Enduring Faith

(This post is kind of a continuation of The Right Time and Relating to Sariah. If you want to read the first two parts of this story from our life journey, feel free to do so.)

Sometimes it's really hard to wait for things.

Grig has reached the end of his probationary period at his new job. He was told that in 90 days (or possibly sooner if they were really impressed), he would be given a review, and if they decide to keep him on, he will get a raise. If they don't, we need to look for a new job.

He's been stressed about it for the last few weeks. However, after a lot of praying, we feel like he's going to keep this job, and we just have to be patient.

It's been really hard...especially now that we've passed the 90 day mark. His direct supervisor has told him that he'll put in a good word for him, and that he's pretty sure he'll get the appointment. However, we haven't heard anything from his direct boss yet.

We've tried to wait patiently and keep having faith, but some days, it's been a real struggle for both of us (usually on alternating days) to keep having faith.

Tied to this appointment are quite a few things. Back when we were praying about getting a puppy, we were told that if the puppy was still there when Grig got the raise, that we could get it. We were told that about six weeks ago.

Then, about four weeks ago, Grig felt really strongly that he was going to get the job and that we were going to get the puppy. (Thus, what I was talking about in a previous blog.)

I haven't doubted too much that he'll get the job. He's a really hard, thorough worker. He's pretty amazing and is learning a lot of new things. However, sometimes I've had a hard time believing that the puppy was still going to be there.

Then, about a week and a half ago, when my faith was really wearing thin, I looked the puppy up online where we had first found it. Six hours before I looked, the sellers posted an updated picture of the little girl that we want with a reduced price. I was surprised to find that I was floored.

Here's a picture of the little girl that we're going to get

I had been unconsciously preparing myself for the worst, and on some level I was sure that she wasn't going to be available anymore. As I felt a rush of excitement flow through me, I began to pray and thank Heavenly Father for this bolster to my faith. As I was later contemplating this miracle, in my mind I heard the thought, "Oh ye of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

There are other things that we've had to have enduring faith with, and it was a good reminder not to doubt. One of those things is the fact that I've been told several times through personal revelation that our next baby is coming soon. It's been really hard to wait. The Lord's timing is perfect, and I'm really learning that. I just have to keep having faith even when it's difficult.

MM: Grig's New Job!

Today, Grig started his new job. He's been there since 6:00 this morning, so I'm assuming it's going okay.

Last week, we had a miracle that his old job, even though they technically fired him on the previous Friday, asked for volunteers to come and work in the line for one more week. Grig was great enough to volunteer. By doing so, we now have insurance for the whole month of November.

Monday night, as he completed his first day of volunteer work, he received a call about 7:00 p.m. It was a call from a job that he had applied for the week before. They told Grig that they wanted to offer him a job and asked when he could start. He felt as though he should finish out the time that he'd promised to finish, and told them that he could start the next Monday (today). I'm going to call the new job W&Fabricators on this blog.

They then told him to come in before then and get his drug testing and paperwork done.

As he hung up the phone, I didn't know what to feel. I should have been excited, but I wasn't really. In fact, I felt kind of nervous. I had been expecting to wait for months and months, and so, to have the blessing come so soon, was kind of strange. Lately, it has seemed that as soon as we had extra money, there was a reason to spend it. We are getting extra money, so I thought we were going to have to live off of it until Grig found a job.

I guess this goes to show that I don't know the mind of the Lord or His plan, but it's always better than we think.

After talking about it, we decided not to tell people until he started because we didn't want to jinx it. We were probably being silly, but we were worried.

I compared it to how you feel when you've been waiting to get pregnant for a long time, and suddenly you find out you are. (No, this is not an announcement.) :) You don't want it to go away, so you don't tell everyone right away. It might be silly, but that's how we felt. However, as the week went on, we began to get more excited and grateful about it.

The interesting about this particular place is that Grig first applied there because the car broke down  practically right next to it. As the car was getting repaired in the car repair shop that we always go to, he walked over to W&Fabricators next door and applied. They told him at the time (a couple months ago), that they didn't have any job openings, but they liked his work.

Then, two weeks ago, I was browsing jobs. I had felt kind of helpless during this whole process because there wasn't much I could do to help. So, I decided to look for jobs for him to apply too. One of the jobs I found was at W&Fabricators. I didn't recognize the name at first, but when I told Grig about the opening, he informed me that he had already applied there. He decided to call and ask if they still had his application and what else he needed to do in order to apply for the opening.

They told him to bring in his application again. He did, and they asked him to come in for an interview.

I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father for this blessing. This job seems to be perfect in so many ways. It is closer to us, it has insurance, and it pays about as much for starting pay as Grig was making at the end of his previous job. It also is utilizing the skills that Grig has been working and going to school for.

This job feels right. Even the fact that we go to that particular car repair place is a miracle and a blessing. Grig is a little nervous, because he is going to be learning new skills and he doesn't want to mess up. However, we know that as we put our faith in the Lord and do our best, that he will qualify us for whatever work he gives us.

We love Grig! He's the best!

Update on Job Search

Many of you have been wondering how Grig's job search has been going.

Really, there isn't much to say yet. He's been busy applying, working 55+ hours a week, and taking night classes. My husband sure is a trooper. He's also very tired.

He's had a few interviews and weld tests, but so far nothing has panned out. They all seem suitably impressed with his skill, but they haven't been calling him back. We've been praying that if he's not supposed to get the jobs, that they won't call him back, and if he is supposed to get the job, that they will call him back.

It seems so far, he wasn't supposed to get those jobs.

We still have a lot of peace about it, and we're hoping that something happens soon. We are grateful for the extra income that Grig is making right now, though we wish he could get a little more sleep.

Kevin is adjusting to being home. He's been a bit grumpy, but he is happy to be home and with his uncles and aunt. There have been some adjustments, but things are going pretty well. Kevin is sure happy to be around his dad again. They've been having a pretty good time.

I'm struggling a bit with balancing my time. I'm still in the "work mode," and it's hard for me to stop working and play with my son. I think that's not helping his mood. Tomorrow I plan to schedule more time to play with him. He's a good kid and he deserves more attention from his mom. I've gotten a lot accomplished, but Kevin is my top priority, and he should come first.

I'm still learning how to be a good mom. Life can be tricky, but we're learning.

Personally, I've sure enjoyed having my husband around. I really missed him. He is my best friend, and I wouldn't wish to spend my life with anyone else.

Grig's Back in School!

Grig started school this week! That's been kind of exciting, but it also means that my poor husband has even less time to himself.

Grig had been thinking about applying at some other places a few months ago, but when he prayed about it, he had been told to stay with his current employer for now. However, he felt really directed that he should focus on schooling.

After a very long story and many prayers, we found out that he was supposed to go to the community college here in town and get his welding certificate. That was not the answer we had been expecting, but so far it's working out really well.

It's been well within our price range, and so far, Grig has really been enjoying it. He's getting to learn the basics of welding from an actual teacher, and not just from the guys at work. Hopefully, this means that once he has a couple of  years of welding experience at his work and his welding certificate, he will be able to get a better paying job that has more stability and fewer unpaid days off.

We know the Lord has a plan for us, and it is so much better than any plans we might have had for ourselves.

I never would have imagined that we'd be living in our own home with a large yard. It is so great to have people over and have room for everyone. There's more to clean and take care of, but it is SO worth it.

I never would have thought that I'd be so happily married with a wonderful son who is nearly two and a half.

I thought that by the time I was 28 I'd have five or six kids and be married nearly a decade, but I wasn't ready to get married by 18. I needed to experience some things in life before I met my wonderful husband. I'm not disappointed at all. I've met so many wonderful people over the course of my life, and I wouldn't change any part of it.

Life isn't going the way I planned, but it is so much better.

Grig's at class right now, and he's a trooper, because essentially he's doing thirteen hours of welding a couple of days a week. That's a lot of welding. He should be pretty good at it by the time he's finished with this beginning welding class. He has a great eye for detail, and he's careful. He's also becoming faster as he works on it.

I think his employers like him quite a bit. I sure do.

Ain't life grand?

Our Third Annivesary

Today is the third anniversary since we've been married.

For our anniversary, even though it's Book Review Wednesday, I'm going to have a flashback to how my husband and I first met.

Engagement photo

It was the year 2011. I had returned home from my mission a year or so before, and I was getting settled into college. In fact, I was only a few semesters away from finishing. I was working at a gas station/farm store, and I was really enjoying working there. I enjoyed my co-workers, and the customers were almost always very nice. It could be slow sometimes, but there were always things to do, if you were willing to work.

I tried my best to be a good employee and made some good friends there.

One of my coworkers and I were talking one day, and I was telling her how, when I worked for a veterinarian, my boss had called me the "Cat Whisperer." My coworker laughed. She told me how she knew this kid whose nickname was "Catman." He was actually the roommate of the guy she was dating. She told me she was going to set us up on a date.

Weeks passed. After a while, I finally met this "Catman." My coworker's boyfriend, "Catman," and a couple of others came to invite me to go with them to the drive-through to watch a movie. Unfortunately, I couldn't go that night because I had to study for a bunch of tests, so I had to decline.

My first impression of him was that he was shorter than I was expecting, but not bad-looking. I wasn't sure how interested I was, but I was willing to give him a shot.

More weeks passed. Finally, "Catman" decided to take matters into his own hands. So, like a white knight on a noble steed, "Catman" mounted his bike and traveled over two miles to come and ask me out on a date.

Link

I was busy organizing some shelves when he walked in, so I didn't see him at first. the people I was working with showed him where I was.

He invited me over to his place for dinner and I accepted. I found out that he actually lived at the apartments that my aunt and uncle owned.

That night, when I showed up, he had pulled the kitchen table and chairs outside and placed them underneath strung up lights that lit up the area nicely. He told me the lights were already there, but it looked awfully nice.

Then we proceeded to eat and talk. He made stir-fry, and it was delicious. For the next three hours, we just talked. I may not have been initially super attracted to him, but I'd never been able to talk to someone before who was so much like I was. We talked about everything, even things that most people would have found disgusting. Our conversation ranged from sheep, to the church, to our families, and everything in between. It turned out that he liked animals as much as I did, and he also was a writer.

Link

Half-way through the meal, my aunt and a bunch of my cousins showed up. That was kind of funny (and somewhat awkward), and Grig realized that he was dating the niece of his landlady.

There was no 'love at first sight' for either of us, but there was mutual interest, and a great conversation. We were both super awkward, and it kind of worked for us. We ended the evening with a super-awkward hug, but because we were both so awkward, it just made us laugh.

For the first time in my life, a guy I had gone on a date with asked me out for a second date. There were no red flags with Grig, and though I didn't know for sure about him, there was no reason for me to say no to another date.

Things progressed well from there. We never were any less awkward, but our conversations always flowed smoothly. The more I got to know Grig, the more I grew to like him. Then, one day, I realized that I kind of loved him.

Wedding photo

Since we've gotten married, I've never been happier. Grig is my best friend, and I love him more than I've ever loved anyone. He always treats me with respect and he is always concerned with my needs and wants. I try my best to make him happy as well.

Our family has only improved since this little fellow was added to the family

Our relationship isn't perfect, but we're both trying our best and we're determined to make it work. We have pretty good communication, and we have since the beginning. Sometimes we still have misunderstandings, but we work through them, and doing so brings us closer.
I'm so grateful for the last three years and the love of my life.

Our family just keeps growing!

Happy anniversary, Grig! You're the best guy I know.

Isn't he handsome?

Big Change on My Mind

I've been really bad this last week on writing on this blog.

Last week we celebrated Thanksgiving and Kevin's birthday. We've been pretty busy with parties and gatherings.

Do you like Grig's Snake necklace?

However, that's not the real reason that I haven't been writing.

I've had a big thing on my mind, and it's taking up my every waking thought.

We're going to buy a house.

Whoohoo!

I've been spending hours researching potential homes. We've hired a real estate agent, seen a home, and done a lot of praying. We've been pre-approved for a loan, and things seem to be falling into place.

We have a few homes that we're interested in, and hopefully we're going to get to go and look at them in the next couple of days.

In some ways, this decision happened suddenly, but it feels right. It is time for us to move. We love our apartment, but it costs quite a bit of money every month, and we've found out that paying for a mortgage can actually be quite a bit cheaper than apartment rent. We feel like we're supposed to be in this area for a while, and we feel good about this decision.

Thus, I've been so excited that I haven't been sleeping well and I can't stop looking at potential homes. It makes it hard to focus on anything else.

I'm trying to do better though.

Hopefully I'll be able to get the house ready. I feel really confident that we're on the right path.

There's one home in particular that I'm really excited about. If anyone wants to pray for us as we're making this decision, we'd really appreciate it!

Wish us luck!

Working

Over the past week, I have re-entered the work force. I'm working on apartments during the break between semesters.

It has been a change. The physical nature of the work was exhausting at first, but I am getting better at it again.

Kevin has been having a hard time. He's been staying with my mom while I work, and he does really well all day, but the moment when I leave in the morning is difficult.

Last week, Grig's job didn't have enough work for their employees, so Grig came up and helped. Sunday night, he drove back to Utah. That was difficult. We miss him a lot. Last night, we skyped, and Kevin cackled with delight the whole time. He kept kissing his daddy's face on the screen as well.

I enjoy working though. I enjoy seeing improvement, and manual labor makes me feel like I've actually accomplished something. It also allows me time to think, especially when I am doing meticulous tasks by myself.

I've been working on these family-owned apartments since I was 11 (with a few short breaks here or there). That's a long time. However, I am grateful for the work-ethic it has given me. I have to go now, but I know that a lot of the good qualities I have came from working with my family.

I want to give my child(ren) the same experience. 

Imminent Separation

Starting next Monday, Dakota, Kevin, and I will be traveling to Idaho to work on apartments for a month. These are apartments that my grandparents own, and I have been working on them since I was eleven.

We'll return in September. Grig will, for the most part, be staying in Utah to continue working at his job.

The current plan is that he will stay here Monday-Thursday, and then come and spend the weekends with us. Even though it will only be a few days a week, it will be difficult to be separated from him for so long.

When I'm stressed about something, I have a tendency to try and avoid thinking about it by being busy or getting sucked into things. I have found myself doing that this week. I am not worried about leaving Grig. We trust each other completely and I'm sure he'll be just fine without me. We will miss him a lot though.

We always have a lot of fun.

My mother has kindly agreed to watch Kevin while I'm working. It will be difficult to be apart from him so much as well. I'm not worried about him either. My mother is an expert at child-raising.

I think the next month will go quickly, but I still am not looking forward to being apart from my family so much, though I am excited to work on apartments. I have a good time working with my family, and I haven't been able to spend as time with them as late.

This weekend we have another reunion, and I'm pretty excited about that. It's with my paternal side of the family. We usually have a fantastic time.

I don't know when the next video will be published. I won't have access to my video editing software, so we'll see.

I'm sure everything will work out, and it will be nice to be able to put money away to savings.

I'm sure Kevin will enjoy playing with his cousins too. There is a lot to look forward to.

Hopefully Grig doesn't get too lonely during the week. We plan on skyping every day, so it shouldn't be too bad.

Kevin's going to miss his daddy.

Money Miracles

Lately, our money's been a bit tight.

Grig had a week or so off work due to a lack of parts, and that has really affected us. We used up most of our savings on our vacation, so we've barely been able to pay the bills.

However, I have had continual feelings of peace on this matter, and the feeling that things were going to be just fine.

I've desperately clung onto that feeling as we've avoided buying groceries and used the food that we had on hand. We've prayed for miracles, and we've received miracles.

I've had very generous relatives who have given us things that we've desperately needed. We have tried not to ask anyone for help, but these wonderful people have given it to us anyway.

We also had an air-conditioning miracle. Our home has been really, really hot. We haven't had any air-conditioning, and we had a total of two fans, one of which only half worked.

We've been enduring, hoping that we would be able to afford another fan at some point. However, the other day we went to see our manager and she randomly asked us if we wanted air-conditioning. Evidently, a previous tenant had been trying to sell hers when she moved. It was nearly brand-new. Other than that, she said we could install it now and pay her for it when we were able to.

It has made a huge difference in our home. We keep it up at 75, and it still feels incredibly different in our home. The dog is much happier. I think she was overheating before, and I think that was causing some digestive problems.  

There have been many other small miracles that have occurred, and we've seen the hand of the Lord in our lives.

Grig had his birthday this last week, but we didn't have any money to buy presents. We are holding off on those until we can afford them, but I've felt really bad about it. I gave him some homemade presents, and he received some from family. He's been really patient about it. I really love him.

We had a small party with family a couple of weeks ago. Then, last Sunday we invited a few friends and family members over and had a small party. Mostly we just had cake, brownies, and pudding because that's what we had on hand. It was a fun party, and it was good to see Grig's brothers.

We have enough, and we're grateful. After this week, things should really pick up at work. I'm also going to work for my grandparents on apartments for a month. That means that we're going to be separated for a little while, but the extra money should really come in handy.

Family Friday: Cross Country Blues

(This is a story written by guest author Grig Tank)

Eww...I just saw a colon.

High school is a fairly unpleasant time for most kids, and for me this was no exception. OCD and a particularly bad set of social skills helped me feel both more isolated and more mentally unbalanced than I really was. Everyone has their own magical solution for the unhappiness that is teenage life, and for me, that was a girlfriend. I had somehow come to the conclusion that a girlfriend would make my loneliness, obsessive-compulsive neuroticism, and general, teenage-related pains instantly transform into the golden, quirky life I dreamed of. In retrospect, my failure to know what to do or say around a girl may have saved me a great deal of trouble, since a girlfriend was the one thing I couldn’t seem to get. At any rate, I looked down the hall at the rows of lockers and milling students one day, and thought to myself: if something doesn’t change, I will go mad.

My solution was a simple, if poorly thought-out one: since school failed to properly distract me from my hormonally charged frustrations, I would use shock and confusion to do the job myself. I began hiding bones found in the woods and other oddities in my backpack, then donning them or using them as props to disturb others (a favorite game of mine was finding a circle of girls so focused on their conversation that they wouldn’t notice the deer skull about to perch on their shoulder until it was too late. I thought I was pretty funny.).

The feelings of isolation began to dissipate when I joined the cross country team. Along with the endorphins that running provided, the pleasure of being accepted into a group was a welcome change. I never actually thought about it in much depth, but the knowledge that I now had peers that enjoyed doing things with me made all the difference. That, and the fact that there were some very pretty girls in the female section. I was hardly any better at being social than before, but there was less time to pity myself now, and at least one of the girls seemed like a possible match. Hazel was quirky, short, curvy, and lived on a farm… all big bonuses, in my eyes. I began talking to her when I could work up the guts to do so, and even interrupted some kids playing a prank on her, once… the charity of the love-smitten teenager knows no bounds, after all. At one point, I went so far as to suggest that, if she ever broke up with her boyfriend, that she should consider me as an alternative. What happened a few weeks after that suggestion was one of the strangest, least-welcomed miracles I have ever experienced.

I had taken to talking to Hazel every week on the phone, perhaps several times a week, and things were going smoothly. One day, during our discussion, she abruptly said, “So, I broke up with my boyfriend.” Expectant silence followed. This was the moment I had been waiting for for years. I would take the place of my unfortunate successor, and all would be made well. Now, however, a wave of inadequacy and fear poured over me out of nowhere.

A car. She would expect her boyfriend to have a car to drive her around in. I understood that girls liked that sort of thing, but I had no money, which brought me to problem number two: I had no job. I wanted no job. I would have to buy Hazel things, to boot, and I imagined myself failing in all these regards and more, fear after fear hammering me with unexpected force. After what may have been thirty seconds of silence, I found myself saying, “That’s nice,” and then bringing the conversation to as amiable and abrupt an end as possible. The moment I hung up the phone, those fears vanished, and I literally kicked myself with frustration at how close I had been. Where had all that emotion come from?! I had ruined my chances beyond repair, as I thought, and I nearly screamed with fury.

Sometime after my tantrum, I came to realize that it might have been the Holy Ghost protecting me. I was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Hazel was not. I had seen what happened to people who married outside of the Church: often, they went inactive, but even when they didn’t, it was very rare for their spouses to become members, themselves. Worse still, their children often fell away from the Church when they began to be independent… why worry about a testimony in a God that Dad or Mom wasn’t interested in? In addition, I honestly think I wasn’t ready for the insanity that courtship can bring with it. Make no mistake, it is a pleasurable experience, but it’s also a frustrating one. Women can be difficult to read and anticipate, and the interest some of them have in mind games became a pet peeve of mine later on. I doubt that my teenage brain, which was still flailing about wildly, trying to handle its own problems, could have handled Hazel’s on top of everything else.

Later still, I would come to wonder about her reaction: was she heartbroken? Angry? Doubtless, she was confused, and I can’t help but think she may have dodged a bullet as much as I did. The final results of that bizarre event (and the rest of high school, for that matter) will probably only become truly clear to me after this world’s impending Endgame.

Mormon Monday: Fatherhood

We're back!

I'll start posting information about our trip starting tomorrow, but today I wanted to get back to the normal schedule and talk about fathers, since I missed Father's Day.

On one of the last days of our trip, we were sitting in a hotel room flipping through channels. We don't have a television at our house, so we were trying to see if anything was worth watching.

For having so many channels, there really wasn't anything worth watching until we got to an episode of the Twilight Zone. It was the old version, and I'd never seen it before, but Grig recognize it. We watched it, and I rather enjoyed it.

After it finished, we didn't change the channel and a commercial came on for an old western. In the commercial a young boy was talking to his manly-looking, cowboy father, and the father made the comment, "There's no place I'd rather be than with you."

As I heard those words, the thought hit me that fathers haven't been portrayed that way in years. In general, fathers are portrayed as idiotic, absent, or abusive. It is very rare anymore that a father is seen as a vital part of a family.

 My husband, Grig, is a huge part of our family. I have chosen to be a stay-at-home mother, and I love it. I love teaching my son all the time and seeing him grow and develop. I can't imagine leaving him to the care of anyone else. Obviously not everyone has the opportunity to raise their child this way, but I'm so grateful that I have been able to.

This would not be possible if Grig wasn't an amazing provider. He worries about making enough money and spending time with us. Early on in our marriage, we discussed what kind of career he wanted to have and he impressed on me that the most important thing to him was to spend time with his wife and children. He wanted to have a good job, but not at the cost of never seeing us.

We've been blessed with a good job and we've been able to spend time together. We try to have a weekly date night away from Kevin, and constantly try to strengthen our love for each other and our son.

According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, fathers and mothers have very important roles in the family. A while ago, the church issued a document called, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

Though the proclamation states that fathers are to provide the necessities of life, it emphasizes that in these responsibilities, "fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners." As Grig and I have tried to live by these principles, we've found ways to encourage and aid one another in our responsibilities. Every family needs to seek the Lord's guidance as they determine how the Lord wants them to individual adapt.

For those who no longer have husbands or fathers on this earth, I encourage you to turn to your Heavenly Father. He loves us more than we can possibly understand. I have felt a tiny bit of His love for me, and it was almost more than I could handle. The Lord wants what is best for us and our families, and as we try to live our lives in the way He wants us to, we will experience happiness and peace in these turbulent times.

Fathers are an essential part of the family. I can't imagine what my life would be like without my husband and my father. I have learned so much from them. However, if something were to happen to them, I know my Heavenly Father would continue to guide me.

We are not alone. There are others around us who the Lord sends to help us. We are not meant to go through this life alone, and if we put aside our pride and really try to listen, our Heavenly Father will guide us to a better path.

I'm still learning to listen. It is a life-long journey and sometimes it can seem difficult. What I want and what the Lord wants doesn't always mesh. However, when I heed my Father in Heaven, I am always happier and I end up right where I am supposed to be.

Earthly fathers can be imperfect, but our Heavenly Father will never let us down.

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there. Know that you are needed, loved, and appreciated. The impact, good or bad, that you make on your families will last for generations. Try to be the kind of father that your children will try to emulate, and spend time with your family while they are young.

Grig and Kevin are best friends, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Mormon Monday: Lifting Others

Today, Grig and Kevin are sick with the stomach flu. Luckily Grig didn't have work today anyway, but after being thrown-up on all night, I don't have much energy today and I almost didn't want to blog. However, I realized that since they are both sleeping right now, I don't have much in the way of excuses and there were somethings that I wanted to share.

Saturday, I went to visit some amazing friends of mine. We were able to go to the 1st semi-annual General Women's Meeting for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was amazing! It was so much fun to see my friends again (it's been a couple years) and I really enjoyed listening to the talks and watching the videos (even if I still have a really hard time sitting still). If you didn't get a chance to watch it, and had the desire to do so, here is the link:

It was a historic moment where women age 8 to infinity were able to sit down and hear talks from our leaders. Elder Eyring spoke as well, and I loved his message. Something in particular stood out to me.

He talked about how when we lift those around us toward God, that brings our Heavenly Father joy. We are all sisters and daughters of our Heavenly Father, and He loves us. Sometimes I wonder how I could ever pay him back for all the blessings that we have received and when I heard Elder Eyring's words, I felt joy shoot through me. It is possible to bring joy to our Eternal Father. By becoming more like Him, and by helping those around us become more like Him, we can make Him happy and proud of our efforts.

I love women. They are incredible beings with a lot of love that they share unselfishly. Some of my greatest role-models are women in my life who devote their lives to serving their children and families.

I want to be better at lifting those around me to greater heights. I guess before you can lift other you need to be standing on higher ground yourself. I am going to try to be a better friend and neighbor. I want to be more Christ-like so I can bring joy to my Heavenly Father.

I  think that's going to be it for today. Please pray that my family gets well soon!

Grig Got the Job!

A week or so ago, I posted about how an opportunity had opened up in Grig's company.

Grig had been hired as a fitter back in July, but because he had taken time on his breaks to learn how to weld, they had begun to allow him to do actual welding.  Over the past few months, he has really enjoyed welding and has really grown quite good at it.

Grig was working on something when a coworker of his approached him kind of hesitantly. He told me that his coworker watched him work for a moment, and then asked, "Do you want to weld?"

At first, Grig thought the man was talking about right then, and he said, "Sure."

Then, he realized that the man meant in an official capacity. His friend explained that a welding position had just opened up, and that Grig should apply for it. So, he did.

Yesterday we found out that Grig had gotten the position. The new position not only comes with duties that Grig really enjoys, but it also comes with a pay increase.

Honestly, this isn't even close to what he graduated in, but we are so grateful for this opportunity as we continue to earn our residency. Grig is a hard and dedicated worker. He has an incredible eye for details, and he is very meticulous. I appreciate how much he does to provide for our family, and the opportunities that we have been given. God has been very kind to us.

A long time ago, when Grig was looking for a job, my father gave him a blessing. In the blessing, he advised Grig to be "open to opportunities for growth within the company." We really feel that this is the answer to that blessing.

We're pretty excited about the news and we wanted to share it with you!

Now we just have to purchase a welding helmet!

Grig's Home!

For the first time in a long time, Grig actually has close to a 40-hour week! This is exciting and somewhat sad at the same time.

It's great because Grig and I get a day almost entirely to ourselves (besides Kevin). We have some things we need to get done, so it is exciting that we have a day to actually do them.

It is sad because it means a pay-cut, but we can handle it. We'll might have to alter our budget just a little bit.

I am currently working on learning new anime software using a trial version of toon boom studio. I'm saving up for the real version, but so far it's been fairly easy to figure out how to use it. Hopefully you'll see a marked improvement in my animations soon.

Kevin was pretty excited to see his father this morning. He climbed over, flopped on top of him, and gave him a big hug. It was adorable. Grig woke up to a snuggle from his son.

Kevin hardly ever goes to sleep without nursing. However, the other night, after Grig got home, he and Kevin were snuggling on the couch and I looked over to find that Kevin had fallen asleep on his dad's chest. It was really cute. I might have teared up a bit. It gives me hope that Kevin will eventually sleep in his own bed.

Kevin really loves his daddy. I do too. We are so excited to have a day together!

So, today's blog is a little shorter so I can go spend time with my husband.

I'm sure you understand.

Snoring

Every night, as I try to go to bed, it begins. 

Usually, the dog falls asleep first. (Though sometimes it's Grig or Kevin).  Her breathing deepens, and she relaxes into slumber.

Next, Grig falls asleep.  As he relaxes, sometimes he twitches a little, but luckily for me, he avoids outright kicks. 

Then gradually, Kevin also passes out.  About that time, the snoring begins.

Kevin sometimes snores, but his are cute.  Their very quiet and there is just something adorable about the little grunts his nose makes.

Depending on how Grig is sleeping determines whether or not he snores.  Usually, if he is on his side or stomach, he doesn't snore too badly, but if he is on his back it can get pretty violent.  However, if it bothers me (which it rarely does), I just push him over a little and he stops.

 The dog is probably the loudest of the three.  I was taking a bath this morning after Grig had left for work and I could hear her quite clearly in the bathroom.  Again, it isn't deafening, but for some reason it amuses me.

Do I snore?  Sometimes I'm sure, but if I do, I don't hear it. 

I'm always the last one asleep, but the snoring really doesn't bother me.  In fact, I find it comforting.  It makes me feel safe. Weird, huh?  It is a sound that means that I am not alone.  I usually can go to sleep pretty quickly after that, and I never wake up to the snoring.

I'm a pretty deep sleeper after all.

If I ever have nightmares (which sometimes I still do, and let me tell you, I could write some pretty horrifying scary movies based off of my dreams) I wake up and find comfort in the sounds of those sleeping around me. Then I'll usually cuddle up to my husband's back and return to sleep with more pleasant dreams.

For some, snoring might be their curse, but for me...it's kind of a blessing.

It also helps me know when Grig falls asleep while I'm talking to him.

If Kevin could, he'd sleep like this.

Does anyone in your life snore?  How do you feel about it?