Waaahoooooo!!! I did it!!!

Yes.
I did it.
I. SWAM. A. MILE!

I didn't think it would be this soon. I am so thankful for this body that God has given me! I am thankful that after all I have been through, God is giving me the chance to exercise my body and to build strength and endurance again. It is such a blessing to have a healthy body! I feel that because I know I can do this, now, the possibilities are even greater. I will keep working, and I will keep progressing.

For those of you that don't know  much of my story, just know that 1 year ago, I started physical therapy because I was still having trouble walking a year and a half after my son was born. Stairs were a great challenge, walking around the block, unthinkable at that point. But I knew God would bless me, and he did. First of all, he blessed me with a helpful and supportive husband, and a wonderful son to brighten my life. He blessed me with 2 amazing physical therapists, as well as an amazing counselor, a place that I could swim while John plays and has a blast, and I am doing so much better now!

And, although my muscles feel a little like Jello, it's a good Jello feeling. As I used to tell my therapist Andrew, I know that I worked hard enough that I got a great workout, but not so much that I can function afterwards. That's the right kind of Jello-feeling.

I think I might try to fit in a mile swim once a month, now that I know I can do it. This first time, it took me 51 min. 48 sec. That gives me a lot of room for improvement :) Here's the record I'm keeping. It keeps changing as I get better and better. It is so great to look back, only to see how far I've come.

Now I plan to "Just keep swimming."

My little baby is not so little anymore

One of John's favorite questions to me is "color?" He really loves to use any kind of pen, pencil, crayon, marker, etc.

A couple days ago, I noticed how he was trying so hard to hold his pencil like I do! What a big boy! (I love how he is sticking his tongue out just a little bit, and concentration)

Apparently he was very excited about it too! :-) Sometimes it makes me breathe a sigh of sadness that he is growing up so fast! We still often call him our little baby. He's really not a baby anymore. But oh how we cherish our little boy!

Try and Keep on Trying - Just Keep Swimming

I've been swimming about 3 times a week since December. I've now swum (swam? I don't think swum should be a word... it's so weird...) 25 times, and I'm making progress little by little. My hope is to be able to swim a mile in one exercise session. I started in December with being able to do 15 laps. I've worked my way up to 30. I've taught myself how to do flip turns, and now do them regularly whenever I swim. I've learned how to improve my form in all the strokes, and I know the stronger I get, the better I will be able to do them. :) I believe that I could do 40 now, but maybe not be able to take care of my family on the same day too. So I will take the advice of someone that I have learned a lot from. Dory. One of John's and my favorite characters. She simply says, "Just keep swimming." (Dory, Finding Nemo). And perhaps it is just that simple. I just need to put one arm in front of the other, just keep kicking my legs. I know that I've gotten stronger in the last 3 months, and I will keep making progress as I just keep swimming.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from the apostle, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible—and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you." Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Love of God It is true. If we try and keep on trying, things will become possible, and then get easier, and then become a habit. I'm so thankful to know this! It makes life so much more doable.
Here is his full address if you would like to watch it. You'll be glad you did.

Kroger has my number

Every time I go to Kroger,  I walk in through the coldness of winter, and I see this beauty before me!

It is all I can do not to buy these beautiful plants! Especially in the azaleas. Kroger has my number! They know what I love. 

But then sets very logical and rational Royce comes into my mind that I got to take lots of beautiful produce home with me, and we're not even going to be here in the summer because of our internship

And I am already growing my own garden at home. My wheatgrass garden :-) so, once again, I resisted dipping into our very small student budget for my flower-full fancies, and I came home and enjoyed the beautiful greenness of my wheat grass :-)

I am thankful for beautiful plants! And the miracle grocery stores! And the blessing that I can eat all the oranges I want through this cold winter :-)

And thank goodness for oranges and wheatgrass! Seth and John are sick. Seth has been sick for a week, and he has finals starting on Friday! And John been feeling pretty low. He's had a fever, and today he threw up four times. While he did, each time, he kept saying "nope....nope" because he really didn't want to.

John is so adorable when he is sick though, he is so cuddley and docile. He warms my heart. John and Seth both had blessings today, and they will be alright. And john has a doctors appointment tomorrow, just in case.

Our Learning Corner

It's learning central over hear in Wagner Town. Now, when we eat, we can review what we're learning. I'm doing a weekly Spanish immersion class for John (and me - especially me) with my friend Lisa and her son Stephen. It is great! We are all learning so much!

John and I also just started an Alphabet School with a few friend John's age. We are using the Amazing Action Alphabet. I am so excited! Thanks to my sister Hannah for telling me all about it.

Obviously, I taught the kids about the letter M today. It was great! We learned with the help of M the Moose and his mustache. :) He likes to munch on muffins. And he goes "M-m-m" John has been doing that a lot today. He is learning!!

In our learning corner, I also put up a picture board so that I can put up pictures of our family (which is really big, so it's nice that I can change them out frequently) and teach John all their names. John has also now memorized the names of the prophet and all the apostles! He can recognize their faces and say their names without any help! And he even recognizes a few of their voices. I am so thankful to be a mother and to be able to teach this special little boy! He is a precious soul.

Church? Tie? Nursery?

Could he get more handsome? I am sure he will, but it just amazes me. John loves to wear a tie like his papa. He loves to go to church. He loves to go to nursery (the class for 2 year olds at church) and learn about Jesus, and play, and have fun. He asks me at least a few times a week, "Wear a tie? Go to Church? Nursery?" He even prays for his nursery teachers. Tonight he prayed, "Please bless Ashten." What a sweetheart! He especially loves to see the missionaries at church too. They are often in our home during the week to help us with something (they shoveled my car out of the snow yesterday. Thank you!) and/or to teach us a gospel lesson about Christ. John looks for them at church and waves. He prayed for them too tonight. He can now sing most of the words to the song "I hope they call me on a mission" all by himself. He will be a wonderful missionary!

But my goodness is it hard to get a good picture of him! He is almost always moving.

It is truly amazing how much John learns at home and at church. He really takes it in. John is learning the names and faces of the living prophet and the apostles  and he knows almost all of them! In church, when someone quotes them, he recognizes their names. Someone quoted Elder Richard G. Scott (who gave my favorite talk in General Conference in October), and John looked excited and said, "Elder Scott!" and then pointed to his picture on the laminated card I made. That was a proud mama moment :)

John's First Real Snow day!

Today the weather warmed up (it's been below zero for what feels like weeks), and snowed the most we've had this year (I'm thankful that's the most), 6-8 inches. John had a blast playing outside in the snow. He had his first sled ride, and he said "Whoohoo! whoohoo!" the whole way every time. He loved it!!! We wished Papa could have come out to play, but he had to study and do homework. He's so diligent.

After I cleaned off and dug out the car, it was time to go inside so I could make some juice. John was not happy about that! So I put him outside on the patio, and as you can see, he had a hay day out there too!

Then he voluntarily came in (thankfully!) and drank his delicious green juice (kale, chard, ginger, cilantro, apple, celery, carrots - delicious!) He pounded the whole thing.

We just love this boy so very much! We are so blessed!

John, the Story Teller

John is so cute sometimes, I just can't take it all in! He was looking at a book with Mickey and Goofy and a Frog, and he started telling a story, "Well, um... so... Mickey and Frog went to gym with Miss Beth, Miss Hillary and Miss Heidi, and.... um..." :) Those are the ladies that take care of the kids at LA Fitness where I swim. John loves it there! He's is getting so creative. I love to hear about the way he thinks. And I love that he's imagining and being creative. When I come get him from his crib, he pretends he's helping me take the rocks out of the dirt to plant the wheatgrass in. And he says, "Putting rocks trash! Basura!" (trash in Spanish) Oh how I love that little boy.

My sister Claire the cross-stitcher

 I just have to brag about my sister Claire. She is the best Crosstitcher in the world. She cross stitched a beautiful piece for all of us for Christmas!

An elephant for Martha

A T for trey

This one for Hannah and Michael

A J for Jacob, and a J for John, and another J for James

The Beatles for my mom and dad... Awesome!

An A for Ashley, and an A for Abram

And a gorgeous citrus picture for us!

Thanks Claire! You rock!

Going straight to the grass!

Tonight I taught a class about sprouting, and also about wheatgrass, growing it and using it, and why you would want to drink it. I taught the class for the "healthy eating group" that I am a part of. My friends, Kelli, Kyla, Elizabeth, and Alyssa came. We had such a great time! I really love healthy eating group, and I am so grateful to have such a wonderful group of friends here in Columbus. I really feel like it is my home now. And, this class has helped me to get my act together with wheatgrass, and I know have a very steady production. I plant one tray every day. And teaching others about the benefits has really helped to reconvert me. It was also great to discuss ways to use sprouts and whatever recipes they are great in.

I also told them about how when I had poison ivy for a month after we moved in, I tried just about everything, and everything made it worse, until I figured out that wheatgrass would be a good idea, and that was the only thing that really made a difference! So I said, "next time, I'm going straight to the grass!"

What a guy!

Notes like this make my day! I am so blessed!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Started with my haircut!

Happy valentines day to all those that I love! We had an awesome date: went to the temple and learned much about marriage and love, (it's a good thing we've got our love to keep us warm, because it's a freezing blizzard out there!) ate sushi (not my fav, but Seth likes it. So happy V-day my love!) john wouldn't cooperate for the pics, so you got my face in the valentine instead of his 

Going shorter!

Pockets on Mr. Style

How could I not adore this little boy?

I asked him to smile for the camera and this is what he did :) Mr. GQ with his hands in his pockets.

Unfortunately he's not that well behaved all the time, which can get my goat when I've spent all the morning preparing an a feeding him breakfast and juice, and getting us both ready and bundled to go to the gym; then after quite a workout, to come home and try to get him in the house. But he doesn't want to go In the house. He wants to stay in the road and play with the mud and ice.... Throws a massive fit on the sidewalk, and gives me the dead fish, arched back arms in the air while wearing his puffy  coat as I'm trying to get him in the house.

My already exhausted Body just about gave out and collapsed on the concrete. Thankfully I was able to get him in the house, still mid-tantrum.

As I was working my four hour shift this afternoon,  a kind neighbor knocked on our door, to tell us that our keys were stuck in the door. Anyone could have stolen our car. You can imagine my anxiety when I realized I had left the keys in the door for over four hours. I know God was watching out for us. And I am so thankful that no one took our car. Sometimes I wonder if it is really worth it to try to get all bundled up and ready to go out in the snow and ice in the cold, and to get john around. I'm grateful it is already February, and this winter won't last forever. I bit off way more than I could chew  today, and I learned my lesson. When I exhaust myself physically, I cant feel stable mentally and emotionally and everything seems to fall out of place. 

But tomorrow is a new day, thank The Lord, and in the morning, I will greet this cute face with new determination, hopefully after 7:00 AM. And tomorrow, we are staying inside!