Happiness

Have I told you yet about Baby #6?! We’re Expecting!!! Due March 13th, 2020. 2020! When the baby is ten years old, they will be 10. When they are twenty it will be 2040! How crazy is that?! After my last miscarriage, I had a lightbulb moment: I could get pregnant! If my body could do it once, it could do it again until a small seed of Hope turned into a small flame of Faith and Hope. I didn’t even wait the one month grace period and we found ourselves unexpectedly and oh so happily expecting once again! Oh, what JOY!

Back in May I accepted a 5 hour shift at the Gilbert Temple and was set apart to be authorized to do so.  Hooray! I had been wanting to work in the Temple for a very long time! Since 2008. In 2008 I asked the leader of our Church Group if I could work in the Temple. I loved being there so much! He said that I needed to wait until all my kids had left the house. That was going to be a long time as my youngest Asher was TWO at the time. I went home a little disappointed, but understood the meaning behind it (making family a priority). Fast forward 11 years.  Josh and I were attending a large Church meeting for our area (Stake Conference) and I heard the speaker mention that anyone was allowed to work in the Temple now. What did beautiful news did my ears just hear?! I turned to Josh and he knew what I was thinking. I waited a few months to make sure I was really willing to commit to such a time commitment each week and then met with my Bishop to ge...

We went to Utah in July for a Hulihan Family Reunion and while there Asher turned 13! We celebrated with cupcakes with crazy blue frosting and going bowling at BYU and hiking. It was a great day! Aunt Larissa signed our family up to hike up to the caves at Mt Timp. We have always wanted to do that but we didn't want to pay the price for the tickets. She paid for us! It was the highlight of our trip the kids said! Another pic from Mt Timp

My birthstone necklace for each of my babies in heaven. This was my fourth one. I don’t want to give a number to it, but this is how it is. Each pregnancy has been very different and this one was too. We had been trying for almost 5 years and besides a miscarriage a year into it, nothing has come about. Three months ago, I decided to give it all to the Lord. Only He could take my worries or thoughts that would come each month or so. And then, on June 2nd, we found out we were expecting! I was so excited and dismissed the fact that it could end in a miscarriage. I just wanted to enjoy it! I had some blood work done to check my hormone levels as early as I could and when the nurse called and told me they were low, I knew. It was a long hard week with a lot of pain physically and emotionally. Josh was so very supportive and so were our family and a few friends that we had told already. We had told them for this exact support, knowing how it was without it. I got a blessing and kne...

My life these days is pretty busy! It’s Summer and I have a 16 year old girl, two 15 year old boys, a 13 year old boy and a 5 year old boy. I spend my days trying to keep them busy and active, with less screen time and more active time. Currently they have a job list they get done in the mornings. Jonah is working on a secret slideshow for his reading and writing job and so is Asher. They have been spending an hour or two at the library by themselves working and researching. Ethan was dying to find out what Jonah’s been working on and finally Jonah told him- Nintendo’s history! Coming up Elizabeth will be a Junior, Ethan and Jonah will be Sophmores, Asher will be in 8th grade and Declan will be in Kindergarten! This amazes me! How did they get so old so fast! I’ve been preparing myself to keep busy while they are gone- signing up to substitute teach as well as having a shift at the Temple and the local Hospital. I hope I haven’t overdone it but these are all things that I love- ser...

15 years ago I went into preterm labor with twins. Their due date was June 24th. May 16th was a little early for that, but they had twin to twin transfusion (which we found out later) and they were ready to get the heck out of there! Jonah was taking a lot of Ethan's nutrients- he was getting too much and Ethan wasn't getting enough- so they knew it was time. After a pretty easy 11 hour labor, Ethan came into this world at 10:55 pm weighing 4 lbs 14 oz. He was tiny and pale and was whisked away by the Drs. Jonah flipped around from being breech and came rushing after him- 3 minutes later at 10:58- weighing 5 lbs 1 oz. He was red and puffy from taking in all that food and was whisked away too. A few hours later, I was wheeled into the NICU to see them but not hold them yet. Two days later, I held each one, so frail in my arms.  They each received a Priesthood Blessing from Josh (a blessing we give when someone is sick or in need of comfort or strength). Each...

I went hiking by the Wind Caves- a 15 minute drive from my house- all by myself the other day while Declan was in Preschool and the weather was a touch cooler and crisp. The beauty of the clouds against the blue sky and backed behind the desert landscape had me in awe. It cost $7 to get in and it was the highlight of my month! Besides birthdays, of course.