This Week at Our House # 20

1. John had one interview this week, and he has a phone interview tomorrow. We have officially decided that we will seriously look at a move for a good/ long term job. John has had a hard time with employment the 4 years we have lived in North Salt Lake. We will begin researching states and jobs. We cannot move a big family to just any place for any job. We need to live in a place where we can afford a large home, food and clothes for 10 kids. We would prefer that it is near family.
2. I am slowing down. I will be 8 months pregnant in 4 more days and I sure can feel it. I've hit the,"It's hard to move around" phase of pregnancy. I am grateful for any exercise I did before this pregnancy because even as moving is getting harder, I am not having the hip and leg pain that I did with the last pregnancy.
3. Ruth babysat for us 2 days in a row this past week because Johnny had an orchestra concert one day, and Adam and Anya had their end of the school year singing concert the next. When we came home the first day, Ruth had the house perfectly clean and all of the kids fed, bathed and ready for bed.
4. Kate babysat alongside Ruth too, and then as an awesome treat, Kate and Ruth's friend Bonnie took them to the movie theater to see Captain America. I was so glad that they got such a nice break after a busy week with the family. My favorite part was Kate coming home and complaining how Black Widow flirted with Captain America.
5. Johnny had an orchestra concert. He did a great job. He has a really good orchestra teacher and has learned a lot this year. I have been very impressed with the entire orchestra. Johnny loves it and plans to continue with the violin. This is huge because he took piano for several years, hated it and quit.
6. Adam had his singing concert. I think this is the first one that he actually bothered to sing in. But he didn't do any of the hand motions or dance steps. I don't think Adam will grow up to be much of a performer. He is still in soccer and loves that. John has been taking Johnny and Adam and some kids in the neighborhood to practice soccer a couple of times a week. That has been good for Adam and boosted his confidence a lot.
7. Occasionally I feel like I get things right with my kids. This week, we found out that Anya had a talk to give in primary. Rachel said she wanted to give a talk on that topic. I asked Rachel what she would say if she had that topic. Rachel said she did not know, so I told her to go and write a talk. Rachel wrote a really good talk and Anya used what Rachel wrote as part of her talk.
8. Anya really enjoyed her singing performance. Afterwards, she sang her songs again and again for the whole family. We loved it.
9. Joseph's a real smart little guy. I am impressed at how much he knows for his young age. He can tell me a lot of scripture stories and he just knows about things and how to do things. I guess all of his annoying getting into things, taking apart things, and general exploration has a purpose. I think he will quite like school when he starts in the fall.
10. In church today I told Josh to sit on Dad's lap. He said, "not Dad!" I said, "but you love dad." Josh shouted out a reply of, "I hate Dad." John and I started laughing and I noticed the speaker and the Bishop looking right at us.
11. In church today, Arwen started to pinch my arm. I told her not to because it hurts. She looked right at me and said, "Shhhh".
12. Susan's moving around a ton. Her head is down and I can sure feel that. Her heart rate and growth rate are normal and consistent. My blood pressure and weight gain and everything has been normal and steady. It looks like everything is a go for a normal healthy labor and delivery. I am having contractions all of the time now. As of today, I am 35 weeks pregnant. My mom bought a plane ticket and will be here around my due date. This is at a sacrifice to her and the rest of my family as she will be here while my dad and sisters who live with my parents close on their house in Maine and move to North Carolina. I am glad I get my mom, though. Susan will probably be one of her last grandchildren and I am happy that she will be here to see her fresh from heaven. 

This Week's Pictures

I am not sure why we have a need for beds for these boys. They sleep on the floor more often than not