October 31st

The end of another month...whoohoo! The next few weeks could not go by fast enough. I know it is great that Lilly is getting the time she needs to grow and become one very healthy little gal, but my goodness this pregnancy has been difficult. The hospital visits have been the most difficult and with that so many days of school have been missed which brings so much homework. Although yes, I should be continuing my already packed day with more homework I needed a little time to regain myself and relax. This blog is a place for me to just speak out about anything I have to say. With all this stress on myself right now I still found time to enjoy parts of the weekend with my girls and hubby. Yesterday we had a great time trick-or-treating down main street with the kids. They had such a great time, not to mention both our girls along with Maddy and Port won a little costume contest which they thought was the best thing ever!It was a great time with the family.

Last night we had a great time making caramel apples. Of course Dan ended up really making the apples himself. The girls attention span is not very long, they each made their own personal apple and that was it. As much as Dan says he does not like the holidays he always ends up right in the middle. Yes, alot of it is for the girls but in the end I know he enjoys it. We attempted to make M&M and S'more caramel apples. I think for our first try they turned out great! (Tasted delicious too)

It was a great day and I am glad that even though my brain and body have been going crazy I was able to enjoy the time with my family.

New Opportunities

Today an amazing opportunity has presented itself. I am extremely excited but feel like I am jumping around trying to figure out where to start. It is an incredible blessing that seems to have dropped into our lap. I am going to put this one completely in His hands as anything I or we have ventured into without completely leaving it with Him never seems to work out. The excitement that is building is almost overwhelming! As I learn more I will spill more to anyone that would like to know. However, for now I heard of this only today and want to get more information before letting anyone else know.

The girls and Dan had a great and busy weekend. This past Friday, Danny had off from work and was the first Friday he was able to pick up Skylar from Junction. Skylar was overwhelmed with excitement to say the least when she saw her daddy at the door. Saturday just made things even better for the girls where we spent hours with Tyler, Melissa and the kids carving pumpkins, eating dinner and watching some UFC fights. Today continued our busy but very fun family weekend spending all day together. The girls each got a new toy, Kiera a doctor kit and Skylar some moon dough. (That to them was all they needed...ahh when life was simply about playing with your siblings) To end the family weekend we had some random guests drop in and visit and then we had family over for dinner and some dessert made especially by Skylar. It was a pretty great weekend to say the least. I am truly blessed to have the days and moments spent with my girls and husband.

So ends our family fun for this weekend but next weekend is already in mind and in motion.

Pumpkin Time

This month has already been a long one to say the least. Yet here we are at the end of the month already celebrating Halloween. With both the girls at home this weekend and next weekend we will definently be staying busy. Already today we will be headed over to Mel and Ty's to carve pumpkins, eat dinner and watch some kind of fight on the television. Next weekend we will be crazy busy taking Skylar and Kiera around town to trick or treat on Saturday evening. (Sky has to be at her moms by 6:30pm on Sunday which is real Halloween) We don't want her to miss the fun time with us so we are sort of having a Halloween weekend. Although this particular holiday neither Dan or I really care for, the girls love to dress up and get candy right now. As soon as they decide they don't like it anymore then this holiday will go bye-bye to be honest. For now watching them have a good time playing "pretend" is a joy while they are so small and innocent.

It is difficult for me to sit here and think only of my family when around the rest of the world are friends and family that suffer. An aunt who lost her husband to cancer after 61 years of marriage, a friend who lies with her 4month old son in a hospital having to say good-bye, and my husband who lost a sister. I truly do know that the Lord will never give us more than we can bare, but grievance is to be expected. There is no easy way to say good-bye to anyone that you love and for this I say a prayer everyday for those who have had no choice but to do just that.

Rueben Hultburg 1928 - 2010

Kiera's Corner

ewww i lo ve my mom. i love my daddy too.

Skylar's Corner

my daddy is playing on the t.v. I love my mom.

The MK Way

The opportunity that the Mary Kay way has given me is amazing. It is incredible the women that I meet at every turn in this business. They are amazing in themselves! Where else can you find a business opportunity to bring in an income while staying home and feel like yourself around other women? I love being a mother and a wife but I also have to be just Kena and I am learning that it is ok to feel like this. The business part is really taking off and I am excited to see what else it has to offer. This month I have added two new team members to my team and I am very excited to see what this opportunity has for them. Welcome to the team and most of all to the family, ladies!

If you have any questions about this incredible opportunity please contact me. I would love to share more with you.

kiversen@marykay.com
www.marykay.com/kiversen

On the outside looking in...

Here we go and only a few weeks before Lily will make her debut. There is so much to get done and I am not quite sure where to start. I do know that we are finishing the girls room tomorrow so that the bunk bed can be finished and have one room completely done before she is here. I am in that mood where I feel everything has to be done at once and nothing is good enough unless i do it myself. However, I must remind myself that I need to sit back and enjoy the last few weeks of life as is. I of course am excited as all get out to have another little girl in my arms and in our life but I must remember to breathe and be thankful for what is right in front of me.

As is sit here on my couch I look out and see my husband lying with Kiera and it is the most precious thing I could look at. They are both so calm together watching cartoons. It is beautiful! Skylar is gone but I know she is safe and having a good time. In my thoughts she is always and with her, Kiera and Dan I am at peace. Although yes I will not fully forget how many things we need to get done before the next bundle of joy joins us I will breathe easier knowing that my life is complete no matter what actually gets done. Remember the little things. The moments that truly take my breathe away like when Dan glances my way and have butterflies, when Kiera giggles, the nights Skylar wants to sit with mom, raindrops outside falling on the home that we own, all these together make a life worth living.

To all who come across this...remember to take a step back, look outside and breathe. You are alive and the world is waiting so go enjoy it!

2:00am

Yep, it is that time it is my neck of the woods:) Oh how I wish I could sleep. Thirty-three weeks pregnant and I am as big if not bigger than I was when I delivered Kiera at thirty-seven weeks. I toss and turn feeling physically uncomfortable only to be completely awoken by my thoughts. When I am the slightest uncomfortable they seem to be at their loudest. Lord only knows what my thoughts and I will speak about as their is so much in life that can only be thought of due to lack of listeners or the fact that some things should not be said out loud. I am learning this since finding Danny. Not that I cannot say anything that comes to mind to him personally, afterall he is my best friend but in other situations we must choose our battles. There is a time to speak and a time to be silent, it has taken me a while to understand the silent part. I have seen that sometimes are best moments are in silence, we learn to listen around us and not just to our own voice. It makes for a very interesting growing experience I must say that.

On a different note I will pick up Skylar tomorrow and though it may seem trivial to some to post everytime she leaves and comes home she is a thought on my mind constantly. It is so difficult to be a step-parent. I love her so much, she is my best friend as well as my daughter. Every moment she is away I spend it thinking of her. I wish daily to be close to her side, she is growing up so fast and it is hard that we miss so much. My prayer is that I continue as step-mother to show her nothing less than the full amount of love I have for her. I never want her to feel insecure or unsure about my role in her life. I am not her mother and I do understand and accept that, but I do want her to feel that she has a place in my life no matter what comes our way. Right now she calls me 'mom,' ten years from now it may be 'Kena' the name I have is of no concern to me, but the friendship we have together and the moments any mother/daughter have I pray she knows and grows up knowing that I will always have her back. There is a seperation between step and bio parent, I will be the first to admit this but it is how much of a seperation you have that makes a world of difference.

 For Skylar: " I will, if you choose, to be standing next to you as you are given any award during your time at school, when you graduate and take that diploma into your hands, when you announce your engagment and when you walk down the aisle. These moments, these happenings in your life among the many others not mentioned are times that I promise as a parent, your step or not that I will be there. I love you with all my heart and as your mother do not ever feel like you have let me down. There may come a time in your life when you feel you do not need me or maybe you do not even want me, but I will always be around for you to come back to. You are a part of my world, when I said 'I do' to your daddy I also said it to you. Just remember that blood or no blood I am here by your side. I love you kid and please do not ever forget it"

Life can be crazy sometimes and yet here we are going along with it the best we know how. I cannot say enough times how blessed I am to have such an amazing husband and two (soon to be three) beautiful girls.