Januarys and Mondays

Isn't January just like some great, big, looming Monday?  We start our weeks with Monday and our years with January.  What makes them so darn tough to make it through?  My husband's birthday is in January, and even he dislikes it.  I'm relieved to say hello to February.  There will still be plenty of snow hanging around (Utah anyway) until March at least I'm sure, but something about Valentine's Day just reminds you to hold on tight, spring is coming. 

Even though we have a lot to be grateful for in our life right now, it just seems like we've hit a rough patch since September.  I have been hoping 2013 would start us off right, but January is always a little tough.  So, 2013, I won't judge you by January.  February and I have hope for you yet.

It's amazing how in tune dogs can be to your emotions.  I am sure glad I've got this smelly puppy to sit next to me and rest his head on my leg when he knows I need it.  Lately he'll find an occasion to gently rest his head on my tummy and I think he knows something big is going down around here soon. 

We're going to hunker down on the couch to watch the super bowl (meaning Lee is watching the game, I am perusing the internets and waiting for the 'much anticipated commercials') while eating marshmallow popcorn until we're sick.

And if you're into that sort of thing, here's a quote which brought me a little cheer when I read it at church today...

“My young friends, there is an opportunity for you to become great—just as great as you wish to be. In starting out in life you may set your hearts upon things very difficult to attain to, but possibly within your reach. In your first efforts to gratify your desires you may fail, and your continued efforts may not prove what may be termed a success. But inasmuch as your efforts were honest efforts, and inasmuch as your desires were founded in righteousness, the experience you obtain while pursuing your hearts’ desires must necessarily be profitable to you, and even your mistakes, if mistakes you make, will be turned to your advantage.”  

^{President Lorenzo Snow (President of the LDS church from 1898- 1901)}

 
PS: Wish me luck at the dentist tomorrow! I'm really hoping to keep up with my cavity free streak despite the baby in my belly leaching away all of the good nutrients and calcium! Yikes!

frowny

Watching/reading the news really makes me sad sometimes...
After I was reading some details about that horrible massacre in Norway
I read another article on CNN
about how 1,200 infants were killed last year in Pakistan for being born
out of wedlock; 90% of them were baby girls who are considered a burden.

It really makes me grateful for everything I have.

wherein I air all of my pet peeves about motherhood

I am warning you{you mothers}
81% chance of getting offended
ya know, read at your own risk & all that fine print junk

The picture above has nothing to do with anything--including this post--
only I must tell you I got all of this for -F-R-E-E-
one day when I found a four year old ($50) gift card to Bed, Bath & Beyond from our wedding
it was glorious

A letter to my future self/my future self who has become a mother:

{more of a list of things to remember}

1. do not lose your identity when you become a mother; before you were a mother you were someone different, don't lose her {aka a reader, a runner, a wife, a dog lover, a teacher, a yoga doer, etc. } A mother is a great thing to be, but not the only thing to be.
   
   
2. people want to see pictures of you on your facebook account not just your baby; they want to see your baby, just not only your baby
   
   
3. do not get a mom haircut.
   let me repeat that
   do. not. get. a. mom. hair. cut.
   
   
4. do not let your children play where cars drive; biggest pet peeve on the planet!
   
   
5. biff loved you first; you loved biff first. Don't throw him under the bus when a baby comes
   
   
6. posting updates about every stinkin' thing your baby can now do, like roll over or eat cereal is actually really boring; I do believe this is why they invented baby books. I mean, it's almost as boring as the posts I already do about biff, but in all fairness there's no such thing as dog books.
   
   
7. don't be mad if none of your babies look like you {if you remember, before any babies came you wanted them to look like lee, exactly like lee because flip! he is adorable}
   
   
8. (added 4/21/11) Never use the word prego unless the discussion is about spaghetti sauce.
   

sorry to you, my friends if you are somehow involved with any of the above pet peeves because ya know, whatever I will probably do them too :( only I hope not, which is the point of this post

oops

Yesterday I inadvertently led a lady in my ward to believe Lee and I are struggling with infertility; we are not {yet}.
You know what that say about assumptions...

So if someone tells you to pray for my fertility, forgetaboutit!

If... on the other hand, someone tells you to pray that Biff can enjoy the benefits of a fiber rich diet, I would say unto you, "Good Carp! It is the gospel truth.
Pray Early. Pray Often. For realsies people!
This clean freak cannot handle no more poopies in my house!"

{the baby hater with her niece 2 years ago}

Sister: I am mentoring 5 grad students.
Me: I definitely want to get a Master's Degree, but probably not for a while. I just want to keep my options open so that if I get burnt out from teaching I can make a career change to ESL, Special Ed., Counseling, or something different.
Sister: That's a good idea.
----awkward pause----
Me: Yeah, ... I'll probably wait until after I have kids that are older. Well, you know, if or when I have kids. You never really know about those things.
Sister: As soon as you stop trying to get pregnant, you'll get pregnant.
----awkward pause-----
Me: ....yeah...
----awkward pause----

Which is worse her assumption or my omission?

Another conversation related to baby-making... this conversation has happened word for word at least three times this year.

Random Person: So do you have kids?
Me: No
Random Person: How long have you been married?
Me: About 3 1/2 years.
Random Person: ---silence--- their thoughts: infertile or baby hater

Someday we will {hopefully} be fruitful and overplenish the earth, but for now.... save your prayers for the people of Japan (who need it), since I'm such a baby hater and all.