Looking on the Positive Side

I have been doing a little researching for other blogs that promote uplifting marriages and I came across an article here about mormon blogs.  I thought it was really interesting and although I don't think I post all the time about how perfect my life is, I try to only write good things because I want to think about the good things in life, not the bad.  If I focus too much on the bad stuff, I turn into a horrible sad person that is cranky all the time.  I have a tendency towards depression and having a bad temper, so I have to be really careful how I think.  So this post was really neat that someone that isn't a mormon enjoys reading mormon blogs because for the most part they are uplifting.
I'm not saying it is bad to write about bad things that happen or about crappy days.  I just like it when there is a positive twist to it, where you feel good after you read it, not bummed out.  It is really great for me to write when I am frustrated, because it helps work out my anger instead of taking it out on my kids or any person that enters my house.  But still, I try not to tell anyone else about it because 1- I don't want anyone to know all the mean things I think, they wouldn't like me anymore and 2- I don't want to say mean things especially ever about my family or people I love because I don't want them to think bad about or judge them.  3- And isn't it just nicer to read a happy story?

So thanks to whoever wrote that post.  Life only happens once, why not have every day be a good one?

My Little Penguin

Happy 6 Years to the Happiest Couple!

Okay, yes, that happy couple is Tyson and I. 

I used to watch chick flicks and dream of having a love like that someday.  I would freak out at all the cute kisses and just want to be kissed like that SO bad.  The way those characters would look at each other, AH, you know?

Well, now I watch those movies and yeah, it is cute, but I just think the whole time, my life is way cuter.  Tyson and I are best friends, we got along extremely well from the very beginning.  I didn't have a problem talking to him, being around him, and man was the chemistry almost too strong.  I decided one day I just had to have him.  He dreamed of doing so many cool things, and even though some of them seemed impossible to me, I wanted to be the one he did them all with.

So here we are.

Tyson is hilarious, so sarcastic that I still have to watch him closely to see if he is kidding or not.  He is extremely loyal and totally in love with me.  I know, that may sound a little cocky, but I really didn't think it was possible for someone to love me forever, but he has convinced me.  He does and he will. 

He makes me laugh.  Oh man, does he ever.  At church or other places where you are suppose to be quiet is usually when he leans over and says something that just gets me giggling.  When we got engaged, I asked him if he would make me laugh everyday (like the movie Legacy), and he said in true Tyson form, "I will do better than that, I will make you laugh at least 3 times a day."  So far, he has kept his promise.

Tyson is so handsome.  We have both changed a lot since we have gotten married, but I find him more and more attractive every day.  Sometimes I can't keep my eyes off the guy.  I get jealous of all the people he works with because they get to look at him all day and I don't.

We work so well together.  When we were getting my family's yard ready for our wedding reception, we were put in charge of cleaning out the fish pond.  It was pretty gross and it was hot.  But we had a great time, laughing and teasing each other, and we both worked hard.  It is still like that.  Even though we have our three little guys, we try to either get them to help us, or find someway to keep them entertained so we can still work out in the yard together.  I don't like looking out the window and seeing Tyson working really hard alone.  I like to be out there with him.  And he is pretty good about helping me with the "women's work" inside too.  :)  When he does clean the kitchen or bathrooms, he does a much better job than me.  Seriously, he is amazing.  And we parent together, for the most part, sometimes I am a little bossy, but he puts up with me pretty well.  Man, do those little boys adore him.

I know, this is like an epistle for Tyson.  I know no one will really care but us.  But that is the fun of it right?  Just going off forever about the person you love most.  I can't believe that basically a fourth of my life I have spent it with Tyson. 

I am one lucky girl.

I love you Hunny Bunches!  :)

Uplifting Love

It is insane that more than half of marriages end in divorce.  HALF!  Talk about crazy odds.  That used to scare me really bad for my marriage.  How is that even possible?  People are SO in love, they commit to at least a life time of love and caring.  What happens?  Some people it is within the first year that they get divorced, how do you change your mind that quickly?  And what about the people that are married for years, raise kids, and then get divorced.  They have been married for longer than they were alive before they got married.  How can you even live without a person that you were connected to that long?

Satan.  He doesn't want people to be happy.  He doesn't want anyone to succeed.  So he tears apart the most important unit in this world.  The family.  He will wedge any thing he can between a couple: jealousy, anger, pride, stress, low self-esteem, addiction, anything he can to wreck that relationship.

Next to my knowledge of Heavenly Father and His love for me, my relationship with Tyson is the best thing in my life.  I can't imagine my life without him.  I love doing things that make him proud of me or that make him happy.  But there have already been a million moments in just the six years we have been married that I feel Satan trying to work his way between us.  It is amazing how quickly things could turn sour between us.  I can misread something Tyson says and then all the sudden I think he hates me and must be in love with someone else.  I have a million insecurities that suddenly flare up for no reason at all.  I finally tell Tyson why I am upset and he looks at me like I am crazy.  Of course he loves me and why would I ever think he didn't.  That is one of the tricky ways Satan works.  That is why we have to constantly be working on improving our marriages and striving constantly to be closer to the Lord so He can protect us from Satan's attacks.

Tyson started a website a bit ago to give ideas and suggestions on how to strengthen marriages.  Some of the posts are funny, others are thoughtful, they are all great.  If you get a chance, totally look at it, read a few posts, add some of your own suggestions and sign up for the newsletter.  He really wants to help bless other people's marriages, whether they are already strong or struggling a little.  We can always become better and who doesn't want to have a happier home life?

So let's decrease that statistic shall we?  Let's love our spouses more, make our homes even more of a heavenly place to be.

www.upliftinglove.blogspot.com

Stormy Weather

So in case anyone has missed the weather reports lately, it has been a little crazy in these parts.  It gets super warm and then at night storms come.  So Friday evening, it was warm, the fireflies were out, we were outside talking to my dad.  He leaves, we go inside, not even 45 seconds later, the wind goes crazy strong, the lights go out and our car alarm goes off.  Yes, the mighty oak had fallen.  And lots of other stuff too.

Looks pretty bad huh?

People kept telling us how they felt bad for us.  Yeah, I would rather have the tree still standing.  But the tree fell away from house, no one was hurt, and we have our power back already.  I feel so horrible for all the people that don't.  And get this.  See this picture below...

We were able to back the car right out (okay, Tyson did, I kissed him goodbye, thought for sure he would start to move the car and the whole thing would crush him).  Only a few scratches from the nails and boards.  Insane right?

This storm was so random, but so amazing.  It was terrifying and humbling all at the same time.  The Lord has so much power, He can do whatever He wants, no matter how strong something may be, He is far stronger.  We have no idea how this even happened, wind, branch?  No clue.  Just pulled the roof right up.

The Lord is great.  His power is far beyond what we can imagine.  I am SO thankful we have been so protected and blessed.  I don't know why the Lord allows or causes storms like this, but I know it wasn't coincidence.  We can learn so much from everything (blessings and trials) that He gives us.  Everyone has been so kind to us.  The whole area here just seems to be bonding together to help each other.  It has been such a beautiful thing.

Lord, how great Thou art.

What we have been up to...

Potty training Caleb.  Couldn't resist this shot.  haha.

Babysitting.  It is so good for the boys to have other kids over.  Little girls to teach them manners, little boys to keep them loving pirates and jumping.  :)

Birthday celebrating.  (Carmel makes a wicked awesome carrot cake)

Carmel looking my height.

How tall she really is.

I love this guy.  And why can't I make another face?  I don't know.  The camera comes on and this is just what I do.

Girls.  Miss you Bunky.

Love you Mama.

Birthday cereal picnic.  Love Tyson.

Matthew is too mobile = needs to caged everywhere

Fun times.

My Center

I have often read and heard that this life is not easy.  And I have lived enough in my almost 27 years to know that statement is true.  Just when things are going great, or finally picking up speed, a warning light flashes or someone gets hurt or you get a bill in the mail to remind you that you are human.

This life is a test, it isn't meant to be perfect or easy.  What kind of test would it be if we knew all the answers? 

I have been a lot happier lately than usual, at least, trying to be.  Life is the same as it always is, the kids are kids, crazy, way beyond what I can control, but they let me think sometimes I can.  I am still waiting to hear back from a publisher about my book, I still cook and clean and talk to myself all day, I turn into a dragon (that is what Josh calls me when I get mad), I turn into a human (nice mom), Tyson goes to work, comes home from work, we hang out.  We have doctors appointments, dental appointments, play dates, park and library adventures, trips to the store that end with bribery for good behavior.  So really, life is normal.  But I am happier.

I am fairly certain this is because I am finding my center.

I guess it reminds me of those compasses you use in drafting to draw perfect circles.  There is one end that is a fixed point and the other revolves around it.  I am trying to make that center the Lord.  It is bizarre how quickly I can focus my life on something or someone other than Him.  I nigh unto worship Tyson, so it is pretty hard for me to remember to put someone ahead of him.  And the three darlings consume so much of my life, I all too quickly revolve around them as well.  And where does that lead me?  Spiraling into the chaos they create.  :)  No, they need me to lead them, I shouldn't be chasing after them.  And how do I lead them?  By having someone to guide me.  And I need Tyson beside me, I can't focus everything on him because what kind of pressure that is for him!  It isn't fair and he is human (gasp, sometimes I don't believe it myself), so he is not totally a constant himself.

No, the only true constant in this life is the Lord.  He is my "ever fixed mark," as 'Sense and Sensability' quotes I think Shakespeare.  So it is rather amazing that as I make Him my center, my focus, my guiding light, I find that the spilled milk, the broken air conditioning, the poorly phrased comment seem to either not matter so much or be something I can use to become a stronger and better person and guide for my little midgets.

So here is to focusing on the right center.