We're so glad when Daddy comes home...even if he is sleeping.

Jonathan worked some night shifts in the ER last week.  When he got up after a brief nap, he came out in the living room and laid down on the couch. I told him to just go back to bed, but he said he would just "rest" out in the living room with us.  So the girls took over.  He was a pretty good comatose babysitter.

I don't think he minded the back scratch from Sami.  He's trained her well.

"Oh, pretty Daddy."  

And my friend Mary Ann is right.  I should post more pictures of myself with the girls.  But the truth is I don't have very many of them.  I am usually not wearing make-up and my hair is in a ponytail, so I tell Jonathan not to take pictures of me.  And when he does take pictures, I am reminded that I still want to lose a few pounds and I really should use eye liner, among other things.  So I avoid pictures.  But I shouldn't.  This time is so precious and goes by so quickly.  I know that one day these pictures will be treasures and I'll probably look back and say "At least I wasn't all gray," or some other silliness.  So here's a picture I took of Sami and me. And I'm going to start letting Jonathan take more pictures of me, especially when I have make-up on.

Even though the girls don't have the vocabulary to say, "I'm bored" their body language and whining voices say it a lot.  Especially because it's so hot they don't go outside hardly ever.  So thank goodness we have lots of games.  Elefun is still the favorite.  Of course Janie would make the nets into an accessory.

Sami tries to play the game but has more fun watching the butterflies fall then trying to catch them.  Sami asks for this game all the time.  And I will say that it has been one of my better yard sale finds ☺.

But my wonderful Mr. Potato Head set also came from a yard sale.  Jonathan and I like to play with it as much (or more) as the girls.

Sometimes I feel too blessed, like my life is too good and that some trial has to be coming.  A trial I dread.  Yet we all have them.  And I have had lots of opportunities to ponder about the purpose of trials this week, why they come and how we deal with them.  I think about the beautiful family that lost their baby girl, and the grieving and loss they will have for this life.  The sister who can't have kids even though it is her heart's greatest desire. The friends who can't find work even though they are willing and educated. I could go on and on.  Because we all have trials.  But I don't want trials.  They are heartbreaking and painful.  Elder Maxwell says that trials are, by their very nature, unfair.  Our temple matron in Nauvoo told me once that life is like a school except the lesson comes after the trial.  And a central part of the plan of salvation is suffering, endurance, and overcoming.  And so our hearts break from time to time.  But healing comes through the Atonement. Wouldn't life be dreadful without the Atonement of our Savior?!  But because of him, I have hope. I have been trying really hard lately to learn more about our Savior and his Atonement.  And my efforts have been rewarded because I feel like my testimony is growing.  Even though I still haven't learned to rejoice in my trials like Paul.  Maybe someday I'll get there.

Children's Museum

Jonathan's coworker gave us two free tickets to the Phoenix Children's Museum. It was ah-mazing! Three floors of awesome fun-ness. One of their favorites was going "grocery shopping." Unlike real life shopping with me, they got to put everything they wanted in the cart, and then Sami rung it up.

It was so fun that they didn't have the time or interest to look up at me and smile for the camera. Although I do confess to being in their faces with the camera a lot that day.

Another favorite was these tubes where you put the scarves in and then air blows them out at various places. I love that I caught Sami jumping for joy!

And I love this face. It's not the best picture, but I just love the face.

So if your kids are bored and you live in the valley, go to the Phoenix Children's museum. And if you don't live around here, come visit us, bring your kids, and we will take you there. It's so cool!

Our Fourth

Janie's fever broke on Saturday afternoon, so even though we didn't get to go to a family bbq in Arizona City, we had our own little party.    

    

 

I gave the girls popsicles for the first time.  Of course they loved it, and I got to clean up popsicle messes, but it was worth it.

  

        
Our awesome home teacher (and his lovely wife Kristen) gave us some party poppers and they were perfect for the Olsen Fourth of July celebration.  They weren't noisy, messy, loud, or expensive.  And the girls thought they were so fun.  Jonathan would have preferred some pyrotechnics but they're illegal in AZ, and they would have scared Janie.

      

God Bless America!

Craziness

Jonathan just finished his first week as Dr. Olsen.  The previous two weeks were full of orientation and trainings.  So Monday he started in the ER, with patients, and it was rough.  There were a lot of demands, and the stress of not understanding the computer system.  But every day has been a little better, and I know the Lord has been blessing him.

But today has been crazy here at home.  Two days ago, Jonathan noticed some thumping under the hood of his car, so we took his car in.  So he's been using my car all day since Wednesday.  But last night our air conditioner went out.  It was very, very warm in here.  So we called our property management and they said they would send out their air conditioner guys first thing in the morning.  We didn't sleep well and Janie woke up sick, with a runny nose.  At 8 am, I called to make sure that the property managers were really on top of our situation (there is a heat advisory out today).  At 9 am, the A/C guy called to say that someone would be by between 2 and 5 pm.  I begged him to come earlier, but they were booked solid but he promised to send someone out today.  The problem was that Jonathan had my car and had forgotten to take out the car seats before he left for work, so we were stuck with no car and no car seats.  So my sweet sister-in-law and mother-in-law were going to rearrange their entire day to help us get the car seats and get to a cooler place.  But at 10 am, the A/C guy called saying that he had an opening and could come by.  I almost started crying, I knew it was a tender mercy from a loving Heavenly Father.  By the time the A/C guy had our house cooling down, Janie had a fever of 102.1.  Then Jonathan texted me that the car was going to cost $800 to fix.  I started feeling depressed, but then the Lord reminded me of my blessings.  Jonathan got his first paycheck yesterday, so we have the money to fix the car.  And our house is now very cool, and Janie will be better in a couple of days.  And I have an in-house doctor taking care of us.  So even though it's been crazy today, I know that Heavenly Father is watching over us.  And now the house is quiet and I am glad today is over.  

Tomorrow I will wake up, ready to play and take care of these cuties.  I obviously need to turn off the flash in my camera, but I love the smiles.  And I love that they look and act alike.