Change

**Warning**: This blog is my way of journaling our happenings as a family. So, as a part of this journaling, I have to add in things that aren't always fun, silly and exciting. If I've lost you, please feel free to exit now.

Change....isn't that something we've heard alot about in the recent months?? Well, today, we've experienced a little change ourselves.

On September 11, 2001 (Yes, that's THE September 11), Kim began working at Phone Directories Company. He was brand new to the world of advertising and sales. I am proud to admit that he was great at it from the very start. He's got the ease and confidence needed to make people feel comfortable and he knows his advertising stuff. He was made 'salesman of the week', 'salesman of the month', and brought home several national awards those first few years. Our income flourished, we felt comfortable. We've bought 2 homes, a couple new cars, and put our first kid through braces. A few years ago, the company was bought out by some bigwigs from Canada. Policies changed, management changed, and Kim's work experience was made to be a little more difficult. The company changed names several times, but through all of this 'change', Kim had great clients who trusted him. All of this brings us up to this last year.

More 'change'. Let's face it...the economy sucks. Being 100% sales commission has been rough on us. We've taken a huge pay cut this last year. Still, we've felt blessed in many ways. At least we've HAD a job, right?? At the beginning of this year, due to change in management (again), and due to all the hoops and shenanigans that Kim had to go through to collect on commissions, he decided to hire himself out as an independent contractor (meaning SELF-EMPLOYED) and went to work as an ad rep with Valpak. Since January, he's been working 2 jobs. He's felt strained and pulled as he's tried and tried to collect commissions from the old job - money that he's already earned, but that has been tied up in paperwork and collections for MONTHS. But, most of all, he's held onto that old job because they paid our benefits. Full medical, dental, eye.

Today, more 'change'. We're down to one job. They've known that Kim was trying to work both sales jobs, but seemed uncaring about how hard he's had to work in order to collect any money from their clients. They told him this morning to quit the other job, or take a hike.

We're hiking....

Today, I've spent the better part of the day worrying, crying, and worrying some more. Don't get me wrong...we knew this was coming. It was inevitable. But now, our family is faced with 'change'...the kind I don't like. The hard kind.

How in the world are we going to afford to add health insurance into our already tight budget?? Why am I going to have to worry about paying for doctors visits, prescriptions, dentist appointments? Am I going to have to quit my job as a stay-at-home mom and go out into the workforce AND manage my family AND try and serve in my church calling? How is all of this going to work??

And then, I came upon this. (If you're not too computer savvy, click on the word 'this' and you will be able to see my link)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland reminds me: "Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon. Some blessings come late. And, some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust in God and believe in good things to come."

We have to trust in this message. We have to trust in our beliefs, our faith, and our knowledge of the truth. We have to trust that as we do our best to live a good and righteous life that there are many, many good things to come.

Hint, Hint

My Dearest Husband, (originally sent via email...)

I'm dropping you a 'not-so-subtle' hint for my birthday this year. It's 12 days away....start thinking about it RIGHT NOW! I realize you're busy, and that after 14+ years of knowing me, you still have a hard time shopping for me. So, I've decided to give you a list...that way, you're happy that you don't have to think of things on your own, and also, I'm happy...you thoughtfully are giving me exactly what I will love.

Requests for my B-day:
#1 - Dinner and a movie - no kids. Friends can be included, but NOT invited to OUR house for cake. I don't want to worry about cleaning my house for company. This should be a standard rule for my b-days. If going to a dinner and movie is NOT possible all in the same night, then I will take a raincheck for the movie and we can attend another night without friends. (I'm stating this because we have friends who might possibly NOT splurge on a 'real' movie)
#2 - A cheesecake from Costco. If they have it, I would LOVE a key lime cheesecake. If not, I will gladly devour a cherry or strawberry.
#3 - Two matching chairs for the dining room table. We've already discussed this one and I think we're in agreeance. I would like to pick them out, however, and will gladly use my b-day $ from parents/grandparents to contribute towards the purchase. We can start looking as early as tonight, if you wish. I'm hoping to find something at RC Willey Clearance, but if that fails, I did see some really cute ones at TJ Maxx that I'd check out again.
#4 - The DVD version of 'Little Women' - the one with Winona Ryder and Claire Danes in it. You may have to ask Brenna about where to purchase it....I know I've seen it at Target and possibly Walmart, but it may require looking at the FYE store or Best Buy.
#5 - A card from YOU. Hopefully, professing your un-dying love for me. Maybe even including what a great mom I am and how you just couldn't get through life without me and my beautiful smile. I know that you may not possibly REALLY think these things, but it IS my birthday after all and you could just FAKE it, if you have to. I am in need of some ego-boosting, so carry on as much as you wish to.

I love you. Hopefully, my requests will not be too much to handle and hopefully, you will see the wisdom in me sending you this list. Or, you could just think I'm a brat...not sure which way it will go.

Toodles.
Me

Response: sent via email:

Dearest Wife,

I loved seeing you smile this morning when I asked you to to kiss my bruised lip. When I'm silly like that its just to see you smile. I love you. Thanks for the b-day hints. And thank you for realizing that I really do need them to be able to make my gifts more meaningful and practical. Love your bum and your cute smile.

Love, Husband

My Cup Runneth Over...

It seems that at the beginning of each summer, I look at our calendar and the DREAD begins....what in the world will I do with the kids to keep us busy all summer long?? At first glance, that calendar looks empty. But, as the days and weeks go by, the calendar FILLS up and we have no spare time to even relax! It's the beginning of August already and we've been so busy that I've had no time to blog our adventures. So, here's another really long post with a ton of pictures to document what's been keeping my cup running over....

#1: Baseball - it's occupied most of our summer - Jake played for FOUR different teams throughout the summer. He played for his regular team, the Titans, a city league team - the Rays, an All-star team - Orem All-Stars, and then filled in with another team for a tournament - Ultimate Sports. He's had a blast, Kim's had a blast coaching, and it really has kept Jake from being too bored this summer. And, best of all...it's over now!
#2: Smore's: While we were at Gma and Gpa Lueck's house this summer, smore's were our nightly treat. Sometimes we had dessert, then a couple of hours later we'd get someone to start a fire and we'd have the smores. So, when we got home, we had to break out the firepit and do it smore (some-more, get it?). We've had friends over, neighbors over, and any excuse of a holiday...Here are the kids with our friends that live across the street.

#3: Swimming lessons - Em and Nat took lessons again this past July. It was every morning for two weeks. They couldn't get enough of it and both of them advanced to the next level. Emily learned to dive and even did it off the diving board a few times. After lessons were over, we had to go and get Em's long locks trimmed. I say "trimmed", but really we cut 6 inches off the bottom because they were so fried from all the chlorine!

#4: Baseball - Did I already say that?? Well, I'm certain that I did, but just to emphasize it some more...Jake played ALOT of baseball this summer. Here he is with Kim posing in their baseball uniforms and Jake's 2nd place trophy. His All-Star team took 2nd in the District tournament this year. Aren't my boys handsome in those uniforms???

#5: Swimming - ALOT of swimming. We've been to the Scera Pool, the Lindon City pool, Cowabunga Bay, back to the city pool and many many hours in the sprinklers. It's pretty typical for me to have a 'farmers tan' - you know, when you lift your sleeves and you are stark white where your t-shirts have been?? I usually have a pretty good one going on - all those hours of watching baseball in the sun. Well, this year, I am proud to say that we've been in the pool so much, that I've NOT got one! We're all as brown as a nut around here and we've still got all of August to be out in the water. This picture is of a water park we went to with the kids a few weeks ago...Cowabunga Bay. We went with cousins and had a blast! The best part is that ALL the kids were old enough to just let loose (Nat armed in a life jacket, of course!)....while the moms sat back and read a book! Loved it!

#6: The Garden - We've had a plentiful harvest of beans already this year...we've eaten them multiple times a week for a few weeks now. The tomatoes are coming on quickly and we've harvested a few of them already along with some peppers. It's a full time job staying on top of all the weeds and we have a tiny garden!

#7 - Quilts - My peeps and I haven't seen each other almost all summer long (come on girls, lets get together!) but I've finally finished this quilt with matching runner. I actually finished the sewing in late May, but it sat and sat waiting for it's binding. A few weeks ago, I pulled it out and in a matter of a couple of hours had it done. Love it. I've got the material for a couple more and can't wait for a few spare hours (days, weeks) to get it started. I've found a new addiction and it's slowly taking over my office/scrapbooking space.

I think I've caught up now....

We've been busy, had lots of fun, and now I'm counting down the days until I can have some peace and quiet around here. I know the next few weeks will fly by - I am plotting out our calendar for school shopping and getting anxious for some structure with our days. 24 days and counting!!!