, they want to be there.

I am so thankful for Michael and all that he is.  I love watching him be a dad.

Broken and Healed

Over a year ago I made clay hearts with the kids.  The idea was for them to do something kind for some one and leave a heart or if they saw someone having a hard day or just wanted them to know they were being thought of, leave them a heart.  I would often find a heart left on my pillow with a note when I went to bed at night or one slid under my bedroom door when I woke up in the morning.  Over the last year and a few months, some of the hearts have gotten broken.  They were stepped on or got something set on them or got dropped.

This morning as I was closing the windows in my bedroom I saw these broken hearts and began to think about all that has happened over the last year or so to me, my family and those around me.  How many hearts have been broken!  How much hurt has been felt!  Friends and family have been lost, cancer has been discovered, other illnesses and injuries occurred, jobs lost, belongings burned, favorite pets lost, relationships ended, so many things...  I think everyone I know has felt pain and hurt on some level.  Everyone has had their heart broken to some degree.  This last year has just seemed really tough.

As I looked at the pieces of these pretty clay hearts that my children made, my heart ached again for the suffering that I have seen around me and for the things I experienced first hand. 

Then I began to try to put the pieces back together.  As I did this, I thought about all the good that has happened during the storms.  I thought about how everyone banded together to lift those suffering up.  I thought of all the prayers that were said, scriptures that were quoted, hugs that were given and tears that were shed - all in the name of love.

I thought of the Savior and His atoning sacrifice.  I thought of His pure love.  I thought of how He, as we stumble through this life, at times falling down unable to move forward from the burdens we feel, reaches out His hand and lifts us up and helps us see the light.  He can put our pieces back together.  He can take our broken hearts and heal them.  He can take our pain and give us peace.  In 3rd Nephi (a book in the Book of Mormon) chapter 17 verse 7 He says, "Have ye any that are sick among you?  Bring them hither.  Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner?  Bring them hither and I will heal them."  In Psalms 147:3 it says, "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." Isaiah 53:5 says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." The New Testament is filled with examples of Jesus healing the people - the lame could walk, the blind could see.  Matthew 14:35-36, "And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole."

Jesus Christ will heal us.  If we come to Him in humility and faith, He will heal us.  He will make us whole.  We will still have our trials and heartache, but He will provide the healing we need - from something as small as a really bad day to something as big as losing a child - He will heal us.

I am so thankful for the Savior.  As I looked at my broken hearts and thought of all that has happened in the last year, I am so thankful to be able to know and see His hand in all of it.  I am so thankful to have felt His healing presence.  I am so thankful that my wounded heart was mended and made whole again through His pierced hands.  Christ lives.  He loves us.  He is aware of us and through Him we will be able to return, whole and unbroken, to our Father in Heaven!

Life is Good!

Life is good!  These last few days have been amazing days.  We've worked hard - mowing, hauling branches, cleaning barns and scraping fences.  Maybe that's what has made the rest of the day feel so good.  Hard work makes everything better ☺

There have been so many little things that have brought joy to my day... 
Sitting out on the porch watching the sun set through the trees 
Getting winked at during supper by a cute little 5 year old boy - more than once 
Fist bump from the same cute 5 year old because he was impressed with my golfing
Watching the puppy wrestle with Nava
Listening to the kids run through the house and yard playing and chasing each other
Sitting around a fire roasting marshmallows
Feeling the warmth of the sun
Sharing Michael's hot, sticky buns with Maddi's boyfriend and totally embarrassing her (you had to be there - it was funny ☺)
Fresh bread with melted butter (yes, food brings me joy)
Waking up to birds chirping
Having a rainy day movie marathon
Going to the lake and watching the kids play in the water and try to jump the waves
Just sitting around, talking and laughing, telling stories until almost midnight
Playing cards with Olivia

Simple things bring the greatest joy and make life full.  Days like these, moments like these, help me get through the more frustrating times and situations.  The simple things that make life good, carry me through the challenges and keep me buoyed up during the stormy times. I'm so thankful for these simple, everyday joys.  The Lord truly has blessed me.

It's Been A Long Time

Wow!  I can't believe it's been almost 6 months since I have last written.  Time has gone by so quickly.  I have missed 6 birthdays, basketball season, track season, concerts and everything else!  I'm not going to try to catch up with all the little details.  I will post some pictures to document our lives the last 6 months - to show we were here and doing stuff!

School is out now and summer has started.  The kids are busy as usual.  Makenna finishes track this weekend.  She is going to state as an alternate this year.  She got to run in a qualifying 4x800 relay team but she was one of six that did that.  Her times this year were not among the four fastest so she will not run at state but go and support those that are running.  She has had knee and ankle issues this season so her running was not as strong as it usually is.  She is in physical therapy right now for her knee and they are also working with her ankle.  Hopefully this summer will be a time to heal and prepare for cross country next fall.  I am proud of the effort and hard work she put in to track this year.  She pushed through the frustration and pain and always did her best,

Maddi ended up straining her Achilles part way through the season so she was not able to finish running.  She has physical therapy 3 times a week and has been in a boot for a month now.  She has at least another month in it.  The swelling won't go down and stay down so that slows down the progress.  She has also been advised to not run cross country this fall. 

We just celebrated Olivia's 9th birthday!  She was very excited for it!  She chose a brownie cookie dough cheesecake pie instead of a cake this year.  It was yummy!  We are so thankful to have her in our family.

We got a new puppy the other day.  Dillon named her Sue.  She is a black lab and the boys are hoping to train her to hunt pheasants.  They have been wanting a hunting dog! She is super cute.  I love lab puppies!

She will keep the kids busy this summer chasing them around the yard.

The boys have started picking rock again to earn some money this summer. Makenna will start once she is done with track.  Maddi is starting a new job this summer too.  Her first day is Sunday.  She gets to work at the local gas station.  Summer will be filled with camps - church, scouts and sports, work, swimming, and hopefully a trip to the horse races!

Here are a few pictures of all the things I missed over the last little while:

 Zane #5 throwing in the ball

 Maddi on offense

Makenna taking a shot

 Maddi on her 15th birthday

Makenna turned 14 :)

Christmas morning - my most favorite day of the year!

 Zeke turned 10.  Happy Birthday Super Z!

Zane on his 13th birthday with his Reese's Fudge

Makenna turning 14 also means she gets to drive!

Spring Concert

I love this picture so I am just posting it because I can!

 This was the race Maddi ran right before she injured her Achilles.

 Zane finishing the mile.

Makenna

Our elementary school also did a Couch to 5K program for the 4th-6th graders.  Zeke and Dillon both ran in it.  I did too.  It was so fun to watch the kids work hard and see all the progress they made.  They are hoping this will become a yearly tradition!

 Zeke

Dillon