ST. Patricks Day

Happy St. Patricks Day!! Last year on St. Patricks Day, we found out we were finally getting a girl. It was definately a day I will always remember. One year later she is here and bringing our family so much joy. To celebrate I took the kids to get their pictures taken(I'll post them when I get them back). They turned out so cute. I made Payton one of those tutu dresses, so easy to do if anyone wants to learn how to make them, it turned out so cute.

My kids get so excited for St. Patricks Day, especially Ethan. To him it's like a pirate holiday. Looking for treasure and gold coins. I think this is probably his favorite holiday next to Christmas. Carson just likes any holiday if it means he gets something. I found this glass diamond at the craft store for Ethan and he hasn't let it out of his sight all day. I even found him cleaning it. I got origami paper for Carson. He loves to fold origami and it's been very theraputic for him when his tics get bad. For dinner, I usually make some kind of green food. This year it was green pizza. I know it sounds disgusting, but I only make the crust green with food coloring.

Pre St. Patricks Day Laugh

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6 Months

It's hard to believe that we have been in Texas for 6 months today. It was such a long journey getting to this point and it all started about a year ago. We were approached last march about a job opportunity in Texas and it's weird to think a year later we are living here. There are times when I wish I could turn back time and go back to the life we had in Utah with our friends and family all around us, but part of me loves being here in Texas where everything is new and exciting. We have really tried to make it home here and it's slowly starting to feel that way. We have a great ward and friends who have helped make us feel at home here. We are grateful for all the people we have met here. They are wonderful.

Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about the ones we left behind. We still think of you often and miss you all so much. We wish you all could have come with us. It would definitely have made this move a lot easier. It truly was very difficult to leave so many amazing friends who have blessed our lives. I am in awe at the love we still feel from all of you. We love hearing from home and keeping up on the gossip. It makes us feel like we are still apart of you. So many of you have made an effort to keep in contact with us and we appreciate it more than you know.

Over the past 6 months we have gained a greater appreciation for the things and people in our lives. I feel like we have grown as a family and have become stronger. We have been through a lot with having a baby, moving, starting a new job, being in a new city and we have survived it all without completely falling apart. Our boys have really struggled here. Carson's tics have been getting worse and he seems to be struggling at school with his Tourette's. The kids are starting to make comments or tell him to stop doing his tics, so I guess it's time for me to come to school and talk to the class about TS. I have occasionally heard him crying himself to sleep at night, which breaks my heart. He misses his friend Colton so much and it's so difficult as a mother to see your child hurting like he is. Colton was always good to defend Carson at school when his tics would get bad and was there to help Carson to calm down and get them under control. He has made a few friends here, but the bond he has with Colton just isn't the same with anyone else.

Ethan has done better than Carson. He has made some friends, but he has become so quiet. I miss the funny kid that he used to be. I do occasionally see the funny side come out, but only at home. He used to do it at school too, but now he's afraid to talk or joke around. He got in trouble once at school for touching the curtains on the stage and now he is afraid of making the teacher mad so he just doesn't say anything. The longer we are here the more I see the comedian side start coming out, so I think in time he will get comfortable enough to be himself again. He got an award at school today for being an outstanding student. I was so proud of him. He was so excited and was grinning from ear to ear. I wish I had remembered to bring my camera.

I am so proud of the boys for trying to be supportive of Milan and me. They really have tried so hard to adjust to living hear and they are amazing. I feel like our family has become more unified because of this change in our lives and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. As hard as this has been, there has been alot of good that has come from this. We love you all and appreciate all of you love and word of encouragement.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Ethan in the ER

Thursday night I ended up taking Ethan to the ER. Milan heard him screaming and ran upstairs. It took me a minute to realize what happened, but I took off upstairs too. Ethan was struggling to breath and was coughing and burning up with a fever. He'd had a cough for almost a week and I even asked the pediatrician about it, but he said to just watch him. It ended up being a bad case of croup. He was so funny, he was worried about what he was wearing to the hospital and wanted to get dressed in his levis and wear shoes and not slippers, but I talked him into finally going as he was. I tried to carry him in, but he insisted that he walk in like the big boy that he is.

Saturday we took the boys to the Magic Time Machine. It was alot of fun. They had a waiting room upstairs for kids while we waited to be seated at our table. They had arcade games, a magic show, and fortune tellers. It really helped to pass the time. Our waitress was Hannah Montana, but Ethan kept his eye on Jack Sparrow. He finally got up the courage to ask him for his autograph and if he could take a picture with him. Joe Dirt was the waiter for the table across from us and our boys didn't have a clue who Joe Dirt was, but they wanted his autograph anyways. It was a fun place to go for the atmosphere, but the food was just okay. I don't know that we'll go back too soon.

Payton even had a good time.