I hate country music

Jocelyn throws a neighborhood party every year. Bless her little heart. They are always the best parties- partly because I'm not throwing them and also because she picked up this great neighborhood party throwing gene from her Mother. 

This year's THEME:

COWBOYS AND INDIANS

I've said before and I'll say it 13 more times.....We have a bomb neighborhood and it's a natural feeling to feel jealous about it.

Come to think of it, I can't remember any Country music playing? Maybe that's why I had so much fun.

Organize me

Don't worry I'm not ready to start these posts once a week. But I am ready to post every once in awhile. I don't know when in my life I will be able to really pursue my hobby but I know it's not now. Kim and Curtis need me, my kids need me and my Bishop needs me.

Tyler and I were really trying to move before he was called into the Bishopric. We have looked at several houses and lots. Never finding exactly what we wanted. It consumed our time and it never felt right. So we are relieved to hang that up for a long time and stay put in this house we really do love. We built this house 8 years ago and we have celebrated every one of our kid's first Birthday's here. It's home.

But by doing this we will have to make some changes. This home needs to work for us and so were are thinking of ways to make things work.

First thing I wanted to change was the FRONT ROOM. I don't get front rooms? I don't understand the purpose and I would rather have that square feet in the great room/kitchen area. BUT obviously that's not happening. We never used the front room. EVER. So I wanted to make it more inviting. More homey, in hopes maybe we will spend some time in there.

I didn't take before pictures. Mainly because at first I was just "seeing" how this and that looked over here and there. It was innocent in the beginning and then one thing led to another. And really I just rearranged some furniture, bought some cute pillows and a fabulous new chair.

I decided to hang ALL our family portraits on our wall. I'm surprised I could find every single one. It's fun to see how much we have all changed over the years. And each time we get a new family picture I will just add it to the wall. 

Now I am realizing what a front room is for. Because of Tyler's calling we get unannounced visitors all the time. So instead of the people seeing my messy kitchen or great room they hang out in the living room. Also before Tyler and his counselors go on visits they meet in the front room to talk. Now I get it and love it!

.TEAM BABY.

{SEPTEMBER 11th}

Two days after Tyler was sustained a Bishop, I went in for another shot at IVF. I was thinking the whole time, I really hope these Bishop blessings have already gone into effect. 

Because of everything else going on in our lives, this time was different for Tyler and I. We had done it once before so we knew what to expect and we weren't so focused on it. Which is probably a good thing. The day creeped up on us instead of us impatiently waiting.

My day started at 6am. I got up and got ready. At 6:30 I started drinking all the water. 6:50 I got the kids up so I could get them ready for school. The sitter came for Esther and we headed out. We took the kids to school on our way. 

I drank too much water this time. I could hardly walk when we got to the dr.'s office. So they let me release some fluid for 3 seconds only. Oooh. Eye watering moment for sure but it did help.

Everything else was the same. The little incubator came in with the two best embryos. And they were implanted into the fluff with no problems.

I don't know if it's because the last embryo's were frozen or what but these embryo's looked better (like I even know). You see those circles in the middle? Those are babies trying to form. The last embyo's did not have those. They implanted the second and third one of these photos.

Curtis was out of town when possibly his babies were conceived. But it was still a family affair. Grandma and uncle Tyler were there.

Kim and I right before the transfer.

 I took this picture while they were implanting. They are all looking at the ultrasound screen, watching the embryos enter the uterus.

The Aunt, Mom and Grandma. 

 We got home at about 10am. I let myself sleep this time. I slept until noon. Tyler brought me my favorite, California Turkey and Wisconsin Cauliflower. Then I fell back asleep until 6pm! It's complete bed rest that first day.

Now we are waiting the excruciating waiting game to find out our results. It's an emotional roller coaster but I just have to keep telling myself, if it's meant to be...it will be. There is really nothing more I can do.

Bishop Dabo

{May 2012}

 We received a call that the Stake President wanted to meet with Tyler. I asked if I needed to be there and he said no. That was a good sign. So Tyler went and later we found out ALL the men in leadership roles in our ward met with one of the Stake Presidency that day. When Tyler got home I asked him, what did the President say? What did you guys talk about? I was dying! Did you tell him we wanted to move soon? Tyler said no. Well what did you tell him??? He said, I told him my life couldn't be better.

{August 26, 2012}

Tyler was at ward council when I received the call in the morning. First of all the guy said Hi is this Jamie? They never call me by my first name. I knew right then it was time. He said President would like to meet with YOU and Tyler later this evening. 

As soon as Tyler got home from meetings I told him he's in BIG trouble! 

Church that day was hard. I just wanted to know what he wanted to meet with us about? Maybe a Stake calling? But honestly I knew our Bishopric was ready to be changed since our current Bishop had been serving for 6 years already.

Our Stake President is amazing. The whole Presidency is really. President met with Tyler alone first. Then they brought me in. It was an amazing meeting, just President, me and Tyler. Super personal. I am not going to go into too much detail but I will say he did show us a letter. A letter from the First Presidency. Stating they support Tyler in this position. Signed by President Monson and his counselors.

.Bishop Dabo.

Some how Tyler and I weren't that surprised. It's like we were already preparing since that first meeting in May. We just felt humbled, honored and inadequate. We have a ward full of other men that would do a great job. Older, wiser men.

The next two weeks were torture. We were not to tell anyone except family. What made it worse is that they announced it the week before that the bishopric was going to change. It was so hard to not tell people the truth when they would point blank ask if Tyler was the next Bishop. 

{September 9, 2012}

Such a great day. You could tell who was in the new Bishopric because of all the family that came. Every speaker was amazing and even though I too had to speak, it was one of the best Sacrament meetings I've ever been to. I about lost it when they had Tyler go sit up in his new seat, knowing next time my kids sit with their Dad in Sacrament meeting Liv will be around 14 years old and Esther will be around 6.

Tyler had very strong feelings of who his Counselors should be. Such a neat experience for him. And I love their wives. Bonus! It just so happens last weekend was our Stake's Bishop's retreat/training. I was so glad to meet all the other Bishop's and their wives. And we learned so much from our Stake Presidency. Perfect timing.

The rest is history. I receive multiple calls every day for Bishop Dabo. Tyler has multiple meeting to attend. And yesterday was my first Sunday alone with the kids. It's a crazy life but we feel very very blessed.

ALEX

My baby boy is FOUR!
09.09.08

Alex has been talking about his birthday for about 11 months now. So even though it was not his year for a big party, I still had to throw together a little pirate party for just family. It ended up being perfect because it happened to be a very special day for our family, but more on that later.

Alex has given me more joy and worry than any other child. There is something special about this kid. Those days where I just want to strangle him are becoming few and far between. He is becoming a sweet little boy, not a spoiled toddler anymore. He is also listening very well and that can make all the difference.

Alex loves: Pirates, chocolate milk, horses, Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, hotdogs (no bun), Spiderman, and the color green.

.Happiest Birthday my little Alex.