Friends

I feel like I am in such a good place in my life right now.  I am still a very busy mother of 4 kids, a wife, a daughter, a YW leader, but I'm also a friend.  Friends have always been super important to me because my family was never really close growing up.  I relied on friends, a lot.  I don't need a lot of friends, just a few who I could call at any time and know they would be there for me.  I have met so many people and have made friendships from all over.  I struggled making friends when we first moved back to San Diego since I worked and our family grew, but I finally found some.  I am so grateful to all my friends from High School until now, to those who live in other cities and other States.  A huge part of my happiness has been a result from my friendships, thank you friends!

"A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself."  Jim Morrison

Happiness

This picture just makes me happy, world's cutest monkey, and monkeys are already really cute.  Here is an article I read by Kate Bratskeir on 10 things that are proven by science to make us happier:

1- Happy people surround themselves with other happy people.  People are 4 times more likely to be happy in the future with happy people around them.

2- Happy people try to be happy.  When happy people don't feel happy, they cultivate a happy thought and smile about it.

3- Happy people spend money more on others than on themselves.  Givers experience what scientists call the "helper's high."

4- Happy people have deep in-person conversations.

5- Happy people use laughter as a medicine.  A study showed that children laugh 300 times a day versus adults who laugh 15 times a day.

6- Happy people use the power of music.  Researchers found that music can match the anxiety-reducing effects of massage therapy.

7- Happy people exercise and eat a healthful diet.  Eating a poor diet can contribute to depression.

8- Happy people take the time to unplug and go outside.  Uninterrupted screen time brings on depression and anxiety.

9- Happy people get enough sleep.  When people run low on sleep, they are prone to feel a lack of clarity, bad moods, and poor judgement.

10- Happy people are spiritual.

I'm still alive!

I was in dreamland the first three months of my new baby's life and when four months hit, I was tired!!  Everyday I felt exhausted and overwhelmed.  I decided to sleep train him to help with my tiredness.  After a month of literally trying and him still waking up at night crying for hours- yes, hours... my friend lent me her book which has become a dream come true!!  It is called:  The Sleepeasy Solution.  Where have you been all my life and why did I only discover you for my last child?  Either way, it worked on Kori.  He is now sleeping from 7:30pm to 6:30am everyday.

So, speaking of feeling tired, I was reading this awesome blog from one of my favorite author's who wrote my life-changing money book: Kate Northrup.  She talked about how some of us are addicted to busyness.  Basically that we feel validated through being busy and productive.  That is so me.  I was always proud of my productive personality, which is a good thing, but not when we are seeking validation on who we are from it.  Here are some thoughts she said:

-Let us know our worth in simply being.
-Let us know we are enough because we are.
-Let us begin to let down the burden of busy.

This has helped me so much, especially right now when I am feeling the frustrations of not getting anything done because I have a 4 month old who needs my attention constantly.  Why can't I realize that this time goes by so fast and just cherish our time together?  At some point however, we do need to eat dinner and have clean clothes =)  Be present.

Presence

Summer with a newborn

Okay, so honestly it has been better than I thought.  So far, my kids have been really good and super helpful with Kori.  My main dilemma is that three older kids do so much better when we are out and about- they are less likely to get on each other's nerves, but Kori is hard to take all over town.  Kori is awesome at home because he gets to sleep in his nice swing and is not sweaty from traveling in his car seat.  The other dilemma is when I do not get any sleep from the previous night and still have to be super mom all day… however I really cannot complain.  Kori is so sweet and somehow Matt and I have found this crazy patience within ourselves that we did not have for the others.  Anywho- here are some random pics from our summer so far:

Gratitude

"How much of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God that there is rain?"
                                                            -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I have felt overwhelmingly grateful to the many people who have given meals, gifts, offered to take my older children, texts, etc since I have had Kori.  I have felt so loved and supported, which is a good thing when you have a baby.  I quickly remembered how much time is devoted to a newborn, but instead of wishing this time to pass and see the rainbow, I am going to embrace the rain and know that this will be my last newborn.  THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!!

Honeymoon is over...

The first week with Kori was pure heaven.  I sat and stared at him and wanted to hold him all the time.  I am actually still amazed at my patience level, especially during the night.  However, last night I had a really bad fever, it felt like someone had punched me in the boob, and a week of not getting the best sleep all came crashing down.  I have mastitis and I feel horrible!  It feels like my body was run over by a car, even my teeth hurt.  Today was a rough day, but I am determined to still breast feed and get through the pain.  Luckily Kori is so sweet.  When does the pain go away?

Kori Jensen

 He is here!  I thought I might be the first person to be pregnant forever.  My doctor set up an induction date two days after my due date.  I really did not want to be induced, I wanted him to come on his own, but I also wanted him to come before the kids got out of school so we wouldn't be trapped in the house.  Monday for Memorial Day we went to our usual ward party, I sat by the pool the entire time- Kalli left the pool only twice in five hours.  Anywho- that night I started getting stronger Braxton Hicks, but ignored them because I have had them for the past two weeks.  They started getting a little closer, at 11PM I told Matt we should go to the hospital now since I came so fast with Kalli.  Checked in at midnight, epidural at 3:15am, doctor broke water at 7:30am, Kori came at 8:40 am.  My induction was scheduled that morning for 9 am.  Kori is perfect.  Matt and I felt instantly connected to him- he looked just like Keia when he came out, but the next day he looked like Mattix.  He was awesome in the hospital and I'm loving having a newborn for the first time.  I love all my kids of course, just not newborns- it feels like a whole new experience and the kids love him.  I feel so grateful for another healthy child- I still can't believe I am a mother of 4!!!  Welcome Kori, we love you!!!

Mothers

Yes, I am still prego.  This kid really likes me, maybe it has been all the sugar I have been feeding him! Anywho, as I wait patiently (okay trying to be patient), I found these inspiring quotes about motherhood- by far the best job I have ever had.  Being a mom is enough for me at this point in my life- later I will pursue other things.  However, I am hoping being a mother of 4 doesn't bring out my crazy=)

"Motherhood is near divinity, it is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind."  
Howard W. Hunter

"Everyday with all the little things you do in your home, in what may seem mundane, routine, and unexciting, you are actually teaching the Gospel."

"The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation."
James E. Faust

"Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children.  What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply, and in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."
M. Russel Ballard

Still with child..

I am due this week and am still with child.  I was reading natural ways to induce labor and some women swear by putting a pineapple upside down for a while, then eating it can induce labor.  This is what I will be doing tomorrow.

True Strength

Seven.

Mattix turned 7!  He is completely all boy now.  He use to be cool playing with the girls because he wanted someone to play with, but unless it involves a ball, then he is not interested.  He would rather be throwing the baseball, shooting baskets, kicking the soccer ball, bowling etc.  Mattix also loves to go surfing with Matt, which is his father's dream.  It is so fun having a boy, even though he can be really loud and gets super silly!  I am so excited for this kid to have a little brother who is going to look up to him.  Mattix will be a great example, he always remembers for us to pray, he does kind things and thinks of others, he is our most willing kid to help us.  However, I don't think he will outgrow his sensitivity, therefore one comment or action can set him into tears or get really angry.  I can't even count how many parenting books I have read to help cope with his moods, but I will take that over a kid who is not sensitive to others.  When Mattix is on, he is on.  I love you dear boy, I love how you tell me every detail of your day at school, I love how OCD clean you are like me and help keep the girls in line- reminding them to wash their hands or wipe the sink after they brush their teeth- your room is NEVER dirty- ahhhh dream child.  I hope to keep watching you grow and spend many more birthdays together.