Finding the moments that make it worth it!

 I have tried to up load these pictures and write about them three times and every time I am about to post it I loose everything, other things have happened over the last week and a half that I want to write about so this is going to be quick.  Our first week was pretty miserable and we didn't think it could get any worse but then Tex and Tate got the stomach flu throwing up and diarrhea I was not to happy, I don't know why when my family especially my kids get sick I get really anxious. It got significantly worse when Sunday the 16th of February after Tate had not thrown up for about two hours we noticed that are bathroom was flooding raw sewage water and it stunk way bad. It was seeping fast into our room and the boys room, we were grabbing all the stuff off the floor and putting it on our bed and trying to soak up the water with towels but it was not use the nasty water just kept coming. To make a long story shorter we got a hotel for Sunday night and Monday night, we loaded up and left feeling really bummed out. Over the next few days there were other challenges like one of the hotels we stayed in that we thought was going to be cheap was not cheap it was 15 dollars to park, 10 dollars if we wanted internet and 10 dollars a person if we wanted breakfast. when we got back into our apartment the AC broke then the electrical stopped working so we had to use flash lights. I started to wake up thinking what awful thing is going to happen today? 

 Right about then is when I came across a quote by Richard G Scott-

“Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit.”

For the most part it changed my attitude about all these challenges.   I want to be worthy of the Lords kingdom and if these really uncomfortable trials mean I am growing than I need to do it with a smile on my face. It also made me reflect on all the times that I felt the love of my Heavenly Father and Savior. Like the beach pictures the Saturday before all the sickness and flood happened, it was so beautiful out side and I was watching my kids and feeling the sun on my back I some how knew deep down I was loved.

 When we ate at I hop for dinner on Sunday night after settling into our hotel room, the next morning watching the boys loving the wind blowing in their faces.

 Making sand men at the beach Monday afternoon waiting to check into our next hotel room, getting Paisley to smile and spending time with our friends at the cove in Hallandale beach. Even in the hotel that we found was not as cheap as we thought, when I got up at 4 am to feed Paisley looking out over the city everything was so quite and peaceful I felt so  strong that Heavenly Father was saying to me everything is going to be okay. It also made me think of the poem foot prints in the sand. 

I guess I just need to remember that there are always going to be trails and not so fun times but there are always time that make it worth it and we need to hold on tight to those moments when the challenges come.

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to the Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."

Our first week in Florida has been a little crazy!

 We arrived in Miami on Tuesday February 4th around 830 and it has been  crazy ever since. We were going to rent an apartment from a man named Allen Call in the Avilla Condominiums. I got really sick Monday morning when we left Texas, I had really bad fever and my whole body ached so bad so when we got there I stayed out side with the boys and Tex went up stairs to look at the place, get the keys and all that good stuff. When Tex came down to get me he warned me that it was really nasty but tried to be positive, so I tried to be positive. When I looked around I wanted to cry! I was so sick, Paisley had been crying for hours before we got there, everyone was hungry and then looking at this place thinking I had to make it home was going to break me. I wanted to be strong for my family but after getting food for our kids and putting them to bed Tex and I decided to cancel the payment that we had transferred from our account to his, before going to bed Tex said a prayer that I will never forget! We both new how bad we needed the lords help. The next morning we were back at ground zero. We told Allen we could not live their and that we had canceled the payment. Tex went to the office of the Avila condominiums they ladies showed him a two bed room apartment that was $500 cheaper than the place that Allen was going to rent to us and it was month to month. It was really gross, it needed A LOT  of cleaning but it was totally empty so we could bring our stuff in. We are almost done but in the process of cleaning it Allen deiced to text Tex and tell him he was going to sue us. It has been 3 days and nothing has happened so we think and hope he was just trying to scare us. We found out from the cops that Tex called when he met with Allen about a week ago hoping that he was going to give us some of our 500 hundred deposit back but instead gave Tex a receipt that said we had returned the keys to him. Tex was upset and reached for the keys that were in Allen's front shirt pocket and Allen started yelling Assault!!! When Tex reported the disturbance to the cops before he had even said Allen's name the cop said wait is this mans name Allen Call? He proceeded  to tell Tex that they receive multiple calls on him a day almost every day. He is a crook!!! 

 

 Our Friend Amy Simmons live in walking distance to our condos and invited us to swim and it was much needed so we went to swim and then thankfully Dustin and Jenessa Millward let us stay with them for three days while we cleaned enough to make our new apartment liveable.

 These are our before photos and will put the afters  when we are all the way done.

January has come and gone!

 January went by so fast! It was full of fussy time with Paisley, a few times at the wAIR house trampoline place that the boys loved! Tex had interviews in Texas and did well. We find out March 20th if we match and were we go for residency. We said goodby to friends, we went sledding with Uncle Blake and Aunt Faye- Dawn in Heber at soldier hollow. It was freezing cold but we had the best time. Then End of January was bitter sweet, we left to go back to Florida January 27th and stopped in Orange Texas to spend time with Tex's brother Michael and his family and just like last November it was SO fun. Peyton told us every night around 8:30 he was tired and if we didn't put him to sleep he would take him self. We couldn't find him one night, he was not out playing with the other kids we started looking around the house and found him curled up on his bed sleeping. Being out in the woods is so good for kids and I am convinced that living where you can have land or at least a big yard is the way to go. We are leaving tomorrow to make the last 2 days of our Journey to Florida, I miss my family and the fun things that Utah offered but am excited for the beach and seeing friends that I missed in what I now consider home ( Florida). I am also nervous and excited for the next change, where are we going for residency?

 Our friends that we met in Florida that are now living in Utah. Mark and Laura Evans and there kids Kaymden and Chloe.

           Clint and Teresa Larsen! They are so fun and we really are going to miss them.

 Saying goodby to my best friend Miche Barbosa and there family. Lee, Miley and Lucas, are kids get along so good. We hung out with them the Friday before we left and the kids played for 3 hours not fighting or fits just  sounds of giggles and fun from the bed rooms.

                                                     Uncle Michael

                                                           Cousin sissy.

                                                                   Aunt Beverly.