OUR STORY

Now that we are moved I can finally post some wedding things. This is "OUR STORY" that we had on the tables at our reception for people to read. It's a pretty good read if I do say so myself. :)

Patience, Faith, & God's Will

I've been thinking a lot lately about the blessings in my life, about following the spirit and about doing His will. I am so intrigued at the way I can look back now and see my Heavenly Father's hand in everything I do. The biggest lesson I've been learning lately is PATIENCE.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I don't have a lot of patience. I want things now, and I want them my way. I am learning that I am blessed with what I need each day and that everything I need or want is going to come eventually...I just have to have PATIENCE.

I moved to a small apartment 14 months ago. It was perfect for me and my four kids at the time. However, throughout the months we have driven each other crazy, shared one bathroom, shared one living space, and had not nearly enough room. We have grown closer throughout the year but seriously...enough is enough!

The search for a new place to rent began after Troy and I got married and we got home from our honeymoon in May. It was a very long and frustrating process. Everyday I felt like we were in a rat race. Who could get the first call into the property owner, who could get to the desired house first, who could get their applications in first. We looked at dozens of homes, had many fall through for absurd reasons, and had a lot of nights with heavy hearts. (Well, I should speak for myself....Troy has more patience than me.) The only ones that felt right to us ended up falling through. Besides the ones we looked at I called on dozens more, only to be told that they were already taken, or that something didn't fit the criteria we needed.

I had a thought come to me one day during this rat race that it all just seemed too crazy. I had the impression that when we found the right house it would be easy...that it would just workout and it wouldn't be so hard and stressful. This helped me muddle through the next few weeks and I learned not to get my hopes set on anything. Troy kept reminding me that we would end up exactly where we are supposed to be, that I needed to be patient, and that it would all work out. As I look back I know my Heavenly Father was trying to teach me two things. #1- PATIENCE, and #2- Faith in HIS plan...not my own.

The end to this story is that we found yet another house to go look at. I had no expectations by this point. (We had seen some pretty interesting properties...and by interesting I mean nasty!) We pulled up and were pleasantly suprised, we walked in and without a shadow of a doubt knew this was the place where we were supposed to be. We kind of hurried through the house because we knew we just needed to call the owner ASAP and tell him we wanted it. We were the first ones to see the house but we knew that didn't mean anything. We knew he could let other people through, review their applications and pick his favorite.

We got out to our car and Troy called Ben (the owner) and told him that we liked the house and wanted it. Ben basically told us it was ours, end of story. He said he would take it off the market immediately and he'd send us an application WHEN HE GOT AROUND TO IT. (Seriously....NO ONE does this!) Within just a few minutes the house was ours. I couldn't believe how easy it was....or how hard it had been up to that point. There were so many houses that could have worked but none that had felt right. The one we held out for was by far the best and I can't believe how blessed we have been. It has an unfinished basement that is going to allow us to be able to finish all the room we need for seven kids to live comfortably. (Seven kids in my apartment was the stuff bad sitcoms are made of!)

We are so excited to move and start OUR life together in a new place and to make this home OUR own. I've learned how important it is to set goals and to have faith and let Heavenly Father do the rest. I've learned that while He is teaching me patience He is also guiding me to what he has planned for me.

To those with some serious challenges right now my little house hunting story may sound trivial, and I agree that it is. The point is is that if our Heavenly Father cares about the trivial things in our life then he most definately is going to help us get through the serious stuff. I've seen His hand through the heavy, yucky stuff also, and again I learned the same two lessons.  #1- PATIENCE, and #2- Faith in HIS plan...not my own.

We never know what He has in store for us, but if we can have faith through the hard times it will definately turn out better than we could have ever planned ourselves.

SPRING BREAK: Feeding the Multitudes

Tonight I lie awake, exhausted, my mind racing. I am in a new world, a wonderful, crazy, frustrating new world where my life shifts from four children to SEVEN. If I can tell you anything it is that mealtime with seven kids has much to be desired. I am learning something new each time we eat. Things I have learned so far this week….

·         A big table and nine chairs are a MUST HAVE if we are to ever gain control over the chaos.

·         Do not serve pancakes as they come off the griddle. Next time I will call them all to eat AFTER I’ve made at least FORTY.

·         Seven children will never ALL like the same meal, unless it is pizza.

·         If you cut the pizza into smaller pieces they think they are eating more than they really are.

·         If you make grilled cheese sandwiches you will be on your feet for at least 45 minutes. (Unless you run out of cheese and bread faster than that.)

·         Cold cereal is a necessity and needs a budget all of its own.

·         Structured snacks are a MUST or the grazing will never stop.

·         Two ovens would be helpful.

·         I need larger griddles. (Mom and Dad…I may steal yours, watch out!)

·         People who do this every day are AMAZING.

·         I have never thought about meals so much in my life. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks…new day…start all over. Breakfast, lunch, dinner…)

·         Teenagers CAN be taught how to make tomato soup. (Open can…add water…stir….good job!)

·         I am completely and utterly grateful for PAPER PLATES.

·         Life without a dishwasher would be slavery.

I find myself often thinking of my Grandma Bonnie and what it must have taken to raise 10 kids. I cannot wait until I can talk to her someday about what that was like. (Especially mealtime!) I can’t imagine making all the loaves of bread that it would take to feed that many kids. The work must have been never ending. I wonder how she had enough patience, and how she found enough time to give everyone what they needed. I wonder if she ever felt inadequate, overwhelmed, and underappreciated. I wonder if she ever wanted to walk out the door and come back after everyone was asleep. Someday I’ll ask her all these things and have my questions answered! Meanwhile I’ll keep doing the best I can, and learning something new with every meal we have. I’ll work on getting more chairs and more patience. And I’ll keep appreciating paper plates, water bottles, and my dishwasher.

2 Things You May Have Wondered...

For those of you wondering the details on my soon to be family, please let me explain. My wonderful, soon to be hubby has three kids. Knute is 14, Rohr is 13, and Emmalynn is 10. They have been with their mom for the past year and a half in South Dakota. (Their step-dad is in the military.) They spent part of the summer here and we were able to get to know each other and go on some fun trips. They are here for the month of April for vacation and of course our wedding! They have an AMAZING opportunity to go to Japan as their step-dad received orders to station there. They will be leaving for Japan in May and we’ll see how the summer treats them there! We are so excited for them to have this opportunity but we are also sad to not have them around for the summer.

While I’m at it let me explain my soon to be last name. It is Ljungberg; pronounced Youngberg. Sounds normal, but looks weird. Troy’s family is Norwegian and I am so excited to be a part of it. (I have a magnet on my fridge from his mom that says, “Pray for me, I’m married to a Norwegian.” Lol) For the rest of my life when I tell people my last name I will have to explain how it is spelled. I have watched Troy do this hundreds of times already. It is a small price to pay for love I suppose. ;)

Our trip to Mount Rushmore this past summer

If you must know I cannot wait to have this last name. You cannot imagine the confusion of not knowing what your name is. Some places I’m Howard, some I’m Miller, and at the gym and most recently car insurance I’m Ljungberg. I’m caught off guard when anyone asks me my name, and I have to think about where I am. It’s an interesting dilemma and I’m not gonna lie, it is pretty funny sometimes. I went to sign at the closing of my house last week and they had my middle initial recorded as N instead of M. The lady at the title company told me to just sign with an N since that is what was on everything. I agreed...I have lots of names right now.

My boys have told me that since we’ll have different last names, that that means we’re not family, and that they can’t live with me anymore. Oh, the conversations you never imagined having to have with your children! Luckily they have good friends in similar situations, and so their examples helped the boys to understand. How confusing for a little kid!


We are excited for our families to be joined and look forward to all the crazy and fun times. The kids already get along like brothers and sisters. The PLAY together, FIGHT together, and LOVE each other. I don't think I could define FAMILY any better than that.

What No One Told Me

Every other weekend two great moments happen. The first moment is the minute my kids leave to go with their dad for the weekend and my house is silent. I can hear the clock ticking and a peaceful calm surrounds me.  It’s time to take care of myself and have no worries or responsibilities. The second moment is that minute when my kids walk back through the door. My empty house is once again filled with chaos, craziness, love, and hugs.

From the outside looking in it appears to be a great setup having your kids gone every other weekend. I don’t disagree with that but what no one told me is that the worry never really goes away. You see when they aren’t with me I’m not responsible for them. I have no say in what they can and cannot do. I forfeit my control every time they walk out that door. I have to have faith, a lot of prayers and accept the fact that my way isn’t the only way. I have to accept that someone else has an influence in their life and I have to allow that to happen. What no one told me is how much I would love my kids. A few years ago I would dare say I was not the mom I would have liked to be. I was consumed with my own feelings and problems. I didn’t give my kids the attention they needed and deserved. My relationships with them are so different now than they used to be. We have conversations that we have never had before. We talk about how blessed we are to have each other, how we stick together as a family, and how people that make different choices than us are not bad people….just different. I pray that they are learning compassion, and things that will help them reach out to other people when they see a need. I watch them have inner conflicts as they go from house to house and try to sort out their own emotions. I watch them come to me with concerns that need discussed and excitement about things happening in their lives. No one told me how amazing it would be to watch my children transform. It’s incredible to watch kids grow and learn and to watch them come through with flying colors. There is nothing better than when an outsider says to me, “Your kids seem so happy and seem to be doing so well.” As a mom I can see the changes that take place each day but when other people take notice it is extra sweet. No one told me how much I would cherish FAMILY TIME. This time has taken on a new meaning as we spend time together and enjoy each other’s company. The future holds endless possibilities and we are excited as we make goals and plans to do things as a family. You know that feeling you have when you've been gone on a long trip? You can’t wait to get home, and you’re so glad to see your kids after a long time away! It's the feeling that helps you appreciate what you have and to remember how blessed you are. What no one told me is that I would be so blessed to be able to experience that feeling every other weekend. I get to remember each time my kids walk in and out my door how much I love them. I never have a chance to take them for granted because I am constantly reminded of how much I love them every time they are away from me.  

No one told me any of these things, but I’ve figured them out on my own. I’ve wrestled with emotions, I’ve cried endless tears, and had a heavy heart. I have also felt joy, been proud of my kids, been stronger than ever myself, and have more love in my home than I ever imagined possible. What an amazing thing it is to look back at life, at lessons that have been learned, and at progress that has been made. I'm so excited for more change, growth, and happiness to come!

Reading Rituals

So I know the word ritual is accompanied by thoughts of cults or crazy people, but in my Media class we had to write a paper on rituals that we participate in with the media. It was very eye opening to notice these "rituals" if you will, that we all participate in daily. There's the weekly shows we must TIVO, the Netflix that goes on every night to wind down, the basketball games that bring men together to shout and place bets. The magazines at the checkout stands that draw us in as we wait in long lines. I originally was going to write my paper about my families obsession with Netflix. (It's official, we can't live without it!) But then I thought of something a little more meaningful, something I hadn't really ever thought about until it just spilled upon my paper as I wrote it. So here's my paper on "media rituals", I thought it was worth sharing. (And yes, I got an A. :)

Reading is one of my great loves. It is something that gratefully was passed down from my dad. From the time I can remember I would read whatever I could get my hands on. When I was young it was the Baby-Sitter Club series, when I was in my twenties it was LDS fiction, then I moved on to Mary Higgins Clark mysteries, and controversial Jodi Picoult novels. Somewhere along the way I even started to enjoy self-help books.

Reading in itself seems to be a solitary experience and for most I suppose it is. For me now and growing up it was much more than that. It became a social interaction between me and those that I loved. My dad’s idea of a good time was to wander Barnes and Noble for hours. He’d come home with a pile of books every time. When I was younger I only remember him buying huge biographies about people, and books about ancient scripture; things that seemed completely snooze worthy. Now when I visit home I see fantasy and science fiction books lying all over the place.

Growing up I can always remember my dad asking me what I was reading. I would reluctantly tell him the title and what it was about. He would flip through it and scan the pages. I never really knew if it was because he was really interested or if he was just making sure it was appropriate. Now that I do the same thing with my daughter I realize that it is both. She has also inherited a love for books and always has at least one lying around.

For as long as I can remember reading has been my night time ritual. It is my escape, my relaxation, and my enjoyment. There is nothing better to me than a good book. I recall my childhood room and laying in bed reading at night. Besides being an avid reader I am also addicted to candy. Lying in bed with a book and something sweet to eat is the story of my life. When I was a little girl I remember the jolly rancher wrappers all over the floor when I was done, the occasional Doritos bag, and Chick-o-Sticks. I’d walk to Ben Franklin and spend my change on candy for my reading time.  Somehow food and reading perfectly complements each other for a sublime experience.

As I got older the world discovered Harry Potter and this contributed to the social aspect of my families reading habits. All of the sudden everyone was reading the same book. We were asking each other what part of the book we were on, and then there was my Dad. He didn’t revel in a book and take his time, he plowed through it! I didn’t live at home during the Harry Potter frenzy, but I know my Dad would buy the book and no one could touch it until he was done reading it. Luckily for my brother and sister that usually only took a day. By the time the last few books had come out they would just pre-order two or three.

When I would see my family we would talk about the books. Whether we liked it or not, what we think about the ending, what we think will happen next, and so on and so forth. My dad was the ultimate critic and I would usually walk away thinking about a book a little more carefully than I had at first. Later the Fablehaven series came out, and the conversation would be about that. I can recall going home and talking to my dad about the latest book and when the next one was coming out. 

Then there were the movies, the DREADFUL movies that would try to retell the stories in our beloved books. There were the Harry Potter movies, and Twilight, none of which accurately captured the books. My family then would pick apart the movies piece by piece. What was left out, what was different, and what could have been done to make it better.  Now we anxiously await the Hunger Games movie and hope that it can capture the story that was told.

My dad and I don’t often find a whole lot to talk about but books are something we share a love for. As he has become ill in the past few years I realize that this love for reading is something I will always treasure because of him and it will be something that will always live on after he is gone. It has shown me what I can create in my family and share with my children. It is something that has created a bond through those of us who love to read. It is a family ritual that has brought us together while also being done in solitude.

Although I have to search a lot harder now for time to read it is still one of my favorite things. Knowing that I can curl up in a blanket and read a good book is something that is very comfortable and familiar to me. Wherever a book can take me is where my imagination will go. And as long as there is something sweet, salty, or crunchy to eat next to me then life is good.

Yes, I'm Hooked

I'm not sure why I fight the forces of conformity. If there is something that EVERYONE is doing...you can bet that I'm not. That is until I actually check it out...and then I become hooked! Books, social media, TV shows, you name it. I fall in love with it all...usually after the fact.

Just ask my mom how much I detested the color pink for most of my life. I thought it was the most dreadful, revolting color ever. It took me having a baby girl to decide it was the greatest color out there! (And yes, now I'm obsessed.) Hmm, that gives me an idea for a new pin board....PINK! Any who, I digress...on to Pinterest!

If there are any of you out there who don't know what this phenomenon is, let me explain. It's a virtual pin board that allows you to pin any image to it. You can have as many pin boards as you desire and as many pins as you can discover.

It's an all in one storage place for every idea you ever see, everything you ever want to do, and every idea you haven't thought up yet.

It's a place for endless inspiration whatever it might be!

As I became hooked today and started "pinning" away to my hearts content, my almost 10 yr. old daughter came in to check out what I was doing.

She was fascinated as she watched me pin books I have read. (Yes, she is a book nerd also. We can thank my dad for that!) I showed her my different boards, including my "kid" board that included crafty ideas that the kids can do.

I immediately had a "light bulb"  moment, when I realized that this was something she would LOVE to do! She spends hours online playing games and listening to music. I thought how awesome it would be for her to make boards full of kid stuff she likes, things she wants to do, and deep down I may even be hoping for...dare I say it...some GOAL setting!

I told her that this was something that was pretty easy and that if she wanted to do it I would help her get it started over Christmas vacation. She was ecstatic, and I'm pretty thrilled myself. We must remind ourselves however that after we pin it, we must create it, or work towards it!

I'm sure one day I may regret this after I'm overwhelmed with lists of projects from my little ones, demanding that their mom help them. When that happens I will just lock myself in my room.....and Pinterest!

You can check this virtual pin board world out at http://www.pinterest.com/, or click on the link at the top of my blog page to follow me and see what I've pinned. To create your own account you must be invited so leave me your email address if you'd like to join in on the craziness!