Did I mention Football started GO BYU

A two week update

Life has been so crazy, I thought I would add an update of my life, and add pics later.
The kids went back to school. Holy-cow. Haybear in 7Th grade and Nader in kindergarten. I am getting old. I thought It would be a hard day. I got home from taking them and after talking to myself for a few minutes. A call came though. I was my aunt. Grandma hadn't eaten for week, and I needed to get hold of my mom and dad. That took up the morning until I had to get Nader. No time to cry or feel sorry for myself. No time to talk to myself any more. Just phone calls from then on.
Well two days almost later she passed. What a good women.
I found out that even though we don't see people often. Life sometimes gets in the way. We truly miss them when they are gone.
My grandma was tuff as nails and as soft as anyone could be. She was valiant to her testimony and faithful to her Father in Heaven in her callings.
She will be missed. More important she gets to be with grandpa. What a great day for her. She has been with out him for so long and I can just see the hug that they shared that day.
I love knowing that families are forever.
Now to add to the crazy and very emotional week. A new calling.
First let me say. I am going to miss the nursery sooo much. Those kids are wonderful. They are there for you with open arms and hugs and smiles. I will miss them so much. Now to the Young Women. 1st councilor in the YW. I am looking forward to this a lot. These girls are great. They may not smile every time they see you. And yes they do like boys and that can make you crazy, but They are grand. They have it in then to share testimony in a way know one else can. They are at the age were they are learning to stand on their own and witness of the Savior. They are kind and caring and can make your heart melt with their words of love.
Now that is not to say that they are perfect. No one is. But they are great and I am looking forward to serving with them.
So life goes on. Crazy or not. The upside to crazy weeks is that I got to see family I hadn't seen in forever. To hugs kids I will get to love forever and have the support from my family I will never get to repay.
I now I just breath!

Braces and Broken Arms

Two days. That's all it takes to brake the bank, and make life just a little crazy.

Thursday Haybear got her braces on. She looks so cute. You may not be able to see in the picture, but they are blue and white. Her choice. You know it is football session. She wanted to show her colors.

Her mouth hurts but she is dealing with it, Soon she wont feel a thing. Doesn't she look older with them?

Then Friday, Nuker wants to go for a bike ride with her older brother. I advise her to play on the play ground if Bobo wants to go on the jumps at the park. You would think she would hear those words, Nope. She wants to be like her big brother and she takes a jump. And yes she crashes. That would be a fractured elbow. A an afternoon at the urgent care. Glad they were open.

Soon you will see her colors too. She gets her cast on Thursday after the swelling goes down. And you know she will pick blue. She bleeds blue.

how many shades of green are there?

The winds That Blow

I remember one time I was pouring through the Ensign and came upon a article that moved me to my feet. It is one article that stops me when I want to feel sorry for myself. And it lifts me when I feel times are getting hard. I just wanted to share...

The Winds That Blow

Jenna L. Staley, “The Winds That Blow,” Ensign, Apr 2005, 61

The Jaredites didn’t have a smooth-sailing voyage. But I realized fierce and steady winds were blowing them—and me—towards the goal all along.

Despite diligent efforts in my life and in my temple marriage, I now find myself a single mother raising three children in the gospel without a father and priesthood holder in our home. Sometimes the betrayal and hurt I feel are a tangible pain, as is the loneliness that often fills my heart. But a loving Heavenly Father has compensated for my emptiness and anguish with sweet assurances from the Holy Ghost. As I have pored over the scriptures searching for guidance, I have come to know my Savior, and He has blessed my mind with understanding and peace.

Recently I read Ether 6, where the Jaredite barges cross the sea to the promised land. Although I had read this account many times before, I noticed something this time that had never stood out to me, and I felt the Spirit whisper that it had application in my life.

I noticed that the Lord gave light to the Jaredites so “they might not cross the great waters in darkness” (Ether 6:3). I thought about the great waters I must cross and the lights Heavenly Father has given me that I may be spared darkness. Among them are access to Him through prayer, the Holy Ghost, the scriptures, priesthood blessings, my patriarchal blessing, and my testimony of the gospel.

I also noticed that the scriptures mention the preparation Jared and his family had to make before this great journey. I thought about how doing our part is essential before we can expect the Lord to do His. Then the record states that they “set forth … commending themselves unto the Lord their God”—an act of faith (Ether 6:4). They prepared themselves, they used the lights the Lord provided them, and then they set off on their journey, exercising faith.

The following verses, however, affected me the most: “The Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land” (Ether 6:5). As I read this, the word towards stood out to me. Although the Lord was carrying the Jaredites forth, I wondered whether they felt their progress or whether they were more aware of “a furious wind” and the “many times [they were] buried in the depths of the sea” (Ether 6:6). Were they able to feel the Lord’s guiding hand through the “mountain waves which broke upon them,” the “great and terrible tempests,” and “the fierceness of the wind”? (Ether 6:6). Verse 8 [Ether 6:8] reads, “The wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land.” It wasn’t a smooth-sailing voyage for them, even though they were chosen of the Lord, even though they were filled with faith, even though the brother of Jared had seen the Lord face-to-face. But interestingly to me, the fierce and steady winds were blowing them towards their goal all along.

I was ashamed to think of the times I have focused on the storms instead of the momentum they bring. Without them, I’d just be floating aimlessly. I came to understand that while trials are a natural part of mortality, the Lord can use the winds and waves of adversity to guide us, like the Jaredites, towards our personal promised lands.

what a sun set

Just Because

Be joyful, just because you can. Spread genuine joy to others, just because it feels so grand.
Generously give of yourself just because it's your own special way to make a difference. Smile, just because it is so easy and pleasant to do.

Follow your dreams just because they call so vividly and persistently to you. Live your deepest purpose just because it feels so very right.

Always speak the truth just because you understand its far-reaching power. Act with integrity just because it keeps you on the path to true fulfillment.

Offer a kind word just because it can have such a positive impact. Lift up those around you just because you feel connected to all that is.

Life can be quite complex, but it doesn't have to be complicated. Live each moment richly and fully, just because you are.

-- Ralph Marston