My Hubby

I just want to shout from the mountain tops how wonderful my husband is.  He really is.  We tell each other often how much we love each other, but I realize on this blog we make no mention of it.  How weird, because in our family it is often brought up.  Steve is often the quite guy at church, but everyone LOVES him.  I have never ever met someone who didn't love him.  He can talk with guys about sports because he LOVES sports, all kinds--one of those men who knows every player in every game and gets REALLY excited when he talks about sports, however he doesn't watch it very much ( we haven't had TV in years so that contributes to that, but he quitely every morning gets up too early to check scores, rankings, you name it he knows it.  Steve also gets along with women really well.  He is just one of those people after talking with him for a few minutes there is no weirdness and he seems to be one of your best friends.  He will never make you feel bad, always trying to make people feel better about themselves.  He is full of energy--always playing with the boys--and I mean ALWAYS.  He will lose himself in games of soccer or sand castle building, and will play UNO over and over with the boys.  He takes a lot of time for me too.  He comes home and I am always the first person he kisses.  He compliments every meal I make (and really they are not that great), he still holds my hand, is so overjoyed when I try new words in German, he is beaming when I give way broken church talks in sacrament meeting, he can tell in my eyes if I've had a rough day--and it doesn't matter that he has had a long day, he takes the boys right away.  He is the last one asleep and the first one awake everyday.  He sings in the shower, and is always whistling.  He almost always wakes up cheery (except when he has stayed up too late watching a game on the computer and his team has lost).  He LOVES to dance.  We have family dance parties instigated by him.  He makes the most amazing crepes a few times a week.  The man never seems tired.  He puts the kids to bed so I can get a break from the day.  He works hard.  That is an understatement.  When it comes to taking care of our family he does everything possible.  He NEVER thinks of himself.  I can never get him to make me a list for for Christmas or birthday wishes because without fail he will say--"lets save the money for this or that, I'm really fine".  Last Christmas all he asked for was a $15 pen that he had been eying, yeah try and shop for someone like that--drives me crazy sometimes.

Really he is just wonderful.  He works so hard, especially during this hard economic time and him being an MBA like many others out of work.  He stayed up late nights (MANY LATE nights) perfecting and perfecting resumes and applications to secure us 3 GREAT opportunities. 

I feel so lucky to call him mine.  I can't believe he tolerates me with all of my quirkiness.  He is a man full of hugs and kisses.  Loves to help me clean, is a fantastic singer.  Kisses me in the morning and kisses me goodnight.  He NEVER critiques me or what I try and accomplish. He is faithful, he is true to his covenants, and is always trying to be better and searching for ways for us to improve in all levels.  I don't write this to brag, I write this to record how dang lucky I am.  I hope anyone who reads this doesn't feel any lower because their spouse doesn't do this or that, never ever ever do I want someone to feel saddened or compare themselves to us.  I REALLY don't like comparison.  It makes everyone sad.  We all need to search out the best things in everyone, including ourselves.

I love my husband for everything that he is and all that he is trying to be.

Thoughts

Well, I often don't get an opportunity to write my thoughts down, much of our efforts on the blog are to record experiences, however this lack of thought unloading doesn't mean I don't have any.  Quite the contrary, my brain is always streaming with ideas, spiritual and non.  I think of how trials make us stronger and how they are given to us often to benefit others.  I think of my boys and their continual growth--I often strongly contemplate if I am being a good enough mother--is the house clean enough for them, are they eating enough nutritional foods, do I smile enough so they know that I am happy, am I being an example of the believers everyday and every moment, do I give them enough extra curricula activities, what will they be like when they are older, what will happen when we add another child to the bunch--will I stay sane, and often I think of this experience we are having out here and if it is benefiting for them.  Everett has grown a great deal in many ways, he has friends, is now bi-lingual,  loves to rides bikes, knows how to read, is taking greater chances, and is just so happy and so dang smart I wonder where he came from--sweetest boy in the world.  Liam on the other hand is always by my side, though this is a good thing, a times it is hard for him, he has not been able to have a regular play group which I always had with Ev at least 2 days a week,  so he has major clingyness issues.  He is nearly 2 1/2 and still won't go to nursery, he screams when we leave him for just a little while (except with my mom which is not often because she lives in the US).  He is super talkative and confident, fun as any kid I have EVER seen, and I am so happy that he is mine, I can't help but feel guilty that  he seems a little displaced.  One thing for sure though, we try to stay constant.  When we go somewhere we are there as a family--we will always be together (Everett prays for that every night).  We continually do family home evenings on Mondays, we try and get our scripture reading in, prayers are constant, we play together OFTEN, we try and keep our routine, because we have been so displaced for the past 3 years that is all I can give them with normalcy is a routine.  Hope our displacement will end soon--scheduled to Jan. 2012--can I hang on until then?

Spring Time at the Farm Behind Our House

A Boy's Dream: Excavator Shovel

We find the most interesting things as we walk around Europe.  For all you concerned with the safety of this depiction, no children were harmed in the making of this photo.  Our boys are fascinated with every piece of machinery, and they are more prone to use the German word Bagger than the English equivalent each time they catch a glimpse of an excavator.  Makes their daddy proud.

Spiderman Everett and Indoor Rock Climbing Day

 Okay, Everett is oftentimes shy by nature.  He does not generally like to try new things (think about food, etc.).  But at the same time, he is relatively competitive, and likes to win.  Needless to say, we were surprised that Everett decided to climb like Spiderman, when we strapped him up and told him to climb to the ceiling of a large industrial building that was converted into an indoor climbing hall.  We had to coax him up the first wall, but when we told him that he would get to race mommy up the second wall, which was significantly higher, he just scaled up the wall without any major problems.  We went with the Griell family from the ward, and we had so much fun.  Everett and Liam played with Aurelia and Timo, and everybody got a chance to climb the walls except for Tabea, who was recovering from an injury.  It was a first for Steve and Delaine, and it was a lot of fun for us all.  Liam climbed a little bit, but he was mostly interested in throwing the rocks that he found in the various planters around the facility.  They also had a kids reading and playing area with books and toys, so he was in his bliss.  What a fun day!  Thanks to the Griells for suggesting that we try out something new!

Everett on his first attempt

And up he goes!

Don't look down!

He was so high that we couldn't get the ground in the photo!

Daddy's turn

C'mon, it is harder than it looks!

Oh, yeah, Daddy, let me show you how it is done!

Finding the right handhold is not the easiest thing in the world!

Once we got him going, Everett had to climb everything in sight!

This one made Daddy's hands and fingers really tired!

Definitely not his best angle... How are those thighs feeling?

And they're off!

You might not be able to tell, but this wall is almost twice as high as the first one.  Everett was a stupendous climber!

And Everett reaches the  very top of the wall!

Check this pair of climbers out!  We both did it, yay!