MONDAY NIGHT MUSINGS

- 2/15 After having chocolate covered strawberries last night for Valentine's Day, Mattie has started asking for the "straw-beddies" today

- Even though my Valentine's Day massage was fantastic, I think it made me sick. I've been sick all week with a cold, and even though I feel better, it's still lingering.

- And CJ has had a cold even longer. Poor guy has been stuffed up and had a runny nose (I know, sounds like a contradiction, but that's what's going on) for like two weeks!

- Mattie threw up tonight. We had gone to get some dinner and as I was putting her in her car seat to go home, she kinda of leaned to her side, and stayed that way the whole way home. I guess that should have been a clue. Then, Bryce got her out of the car and was holding her when we walked inside. He was still holding her when she first just spit up a little bit...and then it all came up. Poor thing. First, I was grateful that we weren't still in the car, and second, I was grateful that we have wood floors. Clean up was so much easier than it could have been. But it was really strange. My kids don't really throw up, so when they do, I worry all day and night that they are sick. Mattie was seriously totally fine after she threw up, but she sat on Daddy's lap with no clothes on and a bowl next to her in case she threw up again. Then, when she went to bed, we must have checked on her 5 times before finally going to sleep ourselves. I kept worrying that she was going to throw up in bed, and maybe even choke on it. She's probably too old for that, but that's what goes through my worry-prone mind. Anyway, she was fine. We still aren't sure what caused it, but we're just glad it was only once.

- I got a call tonight from a woman in our ward, Jamie Kershner. Her kids are a few years older than mine (her youngest is CJ's age), and she has a friend who is moving and would like to get rid of a Little Tykes picnic table and one of those red and yellow cars for toddlers. Jamie's kids are a little too old for them, but she thought I would be interested. I was so excited! We have a yard now, but nothing in it for our kids, so this is perfect! I was just really touched that she thought of me. Jamie is even going to pick them up and drop them off for me! Wow! We have such great people in our ward here and feel really blessed to be a part of it.

- Speaking of our ward, it's such a new experience for us in many ways here in Wenatchee. Our stake split some wards last year to make a new ward, and it took a bunch of people from our ward, making it a lot smaller. I guess our ward has several rentals in it as well, making a more tansient ward than many in the stake, and we have quite a few part-member families also. So you can imagine the turn-over and lack of members. Anyway, in the Primary alone, we have recently lost our pianist, a nursery worker, and 2 teachers, all in the last two weeks! We're struggling to find replacements, and I know it's even harder for the Priesthood in the ward. Our ward is so small, we're practically a branch. But there are a lot of things I like about a small ward as well. It's nice to feel so close to most of the people. And the missionary effort seems to really be such a ward effort here, not just the full-time and ward missionaries. And personally, I like being put to work in a ward. It helps me feel close to the Lord. And being in the Primary Presidency and the Primary chorister, having a smaller Primary is nice. It's so much easier to get to know the kids individually. The longer we live here, the more I feel a confirmation of the feelings we felt when we bought our house, that this is the place we're supposed to be right now. It's a very comforting feeling.

- And you know what else is comforting? A big, fat check from the IRS!! We did our taxes this week and we're getting a ridiculous amount back. It's probably imprudent to say the amount, so I'll refrain, but let's just say, it is WAY more than I ever expected!! And it's truly humbling. To me it is an answer to prayers and a testament of the power of tithing. Bryce and I have always paid our tithing. It has never been an issue. And we make sure to pay fast offerings, as well as other contributions. I say this not to boast in any way, but to reiterate that I know that we have been blessed so much and in so many ways because of our commitment to the Lord and this commandment. When we bought our house 9 months ago, the night before we were to sign, we finally got the exact amount that our house payment would be. It was about $200 or $300 more than what we had anticipated and budgeted for. I kind of had a freak-out moment (and by "kind of," I mean that I totally broke down). Bryce tried to comfort me by telling me it would be ok, and my response, between sobs, was "How?! Where is this money going to come from?!" However, after calming down, and taking the time to pray, and really listen, I still felt that this was the house we were to get, that this was where we should be. So despite my serious reservations, I put my trust in the Lord "not knowing beforehand what I should do," and signed those big scary papers the next day. It was a huge leap of faith for me! And sure enough, all along the way these last 9 months, every time something has come up that has worried us financially, we've been so blessed to work it out. From our monthly food expense being less than we thought, to our insurance working completely different than we had expected (in our favor), to receiving an unexpected over-payment check in the mail which helped cover holiday expenses, to being able to reduce student loan payments to practically nothing, to our cars' maintenance being minimal, to receiving countless support - including financial - from family, to now receiving this tax refund which will help us with some house expenses and mainly, to prepare for the arrival of baby number 3 (like, uh, the fact that we have to get a new car that can fit 3 car seats). It really is so amazing and I feel so blessed and really, I feel unworthy of so much. It is very humbling.

- 2/20 CJ said the opening prayer in Primary today. It was his first time and he was so excited to talk into the mic. I stood up there with him and didn't really know what to expect, you know, if he'd freeze or something. But he did great! He thanked Heavenly Father for the day and for Primary and he blessed Primary, and even though I coached him to say more, he then ended the prayer after blessing Primary, which was totally fine. Bryce came in to watch and we were so proud!

- How sad is it that Mattie is going to be 2 in just a couple of weeks and i can't think of anything to get her?! I've been wracking my brain and I've come up with a couple of things, but nothing much. And both Grammas are asking what to get her and I feel like a bad mom not knowing what to tell them. I'm so desperate that she may end up getting a pet of some kind. Eek! Better make sure Bryce keeps me in check.

- Speaking of Bryce, his dad signed him up this week to run the Seattle Rock n' Roll half marathon again this year. I'm jealous. I wish I could run it with him. He's going to run it with his good friend, Jessie Napenias. They've been friends since they were like 9. Isn't that so great? Anyway, as Bryce was telling me this, he reluctantly told me that he also told his dad that maybe next year he would actually run the full marathon. I about flipped!! I've been trying to get Bryce to run another marathon with me since we ran the St. George in 2006, but he just has had no desire. I'm not quite sure what is changing in him, but I don't care. All I can see is Seattle Rock n' Roll 2012: Year of the Mackay's!! (uh, can you see why he was reluctant to tell me? ;)

- After 5 weeks of waiting, we finally got to go to our first OB-GYN appointment today to confirm that I am indeed pregnant! Yea! We got to meet Dr. Pitts for the first time, and we both really like him. And then we got to see an ultrasound of our little 9 week old baby. It was amazing! Even though the baby is only 9 weeks old - roughly the size of a green olive, I guess - we were able to not only see the heart beating, but we could see the head, eyes, torso, arms, and legs. It really looked like a little baby, not just some peanut in there. It was amazing and I felt so much love instantly! It made it all so real for us! And it made the exhaustion, and yucky feeling I feel half of the time, and bloating, and 7 lb weight gain totally worth it. Totally!!

Happy Monday!