Maya's 1st swim meet

Last wednesday, Maya participated in her very first swim meet. She got to choose up to any 4 events she wanted to swim. She chose 25 and 50yd breast stroke and 25 and 50yd freestyle. In practice they had never practiced jump starts so she was nervous about trying to dive in, but she did fine. Here's a video of her swimming the 25 freestyle. If you count from the lane closest to the camera, she is in the 4th lane. So fun to watch her grow as a swimmer! Every practice, the coach has the other swimmers stop and watch Maya's form. So proud!

Hi Daddy!!

Hi Daddy! We miss you! Here we are all ready for church and looking nice!

[Yesterday (on my birthday:(...)we woke up very early in the morning and drove Matt to the airport. He's doing a couple of weeks of combat training before he heads on to Afghanistan. He will also be posting his experience there on this blog.]

Blessings

So, there is a lot going on in our lives right now and most of it is centered around Matt being deployed to Afghanistan. This is something that we've known was coming for a while now, but has become a reality to us in the past few months. He leaves next Saturday. We're trying to enjoy as much time together as we can and get things in order before he leaves.

As much as I'm not looking forward to this, I do feel Heavenly Father's blessings to me so strongly in my life. Everyone knows life isn't smooth and easy. You try to enjoy the nice times while they are there. I'm trying to focus on the blessings I have among the difficult times, and there are many.

There was a quote that I saw in a store a few months ago that I'd really like to get for my home. It says something along the lines of Life isn't about getting past the storm, it's learning to dance in the rain.

Yes I will cry and I will have rough days, but when those days come (I'm always on the verge of tears these days but so far have been successful in holding them back) I hope that I will be able to be thankful for all that I have instead of upset about what I'm missing.

I need to thank my Heavenly Father because he has answered countless prayers, especially over the past 18 months. Just an hour ago we got the news that we have tenants that paid money today to live in our home in Maryland that has been sitting empty for only 2 weeks. A huge blessing and a huge relief. Our tenants in our home in Texas, after not being sure if they could extend their lease, decided to stay another year. These are huge blessings to us because if these homes were empty, that's thousands of dollars a month out of our pocket -that we do not have. All I can say is that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. And - pay your tithing! Not everybody is so fortunate. We feel so blessed. This was a stress to us as Matt is getting ready to leave. It's nice that he won't have to worry about that while he's deployed.

Aside from financial blessings - meaning we can pay our many bills each month (My dad once said during a talk he gave on tithing, when you pay your tithing 2+2 =5. Somehow things work out even when they shouldn't and I've had that testimony reaffirmed to me many times over the years) he's also blessed me with an amzing support system. We moved here to California last summer knowing that Matt would soon be deployed, but we only knew a couple of people in the area and not very well. Heavenly Father blessed us to find a home in an amazing neighborhood (we didn't have a place when we first got out here) and we've met so many wonderful families that I know I can turn to while Matt is gone. They'll keep me company, help me with my kids, and any other needs, like a shoulder to cry on and some much needed girl time. I know I can turn to them. On top of that, some of our closest friends from Texas (where we moved from last summer) moved here this month. Another huge blessing to me because I already have that relationship established with them. I'm also just a 3 hour drive from my oldest brother and his family. Heavenly Father didn't put us here in California to leave me alone. He has blessed me and my family with so many wonderful people. I will miss my husband painfully over these next few months. He is my best friend and I love him. But I am not left alone.

I just need to say I am so greatful for my many many blessings. I know I am watched over and loved.

But - don't think for a second that I don't need visitors! My house is open. Please come keep me company!

I will do my best to learn to dance in the rain.