The Searle's Stories

Online classes are difficult without the online part. When the internet doesn't work what do I do? Oh read Hunger Games of course. In the past two weeks I have read over 400 pages of textbook. I feel no remorse for spending the entire nap time reading this wonderfully disturbing book for the second time. If you are wondering I only got a chunk of it read, I am not a speedy reader.

This little cutie started taking naps in her bed last week and it makes for a much easier day without having to tip toe in and out of our bedroom. I know your not supposed to put things in their bed with them but she only moves her head from side to side. And I have a confession about this. Her crib was full of clothes that are now to small, clothes that are too big and need to be put away, and everything else imaginable. It was full. I am talking about over flowing with clothes! What you can't see is that there are still two piles of clothes a foot away from her feet. Good thing she doesn't move yet.
Don't worry, its on the to do list.

 The past little while little Ellie bug has HATED, and by hate I mean scream as loud as she can, to lie on the floor on her back. Well, anywhere on her back really. She wants to be sitting up so bad! If she is content on her back she is lifting her head and her feet are straight in the air trying to sit up. 

Oh and her neck is getting so very strong! 

I love being able to see her grow and develop more of a personality. I can already tell she is going to be a handful.

We have all been sick the past week, trust me, she usually smiles a lot more than what I am showing you. Today was the first day that Ellie has been feeling better and I am so excited. I didn't have to suck boogers out of her nose every hour or hold her 24/7. I actually got to type with two hands! Hooray! Poor girl had been constipated since Monday and for a baby that is quite a long time. Tonight I knew she was dirty so I kindly asked Cody to change her. He knew she had been messy earlier today and was a little hesitant but he did it anyways. As he is changing her he is smiling because it was just a little and nothing like what he was expecting. Ellenor is smarter than that though. Every time Cody would wipe her and think she was done, she would start going again. And again. And again. I think I even heard Cody gag a few times. But he was a trooper as I was standing by laughing. so. hard. That girl sure knows how to put me in a good mood.

Some days I almost feel as if I am living in a dream. I couldn't even imagine being where we are at now a year ago. Last year we were living in an apartment without any idea what we were going to do once Cody graduated from school in April. He had a few ideas and offers ranging from Idaho to Texas but everything was up in the air. We had no idea what we were going to do for a vehicle because if he got a job in agriculture Sheniqua (our 1990s Buick Century that we actually really miss) wouldn't be able to get around a farm very much. I was going to go back to school in the summer right after we moved to where ever it was. Babies? What are those? It wasn't even a thought. Now we live in a house not an apartment (having a yard is so nice!), Cody has a job that he enjoys and a pick up that he enjoys even more, we have a BABY! That was a nice surprise. We spend Saturdays together, not in a library or working. We can afford to go out to dinner once in a while and not cringe at the thought of what it will do to our bank account. And we are happy. Absolutely happy.
Some days life can be tough. But thinking about all that has changed in the past year and how we have been blessed makes it that much easier.

Gordon B. Hinckley said, "There is nothing that dulls a personality so much as a negative outlook."