How many cooks in the kitchen?

Is it normal for kids to fight over who gets to help mom in the kitchen? Sometimes I question why they are actually fighting.

On Sunday we plan our week and they choose a day they get to help make dinner. However sometimes we end up with all of us in there working hard to create some delicious masterpiece.

This one occasion was beautiful. Everyone had their tasks and it turned out beautifully. All recipes were from Josh's cooking class at school. We made a Pumpkin Gnocchi with Herb Sauce,  and a Corn and Bacon Dip with Toasts.  YUM!

Josh making the fresh vegge dip, more like a spread with loads of different fresh veggies. It's his favorite.

Seppe and Rach are busy rolling and cutting out the fresh pumpkin Gnocchi pieces.

After dropping the pieces of batter into boiling water they would sink, once they are cooked they float to the top and we scoop them out and then crispen them up with fresh herbs in a pan. Rachael's favorite part was waiting for them to float to the top and then scoop them out.

Bon Appetit!! 

Love

"Love is the only force that can erase the differences between people or abridge the chasms of bitterness" 

"Love is the very essence of life. Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, and the lubricant that defeats devastating friction in the home. It is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death. How rich are those who enjoy it in their associations with family friends and neighbors."

"Love like faith is a gift of God. It is also the most enduring and most powerful virtue. "

-Gordon B. Hinckley-

I started reading "Stand for Something" by Gordon B. Hinckley and haven't been able to get past the first 30 minutes as I keep going back to re listen to it. Already I have SO much to learn from this book.

The first virtue he speaks about is Love.  I have realized this is the answer to a lot of my problems in our home.  "Love is the security for which children weep".  We all long to feel loved and care for right?  My single most important job is to give that very thing to these 4 growing children.

Sometimes love seems like the furthest thing from my reach as with 4 kids the house is constantly full of noise.  For a pessimistic person it feels like 90 percent of the time it's full of screams, shouts and yelling. For an optimist person its feels full of laughter, smiles, giggles and words of love.
I hate to think of myself as a pessimistic person but I often feel that 90 percent is what fills our home. It drives me to my breaking points sometimes but until I can remind myself about LOVE I cannot reverse my feelings and actions.

Today we went to a beautiful baptism for 4 young girls between the ages of 8 and 15.  We were on time dressed in our best and with food in hand.  We sit down and the fighting begins all because all four of them want to sit next to me. I am not joking when I say that this happens ALL the time.
My heart stretches and tears as I can't physically let them all sit right next to me so who do I let down? Well doesn't it always happen that the oldest, most quiet children get put aside as we focus on keeping the younger louder ones quiet?
This happened and I began to feel something I wish I understood and could physically figure out. How do I possibly show all my children the love they deserve? I am one person trying to divide my love between 4 children and a husband. It is so hard but yet I am learning that it is what heals everything!

We then went to the movies and same thing, they are all competing to sit next to me. Im feeling so frustrated but yet shouldn't I be feeling so honored and loved? What is my problem?
It is hard, and I am learning. But one thing that will always help me through is that one very thing, LOVE!!

While driving to the cinemas Josh got me with one of his jokes:

Josh "Mom I bet I can get you to say black"

Mom "oh ok, lets see"

Josh "what color is that sign?"

Mom "white"

Josh "what color are the trees?"

Mom "green"

  This went on for a bit....

Josh "What color is that car?

Mom "red"

Josh "see I told you I could get you to say red"

Mom "No you said you would get me to say black"

Josh "HAHA I just got you to say black"

Mom "oh man, you got me"

I felt loved that he wanted to joke and have a laugh with me. He felt loved because I let him sit in the front seat 'next to me' and he was able to get me laughing.

In preparation to move back to the USA and for my sisters visit in a few weeks we are going through all of our belongings getting rid of stuff and condensing.  Josh decided he wanted to share rooms with Joseph and has been slowly moving his stuff in. He also gave Joseph some of his old toys.
Joseph feels loved because Josh gave him some of his things and wants to be with him. Josh obviously feels loved by Joseph and that's why he wants to share a room.

After the kids were all fast asleep in their beds I did one last check. It was lovely to see Josh setting his stuff up in his new room.

What got me with a swelling heart was when I walked into the girls rooms and saw Rachael curled up in Rebecca's toddler bed with her. Just the sweetest sight as Rachael obviously wanted to be near Rebecca as it made her feel loved and secure. That bed is tiny but she just wanted to be near her.

Rachael is constantly trying to be a mother figure to Rebecca and even had Rebecca calling her Mum for awhile. I had to end that one quick.  Rach longs to be a mother figure like I am to Becca  and she gets so sad when she wants to help and Rebecca won't let her.  I only realize now that it's another sign of wanting to show love and be loved in return.  Isn't it such a wonderful cycle if we can only keep our eyes on that?

I will end my day with this circle of love today in my head hoping for a renewed Sabbath day tomorrow and a greater sense to show love rather than criticism and constantly nagging for things they may be doing wrong. Don't we learn better through love anyway?

Joshua's Blue Belt Grading

Saturday 9th May I had the privileged of attending Josh's Blue Belt Grading.
It's a grading that lasts 2 hours and showcases all of those who have achieved and earned their new belts. Aaron usually attends but I was able to go this time and oh what a treat it was.

This would be the 5th belt Josh has earned since he began Kenpo in March 2014.
He has put so much time and effort into his two classes every week. I never knew anything about karate before now and never was too into it but Josh's involvement in it the past two years has been good for us all. It teaches such wonderful life communication skills as well as defense and respect.
We love to see Josh get passionate and working hard to achieve new levels.

We see a lot of his techniques and forms at home but to watch him in action and immediately react as they are called out is incredible. It wasn't until now how alert and attentive you have to be. We are all so proud of him.

See for yourself in the video below or at this link.

Learning through example

Monday 2 Feb 2015

Aaron had prepared a special activity for family home evening.
He took each child blindfolded into our lounge where there were an obstacle of pillows along the floor. The objective was to make it to the couch to where the monkey was sitting.  We had to try our best to make it through without touching any pillows. Josh made it past two and the rest of us ended at the first pillow.

The second time Aaron explained that he would guide us through the pillows to the end and if we trusted him and did exactly as he said following his guidance we would make it safely.
Each going one at a time we did just that.
Rebecca sat off at the side watching each of us take our turn. Being blindfolded and guided along she was first a bit unsure. As she watched me make to to the couch and pull off the blindfold in excitement then insisted she have a turn.
It was shocking to watch her go to the starting point, willingly put the blindfold on and completely trust in Aaron has he held her hands leading her through the maze. It was the most adorable thing to watch her. As she reached the end she pulled off the blindfold in excitement just as we had done.
Everyone was so excited for her and cheering her on.

I cannot get past how quickly Rebecca is learning and the trust she shows in us. I know this has a lot to do with the examples of her 3 older siblings..  She is incredibly loving and caring.
Quite often you can hear her jabbering and singing to favorite teddy bears.

Real time challenges

I have to set some things straight as my last post may have given the impression that I have things under total control. That is not the case.

Every day has it challenges good and bad. With four kids it's very rare that it is ever quiet in the house. The most stressful time of day is after school pick up when all four kids seem to 'need' all my attention at the same time. Joseph is usually at his wildest, I think he gets so excited to have the older two home that he acts out in hopes of gaining their attention. It rarely ends up without screaming and fighting.

Today had a different kind of challenge at hand.

Aaron is our 'wake up call' in the morning but last night was suffering from what we think was food poisoning. Poor guy was up all night hugging the toilet and suffering horrendous stomach pains. He therefore slept in and stayed home from work completely exhausted.
I got up and made my rounds getting the kids out of bed for our regular routine.
This morning was a bit different because Rachael started school swim lessons today.

Rachael has a fear of the water, I am not sure when or how it began but I think her fear comes from the deep waters and her lack of confidence in it. She is fine on the beach when she is in control of the depth she reaches but not in a pool.

So as usual the house becomes a busy beehive first thing in the morning. Today we are running a bit behind because we got up a little later. Josh is surprisingly on fire as he is pumped and ready for the day. He is busting out his chores, makes his lunch and is all ready to go by 8:00 singing and humming along the way. By 8:15 he is out the door on his bike to meet his friend and ride to school.

Rachael is still struggling to get herself together, she's nervous about swimming.  Dressed, lunch made and bag packed but she doesn't want to eat and she has been to the toilet 3 or 4 times now. I realize it's anxiety. We talk, I try to calm her and help her get herself together. She speaks again about her fears and as we put on her swimming cap she looses it. It turned into this emotional crying and fearful mess for her.
Rachael is a very loving and happy child. She aims to please and it takes quite a lot to make her upset. Once she is upset however it is quite a task to calm her down. This was one of those times.

Usually Aaron saves the day when things like this happen (Rach has always been a daddy's girl) but he was more or less passed out in bed from his awful night.
She is muttering through her tears things like "I look awful in my swim cap, I don't want anyone to see me without glasses on because I look silly" "They will make me jump into the deep side"....
My heart breaks as she says these things.

Just this weekend we had the privilege of attending a devotional with Elder Bednar on marriage and family. Members would ask questions and he and his wife would answer them. It was so incredibly uplifting and not like anything i've experience before.

He spoke a lot about 'mirrors around us'. How our children are our mirrors and what we see in them is a reflection of ourselves, good and bad. He went on to explain how the things that irritate us about our children or spouses are usually things we have issues with ourselves.  I have not been able to get this out of my mind. It is helping me to change the way I act and react to the children. I am trying to pay more attention to what I say or don't say.

This mornings events brought all these feelings flooding in. Why would she not feel pretty without her glasses? Sure, she doesn't remember herself without them but she is nearly 6, this shouldn't be an issue yet right?!  I realize that I have said things about myself showing insecurities in my looks and how I feel about myself in front of her and realize I am staring in that mirror. I need to help her see herself differently.

Sister Bednar spoke about praying for DISCERNMENT.  Discernment to help teach our kids to see the potential they have in themselves. To see and understand WHO they really ARE. This comes through our interactions, discipline and through our own examples. She expressed how this helped her deal with hard situations when they arose at home. I cannot shake this from my mind either. It is SO real and so important yet why do I feel like this is all new to me? Discernment may be my new favorite word.

Through learning and significant struggles I was able to get Rachael into the car and off to school. We chatted and I tried my very hardest to show my support and love (regardless of how irritated I may have been at the time). She was so hesitant but as soon as we walked into her classroom it was like a light switch flipped. Rachael is an incredibly strong person and what I saw as she walked into her classroom completely amazed me. She immediately became confident and happy with the situation. I followed her as she put her bag away and began preparations to load onto the bus. She then asks me to help her put her cap on, no tears just smiles. WHAT?   Lined up and walking to the bus I can see she is thinking through some things. She looks at me and I realize she's trying to work out how she is going to quickly switch from her glasses to her goggles without anyone seeing her. She asks me to help her do the switch now and she will just wear the goggles on the bus. Oh dear!  I calmly explain that she can wear her glasses to the swimming pool and switch them there. She smiled and skipped off.

I was worried about how it would go but still had confidence she'd be ok. Joseph had a sporting class today so we couldn't go to the pool with her. Her best friends' mum, Seema, was going and said she would help Rachael and keep an eye on her.

When picking Rachael up from school I had 3 different mums tell me how incredibly organized Rachael was after swimming. They couldn't believe how well she can organize herself and follow directions. That made me so happy and other than a bit of exhaustion after school Rach was as happy as a songbird.

This was just a small bite into a HUGE day. Again, a glimpse into our lives here. 6 people, 6 different personalities and many many different struggles and learning paths.  I/we have SO much to LEARN.

On Monday Rachael received a "Star of the Week" award in front of the entire school for "always showing respect towards others and a great commitment to learning". She was stoked about it and so happy that both Aaron and I were there to see her get it.

Family Organization

Time is moving so quickly here in the Presbury home. I rarely have 'spare' time to do the things on my 'extra's lists but it's ok. Things are going very well.

My ambition for blogging is far beyond my reach at the moment. Its merely a thought in the back of my mind. However with a bit of free time i have tonight I wanted to document our every busy lives in  a post.

Since school started back up we have had an increasing need for more organization as a family. I never realized how important organization skills would be as a mom to have a functioning family.

My morning starts at 6am when I get up to get my own tasks done. Exercise, scripture study and preparing myself for the day take place in those 30 minutes. It is some of the only time I have on my own. However I am not always able to get up, sometimes I am SO exhausted I hit the snooze button a couple times.

6:30am Aaron begins his piano practice. He has started his fourth year of diligent practice and we decided it was best for him to do that in the morning. It works great as the 'wake up call' first thing in the morning.
In the 15 minutes as he practices the kids begin to emerge from their beds (keeping in mind that they were always up around 7 am on their own ).  They begin to get ready for the day, with specific tasks such as making bed, putting clothes away, getting dressed in school uniform and doing hair. I obviously engage and help where I am needed.
By 7am we gather at the kitchen table for scripture study. This new change has made it SO much easier. Trying to make scripture study happen at night was so much more challenging.
Afterwards we have family prayer and then the kids watch from the kitchen window as Aaron catches the bus.

We now have an hour before leaving for school. We prepare lunches, eat breakfast and the kids work on their 'chores'. Josh and Rachael unload the dishwasher together every morning. I LOVE it!
They have certain responsibilities each and every day and then a different assigned 'chore' to each day. Taking out the trash, vacuuming the stairs, cleaning bathroom mirrors, dusting tv, tidy bedrooms....
Their chores coincide with my house cleaning. Mondays are my main laundry days, Tuesday I focus on dusting and bathrooms, Wednesdays the house gets thoroughly vacuumed, Thursday is a deep kitchen clean and mopping and Fridays we each focus on our own bedrooms.  I like a clean house and this is how I do it without going crazy. It works for me.
I have a time limit on the cleaning each day, I could spend all day every day cleaning but have to limit myself and stay organized.

We have different weekly activities that we have to carefully plan in. Schooling is quite different here to Utah and preschool for Joseph was going to cost a fortune. Joseph is so incredibly athletic and energetic we thought it better to enroll him in some more physical activities and instead of preschool. I would dedicate 1-2 hours a day 'homeschooling' joseph instead. Not really homeschool but rather in house preschool.

Right now Joseph attends a Playball class tuesday mornings where he engages with other boys his age and learns a different sport each week. He loves it.
Thursday mornings he has tennis lessons and loves that too. He is quite fond of his Roger Federer racket.
He can count into the teens, knows his colors and shapes and has been writing his name the past month. He writes his name on everything. He has taken to drawing too and occasionally creates some pieces for me.  Joseph learned last week how to ride his peddle bike all by himself. He gets so excited to have a ride around our neighborhood lake (about 2.75km) and has been exhausted at the end of each day.

Josh is adjusting well, he doesn't speak about 'America' as much and is really loving school this year. He has a good group of friends and has a friend within a 10 minute bike ride from our house he likes to play with. He is obsessed with becoming a Pilot and loves watching these air crash investigation shows.  Josh attends tennis lessons on Mondays, Piano lessons on Tuesdays, Kenpo Karate on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings. Tennis has become a new passion since the Australian Open and he keeps asking about taking a second lesson.  He too has scored a nice Roger Federer racket.
I still can't believe he is 9 years old, he is growing up so fast.  I have to remind myself that he isn't a baby anymore and he has different needs to the younger ones. Its really fun to have one on ones with him. He looks forward to the times he can read aloud his books to me and share funny jokes or cool things he learned from school.

Rachael is quite the social butterfly at school. It is adorable to watch her friends come running to her just to say hi and give her a hug every morning at school. Rachael is a very happy person and LOVES school. She will put on a brave face when she is feeling sick in hopes that she won't have to miss school. Her artistic skills were scored two grade levels higher last year. She is always creating or drawing some new masterpiece. Her latest project was a 3d house she made out of construction paper.
Rachael's character is still blooming, she has the tendency to easily shut down if she's feeling discouraged or inadequate, yet she is always trying to please you. She is very clingy to me in situations that are new. Once she is comfortable with her surroundings and the people she is fine but anything new we have to be careful at the way we present it or she will completely shut it down.  I think part of this comes from her scary nut allergy issue. She won't go play at a friends house unless I were to be there with her. Fair enough, it is a scary thing and will take time to get used to.
Rachael was very interested in tennis as well but refuses to take lessons. It scares her too much as she doesn't know anyone but she also fears disappointment.
She speaks about playing the piano though and will soon start taking lessons with Josh.

Both Josh and Rach are engaged in other activities at school such as learning Mandrin Chinese, a Kitchen and Garden program (where they plant and help grow fruits and veg and then learn to cook different things with them in their kitchen class). They both have a couple weeks of required swimming lessons through the school, art classes, sport classes (Josh's teacher has asked him about joining the Badminton Club that meet at lunch). It really is a great school full of different activities and learning experiences.

Rebecca has bloomed into quite a little diva. She communicates very well and understands exactly what we are saying. She gets easily frustrated and will scream when she is. She is a sweetheart that sure does bring more character to our family. She LOVES shoes, teddy bears, dolls and jewelry.
Just tonight we went out for a family bike ride and as we were preparing our helmets and drink she took initiative and climbed into the bike trailer with her helmet and drink ready to go.
She LOVES to be outdoors and to dance.
Her dairy allergy is still an ongoing process but her health is much better now. Baby steps to improvement and awareness I guess. We will be seeing a specialist  the end of March to determine exactly how bad her allergy is and establish a more permanent nutritional diet.

Aaron is working very hard to support us and does a fantastic job. He stays busy with work and church calling but still finds time to make sure we are all taken care of. He takes Josh to kenpo twice a week and stays to support him. Our children love and adore him and get so excited when daddy comes home from work. He is a good example to us all and keeps us all on track and in line. I am very grateful for him.

 I visit the local markets every Saturday morning and get all the fresh food I need for the week. In order to do this I have to be prepared and organized and have a meal plan for the upcoming week. Each of the kids have a night where they are assigned to cook dinner with me, they all get SO excited to be in the kitchen and help me with this task. Apart of that is helping to plan out the meals in advance, it makes it much more enjoyable for me too just takes much more planning.
Since we started doing this the kids have become more aware of the kitchen, more helpful and understanding with food and the preparation that goes into it. On top of all that they are learning skills in the kitchen that they will have for the rest of their lives.
Just this week I was very ill, sickest i've been since living in Australia. To the point I was fevering and couldn't move off the couch. Joseph at his tender age of 3 took the skills he had learned and made himself some toast putting the butter and jam on himself. He also helped Becca by pouring her a bowl of cheerios and washing some grapes.

Bedtime routine is another organized process.  Because we have such an early morning the kids are obviously tired earlier. After showers/baths and brushing teeth Rebecca and Joseph are our first task while Rachael and Josh work on homework or read to each other. It's obviously much easier if Aaron is home and we can share the load but in cases where he may be out I tuck the younger two in bed first. They are usually so exhausted, easy to put down and in their beds around 7:30. The next hour is so cherished by Josh and Rachael as this is 'their' time. I sit with Rachael first and we chat about her day and anything else she wants to talk about. Tonight we worked on her spelling words and read a book together. She shared her fears about swimming lessons that start next week at school.
After our time I tuck her into bed.  Last but not least is Josh, he looks forward to this time and LOVES to read to me. We first chat about school, about games he's played or something new he learned. Tonight he earned a stripe at kenpo and told me all about it. He read 3 chapters in his book to me and we laughed together at the humor. This time together is so important, especially at his age. He speaks more like a maturing boy and not a child.

In my 9 years of being a mother I have learned how important it is to have a schedule and to be organized. We all run better that way and children especially need some sort of structure. It is really the only way we can make it work and eliminate the 'chaos' associated with being unorganized and scheduled.  The end of last year I was feeling down about how I was mothering and new that I needed a better system and wanted to be more structured. I knew I could be doing more but needed help to get there. Aaron helped me establish a plan to make sure I could find that one on one time with each child and it's made a HUGE difference since doing so. We are all much happier and we are seeing the blessings from the dedication.

Life is busy making sure the needs of a family of 6 are met but I try to enjoy every moment. As they get older it only seems to get busier but my life feels fuller. Its never easy, most days have their breaking points but I really would not change it for the world. Our children bring our lives so much more meaning and watching them grow and learn is priceless.

It is so easy to get caught up in our own lives and drama that we forget the ever moving world and friendships around us. I have been working hard to organize family life and now need to organize and fit in time to connect with friends and family and also do my calling.  It brings such great blessings when I do and helps me to be a better mother because I am learning from others.

If you feel I have forgotten you I haven't, promise. I think of family and friends often actually and need to reach out more.
Thanks to all of you that still message me from time to time. Thank you for all the prayers and support.  Life is wonderful and even more so because of all those who have been apart of ours!

February 2014 Recap

*In an effort to remember our first year in Australia I will recap each month. January has already been done so I will begin with February 2014*

February was a great month filled with a lot of new adventures.

We visited the Melbourne Aquarium in the city.

It was fun to see advertisements downtown for the Super Bowl and still amazes me how expensive parking is.

The picture where the kids are standing on glass above a massive Croc still creeps me out.

The aquarium sits right next to the Yarra River with a lovely view.

Beaches were a frequent occurrence in February as it's one of the hotter months. This beach was Mordialloc Beach right near where Aaron catches the train into the city every day. There is nice shaded park near the beach, a beautiful pier and shops within walking distance.

Rachael had just started school for the first time the beginning of February. She was struggling and cried a bit at first. One day in particular I went to the market after school drop off and Joseph wanted to buy some flowers for Rachael to make her happy. He specifically picked these ones out. It was the sweetest thing that day as he presented them to her after school. She was happy!

Looking back at these pictures is such a bitter sweet feeling, Rebecca was so small.

I loved seeing Josh interact with her, they have a special connection.

One day just before Valentines Day we picked Aaron up from the train station after work and he presented Rach with some beautiful gerber daisies. I think she was feeling extra loved and knew we all supported her starting school.

The picture just below on the right is Joseph watching the washing machine while sitting on the toilet. We began potty training the beginning of 2014, I am so glad that is over and can't believe it has already been a year. He was sitting on his little toilet waiting for his monkey to finish washing. He sat there through the entire cycle.

School pictures and Joseph trying passionfruit for the first time. He really enjoyed it.
Sandra invited us over for dinner one evening, she really does spoil us. It was fun sitting outside together chatting and eating some of the best food.

We played a lot of games. Rachael is our Uno champion and Josh won his first game of Settlers (with some help;). 

I delighted in simple pleasures such as .60 cent watermelon and lunch at the shopping center while Rebecca and Seppe napped in the stroller. That doesn't happen anymore.

Pearls and Lillies from Aaron. I felt extra loved that day.

These two became very close friends and Josh was excited to have her at the same school as him. He does a good job of taking care of her. 

We were invited to an Aussie Engagement Party and a Kiwi (Kiwis are what we call the New Zealanders) birthday celebration. The Kiwi's cook their food in the ground, it's spectacular. Both were new and fun experiences.

Josh and Rach rode their bikes to school a couple times while I ran pushing Becca and Seppe in the stroller. It is much easier riding to school since Rachael is on two wheels and I have my own bike and trailer.

Super Bowl Sunday  (Monday for us), Aaron took work off and we watched the game at home. For lunch (at half time) we walked down to the end of our street to dine at The Nest Cafe over looking the lake. After lunch we resumed the game and Joseph went missing, we found him asleep under Rachael's bed.

We had a great time taking a day trip down to Queenscliff and celebrating Valentines Day in the city.
I also had a fun little photo shoot with Rebecca at 5 months old.

The first 3 weeks in OZ!

I couldn't have made this trip without the help of my Mom. She was so helpful making our journey over and once we arrived she pushed through with so much energy as I crashed.

 From the minute we arrived she began unpacking our suitcases and helped the kids get settled into our new home. I on the other hand continued to fall asleep as Rebecca slept. I think it was now time for my body to catch up and recover from having a baby and making a huge move.

There was no time to waist. I had no choice but to jump right into driving on the opposite side of the rode here as we needed to get around without Aaron's help. My first trips were to the school and to Ikea. I love the 'family parking' stalls found everywhere right by the disabled parking spots. They are awesome!

We rode bikes, went on walks, fed the ducks all in our new neighborhood.

Josh got registered for school and started within the first 3 weeks of us arriving.

On one of the warmer days we took a lunch to the beach

I went out with my mom one evening to check out a local shopping center. Because the Melbourne Cup was coming up there were expensive hats and dresses everywhere. We had a great time trying some on.

Took my mom to see the Melbourne Temple

Josh and Aaron went out to help with a Stake service project and a very cold and rainy day.

Girls afternoon out for yummy nutella, banana and strawberry crepes

Lunch at Nandos

Lots of baby cuddles. Rachael was constantly smelling Rebecca and sighing as she'd say "Rebecca smells Soooo good"

A couple trips to the market













We "my mom and I" sobbed uncontrollably at the Primary Program the Sunday before she was leaving. It was a very emotional day. Josh and Rach and Joseph participated after only being here 2 weeks. It was so wonderful

The night before mom left we drove down to Mt. Eliza to watch the sun set on the beach. It was a beautiful evening.

I get emotional again as I recap these few weeks that will always mean so much to me. I am so grateful for my mom and all she did in helping us move here and get settled in. I could not have done it without her.
Those three weeks were at times extremely challenging but also so incredibly fun. We often found ourselves laughing hysterically together as we embarked on new experiences.

I love you so much mom and cherish this time forever.
The day you flew back to America was ever so hard. Many many tears were shed.
Rachael sobbed for hours which in turn kept our tears flowing. We took a random stop at Costco in hopes to get our mind off you leaving, it didn't help.

Thank you so much for all your help and for the fun times we had. Can't wait till you come again ;)