Our struggling new beginning

As everyone know I hate blogging so here is to my once a year post. Lol! I really just just need to start doing it.

 KIDS AND SCHOOL

 To start we have been here about 6 months now. It seems to get better everyday. The kids are going to Freedom Predatory Academy, charter school. I absolutely love that school. It's the only thing that has kept me here in provo. I will never forget when we got the call to get in. I had the worst feeling about the school that they were going to from day one of the moment I stepped foot in that school. Obviously it wasn't good they just found a bunch of six graders dealing drugs there about a week ago. Anyway, I was praying and praying wondering what to do. I kept looking at the website of freedom academy. They second day of school at Franklin elementary I decided to just go apply for Freedom and pray they will get in next year at least. I applied for every charter school from Lindon to Spanish fork. When I went to Freedom to apply they said I couldn't apply for next year yet but I could apply for this year but probably couldn't get in because there was a lot of people in front of us. So I did. My kids were in school for about a month. I cried when I got the call. I know god has a plan for us. They are doing so well getting all A's in school. Workin their butts off to do so. Haven was won the top speller in his class. he and 3 other kids got to compete in the second grade spelling bee where there was 12 kids. he lasted 3 out of the 5 rounds. i couldn't be prouder of him. he was so broken hearted. his word was "FATIGUE". i don't think he will ever for get how to spell that now. He was devastated. I told my self I never wanted another kid to be in the spelling bee. Miles is doing great also i just love both of their teachers. They are both doing a after school ceramics class. They are so happy when they get out of school to tell me what they have made. I hope they have a some of there dads and grandpas art talent because I am not an artist at all. Mickayla is just happy being with her new cat pickles. She plays with him constantly. He is so good with her and she loves him like her own baby. She is 3 now absolutely loves spongebob that's all she wants to watch (yes I let her watch it. judge me how you want) Mikes job is slowwwwly moving up and the raises are too. They finally got their buts in gear and gave in a rais. We were hoping for bigger but I am just greatful he got one and is getting another one in a month. He has decided to drop out of school for now and my hope forever. Things are looking up and the best part is he loves his job. The waiting game is my weekness. He has already went from operator to process engineer in 6 months so that is amazing. For the most part everyone is happy here. I have struggled a lot with the kids missing their friends. I remember when I was thinking "why do my kids have to play every day or can't they play somewhere else", of course we loved it but it got tiring. It's been very different. Not many little kids neighborhood especially lds ones. We really have become closer as a family. My kids do have a lot of homework so they don't play only the weekends.its been rough! We are probably staying in this house for another year. I have been not my self and emotional lately really missing my brother, sister, old neighbors, & friends Remembering a lot of the good times we had. My brother always made things so fun. He would never let You be mad at him if you tried. Having my sister so close for a few years was fun too. I miss her to now it seems I don't have anyone now. We really miss our old friends. We are grateful that we can still see the Stubbs once and a while. The thoughtful cards of in the mail of old friends and the great friends that we have found here. We are all just really busy busy busy. We will be glad when summer is here and we can play a little more :)

OUR STORY

 As you have notice it's has been really hard especially lately. People don't understand why we did it. Why we went from a high paying job to a job he was only making a 1/4 of what was make when he started at us synthetic. Sold our house ect. We were living the American dream right? (What your supposed to do) thinking we would just be in our starter house for a few years and by the time that happened....... Well actually didnt happen that way. We had to sell our house to better my husbands physical health, mental health, spirituality, and our marriage. We were very inspired about very decision we made. We had to choose god and family over money. Probably they hardest thing we have ever had to go through. Satan has really tried to tempted us to choose the other way! When we first moved here Sysco was trying to get him to come back and he would have made even more money. That would have been crazy! Sometimes I get so frustrated and not very humble. Sometimes I just want to be able to do the things we used to and get the things I don't "need". I am not very good at seeing the big picture like Mike is. I am so grateful for parents that have helped and supported us in our hard decision. We are really hoping and praying that his job now can pull into a position that will be everything we have been praying and hoping for. It for the most part already has. He used to work nights and Sundays which would limit church and family. We both could not have callings because of his schedule. We tried but it was too hard. Then we could never have family home evening or just have that quality family time. We have family home evening every Monday (my kids make sure of that) family prayer every night, I get to sleep in the same bed at the same time at night as my husband now. ( which was hard to get used to) our relationship has never been better as a couple and as a family. That's exactly what I wanted. Money can not bring that! I know our sacrifices will bring our family great joy.

DOING GOOD FOR OTHERS WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY

Since I know like 2 people in my ward I can tell everyone my yearly service goal. I have been really trying service at least one a month for someone. I usually babysit when someone asks or make someone that is having a bad day cookies or is sick. Not this month I got really excited over it because I got to go shopping. I bought 2 little girls in our ward new dresses. These girls wore the same dresses every Sunday and you could tell they started not to fit. With me as a good shopper of course found 2 really cute dress for cheap. Doing this has really helped my kids with service to and are recognizing it more especially after this one. I am grateful that I have made this goal. I always have seen those great people doing service for others all the time and I just hope someday I can be just a tiny bit of that great. Sorry everyone for such a boring blog my husband totally screwed it up so I could only download a few pictures.. He is suppose to fix it so maybe before another year goes by I will blog again.

Our Family Art Collection

A lot people know Mike grew up going to art shows; when we got married we started going to a few and I learned to love art. My favorite kind is glass, Mike likes sculpture and painting, but likes all kinds. We decided to start our own little collection...go figure that that a lot of it is Jim's pottery. Mike is so proud of his dad and is so partial when it comes to who is the best potter. Mike always checks out the paintings at D.I.

It helps that he knows many of the local artists and that his parents can wheel and deal for him.

Love in the mist Photograpy by Pamela Ann Hiar

Mike had this plate made for me. So the frogs represent us. This one is by Johnny Hughes

I couldn't read the name on this one but it is handmade it has a lot of different kinds of stones and beads in it.

A water color painting by I also could not read the name on this one.

This painting was actually found at DI by my husband I almost died when he brought it home. I thought it was so ugly. It had a really ugly frame on it. I took it off and found its beauty.
It's by Rehle E Higham

This is my favorite of Mikes dads. He gave this to me for my birthday one year. I absolutely love it by Jim Simister

We actually got to pick this bowl out for our wedding. By Ben Behunin

These last two bowls are mikes two favorite bowls of his dads. By Jim Simister

We also have few put away and it totes.