The true meaning of Christmas

I felt that I should write a blog about what is important about Christmas instead of just presents like my last blog. I know that what is important about Christmas is the birth of the One who saved us and showed us the way and is our hope and joy. He showed us what it truly means to have "goodwill to man". May we try to follow His example and be a little kinder, a little holier.

switching roles

For Christmas every year it was my role in the family to wake everyone up and horribly early hours and drag them down the stairs for presents. It is my parents role to whine and say "go back to bed just a little longer..." I thought this year would be no different. However, when my 2 year old son woke up at 2:30 in the morning, I tried desperately to put him back to sleep for an hour and finally gave up and opened our presents. At 5 am I told Sandi I'd take a shower and then go to my mom's house for more presents...so naturally Topaz fell back asleep. I decided to shut my eyes and rest just for a minute only to wake up to my mom calling telling me to hurry up she wanted to open presents....

The rain came down...

...and the floods came up, but the house on the hill stayed dry. Laie has been flooding, the sewers backed up, lots of people in Laie have lost carpet and furniture. However, our house is on a hill and although it rained we had no problems. It made us grateful we had so much trouble finding a house because we got one that remained safe. It has also been amazing to see our faith in actions as neighbors lend other neighbors help. Here's some pictures of the flooding:

A solider's Christmas

Just a poem to make you think......
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures; he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat..
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Thanksgiving thanks

It seems appropriate that I list things I am grateful for on this thanksgiving. I am grateful that Sandi has been out of work for almost 6 months. We finally get to spend time together. Before he was working two jobs just to make ends meet and when he came home he was exhausted and would sleep. Somehow though we are still making ends meet. I am also grateful we have no cable. We can still watch movies if we want but the television is no longer the center of the home. I am grateful our insurence was canceled because I would have never learned we weren't really suppose to have it the whole time anyway. I am grateful we had such a hard time finding a house, because the one we have now is perfect and cheaper than any others we saw. I am grateful for priesthood that leads my home and keeps us safe. This "hard" time we are going through is one of my best.

Trick or Treat

So we went trick or teating on Halloween. Topaz was a horse, I was a cow girl, and Emerald was a bumble bee. Topaz got quite into trick or treating this year. I stopped in the road to say hi to a friend and Topaz came up to her and said trick or treat she pulled a candy out of her son's bag and gave it to topaz. He didn't miss any oppurtunities for candy. :)

Stay off the roads

This is it Sandi finally got his driver's permit. So I have been taking him to the roads to learn how to drive. He's actually very good, but it is hard to trust what you have taught.

One year older

So...today is my birthday. I am 28 years old now. My mom made me a beautiful homemade cake but forgot the candles. When she went to the store to buy some, the check out lady said, "oh..you must be celebrating the birthday of some one older." My mom replied that it was actually for her daughter, to which the lady said, "Because you've got two packages of candles here..." So yes, I have passed my young youthful days and am now in the "older" category. 2 packages of candles! It is strange but that comment did make me feel old. For the rest of my birthday party my mom made homemade chicken cordon bleu, real mash potatoes, and I made ice cream. What a fabulous day!

California's Proposition 8

California's proposition 8 is a very important issue to me. It will define how we see marriage, whether it should be between man and woman, or if it can be between a man and man or a woman and a woman. I think the rest of the country will follow suit to how California votes.
I have a traditional marriage to a wonderful man and I believe marriage should be kept that way. My visiting teacher visited last Sunday and told me about what happened in Massachusetts when gay marriage became legal there. First of all, her children came home from school with a book to read called "The King and the King" about gays. They taught gay relationships in second grade. Schools already teach sexual education if California fails to pass proposition 8 they will add gay relationships to the sexual education. Also in Mass. (according to my visiting teacher) they told the Catholic adoption agency they had to give so many children to homosexual parents and when the agency refused the government shut it down saying it was "unconstitutional." I realized the affects of not voting for proposition 8 affects alot more then just if some people can get married or not. I do not look down on gays or think poorly of them, but I would not want my son learning about it in second grade at school either. Some things should be left to parents to teach. Marriage is important and sacred, children deserve to be born into families where parents have made a true commitment. That's how marriage is soppose to be a commitment. Children also learn best if they have a mother and father to teach them, that is why it takes a man and woman to have children.
In conclusion, vote yes to proposition 8.

Marriage as a priority

Last Sunday in Relief Society we had quite an intresting lesson. Well, actually Emerald always decides to cry at the beginning until the end so I miss most of relief society, but last week I heard about 5 minuets worth of lesson. So...it was an interesting 5 minutes worth. The lesson was about strengthening families. They were discussing how one could not have a strong family without having a strong marriage. And one cannot have a strong marriage without a strong relationship with God. So our priorities should first be God, then our marriage, and then our family. It seems often in our society, or atleast I do, focus so much on the needs of our children we forget the needs of our husbands (or wives). Since having a strong marriage is so important I thought I'd make a list of ways to strengthen a marriage. Good concrete ways you can check off.

1. Weekly dates- Some say Mc Dondalds doesn't count but to me it does (mainly because our dates are to the grocery store...) You don't have to spend any money at all. A walk could count. Just spend time together with your significant other. The same way you did before you were married.

2.Gratitude Journal- Write a journal everyday about 1 good quality of your "other". That way you are constantly looking for their good, and when they do something wrong you have a long list of things they do right.

3.Never talk bad about the other in front of ANYONE! Not friends, parents, neighbors, ect.

4. Companionship Inventory- Every week discuss what is going right, wrong, feelings, concerns, ect.

Improvements to mommy's speghetti

Spaghetti has always been important to my family. My brothers gave up dates to eat it (I would have to if I ever had any dates:), we'd travel for miles just to taste it. But last Sunday my son made some improvements to mommy's speghetti. He took each strand of Speghetti and dipped it in chocolate pudding. Mmmm yummy.

what's going on....as if I knew

So here's our story...Sandi, my husband, was going to join the army. He quit his other job and we went on a wonderful vacation to Utah and then he was suppose to go to training a week after we came home. However, when we got home we were informed he could not go until January, when his permanent residency would be renewed. So we were living with my parents, jobless, and then my insurance canceled. Luckily we cleared up the misunderstanding and have insurance again (hopefully), we found a beautiful 2 bedroom for reletively cheap. The job situation still hasn't cleared up but luckily we have savings to last awhile if we are careful with our spending. We discovered the importance of having that savings because lets face it life does not go how one plans!

Grandparents

Today is grandparents day and in celebration I wanted to dedicate this blog to all the grandparents out there. My grandparents have left a legacy of hard work and devotion to the truth. It is thanks to my grandparents that I have amazing parents who are now grandparents to my children. My children are lucky enough to live close (very,very close) to their grandparents, at least half of them. Topaz's first word was grandpa. Grandpa is his best buddy, grandma is who he runs for if he is hurt or sad. My parents have taught my children in a way only grandparents can. I don't always agree with how my parents do things but one thing is unmistakable...they love my children as much as anyone can besides mom and dad. I know that's how my grandparents thought, and think of me. So on this special day I say thank you to all grandparents who take the time to get to know their grandchildren and happy grandparents day!

Tagged

I was tagged by kristin so here are my answers and the rules: Answer the questions using only one word. Then tag four other people. I will tag Eileen, Joe, Timothy, and my mom. Have fun!
1. Where is your cell phone? none
2. Your significant other? Indonesian
3. Your hair? wet
4. Your mother? babysitter
5. Your father? computer nerd
6. Your favorite thing? kids
7. Your dream last night? Forgotten
8. Your favorite drink? Shirly Temple
9. Your dream/goal? Counselor
10. The room you’re in? parents
11. Your hobby? sleeping
12. Your fear? death
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? house
14. What you’re not? manly
15. Muffins? Lemon poppy seed
16. One of your wish list items? house
17. Where you grew up? everywhere
18. The last thing you did? Read
19. What are you wearing? clothes
20. Favorite gadget?coin sorting wallet
21. Your pets? husband
22. Your computer? labtop
23. Your mood? stressed
24. Missing someone? soon
25. Your car? saturn
26. Something you’re not wearing? Socks
27. Favorite store? old navy
28. Like someone? yes
29. Your favorite color? Amber
30. When is the last time you laughed? blog
31. Last time you cried? period

Abuse Talk

So our first Sunday back in Hawaii and I go to church with my mom. The next thing I know I am asked to teach next Sunday's Releif Society lesson. I am not sure I am really even in my mom's ward and now here I am teaching. The topic....sexual abuse, or really any kind of abuse. It's based on Elder Scott's last conference talk. This is a very sensitive topic to those who have experienced it, and to those who haven't I wonder if they really understand it. So I am imploring all the avid readers of my blog....HELP. Share with me your insight or suggestions, I beseech you and thank you.

A new gem in the garden

Two and half months ago our lives changed for the better. We had a baby girl, Emerald Lee Jayeng. She was 7lb 8ounces at birth. Now she is about 14lb. She has black hair and blue eyes, and tan skin. She knows what she wants and won't settle for less. On the whole she is easy to handle and doing so much better with sleeping at night than Topaz did at her age.

There is something about having children that teaches a person about life. Children are so forgiving; you can wrong them, punish them but they still want you and forget any wrong done. Also they are observant. They do what you do, say what you say, follow your example. They are so easily excited and eager to please. They are innocent but not ignorant. I watch my two year old, who pulls books off the shelf and picks cats up by the tail, and my new born, who is so helpless, and think that is how I want to be. If only we could keep our childhood a little longer.

In conclusion, here's your dang picture Rebekah:)

Topaz's interest

topaz....Topaz typed his name all by himself. He knows how to spell his name and his grandpa makes him show everyone that talent. Sammy,his cousin, and Topaz have been busily playing barbie doll dress show on the computer. They are very computer savvy.

Ipod time

We were traveling along in the car when Emerald, our newborn whose pictures will be posted shortly, began crying and then screaming. Sandi tried to reassure her with little success. Finally he put ear phones in and said "ipod time" and entered another world.

Army Strong

Sandi decided to join the army. He is going to be a helicopter mechanic. He ships out for training in August. Hopefully he will enjoy it. We bought him a little model helicopter to practice building them. He was so excited until he opened the package and said, "oh crap". We'll see how he does.....