For The Moon and Beyond

It's a little odd to think of my husband being gone for a year, especially now that we just found out we'll be having our third baby. It's a mix of emotions, and even though I didn't realize it at first, it seems like (at least on my part), I'm in a grieving process. We didn't think he'd been getting deployed- it seemed everyone had already had their things figured out. About 2 weeks after we'd found out I was pregnant, we were pulled aside on our way out of the Marine Corps Ball and told there was a chance my husband would be getting deployed. Two weeks after that, we got word that he'd be going to the Middle East for a year. Since finding out I've been rushing to figure things out as well as trying to cope with whatever emotions have come my way. I can't say I'm sad, but I've had moments of sadness, as well as anger and everything else that comes unexpectedly like excitement and fear. Of course I don't want my husband to be

Recently I've been on "waiting mode", and I hate it. It requires ALL of my patience, makes me stress and most of all, it forces me to look at the things I've been dealing with from every perspective- good and bad. I'm the kind of person who will make lists when I have an important decision to make. I'll make a list of the pros and cons, pray about whatever my decision is and go with it. But recently, a lot of the decisions in my life have NOT been up to me. We recently got word from the Marine Corps that there may be a deployment happening- one in which my husband could possibly get deployed. It's been forever since we found out about it (at least it feels like it!), and now we're reaching the end of September with no final answer. If this deployment does happen, he'll leave in December, and all I want to do is prepare for it- but is he even going?! We have no idea, nobody knows the definite answer, so I've been forced to be patient- which is

Recently I had a tonsillectomy,  and I must say it has been anything but easy. And even with all the expected and unexpected trials, I have once again been humbled by the love my Father in Heaven has for me and my family. From the moment I decided to get my tonsils taken out, it just seemed like everything fell right into place. The date for the surgery was on a Friday my husband and in-laws wouldn't be working, my dad and step mom came back from vacation that weekend and took the kids while my hubby worked, my mom and stepdad came by with flan, which I'd been craving, a neighbor babysat so I could rest...honestly, the blessings have been endless. I've been in awful pain, which has been difficult not only on me, but my husband as well. He's had to balance taking care of the kids, the house, his new job, all while still making sure all my meds have been taken on time, giving me priesthood blessings, etc. He's been a great nurse and friend, I couldn't ask for mo

Momo (as we call our baby Danny) turned 1 last December, and it seems like his first year flew by. I've wanted to write his birth story from the moment he was born, but it seemed like every moment was so rushed with a toddler and a baby that I'd get distracted. Add a puppy to mix and things almost got out of hand!lol **TO SKIP STRAIGHT INTO LABOR SCROLL DOWN** I feel like Momo's birth story is SO different than Luna's, and to me it feels like it started a long time before he was born. To me it actually started right after I had Luna. Since I had a C-section with Luna I felt so determined to NOT have another C-section that I kept being led to different people and sources that could help me prepare for another baby. One of these people was a friend of mine named Kira who is a birth specialist, and we became very close during this whole process. For me, having a C-section was traumatizing. Not that I had a horrible experience or was mistreated (like in some cases

I've been thinking about this post for a long time (like many others I still intend to write ) but this week someone opened my eyes to understand this clearly. There are SO many branches to this topic, but the pain I'd like to talk about is not physical pain, but spiritual pain. Now think with me for a minute and answer the following questions. If you say (or think) "yes" to any of them, keep those answers in mind. -Have you ever felt hurt, sad, angry, or any negative feeling because of something someone did (or didn't) do? - Have you ever felt anguish, sorrow, or any other negative feeling because of something YOU did (or didn't) do? -Have you ever felt helpless, hopeless, or any other negative feeling because of a certain situation you couldn't control or your current circumstances? The reason I chose these questions is because these are things I HAVE felt, and for the most part, I'd say it's safe to say MOST people have felt this at one poi

Lately it seems like a flow of different topics have been coming into my mind, and I figured I'd write about them. Not all in this post, but I had to start somewhere because they're out of my comfort zone, and I don't want to ignore the need to write. Due to what I'll call a "spiritual awakening" a few years ago, I decided to REALLY study the scriptures and other Gospel related materials throughout the last few years. When I say "study" I mean truly study by reading, genuinely asking the my Father in Heaven questions, constantly praying and exercising faith that I'd receive my answers. I can't say I've received ALL my answers, but I've received many more than if it hadn't put any effort into it. There's a saying in Brazil that I heard all the time growing up that says something along the lines of "if you look for it you'll find it", and as I've applied this to the Gospel of Jesus Christ,  I've found man