Things that occupy life in the slow-fast lane for us as we try to stay balanced between work & play & unity as a family. Here are the contributors to my blogging inhibitions....
--The Dental Restoration Business is probably the most busy thing in our world. Mont is the hardest working man I know. He works intensely hard at the in-lab work he does making beautiful tooth restorations for a large clientele, the business coaching and weekly courses he's taking, marketing and advertising, and so many dimensions in his role as a business owner are just as or more so taxing on his time and energy as being at the bench. He's amazing, the most amazing person there is when it comes to work ethic and honest hard labor in the face of adversity and opposition. There isn't a stronger man around.
--The other most involved part of our life of course falls with our role as parents. Kinlee is doing amazing lately and I'm so proud of her progress. She's brought home 100%ers in math recently and her reading has improved leaps and bounds since Christmas. She's really into reading the classic, "Where The Red Fern Grows" with her dad everyday sometimes for up to 2 hours at a time. She really is such a joy to be around, helpful sweet and kind and catches herself when she's not now. She makes every one ((and more than one of her teachers has told me this same thing)) feel like a million bucks with her sincere compliments of "You look beautiful today, ______." or that she loves something they are wearing or how they did their hair etc. She has always been like this since being a tiny little 18 month-er even. She is honestly a mini teenager in the way she thinks & stuff she says...its kind of freaky sometimes. mostly tho this is only in a good way and more often than not I find myself getting so excited to pick her up after school, so we can hang out! I just love being her mom and count myself so blessed that she is mine! I just don't think they come cooler and more with it & witty, sweet and fun than she is (most of the time). She just makes me more happy than anything else lately! I love being her Mom so much! I am SO thankful for her!!!! And I know her dad feels exactly the same way I do toward her and I love that we get to share such a huge blessing and devotion to her!
--Corp Books and ODesign Invoicing etc ... I just did a mandatory quarterly GST report without the Accountant walking me through it or right beside me the whole way. I was pretty proud of myself! Numbers have never been my fave thing in the world so this is an accomplishment that I'm rather proud of. One that I am in to for life---the long haul for sure or at least until retirement ... Which I'm kinda hoping comes sooner than later, this owner/employer role is a lot more stressful than working for a paycheck every month. It's a LOT more pressure and responsibility and is anything but easy or simple . We are in a whole new realm of thinking and life. We experienced quite the changes in past year and at times it's overwhelming to me. But we'll make it with hard work and lots of prayer.
--We took on yet another job.... cleaning the lab each week or twice a week. This is a family affair and I think it's going to work out nicely. It was a grueling 5 1/2 straight hours on the first week but it felt good to do it and to make a dent in it again. We had to fire the last cleaning company, they just weren't doing it anymore. It was rather sick I almost gagged scrubbing down the men's public facilities. But I won't go off on that rant...I just can't fathom how far some men must stand away from the urnal, or something cuz the extent of pee on the walls was rather grotesque!
--My sub days have come much more frequently at the Elementary School lately & I'm loving the kids I work with the closeness it gives me with Kinlee and the extra mula is a great perk too. This feels heaven sent as I've wanted more subbing days for lots of reasons. We are all thankful for each day and call I get! Kinlee lives for it...she is a kiddo who loves being close to her parents so she kind of thrives on days I'm at the school with her. It's also nice for me to have adult convo mixed in with my love for children and getting to work with them. I love getting the work days in close to Kinlee while still getting time for myself and time for home, hobby and to work at the Dental Lab with Mont.
--We still own the other house so we have that upkeep and either trying to sell it or get renters when the ones in there now move out.
--I'm house sitting for my snow bird neighbors still.
--I'm always in the process of making our new house in to a home and I love that but some areas just aren't quite right yet and that bugs me.
--Chloe, Mont and Kinlee's puppy, keeps Mont and Kinlee busy. Feeding her, playing with her, teaching her tricks and taking her with them for walks, runs or bike rides everyday takes their time. Kinlee's great for after school taking Chloe out (shes staying in the garage for now) and Mont wakes up just early enough to take care of her before work and then again after work and before bed. He has her trained to sit and almost there on shake a paw. I think I trained her with one big bop on the head not to jump on me anymore. And otherwise we try hard to keep her from pushing her weight past us and in to the house even though she desperately wants in.
She puts up with a lot having Kinlee as a buddy!
--For fun Mont and I aim for date nights weekly whether its at home cuddled up by the crackling fireplace or out to a movie or nicer than usual dinner or even just a drive together with music and talking whatever it is we do try for quality time even if its super simple ... we also have a nightly date with the an epi or two in the series "Parenthood" usually snuggled up together in bed. We are trying hard to scrimp and save this year for a much over due family vacation so we will be sacrificing more than usual as a fam to save and prep for a Christmas Vacation that will knock Kinlee's socks off, at least we hope so! She asked her dad the other day if we are a rich or poor family he replied that we we are neither rich nor poor but that we are a family who works hard for everything we get. She was satisfied with that and I loved the simple way he put that. I hope our kids never know either way. I don't want them to worry about family finances like we always had to as kids but I also don't want them to be raised to think they are entitled. We want to teach that nothing is free and with some good hard work ethic you can attain anything you want and need.
--Kinlee is lovin her life with a cute new doll house and old school Polly pockets as well as play dates with friends and cousins and a cold winter sledding/walk we took one day when there was no school. We were on the look out for anything that resembles a hill to slide on.
I have also never seen her room so clean as we have encouraged her to keep it clean anyway but leading up to valentines day if she sees this on her door she can know her room was clean to inspection and a treat or toy or craft is hidden for her to find for the 14 days leading up...so it's all hearts and pinks and red inspired by vday!
She loved making cookies together with me and then decorating them with Jorja on an after school play date yesterday too.
--I picked a 'word' for 2013 and it came to me quietly while reading the Ensign in January (the Feb issue very last page on the back cover--thx Mom for the new subscription :). I needed these uplifting words more than anything at the time and I still do. It says:
"Everyone of us has times when we need to know things will get better....My declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need.
There is help.
There is happiness....
Don't you quit.
You keep walking.
You keep trying....
it will be all right in the end.
Trust God and believe in good things to come....
Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven, but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come."
And with that I knew my most fitting word for 2013 was HOPE. At the start of this year that was anything but what I felt.
I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I feel guilty when I lack the vision the Gospel has, the big picture, the eternal timeline we are on and how this sometimes very difficult journey is truly just a tiny little moment and that we have no better choice in life than to hold on to HOPE in the Gospel plan and the knowing hand and will of God. I know that with the Gospel of Jesus Christ we can have the HOPE that good things await those who sincerely possess the faith that we need in Heavenly Father's understanding of time, not ours, and his perfect plan. And in that I know giving up is not an option.
My scripture for this year also shared with my mission theme which is engraved on my mission plaque and since this year marks (cringing) 10 years since my black name tag was ripped away from me...is:
2 Nephi 31:20
((I know we aren't suppose to pick favorite scriptures but of all the great scripture there is this one is mine! And between that and the wisdom and hope Jeffery R Holland offers in that Ensign quote above...I'm starting this year off much better now and with HoPe I am holding out for the promise of good things to come!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
1 comment:
Beautiful WORD for 2013.
That was fun to catch up on your lives. Hang in there! Sounds like it's been a pretty hectic pace for awhile. ; )
Have an awesome weekend!
Post a Comment