Coach Daddy

Mike by default became Lincoln's soccer coach. The coach who volunteered asked Mike to help out for the first practice, but then didn't really take over after, so Coach Mike it was! And he did so good with those boys. Someone just recently told me that Mike had the most impact on her son as a coach. Awe. As much as he doesn't like being around people and is a super introvert, he's is great at it. 

And here are a bunch more pictures of these little cuties. The food is our family favorite right now: Goodman Sushi Casserole: rice, avocado, mango, and crab sticks. Yum!

Mammos and the Book of Mormon

Our little family was finally starting to get a routine going. Annie watches Aurora while the kids are at school. Then if I work late, Mike goes and picks up all the kids and takes them home. He is a better parent than I am. He doesn't yell and get stressed like Mommy does;) By the time I get home, homework is done, kids are fed, showered and ready for bed. Seriously he is amazing.

Just a few weeks ago I was working and the Mammo Lead asked to talk to me. She told me they were going to let me do my 25 Supervised Mammograms, let me finish up my 100 exams and do a bunch of extra things so I can take the boards. Then when I'm registered, they are going to hire me PRN as a Mammo Tech! Holy smokes I was freaking out inside. I almost cried right there in her office. It was seriously my DREAM! I later asked her if I could hug her. AAHHH!

So now things have gotten a bit busier with our cute little family, but since I have the most supportive and fabulous husband possible, we are making it work! I work pretty much the same amount of hours as the desk clerk and do mammos in between as much as I can. The best part about it is, I get paid finishing up my schooling too! It's the same amount as a desk clerk, but I thought it would be free so that was a huge blessing for us. 

Book of Mormon Challenge:

Months and months ago I visited a sister in my ward and she told me about a 90 day challenge. You read the B of M 3 times in 90 days (30 days each time). Each time you read it, you highlight something new. The first time in yellow, anything that is important to you. Second time in red, anything in reference to the Savior and the atonement. And the third time in blue, anything that relates to yourself at the time.  I heard about it, laughed, and thought, "Ha! I'd never do that in my life."

Well it was just before Christmas while Mike and I were visiting my parent's ward, and during sacrament meeting I felt the strongest impression that I needed to do the challenge. I am a super slow reader and knew it was going to be so hard to do, but it was what I felt I needed to do. I had been struggling with a few hard things that have come our way and needed to feel and know that I can have the Holy Ghost with me always. I started right away. And I'll tell ya what, what an experience it was! 

For 3 whole months I read 18 pages a day. It was not an easy task. There were some nights I was up till 2am just to finish for the day, or I'd not get my reading done and have to double up. And I was that strange girl who carried her Book of Mormon everywhere with her. But when I knelt down and committed myself to reading this book, I knew it would be hard, but I also knew there would be many blessings in return. And I can testify of that. We have received so many extra blessings in these past 3 months it's been wonderful. 

I have a testimony of that book. It is powerful. I love the way I feel when I read it. I could honestly tell a difference in my life and the choices I made while I read the book and did what the prophets told us to do. One of the things that stood out to me the most was over and over again all the prophets WROTE EVERYTHING DOWN. And the Savior told them over and over and chastised them for not writing down their history. I need to do the same. Everything happening in our lives is important. I want my children to be able to know who Mike and I are, and know who they are. I need to write down my experiences in life and share my testimony. Oh I could go on and on about the Book of Mormon and how much this experience has touched my life. Now that I've finished, I'm excited to read it again and this time write down my thoughts as I go.

Mommy's New Job/Everything Has Changed, Again

I'm going to have to play catch up on the past SIX months! I've been a big time slacker. I keep thinking I'll get a moment to write things down. Nope. I need to make the time. 

So back to September...

On my way home from one of our trips to Ogden, I had a strong impression I should go do a Mammography course in Las Vegas. I'd been thinking about it for a while and knew that's the modality I wanted to end up in. I wanted to go back to work at the hospital in X-Ray but they have a school down here with many students graduating every year, so it's nearly impossible to get in. Anyways, I felt like going to this Mammo course and forking out a ton of money was what we needed to do at our point in life. Not the most convenient time, but I came home, talked to Mike about it, and signed up for it. 

Two weeks before it began, I lost the baby. Something so sad turned out to be an extra blessing. I wasn't sick the whole time I was in class and I felt even stronger that this was the right decision. The course was an entire week! So long to be away from my family! But of course, I am married to the most fabulous husband ever, and he encouraged me to go and was super supportive of my decision. And took care of the children wonderfully. (Thanks to Annie for helping out too!!)

I stayed at the Flamingo where the course was held. I'll tell ya what, even though they crammed a ton of information into our brains and I was sad to be away from my family so long... dang was it nice to be ALONE! Woot woot! I made some friends while I was there, got to go out with Grandpa Goodman while I was there in Vegas (he stays down there 3 days out of the week taking care of the Vegas store), and I got to be one of the breast models for mammography exams. Hahaha! They needed volunteers, so since there weren't many too excited about it, I did it. I'm actually really glad I did. I think I got to learn the most. And I got paid $100 for 4 hours. Not too shabby! 

When I got back home, I went to 3 different hospitals in Southern Utah asking about jobs. No luck. I ended up applying for an Imaging Clerk position and got it. So I've been working at the front desk for the Radiology department since November. I work PRN (meaning I don't have a set schedule and we pretty much survive every single day!) and go to five different locations. I've never worked as a secretary in my life, but I pretend like I know what I'm doing and have a great time with it. 

It's been an adjustment with our little family with Mommy going back to work. My wonderful and fabulous sister-in-law Annie offered to help watch Aurora for us. She has been our angel through all of this. We are so grateful to her. And the best part is, Aurora gets to be with her cousins all the time. Annie watches Brittyn three times a week as well, so Aurora, Britters, and Jaron are the best of siblings and the worst of siblings. I love them! Rylea and Aurora are fabulous together. It's been a good experience for Auri so far. She usually cries because it's time to go home. 

So our life has been in survival mode from November through January, getting through the holidays and me working pretty much full-time while I was training and feeling comfortable at work. There is a ton of information I had to learn so some days were a bit overwhelming. But honestly, I love my job. It's been so much fun to socialize and get to know so many people surrounding me.  

I'm super exhausted and it's almost midnight, to be continued...