Spring, Spring, Spring!

We LOVE Spring! We love to be able to go outside, see the green grass, feel the warm sunshine and everything that comes with it. As a family we have had a few changes and new adventures to embark upon. I (Kristin) have been presented with a couple of new job opportunities. I am substitute teaching in our school district and teaching a class through the City. I also have a new calling in our ward, in the Relief Society presidency. All of this happened within about 2 weeks time, so it has really been crazy. Brandon is super busy at work and starting to work at the Garden Center. He is also teaching a couple of classes there. Zach is starting both soccer and tee ball. He has games 3-4 days a week and practice on the other days! Wild and crazy around here sometimes and I am so thankful we have a village of family and friends willing to help us out so much! We had a wonderful Easter weekend. It started on Thursday when Nana, Marnee, Pots, Donald and Amanda flew in town. On Friday we met up and did some shopping at City Creek Mall. That evening was a very special night. Amanda went through the temple for the first time. I am so thankful for the blessings that the temple brings to my life. I know that families are Forever and that our Savior Jesus Christ made that possible. There was an undeniable spirit of my brother Kenneth there. He was there, and our family was "together" for the first time since 1999. I am thankful for the peace that can only be felt in the House of the Lord. I am grateful for my family. We had all of my siblings there with my parents and our Nana. It was a wonderful night. We ended the night by going to Chili's. That was nice to sit and talk and eat yummy food! Saturday was another special day because our cousin Kennedy was baptized. She looked beautiful and it was a great day to share with her. We woke up on Sunday morning to find that the Easter Bunny had made a stop here. We went to Grandma and Papa's house for our Easter Egg hunt before church. Then after church we went to find eggs at Grandma Koeven's house! Then we headed in to have Easter dinner at Kimberley's house. My mom and dad did an egg hunt for the kids. Each of them had to find a golden egg, it even had dollars in it! Then they hid eggs for the big kids aka the parents. It was a fun, warm, beautiful afternoon. We enjoyed being together. Zach had been waiting to get an award from his teacher all year. We talk about it and he keeps trying to work hard. Well, the day came and our boy was awarded the Principals Pride. We are so proud of him and he was sooo excited! He was lucky to have Grandma, Papa, Grandma Koeven and mom there. Way to go Zach! Another new adventure for Spring is that Zach is playing teeball and soccer. He played soccer in the fall and has been anxious to play teeball. His team is the Yankees and he is so excited. The morning after Easter, my sister Jennise and I loaded up our kids in Lulu (our van) and hit the highway. We had a week of Spring Break so we headed to El Paso to Marnee and Pots' house. The kids did great in the car and we had a WONDERFUL trip. We played outside, the kids swam in the pool, rode scooters and bikes, went to Peter Piper, watched Pots and Donald coach a baseball game, played tee ball in the front yard, played with Tenney the new puppy, ate lots of Blue Bell Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, visted Marnee at school, shopped, and just enjoyed every minute of our trip. It was such a fun Spring Break!!

Brave...

I watched this tonight, and cried. Adoption has really been on my mind alot lately. We are so blessed to have an open adoption with Zach's birthmom and her family. We were able to see them last night as a "belated" Christmas get together, and we always enjoy being with them. Each time we are together, I come away even more thankful for Heidi's choice. Because of her... I am a mother. As I listened to this song, my heart is full of so many emotions. We have prayed for so long to have another baby join our family. We have had heartaches along the way, and are trying to be faithful on our journey. But sometimes, its just hard. How do you explain to a 5 year old why its okay for other kids to get a brother or sister, when we have been praying for one for so long? He sees a baby and is drawn to them. He will make a great big brother. We know Heavenly Father has a plan for our family. We pray for a BRAVE birthmother to be led to us. Adoption is a miracle, and we are blessed to be a part of it.

Living the Dream

The other night Brandon and I had a conversation that has really stuck with me. We were talking about life--its ups and downs, joys, triumphs, trials..all of it. Our washing machine had seen its last day, we had gone without one for about a week and decided to purchase another one. We have been budgeting our money so well lately, really being cautious, and BAM if its not one thing its another. A new washer, a leaking outdoor faucet, a leaking basement shower drain, trips to the dr, medications, new car payment, a trip to plan for and money seems to go out faster than it comes in. And I said, "I have decided that this is just life--we are living the dream." I have thought about that over and over. As I sat up with Zach in the wee hours of this morning, fighting a 103.4 fever, I thought of my life and how I am truly living MY dream. Lets rewind 6 years........December 2006. We were living in Logan, just having gone through 2 failed infertility treatments, Brandon in school and working, me working like mad at MC, and we were dreaming. Dreaming of the day when Brandon would be finished with school. Dreaming of when we would finally be parents to at least 2 kids. Dreaming of when I would not be the breadwinner, but be a stay at home mom.Dreaming of Brandon getting a great job (making lots of money! not all dreams come true ;)) Me dreaming of when I would be a mom, and able to be the room mother (a title I could not be more excited to become). And so many other things. As I sit here, exhausted from the early morning wake up, I am overwhelmed with emotion because we are living our DREAM. Our life is far from perfect, and there are still dreams we dream about and wish for, but today, I am the ROOM MOTHER who has planned and will host a Christmas Party for my Zachy's Kindergarten class. Today, I am a stay at home mom, with a husband who works hard for the money at his dream job. Today I have a beautiful home, wonderful friends, amazing supportive family, a hard working and loving husband, a firecracker of a beautiful son, and the knowledge that my Heavenly Father hears and answers MY prayers for me to be able to live my dream. So, I will keep dreaming of another baby in our home and other wishes, but I am thankful to know that dreams really can come true.

Go Green Frogs!

Another year for soccer has begun. This year Zach is on an all boys team called the Green Frogs. He is having alot of fun, and learning new things.

Bear Lake!

I am a total slacker on the pictures of our Koeven Reunion Bear Lake Trip. I only seemed to take them when we were on the boat! Needless to say we had another great reunion. We stayed in this beautiful mansion that had slides going to each level that the kids loved. Most of the adults tried out the slides too. We did crafts, played games, practiced for the 2016 Olympics in Synchronized Swimming, ate yummy food, went tubing, saw a play at the Pickleville Playhouse and had fun being with family. Thanks to Grandma Koeven for providing the beautiful house we stayed in. Enjoy the pictures of one smiling happy boy that never wanted to get off the boat!