I was scarfing down half a large Domino’s BBQ pineapple/chicken pizza this time four years ago. I had just delivered my second child, a boy.
The first time his big brother saw him – was magic. My 2 1/2 year old son lit up like Christmas looking at the new addition. I could live in that moment forever.
The first born.
My husband and I struggled on a name for months. So, naturally, we asked Facebook friends for recommendations.
Tyler
We got a long list of really great names, some that I had on my personal list.
and still nothing felt – right.
Then, my father-in-law wrote that he had a dream and in his dream he was calling a little boy, “Tyler, come here Tyler.” and that he thought that was what we should name him.
Tyler adores “Braun-T”/Brante
So, we got the first name from my father-in-law off a poll we conducted on social media.
The middle name was taken from Porter *Rockwell – a close friend and bodyguard to Joseph Smith Jr.
It was a long pregnancy, lots of heartburn and I was so happy to finally meet that boy.
He looked like a caveman from the instant I took him into my arms (I guess that’s just me saying, “he was super masculine looking.”
Aside from his sensitive stomach, he was a gentle fellow. Slept like a rock right away. I thought, “if this guy stays this way forever, I have it made.”
When Tyler was four months old I got pregnant with his little sister and that was hard, for both of us. It wouldn’t be long before he had to share his mommy.
The gal who stole his mama.
from the age of 18 months to about 3 months ago it was a struggle. I’ll be honest, I think for a few years, he resented me.
He was anxious/clingy, whiny and until about 3 months ago – I would tell that boy, “I love you so much” with no reaction from him.
It was music to my soul the night he returned my sentiments – he squeezed my neck – and said, “I love you so much mommy.”
Tyler loves making music/make noise, he loves his family, he loves to eat beans.
I can honestly say the last 7 years have been work.
4 moves, 3 children (2 miscarriages), 1 more college degree.
“I’m building a castle mom.”
We could have done things a little differently – I could have put off having babies till I was closer to the age of 40 – I mean, it would have been a lot easier to get my husband through school without kids.
We could have stayed in Texas.
Dan could have avoided extra school all together and just started a career…
Hahaha, we would have taken way more vacations.
More time on the beach, just the two of us.
No diapers, no night time feedings or arguing over who was more tired (Mom or Dad) and which deserved the nap or night away with friends.
It seems we choose to follow Robert Frost and that darned road less taken.
In place of warm naps on a sandy beach, we get warm baby snuggles.
In place of extra vacations, we are saving for a debt-free house.
In place of the Texas economy, we are enjoying lovely Missouri summer evenings and country life.
I remember the first birthday we celebrated together was your 24th! We went shopping together because you did not own a suit and I told you that you needed to start wearing one to church on Sundays.
A frequent scene: Dad doing homework with kids on his lap.
We had only been dating 1 month and 1 day, but you went along with my preference.
I love watching you teach our children with such love and patience – especially when my patience is depleted – your children adore you.
Most of the birthday’s between then and now have been really stressful. Birthdays are just different when your (frequently pregnant) wife/children’s needs come before your wants.
Today, you woke up early with the kids because you agreed to let me shoot an early morning photography session.
I love that you get to share the hobbies you love with your family!
Two hours of taking care of the children’s needs while mom was away, was followed by preparing yourself for your senior engineering group project (capstone). You could have met up with your group on Sunday, but your wife said that Sunday was not a good day to spend hours away from home and it was right in the middle of church. Again, you went along with my preference.
You’re a great problem solver.
I’m so proud of all you have accomplished in the years since that first birthday we celebrated together.
Thank you for being such a great dad.
Thank you for agreeing to make your own birthday dinner – because I’m tired from all that I do.
Journal entry (back when I kept a daily journal…) December 11, 2010:
“I’m grateful for the many prayers that have been and are said on my behalf. About 6pm tonight, I felt this incredible peace fill my soul and happiness commenced. This week has been an emotional epoch. I had trouble eating (stress), random heartaches mingled with tears. I fasted and prayed all week long – on Friday I was offered a long term substitute teaching job for 9th grade biology for the school down the street from my house.”
That fall I began substitute teaching, all grades, trying to find my niche in education. That summer I had been rejected by the two medical schools I applied to (I know, looking back I want to shout, “you only applied to TWO schools Katie!!”) and felt like teaching was a good alternative to being a doctor.
The 9th grade biology classes I was asked to teach were alternately full of smart-A high achievers (Tuesday/Thursday) and Monday/Wednesdays I was left with children who are mostly likely in jail today; sad, but the reality of life for some people.
That particular job was scaring me straight out of teaching. I would sit in my car after work and ask myself if I could come back the next day, my life felt like a nightmare.
The week of December 11th, 2010 – I left that high school and told them I would not be taking that job. (turns out the teacher I was taking over for had hypertension…I can’t imagine why…).
Saturday evening, December 11, I took a friend with me to a birthday party. My expectations for anything were zero, I was obligatorily socializing and not staying home to map out my “okay, what’s next plan” for life.
Instantly, as I pulled up to the house, I spotted a white Honda Ridgeline plastered with surf stickers. A small voice whispered in my mind, “you know the driver of that vehicle.”
As I’ve told the story before, I was technically in a relationship and not on the prowl but, I did look pretty cute. I still remember what I had on: yellow flats, black skinny jeans and a white Ocean Pacific sweater with colored stripes across the chest (a great thrift store find).
I went straight out to the pool where most of the people were gathering.
It was totally like a scene from a movie: steam rising off the hot tub, people trickling into the party, mood lighting, I spot him twenty feet away, tanned, hunky blonde dude sitting at a table next to a laughing beautiful brunette acquaintance; except that I was totally thrilled for my beautiful brunette friend who obviously scored big. My second thought, “that’s the driver of the white truck.”
As of this day, I still can’t get my husband to tell me what he was really thinking. The tanned, hunky blonde followed me the rest of the night.
someone was being funny behind the camera!
And, well, he convinced me to marry him.
So now, I’m still wondering where life will take me. I still have nightmare moments where I ask myself if I can do this another day (hello, I have a 2, 3 and 5 year old and a husband who is in school, at work or doing homework). What I don’t have is a feeling like I missed an opportunity to be a teacher, or a doctor, or a whatever else I was planning for my life before a husband and children came along.
I’ll be honest, I never thought I was mean’t for motherhood or even marriage. It was the one thing I really had a hard time seeing myself being successful in doing. There was clarity in all my other dreams. Now, I get to experience things I didn’t know I could do.
I didn’t know I’d be any good at taking photos. I didn’t know my five year old would randomly come up and give me hugs to tell me I was the best mom in the world on days I felt like a failure in life. I didn’t know my three year old would cuddle me every night and ask me to sing him 20+ songs before bed. I had no idea having a baby girl would turn me into complete goo. I had no idea that the man I married, who was a surf bum when we met (with his only goal in life: surf) would end up working and going to school for six years to support a growing family. I didn’t know we’d spend Saturday afternoons at the skatepark as a family. I didn’t know my husband would pray with me and our children every night.
I didn’t know.
Yet, somehow on a really emotionally draining week – seven years ago today – something told me that everything would be okay and I had reason to be happy.
Listen, pets and children are very different, but I’ve taken enough psych-classes to understand conditioning.
I used to be the “do it this way because it’s the best way” kinda mom/wife, but my husband (who is an expert in many things) trained our Pit to say “I love you” and snatch a snack off his nose – also found a great way to train the kids.
It started with a massive bag of suckers. I was hesitant because of all the sugar and food dyes, but had to concede his method of getting our children to behave.
Getting three kids under five years in the car went from ‘nightmare’ to ‘not too painful’ with a sucker.
My teething baby girl appreciates the sweet soothing treat.
“Get your shoes on.”
*child still playing and departure time looms*
“Get your shoes on and I’ll give you a sucker as soon as you’re in your carseat.”
*child scrambles for shoes and babbles on about what flavor they want as they strap on shoes and make way to front door*
I sorta want to sound like Willy Wonka for a second, “the perfectly peach actually tastes like a peach! The pomegranate pucker tastes like a pomegranate” – you get the gist.
Any mother who has had to leave the park early knows the pain of pulling small children from the swings or slide.
What my little suckers wont do for some sugar…
They are eating steamed broccoli, sliced cucumbers, or a beef vegetable soup for dinner – so I have zero mom guilt about bribing them with candy.
I need to work on my product photography. That’s an art I haven’t quite figured out.
About a month ago I had even less reason to worry about bi-daily sucker eating (high fructose corn syrup and food-dyes)!
I discovered YUM EARTH organic candies. Yes, it’s still sugar, but they are sweetened and colored by fruit! Yes, some have brown rice syrups, but I don’t have to argue with irrational beings about picking up toys anymore. I call it a win.
They smell as good as they taste.
My huge stache of YUM EARTH’s were meant to last till our church Halloween trunk r treat, but that will depend on my level of patience this month.
We’ve openned (finished off) the gummy bears, sour watermelon lemonade twists, and suckers.
this cute boy counting his sour twists.
The watermelon lemonade sour twists are fun for my three year old who counts everything and good for his motor skills (they come in a small pack of tiny straws – at least 12 – which my three year old can count up to)!
I’m still fairly new at the mom-thing but I thought I’d share one thing I’m doing that has improved my sanity just a bit.
The real win is when I tell the kids to get shoes on and get to the van and the habit has been so formed they forget to ask for a sucker or gummy bears and just go!!
My almost two-year old is self potty training, so I may just keep clapping and praising her while I eat the potty snacks! 🙂 A mom can dream can’t I?
Wiley started Kindergarten 15 days ago. My in-laws came into town 14 days ago. My husband took his dad on a much needed kayak/camping trip – just the two of them – 13 days ago. I had to finish writing music (the piano music we decided on was written for a piano/viola and I wrote the harmony part I sang) for a duet I sang in church – 12 days ago. The Total Solar Eclipse seen from our backyard – 11 days – also said goodbye to my in-laws. My Aunt came into town from Austin, TX to see the eclipse, and stayed in town to visit with me for a day. My middle child turned 3 years old – 10 days ago. Danny started school. My mother performed in a ballet – took kids down to my parents – had to see the mother perform. Racing home from my visit, to see mom on stage, to teach my Sunday School class….and so on…
All this time I’ve had to let some things slide. A grocery bag of un-openned birthday decorations still sit on my closet shelf.
They love reading.
Tyler, turned three, had the best day of his life. I gave him everything he asked for that day, I didn’t give him everything I planned, I gave him what he asked for and that made him happy. He wanted birthday donuts – no cake. He wanted to watch Youtube videos (supervised by me) during school hours. He wanted a tricycle – which he rides daily around my living room and kitchen – and Tow-Mater/Lightening McQueen cars. Done and done. Time in the sandbox. Play in the tub. Seems kinda like I was a lame mom for his birthday this year, but the birthday boy got everything he asked for, so I’ll call it a win.
Park time.
Four days after my in-laws returned home to the Houston, Texas area Hurricane Harvey hit.
I have been glued to social media – watching through the eyes of friends – heart sick – as my old neighborhoods, libraries I visited, restaurants I frequented, trails I used to walk – all flooded.
I’ve been uniting in prayer with friends and strangers for the comfort, healing and rebuilding of Houston, Texas. Just as the country united only four or five days earlier to watch the amazing beauty of the solar eclipse, so many people united once again during the chaos and damage that hurt millions “back home.”
My husband asked me if he should take this semester off from school (where he studies civil/environmental engineering in Missouri) to help clean up and restore his home. My husband was born and raised in Houston, Texas. We met in Spring, Texas. Married in the Houston LDS Temple. Lived in our first home two blocks north of the Temple. In his mind, after spending this summer as a storm water management engineering-intern for the City of Columbia, he felt like he could do a lot of good in the after math of Harvey. My response was, “you’re eight months from graduating with a degree – you can do a lot more good when that is completed, when you’re done, you can improve infrastructure not just in Houston, but anywhere in the world.” Right now, it would only increase our financial burden with him not in school and not working.
Husband took this with his phone with a filter.
Husband took this with his phone, no filter.
Husband took with his Nikon
Husband took with his Nikon
Danny will continue to do much good for everyday life as he finishes his degree. He will continue to do much good when he graduates.
‘Great’ Aunt Laura
I’ll do good here in the home.
So, I am continuing to pray for the aid (physical, financial and emotional) of those hurt by Harvey. In all the chaos of my life, I have not forgotten you or the other people suffering in the world.
After day four of Kindergarten, Wiley fell asleep like this.
No matter what is happening in our own lives, God wants us to think about and serve others.
Life can wear you down, just stop and rest a bit, but just don’t quit.
I asked for a group shot on the front porch…Ty took off, Wiley turned around and Adri just listening to her music…
Monday was meet the teacher, which Danny and I took him to. Wednesday I took all three of the kiddos up to the elementary for Wiley to be evaluated. Part of the reason teachers do that is to get that one-on-one time between new pupil and new teacher, building the relationship. It also gives the teacher a baseline for where he is right now in his education. Come parent/teacher night, she’ll be able to show mom and dad some quantitative evidence of his growing knowledge!
Wiley is so intellectually curious, I’m thrilled to have Mrs. S help supplement his education, while I parent the two littles. Wiley is also very social, so now I wont be responsible for entertaining him everyday. Already my sanity is improving.
All buckled up and ready to go!
Back in the spring when I told him about starting school in August, Wiley told me he didn’t want to go to school. I told him he would love it!! All summer we talked about school and I let him pick out his own clothes, backpack, lunchbox – all in effort to get this guy excited about school. Learning is fun, school is fun!!
Last night, I checked and double checked that Wiley’s backpack met the teacher’s checklist (towel for nap time, spare clothes for potty accidents)…
Kindergarten today – it was an early start 5:50 for mom, 6am for baby girl who heard mommy and Tyler soon followed. Wiley finally surfaced around 6:30.
Lunch was made, mommy got Wiley to eat something for breakfast while he stared blankly from his perch on the couch.
Wiley – “I’m not going to school if you don’t let me watch the show I want.”
Mom – “I’m sorry buddy, no TV before school, but would you like some chocolate milk to drink?”
Wiley – enthusiastic nodding
I had all four of us (mom, three kids under five years) dressed and in the car by 7:18am.
The car drop-off line was a tad hectic, but I knew it was just first day of school issues.
Kindergarten parents have the luxury (on day 1) of parking right in front of the office and walking their kids into their classroom. With overcast skies and cooler temperatures, I felt very comfortable leaving my two littles in their carseats for the 8 minute round trip walk to Wiley’s class.
With less gusto in his walk than yesterday, Wiley held my hand into Mrs. S’s room. I helped him put his lunchbox and backpack where they belong and walked him to his new desk!!
He wasn’t crying, he stood nervously next to his desk and I hugged him really tight, told him, “I love you so much, you’re going to have the best day!” Mrs. S came over and took over. I said ‘bye’ and headed toward the door, I turned around one last time and saw two little boys sitting at the first table inside the door, one spoke to the other, “do you want to be my friend?” I smiled, one last glance at Wiley taking a seat at his table. I knew this was going to be a great day for my little guy. I hurried to the nearest exit and sprinted down the sidewalk to my parked van.
The two babies were still listening to music on my phone (DJ Adri on duty). I sat in the drivers seat and my heart felt swollen, I resisted the urge to cry, a smile cropped up – ear to ear – on my face and I knew everything was going to be great for me too.
I took the babies to the Post Office (closed till 9am), so I drove over to the Library (closed till 9am) – what the?! We went to a grocery store to kill time before the opening of the library.
Meeting up with friends (Adrian now being the same age that Wiley used to be when he and I met up with our friends Tina and Haylee for library play!!)!
Followed by lots of outside playtime. Before I knew it – it was time to load the van again to go get our Wiley-man!
The carline for pick up ran much more smoothly than drop-off.
I was so excited to see how his day went – Mrs. S walked him to the curb where I waited and I squealed, “Wiley, how was your day?!”
Wiley burst into tears, “I wanted to take the bus home!!” hahahahaha
His largest complaint is the time to eat lunch is too short…on a side note, Wiley was telling jokes at lunch. (While eating his grapes, “ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!!” Dan and I asked if anyone laughed, “no.”) hahaha.
He didn’t want to talk much about his day, but I knew he just needed to chill awhile. By the time daddy got home from work and started asking Wiley about his school day, Wiley was really excited to share all about class, “and you know what my teacher said? She said to come back tomorrow!!”
Finishing lunch!
So, with mom and dad’s excitement, Wiley feels excitement too.
The first day of school was followed by a date night – to the waste water treatment plant – because nothing says true love quite like taking a tour of the place where your poopy-water gets cleaned. I do however now know how that happens. I am grateful for engineers!!
The aerators help boost the bacteria that love to eat our ‘waste’
If anyone is curious about fun facts, please send me or Danny a Direct Message.
I got a phone call from a friend I haven’t spoken to since – 2008? Now that I count it up, almost a decade ago! Wow. Thank goodness for social media to help keep tabs on those friends!!
We talked of many things, but something that stayed on my mind was the feelings we shared in our ability to be good mothers.
run baby run
After pondering on the matter for some time, the thought came into my mind that my children chose me.
They chose me.
Of all the brilliant, kind, talented mothers in the world, these kids chose me.
run dance run
I don’t have any evidence to prove to you that this is true, it was just something that came to me and brought me peace.
I want to remember that feeling any time the temptation to feel inadequate creeps into my life.
our deep thinker
They knew you before they came to this earth and thought, “yeah, you’re going to be the perfect fit!”
He loves to bring me flowers
Keep trying your best. Keep giving them your time, your love, your hugs and kisses.
Keep praying that they will continue to grow up to become the incredible humans you pray they will be.
Keep taking the time to do the things they want to do – even if you can’t finish all the things you want to do.
They need you. They want you. They are your greatest treasure.
There are still long days ahead. They will need your guidance, your patience, your understanding and most importantly…
everyone gets a turn on daddy’s back
They need to know that you love them.
Each child will understand, feel and show love in different ways.
Just like you understand, feel and show love in different ways.
Take the time to learn how they communicate.
In time you will see that not only were you not inadequate, you were exactly who they needed you to be.
“Life must be understood backward. But… it must be lived forward.” -Søren Kierkegaard
hold on as long as you will
In writing this open letter to myself I want other parents to know that you are doing better than you think you are.
I read a story about post-partum depression today, it wasn’t a happy one, which reminded me that I haven’t updated the internet on the state of my health: mind, body and soul.
It’s good news. [Sigh of relief]
My baby boy.
I don’t really feel like talking about the depression, it’s part of my past now and I know that it could potentially be part of my future. For now I’m going to tell you what I’ve been doing, about what makes me happy.
My oldest niece, the Mermaid. (side note, this was a candid shot, I caught her mid-imagination).
I needed more Family time, spouse time and time just for me.
First, I called my mom and asked if she would pay for my gym membership. I knew that all the time away from the gym was one reason I was sad. I missed regular exercise!! I started making better choices with my food and I started pampering myself.
Anyone who knows me, knows that when you think of me, you don’t necessarily think “cheapskate.” But, for years I have rarely paid for haircuts (ask a friend or sister to just cut it right over a trash can), I almost never go into a salon, I have never had a manicure and I only get pedicures once or twice a year (because if I didn’t, my entire foot would turn into a callus). I also never spent money on makeup, hair supplies or skincare.
My sister, her husband and their sixth baby.
My skin care routine – up until this year – was usually going straight to bed without washing my face. Rinse face in morning or just wait till I took a shower…whenever that was.
Wearing makeup was usually reserved for Sundays and the makeup I did own was either purchased for me by a mother or sister or given to me by a sister or my mother (because it came as a free gift during a purchase)! I spent very little money in the hair, skincare and makeup department.
Candid shots really are the best.
In the spring and summer of 2016 when I struggled with pink eye, I had to throw away all of the makeup I did own – which included some new and nice (gifted) things. In addition to throwing out all my makeup, I threw out all my bed pillows (nice, newer pillows I couldn’t afford to replace).
We were also very broke when this happened.
Somewhere between back to back pregnancies, a husband who was gone all the time for school and with church responsibilities, a four year old just barely potty training (read “three kids in diapers”) – I was feeling pretty haggard.
My sister and her baby and she’s pregnant with her seventh! (how amazing is she?!)
Well, I discovered a multi-level marketing company that has amazing skin care and makeup. I knew I couldn’t afford to buy/wear good products unless I sold some. So, I signed up to distribute.
Along the way, I started having fun with my life again and taking care of myself made me feel good.
So, I’m going to the gym, taking care of my body, eating healthier and getting better sleep – now at bedtime, I don’t lay in bed trying to un-wind from a day that pulled and stretched me, I go to bed, I think of all the things I’m grateful for and all the things I can do better tomorrow.
Then, I stop thinking and go to sleep.
I started singing around the house more often, letting the messes sit later, snuggling with my babies a little longer.
I decided that dates with my husband were worth the cost of a babysitter (again, where I tend to be cheap – “let’s just not get a baby sitter and stay in or take the kids with us.”
These two never want their daddy out of their sight!
I re-took my Athletic Training exam (to re-certify) and was 23 points short of passing!! [I mean, I can’t be too sad, I’ve been out of practice 11 years!! With very little study time I squeezed in, I almost passed!! Yes, I’m taking it again].
My mother in law fostered a love for the ocean in my husband, and here she is with her grandchildren (whiny and all).
My energy levels increased and the chemicals in my brain have found balance as I allowed for more positive thoughts.
I consciously made it a daily effort to push negative thinking away and only see the positive. I had let negative thoughts camp too long in my mind and I didn’t want to be sad anymore.
Happiness had been my life before and I wanted that life back.
I never stopped praying during my struggles. I never stopped hoping. I knew that change would come if I just kept trying.
God knew me, He had faith that I could overcome my circumstances and He has faith in you too. The tools are there, we just need to reach out. Ask for help and take steps to change.
Those ‘gulls see food and in they swoop.
Postpartum depression is not an old friend, but foe. An enemy I may face in the coming years. But I have hope that my faith and past experience will help me defeat him again.
Disappointments still arrive, but I see the light and know that everything will work out.
I think there are many times in life we might ask ourselves, “what was the point of going through that, just to have it end?”
My time away from the blog, I’ve been more fully embracing the life I have chosen and living my life to the fullest. So full, I am crashing to bed earlier and earlier each night.
and, I’ve also been experiencing more joy.
So my thoughts come from a place of deep reflection brought on by personal trials (that have turn to triumphs?).
As I knelt – or crumpled – next to my bed last night, wondering to God why some things happen – a thing that brings you joy was abruptly taken away – what was the whole purpose of that?
My question did not come from a place of anger, but a sincere desire to know why.
Here is what I felt after reflection:
When we lose something we love, we should never regret how we loved.
When we choose to fill ourselves with Love, it begets more love.
Bitterness and sorrow begets more bitterness and sorrow.
There have been many things I used to regret in my life.
For the things I can’t change, I will no longer feel regret. For the things that I can change, well, I’m taking the time to turn them around. For many things, it’s never too late, to make a change.
Some of those changes have been inspired by reading. Reading of scripture (which I consider history), and reading of non-scripture world history.
The clarity of my goals came while reading about the Siege of (Leningrad) St Petersburg in 1941 – that lasted 872 days – leading to the death of about a million civilians.
During the siege, a Russian composer by the name of Dimitri Shostakovich (what a fun name to say!!) wrote his Symphony No. 7 – not only did they hold a concert in the physically starved and bombed out city – the concert was broadcast on speakers outside the concert hall to allow those who couldn’t enter the packed building to listen and some directed toward occupying soldiers. As bombs fell, it was the banner of “cultural resistance to atrocity.” (Read more here)
While I don’t wish to create enemies at the gate, it is inevitable that others will choose to make me their enemy – for any manner of perceived wrong (hey, I’m not perfect, but I don’t go out of my way to hurt people).
It comes down to this:
I don’t wish to have enemies. I don’t want to create any, for those who choose to make me their enemy, I choose to not to fuel the flames of anger, but will fan the embers of love and beauty.
I’m still trying to figure how to do that.
It starts with not arguing, not gossiping, finding something else to put my mind on, and so on, listening better.
This is my new years resolution. That doesn’t mean that I don’t ever feel the desire to reach into my computer screen and punch someone’s face, because on rare occasion, I do feel that way.
However petty I have been up to this day, I am choosing to learn how to be better today and tomorrow in the face of opposition. This is what I have decided to work on, in my small way, to change the world.
LIFE GONE RURAL 