Cameron's 15th Birthday

We are getting so old! Where do the years go? Cameron nor Cody wanted a big birthday party this year. And we explained that the older they get, the more expensive their presents are, so the fewer there will be. And they were ok with that. Cameron got a new golf bag from us, and money from Choo-Choo Papa (my dad), Nanny Emily (my dad's mom), Justin's parents, and Aunt Angie and Uncle Mark.
The Friday before his birthday (8/9), I switched my schedule so I could be off, and I drove to Starke to get April and her girls for the weekend. Starke is North on 301, about 65 miles from my house, and half way to April's house in Jacksonville Beach. So her husband brought them half way after he got off work. We just hung out that night. It's nice having the new trundle bed in Cameron's room. Cameron was on a campout that night until Saturday afternoon, so Cody slept in his bed. But the rest of nights Cody slept on the trundle in his room, so April and Sashi could each have a twin bed in Cody's room, and there was plenty of room for Adaleh's pack n play.
Saturday morning we swam, for a while. We didn't have a baby boat for Addie any more, but we set her in the middle of a circular mesh float, and she loved it. Sashi is getting better at swimming. The water felt great. I'm so thankful for our pool! At 2pm, I had to go to a baptism for the Shuman family. The mom, Brandy, the oldest son, Judge (12), and the 2nd daughter, Lily (9) were baptized. She is the second wife Larry Shuman, and I suspect it is awkward for her to join the ward where the first wife and his oldest daughter have been coming for years. But the gospel is for everyone, and I hope she is fellowshipped. I am friends with this ex-wife and hope she understands that I still want and should be kind to this family. The daughter Lily is in Primary where I serve as the 2nd counselor. Besides I have a place in my heart, for people who are less active and make the choice to come back, it's hard, and I know it firsthand. For my part, I was to give the "Welcome to Primary" talk to Lily. I mentioned how I loved baptisms because the Spirit is so strong, and how now each of them are the cleanest, purest people in the room, and it makes me a little jealous. But thankfully we can repent often, and pray for the Spirit to guide us each day.
After the baptism I came home, and we all, (even Justin) loaded up and headed over to Nanny's to spend time with her and Papa. Mark and Angie were came over too. We had chicken strips and salads, and a yummy Publix cake. We sang to Cameron and Angie, since her birthday was the 1st, and we hadn't all gotten together yet. Cody even got belated birthday money from Papa, and Angie, so they boys were pretty happy with their loot. Now I had planned to tell my Dad about the baby that day, as I wanted to tell him in person. But I was waiting for the right time. I had thought it would be fun for April to say, Dad someone is going to have another baby, and I then I look at her and say, but it's not April. But I second guessed myself, because he wasn't really enthusiastic the last time she was pregnant, and I didn't want to seem like it's bad when she's pregnant but good if I am. Plus, I wasn't sure he'd be enthusiastic for me anyway. After a while I almost forgot about telling him, till suddenly nanny whispers loudly from across the room, How much longer to I have to keep quiet about this. Luckily dad is deaf, and didn't catch what she said. So with no time to rehearse I just said, Dad, someone here is having a baby, and then I looked at April. I thought she'd immediately say, Not me though! Instead she was like, What- don't look at me. So then I turned back at me dad, and said, it's me this time! He was shocked and concerned, but tried to seem happy. He hugged me and said, I hope you get what you want this time, but just take care of yourself. I know he doesn't realize that we have been trying for 6 years. Because I don't share that stuff with him. He's the kind of person who wouldn't understand longing for a child, as part of a plan for your life. Because Sally always turned up accidentally pregnant, and though he loved us, I know each time, it was thought of as another financial responsibility, especially since Sally didn't work. And Dad didn't want to just provide the necessities of life. He wanted us to have nice things, and braces, and college educations. And I think his gut reaction at the news is a financial concern. Because he looked at both of us and said, this better be the last one. Oh, well, could've been worse. I guess was prepared for that anyway. And Angie's surprising excitement has balanced the scales a bit.
Sunday I was teaching Sharing Time, so I had been coloring some pictures for my lesson the night before. April mentioned that she brought dresses for the girls to wear, which I thought meant she wanted to come with us this time. But then she said, "In case you wanted to take them". That surprised me. I made a comment about someone needing to teach them about Heavenly Father and Jesus, and she said they know about them, they go to church with Josh's mom. I said, But you know that's not the true church. She said, Every church thinks they are the true church. I said I know that, but you know, that ours really is. I told her there was a baptism after church, and I had would be staying to attend, and the girls could see what it's all about. I asked her if she was going to have her girls baptized. She said if they wanted to. I thought to myself, how will her kids ever know if they want to be baptized if she never takes them to church. She mentioned something about knowing all she needed to know about God and so she didn't need to go to church. It made me so sad to realize that she must not have a testimony. If Rikki did at one time, it has been brain-washed out of her by her lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender friends. She is a good person, and I'm sure they are too, but those are the only people she associates herself with. And she acts like a athiest person most of the time. She acts like it comes from all her years studying literature, fairy tales, and mythology. I think it's because when people are living in contrast to the teachings of Christ, they tell themselves whatever they need to, to lessen their guilt. But the things April said really surprised me. She isn't living alternative lifestyle. I thought her reasons for not attending were, maybe she thought Josh wouldn't be one board because he isn't a member. But actually he probably wouldn't care, as long as she didn't make it an issue that he attend. Then I thought maybe she didn't want to give up her occasional cup of coffee, or alcohol. Or perhaps like most things, she just didn't want to put forth the effort, of getting up early, and no mom likes dragging kids to church alone. But now I feel like maybe she quit going to church as I child before she really had developed her testimony.
It makes me so grateful for my testimony. I often think now, of the trails I've been thru with Justin in recent years, that now, I am really converted. But clearly even as a child/teenager I had gained a testimony of this being the true church. And though I spent years being inactive in my critical teenage years, and made many bad decisions, there was never a doubt in my mind that the church was true and that was where I knew I should be. It basically boiled down to this, my boyfriend and main group of friends weren't members. And they did bad things like smoke and drink, that seemed fun. The fact that I (we) were spared from any major damage during those reckless years, was only because the Lord intervened. At the time I knew the church was true, I just basically didn't want to live all the principles. And attending church, while not living the correct principles, caused me to feel guilty, and therefore, made me not want to attend church. How grateful I am for my firm foundation. I'm saddened to realize I am truly the only active member in my immediate family. How I wish I could help them (and Justin) realize how much happier they are when they are living the way the Lord wants us to.
On Monday April, her girls, me, my boys, and Choo-Choo Grandpa (my dad) went school shopping. That was a LONG day. We went to Target first, and got most of the stuff. Then to Wal-mart to get the rest, and so my dad could get a case for his new Nook HD! Then my dad wanted to get some stuff from Sam's too, so we all went there. The kids weren't bad, just tired of going store to store and in/out of the car.
Tuesday was Cameron's official birthday. The big 15! I would be taking April and the girls back to the meeting place in Starke that night, so we made the token journey down to my mom's house. Just before we left, I started feeling nauseous. Which was strange because I'd had cereal for breakfast a while ago, and everything was going fine. Next thing I know I'm hurling voilently. I thought, ok, it's morning sickness, there is definitely a baby in there. I was one day shy of 8 weeks along, and I was glad to finally be having some real, familiar symptoms, since I was still 3 weeks away from my OB appt. I dug around and found the anti-nausea, elastic wrist bands, and put those on. So I get it together, and off we go to Sally's. Her house isn't really clean these days, she hasn't been in a manic mood in a while, and she never has food anyway, so we took her out to lunch. April wanted to go to Olive Garden since they were having their Never Ending Pasta Bowl, special. By the time we got there, I was starving. I had Zuppa Toscana which was delicious and some Garlic Fettucine Alfredo. Which normally I love to get, because Justin doesn't like me to make that at home. It was good, but after awhile it seemed too greasy. I tried some of April's Chicken Gnocchi soup, which I also love, and almost got sick. I was starting to think nothing was safe becuase the nausea comes and goes so suddenly. Sally actually left early because she had a doctors appt. We went home, and packed up, which takes awhile becuase April packs so much for just 3-4 days. She had brought me a bag of baby boy clothes that were really cute and in good shape, from some people that work with Josh. If I can find a cheap indoor booster seat that can strap to the kitchen chair, April can quit having to bring the high chair every time. And I thought I had a car booster seat still. I need to find that so we don't have to tote Sashi's heavy duty booster seat every time too, she's almost six. April's got one a few days to get Sashi's bedtime routine down, because she starts kindergarten next Monday.