Dynamite Reading

A couple weeks ago, I saw this on a friend's wall on Facebook:

I was so impressed by this awesome family that I decided to visit their blog.

I started reading about their family and their adoption stories. Jeremy and Christianne had three children, then their fourth and fifth were stillborn. They decided to adopt from China and all five of their adopted children have special needs. This video was their announcement that they are adopting two more children this year!

I felt like I was reading a really good novel. Because it is reality! They don't sugar coat anything and admit that life with special needs children is extremely hard. BUT, they both have such a positive attitude and happy outlook on life. And they love their children fiercely!

They have inspired me to improve my own attitude. The experiences they share remind me that the Lord is in charge and we can do ANYTHING with His help. Ben and I have always considered the possibility of adopting someday, but the idea of special needs adoption had never crossed my mind.
Until now...

They truly are inspiring. Go check them out!

He knows me.

As first counselor in the Primary presidency, I oversee the cub scout program. Our ward is really small and struggles with getting positions staffed.We have no Cubmaster and only one den leader. So I've had to fill in the gaps. In March I planned and executed the Blue & Gold Banquet. I also get to organize the Pinewood Derby for the end of this month. And I'm trying to get the boys registered to go to Day Camp in June. It is hard. So I was once again stressing out about it on my way to church today.

When we walked into the chapel, the Bishop walked right up to me and the first words out of his mouth were, "We got you a Cubmaster. We are calling and sustaining her today."

The Lord heard my prayers and answered them when I most needed to hear it. He knows me. He knows what my worries are. And today He told me that.



Today was also our ward conference. Since Ben and I both serve in leadership positions, we were both invited to a meeting before church. And we were both singing with the ward choir in sacrament meeting. I was worried about what to do with Lucas.

A good friend that recently moved was visiting our ward today. She gladly watched him for us while we attended our meeting and while we sang.

The Lord heard my prayers and answered them when I most needed the help. He knows me. He knows what my worries are. And today he told me that.

Our mothers knew it.

My Mother's Day has been wonderful.
Ben made me breakfast in bed: french toast made with Cinnamon Chip Streusel bread from Great Harvest.
I watched Lucas come running around the corner yelling, "Mama! Mama! Mama!"
------
Oh, wait. Ben said, "Lucas come back, you forgot something!"
Lucas started getting upset.
Take two!
------
I watched Lucas come running around the corner with a giant balloon yelling "Mama! Mama! Mama!"
Ben also gave me a beautiful bouquet of roses.
And a sweet mother's day gift: a small pocket version of the Primary Children's Songbook.

Without fail, someone always references the story of the 2,000 stripling warriors in their sacrament meeting talk on Mother's Day. I've read it and heard it a bazillion times. Specifically these verses (Alma 56: 47-48):

  47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. 

 48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

These women taught their sons to have complete faith in the Lord.
But the realization I had today was that, in order to teach this principle, these women had to be faithful themselves.
Our mothers knew it.

Do I know it? Do I have complete faith in the Lord?
This personal reflection reminded me of a talk given by Sister Julie B. Beck in the October 2007 General Conference, "Mothers Who Know":

When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children.

I think I'm going to work on improving in each area that she talks about.

Thank you to all of the wonderful mothers in my life for your examples. I love you!

Happy Mother's Day.

ELMO

Lucas has a new obsession.

ELMO.

We have his friends P and J to thank for this.  ;)

I was curious to see if Lucas would like Elmo as much as his friends, so we watched this clip together.

 He thought it was fun and clapped and said, "Yaaaay!"

So we watched a few more. Then we found this clip.

He started dancing and showing me his moves.

Seriously, the kid is OBSESSED.

He is always asking to watch "Eh-mo" and for me to play his favorite clip "agee?". (I'm not kidding, 15 times before I finally had to say no.) I now have a bookmark shortcut on my browser that will take me straight to the Sesame Street Elmo page.

And in case you're wondering, Mommy really likes this one too. (Although Daddy thinks that Snuffy is just down-right creepy...)

Helper

Lucas likes to "help" me in the kitchen.
He knows that the oven is "ha" so he's not supposed to touch it. He does anyway. We try to keep it locked most of the time.
He's got his own cupboard with a couple of pots and some measuring cups and spoons to play with.
But he always wants to do what Mommy is doing.

Kitchen Cupboards Make Good Hiding Spots

Lucas has his own cupboard in the kitchen. The only one we have not put a lock on. We keep some plastic pots, measuring cups, and spoons in there for him to play with.

He recently discovered how much fun it is to empty the cupboard out and climb in himself!

password is "cupboard"

Lately...

We moved.

Then we went to Utah for Christmas.

Now we are trying to get the house organized and decorated.

It is a slow process. These things take time and money.

But we keep busy with other things, too.

Like serving at church. Ben teaches the Gospel Essentials class and I am in the Primary presidency. I have been thrown into a very unfamiliar world: Scouting. Let's just say there is a lot of information and a lot of cheese...

Ben and I are doing a healthy challenge called "Feel Great in Eight." For eight weeks we compete against others to earn points by eating good foods, exercising, and personal prayer and scripture study.

In spite of my new strict diet (I'm having major chocolate withdrawals...), I LOVE getting together with a few friends for a cooking group twice a month. And our sons love playing together.

Oh, and I've been watching this:

I have a major crush on Robin Hood now.

And since that show ended I've jumped on the bandwagon and started watching this:

Full of delicious drama and characters that you love and others that you loathe. I can see why it received the Golden Globe for best TV miniseries. And some Emmys for writing (Julian Fellowes), director (Brian Percival), and supporting actress (Maggie Smith).

It looks like I have a new addiction to British television.