So Glad I Gave Up . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs5PjSn1-iI

This ‘Queen of What Ifs’ is ever so grateful I decided to give up . . . thirteen years ago today, in fact. Happy Anniversary Dear.

p.s. I am still working on those “half-empty glasses.”

Have you seen the hand of God in your family’s life today? If so, write it down!

I was blessed to teach the combined Young Women in our ward again this month. The topic was Personal Records. My favorite part of the lesson was the story and quotes from President Eyering. I just love him.

In the November 2007 Conference President Henry B, Eyering gave a talk entitled “O Remember, Remember.” He described an experience he had in which he felt inspired to begin writing down daily family experiences. He was feeling particularly blessed by the service of a family member and as he was pondering on the service provided for them he heard in his mind—not in his own voice—these words: “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.” He immediately went inside and although he was very tired he didn’t go to bed but instead followed the prompting and began to write. He said, “And as I did, I understood the message I had heard in my mind. I was supposed to record for my children to read, someday in the future, (someday when they would need it), how I had seen the hand of God blessing our family.”

He went on to say, “I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: ‘How have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?’ As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done. More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.”

I have a testimony of this.

My Beautiful Mama

As is often the case with me, I am behind on things . . . I wanted to share this photo of my mom for Mother’s Day. I love this photo. Isn’t she beautiful! I love my mom so much and am so grateful for her many teachings and years of service to me and our family. It’s hard to fully express the gratitude I have for my dear mama. . .

Thanks Mom! Thanks for teaching me to work hard. Thanks for helping me understand, from the youngest age, that my most important role is that of a mother—that this is where I would find true joy. Thanks for coming to visit and helping out when our own babies arrived, sharing confidence and expertise with me. Thanks for helping me understand that I deserved better and that I had options at a very crucial crossroads in my life. Thanks for teaching me to be kind and to serve others. Thanks for teaching me homemaking skills and for introducing me to Mary Kay. Thanks for praying for me. Thanks for loving me. Thanks for teaching me how to smile. I love your smile and I love you!

Happy Mother’s Day Connie Sue!

Walking the fine line between humility and humiliation . . .

Yep! These are our Christmas cards, from 2008 . . . and I just mailed them out this week, the end of April. That’s got to be our family record of lameness. I must admit I was tempted to just let it go and hope no one noticed but in the end decided it would be a good lesson for me . . . a lesson in humility. A humble, even public admission that I don’t have a complete handle on my life, that, indeed, hard as it is to admit, I can’t do everything.  My dear husband spent so much time writing and printing the letters (back in December—like a good little elf) it just wouldn’t be right for me not to own this, to take responsibility and fully admit that I was the weak link in our Christmas greeting endeavor.  It’s a fine line though and I’m feeling rather wobbly.

My Favorite Piano Guys

Here is an awesome new video from my second favorite Piano Guy! He’s amazing.

. . . and here is a photo of my most favorite Piano Guy this Christmas at his first paying gig. He amazes me too.

A Random, Peaceful, Friday Afternoon

I LOVE our Friday afternoons. The crew gets out of school two hours early, allowing for some relaxing, unscheduled time at home. They are all usually so busy with homework and activities it’s often the only day of the week that they get some free time for themselves.

We can always count on David to fill our house with beautiful music. He’s talented, that guy.

 

Hans, pumping iron. He’s always diligent at putting first things first, getting his exercise and work out of the way before play.

Leif enjoying Hans’s DS. What a generous brother Hans is!

Freja, enjoying the Webkinz or American Girl website.

Last but not least, our sleeping Princess Britta. It’s always a good day when she gets a nap!

 

Funny Freja