Family Pictures- Make my heart smile!

Last Dec when our whole family was together I knew we needed to take family pictures.  I wanted updated pictures to hang on my wall.  So in discussing this with Kristen a few days at work I asked her if she would ask one of her friends to take our pictures.  I told Kristen I would be happy to pay her.  She asked Freya and not to my surprise the pictures turned out Amazing!  Freya does an awesome job.  In fact there were so many good pictures how was I going to choose?  Yikes.  So I put some on Facebook and decorated my blog with them.  But I wanted them up in my house.

I scanned Pinterest for ideas on how to display them.  Looked for frames but nothing happened.    How was I going to do this?  Frames are expensive in the stores and they didn't have any that I liked together.  I would always walk away and say I'll try again another day.

Enter Friday May 10th.  I was down in Orlando for the day doing training and I drove by IKEA.  I love that place.  I thought hummmm perhaps after the training I'll stop on my way home.  Kristen had wanted me to get her a few things but I had planned on getting them this week since I'm down there all week long.  I decided to delay my trip home and head into IKEA.  I went looking for frames.  And IKEA did not disappoint!  I found some wood looking ones and it happened to come in all the sizes I wanted.

I came home with a car full of frames.  Saturday Morning I woke up way to early but came to the computer and sent to Costco our wonderful pictures.  I over did it a tad with what pictures but I didn't want to come up wishing I had picked another picture.  They were ready at 1:30.  I picked them up and was excited to get started.

I had read enough on Pinterest that suggested that you put your frames in the order on a table or floor.  That way you get what they will look like.  I did that and had Alyse add her thoughts on how they looked together.  Soon Kristen, Lance and Liam arrived followed by Bryan and Michelle.  They all joined in on what they thought.  I was excited.

They opened frames and helped me put the pictures in.  Kristen suggested taking paper and cutting it out the same size as my frames.  Then positioning the paper on the wall.   I took some wrapping paper and cut out the sizes and taped them like how they were on the floor.  Sent a picture off to Kristen to see what she thought.  Alyse had run to the store for me to grab more hanging wire and Bryan was great at helping me get things level.  Michelle watched as we put it up.  We all decided everything needed to be moved to the left.  Move we did.

Bryan and Michelle went home and Alyse arrived back with the wire.  I measured the frame and were the nails needed to be.   Into the wall went the nails.  Hammering right through the paper.  I was so excited to see the results.  The big picture too some adjusting on the wire but as we took down the gold wrapping paper and put up each frame I knew I had done this one right!

I am overjoyed that finally the greatest gifts and joys of our lives are displayed in our home.  Today I want to tell all my children that I am so happy that Heavenly Father sent you to us.  You are my light, my strength, and my joy!   As each person is added to our growing family Mike and I continue to ask how did we get to be so blessed. 

When God Created Mothers!

I have always loved this little story that Erma Bombeck wrote.  I've used it a few times when I was asked to speak on Mother's Day.  Happy Mother's Day to all. 

When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into his sixth day of “overtime” when an angel appeared and said, “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”
And the Lord said, “Have you read the specs on this order?

• She has to be completely washable, but not plastic;
• Have 180 movable parts... all replaceable;
• Run on black coffee and leftovers;
• Have a lap that disappears when she stands up;
• A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair;
• And six pairs of hands.”

The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands... no way.” “It’s not the hands that are causing me problems,” said the Lord. “It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have.”
“That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. “One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, ’What are you kids doing in there?’ when she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, ’I understand and I love you’ without so much as uttering a word.”
“Lord,” said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, “Go to bed. Tomorrow...”
“I can’t,” said the Lord, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick... can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger... and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower.”
The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. “It’s too soft,” she sighed.
“But she’s tough!” said the Lord excitedly. “You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure.”
“Can it think?”
“Not only can it think, but it can reason and compromise,” said the Creator.
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. “I told You You were trying to push too much into this model.”
“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.”
“What’s it for?”
“It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride.”
“You are a genius,” said the angel.
The Lord looked somber. “I didn’t put it there,” He said.

Talent and Skillz!!!

I'm thankful today that I have a daughter who can give my blog an new look.  It was looking pretty sad.  She tried to help me but it just kept getting worse the more I fiddled with it.  So I gave her free rein of my blog.  I love how it looks and I think it looks great!  Thank you Kristen. 

I love that Heavenly Father has given each of us something unique to contribute to the world.  I quit a long time ago trying to compete with other people.  It just wore me out and makes made me depressed.  I started to look at all the stuff I did and most of it I do pretty well at.  I enjoy sewing and making things.  I love to do stuff to my house.  I use to love working outside but eh it gets toooo hot.  But I love to see flowers and try to grow them.  I pretty much kill most plants.  I love to design and make quilts.  I love looking at fabric.  Mike hates that part!!! 

The other day on the Jeff Probst show he was telling his co-host a story about an incident that happened on Survivor.  There was a man named Dah who was a native to the area.  The team that won was given the opportunity to have Dah go to their camp and to show them how to survive better in the area.  He showed them how to make their hut better.  How to look for food and so forth.  He showed them how to cut a coconut top off with 3 swings and all the while holding it. 

Jeff saw that and said to him Dah you have to show me how to do that trick.  Jeff tried the trick and on the first swing he missed the coconut and sliced his wrist and barely missed his main blood vein in his wrist.  The medical team had to assist him and get the bleeding to stop.

Towards the end of his story his co-host said so what did you learn from this experience?  Jeff said oh I don't know be careful with a machete?  She said NOOOOO - You have lots of talents and things you do well.  You don't have to be able to do all the tricks you see others do.  Let Dah have that trick.  You have other tricks you can do.  Let Dah have that trick.

I loved that.  So many times we compare ourselves to others or seek to do something just as well as that person so we don't look dumb or untalented or unlearned.  But what we fail to remember is just like she said, 'Let them have that trick.  You have other tricks they don't have.'

So I say HURRAY for you and all your talents and skills and I say HURRAY for me and all my talents and skills.  Together we make the world a better place.  Alone we don't.  Rejoice in who you are and not in who you wish you were.  Everyone has a place in this world.

HURRAY FOR YOU!  HURRAY FOR ME! 

Hair!!

So last night I did something I never thought I would do!  I dyed my hair.  Yikes!  I have always thought hair was a bit overrated!  Why spend all the money on something that will just grow out.   I have often wondered what my hair would look like when the gray/white started to emerge?  I did notice it coming but figure eh it looks fine...  Take a quick journey with me through my hair color and cut stages.  Ya you know you have time!

Mike and I on our wedding day 1981

Mike and I at Ricks College formal Dance 1978

Bryan and I.  Perhaps sometime around 1984 ish

The girls and I.  1991?

K and I at the Oakland temple 2006? 

Our anniversary celebration 20 years

2012 with our cute babies!

Jan 2013

March 21, 2013

So besides all the haircuts that looks like a mullets my hair has changed.  I have a friend at church who had(s) the same color of hair as mine.  She is older than I am so I have watched her hair to see the changes it's made.  I would look and say yep mines doing the same thing.  Then things changed!  Nancy came to church with red hair and she looked FABULOUS!  Since that Sunday I have thought about doing the same.  I talked to everyone I could think of who has dyed their hair, I talked to the gal who cut my hair.  I talked to my sister who said DO IT!  Call and make the appt right now!  I did and almost cancelled a zillion times!

When Summer was blowing my hair dry she turned my chair away from the mirror so I couldn't see.  But I would hear from her and Alyse I LIKE IT!  I was shocked.  It was sooo dark!  But it is growing on me.  Its something new and fun and the only thing it killed was my wallet!  :-)  I told my friend Peggy that with all the compliments of WOW!!  You look great, you look 10 years younger I wonder wow... was my old hair really that bad?  Did I look horrible?  I tried to do a side by side comparison and today I thought oh I'll just take another picture of my old hair.  HA!  Can't do that anymore!  Now I have other things to change on me!  After all it is springtime! 

Music the great communicator

Today at church we sang The Spirit of God for a rest hymn.  This caused me to reflect upon my feeling about this song and how it has helped to build my testimony of God.

When I was a teenager every other year our area was involved in the play/production of "And it Came to Pass" but we called it The Temple Pageant.  The pageant is performed in the Auditorium of the Tri-Stake Center on the grounds of the Oakland California Temple. I sang in the balcony choir twice.  It was a big deal to do this.  We would practice as a stake after church and on Saturdays.  Then as the performance drew closer we would meet with other stakes within our area and sing together.  I loved doing this.  The music would swell in my heart.

Let me set the stage for you we've practiced months and months.  We make a few dry runs up at the Tri-Stake Center next to the temple.  There are two groups of people involved for this production.  The cast and the balcony choir.  I always sang in the balcony myself.  But we were to learn the songs and find a dress that was all white.  We were instructed to enter quietly so the audience wouldn't know we were up in the balcony (and even taught how to stand without making a noise).  Anyhow, the play was about the history of the church.  It opened with Joseph Smith and his search.  The first song we sang was my favorite

"Who Am I". 

“Who am I, this being that I am, who walks the earth midst beings as myself?

Born was I of parents; who are they?

Why do I exist to walk a while and then depart? Who am I, who takes up time and space,

Who motions vacillate, some bad some good,

Who feels the null and void of all of this, without the question answered, who am I?

By happenchance have I come about by some ornate confusion?

By happenchance have I grown from rudimentary species eons past evolved?

By happenchance? By happenchance am I a worthless piece of thing

So dross, so void, so much of nothingness that when I pass,

My passing is just passing into past?

Who am I? This is who I am!

My spirit lived with my Father before the earth was formed. …

I am a child of my Father. I am a child of God.”

If you want to hear the song you can listen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWOUxsyRq8U
 

 Anyhow, as we sang I would get chills that would go up and down my body.  Today I recognize that as a witness that what I am doing and feeling are true and a testimony was being born to me of the truthfulness of this gospel.  I have issues with remembering many things but words to some music just seem to come to my mind and I remember almost every word.  

The very last part of the pageant the balcony chorus stands and everyone is dressed in all white.  The cast is in all white and as we began to sing about the truthfulness of the gospel we sang "The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning.  Participating in this has left a lasting impression in my heart and soul.  So last Sunday as we sang this same song I was transported back 35 years ago to a balcony where these same feelings started. I loved being taken back and thinking back to this time. 

One other thought the second year we sang they added a song called "We are the Vision the Prophets Saw".  I wasn't in love with it because it was new and I felt no ties to it.  It almost felt like it didn't belong. It was really my least favorite song.  (I think it might have been written by Keith Merrill?) I remember sitting in the big hall at the Tri-Stake Center going over some rough patches with songs and we had been told that maybe Pres. Benson (He was President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles then) might attend the Pageant.  We were practicing "We are the Vision the Prophets Saw" and the doors swung open and in walked Pres. Benson.  I remember that day wanting to sing just a little better so Pres. Benson could feel that yes we are the Vision the Prophets saw.  For that moment this song had great meaning to me as I sung it for a Prophet of God.

“We are the vision the prophets saw.

We are the promise of the latter-day.

We are the vision the prophets saw.

We are God’s bastion in our humble way.”

 I remember the first time I went to General Conference and I was sitting on the left side of my mom on those old hard benches.  It came time to sing and I looked around for hymn books.  None were to be found and I found this rather odd.  I asked my mom how we were suppose to sing if we didn't have any books.  She said to me something that has stayed with me to this day (and always brings a smile to my face) if you want to sing with the angels in heaven you need to memorize the songs so you can sing with them as they probably don't use books in Heaven.  So to this day if it is a song I know I don't use the hymn book.  Cause I want to be in the Heavenly Choir and sing these wonderful songs of praise.  

Music is an amazing tool.  It makes you smile, it can bring comfort, it will bear witness to divine knowledge, it teaches, it can bring happiness to your moment or your day.  I love music in my life and all types of music.  Most times I think music has come as a gift from above.  Granite some music does not!  But none the less I love surrounding myself with music. 

Here is an New Era article written in 1977 about the pageant.  It no longer exists but for me it lives in my mind and heart.  https://www.lds.org/new-era/1977/02/songs-sung-backstage-and-in-balconies?lang=eng

 

Love, Thankful, Appreciation and all that stuff!

So today is Valentine's Day.   I have so much to be thankful for on this day and chances are you are on my list!  So here we go!

* A wonderful caring husband-  He has always let me be me.  He supports me in all I do. He is the kindest person I know and I love him dearly. Every year we are married I am more and more thankful for the day I said yes to his proposal and making it eternal by going to the temple.  I can't imagine life or the eternities without him.

* I have 4 amazing children who joined our family to make it what it is today.  I love them and love that they continue to teach me new things all the time and they teach me how to be a better mom.  They take care of me by always coming over when they can or texting me, calling and emailing me and especially when Mike's gone.  They are all amazing people individually and I am one lucky Mom.

* I have 3 wonderful children who have been added to our family via marriage.  How thankful I am they are apart of our family and they continue to bring depth and love in making our family better and stronger.

* I have two of the cutest and sweetest little grandsons alive.  They truly bring me joy each day and there is nothing better than being a Nan!  I love their smiles and bright eyes.  Such great gifts from Heaven. 

* I have wonderful siblings who support and love me and send me funny texts and emails.  I love when they call me and tell me about their lives.  I love them.

* I have 2 wonderful parents who have taught me vital life skills.  Even if they are on the other side I still feel their presence in my life today.  But oh how I miss them!

* I have been blessed with good In-laws and In-law siblings!  And In-law-law siblings who I consider my very own family members.  I have cute and bright nephews and nieces.

* I have the worlds BEST friends.  They are funny and thoughtful.  They bring smiles to my face on so many different occasions. 

* I love the world we all live in.  The beauty is overwhelming and the colors dazzle me!  

 * I love the scriptures.  I have enjoyed listening to the scriptures on my way to work.  My commute is 30-40 mins so I can get through many chapters.  I love the direction and peace they put in my heart and mind.

* I have THEE best Heavenly Father and Savior.  Well they are yours too but without them I would be nothing.  They have enriched my life more than I'm sure I even understand.  Because of them I am blessed beyond measure with the things I have mentioned above.  There is nothing better than the peace He gives my soul each day.

Life

So many thing have been on my mind lately.  I mentioned to Mike the other day that things seem odd to me.  We have friends who have/are getting divorced, friends who have cancer, or other major illnesses.  Life just seems to be a struggle for so many people we know.  There have been all of those shooting last year as well and even if I don't know anyone involved it's still a shock to my soul.  There is a strangeness in the air if you will.  It makes me sad inside to see and hear all of this.  How can so much be going on at once and it seems to be non stop.  How can life be so harsh.  Where is the love?  Where is the let me help you you?  Where is the peace?  

I have pondered this for sometime.  I have come to some conclusions and some pondering is still needed on many others.  But one thing that always remains the same and I come back to how much the gospel bring peace to my life and my soul.  When I get the panic feeling or the scared feeling that comes when things happen that seem out of the norm I just have to remember that I have the gospel and a living prophet who will lead me back to peace.  It doesn't mean it will make my/their life easier just that I/they will be able to deal with it.
 
Last General Conference there was a song that was sung that I instantly loved and love listening it to over and over.  You should You Tube it.  It's called "Does the Journey Seem Long?"

Does the Journey Seem Long?

Does the journey seem long,
the path rugged and steep?
Are there briars and thorns on the way?
Do sharp stones cut your feet
As you struggle to rise
to the heights thru the heat of the day?

Is your heart faint and sad,
Your soul weary within,
As you toil 'neath your burden of care?
Does the load heavy seem
You are forced now to lift?
Is there no one your burden to share?

Let your heart be not faint
Now the journey's begun;
There is One who still beckons to you.
So look upward in joy
And take hold of his hand;
He will lead you to heights that are new.

A land holy and pure,
Where all trouble doth end,
And your life shall be free from all sin.
Where no tears shall be shed,
For no sorrow remain.
Take his hand and with him enter in.

Text by Joseph Fielding Smith, 1876-1972
Music by George D. Pyper, 1860-1943  
Aren't those words just wonderful?  I didn't know until last night who wrote the words.

I have again been trying to read my scriptures faithfully and I started in the Book of Mormon AGAIN.  Keeping in my mind all the promises given to us by Prophets who have said reading The Book of Mormon will bring you happiness and peace along with other things promised.  I know this!!  I have read it before and I have been a faithful scripture reader but have slacked off for some time.  I'm listen to the scriptures on my way to work now.  I've finished 1 Nephi and started into 2nd Nephi.  I wasn't sure much was sinking in but today while in Sacrament as we were singing the Sacrament song I had the sweetest peaceful feeling come into my soul.  I have missed this feeling.  As we ventured through the passing of the Sacrament the Spirit was so strong in my heart.  I knew these feelings came because I had been reading the scriptures.

I have come to understand that as the world becomes more wicked my only source of peace will come from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It will bring peace to my soul as things continue to swirl about me that are ugly and unpleasant.  My heart aches for those whose marriages are gone.  My heart breaks for those who face unknown futures because of health issues.  My heart cries for friends who are choosing other things over gospel guidance.  I have to have faith and keep my focus on the Prophet and our Savior Jesus Christ.  Doing what I know is right.  Giving support to those who have had/are having life lash out at them.  How blessed I am, how blessed Mike and I are!  How blessed my children are.  How blessed my grandsons are.

I look forward to the day when all wrongs will be made right through the Atonement of our Savior.  Until then I will look forward and keep my eyes on the Savior and our Prophet.  One thing these feelings and experiences do is to remind me of what really matters in life.  Staying focused on the things that truly matter.