Only the strong survive

I want to show you my feet. I'll make my point in a minute. For now, just take a gander...

They're not my best feature. In fact, they are my worst. And I've often wondered what others think when they look at them... I've felt self conscious about them in the same way one might be of a big pimple on picture day. But today, I am proud of them. They've recently been manicured and filed and pumiced, so I don't know - maybe this picture doesn't do them justice, but I have corns and bunions and this thing on my heel called a Haglund's Deformity. This from 16 years of dance classes, time spent perfecting a talent, and in pursuit of a passion.

I've been in survival mode this week. A little overwhelmed with life in general. I found myself sitting on the edge of my bed yeserday afternoon, deep in thought. Deep in effort to tap into my inner strength. As I stared down at the floor I became momentarily distracted by my workworn feet. And it occurred to me what a symbol of strength they were. Battle wounds. Proof of perservearance.

I suddenly realized that if I am capable of enduring physical pain, of pushing myself a little harder, of building up my stamina, then I am certainly capable of bracing my faith, of standing a little taller and reestablishing my drive and resolve to keep on keeping on. And so I will.

Wild Car Wednesday - the truth about cats and dogs

I'll give credit for today's crazy topic to my hubby.

Don't ask me how we even got on this subject, and on our date Friday night no less! We're finally able to spend some time alone together, find some romance, and gaze into each others' eyes. But what we really want to do, what we really needed, I guess, was to be flat out silly. So we started a debate about cats and dogs...

Which are the smarter species? I argue dogs... they are trainable, they have the capability and desire to obey and they have social skills. My husband argued cats because they can be potty trained (as in litter boxes), they don't beg for attention (but command it), and they bathe themselves.

The irony in this? We have a cat, which my husband can't stand. She hides in the dark and claws at him when he walks by. She snootily rubs her butt in his face when he is realxing on the sofa. And when it came time to pick out our family pet, I didn't want a dog because I felt that it would be too much work for me. But I actually really do think they are the more intelligent animal.

My reasoning? Our cat, for instance, runs into things (like closed windows), chasing some invisible prey. She imagines simple noises to be dangerous and goes psycho. Literally. She darts outside just as we're closing the door, often getting stuck or bashed in the head (poor thing). She overestimates her abilites... like when she tries to leap up onto the top of our armoire and ends up body crashing into the side of it. And don't get me started on naughty... first of all, she manipulated us into buying her. I am dead serious. We knew we needed a docile cat... we had 2 children at the time we adopted her and knew more would be on the way. So, I didn't want a cat with a nasty disposition. It was clear to us that she was the calmest one in her litter. While her siblings tumbled and fought, she sat in the corner with an unamused look on her face. The minute we got her home? Craziness! And to this day she eats my flowers, then throws them up. Knocks over vases. Hides under the kids' beds when we tuck them in and then cries to be let out (thus waking them up). Claws at our carpet thereby destroying it.

We do love our Isabella. She is a quirky part of our family, and very entertaining. Couldn't imagine life without her, even. We're used to her. If it were possible to train her to obey (and we've tried squirting her with water... heck we've drenched her), I think we'd have the perfect pet. But for now, the question remains.

Dos and Don'ts

Ever read the dos and don'ts section of Glamour magazine? DO wear heels with jeans, but DON'T tuck your jeans into your socks... I can usually say "duh!" to the don'ts, but I'm not always sure of the dos.

Today my high risk pregnancy counselor and I reviewed some dos and don'ts. DO nap whenever possible. DON'T be tempted to run the vacuum cleaner over the living room "real quick". DON'T haul laundry up and down the stairs. DO make piles and let your hubby take them up or down when he gets home. In this case, I often find myself justifying the don'ts.

Life is full of dos and don'ts... and some are certainly harder to accept than others. Ever wish your life came with a dos and don'ts list? It would make things easier to know, black and white, what to and what not to do. But the lessons learned by trial and error are too valuable (and sometimes too funny).

I can't supply you with your dos and don'ts list, since there are different dos and don'ts for each of us, but I will share what I've come up with this week (and not just based on my pregnancy, but life in general). Maybe I'll keep this thing going. Who knows. Might help someone else out one day.

DOs
DO consider the advice of others.
DO give the benefit of the doubt.
DO trust your instincts.
DO ask for help when you need it.
DO wear that crazy skirt in your closet if you love it.
DO let your kids be kids (even messy, silly ones) and DO laugh with them about it.
DO open your mouth when you have something to say.
DO try something new once in a while.
DO something nice for yourself once a week.
DO put a sign over your doorbell that says Please knock, baby sleeping! (how is that I just learned this one not 5 mintues ago?!?!)

DON'Ts
DON'T fear.
DON'T worry.
DON'T forget your promises (otherwise DON'T make them :)).
DON'T give into "the easy way".
DON'T relive your mistakes.
DON'T try to be someone you're not.
DON'T let a day go by without telling your kids/family how much you value them.
DON'T fret over what you can't help.
DON'T leave the maple syrup within reach of your toddler's high chair :).

As always, feel free to add yours in your comments!

Spring Fever

It's here! Nothing like a few cold days returned to make you itch for some sunshine. We are recuperating from some unexpected chilly temps.

I am so taken with nature right now. The sun is out and there is the most wonderful breeze! I've thrown open my windows and now I want to fill up my new sap buckets with flowers, get a pedicure and line dry my sheets. :)

Thursday Thirteen

13 ways to cope

1. let go
2. have faith
3. love others
4. indulge in something
5. give thanks
6. cry
7. be honest
8. but don't wallow
9. laugh
10. call on a friend
11. clean or organize something
12. ask you child to sing you a song
13. look ahead

R.O.F.L.

So my daughter is apparently an aspiring rapper... I just caught her rattling this off:

The room, the room,
The rules of the classroom!
Get an "A", get an "F",
go to class and take a test!
Go junior, go junior -
give it up,
give it up.
Hey you, hey I,
I never want to stop!

Talk about flow. ;)

Hey, while I'm sneaking in an extra post today... anyone out there want to help me install RSS? I cannot figure it out!

Wild Card Wednesday - dreamy jobs

Last Saturday I went shopping for makeup. I just love pouring over all the brilliant colors. More than that, I love to see what their names are... oodles, stormy, riches, decadent. What a fun job, I thought... naming makeup colors! I could totally do that! Then I thought about that guy that names the OPI nailpolish colors. Can you imagine the laughs they have in that office? "I'm not really a waitress" (aka Hooker Red). Hahaha!

You know what else I think I'd be good at? Entrepreneuring. Inventing. I've had some brilliant ideas, I must say. Now don't anyone go stealing them, okay? :P I have an obsession few people understand. Gift wrapping. I put A LOT of time and effort into it. Oy, you should see me at Christmastime. Nobody wants to open my presents, lol! They get photographed first! Seriously, though, presentation is as important as what's inside the box. So, my idea is to open a business called "That's a Wrap" and get paid to wrap other people's Christmas gifts. I'd be in heaven. Really. Wire, beads, buttons, wallpaper, ribbon, magazine ads, it's all just waiting to be used on somebody's gift. Tell me some folks wouldn't just love to drop of their gifts after buying them and get them back all pretty and shiny and artsy and ready to be placed under the tree. No all-night-wrapping-fests. You'd pay for that,wouldn't you?

As far as inventions go, I am driven by the convenience factor, as are many other aspiring creators. My first idea, a cordless hairdryer. Not a teeny tiny, do it in your car on the way to work, batteries will run out in 10 minutes, cordless dryer. A full duty one that can be charged for hours of use. In your bathroom. Does anyone else get extremely annoyed with their hairdryer cords? Do they get wound and kinked up all the time like mine?! And does the plug come out if you chance to vear too far away from the outlet during your hairstyling dance? So you have to stand right next to the wall, knocking your elbow on it over and over and over. Talk about grrrr! What if your outlet isn't on the right side of you body? Like if you're right handed and the outlet is on your left? Some mornings it's like a game of Twister just to do my freaking hair! This product would be a booming success. I just know it.

Next - a VCR, DVD and stereo system that has a locking feature. My curious little 17 month old is very much into buttons. So we are constantly keeping him away from the buttons on our electronics. We have tried placing chairs in front of our system, but that's so hideous looking. I am one of those that hates for a room to look like it's being held captive by your toddler. Bars over windows and pillows duct taped to sharp edges and corners? Not for me. We've also tried cutting plexiglass to slide in front of our electronics, creating a blocking window. There is a bar between the two holding compartments and an indentation along the sides where the plexiglass fits perfectly and snugly. I thought for sure that would be a winner. I even bought special plexiglass cleaner to keep it shiny-looking. But he cracked it in two with the mere tap of a toy. I know there are some plastic cover-type gadgets out there you can get. I've got one. But it came in one size only and isn't long enough for our VCR/DVD player. Plus it attaches with stickers or something ridiculous like that and wouldn't last longer than plexiglass, not in my house. So, really, the only option left unexplored is a locking feature on your remote. Wouldn't that be fabulous? I'm telling you, I am ON to something!

So, do you have brilliant ideas just waiting to escape your little head? Do share!

Speak to me!

Yay or nay on this new look?

a random act of kindness

"Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty."-- Anne Herbert

I was given a bumper sticker with this quote on it for my birthday one year in college. I love it... and hopefully I got the source right. What does it mean to me? Well, a lot, because I have received so many kind acts of service in my life, as have I been blessed by performing them. One of the things I treasure most about my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the organization of the Relief Society. The Relief Society is the largest organization of its kind for women in the world. We are the caregivers of our religion, pausing to uplift and serve not only one another but in our communities and throughout the world as well. It's not surprising that I have made some of my longest lasting connections through this sisterhood. During my pregnancies, especially, I have been on the receiving end of love and selfless giving.

Today I received a care package in the mail from Les. It was such a pleasant surprise and one that I very much needed today! I'd asked her a couple weeks ago for some make-ahead dinner recipes that I could freeze in bulk to make things easier for me towards the end of my pregnancy. Going beyond the call of kindness, she also sent me an embroidered tea towel, a blank canvas, some great artsy magnets and a card detailed with some wonderful quotes about the all entailing call of womanhood. This is a woman after my own heart, I tell ya!

Here is one of those quotes which really spoke to me: "To be a woman is to have interests and duties, raying out in all directions from the central mother-core, like spokes from the hub of a wheel. The pattern of our lives is essentially circular. We must be open to all points of the compass; husband, children, friends, home, community, stretched out, exposed, sensitive like a spider's web to each breeze that blows, to each call that comes. How difficult for us, then, to achieve a balance in the midst of these contradictory tensions, and yet how necessary for the proper functioning of our lives.--Anne Morrow Lindbergh from "Gift from the Sea"

Yes, achieving balance is difficult at times like this, but made easier when others are in tune and sensitive to the needs of those around them. We have such capacity for good, women, when we tap into our natural tendencies to nurture one another!

simplicity

I've been trying to simplify my life and am reminded of joy in little things... flowers - indoor and out, open windows, the smell of rain, fresh baked cookies, children's books, a great big blanket that covers a family of 5, new spoken words from my 17 month old, all 3 kids laughing at the same time, yummy candles burning for no special reason, a late night movie, lazy Saturday mornings, singing songs with my children. I am sad that I have to be on "restricted duty" to remember to enjoy these abundant things.

So often, we think of simplifying our life in terms of getting things done in a more effective and organized way. This is contradictory if we merely end up squeezing more in. We think simplifying is a means to accomplishing more, and it shouldn't be. It should be a means for lightening our burdens and helping us to enjoy life more.

I love John V. Cheney's words, "The happiest heart that ever beat Was in some quiet breast That found the common daylight sweet, And left to Heaven the rest." We live in a loud, busy world that shuts out the quiet whisper that's constantly telling us to slow down. I believe that even when we hear it, we have a fear of missing out if we don't continue in our struggle to keep up with everyone else. But what is it that stays with us the longest? An appreciation and gratitude for life in its simplest (as God intended?) or a long to-do list with a bunch of check marks?

I admit I get a thrill out of sitting down at the end of a full day and relishing in the fact that I have accomplished the work of a small army. But sacrifices have often been made and I just end up feeling unbalanced. Plus, it takes me longer to see things for the first time. With it being Springtime, there are many new beginnings happening all around us and I find it to be inspiring!

This could go in so many directions... as I am forced to sit back and watch, so to speak, I am sure that I will have more and more thoughts to share!

For now I want you to share with me... What simple things do you enjoy when you take the time?

New look, same great stuff!

You'll all have to excuse the CONSTRUCTION ZONE here... I am playing around with my template thanks to a little (okay, a lot of) help from Kristi over at A Beautiful Mess. I realize it still needs some work. You'll get to see quite a progression, I can assure you. ;) But just so I don't leave you completely thoughtless today...

It is Spring Break for us. With me being down, we have had to be very creative with our indoor time. Yesterday we had a camp-in (opposite of camp-out). The kids have a small indoor tent from IKEA that they adore. So we pulled it out and had some good old fun. They had hot dogs for lunch, we made sock puppets for our "camp craft" and then ate smores from under the broiler last night before bed with Daddy.
I got this FASCINATING picture of my daughter's loose tooth. Looks like it's about to fall out, doesn't it? Or shoved out by the new monster sized permanent tooth coming in. I'm thinking that thing isn't going to leave much room for the others. :S

Anyway - the snaggle tooth - she won't touch the thing. She eats around it, sucks her thumb around it, avoids breathing on it probably. Her first 4 fell out by accident... she bit into something and out they flew. Now she's wisened up and is really favoring this one. Makes me think back to my childhood and the things that bothered me. I remember sitting down one day and making a list of things I was worried about. I was maybe 8 years old. Can you believe it? What a testament to who I'd become, lol. (That would be a very particular and introspective, but fun-loving gal, thank you very much :)). Anyway, the list - if I remember correctly - had things on it like learn to ride my bike, PULL OUT MY TOOTH, try harder not to yap with my neighbor in math class, etc., etc. Lol! So, while I've been giving her a bit of grief about getting that snaggle tooth out of her mouth, I have to remember how much the very same thing stressed me out when I wasn't much older.

Because I am so crazy in love with my kiddos, I decided to take a bunch of pictures this morning to commemorate our fun week. Hence the collage.

Oh, and here's a few of their funnies from the week as well!

Adriana: Mom, I'll have H-two-O with my lunch today.

Me: Love you, Jonah Bear! Jonah: I like you, too, Mom.

Drew: Ducka-ducka-ducka.

Have a great weekend everyone! :)

Wild Card Wednesday

The idea for today's post comes to you from Emily.

"My Own Little Hole in the Fence"

We have a little hole in our fence in the backyard where my kids like to sit and talk to their friends next door... they pass little toys back and forth to share... it's quite cute. We used to patch up all the broken boards in the fence almost right away... as a puppy, our neighbor's dog liked to creep into our yard and then would get trapped and have to poop. But now the dog is trained and our children have found this "secret spot", which couldn't be more perfect. So, we're going to leave this newest hole as is.

I have several friends online who blog... we all read pretty much the same blogs and get the same crowd to our blogs as well. So must of you are aware of our pet name for each other... MOFs. In fact, that is how we all met - online. And a few of us have been lucky enough to meet in real life. When I get a moment to chat with MOFs it's like going to my secret spot. My little hole in the fence. My children will be happily occupied with something and allow me to shed the "mommy cloak" for a few minutes at a time. I look forward to it everyday! It's my outlet... my way to stay sane... and get a little adult interaction. These women ground me, give me great advice, listen to me whine. And so I pay public tribute to them today and thank them for their amazing example and unique ways of lifting and inspiring me. If you'd like to catch a glimpse of these wonderful women and the lives they lead, check out our ring "CosaMOFstra" in my sidebar.

Speaking of friends, this way of connecting with other women has reached out even further into cyberspace and brought me some friendships from the blogging world! I was tagged by MBF (my blogging friend) Carrie to do this meme called Seven 7s:

Seven things I want to do before I die:
1. serve as a rescue host for stranded whales
2. visit Italy to see the origin of my ancestry
3. go on a cruise alone with my hubby
4. make a solo recording
5. become a seamstress
6. be able to play anything I want on the piano
7. see all my children end up happy

Seven things I cannot do:
1. whistle
2. hold my leg up to my ear like most other dancers
3. read a book more than once
4. listen to heavy metal
5. dishes
6. keep houseplants alive
7. water ski

Seven things that attract me to my Spouse:
1. his integrity
2. his dark, curly hair
3. his thick neck
4. the twinkle in his eyes
5. the way he gets excited about little things
6. his boyish charm
7. his willingness to serve others

Seven things I say often:
1. What's up, buttercup?
2. anya manya hasha fasha
3. because I said so
4. honey, sweetheart
5. I love you to the moon and back
6. damnit (I'm ashamed to admit)
7. HEY!

Seven books or book series I love (which changes often):
1. Shopaholic series
2. Junie B. books (for my daughter)
3. Jeanne Ray
4. Shabby Chic books
5. Naked Babies or anything by Anna Quindlen
6. E.B.White (for my kids)
7. the Olivia series

Seven movies I could watch over and over:
1. First Wives Club
2. Breakfast Club
3. Uncle Buck (don't ask)
4. Life is Beautiful
5. A Beautiful Mind
6. The Incredibles, apparently
7. Center Stage

Seven people whose Sevens 7s I would like to hear (unless they've already been tagged):
1. Zoe
2. Sunny
3. Meadow
4. Lisa
5. moonface
6. Cyl
7. Bela

Help, I'm evolving

I was out driving with a friend the other day. We were people watching while stopped at a red light. She said to me, "Texas women, they are just so funny!" I wondered what she meant and so I asked. She says, "Well, look at all the jewelry!" I looked back at a large group of women waiting to cross the street and thought, "Whoa, she's right!" There were earrings and bracelets and rings everywhere. Large trendy bags. Hair. Then I became very aware of my own adornments that day. And I thought, "Oh no, am I becoming a Texan?"

I've lived in Texas for the better part of 26 years, but have never considered myself a "Texan". When people ask where I'm from, I hesitate to say Texas because there does seem to be such a stigma attached to the culture... the southern drawl, the wranglers and cowboy boots, the big bar hair. It's nothing to be ashamed of... obviously I like Texas or I wouldn't keep coming back... it's just that I fancy myself a sleek city girl more than anything else. More East Coast. Even though I only lived there for 4 1/2 years during the first 5 years of my life. Lol.

I have definitely begun my transition to the way of the Texas woman. Gasp. I've probably traded in about half of my black streamlined wardrobe for something of color, several pairs of close toed modern dress shoes for sandals and flip flops, and yes, I do own a pair of really sassy cowboy boots (though they've never and I can guarantee won't ever be paired with Wranglers). I have added some spunky jewelry to my collection of accessories (which previously consisted only of a variety of silver hoops and lots of scarves). Last but not least, I now sport a true "hairstyle" as opposed to the long straight style that topped my head for 16 years. It hasn't reached big bar hair capacity yet, thank goodness, but it looks better "done" than swept back as I'd previously preferred.

This all brings me to another realization. My mother was a Texan. Shhh, you can probably hear her rolling over in her grave at the sound of that. She'd never have admitted it, though. Oh no. But the matching earrings, bracelet, ring, watch and shoes were solid proof. Scary.

So, I guess my fate is sealed. Texas has rubbed off on me. But only to an extent. Until it rubs off on my house and I begin hanging large metal stars on my wall or my wardrobe and I begin wearing orange on UT game days and or my collections and I begin to go nuts over Lonestar flag memorabilia, I think I am safe from having to admit it. Phew.

Peas and Quit

When I was in college, I had an older roomate who was an elementary school teacher. She was grading papers one night - a writing exercise involving Christmas lists. One child in her class had written down peas and quit (translated to mean peace and quiet) as something they were hoping for. Lol.

I believe you can find peas and quit no matter what is going on in your life, but it ain't always easy. In fact, for me, right now, it's presenting quite the challenge. I am trying to find a way to slow my life down and keep my moody uterus calm enough that I don't go into preterm labor. For now this means no lifting, no heavy cleaning, no carrying (as in 17 month olds :S), no stress and as much rest as possible. It became clear to me yesterday (as I spent 1 1/2 hours helping facilitate during Drew's grueling physical therapy session) that the time had come to take these restrictions seriously. I have had 2 babies born preterm and with complications because of my "irritable uterus". Let me tell you, that's not the only thing that's irritable right now! But, I am trying to make peace with the situation I am in. It's going to take a lot of humilty and letting go, something I'm not very good at.

I've experienced peace and contentment in my life. Let's see if I can conjure up some images for you:

It's spring and I'm at the top of the Grand Canyon looking over as much of the earth as I've ever been able to take in at once.

It's a quiet early summer evening and we are having a BBQ with our neighbors. The kids are jumping from one kiddie pool to the next and the adults are deeply enjoying the last evening breezes Springtime has to offer. The smell in the air, one of my favorites, consists of grilled hotdogs and marshmellows.

It's early morning and the sun has just begun it's rise. It's just me and the sound of a few birds next to the river where we'd camped the night before.

I'm out for a walk, at about midnight in Provo, UT, and the snow is falling, dampening the sound of everything but my fresh footprints.

I'm hoping this opens your own imagination to experiences where you've felt at peace and content. My experiences will be my imagery for the next few months, but these verses will be my mantra (for I know that true peace must not only be contingent upon conditions or happenings): "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." and "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

There now, I give myself to peas and quit. ;)

Wild Card Wednesday

Today's Wild Card Wednesday comes to you from my friend and neighbor Brooke. It is so off the wall, so perfect for Wild Card Wednesday, I have anxiously awaited blogging about it all week.

Have you ever heard of MMS, or Monthly Male Syndrome? Yes, ladies, men appear to have a cycle... their hormones rise and fall in roughly a 30 day rhythm just like women! They have an emotional cycle that also falls into a month to 6 week pattern. According to one researcher's findings, men tend to be more apathetic and indifferent during the low period of their emotional cycles and more likely to magnify small problems into big ones. During the high period of their cycles, men have more energy, a greater sense of well-being, lower body weight, and less need for sleep.

Hmmm!

There is also a rise and fall in sperm count! That's a good thing to know.

Pheromones could be part of the cause for other similarities like mood change, bloating, sensitivity and cravings. That's a two way street, my friends.

And this gets better.

In older men, a condition called "andropause" is known as the male menopause, also distinguished by a sudden drop in hormone levels, although without a clear-cut signpost like the cessation of menstruation but more of a cessation of the sexual function (along with the stereotypical irritability and depression).

Learning is great, isn't it? Oh the things you discover. Can't wait to see the look on my husband's face the next time he gets moody and I say to him "What's the matter, honey? Feeling hormonal?", batting my eyelashes innocently.

Bwahahaha!

Oh so many thoughts

It's been a few days, I know. I'm slowing down a bit. There's a lot going on right now. First of all, I am getting to the icky part of my pregnancy, the part which requires me to cut back and take it easy lest I go into preterm labor. I start progesterone therapy next week and am going to pare down my life this week so that I am not working so dang hard!

Second of all, my mother's would-be-52nd birthday was Friday. She passed away almost 2 years ago. I thought about posting something special and grandeur about her but decided to wait for the anniversary of her death next month (sheesh, is it even appropiate to call it that?). I think I'll need it more then, anyway.

Anyhow, you can't even begin to imagine the blogibilties that have been whirling around in my little head the last few days! I had the privilege of attending "Time Out for Women" (like a women's revival for Mormons, lol) this weekend and whoa! Lots to absorb...

I think what made the strongest impression on me (for now, at least) was a talk given by Matthew O. Richardson (yeah, the one man who spoke). He basically talked about the fruitless task of quailfying ourselves for grace. It is so true that moms often feel that they are saved by grace only after giving 110% to their children and to the women in their ward/stewardship and to their neighbors. Only after getting translated, and losing 10 lbs, and writing that book on the joy of motherhood and on and on and on! Rofl! Oh, how I have fallen prey to this thinking. Why do we twist and turn things so that there is NO POSSIBLE WAY we can accomplish them? Think about it. Grace is "the divine influence upon the heart". It is the enabling power to do all we can do! Most importantly, grace is not earned.

He suggested the parable of the widow's mite in comparison to what we each have to offer. She, of course "did cast all that she had, all her living". So what is that for you or I? Is it all the aforementioned things? We know we must lay on the altar of sacrifice whatever is required of us, but I can't tell you what that is, nor can you tell me what is required of me. It is different for each of us, and MIGHT (compared to mite) has much to do with it. But we must not doubt what we have to offer. It is the adversary who tells us we are not good enough or that what we have to offer isn't good enough compared to Molly Perfecto.

For instance, I don't give myself credit for the simple motherly things I do like hug my child after he's hurt himself. Oh no, that is merely expected of me and will certainly go unnoticed. On the contrary! Wendy L. Watson pointed out that if we were to write our life history from what we think of as the Lord's perspective, we'd undoubtedly give attention to all the mistakes we've made. The Lord's record of our life, however, would be void of our transgressions (given that we have properly repented of them) and will include those small things that we do and don't give ourselves credit for. We forget that Christ and the atonement act as the editor of our life history. Isn't it marvelous to think of it that way!

I've said it before, but am recommitting, that I will believe in all that I do... that not only includes putting on my cape and delivering meals to the sick or watching Molly Perfecto's 5 children or hosting as many baby showers as possible. Reading my scriptures or commenting often in Relief Society or saying 30 min. personal prayers. Or performing once a month. But also folding the laundry and wiping noses and most importantly... hugging away booboos ;).

Blessed

Today an old man passed by my youngest son and I while we were eating lunch and said, "You sure are blessed, aren't you?" I had just been scolding Drew for throwing his applesauce at me (which looks great caked on a navy blue cable sweater, by the way) and was even considering cursing a little as I leaned over my bulging belly to pick up the spoon. So, I am grateful that this old man reminded me that the mischievous little guy sitting in front of me was indeed a great blessing.

I woke up this morning wondering if I was doomed to have a repeat of my bad day yesterday (and the day before); I have been feeling stressed and unmotivated and sad and frustrated all at the same time. I don't know what to blame it on, there are so many culprits: pregnancy, my absent but much needed father, the kids' health issues, my busy dh, my busy self, lol, unfinished projects, mischievous little people :). But I realized something very important this morning as I said my prayers. It had been a while since I'd done that first thing out of bed, and when I was done it was clear to me why. I haven't been feeling worthy. Hormones could definitely be plagueing my emotions, but I have been so edgy lately that I just assumed the Lord did not want to hear me whine, let alone ask for help. Basically, I'd been waiting to get over it myself before approaching Him. Oy, pride. The minute I began my prayer this morning I realized nothing could be further from the truth! The overwhelming sense of love that poured over me helped me to realize that my Heavenly Father had been waiting, longing even, for me to come to him. He'd missed me. He hadn't moved an inch. But I sure had. And why?

If you can visualize the rocks in our lives - our faith, our family members, our friends, our beliefs... all things that will forever be with us. Now imagine placing those in a jar. Visualize the things that bring us joy, such as a clean home, neat toys, and accomplishments/accolades as pebbles and mentally pour those into your jar. Lastly, visualize the most disposable things in our life as sand... things such as pedicures, hobbies, shopping (hard not to make that one a rock, huh;))... and pour that into your jar. The jar is now full. Everything fits, but only becuase of the order in which you placed them inside. If this process were done backwards, there would probably only be enough room for a few rocks; a few people or a few beliefs, rather than all. You all may have seen this object lesson before, but it really does open your eyes to the important order of priorities. My priorities have been backwards lately. No, I haven't gotten my one lucky pedicure for the season yet, or even had my hair cut in forever, so please don't think me completely shallow. But I have been seeking to fill a void in my life with sand, basically using it to meet my needs.

This morning, by saying my prayers, I immediately armed myself with strength and with guidance and with comfort. It definitely helped me to get through my hectic morning a little more calmly than I have been the rest of this week.

As we were leaving our lunch spot, I smiled at the old man that had approached us and thought to myself, "Yes, yes I am very blessed indeed." Thank you, dear stranger, for that reminder!

It's Wild Card Wednesday again!

Today I want to do a Wednesday poll. I shamefully admit that I love polls. So, if you enjoy sharing random tidbits about yourself, today's your day!

W - What are you reading right now?
E - Your favorite thing to do in the evening?
D - Do you get into Spring cleaning?
N - What should a I blog about next Wild card Wednesday?
E - What is the easiest thing going on in your life right now?
S - Do you have a favorite scripture? (or quote)
D - What is your least favorite day of the week and why?
A - Are you really good and anything in particular?
Y - What is your favorite flavor of yogurt?