Mexico, Family Reunion and I'm ALONE!

Mike just went on a 10 day trip to Mexico (near Tijuana) with Builders Without Borders. There is a couple here in our ward that has a group they take every year so Mike and his parents went to help this year. They go and build 2 houses for 2 families. They just got back home this past Saturday and looked exhausted. Mike said it was early in the morning till late at night straight physical labor. I'm glad Gary and Susan were able to go with him and they all got to share this experience together. I'm hoping to get some pictures from Mike eventually so I can see what it was like. 

Since Mike was going to be gone so long, and I work 12 hour shifts, we knew it was going to be really hard to get a babysitter for that long so my wonderful mother came to help us out. I loved it so much! She watched the kids all day Friday while and worked and Mike left. As soon as I got off work, we took Grandma out to see our new house being built. It was so fun to show her for the first time! It's getting so close! 

Then we got to play and hang out Saturday and go shopping (never was awesome with 3 children!), we ate at Pizza Pie Cafe, then went swimming at the rec center. The kids had a blast, and I even went down the big slide with Sequoia and Aurora. Their mom isn't the biggest fan of water, haha! ;)  We had a nice relaxing time. And I love that my little ones are getting big enough to go play on their own a bit too. Both of the older two can reach the bottom everywhere they go. Oh it was so funny! My mom gave the kids a $10 and told the kids they could each have $2 to spend at the concessions. The three of them went running off. Aurora came back with the biggest smile on her face. She had a big fountain drink of Dr Pepper! Hahaha! She knows she's not supposed to drink it because of the caffeine. Stinker! She came and sat down and said, "Mom, you can't have a drink. This all mine." Oh my! (Sequoia did tell me later that Aurora wanted to buy her and me both one, but she only had enough money for one. She was very thoughtful.)

We went to stake conference on Sunday and just hung out at home the rest of the day and played games, watched a movie and my mom even let me go take a nap. She's the best! My mom decided to go back home just a bit early so Sunday night the kids and I packed up and their stuff for a week! So while I was at work Monday morning, she left later that morning with all 3 kids back to her house. Ah!! I was so nervous and so excited I almost barfed!

So the plan is now that my mom takes the kids up Monday, I drive up Friday (and take the day off) to meet up at the Nana Family Reunion with my family, and bring kids home Saturday. 

I was so excited for this new experience for myself. I don't remember a time I've ever stayed in my house since I've become a mother without Mike and a child! And now that I've done it, I don't want to do it again! I missed my family so much! There were a lot of tears, anxieties, fears, stress and quiet. Too much quiet. I was not meant to be alone. I actually thought a lot about the plan of salvation and the purpose for us on this Earth. I'm so grateful that our Heavenly Father loves us so much to send us with a family. We get to do this together. And when our children grow up and move out, Mike and I will have each other. I don't do well alone. 

I spent a lot of time with Grandma Great, (Mike's grandma, Milda). She is one of my dear friends. I just love her so much. I helped her get ready for bed the first night, then went and brought lunch and hung out for a couple hours Tuesday. It was her birthday June 14th, so after I got off work at 7pm Wed, I went home and showered, got my Audrey Hepburn movies, and we watched Charade till super late that night. It was a lot of fun. She is such a sweetheart. I want to go out at least once a week with the kids and visit with her. I love her so much.

Friday was wonderful to get to hug and hold my babies! I missed them so much! We followed Grandpa up North Fork to go camping. Poor Lincoln got sick while sleeping over at Koban's the night before and didn't feel good most of the trip. He even threw up Saturady night when we got back home. Anyways, other than that we had a great time at the reunion. We only stayed one night. We even slept in the van. It was like our own little camper! Lincoln slept on the recumbent passenger chair. I took out the middle seats before I left and the girls slept there, and I slept on the bench in back. Perfect!

Tenille and Jon, Daniel and Annica, and  Anna and Cory with all their kids were there. Kim is still living in Texas, and Ty couldn't come out till late Saturday. I love being with my brothers and sisters and enjoying that time. I love my family so much. The grandkids had a blast playing together! I'm loving my kids' ages right now! No babies! 

But the best part of my whole week and all this adventure was getting to see my sweetheart again! We had only talked 2 times while he was gone. And once was on his way home. We arrived home about 20 minutes from each other. I was in my own little heaven with my whole family back together again! We have been blessed in so many ways.