The Call

On February 17, friends and family gathered around one person. Waiting to hear the big news. In my heart, I as a mother, kept praying, 'Please, Heavenly Father, help me to be ok with where ever he is called to serve.' I know that his call was sent for him and he is going to be the best missionary for the people he will serve and share the gospel with.
The anticipation was killing us. The mail came at 4:30pm and he was the first to get it. He hid in the office with it held tight to his chest. I had inquired as to whether it had arrived, but the smile and blush in his face revealed it had, long before he could admit to the fact that it indeed had come. He then hid his call, and left for his Physics lab at Weber State University. He wouldn't be home until 8:30.
I tried to calm myself and clean up the family room which would soon be filled with people who love him. We sat in the room, but couldn't hold still because of the excitement that was in the air. Some bets were made, he would go State-side, some other bet that he would go to Europe. Don't worry, no money was involved.
So, 8:30 arrived and we were all so excited. He was home and the anticipation was killing me. We were ready for anything. I had even taped a world map up on the family room wall, just so we could find the place if we didn't know where it was.
He slowly cut open the envelope revealing a letter signed by the Prophet of God. Dear Matthew Thomas Hales..... You are hereby called to serve in the Chihuahua, Mexico mission.....It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 24 months.....You will report to the Provo, Utah Missionary Training Center on June 30,2010.
To be honest, I was relieved that he went foreign and that he was still close enough that I could still drive there if I had too. So, land of the "little dog". I called a lot of people and shared the news. Who wouldn't be proud of a son that was worthy to serve the Lord. Chihuahua. Wow. Where do I begin. Well, first we start with the passport, then the visa, then all of the shots, the clothes that you buy for the mission and mission only, knowing that the clothes you buy will probably not even make it through the 2 years. I'm on a mission myself to find the best pair of shoes that will last at least a year. He will be walking up to 20 miles a day in the dessert, so they need to be good ones. I will definitely be getting him some cushioned inserts for his shoes as well.
There are a lot of good things happening down there in Mexico, and there are a lot of bad things. Matt's mission actually includes Juarez, where the drug lords have rampaged and thrived on the fear of others. I was sitting in Sunday School last Sunday and I heard a scripture that really stuck in my heart. Joshua 1:9 ....Be Strong and of a Good Courage,be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest. This is my new theme. I know that I need to be strong, and so will Matt. The Lord will bless him and protect him while he is there doing his work. This is an opportunity that will bless his life and the lives he touches while he is there.
Life is good. It really is a great blessing to have Matt so willing and excited about going. May the Lord Bless Him.

Wading through the Bog

Today was the day, I was determined to mow the lawn. Regardless of the fact that it rained all night. We have had problems with the mower for quite some time and we are still working out the kinks. After fertilizing the lawn 2 times this year, you can imagine just how fast and thick it has grown with all of the rain we have received this past month. We have been trying to help family with moving, Tom with his project at U of U, working, and squeezing in a trip to California before Matt leaves and during all of this time, the lawn has grown to over a foot. Well, I put the mower to the test and set the blade on the highest setting and started cutting away at the bog of grass. Really it's only a 1/2 acre, no biggy!

I started at 9:00 a.m. and finished at 1:30 p.m. This was not my idea of fun. I love to mow the lawn, but not when it takes this long. Where the trampoline had been, the grass was so long and wet (like I said, it's been raining)(a lot), it took me several passes over the area with the push mower to get it cut. The lawn mower had met it's match. It died several times while mowing the bog. Once, it was cut, it looked all yellow due to the bottom never getting any sun. Not to mention that the grass was still not cut evenly because some of it was still laying flat on the ground.

No big deal right? Well, while trying to move the trampoline, I had to take the ladder off of it and lost one of the springs in the very long grass. I waded through it with my feet and hands and looked almost everywhere for that spring. Darn it! Wouldn't you know, there it was on my last section of grass to mow and I tore it with the mower blade. I was actually using extra precautions, by holding the mower front up and going as slow as I could, just so I wouldn't hit it, but I did. Now, I need to replace that spring.

So, I started to think about how this relates to my life, because I had a lot of time to think. (4 1/2 hours) In my life, I let too many things pile up on me. You know, like someone said something that hurt my feelings and I held it in and refused to let it go. Someone else lied to me about something, and I didn't let it go. Things were getting broken and my heart was one of them. Dealing with a siblings divorce and the sorrow that comes when you know there is nothing you can do, except pray and love them. Yet you still hear rumors about it that only make it worse. Another sibling is stuck in a hard place and I wanted to help, but finding out that it is better to let them grow from this and I need to stay out. There have just been a lot of emotions that have built up inside and I wasn't sure how to work them out until today.

I started to carry a huge load on my shoulders of things I wouldn't let go and it started clouding out the sun. Or I should more appropriately say, the Son. Sometimes, when I try to talk things out with others, trying to lighten the load I carry, I say the wrong things and make it worse. This is not my intent, and I hate feeling like this. I told a good friend that I just needed to figure out what I'm supposed to learn from this, and move on. Grow from it and move on.

So, if I could have kept up with the lawn on a schedule and mowed it every week, the grass wouldn't have been so hard to mow. It would have taken less time and it would have looked healthier after it was cut. The spring would not have been lost and run over. Now, it is going to take time to help the lawn look healthy again.

In life, if I would have let the things go, and worked it out when it happened, it would have been a lot healthier for me and I wouldn't have lost my connection with the Son. Even though I was reading my scriptures and going to church and feeding me spiritually, I was still buried by the other things that were hiding me from the Son. Now, it is taking some time for me to heal and get back to a scheduled time to keep my relationship close, with a loving Savior.

Gracie Elise

This is Gracie Elise Hales, born August 9,2006. She was an answer to my prayers. I believe that every girl needs a sister they can talk to and have for a best friend. She came smiling from ear to ear. Every time she smiled her eyes would disappear because of her adorable chubby cheeks. She was our smallest baby, and was able to wear her little clothes longer than Emma. She had the cutest little curls all over her head until last October when the top part of her head started growing in straight. She has the cutest dimples and deep brown eyes that show her personality when she flashes that smile.

She loves to sing and dance and play in the dress ups with Emma. Since she was born she has played with my hair and enjoys her cuddle time. She is learning so much and loves singing all of the songs she learned in Pre-school this past year. Time is flying by so fast and I am trying to enjoy every minute, even if it is a tantrum, or a huge spill of milk all over the floor because she wants to do "myself". Sometimes she has a little bit of fire in her and we are teaching her to use her words instead of her fists. She is getting better everyday.
My favorite things about this bundle of love......
"Tylo was being wude" interpretation: Tyler was being rude
"Emma snot shewing with me" Emma is not sharing with me
"Can you get me a dwink of watah" Can you get me a drink of water (in the middle of the night.)
"Can I come with you and you can push me in the stwolloe" She tells me this with her big brown eyes as I get ready to head out for a run in the evening with the boys.
Apparently she has a little speech impediment, her "R"s are not coming out real clear yet, but it's fun to listen to.

I love her! I love her! I love her!
Thank heaven for little girls that love their daddies, Grandpa's and brothers as much as she does.

Emma Jemma

This is our sweet Emma Kristin Hales. She was born on August 16,2004. Yep, that's right, she will be going to Kindergarten this coming year and she is very excited. She is a social butterfly who absolutely loves people. When we found out we were expecting a baby, we were so excited, nervous and scared to death. She came after many prayers and fasting. We had two miscarriages before she came and to be honest, I didn't think that she would make it full term, but,I had to believe that she would. On August 16th, the hospital room was filled with excitement as we anticipated what this little baby would be. The doctor even teased us a bit as he slowly revealed that she was a beautiful, perfect, little girl. Oh the shades of pink adorned her room in clothes, blankets and photos. How fun this was going to be to play with a girl. Now she is sweeter than ever and has such a fun personality. She loves to sing, dance and be the center of attention. She is very good with her cute little sister, Gracie. This funny little Emma says some of the cutest things. These are a few of my favorites: "My eyes want me to cry" "My legs are too tired to walk" "Are you strong mommy?" "yes," I reply, "Then you can clean my room for me" "I'm prasticking my song" instead of practicing "I just ate breafixed" instead of breakfast "The Pink Panther snuck in my room last night and made a mess" We had her sing the song "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" in sacrament meeting and she did it without be scared. After church she was sitting with her dad and said, "I was just a little bit shy of all those people." Oh, if I only had her courage. She has a great self-esteem and a love for everyone that I would love to emulate. What a sweet heart. She is truly a blessing in our lives and she is loved by everyone she meets.

It's Finally Christmas

We must first start off with Christmas Eve, because that is really when all of the excitement really begins. Here is a picture of my mom as she is unwrapping a brand new computer. We were gathered together at my house and Kate was here with her family, Sean and his family, Eric and his family and then we can't forget J and his family. It was a great time and lots of noise and fun. I really would like to add on to the upstairs with a family and dining room to accommodate this kind of entertaining, but Tom keeps telling me to save my money. Ha Ha.
Anyway here is a picture of my cute dad who was as excited as a little kid on Christmas morning.

We had a ton of food and lots of joking and goofing around, mostly by the adults. Here are some of the pictures of the gang.






Every year my kids get homemade pajamas. There has been only one Christmas that they actually got store bought ones and they were not happy with me. I repented and as you know that true repentance means that "you're sorry that you did it and you promise that you'll quit it and you'll never ever do that thing again." For the past 3 years I have also made them neck socks to match their jammies. They wear them while out in the cold, sleigh riding, air soft shooting wars and messing around. These pj's also come in handy for the Klondike Derby. My boys claim they are the only ones who stay dry and warm, because of the pjs. It makes a mom so proud. So, here are the kids in their pj's. First Matt, Bryce, Tyler, Emma, and then Gracie.


Matt is wearing Black Ninja Pajamas with a Hat much like an elf's.


Bryce is sporting a great look with Snoopy. His favorite character.


Tyler has Soccer balls with camoflauged colors of black, blue and white.


Emma is showing us her cute Pink Panther pajama pants with a pink shirt to match.


Gracie is being a bit shy, but she also has Pink Panther pants and a pink shirt.
Originally, I had made pink silky pants with flannel lining that had a hot pink and white snowflake print. But they both love Pink Panther, so those are the ones they chose to wear.

Then came Christmas morning. I loved that the kids didn't come in to wake us up until 8:00 am. The boys slept in the shed in their man hut.(I'll blog about that man hut in the future.) The girls were wiped out from Christmas Eve and so everybody slept in. It was a very Merry Christmas!

TJ Tyler T-Rex Jesse Tommy TyTy

This is Tyler Jesse Hales, born on October 31, 1996, Halloween! When he was born, there were jokes that went on and on in the delivery room, like is this a boy or a ghoul? or Let's name him little Spook. This has been the funnest day for a birthday for a little kid. He loves to dress up like whatever he wants for the whole day, get candy from everyone he visits and get presents, cake, ice cream and a party at school and at home. Who could ask for more fun in one day? Tyler is so full of fun that he often finds it hard to get busy working. However, his teachers say that he stays on task and is very responsible and always gets his work done on time. Wow! Because when he is at home, we need to remind him to stay on task and remind him what we sent him to do fifteen minutes ago. I love him to pieces though. Here are a few good reasons why.......
His real name is TJ Tyler T-Rex Jesse Tommy TyTy Oobie Doob Scooby Doobby Benubi Hales. I love his big beautiful oops I mean handsome blue eyes. A smile that is as big as his heart and a laugh that makes me smile. He is amazing on the piano and if you give him a pencil and a piece of paper, he can create a masterpiece. His favorite sport is Soccer and this makes his dad soooo proud. He loves people and enjoys making others happy. He is a Big Tease and loves to try to tease his older brothers. He loves attention and will often poke or dance around you if he wants you to play with him. He loves his family and especially his mom. He is soooo creative and has such a vivid imagination. His costumes for Halloween often come from his wonderful imagination. He also loves inventing games with his older brother Matt. One day we found lego people and star wars action figures and other action figures spread out across Matt's floor and they were having a huge "Risk" game with all of their guys. He is creating memories that we will always remember.

Bryceter Buddy

This is Bryce Rodney Hales. He was born on July 7, 1993. He has been the most stubborn kid I have ever met, yet the most loving and responsible one as well. He really challenged me when he was a tiny guy, but those dimples could melt my heart especially when he flashed his big brown eyes at me that were so full of mischief. Some don’t remember what he was like as a little tike, but those who do may say he has become a great young man. When he was little, I told Tom that all we had to do was make him want to always do what is right and he would never stray from it. This has become what he is today. Here are the reasons I love him:
He is talented in many ways, music, art, friendship, and the ability to always be the first one to help out when needed. He has a great smile and handsome brown eyes that still melt my heart. He loves his little sisters and has always had a nurturing way of taking care of them. He has a testimony of the power of prayer, His desire to be baptized on the same day as his Grandpa and the prayers that followed to get Emma and Gracie here are a major part of that testimony. He has always done well in school and is never one to be nagged about getting things done. He has an inner strength and determination that are amazing. One day he will be a great leader and a great strength for others to follow as I am following his example now.