Blessings

As many of you know, we recently moved back into our house in Tempe. What to do with the kids and school was not an easy decision, but after praying about whether or not to transfer schools, we decided to keep them in their current schools until the end of the school year. We knew that it would not be easy with needing to drive them back and forth. Dennis still works up at I-17 and Bell Rd, so he takes them in the morning and drops them off. We also decided to keep Allison in her preschool, and that makes it a little more difficult with her schedule. On the days she has preschool, we have a wonderful friend in our previous ward who picks Allison up along with her daughter and takes her back to her house for awhile until I pick her up and then pick up the boys from school. So it's a lot of driving on the freeway back and forth. Well on Tuesday I had to be up in the area earlier to take some kids to the doctor (yes, our dr. is still up that way too). When we were done, I called Dennis to see if he wanted to get together for lunch. I picked him up at work, then headed to pick up Allison. As I turned onto the street where our friend lives and was almost at her house when the tire on the van went flat. It was amazing how flat it got and how quickly. I was so grateful that Dennis was with me and that I wasn't on the freeway by myself with a baby! The tire was changed and I no longer wondered how I was going to bide my time until I had to get Cade and Ethan. I took it to Discount Tire where they found a hole in it that was most likely made by a bolt or something like that. This experience has just been a reminder to me of how much the Lord is watching out for us and blesses us. Was I excited to have a flat and have to buy a new tire and have an unexpected expense? No, but it was a blessing that it didn't go flat on the freeway, which would have been a more dangerous situation.

We had parent teacher conferences this week. I'm grateful that we have such great kids and students. Their teachers expressed their gratitude for not switching the boys in school and making the effort to get them to school even though we are farther away. It helped reaffirm my feeling and decision to leave the boys where they are for now.

These small experiences have been a great reminder to me that the Lord loves me and knows my situation and is watching out for me.

WARNING!

I had a lot of updating to do. There are a lot of posts!

Adam's first trip to the park

Allison is such a great big sister. She loves her "baby Adam".

Uummm.......

so here are more pictures of Adam. I can't help it, especially when he is the main subject of pictures these days!

Smiles!

I love it now that Adam is smiling and cooing! Dennis loves this camoflauge outfit that he is wearing!

He looks like a little devil with the red eye!

Family

After the blessing we had lunch at Darren and Cody's house (thanks again guys). Thanks to everyone who was able to make it and help with the food. My brother Anthony and his wife Heather were also there with their kids, but left to drive home (Vegas area) before we got everyone together for this picture. Here we are now with five kids!

I always try to get pictures with Grandma and Grandpa Haws when we see them! They told us how many great grandchildren they have now, and I can't remeber the number, but it's a lot!

My future missionary

We blessed Adam on March 1st. I looked everywhere for a white dress shirt and tie this small! I finally found it at Childrens Place, I was so excited since I had looked in so many places! Adam's blessing was very special and I wished that I could remember it better or had tried to write it down. For those who were there if you can remember anything that might have jumped out at you please feel free to share it with me!

I'm so grateful..........

Daniel is such a great kid! He was the student of the quarter at Deer Valley Middle School. I am so grateful for him and his efforts!

My 4 boys

This was a cute picture I couldn't pass up. We were finishing up cleaning the apartment after everything was moved out. We were all tired and poor Daniel wasn't feeling well. It's amazing that the camera was actually with us and not in a box somewhere.

Cute little cousins

My sister came over to help me do some cleaning as we were getting ready to move. Here is Adam and his cousin Braxton, they will be cute little playmates when they get older!

Whew!

After a lot of last minute work, Ethan was awarded his wolf! And Cade was awarded a nice engraved plaque for his Arrow of Light!

Adam and Daddy

Snoozing

Here is Adam about a month and a half just snoozing away!

Happy Valentines Day!

On Valentines Day, Dennis took Daniel and Allison up north to play in the snow along with his brother's family. Cade and Ethan were invited to a birthday party at Castle's N Coasters. And what did I do? I stayed at home to work on a talk. Dennis and I had to speak in sacrament meeting the next day, and I felt much better at least having some idea of what to say!

For Teri

These pictures are for my sister Teri who gave Adam this cute little outfit. I told her I would send her pictures of him in it, but alas here they are........a little late.