Really? Again?

Well - it's 6 AM.

I've been awake for an hour & a 1/2. I know for some Moms, that's actually a late start. But for this Mom... that's far too early before having this actual baby instigate the sleep problems. Blargh.

Last week, David got a pretty bad cough. We assumed it was from the fires that were going on down here because, holy COW! was the air quality bad!


Last year, during the fires that surrounded us, the same thing happened to him. He has mild asthma and some allergies and so it seemed to affect him more than either Malia or I. Then, last weekend, I sent him to Urgent Care because I thought it may be more than that. The cough was pretty bad and it looked like he may have strep throat. Oddly enough, the doctor said "nope" to the strep, that his cough was most likely from the smoke, and that he did have pink eye. (Are you freaking kidding me?! Random. Oh, and just marvelous, too).

So, now, a week later, this supposed "smoke-induced" cough has spread to both Malia and I. Obviously, it was more than just the fires. It's gotta' be some evil virus. Let me tell you something about being this pregnant (38 weeks) and having a dry, hacking cough that causes abdominal tension. It SUCKS! (Don't even get me started on when I had an attack earlier today while also having a Braxton Hicks contraction! OUCH!) But what sucks even more is my reason for being awake already. Malia is so affected by this cough and it's so hard on a mother to actually try to sleep with her daughter hacking and nearly dry-heaving from a severe cough in the other room. (Oh, and P.S. she ended up getting pink eye, too). I woke at 4:30 to do one of my nightly/early morning bladder-emptying runs, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I heard Malia begin with an eruption of coughing. Since then, I've been in there about 5 times, doing no good because there really isn't anything you can do for a child under the age of 6 when they have a cough (cough suppressants are off limits because they do more harm than good at this age). I've tried holding her on my lap, thinking that maybe being upright will help. I've tried giving her a drink of water. I've even given her basic Tylenol. I woke David to give her a blessing (sorry, hon). And I even tried simply laying next to her, trying to snuggle the cough away.

It's now 6:30 and I think her coughing has subsided... for now. But I'm far too awake to even try going back to sleep at this point. I think Malia has been sick at least 1/2 a dozen times in 4 months. And the majority of those times, I've actually had to take her to the doctor as they've all been more than the "common cold." (and anyone who knows me well, knows that the doctor is a last resort)! It's been a rough season for her. Well - ok. Enough of my tragic story. She'll get better soon... and then this baby will be here in just over a week... and then Malia will get sick again. LOL

On a lighter note: We went to the Irvine Spectrum a couple weeks ago for FHE so that Malia could ride the big ferris wheel. Just thought I'd post a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. :)


I love the above picture because Malia absolutely loves other children. These 2 girls were sitting in the children's books section, reading your basic pre-teen mags and Malia wanted to be a part of it, so she just stood up and walked over to them and started "reading." After a few minutes, she just looks over and tries talking to the girls like they've been pals for years. It was so cute! The kid cracks. me. up. I just... what can I say?... I just adore her.

Why I love C.S. Lewis

I am an incredibly emotion-driven person by nature. And even though I like to argue occasionally that I am not your "typical female" in that I like to tell myself I am logical and rational... I'm probably not. That's why it suits me to be a religious person as well. My spirit is in such command over my brain that arguments of a spiritual nature seem totally and completely valid to me and no amount of scientific evidence or statistics can ever change my mind. And if I am really losing the debate, I'll just cry and bear my testimony and wham-o! It's done. Heh.

When I read C.S. Lewis, however, I am thrown into a wonderful world where logic and the scientific process actually have a place in the spiritual realm. If you haven't read Mere Christianity... do it. He has such an ingenious way of putting things into terms that the scholars of the world can't really argue with him. And I love it.

That is why, as I stumbled across this blog entry today, I was very impressed. Whoever this guy is - he just put some things into such plain & logical terms. I don't know if he's necessarily right, I mean, it's all just his opinion.... but he's definitely convincing. Anyone out there who still struggles a little with this whole "Prop 8" debacle and the Church's involvement could definitely benefit from reading this.

Enjoy.

http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2008/11/prop-8-redux-afterthoughts/

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

And Ultimately? It's the Simple Things

Blah, blah, blah, BLECH! Done talking about that other stuff.

Ptooey!

I have some awesome, awesome news! Malia has been "potty-trained" for almost 2 months now. And what I mean by that is that she has been wearing underwear all day long and goes potty in the toilet, no exceptions... however, she has never done "#2" in the toilet. I've mentioned before that she has had issues with constipation her whole life (just another one of the many joyous aftermaths of colic). And thus she has only been willing to poop in diapers. So on days when she starts showing signs of wanting to have a movement, she starts to cry and hold onto her behind and look very traumatized. I'll put a diaper on her and then a good hour or two goes by where she is just pretty much inconsolable until she finally gives in and allows herself to poop. It's become a psychological roadblock for her. She's terrified of pooping because she thinks it will hurt.

Well - I'll spare you some of the details - (who am I kidding? No, I won't) - but yesterday, for the first time, she pooped in the toilet! YAY! She started to cry and asked for a diaper and I ran her upstairs and sat her on the toilet (all while she screamed, "Don't want to poop on the toilet. I need a diaper! I. Need. A. DIAPER!!!!") We've done this act before. I run her to the toilet hoping, one day, she'll just give in, and she just holds it in even longer, screaming and looking incredibly betrayed until, after 10 minutes, I get exhausted of her tantrum and just put the diaper on her. But this time, I sat her down when, all of the sudden she stops crying, I see a look of "push" on her face... and out it came!

YAHOO!!!!!

And want to hear something funny? I felt tears well up inside me. I've had friends recently tell me they almost cried after voting at this year's elections. Not me. But my daughter finally poops in the toilet and I am ecstatic and moved beyond belief. That's right. Don't tell me about my priorities! And sweet little Malia could see I was so happy for her and she just grinned from ear-to-ear. "I pooped Mommy! I pooped! In the toilet like a big girl. Like you!"

Boy did I hug her madly.

Anyway, that's my story. I was so happy for her. We even called Grandma in "Apple Dalley" to share the wonderful news. And when Daddy came home, she yelled it so loud and she was so proud, and he did a great job of showing her that he was so happy for her. Yup. And that is where the good stuff comes from. That's why families rule. You don't get moments like that outside of the walls of your own little home of understanding each others' triumphs.

Here are some pictures of Malia to enjoy that were taken while we stood in line for "Nemo" at Disneyland the other day. (These are all faces I told her to make as I was taking her picture... and she does it, too). You really can't truly get the full effect of who the kid is, though, without actually being there with her. She is freaking awesome.

"Mean face"

"Sad face"

"Surprised"

"Happy"

"Silly eyes"
(my current favorite)

Primary Children's Songbook - Page 110

So, I really would rather not talk about political stuff anymore. And this isn't a political topic I'm about to address... but these thoughts were obviously ignited by the political campaigns of this past few months. So, for that, I apologize. However, I feel the need to get these things off of my chest, and Malia is just not interested.

... trust me, I tried...

When Prop 8 was first presented, I had decided I was going to vote "No."

*GASP!*

I have my reasons. They're good reasons. They are reasons stemmed from knowing the people that I know and the feelings in my heart for them and who they are. Feelings that, I feel, are justifiably good feelings. Feelings of compassion & genuine love. I felt that people should simply have the choice to live their lifestyle the way they wanted. Afterall, that is exactly what free agency is about. And free agency was so important to our Heavenly Father that he was willing to pretty much "banish" 1/3 of His children to protect it. Children He loved. He allows us the right to choose for ourselves. The catch is, of course, we face consequences. But it is still our choice to make. So, I figured, let them be given the rights to make the choices they want. If and when consequences are faced, who am I to have anything to do with it? I'm not.

However, when the Church came out with an official statement to vote "Yes," there was no doubt in my mind I would, indeed, vote "Yes." No, it wasn't an immediate, "Yessir! I'll do that, Sir!" It was more like a, "Really? Ok. But I don't really feel like I want to. But I will."

Some people might think that was cowardly of me. They might think, "So, just because one of those old guys who are totally out-of-touch with the world today said to, you're going to?"

Yeah. Pretty much.

I have struggled with this proposition ever since that point. I haven't gone back-&-forth between whether or not I'd vote a certain way. As I said, once the statement was made by the leaders, I chose to follow. But where I had turmoil was that I didn't really want to vote that way. I was going to vote as the prophet asked. I just didn't want to.

But, I've been very blessed in my life in that I have always been obedient to the teachings of the Church without it really causing me too much of an internal struggle. Kind of a "What? The teachings of the Church say 'this?' Ok, then. That's what I'll do." Besides, there are a lot of things in this life we've been asked to do or not do by the prophet that don't sound wonderful. But we do them. Because we've been asked by, basically, the Lord.

And I've been promised time and time again that, if I follow the prophet, that I will not only be blessed, but that he will also guide me in times when I don't have the knowledge or foresight to do it for myself. Sounded like a pretty good deal to me. Obviously, I am entitled to personal revelation, but let's just say that, especially during those first few months of motherhood, I learned that personal revelation and I aren't the best at communicating with each other. So, at those times when my knees are worn out and my heart is exhausted at listening for any sort of still small voice? I turn to the prophet. Always have. Hopefully, I always will.

"Always keep your eye on the President of the Church, and if he ever tells you to do anything, even if it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it but you don't need to worry. The Lord will never let His mouthpiece lead the people astray."
-LDS President Heber J. Grant-

"The Lord Almighty leads this Church, and He will never suffer you to be led astray if you are found doing your duty. You may go home and sleep as sweetly as a babe in its mother's arms, as to any danger of your leaders leading you astray, for if they should try to do so the Lord would quickly sweep them from the earth."
-Brigham Young-

"When the Prophet speaks the debate is over".
-N. Eldon Tanner-

"The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray."
-President Wilford Woodruff-

So, that's what I did. I "followed the Prophet." And I feel good about it. Things going on in CA right now sure make my stomach turn a little, simply because it really is very sad. There was really no such thing as a "win" in this case. Either way, someone was going to be defeated. And upset... rightfully so.

But what bothers me is this: I understand that there are some Members of the Church out there who, for whatever reason, just could not bring themselves to pass this. I understand. Maybe some of them have children who are homosexuals. Maybe others have dear friends whose lives they've seen influenced with happiness over being able to marry their partner. I don't know their reasons, but they're entitled to that.

That is fine.

HOWEVER - the fact that they are so openly disobeying the prophet by posting negatively on websites and calling gay rights groups and apologizing drives me crazy! And what drives me even more crazy is that they are not only openly denying the Prophet of the Lord, but that they are even going so far as to criticize Him & the Church completely.

We are allowed to live our lives how we choose, as I said before. And yes, the Lord protected that right even before we came to this earth. However, please, please, PLEASE! do not smile without batting an eye & call yourself a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints if you are going to do nothing to protect it and defend it and face the wrath of man in order to protect the sanctity of Jesus Christ's Gospel and the men He has entrusted to hold its keys on this earth.

I have no intentions to outright judge these members or call for their excommunication. Again, not my place. But my heart is breaking because my brothers & sisters in the Gospel, who know better, have turned their backs on the Lord's representative, all for the sake of appearing compassionate to the world. If they did it quietly because that's the need they had to fulfill, that is ok. But to parade around as if they are better than those who followed in "blind faith" just because they want the world to know they aren't "bigots?" That is placing fear of man over fear of God.

Who's the actual coward?