Hello all!
Yes I have been absent for quite sometime and I have been meaning to write a post for a while. I just wanted to let you all know that I will still continue to write posts every so often here but Zach has committed to a daily vlog (or video log) for 1 year. Every day we will post a video of the things that are happening in our life. If you are feeling up to it watch them. We find that it's a great way for our friends and family to feel like they are a part of our everyday life- even though we live so far away from everyone! If you like the videos that we post on YouTube and are feeling generous feel free to subscribe to Zach's YouTube Channel!
Click the link below to find all of the videos we have posted so far!
http://www.youtube.com/user/ZachAttackDuty?feature=watch
We love you all!
Monday, October 21, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Take it as a chance to Humble yourself...
Sundays have become one of my busiest days since becoming the Relief Society President. Amidst running after Claire, preparing an impromptu lesson, and helping the sisters in my ward with what they needed I was able to hear a comment that was made during Sunday School. The gentleman said "When some people are called to leadership they think that they are doing well and being righteous and that's why they think they were called into that position but really they should look at it as a chance to humble themselves."
At first I was upset about this. I had been called as Relief Society President in the summer and I in no way campaigned for that calling let alone thought that I deserved the calling. In fact I find myself wondering why I was called to this position. I often feel inadequate as a leader and find myself wondering if I am serving/doing all that I should be doing for those in my ward.
As I have been pondering this comment all day I realize that 1) I could have taken this comment out of context... since I was doing so many other things and 2) Being called as the Relief Society President has really humbled me.
I have come to appreciate those in leadership positions so much. The time that goes into these callings seems to be over looked. You see the bishop or president and you just see them as that. What you don't see is countless phone calls, meetings, visits to members, and the stress and worry that you feel for the members. And most of all you don't see the sacrifice. All the time it takes to do all of those other things is time spent away from your family.
So yes I guess I have taken the time to humble myself - but also take the time to realize what goes into these callings.
At first I was upset about this. I had been called as Relief Society President in the summer and I in no way campaigned for that calling let alone thought that I deserved the calling. In fact I find myself wondering why I was called to this position. I often feel inadequate as a leader and find myself wondering if I am serving/doing all that I should be doing for those in my ward.
As I have been pondering this comment all day I realize that 1) I could have taken this comment out of context... since I was doing so many other things and 2) Being called as the Relief Society President has really humbled me.
I have come to appreciate those in leadership positions so much. The time that goes into these callings seems to be over looked. You see the bishop or president and you just see them as that. What you don't see is countless phone calls, meetings, visits to members, and the stress and worry that you feel for the members. And most of all you don't see the sacrifice. All the time it takes to do all of those other things is time spent away from your family.
So yes I guess I have taken the time to humble myself - but also take the time to realize what goes into these callings.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
One year old!
I waited a while to write this post... mainly because I was waiting for Claire's one year photos to come in the mail so I could attach them with this post. Currently Claire is walking and she tries to run occasionally which ends up in her face-planting on the floor. But she gets right back up and starts again. She can say "hi" pretty well and occasionally I can make out "mom" and "dad".
One of her favorite things to do is to pull all of Zach's cards out of his wallet, pull everything out of the book shelf and pull everything out of her diaper bag or my purse. Basically if things are tidy and put away she doesn't like it. I don't like things all over the place and I try to pick up during the day but sometimes it seems useless. I find that if my house is messy Claire leaves everything alone.
Claire likes music and has started dancing to what ever song is on. During her bedtime routine we will sing a few Childrens Hymns and she always gets the biggest smile once the music starts playing. I am hoping that she will have a love for music and a desire to learn an instrument. That is one of my biggest regrets is that I never stuck with choir or band.
Here are Claires pictures. They were taken by one of my very best friends Kirsten Tyrrel. She is a wonderful photographer!
One of her favorite things to do is to pull all of Zach's cards out of his wallet, pull everything out of the book shelf and pull everything out of her diaper bag or my purse. Basically if things are tidy and put away she doesn't like it. I don't like things all over the place and I try to pick up during the day but sometimes it seems useless. I find that if my house is messy Claire leaves everything alone.
Claire likes music and has started dancing to what ever song is on. During her bedtime routine we will sing a few Childrens Hymns and she always gets the biggest smile once the music starts playing. I am hoping that she will have a love for music and a desire to learn an instrument. That is one of my biggest regrets is that I never stuck with choir or band.
Here are Claires pictures. They were taken by one of my very best friends Kirsten Tyrrel. She is a wonderful photographer!
Friday, October 19, 2012
11 months
So I am behind on posting about Claire. At 11 months all claire seemed to do was drool and have a runny nose. Not the most enjoyable month... But we still love her! 
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
10 Months
I feel like these months just fly by!
At 10 months Claire is standing on her own but no steps yet. She still loves to scream really loud - especially when she is excited. She can give kisses (well if you call slobbering on your face a kiss!)
I can't get enough of her!
She wouldn't sit still for pictures to these are of her trying to get the camera.
At 10 months Claire is standing on her own but no steps yet. She still loves to scream really loud - especially when she is excited. She can give kisses (well if you call slobbering on your face a kiss!)
I can't get enough of her!
She wouldn't sit still for pictures to these are of her trying to get the camera.
Friday, August 10, 2012
I really need to go to the bathroom...
Yesterday I had a worst case scenario happen. Let me start by telling you the problems that made up this scenario:
Problem 1: Our downstairs neighbors (the ones who live directly under us) are VERY nosey.
Problem 2: Claire is at that age where she like to experiment with how loud she can make noises or scream.
Problem 3: Claire also is at the age where she has to be in the same room as you - even if its the bathroom
Problem 4: Claire is also teething and sometimes when she is uncomfortable she screams very loud
Problem 5: Zach was gone for the evening so I didn't have any extra hands to help.
So here is what happened.
Claire was almost to the point where she needed to take a nap. But I knew if I put her down too early she would fight it. So I was playing with her and all of a sudden I had to go to the bathroom really bad. So I decided that I would put Claire down (against my better judgement) and then be able to go to the bathroom in peace.
Claire was fine at first and was just snuggling up to her blanket. So I quickly closed the door to her room and ran to the bathroom. I figured that if I was quick that if she started crying I could get to her pretty fast. Well, Claire did start crying - really really loud. I was trying to hurry up and wash my hands at this point and then I heard someone banging on my door. It was not just a knock like someone was coming to visit, it was someone banging like they were going to break in if I didn't answer. So I was finishing washing my hands and then I went to get Claire so she would stop crying and then I would go answer the door.
When I got to the door no one was there. Then I closed the door and right as I closed the door someone was banging on it. So I opened the door again and it was our downstairs neighbor. She is a very opinionated Vietnamese lady. Right as I opened the door she held her hands out toward Claire and said "I take her. She being very loud." I was floored. So I apologized if Claire screaming/crying for not even two minutes bothered her. Then she continued to tell me all the things that I needed to do to get her to stop crying: go outside and play with her, change her formula, take her to the doctor to make sure she is ok, sing to her, rock her to sleep. I just stood there and tried to explain that she is teething and sometimes she will just throw a fit and that nothing was wrong with her and that she was also really tired and needed to take a nap.
I don't know if she totally understood what I had to say and she tried to take Claire out of my arms to hold her and she said "I watch her for a little while." Claire immediately leaned back away from this lady and started to get really upset. So I apologized again and started to close the door and as I was closing the door this lady said "Wow, your baby has some lungs. She loud!"
At this point I was mad at my neighbor for being so forward, especially since I have only interacted with her a few times. I felt bad that Claire was being loud, but I had to remind myself that she was not loud for more that a minute or two and that she is a baby and sometimes they are just fussy. Then I felt like everyone in our complex could hear what was happening and that maybe other people were mad that Claire was being loud. And I was also mad that I had to go to the bathroom because if I hadn't had to go then I would have avoided this whole situation.
So at this point I left with Claire and went to the park. We played for a while and then when I knew she was really really tired I took her home and she went to bed without a sound.
Problem 1: Our downstairs neighbors (the ones who live directly under us) are VERY nosey.
Problem 2: Claire is at that age where she like to experiment with how loud she can make noises or scream.
Problem 3: Claire also is at the age where she has to be in the same room as you - even if its the bathroom
Problem 4: Claire is also teething and sometimes when she is uncomfortable she screams very loud
Problem 5: Zach was gone for the evening so I didn't have any extra hands to help.
So here is what happened.
Claire was almost to the point where she needed to take a nap. But I knew if I put her down too early she would fight it. So I was playing with her and all of a sudden I had to go to the bathroom really bad. So I decided that I would put Claire down (against my better judgement) and then be able to go to the bathroom in peace.
Claire was fine at first and was just snuggling up to her blanket. So I quickly closed the door to her room and ran to the bathroom. I figured that if I was quick that if she started crying I could get to her pretty fast. Well, Claire did start crying - really really loud. I was trying to hurry up and wash my hands at this point and then I heard someone banging on my door. It was not just a knock like someone was coming to visit, it was someone banging like they were going to break in if I didn't answer. So I was finishing washing my hands and then I went to get Claire so she would stop crying and then I would go answer the door.
When I got to the door no one was there. Then I closed the door and right as I closed the door someone was banging on it. So I opened the door again and it was our downstairs neighbor. She is a very opinionated Vietnamese lady. Right as I opened the door she held her hands out toward Claire and said "I take her. She being very loud." I was floored. So I apologized if Claire screaming/crying for not even two minutes bothered her. Then she continued to tell me all the things that I needed to do to get her to stop crying: go outside and play with her, change her formula, take her to the doctor to make sure she is ok, sing to her, rock her to sleep. I just stood there and tried to explain that she is teething and sometimes she will just throw a fit and that nothing was wrong with her and that she was also really tired and needed to take a nap.
I don't know if she totally understood what I had to say and she tried to take Claire out of my arms to hold her and she said "I watch her for a little while." Claire immediately leaned back away from this lady and started to get really upset. So I apologized again and started to close the door and as I was closing the door this lady said "Wow, your baby has some lungs. She loud!"
At this point I was mad at my neighbor for being so forward, especially since I have only interacted with her a few times. I felt bad that Claire was being loud, but I had to remind myself that she was not loud for more that a minute or two and that she is a baby and sometimes they are just fussy. Then I felt like everyone in our complex could hear what was happening and that maybe other people were mad that Claire was being loud. And I was also mad that I had to go to the bathroom because if I hadn't had to go then I would have avoided this whole situation.
So at this point I left with Claire and went to the park. We played for a while and then when I knew she was really really tired I took her home and she went to bed without a sound.
Friday, July 20, 2012
9 months!
Holy Cow! Where has the time gone?
Claire is already 9 months old. It seems like when I was pregnant time moved so slowly and now that Claire is here time seems to speed right past me.
We had Claire's 9 month check up today and she is still very small for her age. 2% for weight, 3% for height but she is in the 64% for her head size! However, she is progressing and her pediatrician is not concerned at all.
Claire loves to crawl all over the apartment and pull herself up onto anything she can reach. She still loves the bathroom and could spend all day in the bathtub if I let her. Her new favorite thing to do is to have me chase her around the house while she screams and giggles really loud. Every now and then she will try and chase me, which is really fun to see how fast she can catch me.
To me she is getting so big and I am trying really hard to savor each moment - even the moments where she is screaming because her teeth are coming in!
Claire is already 9 months old. It seems like when I was pregnant time moved so slowly and now that Claire is here time seems to speed right past me.
We had Claire's 9 month check up today and she is still very small for her age. 2% for weight, 3% for height but she is in the 64% for her head size! However, she is progressing and her pediatrician is not concerned at all.
Claire loves to crawl all over the apartment and pull herself up onto anything she can reach. She still loves the bathroom and could spend all day in the bathtub if I let her. Her new favorite thing to do is to have me chase her around the house while she screams and giggles really loud. Every now and then she will try and chase me, which is really fun to see how fast she can catch me.
To me she is getting so big and I am trying really hard to savor each moment - even the moments where she is screaming because her teeth are coming in!
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