God Knows What He's Doing

The Lord's timing, in a word, is "perfect." Who would've thought that God would have perfect timing?

That's seems like a stupid and obvious question, but how many times do we (I) question what the Lord is doing to us or not doing for us right now? Answer: all the time. This week my family received a reminder and confirmation that God is, in fact, very mindful of us, loves us, and knows what He's doing (go figure).

There are many things that have happened in my life, mostly since I've been married, that have given me such strong faith that everything happens for a reason and, even if we don't understand it at the time, it works for our benefit in the long run. Instead of going into everything that has happened in my life, I thought I'd share the microcosm of the Lord's timing that was this week.

Many of you know that Doug finished his Master's degree last year and we thought that was perfect timing because Vivi was just turning one, so we figured by the time we got done with his degree he'd get a job and we'd move out of our teeny, tiny one-bedroom (400 sq/ft) apartment and move on with our lives just as she needed more room to run around. Well, we applied and applied for jobs but to no avail. So, after pondering we decided we'd make due with our apartment and that maybe Doug needed to go back to school to get another degree that made him more hire-able, gave him more job options. So, we started going through the process of research, application, etc. this fall.

One of the programs he applied for was BYU, which had a prerequisite of taking a class that specified interviewing several people in the social work field. During that process he found out about a job opening at Deseret Industries, so he applied to that job, as well. To make a complicated story simple and short, we really struggled with whether we should go to BYU or take the job (of which neither option had been offered to us yet) because we didn't want to turn down one opportunity if that's where we were supposed to be. Doug started the interview process with DI much before we were to find out about BYU, so we just weren't sure how this was all going to work out. After a while, it didn't look like he was going to get the job at DI, but we figured we just weren't supposed to be there, so looked forward to more grad schools and possibly applying to other jobs.

Then we found out. Doug did not get accepted into BYU. Honestly, I didn't feel that discouraged by it. Maybe because, while it would've been a great experience, there would have been some serious drawbacks (ie moving with a brand new baby, health insurance issues, income issues, etc). I'd like to think the majority of my calm at this decision was because of my developed faith that things happen for a reason. In a way, this made things easier, so we'd just have to look forward. It was still disappointing, though.

The very next day and 2.5 months after he started the interview process, Doug got a phone call from DI offering him the job we thought there was no way he would get. Hallelujah! It's the perfect fit for him and our family; the only issue is it doesn't make much more than his job at Children's, but there are opportunities for raises, to move up in the organization. It's a great place to be and a great opportunity.

Before, we were worried we might have to turn down a job at DI because we thought we were supposed to go to BYU without actually knowing if he got accepted (like I said, this job application process was super long, so we figured we'd know about the job long before BYU). But, the Lord arranged it so we knew for sure about BYU and then provided us with the huge blessing of this job opportunity the very next day.

I think the Lord has and continues to strengthen our faith and trust in Him with each of these 'timing issues.' I can say that a few years ago, finding out Doug didn't get into BYU and still not knowing for sure about DI would have really made me mad...maybe even a little mad at God. Heck, even just waiting for one year for Doug to get a job got frustrating sometimes! However, by giving us other instances earlier in our lives where it has been proven to me that the Lord's timing is perfect, I was able to be have peace and know that we just hadn't found where the Lord wanted us yet. Don't get me wrong, I've prayed and cried about this issue and we still have things to work about, but instances like this tell me that my prayers are heard and the Lord will provide for us. God knows what He's doing.

Oh, the Highs and Lows

Most of this week has been a 'low.' Vivi was acting particularly 'toddler-y' and it got progressively worse as the week went on. The most frustrating part is that she is her most uncontrollable, inconsolable toddler-y when she's with me (which is most of the time), but when she's with Nana or Papa, she's mostly her fun-loving self. That is great, but also really irritating...and exhausting.

For example, I went to work without her on Friday morning because I went to court for my speeding ticket (another fun moment this week), so I left her with Nana (great-grandma). By all accounts she was great all morning, but by the time I got home her toddler-ness was in full swing. For the first full hour she screamed and cried about everything. She wanted a cracker, I gave her a cracker. Then she put the cracker with peanut butter in her hair and then threw it on the floor, so I threw it in the garbage. Then she wanted a cracker, which I didn't give her. That was a good 10 minute tantrum. Then she wanted out her high chair. Then she freaked out when I went to take her out. You get the picture?

It was so bad, as Doug left for cycling class, he asked if he should worry about finding both of us alive when he got home. I did throw her in the shower (not a cold one) after she put ketchup in her hair (bad mom confession: I wasn't going to bathe her after just the peanut butter because I was soooo 'done,' but I couldn't not wash her after the peanut butter and ketchup).

She may be getting her 2 year molars and I hope, for the all of our sakes, that's the case and they break through soon.

So, oh, how I was in love with today! Doug knew what I rough time I'd had and so he woke up with Vivi this morning and read to her, gave her breakfast (canned Salmon lol), and was so helpful with her. And she loved every minute of it. She loves her papa so much, so I think some of her frustration during the week is that she doesn't get to see her papa, play with him, and she's just sick of me. So Saturdays are usually glorious because I'm not a single parent anymore and Vivi is so much happier. And that makes all the difference; it allows my patience, compassion, and sympathy for Vivi to be renewed and my loved and adoration for Doug to be extended.

On that note, we went to the park today, which meant my daughter needed to accessorize. Even though, she's not 2 years old yet, Vivi definitely has some opinions about what she wants to wear sometimes. Note: the scarf, rain pants, polar bear coat, hat, and sunglasses; missing: the polka dot rain boots that she REALLY wanted to wear but were much too big for her to even walk in. I think she looks pretty cool, but Doug took off her hat and sunglasses when we got to the park.

Teaching Her Early

We had a pretty fun week last week with visits to two sets of grandparents chasing after the snow we were promised in Seattle but didn't get. She learned how to make a snowman and, a more essential truth, that snow is cold even when you eat it!

Earlier in the week we also took a trip as a family to the temple. We wanted to get out of the house, but weren't really sure where to go and since Doug is always talking about just walking around temple grounds with Vivi (teaching her young the importance of the temple in our faith) and he had that afternoon off (he normally doesn't), we headed out to Bellevue. She had as much fun at the temple as she does at the park!

 She wasn't so sure about the statues at first...

 The baby statue freaked her out...

 Walking down the steps with the temple in the background.

 We tried to hide the water from her, but she found it and spent a lot of the rest of the trip trying to get her way through the hedge...

The prophet Joseph Smith taught that if we teach people (including our children) correct principles, they will 'govern themselves.' We had an former bishop who told us that his children had pretty much decided on their faith by the time they were 12 and most of the teaching he did was before that. If that's true for most kids, that means we have less then 10 years to point Vivi in the right direction, so we're starting early...and she seems to be pretty happy with it.

Baby Weight

On (or around) Aug. 9, the Harringtons will welcome baby #2 to the family! Yup, Vivi will be a big sister and a great one at that (we'll have to work on the jealousy issues, I'm sure). This second pregnancy has been much different from the first so far...most of the time I forget I'm pregnant because I'm chasing Vivi around, not sleeping, and not thinking about the baby 23 hours per day.

Physically, it is different, too. My back already hurts sometimes, my abdominal muscle strength is gone so those muscles hurt, I'm not as sick (which, apparently means we're having a boy) and I'm also feeling movement a lot earlier (because now I know what it feels like).

However, one thing I hope is different: the weight I gain. Last time I gained 40 pounds and I really don't want to gain that much again; it took me about one year to lose. At my last check up, my weight gain was great (minimal), but just in the last week or so, my fat jeans stopped fitting! What the heck! I'm not eating as many sweets, I'm only eating when I'm hungry (or sick because I haven't eaten in a while), etc. But I am still pregnant; here's a Facebook post from last week:

"my healthy spinach salad for lunch may have been offset by the two pieces of bacon I put in it (I was hungry!), but I think the cottage cheese and blueberries offset the bacon...but I think the amount of dressing I put on the salad offset the cheese/berries...so I might as well have a chocolate :)"

While I don't think about this pregnancy as much, I'm so excited for what means for our family.

Pressure Cooker

So lately I've been feeling lots of pressure...lots of stress. I've really enjoyed working part-time as Marketing Director, which was a new position at our small YMCA. It allowed me to be creative and challenged me to make this position, find opportunities, and have some leadership again (while still being very flexible). Well, last week I found out that in about 2-3 months I won't have this job anymore. I'm very grateful for the time I've had to do this and understand why this change needs to be made on the side of the organization.

But it has me stressed out. Yes, I will miss the money (but I know God has something in store for us and my husband's confidence is reassuring). Yes, I will miss the people (I've been there for 5 years). Yes, I will miss the opportunities to be challenged and creative...but I do not what another part-time job. This is an opportunity to put all my talents, skills, enthusiasm, and passion into what's most important: my home, my family, and my faith.

The stress comes because I'm not exactly sure HOW to do that. For so long, my passion has been my job. Then when Vivi was born, it was her...but still my job, too. Now, this is it. How do I transfer my work-ethic, skills, and passion from my work to my home? Because I think that is the only way I can be truly satisfied being home full-time.

I know I can be happy staying home full-time...I just have to figure out a way to do it my way. I just have to figure out what that way is.

I know I'm over thinking this and I just need to try some things with Vivi and for myself to see what works. But all of this combined with everything else going on in our lives gets stressful when I let it: new baby; are we going to grad school? Which one? Will this job opportunity work out better than we could've ever hoped (the interview process has been more than a month!)? Where will leave? What can we afford? bla bla bla

I know many of you moms have or have had these same concerns and stresses. I'm trying not to let it get to me. I have a wonderful husband who is so supportive of me and reminds what I need to do: just have faith and trust that we've done everything we could possibly do to ensure a bright future and the God will do the rest.

V-day!

Valentine's Day in our house is a big deal because it's "V-Day" and there just aren't that many holidays (or anything) that start with "V." Ok, really it's only a big deal to me, but I'm hoping it will rub off on the little "V," too. We celebrated with our traditional heart shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's. This is actually a tradition that I love to hate. Our first V-day we were so poor that's all we could afford to do to celebrate. The next V-day, I we decided to draw out of a hat and, wouldn't you know it, the heart shaped pizza won. I was mad because I wanted a real romantic dinner, but it was fate and so we've done it that last 5 years.

This year was really fun, though, because Vivi and I got to eat a yummy breakfast with Doug (not the norm), made heart shaped jello, and just had a great day!

Vivi had lots of fun coloring and eating the jello hearts we made for papa! My life is so full of love! I appreciate today to reflect on all the love I have in my life.

Tiara's and Princesses

Last night I was flipping through the channels and came across TLC's 'Toddlers and Tiaras' for the first time. I had heard of the show, but never watched it. And now I'm afraid I won't be able to look away from that train wreck. Here are just a couple short clips to familiarize yourself.

I'm sure my reaction was the same as many people. I think the audience of that show can probably break down into 2 groups: the ones who completely understand where these families are coming from and the families who think these parents are CRAZY. I fall into the latter category...for sure. In the first 2 minutes I was watching the show, one mom stated she had 2 girls competing in pageants, which meant if the entry fee was $1,800, she was spending $3,600. Whoa. Then she said she spent $10,000 the couple months on costumes for her girls. What?!

The next scene was a dad spraying tanning his 5 year old...with his paint sprayer...in their bathroom...while the girl was in her bathing suit. That's creepy dad.