DVHS Varsity Football! It begins!!

Tonight was a scrimmage and our first time watching Joe play this season. We are so sad that we won't be at every game this year due to moving but we will see at least a few!! We are so proud of Joe. I have such a soft spot in my heart for that boy. I adore him and know he will change the world.

That AZ sky!!!!!

The kids love the games. They run all over and make friends with everyone. Hattie is figuring out coordination and was jumping with two feet down the bleacher steps.

We love you, Uncle/Brother!!!

Frederick as a WEE football babe!!

3 years, gone girl

We are laying here, all sleeping..well I'm awake now. It's so overcast and rainy outside. Very very quiet and calm and peaceful. Frederick will be 3 on Thursday. Hattie, 9 months on Friday. They are growing up before my eyes. I'm growing up too. I still feel young though. I feel like I'm a kid in a 30 year old's body and they are my little buddies. I feel confident about the future. I feel loved by my husband. Sometimes my mind and insecurities play tricks but he loves and needs me. He even likes me, thinks I'm funny, says he needs me. I'm trying to never be critical because I'm so in love with him. He is so smart and funny. This morning he was doing a funny silly bit for the kids and I went outside my body, observing my life and I went weak at the knees looking at him. When he tells me everything is alright, it is alright. I don't feel scared or sad. Our bond has real power.

Frederick will be 3. My role as mother to him has challenged and shaped me. It teaches me and humbles me. These angels are the future.

He mostly get that it is or is going to be or was his bday. 3. I told him we were going to have a party and he gasped. He loves people. He is just so friendly!!! He says, "Hi, what's your name?" And, "my name is Frederick." If someone doesn't hear him or doesn't answer, he comes to me, a little disappointed. I smile and tell him it's ok and it's just good to be friendly and kind to everyone. This boy will change the world. He is special. He is a child of God. He love to sing and dance in the aisles of the grocery store. He loves to tell me, "mommy I gotta show you!" And shows me something he has found that is just gorgeous and special and unique to him.

He loves spending time and adventures with me. He adores his father and protects his sister. He cheers her on in every accomplishment she makes and confidently announces, "yay, I DID it!!" When he has done something he's proud of...even something like catching a ball. His enthusiasm and optimism and forgiveness inspire me every day. He is compassionate. When something goes wrong he says, "aw, that's too bad." Or when I cry he says we should say a prayer (and then spends the whole time without arms folded and usually yelling or singing something!! Haha, we are working on that one!) but I know he knows prayer is important and that it works. He lives and loves 100% and I'm so so deeply grateful to call him mine. Heavenly Father has a plan for him and loves him very much.

He's growing up but he's still little. I still have lots of time.

My FIRST born, at 4-6 months!


cheering Joe Joe on at his football game

Santa Claus is coming coming

We've been asking Freddie for months, "Freddie, is mommy going to have a baby??" He finally got wise and today answered, "nope." 

Haha! I promise Fred! He or she is coming soon! 

We are all doing well. If you wonder how I'm feeling and what I'm thinking, read this article:

http://www.mothering.com/community/a/the-last-days-of-pregnancy-a-place-of-in-between

And here are some photos of my love a doves. 

Saturday night lights and broken collarbones

After our fun time at our friends' cabin, we drove home to see Joseph and my dad's last football game of the season (before nationals in Florida.) To cut to the chase, Joe caught a 40 yard pass and was hit out of bounds. The crowd went crazy and then grew silent as we realized he wasn't getting up. Cold fear shocked my body as thoughts of his recent head injury-which resulted in 7 staples-came to me and created a worst-case scenario. I was so scared. Freddie had been nursing and had fallen asleep in my lap. I quickly handed him to Collin and ran to the field. I hopped over the gate and embraced my mom who seemed doubly scared as I was. He was opposite us on the field so we ran to the other side, praying the whole way. There was Joseph and the medics, and someone calling 9-1-1; it was probably a broken collarbone. While I sighed, grateful his head wasn't split open, I gritted my teeth for what happened next. It was one of the hardest things I've experienced to see my 14-year-old baby brother in that much severe pain. He was shaking so hard he could barely talk. Once the EMTs got there, they assessed him and put his arm in a sling but not before cutting off his jersey to get his shoulder pads off. Tears ran down his face. To make matters worse, the game continued and for the first time in 25 games and 2 years, the Thunder lost, 48-60. It was a hard and emotional game.
Joseph was driven to the ER where he was X-Rayed and it was determined that his collarbone was broken severely in two places and was resting on top of itself. It was disconnected from his shoulder and had torn all the tendons and ligaments around the shoulder. He will have surgery Wednesday morning to insert a metal plate that will straighten and keep the bone in place while it heals which will take 6-12 weeks. Joe recently made the 8th grade basketball team but will sit on the bench the entire season. The Thunder will still go to Florida in December for a chance at the National Championship for the 2nd year.
I am so grateful for the atonement which comforts us in all physical and emotional trials. Im grateful for eternal perspective and courage to learn from hardships; and for the resurrection. I know that after we die our bodies will be reunited with our spirits and will be perfected. I love my brother, Joseph. I love his quick resolve and I love my dad's optimism and positive attitude. I'm also very grateful for technology and modern medicine in times of emergency. Please keep Joe and his speedy and well recovery in your thoughts or prayers.

CLIPS + weekend

   

 
 
 
 

THUNDER FOOTBALL STARTED 

Found him eating off good family friend's plate, hehe.

Thunder. Just can't get enough.

The undefeated National Champions had an awesome article in the Ahwatukee news yesterday.

thinking about fred and Christmas and times

It's Christmas. Christmas time. It's chilly, pretty out, and everything smells like wood burning in a fireplace. Luckily between my husband and my son in my bed, it's a furnace in there and we haven't needed to turn on the heater. I love Christmas time because I can say Merry Christmas to strangers and everything just seems better. 

Times are hard in this world and country and neighborhood, man. Times are hard. But we can't let it get us down. We feel peace, joy, happiness, love. When we argue, it's just the worst because it feels like there's nothing. 

 

We decorated a Christmas tree for the first time in our marriage! It was so much fun and feels even that much MORE CHRISTMASY. I ought to put a picture of it up on this blog. 

I feel like I'm not doing a very good job of documenting Frederick. Sure, there are lots and lots of pictures, but I haven't been writing things down...like the daily amazing things he does. Like tonight he was crying and then when he saw me he got so happy. The happiest adorable smile ever, with tears in his eyes from crying and everything. It was like, "you're my mom and you make me happy." It was so gorgeous. And now I do this routine with him when he has to go in his car seat. HE HATES it because he's all alone and it's all dark. But I put him in and when he starts crying I "sh-sh-sh. sh-sh-sh." then kiss him several times and he always calms down. Then I tell him where we're going and why and who we'll see and how much fun we're going to have. It works. He then usually just goes to sleep. 

Collin and I both love sleeping with him in our bed. and no WAY do I feel scared that I'm going to roll over on him...as a parent you're way too aware for that. Our pediatrician told us we really only need to be concerned about that if we're 300 pounds or on drugs. In fact, everything I've read lately says that for birth to 6 months old the rate of SIDS is the lowest for babies who sleep in their mothers beds and that they grow up to be happy, sociable, confident, independent, trusting people. :) 

Nursing is going great BECAUSE I have so much support from people. Collin, my mom (who never could breastfeed), my family, friends, women around me including strangers in bathrooms. It's hard. but it's worth it for me. And I'm now really enjoying it. I love those little amazing almond shaped blue eyes looking up at me. And sometimes he smiles while he's eating and acts all shy. What a great little boy. I highly recommend The Nursing Mother's Companion. Everyone is different and it's so important to BE EDUCATED and to TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS for what is best for you and your family. 

THUNDER FOOTBALL is currently in Florida for the National Championship games. They won their first game which was against LAST YEARS National Champs, wooo. No repeats this year. Their next game is tomorrow. 

We've started reading The Christmas Carol, CS and I, and man it is great. Good night. and Merry Christmas!!

THUNDER FOOTBALL!!!!!

Saturday night we made our way to Chaparral high school for the BIG GAME. 

The Thunder (Joseph playing and my dad head coach) VS. The Cougars (VERY VERY GOOD TEAM who won last  year.)

The Prize: Conference Champions qualifying to go to Florida for the NATIONAL Championship AND Tucson next week for the State Championship.

My dad has been working with this team for 5 years. 5 years ago, they weren't so good. Many parents hated him because the team lost. almost every game. (well, in the beginning it WAS EVERY game.) sheesh...but here they were...5 years later after a LOT of hard work and working together as a team...

UNDEFEATED in the Regional Championship. Collin, Fred and I went to every game this season except 3 due to Fred coming on the OUTSIDE of the womb (hehe) but we were there with them every step of the way.

My dad has given SO much of himself to this team and these kids. They are really who he does it for. He  loves Joe and his loves those kids. My mom is the team Manager. AJ has been a huge part in this too. And with everything we've been through in the last few months...This was big for my family. 

(okay, of course we had to get some cute stuff of Fred in here...)

THE COUGARS WERE SO GOOD! The teams were really evenly matched, which made for a VERY EXCITING AND CLOSE game.

At the start of the 4th quarter we were up 24-16. They had the ball and scored a touchdown!!! With 27 seconds left in the game it was TIED 24-24. We had the ball and got a first down. VICTORY was in our grasp, but then to our HORROR the cougars intercepted it!!!! Then there were just 6 seconds to go. Our only hope then was to hold them and go into overtime.

We did it. We held them. Overtime AGAIN! Last week we were in KNOTS and this week was just PURE FAITH and PRAYING! Each team would get a possesion and opportunity to score from the 10 yard line. We won the coin toss and chose to go second. HERE WE GO, THUNDER. Each team took about 3 time outs at this point. It was all down to the wire. Everything was riding on this moment. 

They had the ball first. This is where the ball ended up on their fourth down...NOT EVEN A YARD from the goal. We had to STOP THEM!!!!

WE DID!!!!! IT WAS INSANE!!! NOW IF WE COULD SCORE, IT WOULD ALL BE OVER. WE WOULD BE VICTORIOUS!!!! Here is the Thunder getting ready...

NOW THE OUTCOME ON THE FIRST PLAY. I'd advise you to turn down your volume on this one. It gets a little psychotic.

We
WON.

We ARE going to FLORIDA in December to play in the National Championship!!!!!!!!!!
third most incredible moment of my life next to being sealed in the temple to Collin and giving birth to Frederick. Seriously, it was THAT exciting. There was so much energy. SO much love! We were on the field, screaming, crying, hugging each other, jumping up and down. It was awesome. My dad and all the coaches were bawling they were so proud of the boys.

I love my family! This was a good night for the Moneys/Smiths. And sweet little Freddie SLEPT through the WHOLE thing, hehehehehhe. we'll tell him this story for years to come.

The humble and grateful, Coach Money.

PARTY TIME:
NATIVE NEW YORKER.

GREAT SEASON.
GREAT GAME.
GREAT NIGHT.