I don't know why I'm not very good at this. Usually, you'd expect someone to either be all or nothing. To either like blogging and do it often or just completely forget about it and never do it again. But I am somewhere in between.... favoring the side of forgetting a bit more. I enjoy the process of journaling although my life generally doesn't allow the time to do it justice, at least like I used to. But that's the problem, I can't compare my journaling abilities now to how they used to be when I wasn't a mother or a wife. It's apples to oranges.
But here we are, I either write a few pages in my paper journal or I remember I have a blog, open it up and give it a go once again.
An update is probably warranted. My beautiful family is still residing in Spring City, on my family's homestead. We feel EXTREMELY blessed to call this home for now. I know that my contentedness with living in an RV wouldn't be present if we were living in said RV in an RV park or trailer park or anything else. It is only because we have all this beautiful land around us to go on walks every morning, to have animals, gardens and domes that make it what it is. So, for that I thank Heavenly Father each day.
Living in our RV this long wasn't the plan, but I am actually truly grateful that we are. It's hard to explain but I'll do my best. The first thing is it's completely changing me into someone better than I was before. It's changed me. For the best. We'll just chalk it up to realizing that in order to be happy you don't need very much. And when you don't have very much, opportunities to be happy are somehow easier to see. The Gospel for me has really taken center stage. Priorities in homeschooling have become clearer. And yes, this is all because of living in a tiny space. Second, there is something about living in a small space with ones you love that force you to either come closer together or fail...really. Kill each other? Hate each other? I don't know what the negative side is, but it's not good and so all stops have to be drawn to avoid it. And that process? A refiner's fire as they say, and it has made my family get so much closer to the kind of family I've dreamed of. No, we're not perfect and we still have a lot of learning to do but had we been somewhere else, I'm certain it wouldn't have happened. For that I'm eternally grateful. I love how Heavenly Father knew what I needed in order to become who He wanted me to become.
There are some real physical pros to living tiny. Convenience, coziness, cleanliness (all C words, not on purpose!). I love being able to reach to the fridge, the sink, the garbage, without taking a step, or maybe just one. I love feeling like we only have what's absolutely necessary around us...no excess. It's all highly organized and just so which is a nice feeling too. It is so easy to keep clean! Really clean! I love that!
We are of course looking forward to having a house, but I am constantly thinking about how I can transfer this unique feeling that comes from living small and simple into a home...I don't want to lose it. However, I'm not sure it's possible. I know it will change everything when we move into a house so for now, I just try to relish and live in the moment with my precious boys.
This year we are expanding our garden even more and we are so giddy about it. Special varieties of strawberries, blackberries and even beautiful flowers. I've started canning so that I can preserve all the abundance that comes from the garden this year. Herbs, spinach, snap peas, tomatoes, raspberries, cucumbers, potatoes and garlic are all on the plans. We all love the experience of nurturing something and watching it grow! The boys have chosen to grow bell peppers and hot peppers this year as their own.
We built a dome greenhouse this past December, mainly as extra living space and a sunny place to escape to during the cold winter. What a lifesaver it was! On extra cloudy days, we'd just start up a fire and it would keep the dome warm enough to enjoy time outside. We had Christmas out there so we were able to go cut down a considerable sized tree from the mountains! Now we have sugar snap peas, radish, cilantro and green onions all abundant and ripe for the picking in early April! David worked so hard to get that up in time for Christmas and we are all so grateful for his hard work, and all those who came to help assemble it! He already can't wait to build the next one. I'd say he's dome crazy, just like my little William is fish crazy. Dome and fish brain!
We have pigs at the moment, have had sheep in the past, will probably get chickens again soon (if we can figure out how to keep apollo from killing them all....again). We are setting down roots here, meaning we are making friends and feel like we're settling in so we of course hope to find our future home in this same ward. But we also have told the Lord that we will go wherever He wants to send us...when that time comes. Right now, I am enjoying serving in the primary presidency with some amazing women and am getting to know the children in this area. Primary is so fun because children are so special. Childhood is such a fleeting, special, even sacred time. I see that in my own boys too. They are growing up so fast.
Lucie got married this past year! She's turning 20 this Friday. Talk about growing up! She is so grown up. So much more grown up than I was at 20, but I guess being married will do that or be an indicator of that. She is a wonderful human being. She is kind and genuine and always concerned about others and their well being. She is a great big sister and friend. I have no doubt that she is a great wife. We love getting to know Josh more each time we get to be with them...which is not nearly enough but how many times have I said that over the past 15 years? A lot. One of my favorite things to daydream about is the day they tell us that we will be grandparents. Could be anytime! But even if not soon, it's going to happen and I just love it!
Ben is 12 and just passed the sacrament for the first time this past sunday. He has either been sick, out of town or too nervous to do it until now. Conditions were perfect and wa-la! So great seeing him do such an important thing. He loves young mens and being with friends and insists that he'd rather stay living in the RV than move to a different ward and have a house. He's become quite the piano player, all on his own too, youtube university! But he's developing a real talent and ear. I love listening to him play and I am so grateful that I didn't interfere like I almost did and force him to have lessons or tell him how to do it. Because if I had then he would have most assuredly moved onto the next thing, and he wouldn't be turning into such a proficient. If he's not doing that, he's reading a book, playing with some sort of ball (currently it's soccer) or playing with his brothers. He is a funny boy who always has witty jokes to tell or a funny sarcastic sense of humor. He brings such joy and happiness to our family.
William is going to be 11 this July. He can't wait for January so he too can start going to Young Mens. I'm not ready! He is still so little in my eyes. He is my creative, artistic, big feeling boy. He has the best smile and is always making everyday the best day possible. I appreciate William because he is such a good worker and always does his chores or whatever he's asked to do immediately. He is always helping me remember to do family prayer, or reading his own scriptures and is such a good example to me. Reading isn't his favorite thing to do so it really means a lot when he does it...scriptures or anything. He is a good friend and big brother. He is so loving and considerate of others, I always hear him giving compliments freely to those around him. He also loves this ward and the friends he's making here and also would rather stay in the RV than leave this ward.
Almost ever since my ectopic pregnancy and loss in 2021, we've been trying to have another baby, and despite the doctors telling me that one fallopian tube shouldn't affect that, we've been unsuccessful. And I guess in medical terms, since it's been so long, we are officially dealing with infertility. I never would have guessed this in a million years. And I guess I never would have guessed that I would affect me so much. It's a very painful thing to go through. Different kind of pain than actually losing a baby but the loss of opportunity to have another baby is just as hard to deal with. But it is also something that has changed me for the good. I have given it to God and if it is His will that we have another child then I know it will happen. It's as simple as that. Then I don't have to stress about it! I know He loves me and is aware of my righteous desire. I don't know the reason why it isn't happening, but I don't need to know right now. I just need to keep moving forward in faith with Christ as my center.
But children really are miracles. Their presence here in our lives in so special and unique. They teach us things that no other experience can. They have the power to change us in ways that nothing else can. The Lord calls them his 'heritage'. I think that says it all. I hope I remember that always. Especially on days when I have lost my patience with them and lose sight of why I do the things I do. Most often, the mundane, repetitive things. Raising them unto the Lord is the most important work I can be doing.
Speaking of important work, my parents are in Texas serving their full-time mission and enjoying it. It is a difficult mission for them, but I know, and they know that's it just what they need to be doing right now. Cotulla, Texas is poor, needy and small. My dad is serving in the branch presidency and my mom cooks a lot. They are doing good, little by little but by small and simple things, great things will be brought to pass, whether or not they see it in their time or not. Time is going be very slowly, for me I mean. It seems they have been gone forever but it's only been 4 months! Yikes! I hope it doesn't feel this slow the whole time.
The ranch is going to be busy this season and we are all a little nervous about keeping it running without them. But I'm sure we will be blessed and get by. Sherwood Pet Health is also doing very well. It's growing at a rapid rate which is good but also a bit terrifying at the same time. The growth has the capacity to sink us or buoy us up. How we handle it will determine which it will be. And by we, I mean David. But he is doing such a good job and I know for sure that it's because he's making it matter of prayer that its going so well. As long as he continues to keep the Lord as his guide I know all will be well. But to give a small example of this growth in January of this year we had 1 part time employee and now as of April, we have 7 or 8. I actually can't keep track anymore. Not without sitting down and really writing it out. He's set to hire even more these next few weeks. Things are changing and it's all good but can be very stressful too. But David is handling it pretty well. He does feel a bit stressed out and is wearing himself out more than we'd both like, but he is not as sick as he used to be which I am grateful for. He and I are so happy and again it is only because we have invited the Lord into our marriage more and He has saved it. Many miracles have occurred in our life that I am ever thankful for.
In my brother's words, Jesus is always the answer. And it's true. He always is. He always will be the answer. For any heartache, ailment, hopelessness....anything. Jesus Christ. I love him. I am so grateful to Him. I will never be able to express or payback what He's done for me and for all of us. All I can do is worship Him, thank Him and give my life to Him. And that's what I'll continue to do.
Within the last several months, we've been able to go thru 3 different temple open houses with our boys. St. George was the first, Red Cliffs temple which is also in southern utah and then lastly and just barely the Manti. It was so special to be able to take time in the Manti temple to sit together in the Celestial room. Really puts things into perspective...what's really important. Family and eternity. As President Nelson puts it, Thinking Celestial. We have what we need, the Gospel and eachother. Everything else is just gravy. Yum.
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