Project Mania!

Every spring I am so ready to start working on projects. I can't help myself. These are the days, my husband might question his decision to marry me. I get a lot of bright and BIG ideas. Well, needless to say if you know me, not only do I come by this naturally, but add any kind of emotional challenges to my life and the first thing, I want to do is WORK! So, needless to say, I started planning and getting ready for projects a couple of weeks ago. Poor Danny, because the projects that we planned involved, I believe his words exactly were, "backbreaking labor," and after the hospital I was instructed to not lift anything over 15 lbs. for 2 weeks. Well, guess who got nominated to do the work. Therefore the last 2 weeks have been spent working on building a new patio. I finally could offer some help this weekend. And we managed to finish!!! Here are the photos to share the fruit of our "backbreaking labor." And don't worry, I'm not done with the projects. My guess is there will be more photos to share before the end of the summer!

I forgot to take before pictures, so this is these are the DURING pictures.
Thanks Marcus for helping supervise the initial works.

And these are the AFTER pictures!! YEAH!!

Just have to share!

I happen to be a girl who loves flowers. I love to look a them smell them, and especially get them. In fact, one could easily argue that that's how Danny got me to marry him. It at least kept him in the game long enough to get us to the marrying part. Anyway, many of my friends and family brought or sent me flowers to help me get through this bump in the road. My friends at work bought me these beautiful Stargazer Lilly's. They are HUGE! When they opened one alone was larger than my hand fully extended. So, I had to share the pictures of all my beautiful flowers. Thanks to everyone who sent flowers, thoughts, and prayers our way. We love you!!!

Field Day a Family Event!

Danny has gotten suckered into coming to Field Day every year to help me out. This year went very smoothly due to having several of my students taking the day off thanks to the Assistant Principal (that's a whole other story, but you can imagine 5th graders, ready to go to middle school...they forget to think before acting.) Anyway, it set Danny up for being able to watch Marina in her first field day and get some good shots of both of the kids in action. My sister and her kids were able to come out and spend the day with us too. Leilani my niece who just finished first grade held her own with the fifth graders, by joining in and just being one of them. Both Lilli and Lani joined in to help my class in the tug-of-war too. Lafai being only four wanted to join in, but had an agenda of his own. I think when all was said and done it was a successful and fun day for all.

Isaac, get ready!

PULL!!

Hippity Hop, Marina!

Crab racing, anyone?

How many of you can still do the 3-legged race?

This event is called, "Teacher's Revenge." While the kids try to play Twister the teacher shoot them with water guns. It truly is mine and Danny's favorite. He gets to get students that he's heard about all year. He also gets to get his own kids and their friends. I guess it's probably not that hard to talk him into coming after all.

Say Cheese, here comes a mouth full of water!!!

Speaking of Sports!

Isaac just had his 9th birthday on May 8, 2009. He got a new basketball hoop for the driveway, and is signed up for a summer basketball camp. I have actually been pleasantly surprised at how well he is doing playing basketball. Basketball is actually a sport that both his mom and dad played. I (Vycci) loved playing basketball. So maybe we've found a sport that he can enjoy, and play well enough so as not to embarrass himself. He also got a Chauncey Billups Denver Nugget jersey. Which he sports proudly, telling everyone that his Grandpa Joe was Chauncey's middle school principal. The following pictures show Danny and Isaac setting up the basketball hoop in the rain. We bought it off Craig's List one Saturday evening, and although it was raining... they HAD TO set it up immediately. They have been out playing every chance they get!!! Happy Birthday Isaac!

Marina Our Gymnast

Marina had her mini meet for her spring session in gymnastics. We are very proud of how well she is doing. The other day she was trying to read the word athletic written on a shirt. After sounding it out, she the asked what it meant. I proceeded to explain that it meant someone who was good at sports. It only took her about 30 sec. to respond, "I'm athletic," very matter of factly. She then told me that she does gymnastics and dance and that both of those are sports. I thought it was cute. She wasn't being arrogant, it was just that she knew she was good at sports. And that adding a new word to her vocabulary to describe herself appeared to feel rather satisfying for her. We truly enjoy watching this muscular little girl. And we look forward to many years of long Saturday gymnastics meets.

Unexpected Events!

So, I'll keep this crazy experience brief, but for posterity sake and keeping everyone up-to-date, we'll share. After finding out on Thursday that the pregnancy was no longer viable, we were scheduled to have a D/C on Tuesday. While many of my friends and family know that last year I was very thankful for the procedure to be done as quickly as possible, many of you were concerned about having to wait until Tuesday. Well, I had just set my mind on a few minor (haha) projects Danny and I would do around the house while we waited. Well, Heavenly Father had another plan. Friday evening, my body decided it was time to take care of all of this on its own. I ended up getting to have an ambulance ride, and a long eventful evening, that ended in an emergency D/C at about 4:30 am. The good news is that I am home, and while in bed for a couple days, feeling well enough to write this morning. I should be on the mend, and back to my "productive" self soon. This was a traumatic, scary, yet enlightening experience. I'd like to share just a few quotes that entered my mind, or that I have read over the last year that reflect my thoughts this weekend.

"All things will be for thy experience and thy good"

"The way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life" (Elder Wirthlin)

"God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face" (Elder Holland)

"We know that from the scriptures that some trials are for our good and are suited for own personal development" (Elder Cook)

" Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me..., and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30) Life is hard, but life is simple. Get on the path and never, ever give up. You just keep going. You don't quit, and you will make it. Jesus Christ is the Way. Every other way...is foolishness. (Elder Holland)

I may never be able to tell you "why" this happened, or what the plan is. But I know without a doubt in my mind, that their is a plan. And that there is a specific plan for me and my family. The Lord has overwhelmingly been present, and by my side through each of these miscarriages. He loves me and answers my prayers.
Thank you for letting my share these inspired words from our apostles and prophets. For these are the things that carry me through. I love you all.

"Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share out love with friends and family" (President Thomas S. Monson)

Sad News

To many of our friends and family, I apologize if this is the way you receive the news, but I am having a difficult time saying the words out loud. Today we found out that I miscarried the baby. To the dismay of the doctor and ourselves we are faced with this challenge a second time. The most difficult part for me is to tell my beautiful, excited children, who so eagerly have endured the first sixteen weeks of this pregnancy. I only know to be honest with them, and tell them what I know is true. That Heavenly Father loves me, and our family, and that we cannot always see the eternal picture, but that we have to continue to have faith -that all is for a purpose, and that he will continue to bless us. Please continue to pray for us. We are eternally grateful for your love and friendship.

Expecting Another!

While we still have reservations about going public with this, nature (a fat belly) seems to be forcing us to accept the natural progression this path leads us. And Mother's Day weekend is as good as any to share the news or at least make it common knowledge for our friends and family.

Nine years ago this Mother's Day I had officially earned the title "Mom." Isaac was born the Monday before Mother's day and we had him out at church that first Sunday to celebrate the Spring delivery. So, as we embark on this journey again, we are excited and nervous even more than we were the first time.

The great news is that I am feeling really well. I went on a field trip this week with my class at school. We did a fair amount of walking, and I was a little worried about my stamina for the day. I don't know if it was the sunny 78 degree weather but, I felt terrific! I even beat my 5th graders to the bus after the long, hot day. Many of my students were whining about the heat and walking, and all I could think was... "If I can do this right now, then so can you." They don't know my little secret, so I didn't say that, but I was thrilled to be feeling so good.

As many of you know the past month has been a scary ride for us, as I have experienced "common" yet disconcerting pain and bleeding. We asked many of you to fast and pray with us. That same weekend, as our prayer and fasting, I also received a priesthood blessing, in which Danny blessed me to have the pain subside, and the blessing of healing. Since that priesthood blessing, I have not had any pain similar to what I had been experiencing. And the bleeding has mostly subsided. In the past when I have received blessings they come in the form of comfort and the strength to have more faith. This is one of the first times in my life when the blessing has actually healed my physical ailments. I am so blessed and my testimony strengthened!!!

At one point during the past few weeks, I was having a panic moment, at work, and called Danny. I had already been to the doctor's several times, and was not sure what do, feeling great despair. When Danny said to me, "I just feel like the Lord is asking us to have faith." At that moment I knew that was exactly true. And every time this feels scary, or I start to panic, I replay those words and remember the blessing. I am assuming that I will be replaying it a lot to get us through the next 5 or 6 months.

Thanks to all of you for your love, prayers, sacrifice, and service that you offer to us and for us. We feel your love and are so grateful! Happy Mother's Day to all of you! We all know there is no greater challenge, experience, and blessing!!!