Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Cabin Retreat.

Steve, Me & Ellen
Bob & Whit
Preston wakeboarding
Steve and I packed our bags on Thursday and met up with the Ford Fam in Manilla. We had such a nice and relaxing weekend. We SOO needed a vacation.

We had tons of great food, lots of fun time with one another and all the fam, played settlers, and went boating EVERY day!! Now, that's what I call a vacation. I seriously LOVE boating!

This will be a sum up just by pics. I've been pic happy lately!
Steve wakeboarding-woot woot handsome!
Steve & I
Whit
Bob barefooting- AWESOME!!
Prest & Steve
Ellen Skiing
Whit skiing
Me :)-I'm still learning!
Steve Barefooting- AWESOMENESS!
Whit & I being goofy after one of our late night chats!

Happy Father's Day!

To the best daddy-o in the whole world.

My dad and I have always had a special bond. I don't really know how to explain it. We just do.

It was pretty dang awesome being able to give my talk to my dad and have him come to our sacrament meeting. It was an honor to talk about him, and all the many things that he's done for me and how he's help mold me into the person that I am. This Father's day was a special one.

I thought I would have my talk on here, so I can go back and look at it whenever I wanted, or whenever my dad wanted.

so here it is:

The main focus today is on our dads. So Happy Father’s day to the father’s out there!

I’m excited to talk about the influence that father’s have. I’ve had a lot of great father figures in my life, but since I’m limited on time I wanted to focus on two father figures that have had a huge impact on me, and have helped mold me to the person that I am today.

I’m first going to talk about my cute daddy-o. I’ve always been really close to my dad. Starting from when I was young I have always been a daddy’s girl. I find myself to be a lot like him in a lot of ways. My dad is not one to be very outspoken, but he has taught me a lot through his actions.

My dad is a great listener. He doesn’t interrupt; he shows interest and just listens until I’m done talking. This has been a great influence on me, because I’ve been able to talk to him about things that I need advice on. My dad helped influence my decision to marry Steve. Which was the most important decision of my life. My dad wasn’t very fond of other guys I dated, but when I met Steve dad spoke nothing but good things about him and how great of a guy Steve is for me. Words from my dad always mean a lot to me.

My dad is super funny. He always knows a good joke, and knows how to brighten anyone’s day. Anytime we are having a family get together, he will always play a practical joke on someone or get someone laughing. One that sticks out to me was when my aunt was talking with me and she just kept hitting her ear. Before I ask her what’s she’s doing, my dad is crouched behind her holding a wadded piece of toilet paper tickling her ear. Making her believe that there is a bug in her ear. Dad’s taught me to have a sense of humor, to enjoy life and to have a good laugh every now and then.

My dad is kind. He’s always there to help anyone. Whenever someone is in need, he’ll stop what he is doing and help. Steve and I were going to the temple one day, and our car starting smelling like smoke, so we had to pull over. We were able to pull over safely and as we did the car died. It wasn’t very pleasant weather outside, it was raining and it was cold. We called my dad to come and get us. As soon as he got the call from us, he was on his way. Through his example, I’ve learned the importance of being kind to others and to help those in need.

My Dad is a hard worker. My dad has always been a hard worker. He grew up on a farm helping his parents with all the chores that needed to be done. I come from a big family. I have six siblings. My dad has always been able to provide for us. He’s always working on something and showing the example of the importance of working hard. I know that by working hard now, it will help us in the future. It’s important to have a great work ethic.

My dad is a worthy Patriarch of the home. We’ve been able to go to him and ask for father’s blessings, which have helped me in times of need. I’ve asked my dad to give me a blessing every time I went to school. The blessing would comfort me, and help me throughout the school year.

When I lived at home, my dad also had inspiration and insight to know what’s best for me and to give me guidance.

The second father figure is my father in heaven. My father in heaven has given me everything. He’s given me the spirit I have and this life that I enjoy. I wouldn’t be, if it weren’t for him.

My father in heaven is a great listener. I pray to him everyday, and just talk with him. I know that he’s listening just by the feelings that I feel and know that he’s there. He knows me, he knows my heart and just like my dad, he gives me advice through promptings of what I should do.

When I moved away from home, for the first time for school I felt extremely overwhelmed and sad. I’m the oldest in my family and it was really hard for me to leave my siblings. My sister Kartier, is just a little over a year younger than me and we would always sleep next to each other at night. I remember lying in my bed by myself feeling so sad missing my family and thinking how am I possibly going to live away from them? I got this prompting to say a prayer. I knelt at my bedside and prayed to my father in heaven to help me. He listened, and he helped me to know that I’m not alone, that he is always there. I could feel his love for me.

3 nephi 14:7-11 (He gives to those who ask)

Heavenly Father is Kind. He is the perfect example of how we should be. He gave his only begotten son, Jesus Christ that we might have eternal life and have all that he has. He knows each one of us individually, he knows our joys, and he knows are pains. He’s always there for us; it’s just up to us to get on our knees and to pray to him.

Luke 6:36, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your father in heaven is also merciful.”

The reason he is so kind, is because he has unconditional love for all of his children, for every single one of us. We make mistakes and because of the atonement we are able to repent and be forgiven. Our father in heaven is very forgiving.

One perfect example is found in Luke 15: 11-24, 31-32 this shares the story of the prodigal son. Which highlights the attributes of our father in heaven, it’s easy to focus on the son who made the mistake, and was able to repent but it shows the love our father in heaven has for his children.

I’ve shared these two comparisons of both of my fathers, as you can see, they have impacted my life. Fathers have an important role.

In the Proclamation of the family it shares “By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.”

And President Ezra Taft Benson couldn’t of said it beter: "Fathers, yours is an eternal calling from which you are never released. Callings in the church, as important as they are, by their very nature are only for a period of time, and then an appropriate release takes place. But a father’s calling is eternal, and its importance transcends time. It is a calling for both time and eternity"


After the block, Steve and I went over to my parents house and had dinner with the fam! Dad bbq his famous hamburgers and everyone enjoyed each others company.





Then we headed over to grandma Ford's and ate delish treats and hung out!









We celebrated Father's Day with Bob the night before since he had to leave for Alabama for business. We had a fun time with Bob too. I'm sure grateful for Bob, and for the great example he is. He's taught my husband a lot. He's taught Steve to be a hard worker, to have respect for me, and shows so much kindness.

Happy Father's day Dad's! I sure LOVE you to pieces!!

Great Grandpa Joe's 94th Birthday Bash!


We celebrated Great Grandpa's Birthday at my great Aunt Illene's house! It was so much fun being able to spend time with all the family and eat great food! We don't get to see Aunt illene's fam very much, so it was nice to catch up with everyone and see all the cute kids! I still can't believe how big everyone is getting!

Here's some fun pictures of the fun Day!!















Visiting Great Grandma Ford's

Well, the time has come where cute lil' great grandma Ford moved out of her house and is living in a home.

Grandma and Grandpa Ford had all the grandkids come over and pick out what we wanted at Great Grandma's house, since she has no more use for them.

Can I just say we found TREASURES!! Seriously. Grandma has some of the cutest jewlery I have ever seen. Totally in style too. So, I picked up a couple necklaces.

I also found this quilt that she didn't finish, so I want to put it together. :) I think when its finished it will be so nice to have something of grandma that we can cuddle with. Stevie picked up Great Grandpa's old tool box, with some pretty awesome tools.

You know it's pretty funny how different men and women are. All the girls headed straight to the jewlery/plates all the pretty things, and the men all went towards the tool stuff. Oh look it's a hammer. yeah, not so exciting. I just think it's funny.

It was fun looking through grandma's stuff with all the cousins and aunts/uncles.

We also HAD to get pics of grandma's house before they sold the cute thing.




Tuesday, June 29, 2010

News that changed our life.



I found out that i'm PREGO!!! WOOT WOOT!!! Last night I took a prego test and it came out positive! I was thrilled!!! ESCATIC, Jumping for joy and crying all at the same time. Steve was with me when I took the test. (Not exactly how I had in mind of telling him that WE are having a baby!) I wanted to do something cute and surprise him. But Steve is Thrilled too he cant wait to be a dad. To make sure though that I'm actually prego, I took a second test this morning. Yep. the test where you pee on the stick. And BOO YA-Prego confirmation number 2!:)

I haven't been feeling sick at all yet. Just a lot of backache. During the weekend (when we went to the cabin) I kept spotting and then my period finally came. I thought that was really weird. It spotted for a couple days. I NEVER spot. I called a nurse yesterday and she told me either I'm late on my monthly and it's just starting so it could be a little off, or I could be pregnant.


Too be honest, I didn't want to get my hopes up. I've taken plenty pregnancy tests thinking that I was pregnant and that would get my hopes kicked down.


I took the test and it's came back positive. I'm still bleeding, which makes a little worried. So, I went into the doctor today with Steve and they took some blood work. They said they want to make sure my prego hormones ( I don't know what it's called) is still rising and then I go back in on Thursday for some more blood work. I'm really hoping and praying that I don't miscarriage and that I could be a MOMMY!! I'm seriously so excited!!


I'm an emotional wreck today though. When the doctor told me I could miscarriage it got me really upset. I didn't go back into work and I just came home and napped.-for 2 hours!! sheesh. I never nap. I know that whatever happens is all the lords time. I'm so extremely grateful that I'm prego now, and that I can get pregnant.


Steve and I are going to be parents! Woot woot one more time!! :)


I can't wait to tell everyone!! Especially all the families, BUT Steve and I both agreed we aren't telling anyone until we KNOW everything is going well and until the babe is actually growing.


Here's to resting, and keeping my mouth shut.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

First time for everything.


Okay, So one of you mentioned that one way that reduces stress is by getting a massage. Well Steve and I have ALWAYS wanted to go and get one done. We've heard nothing but good things about them. I've always been a little cautious about going though. Am I old fashion to think it might be a little weird to have another guy touching and massaging my back when it's not my hubby?? I know it's completely professional but that part did creep me out a bit.
Well, Friday Steve and I decided to just have a chill-axin day and just relax and then go and get massages. I called up the massage place and asked if Steve and I could get a couples massage. Well the lady said they had one opening and it was a guy and a girl. Steve didn't want a guy rubbing his back he thought that would be REALLY creepy, so I opted to have the guy and he would have the girl.
We get to the massage place and it's super chill. Really nice. Nice music, people all seem happy and earthy. If that's the right word? Even the receptionist spoke quietly. A little weird might I ad but we ARE in a massage place and it's all about relaxing.
As we are waiting for our turn to go back this white guy with the longest dreads I've ever seen, and the most bushy black hair on his arms comes in and heads to the back, he looks a little creepy. ( I know I shouldn't be judgemental but this is what's going through my head.) I look at Steve with a grossed out look. I hope he's not going to be rubbing my back!!
Before we know it we head to our room. Oh look it's the fancy guy with the dreads. Yep, he's my masseuse for the hour. Serves me right I guess for being judgemental.
Dreads was super nice and was completely professional but I can I just say one thing?
Did he REALLY have to use his nasty hairy arms to rub my back for some of the time? At first I was thinking oh awesome he's using some kind of brush. NOPE! It was his nasty hairy arms. Yes, I think I threw up in my mouth. Just knowing that he was rubbing my back with hairy arms was not stress-relieving to say the least.
Besides the nasty dread/hairy beast of a man. I enjoyed the massage. I learned two things with this experience.
1. I am SO happy my hubby is not NEARLY as hairy as that guy.
2. IF I ever get one of those done again-can I have woman please?!

Oh and something super random. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the song "Skinny love" by Bon Iver. Bon Iver where have you been all my life? Oh and Frank Sinatra "Fly me to the Moon"-Rocks!!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Heavenly Father knows me.

Steve and I have been so busy lately. It's almost overwhelming. No wonder why I'm so stressed all the time. Thanks for all the comments from my previous post. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who stresses. And all of the ideas to reduce stress are great. I've been really trying to focus on what makes me stress and how I can limit it.
I wanted to jot down this little miracle that happened to me the other day.
It's pretty amazing how the lord knows everything about me, and what I need to know/hear.
So, while I was putting on my makeup early Sunday morning I had this thought in my head. Or more like a whispering. "Keira you need to start thinking of thoughts about fathers, your speaking in sacrament." I starting thinking of all these thoughts about my dad. I than thought, "Well I'm not speaking in sacrament, I'm teaching young women's, so maybe I need to talk about dads. Which makes perfect sense because it's father's day next Sunday."
As the day went on I completely forgot about my prompting. And I enjoyed my time at the Ford's celebrating Preston's homecoming. Later that evening I got a call from the Bishop asking me to speak on Sunday about the Influence that fathers have. I'm a stress-er, I've mentioned this before. I really don't like speaking in sacrament meeting ( I don't mind teaching yw, or primary etc.) but there is something about sacrament meeting that REALLY stresses me out about speaking. The awesome thing is, when the bishop asked me, I felt at peace. I already knew that I was supposed to speak, heavenly father gave me that prompting. So, I had no need to stress.
It's so amazing that he really knows me and loves me enough to let me know that a head of time. It's something simple, but completely huge for me.
I had Steve give me a blessing too about my stressing problem. I'm not going to say that I don't stress, because I still do. But, I have felt a lot more at peace and I'm learning to notice more of what stresses me out and how I can try and fix it.
I'm so grateful to my Father in Heaven, I know that through him nothing is impossible.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Preston's Homecoming!












So we've been super busy!! I have a lot to blog about, but that will have to wait. :)