Birthday Ramblings

Well, yesterday was my birthday and while it was an odd day it was a good day. We had a funeral in the ward and so I spent most of my day at the church preparing food and attending a funeral. Many people felt sorry for me that I had to spend my birthday at a funeral, but I said to them, "What better way to spend my day celebrating my arrival on earth than to honor a life leaving it!" In RS our theme for the year is centered around Proverbs 35:10-35. That's the one that talks about the worth of a woman being more than rubies and it lists several qualities of a virtuous woman. We decided to take one of these qualities each month and focus on it and try to improve on it for the month. Since the talk in conference about "the purse" and how the women who found it knew what kind of a person the owner was just by the contents inside it, it has made me think a lot about what kind of a person I am and what do "the contents of my purse" say about me. I've attended about 6 or more funerals just this year alone and I keep thinking about all the nice things that are said about the deceased. Each child shares what they miss most about their parent and what they learned from them and say all the good things about their life...and it's got me thinking about what MY children will say about ME when I go. Thinking about this during the funeral yesterday, I was lost in thought, until one of the grandchildren started to read a poem called "The Dash." It starts off referring to the dates on a headstone...the year they were born-the year they died. But there's that little dash in between of all the years they spent living and that's mostly what is talked about during the funeral-what they did with their "dash." It's no coincidence that this poem was read at this time for me and I decided that I was really going to focus on my dash and make it wonderful, meaningful, and memorable so that when my children speak at my funeral they will have nothing but nice memories and things to say about me. I know I'm rambling but hey, "It's my birthday and I'll ramble if I want to!" After the funeral I had my last piano recital...I've decided to retire from teaching piano. This decision has been extremely difficult to make, but once I made the decision and prayed and moved forward with, I felt that a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I was filled with peace. So I know it was the right decision. Every recital I had in my teen years my mom wanted me to play The Eighteenth Variation: on a Theme of Paganini by Rachmaninoff, but I never did because I could never get it just right. So, in honor of her, I played it last night at my recital. She wasn't there to hear it but I played it for her anyway. Now, I can rest and enjoy this time I have with my children and start living my "dash." My day wasn't all bad...I had many surprises. My husband left a cute note and the HP7 movie in the car for me so that I would find it when I took the kids to school. I had many phone calls and texts from my family wishing me a happy birthday. One dear sister in my ward surprised me by bringing dinner for my family saying, "I figured with all you had to do today you wouldn't have time to fix your family dinner. Happy Birthday!" I didn't even know she knew it was my birthday and she was a total lifesaver that day! It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. After my recital and putting the kids to bed, my husband surprised me again with a candle light dinner. He made my favorite dish from Chili's-margarita grilled chicken-only his version of it. I have to say that I liked this dish even more than the one at Chili's! He also made his special salsa that I love and put cilantro in it-he doesn't really care for it but I love it! I have the best husband in the world! He always remembers the little details of things and he's always very thoughtful in his gifts. Like most everyone in the world right now, we just don't have a lot of money but he ALWAYS makes up for it in doing thoughtful things like this and for me it really is the thought that counts! With the birthday money I received this year I FINALLY bought myself a new camera!!!!!!!!! So, here is the last picture with my old camera... I'd say that this birthday was very special and turned out to be a great day. In the words of Rapunzel in the movie Tangled...BEST...DAY....EVER!!!

Happy Birthday Madalynn!!

I can't believe this day has finally come! Madalynn turned 8 on April 20. We had such a crazy day that we've actually been celebrating her birthday all week. Sunday, the 17th, we had dinner over at Grandma and Grandpa Newby's so I made some interesting cupcakes (new frosting recipe that didn't quite turn out to be "fluffy" like it was supposed to) and we celebrated her birthday and Uncle Jordan's birthday. Grandma Newby gave her a scrapbook kit that she can't wait to get working on and a new outfit that she wore to school on her birthday. Aunt Kayla gave her some sidewalk chalk and bubbles. She immediately went outside and drew on the sidewalk and blew all her bubbles. On Monday we went to Monkey Island and had fun jumping around and going down the slides. On her birthday I let her have cupcakes for breakfast (unfrosted of course) and I checked her out from school and took her to McDonald's for lunch. I took her back to school with a treat to share with her class. She had her first Achievement Day Girls Activity and they did a little easter egg hunt. She is so excited to FINALLY be in Achievement Days! Then she had a soccer game (in the rain) and then she finally joined me at the Relief Society Birthday Party. She participated in our little skit as Zina D.H. Young who was the youngest member present at the forming of the Relief Society and later became a General President. She did a great job and all the sisters sang Happy Birthday to her which was awesome! Today, the day after her birthday, she is home sick with a stomach bug that has made the toilet her new BFF. Poor thing! But I'm glad it waited until after her birthday. On Saturday we will be doing a fun friend party...just not sure what we will be doing yet as plans keep changing. Then we will finish up the celebration on Easter Sunday with Jason's family. Phew-that's a lot of celebrating! Maddie, you are my special angel and I love you very much. I have enjoyed watching you blossom and grow into a beautiful young lady. I am very proud of you. You work hard at school and you are so sweet and sensitive to those around you. You are a good big sister and I know that it is not easy being the oldest. Happy Birthday Moopsie!! I love you!!!! (pictures will be posted soon)

Proud Mommy Moment

There are certain things that happen daily in my life that I like to refer to as "proud mommy moments." These are things like when my child learns how to ride a bike, or read by themselves, or write their names...you know, things that only a mother can really be proud of. Well today, Fast Sunday, I had a few of these moments. Madalynn will be turning 8 this month and this is one of those moments that made me want to be a mom in the first place. Growing up I couldn't wait to be a mom and prepare my children to get baptized and go to school and go to dances and parties and ride a bike and all those things. We've been helping Maddie prepare for baptism all year. Our FHE's are centered on what it means to get baptized and become a member of the church. This morning Jason reminded me that it was Fast Sunday. So, I took this opportunity to teach Madalynn about one of the more difficult things of being a member of the church...fasting and bearing your testimony. We talked about what fasting means and why it is important. Then I gave her the choice to fast or not. She chose the right and skipped her first meal. We started our fast with a prayer together. Sometimes she would bring up the fact that she wasn't sure she could skip breakfast, but she did it. At church when Nathan and Livvy had their snacks she was trying really hard not to steal one, but she remained strong. I told her that it had been a long time since I was able to fast and that this was my first time in several years and it was hard for me too. I think that helped her to get through it. During sacrament meeting she geared herself up to bear her testimony. She wanted me to go with her. What a proud moment that was to sit and listen to her bear her little testimony that she had formulated all by herself. It was very simple but from the heart, the way a testimony should be. She did such a great job! She didn't play around or act silly but said it in such a reverent manner and I knew that Heavenly Father and the Savior and maybe even a few angels were surrounding her and helping her and filling her with the Spirit and love of the gospel. These are the moments that make me realize that I am doing alright as a mother and help me to remember why I wanted so badly to be a mother. She made it through all of church without complaining about being hungry and afterwards we waited for dad and ended our fast with another prayer. What a great learning experience for me, as well as, for her. She is such a good little girl who is excited to be baptized but it also learning how difficult it can be to choose the right all the time. I'm so proud of her!! Way to go Moopsie! I love you!

General Conference

Twice a year I look forward to General Conference. Not because it's a "day off" from church (although that is nice not to have any meetings!) but because I love to listen to the prophets, apostles and leaders of the church and hear what they feel the Lord needs me to learn. This conference session was no exception! Jason and I felt that the talks this year were devoted mostly to family, parenting and the welfare program. These are all things that have been on my mind. As the Relief Society President I do a lot with the welfare program. This is the hardest part of the calling for me because unfortunately I see it being taken advantage of far to often. It's hard for me to know when a family really needs it and when they are abusing the system. I've had to pray a lot before I go help a family fill a food order to have the discernment to know what the family's true needs are. But I've had to pray even more to FOLLOW that guidance. It's hard to tell someone NO. I've been working really hard with my Bishop and Ward Council to try to help these families learn how to budget and live a provident life. I've tried to teach the mother's skills in grocery shopping, finances and cooking so that they don't have to worry about where their next meal will come from. My husband is the employment specialist and he's had his hands full trying to find jobs for people...some who are not so willing to go out and work...but most who have just been unfortunate and grateful for anything they can get. It's really put things into perspective for my husband and I. We don't have a lot and we struggle pay check to pay check, but we have more than most and more importantly, we know how to live on it. In my goals to help out my neighbors in the ward I have felt alone and like I'm beating a dead horse when I go to the Bishop or Ward Council and talk about certain families and how we can help them. I kind of feel like the Little Red Hen and I always ask "who will help me?" and the answer is " not I!" To which I then reply, "then I will do it myself!" Well, as you can imagine that gets a little tiresome to take on a responsibility like that. So I was really glad to know that the prophets and apostles have the same concerns I do and that they encouraged us as members to help others be more self reliant and help each other. I've also been trying to focus more on my family and spending more quality time with my children. I loved the talks given about parents and children and families. They didn't make me feel guilty but they inspired me and encouraged me to keep on down the path and continue to work hard. I find that when I start doing what the Lord has asked me is when Satan starts to turn up the heat as well. I need conference to encourage and tell me to just keep on going. You're doing what the Lord has asked you to do and He will not make you endure it alone! This year our ward had some tickets to conference. So we got a couple for our family and went to the Saturday afternoon session. We didn't find out until that morning that you are supposed to be 8 and older. We had to tell Emma that she wouldn't be able to go...but we made it all better by telling her she could watch the new movie "Tangled" at grandma's house. So Jason and Maddie and I went to conference and it was a wonderful experience. It was nice to have some quality one on one time with Maddie. Jason and I have been trying to do that with each of the children. It was also a "proud mommy moment" for me because she will be turning 8 this month and we have been working towards baptism. We have been talking a lot about what that committment and covenant means. We've tried to teach her about what "Choosing the Right" really means. She wanted to stay home and watch the movie over at grandma's house. So I talked with her and asked her to choose for herself. I'm proud to say that she chose the right! She did a fantastic job of sitting still and being reverent and listening. She said that her favorite talk was the one that Elder Mayner(?) (I've forgotten his name already) spoke about. He gave the talk about his 8 year old grandson who talked about what it means to be part of a family and how he was going to help out and keeping the commandments. I'm very proud of Maddie and her willingness to Choose the Right and how hard she works to do that. It was difficult for me to sit still for 2 1/2 hours and she did better than I thought she would. We did take a few pictures with our phones but I haven't figured out how to retrieve them and get them on the computer. So as soon as I do I will post some. Anyway, Sunday morning we did our traditional big conference breakfast and invited some friends over to share and watch conference together. I loved Conference and I can't wait for the talks to be printed so I can read and reread and highlight and makes notes to help me improve myself as a mother, wife and daughter of God!