3 Months

Although it seems like an eternity to us, it has only been 3 months today that we lost Luke. We are, very much so, still struggling to do the day to day things. But I have found some things that have helped me and I thought I would share:

Books:
Teardrop Soup; When your Prayers Seem Unanswered; Understanding Death; The Gateway We Call Death; If God Loves Me, Why This?

Quotes:
"If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together. . . There is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart. . . I'll always be with you."~Winnie the Pooh

The best way to have Heaven in your home, is to have someone from your home in Heaven.

“God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.”

Tidbits:
Learn to look for joy in the moment. Learn to celebrate what you do have. Change the way you look at things.

Find the light that your loved one brought to your life. Find the music of your loved one and listen to it if only in your memory. Our loved ones laughed and giggled and sang. Find that memory, appreciate it, and honor it by the way you live.

We still have so far to go, but appreciate your love and prayers and thoughts!!!
We love you still and forever, our Luker boy!

The Cabinet

Here are some pictures of our latest project. Brian made me this cabinet for blankets and stuff in the T.V. room. As you can see it looks very similar to The Hutch. Although this was not as painful to paint as The Hutch, it was painful enough that I have vowed never to do it again. Or, at least, for a VERY long time! Enjoy the work of my brilliant husband!

Post About Nothing

So I really wanted to post something new. . . I am very sick of the snowman music, as most of you are too, I am sure. But, I don't have anything going on right now of GREAT importance, so I am posting on the things going on of not-so-great importance. Like, I am cleaning the house today, which I can't understand, because it just gets dirty again anyway, but I am compelled to clean! Oh, the boys are in their second week of karate, and they love it. Um, I got my 24 CE credits done that I have to do every 2 years so that I can continue to be a registered radiographer who stays at home and doesn't take x-rays. We MAY have sold the truck. . . . a guy from Oregon is coming to look at it tomorrow. And, I got my lesson done that I have to give on Sunday to the Young Men and Young Women on Sunday. So there you go. . . an entire post on nothing.

Our Visit

So, two weekends ago, we went to Idaho Falls for the Butikofer Christmas party (which was sooo great-I love you all so much!). But, before we could party, we went to visit Luke.

It had snowed a little (picture me holding out my arms as wide as possible), so we had to hike back through a foot of snow to get to his headstone. So we get there and dig him out. Brian and I are just taking it all in when Josh and Mike decide to build Luke a snowman, which then turns into 8 snowmen. I thought we had a picture of all of them, but we forgot the camera in the car, so Brian took these with his phone.




But, I think the best part of the visit is when the huge snowball fight erupted. It started innocent enough. . . Josh threw one at Mike and Mike lobbed one back. Then Brian started throwing some and then, well, then I taught them all the finer points of a snowball fight, if ya know what I mean.

I have to hope that Luke was there. . . smiling at all the ruckus!

It's "Snow" Much Fun

Brian and I have been doing A LOT of projects lately and last night was no exception. One of those projects was rearranging the shed so that we could get the "Who would you be?" tree into said shed. Now, it has been snowing all day but last night, it started to pile up and it was good snow. So we get the tree into the shed and come in for some well deserved hot chocolate, when Brian comes in grabs his gloves and goes back outside. And this is what he was up to:

He decided it would be funny to make the boys a snowman:
Here he is rolling up the snow!




Assembling!


Finishing!


And for the best part, the boys' reaction!

The Hutch

Brian made me this hutch for me for Christmas. . . he couldn't hide it from me, so he put it in the house with a sign that said "Do not paint until after Christmas". So, for two weeks, I agonized over what color to paint it. I looked online at other hutches, printed out pictures of what I liked, had my friends come over to tally which one they liked. It was a painful process. But, finally Christmas came, and I could now paint the hutch. Now, I DO NOT like to paint, which is odd because I have fond memories of my mother painting the kitchen of our house at 2 A.M. because she thought it needed to be done, then a year maybe two later, doing it again. I lived in that house for 18 years, so I would bet there are at least 10 coats of paint on those walls. But you see, I did not get that gene. I got the "it's a pain- it will make a mess-it will take forever-I do not have the patience for this" gene. But, it had to be done. So when the decision needed to be made, I decided to go with artist canvas (off white) with a brown wash. So after 2 coats of artist canvas, sanding, more sanding and even more sanding, and, putting the stain on, just to wipe it off, AND all of this totaling about 11 hours of work. . . . I give you. . .DRUM ROLL. . . The Hutch.

I've been NATIVITIED

How do I expain? Hmmmmmmm? Well, we have some good friends here in Kuna who have this nativity (it was given to them by a grandmother). My friend thinks it is a little, shall we say, lacking in beauty. So a few of us were joking with her about it and she basically told us that we'd better watch what we say or it may end up in our yard. . . guess what, it did tonight. So the jokes on me this year, but watch what you say or else it may be in your yard next year!!!!!!


Isn't it lovely. . . it is even pre-lit!