Temple Sealing

The story of our conversion and our journey is not a short one.  In fact, it goes all the way back to when we were dating.  We had talked about church when we were dating.  It was always something that we enjoyed and didn't have any negative feelings about.  But, we just never felt like we really fit in.  When we got engaged we talked about a temple wedding.  It was one of those, "It's a good thing and one day we'll get there, just not right now."  So, we got married in a civil ceremony and on we went.

Once we moved to Ephraim and got settled, we figured out what ward we were to be in.  I started taking Institute and we met with our bishop.  He didn't believe that drinking coffee should keep us from going to the temple (Travis loved his coffee).  We started to work on a few things (slowly and inconsistently, but we were working on it).  Soon the school year ended and we moved into Grandpa & Grandma Bown's house.  When the new school year was closer we moved into a new apartment.  This also meant we had a new bishop.  This bishop was adamant that if Travis was drinking coffee we would NOT be going to the temple any time soon.  This only served to anger Travis.  Travis felt like overall he was a good guy not doing anything horribly wrong.  He couldn't understand how drinking coffee was a legitimate excuse to keep him out of the temple.  His anger on the matter only grew as time went on.  I felt like he had given up and that this goal was no longer within my reach.  I continued taking Institute and even took the temple prep class.  Eventually, we graduated from Snow and moved back to Logan.

By the time we got back to Logan in 2001, the temple and church weren't on our minds very much.  We were both attending USU and were busy trying to stay afloat financially.  We gradually became minimally active and in 2002 I was called to be the YW camp director for our ward.  That was the same time I found out I was pregnant with Sam.  It was a rough camp for me, but I enjoyed it and I enjoyed working with the girls.  Once camp was over, I was out of a calling and my membership became minimal again.

We had all four kids blessed and named by a grandfather when they were born.  We knew that was important and why.  I think it always made Travis feel bad that he couldn't do it, but he still held some anger and resentment from that second bishop.

It wasn't until Nash was 8 and was getting ready to be baptized that Travis started to show some interest in church again.  Nash had already decided that he was going to have Uncle Robbie baptize and confirm him when Travis decided that he was going to be the one to baptize Nash.  I think it disappointed Nash some, 1-because he now had to put things on hold for 6 months and 2-because he had a choice made for him that he had already made.  Anyway, Travis met with the bishop and started working on what it was he needed to work on so that he could baptize Nash.  Eventually, Travis received the priesthood he needed so he could baptize Nash.  He went ahead and baptized Nash and we had someone else confirm him.  I think that even though Travis was happy he finally was able to baptize his kids, he was disappointed that he couldn't also confirm them.  

About this same time (Spring 2015) Travis and I were having a rough patch.  I wasn't happy and he wasn't happy and something needed to give.  I was ready for him to quick working in the oilfield and he wasn't fully committed to anything one way or another.  That fall Travis went hunting.  I didn't know it at the time, but he had his own conversion moment in the woods while on the hunt.  He refers to it as his "Joseph Smith moment".  I didn't know anything was amiss until he came home from the hunt.  Things were still strained between us and he was headed back to work soon.  It wasn't until after he left to go back to work that I walked past my bill board in my back entry that I caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye of a check.  Travis hadn't mentioned anything about leaving a check so I stopped to do a double take.  Much to my amazement, he had written out a tithing check.  This might not seem like a big deal to anyone.  But, NEVER ONCE in our entire marriage had he so much as written out a FAST OFFERINGS check.  If the boys showed up at our place and I didn't get up to fill out the paper and give them money, he sent them on their way.  I distinctly remember taking a photo of the check and texting it to my girlfriend with the caption of "What the heck is this?  He's NEVER written so much as a fast offerings check!"  I was floored to say the least.  When I finally picked my jaw up off the floor I was able to text him and ask him what the heck it was all about.  He replied, very nonchalantly, that it was for tithing.  It was then that he told me about the moment he had in the woods while on the hunt.  He told me he was ready to commit to that goal we had talked about so very long ago.  In all honesty, I didn't believe him.  I had gotten my hopes up before and had been sorely disappointed.  My three oldest kids already knew that they were to get my name to the temple to have my work done the day I died if I didn't get there myself before I died.  I had considered going without Travis before, but I felt that it was create a huge gap in our marriage that I wasn't sure I could overcome.  I told Travis I would believe it when I saw it.  I don't think that's quite the answer he had anticipated getting from me.  I told him I just couldn't get my hopes up on to be disappointed once again.  By this time I had taken the temple prep class twice and had done two years of Institute classes.  I had also started taking the kids to church on the weekends whether he was home or not.  We both knew that the church was a good place for the kids and that they needed to be there so they didn't miss out on the things we had participated in and enjoyed as kids.

And so, in the fall of 2015 I began asking the bishop about a temple prep class.  He asked me if we could wait just a little bit.  He knew change was in the air and didn't want us to start a temple prep class only to have to shift and start over shortly after starting it.  I'm thankful he asked us to wait.  It gave Travis the time he needed to start working on a few things and to gain a little bit of confidence in his abilities.  In December our ward split and we got an entire new bishopric.  I actively sought out the bishop on that first Sunday and told him we were ready to take the temple prep class, so as soon as he had one lined up, to let us know.  We had already been waiting for 2 months by this time.  Each week we went to church I would ask the bishop or one of the guys in the bishopric if they had found someone to teach the temple prep class.  Each week I got a "No, but we're close."  It wasn't until April 2016 that they finally found someone to teach the much anticipated temple prep class.  In all honesty, I'm shocked that Travis waited 6 months and didn't lose his motivation!

The gentleman that taught our temple prep class has been a temple worker and he use to work for the church in the temple department helping to get temples built.  He was a great teacher and even agreed to teach the classes on just the weeks Travis was home.  We set our temple date back in April and to me it felt like it was forever away.  I was positive that something would happen in the interim to sabotage it.

The bishop told Travis that the three weeks prior to our temple date were going to be some of the hardest days of our life.  He wasn't wrong.  The weeks leading up to our temple day were the weeks we also came to agree to be foster parents to our niece and nephew.  The were the days that I had to call DCFS.  They were the days that I was sure my life was crumbling down around me.  They were the most difficult days of my life - hands down.  

It turned out that our photographer ended up not being able to attend our event and my 3 best friends all found out they couldn't attend the event either within about two days of each other.  That was the week of the sealing.  I won't say I wasn't disappointed, because I was.  I was happy though that my mom agreed to drive all the way to Manti to keep the kids while we took out endowments so they didn't have to spend the entire day in the Youth Center at the temple.  Not only did my mom come, but my dad came as well.  Even though they weren't in the temple with us, they were closer than I had imagined they would be that day.  

The day itself was a busy day.  There were so many weddings happening (in all fairness, it was 2 weeks before college started again).  I was happy that my Aunt Nikki was able to be my escort that day.  She was always like the big sister I never had so I was excited she could still be like a big sister for me on that day.  Travis's Uncle Brad was his escort that day and I know it did good for Travis's heart to have him there.  We chose the Manti Temple because Travis said that Grandma Bown always told him it was "their temple" and that one day she would show him around inside.  So, there was no other choice to be made.  Unfortunately, through a misunderstanding, Grandma was unable to get her temple recommend renewed and join us in the temple on our day.  She felt so bad, but we know she wanted to be there and tried her very hardest to join us that day.  We had the Relief Society President - and my dear friend (Missy Murdock) come.  Travis's cousin Mindy & her husband Brant came.  Brad's wife Lori was there.  Jamie & Robbie were there and Grandpa & Grandma Reeder were there for the sealing.  As a surprise my sister and her family were all waiting outside for us when we walked out.  I asked her if she had woken up and decided like it was a good day to drive to San Pete and she told me, "Yea, pretty much!"

It wasn't until they brought the kids into the sealing room that we realized maybe he hadn't prepped the kids like we should have!  In discussion afterwards Travis said he thought that the people at the Youth Center would talk to them about what was going to happen.  When I talked to the bishop afterwards he felt so bad because he felt like he should have done a better job talking to the kids.  I told him not to worry that it worked out fine!

I know that this is a day we will not soon forget.  It is a day I never thought I would live to see.  I hope that it's a day my children remember and that one day they can understand the struggle we had to get there.  I hope that my kids understand how amazing what happened was and that they strive for it in their own lives one day as well.

I posted last when?

I did not honestly think that it had been so long since I posted last!  Heavens!  Time sure does get away from me quickly!
SO much has happened since March!  Where do I even begin?

The kids finished up school in May.  Brookelyn even graduated from Speech!  I can't believe she graduated out of the program so quickly!  I thought for sure she would continue through at least first grade!  It makes me happy knowing she went through the program so quickly.  Her teacher said she went so quickly because she was consistent at doing her homework!  Yay!

May also found Sam with a new round of auditions for dance for a new studio.  We elected to leave Dance Source behind and find a better business.  She decided on Infinity Dance over in Brigham.  Travis tried to tell me that it's further than Dance Source - actually, it's closer (and I don't have to deal with 5:00 Logan traffic!).  She didn't make the level she wanted, but she is only 2 below what she auditioned for.  That speaks volumes to me.  Sister danced at place that wasn't super competitive and didn't focus much on technique for NINE years.  She had one year of classic ballet before switching to Dance Source.  Dance Source was her first interaction with large scale competitions and conventions and they were consistent in their technique.  They knew how to teach and they knew their dance, but I wasn't overly impressed with how the business side of things were run.  My business would have been out of business in a matter of months if I had run my business that way.  After just one audition prep class at Infinity the technique teacher told me to have her audition for the highest level.  I think that says volumes about her dedication and how far she's come simply because of her own initiative.  She's only dancing 7 hours (2 days a week) this year compared to 10 hours (4 days a week) last year.

May brought braces for Nash.  Full set for that boy now.  We got that done before Sam and I headed out to NYC in June.

June was the much anticipated trip to NYC - that needs its own blog entry!  June was also the beginning of summer dance at the new studio for Sam.

July brought summer session for preschool.  That was a new adventure.  One that I'm not fully sure if I'll repeat yet or not.  It was fun, I just didn't have full classes every week so I don't know that it was worth my time and energy.

August brought Kash & Liv moving in with us.  We are now foster parents to them for an undetermined amount of time.  We hope they like it here and that they grow much while they are here.

After 17 yrs and 2 weeks of being married, Travis and I finally went through the temple and were sealed August 13.  That deserves its own post as well!

Kash decided he wanted to play football this year so August brought on that new adventure for us.  We are new to football and heavens to Betsy it is not for the faint of heart!  Wow!  I've got lots to learn!  I volunteered as team mom so I'm sure I'll catch on quickly!

August also brought the beginning of school!  My baby is in KINDERGARTEN this year!  How did that even happen?  This momma wasn't sad though - I think it's because I've already been taking her to the "big kid school" for two years so I've had time to prep myself!

September has only just begun but it's brought major life changes with it.  Travis was laid off from Halliburton after 7.5 yrs in the oil field.  He was given the opportunity to transfer back to Rocky Springs, WY or take a lay off.  We talked it over and decided that there wasn't much to gain by transferring back to where he started.  They aren't much better off than where he was.  He's been anticipating a pink slip every time he has gone back to work for the last year.  While Halliburton has been good to us, I'm glad it's time for a change.  It will be odd to get use to having him home all the time, but, we'll get it.

And now, preschool for the year has started.  It's going to be interesting trying to manage 6 kids, 1 in football, 1 in choir, 1 in robotics, 3 in piano, 3 in dance, 3 in scouts, PTA president, preschool and who knows what else!  I think if we survive this school year I shall need an extensive vacation!

Nash has influenza

Well.  This sucks.  I thought we were pretty much out of cold and flu season.  Turns out, flu season hasn't even peaked yet!  BAH!
Nash was fine all day Friday.  I had to go to work from 5:30-11:30 pm and Sam was suppose to go to a birthday party across the street.  I left my phone home so if Nash needed something he could get a hold of me at the store.  I got the kids two Redbox movies and headed off to work.  I tried to call and check on them around 7:30 pm while I was on my break.  I didn't get an answer so I figured they were downstairs watching the movie and didn't hear the phone.  Around 9:30 pm my mom stopped at the store.  I was a bit nervous about things since no one answered earlier and they hadn't called me back so I asked my mom to stop and check on them.  I never heard from my mom so I assumed all was well.
About 11:20 pm I got a call from Sam telling me "Nash is DYING!"  (That girl so dramatic it kills me!).  Our conversation went something like:
Me - Why are you still up?
Sam - Nash is DYING!  Come home!
Me - How do you know he's dying?
Sam - He's on FIRE!  He says he feels like he's DYING!
Me - Give him some ibuprofen and have him get n a cool bath.
Sam - He says he's cold though.
Me - Yes, he's cold because his fever is high.  Have him get in the bath.

This conversation continued for several minutes before I told her I was almost done and I'd be home soon.  Just help him out and go to bed.  I got home about 11:45 pm.  Nash was fully clothed, on the couch, with the heaviest blanket he could find wrapped around him and shivering like a frozen puppy.  There was an empty ibuprofen cup next to him so I knew he'd at least gotten some meds in him.  I tried to wake him up to get him to change into pjs and go to bed.  He wasn't super coherent.  He told me that it hurt to breathe - at which point I kinda went, "Ah, crap.  We might be visiting the ER in the middle of the night."  He told me it hurt in both his chest and his throat when he took a breath.  He also kept telling me how much his throat hurt.  I started wondering if maybe it was strep.  But, he's had his tonsils out so I'm not sure how likely that is.  I finally got him changed and moved to his bed and I went to bed.

I had a 9 am appointment in Logan.  Nash came in my room about 7:45 am.  He told me again how much his throat hurt and how much it hurt to breathe.  I told him he could either stay here and just wait it out.  I could take him into the dr. when I got back.  Or, he could go with to my appt and sleep in the car and then I could take him to the dr.  He told me he just wanted to stay put and that he was freezing still.  He was out cold again not long after that so I never got any meds in him.  I left and went to my appointment and didn't think too much about it other than to wonder whether I should bother taking him to instacare later or not.  I was suppose to work a 5:30-11:30 pm shift that night so whatever I did needed to be well before that.

I went to my appointment and kept debating about what to do.  I finally decided I'd stop at JoAnn's and talk to mom to see how he had been Friday night when she stopped.  She told me he hadn't been doing well at all when she got there.  In fact, he'd been asleep on the couch (asleep at 9:30 pm for that child is unheard of - unless he's seriously ill).  She said he'd had a decent fever then and that she had tried to move him too but he kinda just wanted to lie on the couch and die.  She said she left about 10:15 and went home.  Sam called her at 11 pm.  She said she thought about just coming up then but knew I'd be home soon.  She walked through the same conversation with Sam that I had.  Apparently she had gone through which med was the best for him, put a cool washcloth on his forehead, etc.  Sam must have listened to one of us bc Nash told me later Sam did put a cool washcloth on his head and did give him meds.  After talking to mom I decided to call the Kids Care at our regular pediatrician to see if we could get in.  It was 11:30 am by the time I decided to call.  They had one appointment left at noon so I took it.  As I was heading home I called the neighbor and asked her to go make sure he was awake and had shoes on so we could leave as soon as I got there.

When I got home I found Nash on the couch with one shoe one, trying in vain to use his hands to get the other one even close to his empty foot.  He was still in his pjs and mostly just wanted to lay on the couch and die.  He told me he had to use both hands to open the door to my room so he could even get out.  I'm surprised he didn't just lay back down and say screw it, it's too much effort!  I helped him get his shoes on and we took B and headed to the Dr.'s office.

Nash pretty well fell asleep in the car, in the waiting room and in the room where we saw the dr.  It was a dr. I hadn't seen before so I wasn't sure how this was going to play out.  Turns out I really liked her.  I explained everything that had happened and asked what the possibility of strep was.  She looked in his throat and said it didn't look bad at all - in fact looked pretty decent.  She said that everything I was describing was influenza.  She said she isn't a fan of Tamiflu because it's so expensive and it tends to nauseate her patients.  So, you pay $80 to be sick to your stomach and it only lessons the symptoms by about a day.  She said to keep him on ibuprofen and Tylenol every 3 hours.  Lots of rest and lots of fluids.

So, we headed home with nothing more than a "sucks to be you" diagnosis.  We got home and Nash was hungry so he ate a little.  Then he asked if he could get in the tub.  The dr. said his temp was at 102 at the dr.'s office so we also got some meds in him.  He wanted some Gatorade too so we got him some of that.  He went back to bed about 2 pm and didn't wake up until after 5.  I sent Sam to my in laws house with her cousin for a sleep over (it was suppose to have been at our house).  I needed to go in to work from 9-1130 so I sent Caleb and Brooke to my parents' house for a sleep over.  I was hoping Nash would just crash and sleep the whole time I was gone.

I didn't clock out at work until a little after midnight.  I got home and Nash was WIDE awake watching TV downstairs.  Apparently he had had too much sleep.  He ended up staying awake literally all night long.  When I woke up this morning I asked him how long he had been up and he was like "eh, I couldn't sleep, so I just watched tv".  Awesome dude.  His appetite has been so-so today.  He keeps asking for soft foods because his throat still hurts so darn bad.  We're keeping him on the ibuprofen and Tylenol so his fever is mostly staying down.  After picking up the other three kids today I came home and started disinfecting everything in the house.  Tomorrow I think I'm going to bust out the carpet cleaner too.  I'm crossing my fingers no one else gets this.  The dr. said it typically lasts 5-7 days.  I got my shift at work for today (Sunday) covered and I canceled school for Monday/Tuesday.  Wednesday will be day 5 so I'm hoping he's doing better enough by then that even if he isn't back to school I can at least have preschool.  He hates missing school too so for his sake I hope he heals quickly!

After church let out today I had a knock on my door.  It was a couple I don't know super well.  He said to me, "I understand your son is sick.  Would you like me to minister to him?"  It caught me so completely off guard.  I hadn't expected that at all.  I told him Nash had just gotten into the tub so could he come back in 30 minutes?  He said he would and left to find another brother to come help him give Nash a blessing.  30 minutes later, they were back and gave Nash a nice blessing.  Come to find out, they are our new home teachers!  I'd say that's a good start to getting to know them better!  I was sure glad that he had stopped by.  My phone had rung and I'd been downstairs and missed the call.  I didn't recognize the number so I didn't call back.  A few short minutes later he stopped by the house.  I'm very thankful to be a part of a ward that looks out for members like that.  People who know us know Trav works out of town.  We've had offers of help here and there but we've never really needed to take anyone up on their offers.  It is nice to know that even in a ward that's brand new (December our ward boundaries changed and we got put into the new ward) people will still look out for you - even when they hardly know you!

Fun tidbits

Exciting news!
**Nash's robotics team at Canyon Elementary took 2nd at the STATE competition!  While his team didn't qualify for Nationals or Worlds, the school's team with all first timers did!  They will be making a trip to TEXAS in April.  Nash won't go this time, but I have a feeling his day is coming soon!

**Also, this past month I've helped my mom set up an Etsy store.  She's not got 2 sales under her belt!  We are pretty excited here and can't wait to see this business really take off for her!

Upcoming events we are looking forward to:

**Caleb is singing with Billy Dean and Eli Barsi on Saturday at the Cache Valley Cowboy Rendezvous!

**Brooke & Nash have birthdays coming up in just 2 months.  I've already been hearing about what kind of cakes Brookelyn wants (since Christmas actually).  Should be an interesting challenge and must more difficult than last month's cake adventure!

**Spring Break is at the end of March!  We'll be going to Manti to visit Grandma and Grandpa Butter for Easter.  Not sure what else we'll do, but Travis is home so there SHALL BE ADVENTURE!

**We just had our first NYC meeting!  We talked about places we'd like to visit and which Broadway shows we'd like to see.  We'll have another meeting in May!

**Dance competition season officially kicks off on March 19th.  I WILL master this year's hair by then!  I actually practiced on Brookelyn on Sunday.  I didn't do it upside down and backwards like I do on Sam - but it looked super cute and she loved her "Elsa Braid".  We are also looking forward to the END of dance competition season.  This season with a new studio has been very difficult.  We've learned a lot of hard lessons.  Sam will be switching to a different studio in August and thankfully, she's excited about that!  I sure hope it's a better experience than this year has been!  Brookelyn is looking forward to getting to go back to "fun dance" instead of "boring dance" too :)

I know it's not anything super marvelous, but at this time of year it's easy to get the winter blahs.  We are looking for fun things to be excited about!

February

Can I just say that I'm not a fan of the snow?  It can go away any time.  No joke, the snow piles along the sides of the road are a good 3+ feet deep.  We haven't had this much snow for a few years.  It was fun at first but this mama is over it!  Good thing all the kids got snow stuff for Christmas so they can make good use of it all!

Since my last post I've decided not to put in for the sixth grade teaching position.  Why?  Simply, I don't feel that at this time I have the support I would need in order to do a good job.  That's ok.  I'm perfectly happy running my own preschool and being my own boss.  When I was in high school owning my own preschool was my dream.  Here I am living it!  I did find out in talking to another lady the other day that in a few years (when all the neighborhood non profit homes are built next to the school) that there will be some openings for the lower grades.  So, even though I'm not applying now, there will be new opportunities in the near future.

Since I'm not applying for the open sixth grade position, I've begun preschool registration.  It always gives me a little anxiety when I try to figure out a schedule.  For this next year I've decided I will only teach one four year old and one three year old class (I know, I said that last year but this year I intend to stick to it!).  I've decided to just teach Tue-Thursday.  I'll put the three year old's in the morning on Tuesday and Thursday and the four year old's in the afternoons on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  This means I have all Mondays and Fridays off and won't need to teach until 12:30 on Wednesdays.  It also leaves me an hour gap on Tuesdays and Thursday to get B to or from Kindergarten (that was my biggest stress).  I've already got three kids registered and haven't opened up registration to the public yet.  I'm only putting 10 kids in each class so I anticipate that I'll fill up soon.  The good news is that since Nikki is starting her own preschool this year I can refer all my overflow to her!

We got our taxes all turned in and done.  The bad news was that Halliburton didn't take out ANY taxes for the state of UT for the ENTIRE year last year.  This made me an upset lady.  It meant that at first look we owed the state of UT about $3K.  Did I mention I was an angry lady?  Since our tax lady is amazing, she did her magic and managed to get us a decent federal return which we can use to pay the state and still have some left over.  Travis got an earful about calling HR first thing Tuesday in order to straighten it out so we aren't in the same boat next year!

Speaking of Travis, even though he's 2000 miles away he still managed to pull off Valentine's Day.  Without my knowing anything about it he went and bought myself and the kids valentine gifts and hid them in the house.  He called via Tango today and led the kids on a hot/cold chase until they found their gifts.  They were pretty excited to say the least (mom was an epic fail and hadn't produced anything yet).

We celebrated Sam's birthday while Travis was home.  She started out wanting FIVE birthday cakes.  That's right, FIVE.  And I entertained the idea.  I ended up only making three but that was more than her dad felt she needed.  Good thing I like her.  They were fairly simple so it wasn't a big deal.  She got to open her envelope that told her we're going to NYC in June.  She about had an aneurysm.  It was pretty funny to watch her be so excited.  Her grandma and grandpa Bown gave her new PURPLE luggage.  She now has nicer and newer luggage than I do!  Grandma Terri gave her her porcelain number doll that she gets every year.  She got a new purse from Bradshaws that she loves and I'm SURE will be making a trip to NYC with her.  I can't believe the kid is 13 (or will be on Friday).  She sure keeps me on my toes and makes me feel old on a regular basis.  Can't wait til she has one do the same to her so I can sit back and smile!  I will say that I can't wait for her to have her sweet 16.  Why?  Because I will FINALLY get my life back once she can drive herself and her sister to dance lessons!  I'm even willing to pay the gas for it!  She sure is a fun girl though.  She made her own valentine cards this year.  She gave Grandma Terri one that says "I don't think you're terrible."  She had an original one for each of her friends.  Mine says "Thanks for putting up with me."  She gave one to one of her brothers that said, "You're my favorite pain in the butt."  What a kid.  She has some Reeder blood in her for sure!  She's also super kind and thoughtful of everyone around her.  She's always trying to do something for someone or help this friend or that out.  She loves going to her Young Women activities and she was even made a counselor!  I can't wait to see what this girl becomes!

 Number doll from Grandma Terri

 New purse (above) and luggage (below)