Flytt!

Vi har flyttat! Efter två veckor på Gotland börjar det nog sjunka in. Allt har gått bra och vi trivs redan. Vi bor verkligen på landet landet. Längs en liten grusväg med fem hus och åkrar och ängar runtomkring. Huset är precis perfekt för oss och blir mer hemtrevligt för varje dag. Flytten blev dock mer känslosam än jag väntat mig. Jag har flyttat förr, men aldrig med så stora barn. Jag hade aldrig kunnat förbereda mig på den känslostorm som jag greps av de sista dagarna på fastlandet. Det kändes så svårt att ta avsked av barnens fröknar och vänner. Dagisfröknarna som vi älskar så! Alla fyra barnen har gått på samma avdelning, och det är den enda avdelningen vi nånsin haft våra barn på. Så fem och ett halvt år med samma fröknar. Lovisa hann bara gå ett halvår i sin förskoleklass, så hon hann inte fästa sig så mycket vid sina fröknar, utan hade nog svårare att säga hejdå till dagisfröknarna. Alvins och Ivars fröken har också varit fantastisk. De tycker så mycket om henne och i klassen har de fått många fina vänner. När de slutade fick de ett häfte från resten av barnen där de hade skrivit och ritat hälsningar till pojkarna. En av deras bästa vänner, som de haft sedan dagis skrev en dikt till dem. And tonight I fall asleep with you in my heart. Jag är så tacksam för att mina barn har så fina vänner, och det var smärtsamt att se dem ta avsked av dem. Men vi har alla känt att det här är rätt för oss, och vi vet att vi är där vi ska vara just nu. Dessutom verkar det som att barnen kommer att fortsätta hålla kontakten med flera av sina gamla vänner och att de kommer att få många nya vänner här. Första måndagen åkte vi till Dalhem skola där alla barnen kommer att gå. När vi gick in genom dörren möttes vi av barnens fröknar som ville hälsa oss välkomna. Sen fick Alvin och Ivar följa med sin fröken till sitt nya klassrum där barnen i 3-4:an förväntansfullt satt och väntade. I 3:an går åtta barn inklusive Alvin och Ivar och de går tillsammans med den fjorton man starka 4:an. De hade en trevlig stund på samlingen och fick också vara med och leka på rasten. Lovisa tillbringade en stund tillsammans med förskoleklassen, i rummet intill pojkarna. Hennes klass består av tio barn om man räknar med Lovisa. Det är verkligen en stor skillnad mot hennes gamla klass med 24 barn. Hon trivdes från första stund! Egon och jag gick en trappa ner till Egons blivande dagisavdelning. Dagiset han ska gå på heter "Draken" och avdelningen heter "Jorden". Den består av 21 barn, så gruppen är ungefär lika stor som den på hans gamla avdelning, men här går bara fyra- och femåringar, vilket är en stor skillnad. Dessutom arbetar barnen åldersindelat då och då, och då är Egons grupp bara sju. Han blir en av tre pojkar i den lilla gruppen. De andra två heter Olof och Krus. När vi var där och hälsade på informerades vi om att "Krius är sjiuk". Alla Egons tre fröknar talar klingande gotländska. Även Egon verkade trivas bra. Nåt som är helt fantastiskt är att det i huset intill bor en 6-årig flicka och en 4-årig pojke som Lovisa och Egon redan blivit goda vänner med! Nåt annat som är lite festligt är att vi redan börjar förstå hur litet Gotland egentligen är. För en tid sen ringde jag till mäklarbyrån som vi köpte det här huset genom. Vår mäklare var inte på plats, så jag fick tala med en kollega. Han frågade vad vi tyckte om huset, och jag sa att vi tyckte mycket om det, varpå han säger att han själv flyttade ifrån huset för tio år sen. Det var han som renoverade det och planterade i stort sett hela trädgården. Vilket sammanträffande va? Men vänta, jag är inte klar än! Idag ringde jag ledaren för en kampsportsklubb här på Gotland. Alvin och Ivar gick på Jujutsu innan vi flyttade, så jag ville fråga om de kanske kunde börja i den här klubben. Tränaren var jättetrevlig och frågade lite om var vi bor. När jag sa att vi bor i Ekeby berättade han att han flyttade från Ekeby för fem år sen. Gissa vilket hus han bodde i?! Jag trodde inte det var sant! Det visade sig att vårt stora garage hade använts som klubbens första dojo! Julen firade vi tillsammans med de två unga missionärerna för vår kyrka som arbetar här. Barnen tyckte det var festligt att ha dem här, och det var kul att få dela med oss av vår svenska jul. Nåväl, sammanfattningsvis kan jag väl säga att tiden precis innan och precis efter flytten har varit lite av en känslomässig berg-och-dalbana. Men glädjen har helt klart övervägt. Gotland är underbart. Människorna här är otroligt gästvänliga och har fått oss att känna oss varmt välkomna. Bilder kommer snart.

Gaelic Blessing

Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the gentle night to you
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you
Deep peace of Christ the light of the world to you
Deep peace of Christ

Just a thought...

I watched "Robots" with the kids the other day. It wasn't the first time, but this time something stood out to me. This simple robot, made out of scraps and hand-me-down parts follows his dream to become a inventor. He leaves home and seeks out the place where it all can come true. As he stands at the gate to the great building he wants to enter, he looks up and sees something that's written above it: "You can shine no matter what you're made of".

I've always felt that I want to be so much better than I am. I look up to so many people and wish I were a little more like them. But I'm starting to realize (and it's about time) that I am okay the way I am. Heavenly Father didn't intend me to be anyone else. He gave me my strengths and my weaknesses just the same way He gave everyone else theirs. I just need to make the most out of what was handed to me.

A scripture came to my mind as I was pondering these things. In Matthew 5:16 it says: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." That's all it's really about. Doing good, loving and serving others.

That way we can all shine no matter what we're made of.

10 years since our first dance!

On New Year's eve ten years ago, Jens and I danced our first dance together. We didn't know each other and after the dance we didn't talk any more that night.

But a week later we were dancing again, this time at a youth conference. We talked and talked all night, and it felt as though we had always known each other.

After the dance, Jens spent the rest of the evening talking to another girl (he wanted to play hard to get) and I was devastated...

The next day at testimony meeting we looked at each other - and that was it!

A few days later we went on our first date and watched Billy Elliot at the movies. After that we were an item.

Ten years have passed. Ten years, one wedding, four kids, three homes, and thousands of hours of talking, dreaming, laughing, crying and praying together.

I feel so blessed to have Jens in my life. He's my best friend, my no. 1 supporter and the one who pulls me down from the clouds when I need to get my feet back on the ground. He's a loving father, a responsible provider, and a faithful son of our Heavenly Father.

Thank you for giving me the best 10 years of my life, and here's to 10 more just as good!

Big day for my big boys

Alvin and Ivar turned 8 on November 29th, and on December 4th they were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The boys had been looking forward to it for months and when the day finally came they were so excited! And I was too!

Since I'm the first in my family to be baptized into the Church, I was so happy that my sons made that same decision. On Jens' side of the family, our children are the fifth generation of Church members. And now there is a second generation on my side as well. That is pretty special!

What made it all even better was my family being able to come. My mom and Folke, my dad and my sister Merit and her family all came to witness the big event. None of them were able to be there when I was baptized almost 13 years ago, so having them there meant a lot to me.

The program was beautiful and the Spirit was so strong. When it was time for the actual baptisms, Alvin stepped into the water first, since he is 13 minutes older than his brother. Ivar stood by the funt and watched as his brother was baptized by his father. Then it was Ivar's turn and Alvin sat on the edge of the funt while he was baptized. Egon thought the ceremony was so funny, he laughed the whole time...

The boys were then confirmed by their father and welcomed into the church by the Bishop, who is also their father's cousin!

It was a day our family will always remember.

Pretty fall pics

We've had snow for a good month by now, but I thought I'd share some fall pictures of Lovisa and Egon that turned out really well.

Flash-back! First day of playschool!

One sunny August morning it was time for Egon to start preschool, the same school where Lovisa was now starting on her last year.

He was so excited he practically ran the whole way!


Finally he was a "BIG BOY"!

He started playing as soon as he got in the door.

Look at him going wild with the meatballs!

First lunch at preschool!


Egon has loved playschool from day one. He loves his teachers and you can tell that they love him and all the other children. I'm so happy that my kids have teachers who really love what they do. Egon has made many new friends and has learned so many new things.

I'm back!

Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in a day. It's been a real challenge for me to keep my head above water the last year and a half. Being a wife, mother, homemaker, translator and full time student all at the same time has been exciting and fulfilling, but also draining and overwhelming. A lot of the time I've felt as though my life was made up of nothing but demands and I've felt guilty about so many things. (A mom-thing, I know...) But I know that Heavenly Father knows our situation and knows why I have had to go to school at such a busy and important time. I know that I've truly been blessed this whole time. I've done the best I've known how under the circumstances, and I know that my Heavenly Father has filled in the blanks.

One thing I decided not to feel guilty about was not writing on my blog. For a few months now, I've been dreading having to try and catch up on everything and start writing where I left off so that there wouldn't be this big gap in the blog. But then I thought about it and realized there are bigger things to worry about!

I'm just going to start where we're at right now, and maybe, if I suddenly feel a surge of energy and inspiration, I might just throw in a few flash-backs here and there.

For now: Here's a christmas song for you! (Don't forget to turn off the music player to the left.)

Wow!

I can't believe a whole summer has just gone by, and I haven't managed to make one single post here! I'm still alive, so everyone exhale! I guess things haven't really calmed down since the kiddos got out of school... I will post lots and lots of summer pictures real soon.

Right now I'm sitting here thinking about the fact that Egon starts playschool tomorrow. That means I will be all alone for a few hours every day. I will be able to focus on my last semester of school and on work, so that when I do get to see the kids I won't have to feel distracted. Sounds great, doesn't it? But what will I do without my little man at home with me? He's so much fun to be around and it's so great to hear his wise comments and laugh at his wonderful sense of humor! I will miss him so much! I've been so busy all summer that I didn't see it coming, and now I'm sitting here all teary eyed, wondering were time went... My little Egon has turned 3. My baby is officially no baby anymore.

Inspiration

One of my friends shared this clip on facebook, and it really moved me. What an inspiration she is!
This is what life is really about!