Ah Sunday

I love Sundays. While I was single, I loved starting Sunday morning with some nice church music and playing the piano, singing, and/or studying scriptures. It just set apart the day for me and was such a nice change. Now with the kids and John, I decided to do a similar thing and start Sundays by turning on church or classical music when we all get up and it seems to set a great mood. I don't normally get the relaxing nap and time to myself I did when I was single :), but we have started some other traditions that really make Sundays for me. Mind you, these are things we could and like to do on other days, but they are fun Sabbath day activities. The kids love to make cookies for friends and neighbors, so we've done that the past couple of weeks and I think it's helped the kids see how good they feel doing service and how good it helps others feel as well. All of us love to bake and cook and the kids love to help, so sometimes we try out a new recipe. So fun! We've got a box of Sunday activities that John's late wife Britney put together when she was alive and I'll have the kids choose a couple of those to do. They love it! Last week we sang Primary songs and went on a family walk. The kids love to sing (yay!!!) and we have a good time doing it. What a blessing it is to have fun traditions and to have Sundays as special days to remember family and why our family is able to be together!! It makes me so grateful for the Savior and His sacrifice for us and for the plan of our Heavenly Father that allows families to be together forever and to build lasting and loving relationships on this earth that continue in the life after this.

Just a quick update on us...things are still crazy, but John is finishing his PICU (pediatric ICU) month in a week and so we are all breathing a sigh of relief. It has been a rough month with many challenges. Satan has really worked hard on our little family and I have felt stretched to my limit. However, I know that Heavenly Father will not allow us to be tempted or tried more than we are able to bear, so I find comfort in that. I am also grateful for the beauty of the eternal marriage covenant and temple sealing. That has brought so much comfort to me knowing that John and I have committed to each other and to God that we will love each other and take care of each other through everything. We continue to do our best and to involve Heavenly Father in all we do. I know that because of that, we have been given and have felt so much strength that is much more than our own. John truly amazes me in so many ways each day as I see how mature he is and how much faith he has. He makes me want to be a better person. He is so patient and loving and has such a good heart and cherishes me. He is committed to the Lord, to me and to our family. I am so blessed! I always prayed that Heavenly Father would provide a man like him and sure enough, He did. Heavenly Father guided me to the perfect man for me.

The kids are doing well and adjusting to all the life changes :) They are all calling me Mommy (sometimes Rachel, too, or Mommy Rachel)---which has been an adjustment, but a good one. It really melts my heart when they do.

Anna often requests to read "fipfurs" (scriptures) before bedtime and brings me the Book of Mormon so we can read a few verses. She also loves to sing "sunbeam" (Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam--a children's Primary song we sing in church) and "rock" (The wise man built his house upon the rock---another Primary song from church) before bedtime. She and I dance and sing to a lot of the songs that I used to do with students at the private school where I taught back east. She loves it! She also loves to watch me put on make-up and wants to put on "farkles" (sparkles--eyeshadow), and sings herself to sleep at night with all sorts of made-up songs. It's pretty adorable. She's not taking naps much anymore, so we've started doing quiet time (so Mommy can have some quiet time :) ).

Vera has just started reading and is LOVING it. We use the website www.starfall.com and I think it's great! Reading has really clicked for Vera now and she wants to read all the time. She got 100% on her spelling test the other day and we are so proud of her! She loves playing with her triplet friends who live next door and who are her age. She is constantly drawing pictures for John and me and LOVES to color with markers and paints. Vera is so loving, very social, and is always the first to give a hug. She is very vocal about her feelings (which was hard at first, but is good and is also giving me a thicker skin :) ).

Jonas is such a sweet boy. He is very loving and has such a sweet heart. He is SO smart. Jonas has started reading the Book of Mormon every night and tells us what he learns each day. He is the king of random facts and will tell you everything there is to know about pretty much anything he discovers. He loves to read and is currently in a 3rd/4th grade split class, which is a challenge for him, but he loves it. His new thing these days is plants versus zombies, a game that John has on his iPhone. He loves spending quality time with John and told me the other day that his "love language" is quality time. Love these kids!

Well, gotta run to get ready for church, but until next time!