Reflections

Well the time has come for me to update again as I haven't done to well of a job in the past. Though it really hasn't been that long since I wrote my last post which was just over a month ago.
We are nearing the end of Rick's deployment of 3 months. It has gone by fast and the kids are starting to count down(especially Amina who actually took Rick being gone harder than we thought) to the time when Daddy comes back. I just hope that Rick will return before our 13th wedding anniversary which is on April 10th. For the most part these past 13 years doesn't seem to be that long. There are times when it feels like just yesterday that we walked out of the Salt Lake Temple as husband and wife. If that was the case then where did 3 children ages 12, 10 and 4 come from. I am truly lucky to have Rick in my life. He is a great provider for our family and a wonderful husband and father. I have been doing some thinking during our absence and am realizing how truly blessed I am in my life to have my husband. I have great parents who rasied me in the gospel and taught me that the only true way to happiness is by following the example of our Savior. I know that my mom was a great example of that throughout her life and I thanks her for that example. I miss you mom. My dad continues to teach me that through service in the Church we will be blessed. I have wonderful siblings and in laws who even though I am not close to them where I can see them very often they do still make me laugh and smile even my cute neices and nephews. Aiden I love your Stephen joke. We miss all of you and Kristyn I hope that we will be able to come and visit you in WA before you move. When I saw the pictures of the tulips that you posted on your blog I thought it was from here in the Netherlands. So I guess we need to visit you there during the Tulip Festival and you need to come to the Netherlands to see Keukenhof and then compare which tulips are better Washingtons or Hollands.
I am looking forward to my reunion with my husband when he returns from Afghanistan. I really do miss him when he is away even if it is for a week or less. I am glad that we do have theses times apart though so that I do realize what a blessing he is in my life.
I even love my kids even though they may fight about stupid things, like who has eaten more Nutella sandwiches and how much is put on the bread each time. I am tryingto teach them that it is silly to fight about things like that and to cherish the times that they spend together. My favorite sound is to hear all 3 of my children laughing and playing together.
I hope that I have not bored anyone with the reflecting that I have been doing. Thanks for reading.