Education

First of all, it cracks me up that in the picture below my phone is almost dead. Story of my life. My phone is ALWAYS on the verge of dying.  I am so bad at charging it.  Half of the time I can never find the right cord, so I just let it die.  If someone really needed me, they would call Trent.

Trent and I were talking about this subject the other day.  A member of our stake presidency is the Dean of Students at BYU-I.  He told Trent the other day that we only pay 45% of the actual cost of our education.  Tithing covers the rest.  It is SUCH a blessing to be here.  I could not imagine going anywhere else for our education.  All the other colleges are so dang expensive!  I just can't wrap my head around it.

I really loved the second part of that quote.  Using our education to serve our fellowman rings so true to me.  As an educator, it is very easy for me to find ways to serve in our church and to serve others around me.  I asked Trent how he thought he could apply this principle.  His exact words, "Are you out of your mind?  Service is everything in engineering.  I make public places safe.  I build things that will last and be safe for others to use.  Drinkable water is one of the most scarce resources on Earth, yet without it you will die in three days.  I develop ways to purify and distribute that water.  Everything I do is to better the world for mankind." 

SOMEBODY got a little passionate. 

I also LOOOVE the following sentence.  Using your education to help you become what God created you to be is so key to this life.  We learn of our potential through personal revelation.  But learning from others and putting ourselves in those learning environments helps us to become.  

I recently applied for a scholarship that would pay for my Masters Degree.  Even if I don't get that scholarship, I will still continue to take classes someday.  I think after Trent finishes his Masters and has been working for a solid year, I will start to take one class a semester.  I will never be done learning.  I am too passionate about education.  

I believe in being good at a certain skill.  My skill is teaching.  Trent's skill is math and engineering. We need these skills to help us be a valuable member of the community.  But I also believe in learning about many different things.  I want to take classes on astronomy, business, communications and more.  I want to learn many skills and then use those skills to better my family and also serve the others around me.

I love listening to the Apostles.  They are so inspired.

The Announcement.

Really. I shouldn't be posting this on ANY social media sites. It's still a little early. Buuuuut....   But, I was looking on how many people have seen my pasts posts, and its between 8-10.  I can probably name 5 of those 10 people, so the other five - you get an early sneak peak.   Baby Thompson #2 is coming!    The Reveal:   About three-four weeks ago, I was due for a visit.  I knew the likeliness of me being pregnant was slim.  I mean, that month was our first go, we didn't track, or do anything special.  But. I couldn't stand the suspense {a definite personality flaw that drives Trent nuts}, so I bought and $0.88 test at Walmart, and tried it out.  Nothing.  I went back to the box and read the directions (you probably should do that before you take the test), and realized I had read the results wrong. So I went back to the test, dug it out of the trash, and there was a faint line.  But there was a line.   I couldn't contain myself.  But I so badly wanted to reveal it to Trent in a cute way. He was seriously  going to be SHOCKED.  So - I stole an idea from Kayla she had shared with me like 2 years ago.   We went to Fat Cats, (it's a move theatre, arcade, and bowling spot in town).  Trent, Porter, and I played arcade games, won tickets and prizes, and had a really great time.  Towards the end, I told Trent I really, really wanted to do the photo booth they had there.  He grudgingly agreed, and while the countdown was happening to take the pictures, I whipped out a pregnancy test and caught his reaction on camera!  Cute, right? Except we are the Thompsons. So nothing ever happens picture perfect.  So Porter is screaming the entire time, and you can't really see mine and Trent's face, and the pictures are SO blurry. Whatever, it's real life. *Note to self: Next time, don't include Porter in the reveal.   The Ultrasound:   Two Thursdays ago, I started throwing up.  I knew it was going to happen, but a girl can wish. I wasn't going to set up an appointment with the Dr. until 12 weeks, but I needed Zofran, and I needed it now. So at 7/8 weeks we scheduled the appointment and did the ultrasound.   Honestly, they couldn't really find much.  It was pretty heart wrenching.  She could sometimes find a heartbeat, and she showed me the sac(?), and there was a baby she tried to measure, but it was all to small.   She thinks the same thing that happened with Porter is happening this time.   Remember? With Porter, I went in at 9 weeks to do the ultrasound, and I was really 6 weeks along.  Well, this time we thought I was suppose to be eight weeks along.  But when she measured the grain of rice, six weeks and two days came up on the screen.  Then she said, "I wouldn't trust that measurement because you are just too early to tell."  Then I had to ask her the hard question, "Do you think it is so small because I might be having a miscarriage."  My heart breaks just thinking about it.  I told her to be honest with me. I didn't want it sugar coated.   She then said that she would be very, very surprised if I had a miscarriage.  The sac looked completely healthy and I could find a heartbeat and baby, the heartbeat is just too small to hear and the baby too small to measure. After we talked, I felt at peace.  I asked Trent his thoughts and he said he felt good about the situation.  That doesn't mean it won't happen, but we can't live in fear of the future.  We have to live with faith in the present. {Totally easier written than actually done.}   Symptoms:   I'm crazy nauseous, I'm emotional, I'm exhausted, and I am determined to have a better attitude with this pregnancy. Let's face it, the reason why Trent was so hesitant for a second child was because of my constant complaining during my first pregnancy. I think because I am so nervous our little one being okay, I am actually slightly grateful for these symptoms. 
UPDATE:
I didn't post this. I am glad I wrote this post two weeks ago when it was fresh in my mind.  But I couldn't bring myself to post this until my last ultrasound.  We went in this last Tuesday on September 29th.  We were able to see a beautiful babe on the screen with a heartbeat! Apparently, everything looked great and healthy and we are very grateful.  The heartbeat was at 178, which I thought was a little high but the doctor reassured me that it was normal.  I am at 9 1/2 weeks.  I will be 10 weeks on Wednesday. And the arrival of #2 is expected on May 4, 2015. 
I won't be posting it on social media until  the end of the month before Halloween.  I have to tell my students first before social media, and I want to wait until I am in my second trimester. 
A family of four, it just seems to good to be true! 

The Envelope System

Yikes. So many good things are happening in the Thompson home.  I need to remember that as I struggle to wake up these days.  Optimism, folks. I need more optimism.  

  We get most of our ideas from others around us.  I remember watching my friend, Samantha, raise her little babies before I had Porter and taking note on things I liked she did.  I wasn't judging AT ALL. My mother taught me better.  But I remember thinking, "Oh! I should do that when I have kids someday."   And I ALWAYS steal Kayla's great ideas. That gal is full of them.  So it isn't surprising that when she talked to me about the Dave Ramsey envelope system I jumped on board. I mean if the Merrells are doing it, we should be doing it too, right?  Luckily, Trent adores the Merrells like I do, and when we saw them put their system into plan on vacation, I knew we had to do it too.   Trent and I have always, always, been good at saving.  We have had a budget since the first month we have been married.  But lately, we have been a little lax.  And when I say lately, I mean for the past like seven months.  We were still saving some money, but we were losing our self-discipline we spent years trying to obtain. I was pretty frustrated.  Also, at the end of every month, I would try and track what we bought at each store and how much we spent on each category.  I couldn't figure it out! I can't remember what I bought at the beginning of July at Walmart?! It could have been for Porter, groceries, medicine, whatever!  We also tried budgeting Apps like Mint, but that was a complete waste too.    Basically, the envelope system is where you create a budget and create a category for every aspect of your life.  We created budget with 16 categories.  Some of our categories are groceries, toiletries, Porter, Date Night, Fast Food, insurance, gas, etc. One of those categories also included Christmas.  By putting money aside each month for Christmas, we aren't spending loads of money at the end of the year buying plane tickets and presents.  We have started preparing for those expenses since August.  It's quite wonderful - Bishop Christensen shared it with us when we were engaged during our monthly meetings.   After you create those categories, you take all of your money out of the bank, and stick the amount of cash you decided in each envelope. We have sixteen envelopes we keep in our safe.  When I need to buy gas, I take the cash out of the "gas envelope," buy the gas, and then put the receipt back in the envelope.  When I buy diapers and wipes for Porter, I do the same.  I take it out of the "Porter" envelope, buy it, and put the receipt back into the envelope.    We have only done it for one month and it was a success.  It would have been even more successful if Trent didn't buy that hunting gun - we all have our vices. But really, it was so... freeing. As dumb as that really sounds.  I love being in control of finances.  I have seen, multiple times, what finances can do to a marriage.  Because of what I have seen, {divorce, stress, blaming, hard feelings} finance is my number one fear. Money makes people say and do crazy things.  I want us to be happy, but I want us to live below our paycheck.  I want us to be smart.    Luckily, Trent feels 100% the same way I do.  He bought into this system Day 1. He loves it. We are no longer asking each other, "When did you buy this?  What is this debit card charge?"  We know. We know that if we have $20 left in fast food money, and we have three weeks until our month ends, we better start cooking real food. It's a reality check for us. It helped me realized, "Hey Kari Anne's frozen custard 3x a week is not part of the budget."   Obviously. This doesn't work for everybody.  I am just so relieved after four years, we finally found a system that works for us.  Thanks for the idea, Merrells!  

   

That Frazzled Mom

Welp. It is time to face the facts.  I am that frazzled mother.  The one I definitely did not envision myself to be. I have slowly been processing this realization, but today solidifies it.
Two nights ago, Porter had a super rough night. Something was wrong, but I couldn't figure it out. We were up together from 1:30-3:30 a.m. and then up again at 6:30 a.m. to start our day.  I thought for sure Porter would take a long nap in the morning or afternoon.  Hmmm. He took a 45 minute morning nap and refused an afternoon nap.  Finally, at 5:00 p.m. we got him to take a late afternoon nap.  What I did not expect was for him to sleep all of the way until 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning.  He was just a little exhausted.
So I get ready and Porter is in a wonderful mood. I am feeling positive church is going to rock today.  And, for the most part, Porter was in a great mood.  But for some reason he had so... much... energy.  He was literally bouncing. off. the. walls.  He was jumping, screaming {happy screams}, falling, running, laughing, and completely out of control.  When the men joined us for Sunday School, everyone was trying to keep it together because Porter was being so funny and completely insane. 
Except, the child was also being totally irreverent. And although his craziness is possibly cute for two minutes, it's definitely not cute for two hours.   When sacrament rolls around {that's our final hour of church}, I was desperate to go home.  So we are in and out of church for the first bit.  After the sacrament, Porter decides to throw hymn books on the floor and step on them and crinkle their pages. I am in the middle of wrestling the child when another mom {the one who just moved in that has a little boy the same age as Porter}, grabbed Porter from me and said, "My husband and I have to be in the foyer with Maverick anyway, I'll take Porter so he can play with him and you can stay here and listen." And she whisked him away.
Trent gave me a questioning look from the stand and I just shrugged my shoulders.  At that moment, everything in me was trying to keep it together.  I was slightly embarrassed, but even more grateful.  No one has EVER volunteered to take Porter out for me so I could listen.  Two weeks ago, a sister in our ward was trying to listen to her husband speak, but her baby was upset.  I took the baby and Porter outside so she could enjoy his talk.  Maybe this is karma, the good kind.  I just really needed a few moments by myself.  
Our High Councilman saw what had happened and over the pulpit asked me if I would bear my testimony because having Porter taken from me is a sign I need to come up here.
When I had Porter again, he decided he didn't want to walk anymore, but also didn't want to be held.  And all the while, people are trying to talk to me about this, that, and the other. 
It just hit me that I am so frazzled.  Yet, my greatest fear is when others see me frazzled that they will take it as I don't love my calling as a mother.  Because that could not be farther from the truth. I love, love, love being Porter's mom.  I love that naughty, sweet boy.  Every time he thought he was in trouble today, he would run to me and give me kisses to say he was sorry.  I love those moments with him.  I just hope the next time we announce we are having a baby, people don't laugh right out loud because of the craziness they see during church... and the state of our home.
On the other hand, I do need to work on not appearing so frazzled.  Yes, we always come to church looking nice.  But if Porter needs to be in the halls more than he is in the classroom, I should not get so worked up over it.  He is 14 months. And church is hard for a little explorer like Porter.  On the bright side, 4 more months until nursery!