Anneca Ruby McCune's

precious body

entered this world on

September 24, 2013

 at 5:23 p.m.

21 weeks gestation

 

2 ounces  7 inches long

Andon is TWO!

Our sweet little Andon turned two on Friday, September 20.  He is "all things trains" these days, so it was easy to figure out a party theme.  I decided to attempt to make a "cute cake" (not normally something I dare) and found this train cake online.  It took a long time, but was really fun.  The other kids really got excited about it and we had a great time putting the frosting and decorations on together.


Our train party included playing "Choo, choo, train" (aka "Duck, duck, goose"), opening presents (all things Thomas), and having cake and ice cream.  I had talked to Andon a lot about blowing out his candles and we practiced a ton and he actually did it!  I didn't think he'd be able to, but he did it completely himself.  What a big boy!

Here he is enjoying his cake and ice cream.

The "masterpiece" shortly before destruction. (wink, wink)

Andon is our little sweetheart.  He is rough and tumble and loving and gentle, depending on his mood.  The other children adore him and love playing with him.  He loves reading books, playing trains, cars, or Little People, doing anything outside, destroying anything his siblings have built, repeating anything you say, climbing, and taking the kids to school.  Many days he thinks he should be able to go to school too and throws a fit that he can't stay.  He gives kisses and hugs that will melt your heart and will wave and say, "Hi" to anyone willing to give him attention. 
We would truly be lost without our Andon!

Black Eyes

My sister, Jana, says my kids get black eyes more than any other children she knows.  After this last round, I think she may be right.

Skyler got in a "fight" with a door at our friend's house when we were over having dinner with them.
Spencer decided he was "jealous", and the very next day he and Kylene were having a tug of war with a blanket right next to a sharp corner of our wall/banister. 
Both had large straight bruises directly above their left eye and gravity did the rest.
 

 

 

 

School is Here

And, they're off...
 

 

 

 

 

 

Ella, Kylene, Hannah

They start their day with recess.  Nice, huh?!

Visitors!

Even though we have lived here only a month, we've already been able to welcome two different families to our house.  We love it!

The Clark's came the Thursday-Saturday before Labor Day Weekend.  Jana and I got so many pictures hung and decorations put out.  It was so nice and has made our house feel more like "home."  It was fun hanging pictures that have been in boxes for 18 months.  She also cut my hair and we went and got makeovers and bought some new makeup.  The kids did lots of playing and one evening we went to a great lake near our home that has a state park on one end of it.  The kids all had a great time, except Spencer, who was stung by a yellow jacket.  Ouch!  He actually stepped on it in the water and his poor foot was pretty swollen.  We cut our excursion a little short, but it was still a nice evening.



Kylene and Stephanie put their cooking skills to work one morning.  They made "Bird's Nests" for us and a family in our ward, and made lots of "Lemon Ice Cool-a" to quench our thirst in all the heat.  It was quite a mess and quite fun.

Then this past weekend, my parent's came.  We have missed them!  They were only here for about 28 hours, but we got a lot accomplished and the kids loved playing with grandma and grandpa again.  We got lots of shopping done Saturday morning and they bought us a great area rug to go under our dining room table (which is carpeted).  We also had an early 66th birthday celebration for my dad since his birthday is on September 10th.

 

I guess I haven't posted this yet, but my mom is finished with chemotherapy!  After four rounds, her doctor decided the risk of cancer was low enough that the best course of action was to stop.  We were thrilled and so grateful!  So now she is in full recovery mode.  Her last chemo was the week before we moved, so we ended up living with them through the entire process.  (Again, the Lord's timing is always best.)  She is feeling good most of the time.  She still gets tired easily and her white blood cell count--and her immunity--is still too low, but that should just be a matter of time.  We are so glad she can begin traveling a little and doing more.  They have shifted gears and have lots of travel and other plans to keep themselves busy.  It's so neat to see!

Anyone is welcome to come anytime!  We love visitors.

Coming Sighing and Singing to the Lord

The last several months has been non-stop ups and downs, valleys and vistas, trials and triumphs.  Moving a family of six without a moving company is not something for the faint of heart, and I am still trying to wrap my mind around everything I have to do.  I am trying so hard to do everything, yet somehow seem to be nearly drowning many days.  I know that is a part of life, and for the most part, I have stayed happy, excited, and grateful.  I do know that we are supposed to be where we are right now.  So many things have fallen amazingly in to place.  The timing of it all has totally been in the Lord's hands, and I have seen His direction and guidance throughout the experience. 

Yet last night, I hit a sort of "down".  I had ordered peaches and tomatoes to can--and while I knew this was probably biting off more than I could chew--I really wanted to do this.  I could pick the order up anytime on Saturday and, of course, I completely forgot.  I didn't remember until yesterday afternoon when I sat down to look at my calendar for this week.  I immediately called the lady who had organized it all and she told me "Sorry, but any fruit not picked up is donated."  It hit me so hard.  I felt horrible that not only would I not be able to have freshly canned peaches and tomatoes, I had wasted all that money.  (At least it was going to a good cause, but that was little consolation.)  It was the final straw and I broke down and had a little cry.  I felt a flood of "I can't do this" and I didn't know if I wanted to any more.  I said a very sad, but heartfelt prayer last night.

Then this morning when I looked at my email, the lead article for today's Meridian Magazine (a daily online LDS-oriented magazine) was entitled, "Mothering Young Children: Come Sighing and Signing to the Lord".  I knew I had to read it.  I instantly thought of my prayer last night: that I had given several deep sighs as I talked to my Father in Heaven. 

It is a beautiful article on hanging in there, and seeing the hand of the Lord in your life, strengthening and sustaining you.  It reminded me that I'm right, I can't do it all on my own; but, if I trust in His grace, I will be able to do more, and what I do will be sufficient.  It reminded me of the enabling power of the Atonement.  It reminded me that what I do as a mother does make a difference.  It reminded me of a quote my sister-in-law, Wendy, has hanging on her wall:  (something to the effect of) "I am a contractor, working on six palaces."  I loved the part that our family is in construction mode, so it's okay that my house is not perfectly clean and the dishes aren't usually done, etc.  It was just what my tired heart needed.

And, as a reminder that there are many people around me to support and help me in this journey--even if I am new to this area and know very few people--I found out that a lady I had met in my new ward who also ordered peaches had seen that I hadn't yet picked up my order and picked mine up as well!  So, the peaches and tomatoes will get canned and the money didn't go to waste after all!  Another tiny miracle in my life.  And another thing for which to be grateful.  The Lord is aware of me and I can keep pushing onward and upward, no matter how slowly I am climbing.