So how are we really doing?

I know that most of my posts are just pictures of what we are doing. It keeps everyone long distance knowing what we look like, but I thought it was time to let everyone know how we were actually doing!

Hmmm, where to begin. Tom is still out of work. We are on 11 months of being jobless and it sucks. We have been blessed to recieve workers comp from his injury, but that ends the first week of June. He has 3 weeks to find a job before things get nasty. Poor guy. It has been rough. I have been on call for the last 8 months and am getting a little tired. I have a 2 week break right now that has been nice. The good news is that Home Depot has hired Tom to work 20 hrs a week. His shift is from 4am- 8am. We will also get full benefits. He hasn't done orientation or anything yet, so we don't know details. The up is that he can still get a daytime job in addition to this. The down is that it doesn't really help in the moolah department. We are hoping it comes with another job too! He did find out that he was in the running for a city of Dallas position, but hasn't interviewed yet. We don't know much. He has also interviewed for a Mall manager position that has potential. So, things are progressing!

So, for each of us...

Tom is hanging in there. He has been pretty depressed with how things have been. When your whole purpose is to work and support your family and you can't, it begins to take it's toll. He has done some soul searching on what we are supposed to do. Should he go back to school, start his own business, get a job, etc. Not sure he knows yet, but it is a matter of prayer. He is trying to get his health in better shape. He is currently doing a 48 hour cleansing fast and will follow it up with a fruit, veggie, and chicken diet. It works well for him. We are working on putting together a specific work out routine for him as well. He is currently the Teacher's Quorum adviser and wants to be in better shape for some of the things they plan to do in the next year or two. He has been a tremendous help around the house as well. He is doing most of the cooking and handles the laundry, in addition to whatever else needs to be done. I have been gone a lot with clients and that puts a lot of it on him. In terms of his seizure... it appears he is fine! We went through all the testing and they couldn't find anything wrong. This means he is driving again as well. WOOHOO!! That was rough for everyone.

I am surviving. I told my sis the other day that two people in a family can't both have breakdowns at the same time and the craziest person wins. Since that is Tom right now, I am just hanging on till things in his life get put together again. I hate being broke. Money majorly stresses me out, and since I do our budget, it is a double whammy. Add to that this pregnant belly, sleepless nights at births, and well, I am just tired. This pregnancy hasn't been as easy as the last two were. I am not sleeping as comfortably for some reason. Plus I have had braxton hicks since 9 wks. I finally got a maternity belt that helped ALOT, however it has caused back problems. My sciatic nerve is killing me. So I hope to see my chiropractor this next week. Baby is moving a ton now though and that is fun. I need to eat better, exercise more, sleep more, be under less stress, drink more water, etc. It just seems like too much sometimes. I do keep busy with the kids (more to follow on that) and doing my birth stuff. I am working on my photography and have done a few photoshoots recently that were a lot of fun. I love being at births as well. There is nothing better than seeing a slippery wet baby fall into this world. It is such a miracle. As exhausting as they are, I love every minute of it. I am still serving in the primary and that has been a struggle with Zach. He is an angel if I am not there. I am always there. I have majorly slacked on housework. I am just tired of it. I have been trying to do better and trying to get back into my routines for planning meals, couponing, laundry, etc. It will be a hard adjustment when Tom goes back to work. I am trying to prepare now.

Dunkan is incredibly busy. He is finishing up his eagle paperwork for scouts in addition to all the current activities they are doing. He works two full days a week at a book warehouse handling shipping. He is loving the freedom of having his own money, after he pays tithing, savings, and mission fund! He is taking a Financial Peace University class (Dave Ramsey), attending a book club, playing piano, and whatever else pops up in a week. Youth conference is coming up soon and they are running a 5K, so he is training for that. He is also going to EFY in July and can't wait for that. His cousins are coming down from NY to go with him and he can't wait to see them. He has become your standard 14 yr old and my sweet cooperative 11 yr old has disappeared. I am totally uncool, have no idea how much we ruin his life and basically make him miserable. On occaision we will get a smile out of him, but for the most part his vocab consists of grunts and mumbled singing as he listens to his MP3 player. Oh how well I remember that! I try to be patient, but I can seriously se why I drove my mom nuts! Life just isn't that bad in his world! The great part is when he wants to join in, he is such a joy. We laugh and he plays and is a kid again. It is also fun to see him grow into a man. He is taller than I am and so polite and hard working... outside the house! He even has his first real crush. A girl named Stefaniee from church. Apparently it is mutual, but as neither can date for 2 more years, they are safe! Mostly they walk around on the phone with each other not talking. I keep asking why they are on the phone if they don't actually talk, but he can't explain it either. So cute!

Zachary is doing better. He had a few weeks where his life was in serious jeopordy, but has gotten through it with the help of our homeopath! Well, actually he was only in danger from his parents who couldn't stand his tantrums and crazy behaivor! He seriously lost it for awhile there! He is full of life and so busy. He is better now in terms of just being into everything. He now has a purpose. His days are filled with bike riding, digging holes in the yard, collecting "snea snails" and then putting them, alive, all over my counters, drawing with chalk outside, cutting things with his pocket knife (nail clippers), tackling his sister, and talking incessantly. He is incredibly athlectic and seems happiest either moving or being outside. We do our best. He is very funny when he wants to be and just as mean when he chooses. He loves his brother so much that he wants to follow him around every minute of the day and do exactly what he does. Dunkan loves it. Not. He is a good big brother as well and tries hard to take care of Izzy when he isn't hurting her. He is getting excited about having a baby come too. He hasn't really enjoyed moving from nursery to sunday school this year and church has been a challenge. We just got him new teachers and he seems to be doing much better. He loves having friends over and will do that as often as he can. Tom says that he better make us rich some day. Sometimes I wonder what it is that he will put all that passion and drive into. Makes you wonder.

Isabel is my snuggle bug and does her best to keep up with her brothers. She has gotten very active and is running, climbing, opening drawers, flushing toilets, etc. Not nearly as busy as Zach, but in her own ways keeps me busy. She is much more interested in emmulating everyone around her. She wants to cook, go "pee" on the potty (or my floor, most likely), help clean, vacuum, etc. She has a deep affection and infatuation with animals. None of the other kids have been that way. She LOVES our dog Amy who is so patient with her. She loves stuffed animals, pictures of animals, zoos, strays, you name it! She is working on naming them all and associating their sounds. Speaking of sounds, she has quite a few of her own now. She can say so much. Her biggest words are "dangerous" and "spiderman" and her favorites are "no", "don't", "me", and "mine". Are you surprised? She is often the victim of a random tackle, being hooked up to a dog leash, being pushed off the couch, counter, kitchen table, etc. and has learned quite well how to fight back. She is much more empathetic though and will be sorry for her own transgressions. She is so snuggly and I love to put her to sleep. She just curls up in your lap, a few minutes of rocking and you are holding this sleeping gorgeous babe. She is still napping 1.5-2 hrs a day and is sleeping fairly well at night. She recently cut all 4 molars and is now cutting all 4 i-teeth. Yuck, but at least it will be over soon. She has also been a lot more attached to mom lately and doesn't happily go with everyone else. She has been going to nursery at church though and has done very well. That has been a blessing!

Hmmm, did I miss anything? Not sure, but it is late and I am TIRED!! So now you all know what is going on with us. Hope all is well with each of you!