The single most important thing we will ever do

I promised my sister in law, Sabrina, that I would write a post about our June Disneyland trip but, to be quite honest, I am still trying to process the whole experience of doing a giant Amusement Park with two little boys for an entire week. One day, I will buckle down and write it. Tonight is not the night though.

Luke and I have been married for five years September 5th. We have been together for 7 years come March. We have known each other for 15 years. He was my best friends twin brother, then my teenage crush, then my friend, then my pursuer, then my boyfriend, fiancé and husband. Now, my best friend and the father of my sons. The guy who knows me better than anyone on this Earth. And now, come September, he will be my eternal companion. I know some of my friends are not LDS/Mormon and don't exactly understand what I am talking about so I am going to attempt to explain in plain and basic terms.

My church believes that there are sacred acts and ordinances that we can perform in our most precious and sacred buildings we call temples. You've probably seen them since they are everywhere. Here are a few pictures of some of my favorite ones:

The Salt Lake City Temple. A powerful place!

My personal favorite, the Logan temple. I cannot tell you how many times I visited this place in college!

The Portland temple. The temple I attended from age 12 until 14, when the Medford temple was built.

The Medford temple. This is the temple my family and I will be visiting very soon!

 

Anyhow, here's a little back story. Luke was married in a temple once before when he was 18. The girl he married was unfaithful and they had a short marriage; they were divorced by 19, (I think he was almost 20.) When Luke and I got married, we were told that we would be married civilly, (by a man ordained to do and until "death do you part") and after a years time, we could be sealed in the Temple. I have always believed that God does not give us more than we can handle, but the next five years were very difficult for Luke and I. Now, Luke and I as a couple have been great. It's incredibly easy to be married to such an incredible person and we've had a very happy and successful marriage and life together. Each time we added to our family, we only grew more in love with each other and with our two most awesome kids. But, when it came to getting to the temple to be sealed, it was a huge challenge. It seems Satan was working on al the shortcomings and weaknesses of others and getting Luke's previous sealed cancelled so that he could be sealed to me was a trial. Through that, however, Luke's testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel and his own experiences, trials, sins and repentance, he became a pillar of light and love for the boys and I. You'd have a hard time finding a guy with a better knowledge of our church and it's history than Luke. Anyhow, May 5th, I received a letter from the First Presidency of our church, (for those who don't know, that is our Prophet and his disciples), saying that the cancellation was cleared and Luke and I could finally be sealed to each other and our boys. I collapsed in the porch chair and bawled. Finn even walked up to me and cupped my faces in his hands, asking if I was OK, (he's such a great kid.) Now that we have everything needed to perform this sacred ordinance, Luke and I are headed to Medford, OR to be sealed to each other and Finn and Dietrich.

Now, what does it mean to be sealed? I don't know all the details, seeing as how sacred the ordinance is, but I do know that it means Luke and I will be together not just until we die and leave this Earth. We believe it means we will ALWAYS be together. We will be Luke and Liz in the next life. It also means Finn, Dietrich and any other future children will be ours in the next life as well. I cannot express how much joy that brings to my heart. My three boys will always be mine, even after we leave this Earth. If Luke or I are separated by death, he and I can take comfort in knowing that we will be together again soon. It makes me feel so at peace and so happy to know that I will always be his companion and that our kids will always be our kids.

I hope that clarifies things for anyone who was wondering when I announced Luke and my sealing. I love all of my family and friends and have never felt anything but love and encouragement from all of you. I will be taking lots of pictures of the day and will be posting them here afterwards so stay tuned! And just for fun: pictures of my two adorable children. ;)

 

 

Parenthood

Tonight, my house has a peaceful, calm noise about it. Both boys are sleeping soundly, I am sitting in my recliner in my comfy robe and Luke is watching TV and making himself a snack in the kitchen. He took a LONG nap today, even though I told him he would have trouble sleeping tonight if he did. When will he learn that I am always right?! ;)

Tonight's post really has no set topic. I felt the need to write a bit and so that is what I am doing. I really need to take a shower and go to bed in order to be conscious and present for the boys tomorrow, but alas, I relish this quiet time where no one needs a refill in their sippy, has to go potty NOW or just wants to use my 6'3'' frame as a jungle gym, (I'm lookin' at you, Mr. Dietrich!) By the way, funny anecdote: today at church, Dietrich's' nursery class colored a book about Christ. The teacher wrote his name on it and spelled it "Deitrex." Huh? Ok, I know his name isn't common in the States, (his name is my great great grandfathers German name), but how would you get that spelling from saying "Dee-trick"? I wasn't mad, just thought it was interesting. I love his name and that's all that matters.

Anyhow, I have been pondering my job as a mother a lot lately. I obviously love my sons and would die for them. I sacrifice everything for them: time, money, sleep, sanity, my body, etc. and of course, I am happy to do it. They are the best thing to happen to me. Any good mother feels the same about their own children. I also want what I think is the best for them. I worry about them constantly and how the new challenges and experiences in their lives will affect them .I am thinking about Finn and him starting school, in particular. His speech is really starting to take off and he is an incredibly smart and curious kid. But, he is sensitive, he has a bad temper and he has no personal space. We are trying to teach him to manage his angry outbursts and give people space when approaching and talking to them. But, will it be enough? Will he lose it one day in preschool and hit someone? Will I be able to relinquish control and send him off to school to be taught by strangers? It keeps me up most nights, truly.

Dietrich, on the other hand, is what I like to call a "coaster." He just goes with the flow, doesn't really get angry and is rarely affected by things around him. He is also wild, impulsive, hilarious and has one really bad habit: throwing things. He is constantly chucking toys, Sippy's, pacifiers, and anything else he can get his hands on. And, he doesn't just throw them in the air. He throws them AT people, especially Finn. It's a habit we either need to break or enroll him in Baseball the first chance we get. Then, maybe that great throwing arm will get him drafted in with the San Francisco Giants and he can make mom and dad a lot of money. Hey, a mom can dream.

All in all, this parenthood thing is so freaking nerve wracking, that I wonder how I will survive the next 18 years, give or take a few. It's also truly so much fun and I laugh more than I ever did. I also cry, scream, and smile more. In conclusion, what a roller coaster parenthood truly has turned out to be!

DISNEYLAND!

So...my family has a tradition. By family, I mean what I like to call, "my first family." You know, my parents, siblings and animals, (in my family, we love our animals. A trait all my sisters kept, but I didn't, for some odd reason.) This tradition is AWESOME, if I do say so myself. You see, whenever a family member graduates from high school, we go to the happiest place on Earth. That's right. We go to Disneyland, (woot woot!) We went other times, when my eldest sisters were young and before my baby sister and I were born. Then, a few times with our extended family, the Putnams. But, when I was set to graduate high school, (my 10 year reunion is this summer), my parents said we were going to Disneyland for 4 days and I got to choose what we did on the 5th day. In the past, we did 4 days at the Disneyland Park and one day at Knottsberry Farm. However, being the Thespian that I was, (keyword there is "was"), I chose to go to Universal Studios Hollywood and Graumanns' Chinese Theater, (fun fact: my dad's hands are bigger than Arnold Schwarzenegger.)

So, I had yet another reason to be ecstatic to be graduating. I was done with high school, done with rules, done with homework, (until college), and ready to party!  I was chosen by my AP English Teacher, (she will always be one of my favorites), to be the person to give my Senior Project speech to the judges as their practice rounds one evening a couple weeks before everyone else was set to do theirs. I jumped at the chance for a few reasons: 1. I loved public speaking and was good at it. 2. I was flattered to be chosen. 3. If I did it, I didn't have to do it when everyone else did, meaning I didn't have to go to school the last two days before graduation weekend. FREEDOM! So, I gave up an hour one evening to go to my high school, did my speech, got top marks and a compliment from one judge that always stuck with me, (she knew my dad when he was young and said I looked, acted like and had the same mannerisms as him. Anyone telling me that I emulate my dad is the biggest compliment I could ever receive.)

The Saturday before, my parents through me a huge, fun BBQ at our home with a cake that my mom thought fit my attitude about high school. It said, "Congrats Liz. You're DONE!" That night, I went out and celebrated, (the non alcoholic way), with my group of friends. The next day, we all met in the gym in our blue caps and gowns, our various tassles draping by our excited faces as we ought of the future. We listened to our peers and teachers speak, we heard our names being called, we shook hands, took that precious diploma and freedom had arrived. We switched our tassles to the other side, threw our caps and cheered. We hugged, cried, laughed and went home to prepare for our all nighter party, hosted by our high school. We had a blast, confessing to our peers of crushes, dreams and embarrassing stories. We exchanged phone numbers, promises to never lose our friendships and hugs. It was a blast and still a great memory.

That morning, I was picked up by my parents, exhausted but still barely containing my excitement. My sisters were with them, as was my niece and my brother in law. There was neverending luggage in the trunk. We were headed straight for Disneyland! I slept half the way, read, played with my niece, (10 at the time), and tried to contain my childlike anticipation. As soon as we saw the bright lights coming for the rides in Anaheim, we all screamed and laughed. Had I just graduated from high school? Yes. Was I going to college in three months? Sure. Did I regress to a five year old as soon as I saw the Disneyland sign? You bet!

Little ol' high school me!

Two years later, it was my baby sisters turn. I could venture a very strong guess that her excitement to be free, grown up and ready for lifes' adventures matched mine. I can also say with confidence that she became a little girl as soon as we headed for SoCal.

My incredibly beautiful baby sister!

And now, 8 years later, someone is graduating high school. I was there when this special person was born. I held her while she slept, helped her tie her shoes, brushed her hair, played with her, cuddled her, babysat her, gave her advice, bought her cute clothes, talked to her about boys and stupid girls and driving cars. I love this person so much, and she is so much more than a niece. She is my little sister. Brooke is one of my favorite memories of my childhood. She is a best friend and such an incredible woman. She is driven, smart, confident, an overachiever, a great friend and gorgeous inside and out. And she is graduating. I am still wrapping my head around the fact that she has a car and a boyfriend and now she's graduating high school?! This post was originally about Disneyland but I got a little sidetracked thinking about my amazing Boogs. Back to the point before I start crying!

My goofy and gorgeous Boogs!

Anyhow, since Boogs is graduating, our family has been planning our traditional trip to Disneyland! Brooke chose an exciting dinner and show at Medieval Times so that's where we are headed first. This is who is going to this awesome week long vacation:

The Robinson Family (Lonnie, Lydia, Brooke and Grandma Janice)

The Stuevens Family (Paul aka Dad, Jacki aka Mom)

My sister, Rebecca Hawke

Brookes' Boyfriend, Kody Hess

The West Family (Danny and Kristina)

The Mitchell Family, CA branch (Luke, Liz, Finn and Dietrich)

The Phelps Family (Chad, Aja and Dax! Aja is Kristina's best friend and just happened to plan their Disneyland vacation the same week! We love the Phelps family and are so excited they are coming!)

The Robinson, Kody and West families are flying down. The Stuevens Family and Rebecca are driving down a couple days in the week and are only going for 3 days.  The Mitchell family is driving halfway the day before and the rest of the way the next day, (we are fortunate to live the closest to the Park. Thank heavens since we have a preschooler and a toddler in tow!)

The boys LOVE Mickey Mouse and Disney movies. I have been showing them YouTube videos of the rides and they, (especially Finn) seem SO excited, though I am not sure if they understand what is happening and when. I have been slowly prepping and planning for any problems that may come up with them, since this is the first vacation we will be taking with them that is not just camping or the beach. My family does Disneyland from the time they open until they are kicking everyone out so I am trying to prep and plan for every second of the boys' days to make sure they stay happy, relaxed, fed, hydrated and...HAPPY. I am so stinking excited that I often dream of the park and the boys' reactions to seeing Mickey and all their favorite characters full size and able to be hugged. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

That concludes this seemingly erratic, off topic and random post. I hope you, (whoever YOU are), enjoyed this nonsensical post! Good night! :)

Finally, I am able to sit down and update.

(FYI: I am worn out and don't have the patience that I normally do to go back and fix punctuation, grammatical errors or run on sentences. I apologize ahead of time. ) This last month has been a doozy, let me tell you! I can honestly say that I have never felt as tired, worried, half crazed and at the same time grateful than I did for the last month. I will go back a bit so that those who don't know what was happening in this house for the last month will be up to speed.

Finn had his tonsils and adenoids removed on March 12th. Luke and I were both worried, mainly because he is so young and we were concerned about how he would do before, during and after. We also knew that it was the right decision because his tonsils and especially his adenoids were massive and were impeding on so many parts of his life. We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 am and were taken back to surgery prep by 6 am. They asked if he was an anxious child and would be really upset when the nurse had to take him out of our arms and carry back to the OR. Luke and I laughed sarcastically and firmly said that yes, he is going to flip. So, they decided to give him an oral medication that basically turned him into a happy drunk. He laughed lazily at everything, couldn't walk or stand on his own and sleepily grinned when pretty nurses came in. They let us carry him to large double doors and then a nurse took him and wrapped him in a warm blanket in her arms. He sleepily reached out, said "no" and was gone. I, of course, lost it. I have friends and family whose children have gone through major illnesses and countless major surgeries, so it may seem like an overreaction. But, that was my baby. I didn't care that it was a minor procedure and that he was in good hands. He wasn't in my hands and that felt wrong.

Anyhow, the surgery only took about 20 minutes and the surgeon came out to tell us he was done and that Finn did great. He said that he tried to push the gas mask away but gave up quickly and was asleep in minutes. He did have to be poked twice to get an IV because he was blessed with his mama's elusive veins, (poor guy.) He told me that the anesthesiologist was going to be out soon to get us and that we made the right decision because he had never seen tonsils and adenoids that large in a three year old. He also told us that he would be admitted and moved to his room once he was stable enough in the recovery room. The anesthesiologist came out soon after and told us she was going to remove his breathing tube as soon as she went back there. She didn't get the chance though because a nurse came rushing out to tell her that Finn was awake and was trying to rip his tube out. We were taken back and were surprised to find three nurses holding a very angry, very confused Finn. He was gurgling fluid and blood and trying to scream and rip his IV out. I went to the bed, laid next to him and lightly held him against me and talked to him so he knew his mom was there. That calmed him down for a few minutes at a time but the confusion from the anesthesia and the pain in his throat would get him riled up again. They had to suction out a lot of blood and fluid and his O2 levels kept dropping so they finally called the surgeon and he ordered more of the "drunk" medicine to relax him so he could breathe. We were in the recovery room for a long time before he was comfortable letting him go to his room, but Finn finally relaxed and loved being wheeled across the hospital in his bed with mom with him and dad walking alongside. He kept saying, "wow, mom" and "cool."

The next few days went relatively well. We were actually able to take him that same night and Dietrich, though happy to be with Nana Jacki all day, was happy to see mom, dad and brother. The next few days, Finn was grumpy but took his medicine without a fuss and drank plenty of fluids. He kept asking for pizza and French fries, so I obliged by mushing up tiny bits of pizza and fries and letting him eat his special treats. We watched movies, slept next to each other and cuddled a lot, with tons of help from dad and Nana. Nana Jacki played with Dietrich, let me nap a couple times and kept my house in order. She was a Godsend. Unfortunately, she had to go back to OR that Sunday and this mama was back in charge!

That following Monday, I noticed Finn was breathless and getting winded quickly. When I put him to bed, I checked on him every few minutes and noticed his breathing was quick, shallow and his lips were turning white. I decided an ER visit was in order, (it was 11 in the evening) and when I came back with Finns' jacket, noticed he was panting like he had run a marathon and was barely breathing. I scooped him up and we were at the hospital in two minutes. He O2 levels were so low that the triage nurse yelled for a bed and doctor immediately and we were whisked back. After three Albuterol treatments, a Prednisone shot and an O2 mask, his level finally rose. A chest x ray revealed pneumonia from aspiration, (suspected blood and fluid from his surgery.) The doctor was prepared to admit him but allowed us to go home when he found out we lived very close to the hospital and I had another son that needed to be taken care of while Luke was at work. Finn was put on antibiotics and I was told to use his nebulizer as needed.

He seemed tired, but relaxed for the next couple days until Wednesday. In the middle of a nap, he stood up and threw up the entire contents of his stomach and then some until he was crying and dry heaving. I took him, (along with his hyper little brother), to the Urgent Care Clinic. After dealing with a quack of a doctor, (anyone who knows me, knows I hate confrontation and am very passive. However, on two hours of sleep a night, I became aggressive, grumpy and told that doctor where he could stick his attitude), I was told to give him more medicine and if he kept throwing up, to take him back to the ER. He then shut the room door in my face, muttering the whole way. He said all this without looking at my kid and while Finn was vomiting in a puke bag the whole time. I called my mom, and she told me she would come back down if I needed her. She ended up doing just that, when Finn woke up that night, throwing up until he almost passed out. The ER treated him for dehydration, told me they didn't know what it was and sent me home to ride it out. Thank God my mom arrived shortly after and again took care of Dietrich while I nursed Finn. That Friday, we discovered that the throwing up was the Flu because, while watching Frozen, Dietrich threw up all over me and didn't stop throwing up until the next day. Then, Luke began throwing up. 24 hours later, and I began feeling queasy. It was a blast, (insert sarcasm here.)

After two and a half weeks of breathing treatments, medications galore, puke buckets and doctors visits, Finn was finally on the mend. And he has mostly stayed that way. We had a minor setback this last weekend when he had an allergy/asthma attack on his already weak lungs and so his nebulizer has been pulled back out of storage for the time being. He is quickly recovering from that, however and is about 90% back to being Finn. Despite that roller coaster, I am so glad we did the surgery.  Finn is eating more and trying new foods, now that he can actually swallow. He isn't snoring, shows no signs of sleep apnea and sleeps quietly and soundly. His mood is so much more relaxed and happy go lucky. His speech, (along with help from his amazing speech therapist), has improved 100%. He is talking more than ever and we can actually understand him. I also want to add that he weighs 40 lbs and is 44 inches tall. :)

 

 

Now, I must fill everyone in on my ginger. Dietrich does. Not. Stop. Ever. That kid is moving, moving, moving from the moment he wakes, until the moment he is put to bed. He is loud, hyper, animated, sarcastic and goofy. He is always happy. Unlike his introverted brother, he talks to anyone and everyone and loves to narrate the day with one or two word anecdotes. He had his 18 month check up last week and is doing great. He is 34 1/2 inches tall and weighs just under 30 lbs. He is so big and stocky and masculine, (if you can use that word to describe a toddler.) He is definitely a mama's boy and will wake up in the middle of the night, yell "mom" and I will find him standing in his crib, holding his blanket, saying "up please." Sometimes I tell him no and lay him back down to go back to sleep, and he does. Other times, I pick him up, lay down with him and savor the snuggles that won't always be there. He is such a great, clumsy, loving, crazy little boy and he really does complete our family. We have Luke, my ambitious and aggressive leader of the pack. Then, there is me. I am the laid back, idealistic member. Next is Finn. Our introverted, passionate and contemplative three year old. And Dietrich. Our impulsive, extroverted and wild baby. I wouldn't trade any of them or any of their craziness for anything. They are all mine. And I am all theirs.

Thoughts on children. Particularly mine.

I have two children. Two gorgeous, happy and incredibly wonderful boys. Boys who will one day grow up and become men. Next, they will become missionaries or college students; soldiers or blue collar men. I am with them 24/7, 365 days a year. They know when they see my stern face that they are in trouble. They know when they get hurt, that my magical kisses will be there to make it all go away. They know mom is always there, even at 3am when mom would much rather be snuggling up to dad. I will never, ever hurt them, leave them or not tell them I love them and kiss them every chance I get.

For some reason, I have been thinking about their futures a lot lately. It is partly because I am worried about the state of our country; it is also because my baby will be 2 already and my eldest will be 4. It is because Luke and I are hoping for one more and then we are done. No more stretched belly, pubic and hip bone displacement, heartburn or peeing every 20 minutes. No more feeling my sons kick and roll in my tummy or late night conversations so they can hear and know their mama's voice more than anyone else's. No more trips to the Maternity Ward and surgeons slicing my tummy to deliver the best present a mom can get. No more snuggles with a tiny little human that is pieces of the man you love and yourself. That stage of our lives will be over and replacing it will be extracurricular activities, potty training, learning to ride a bike and tie our shoes. Then, onto broken hearts, homework, learning to drive, learning to be comfortable in your own skin and parties and basketball/football games.

Luke and I have had a few conversations about this while lying in the dark, enjoying some quiet and alone time. What will the boys be like? Will the personalities they have now be the ones they keep? Or will Dietrich become the quiet studious one and Finn the wild charming one? Will Finn keep that tall slender frame and continue on with Jujitsu or play Basketball? Will he instead focus on more artistic things such as theater, (like his mama!), music or painting? Will Dietrich keep that broad, bulky frame and be the star linebacker, (with a kind heart of gold, of course)? Will he be the type who knows the importance of education and be the Valedictorian of his graduating class? Will they still come to their mom with their "boo boos" and will I be able to kiss it away? Or will I have to let them hurt and fall and pick themselves up again? Luke and I talk about all these possibilities a lot and we want so much for them to be the best person they can be.

Then, I think about the not so fun things. Will one of them rebel? Will Finn be teased for his chest or Dietrich for his hair color? Will they stay close to Luke and I or will they find us irritating or stupid? I couldn't imagine them any way than how they are now until I was looking through my old pictures on Facebook and saw their newborn pictures, (those who are my friends know that I made them my main pictures. I was feeling nostalgic and couldn't believe those tiny things were now my behemoth children. ;) To help illustrate just how different they already look just 18 months and 3 years later, I am posting their newborn pictures and pictures of them now together. Check this out:

Let's start with my eldest. To me, they honestly don't even look like the same kid. He is three days old in this picture and the bottom was taken last week, (he is always smiling with his front teeth sticking out. Okie style, oh yeah.) But, what do you think? Can you tell Finn is that precious little guy who had a rough start but is now that gorgeous big guy in the second picture?

 

 

Now, to my ginger. He was born in very different circumstances. This time, it was me who was going to be having a bit of a rough time and not my newborn. Since he was born via C Section, he came out round and fat, (although Finn never had a cone head, which I was very happy about.) In these pictures, Dietrich was only about 5 hours old and then a couple weeks ago. I honestly can see him in the newborn picture but I am still amazed at how different he looks in such a short time. Thoughts?

Quite honestly, it freaks me out. Where are my tiny babies?! What do you think of all these thoughts and worries I am having about my sons? Do you have them about your own children?

Well, the brownies I am baking are calling to me so I must go. Hug your littles tightly and remember they will only be that age right now and tomorrow they will be a day older. I think the masterful JM Barrie said that. Or something to that effect. Either way, it's pretty deep no? :)

The super exciting life of the CA Mitchells

Well, it has been quite awhile since I have updated this little ol' blog. However, after some polite prompting from my dear sister in law and some not so polite prompting from my own head telling me I am a slacker, I waited to put my lil' wild ones to bed and am now updating this thing. So, let's get started! :)

Luke, my dear one. (He's on the far left, for anyone who doesn't know him. I highly doubt that any of my readers don't know him, however, since I think maybe 5 people read this and they are all related to him in some capacity. But, I digress.) He is still always at work, (is anyone really surprised by my handsome workaholic?) He provides so much for the boys and I and for that, I will always appreciate him. As for personal goals, he is very excited to be saving for an AR 15, (I think we own enough weaponry, but I have a feeling he thinks we will never have enough. Oy.) He has been wanting one for heavens knows how long and I am finally "allowing" him to have one. I know, I know. I am such a giving master wife. Other than that, he is looking forward to the summer and getting some time off for a couple very exciting vacations, (see below in my little spill at the end.)

Onto my wild baby, Dietrich. And what a wild boy he is. It's always amazing to me how much personality and quirks you see in children so young, and my boys are no exception. Dietrich is a huge extrovert. He was so calm, quiet and peaceful from birth to about 9 months. Slept, ate, smiled, rolled, crawled and walked like a champ. No problems, no complaining: just did what he was "supposed to" on time and even early. Then, all of a sudden, this happy, loud, wild and super loving boy just came bursting forth. He talks more than most adults: his favorite thing is to call all children, (even ones his age or older) "baby" and all adult men "dad", (which is hugely embarrassing.) He picked up that people talk to little things and animals in a baby voice and now he talks to all those things in his high pitched baby voice. It's hilarious. He does love to hit and wrestle and kick and try to eat dirt and sticks and all those other boys things. He also has a bit of a redheaded temper and will stomp his feet when he gets mad, (Mom is working hard to nip that habit in the bud.) All in all, he has 12 teeth with his canines popping through, he is just under 28lbs and I can't remember how tall, (I will have to look it up later but I am guessing 36 inches.)

Finn is my quiet little introvert with a heart of gold. Seriously, this kid loves to hug everyone, even when they really don't want that hug. He is tall, gangly and gorgeous. I still will never be able to get over how handsome he is, especially when he smiles. He seriously loves Dietrich, except when he tries to take Finn's toys and then it is on! We are working on him sharing and learning to take turns and I saw finally saw him practicing those things today, which made my heart sing! He has a problem with losing his temper and then just losing his mind and becoming inconsolable and I think a huge part of that is because he has a really hard time communicating what he wants or needs with his speech delay. He is getting better every single day, picking up new words and expressing himself more and more but we still have those days where he just gets frustrated, I get frustrated and we both just need to go away, cool down and come back to each other to figure things out. He is also having a hard time sleeping with his enlarged tonsils and adenoids and will be getting those removed asap to help with that. His Doctor and Speech Therapist tells us that removing them will improve his mood, quality of life and his speech so we are scared but confident with our decision. He is crazy smart though and for that, I am proud. He is analytical, (the opposite of his fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants brother), and is always trying to figure out how things work. He can count to 20, tell you the whole Alphabet and the sounds they make, how old he is, what certain shapes are and what his favorite animals are. Speaking of, he is obsessed with Dinosaurs, Ducks, his giant stuffed Caterpillar and Puppy and real dogs that give kisses. He also love trucks, trains, cars and flashlights. He is extremely tall and looks more and more like a Stuevens every day, (with a hint of a Mitchell smile.) He is finally potty trained and we are working on night training him as well. I recently became a member of Polands' Sydrome Awareness after finding out that Finn has Scoliosis as a side effect of missing those right pectoral muscles. I have found many amazing people with PS or who have children with PS and am glad to have that support for such a rare genetic disorder. Finn really is such a special and amazing little three and a half year old, and I can't imagine not having my bug.

It's me! This is the most recent picture I have and it is surprisingly accurate in how I look right now. ;) There really isn't much to say about me, other than I am still chubby and still trying to lose it. I have hit a snag and it is really discouraging. I get especially down when I see my wedding pictures or pictures of me in High School and College. I looked amazing. I was never a stick, but I used to have these amazing curves and a tiny, flat waist. I get so depressed looking at what my midsection has turned into, (it seriously looks like Pillsbury dough that a cat then attacked and slashed to pieces.) This is cliché, but my New Years Resolution is to lose all this weight and my motivation is one of the things in the next paragraph AND the prospect of adding a third and final member to the CA Mitchells, (I am emotionally and mentally ready but I am so NOT physically ready.) Oh, and I dyed my hair black. Whatcha think? :)

So, as for the news regarding all four of us, there is lots. In March, Luke and I will be taking the boys and together, we will be sealed for time and all eternity as a family in the LDS temple. Luke and I have been working towards this since we got engaged 6 years ago and we are finally almost there. The feeling I get just thinking about it is indescribable. I always knew it would happen in my heart, but there were times when we thought it wouldn't happen until after we passed away, (an exaggeration but you get the point!) I am nervous, excited, elated, ecstatic and all those other words to describe the feeling you get when you are finally getting the ultimate gift from our Heavenly Father.

In other news, my baby niece, Brooke, will be graduating from High School this June and I am so proud/excited for her! It's crazy. I was there when she was freaking born and now she drives, has a boyfriend and will be going to College in the Fall. CRAZY! Anyhow, per tradition in the Stuevens family, the entire extended family will be attending her graduation and then leaving the next morning for...Disneyland!!!! WOOT WOOT! (For those who didn't catch that, this is my other motivator to lose weight!) It's our family's favorite place to be and it's where we take each teen that graduates, (we did it with all my sisters and myself.) I cannot wait to take the boys and see their faces light up! Also, per tradition, and along with 5 days at Disneyland, the graduate gets to choose one day for whatever they want. I chose Graumanns' Chinese Theater and Universal Studios, and my sisters chose Knottsberry Farm. Brooke has chosen this year to go to Medieval Knights (or Nights?) and it will be our first time so we are thrilled. Luke is even getting more excited as the months pass, (I think he is just excited for a long break from work.) Coming June 2014: The Mitchell, Robinson, Hess, Hawke, Stuevens, and West family's will be invading Anaheim! YAY!

I think that is all for now, but I do have another entry I have been wanting to write for awhile now in my head. And there it shall stay, until tomorrow. So, don't forget to check back for that thrilling entry. Good night and I love you all! :)

Mission Inspire Sabrina

So, I was asked by my dear sister in law to write in my blog so as to motivate and inspire her to update get lovely blog as well. Therefore, I log on, go to my last blog update and realize that mine needed some updating as well. Apparently having her ask motivated and inspired me so thanks for that, Sabrina! I should also add that I am writing this update on my kindle and doing so quickly, so auto correct may do some unwanted "correcting." I apologize ahead of time for that! 

Because I'm on my kindle and still not completely apt to all its abilities, I will not be putting pictures up tonight. Maybe when I can get on my desktop and edit this post, I will. However, for now, we will be talking about my dear family without pictures.

First up tonight is my dear sweet and sexy spouse, Luke. He is doing great. Working as hard as always, and being a pretty amazing dad as well. He is trying hard to get some big home improvement projects done, but is having a heck of a time trying to find the time to do it all. I told him we plan on being in this house for a long time, so we shouldn't stress to much if it isn't perfect right away. Anyhow, we are best friends and have a great time being together in this crazy fun life we have.

Next, we will chat about me! I am doing ok. Enjoying my boys more every day, but boy am I exhausted! Between the boys getting sick, (REALLY sick one time), running this house, paying bills, worrying about the state of the union, (yes, I work about these things; being politically minded is part of who we Stuevens' gals are), and then finally being forced to actually worry about myself, I have developed a new fantasy: one 24 hour period in a quiet, dark hotel room with some popcorn, a Mt. Dew and total utter silence and sleep. It won't happen, and who am I kidding? I can't go on a two hour date without aching to be home with my sons. After all, who can take better care of their kids than their own mother? But, I digress. Onto my favorite topic: my boys!

Finn. I swear, he turned three and the terrible twos disappeared. He was a little hellion at times this last year and loved to challenge me. But, besides some grumpy moments from both of us, he has been amazing. Listening, helping, and boy is he affectionate! I get at least a hundred hugs, kisses and "I love yous"every day. His speech had taken off and I seriously couldn't ask for a better big brother for my younger kids.

Now to my big red. Dietrich. My wild, hyper, big personality. In the last, hmmm, six months, his personality has exploded. He is hilarious, loud, goofy, and so full of expressions and emotions. He is also an over achiever. He talks a ton already and loves to listen to conversations and try to participate. He calls me mom, Luke dad, Finn is "Feen" and he lives to say no, nigh nigh, lub you, and baby.He says other things, but those are the most common.He is so much fun and certainly keeps me on my toes!

Well,I think that is all for now. I am in desperate need of sleep and my boys have been not seeing so great they last week so I should take advantage of that. Goodnight all!