Routine

I love sleeping in and not keeping to a schedule.  But in some weird way it is comforting to go back to a routine the majority of the week.  What is wrong with me?

Smooth Transitions

I am so thankful for things going smoothly. Especially when you are prepared the whole time for it to be really stressful and rocky. It is amazing how one little thing can put in motion a completely different outcome.

I Stand All Amazed

8/18/13
Almost 7 years ago on September 6 on the first Sunday of the month, my mom passed away less than two months after being diagnosed with cancer.  I  found out that she had died when I received a phone call at church from my sister. We were singing the hymn "I Stand All Amazed" when I was told there was a call for me from my sister about my mom. I knew immediately what that call was about. As I stood in the hallway and talked to my sister I could hear the rest of the song being sung in the background. It was the perfect song for the moment and for my mother.
Every year since she died, within a couple weeks of the anniversary of her death that song is on the program to be sung. Today it was the sacrament hymn. The person that chooses the songs each week has no idea of the meaning of that song for me, or of the timing of it being chosen for the program. And the person making those decisions has changed more than once in the last 7 years.  But every year it is a comforting reminder that my Heavenly Father knows me. Knows my sorrows, my worries, and my joy. And above all else that he loves me.
I do most definitely stand all amazed.
8/19/13 - When talking to my sisters about this, I learned that they had sung this song as well the same Sunday.  Although it held no special meaning for them to sing it. But in learning we had all been singing it at the same time it made it even more of a comfort that our Heavenly Father is aware of all of us.

Parental Tech Support

I am so thankful for friends and family that support and strengthen my job as a parent.  I love that they are open enough to share their own struggles with the hard days that come.  I think too many people think they stand alone, and assume that they are the only one with a child that is finding their own way.  Too many assume that everyone else's family has it all figured out.  We are all together in this job we call parenting.  We all started in the mail room, and we are each others tech support.  No one got the deluxe model that came with the multi-lingual instruction manual.  No one got a map, or GPS, or child raising app updates, or a lifetime warranty.  We just willingly got on the roller coaster and clicked the tiny metal buckle. Sometimes we wave our hands wildly trying to get someone's attention in hopes of having them stop the ride.  Sometimes we just close our eyes and hang on.  And in between those moments we have courage and faith that helps us let go and hold our hands above our heads and smile.  Because we know it is worth it.

 Our children take a little piece of our heart when they are born, and walk around with it for the rest of their lives.  And we don't ever get to put it back.

A Whole Week

I haven't posted for a week?  Wow I must be having some spectacular living going on.  Well, maybe not, but I am loving the beauty of the regular everyday stuff that I have had a chance to do.

Timing

Timing is everything.  And I am so thankful today for the great timing of things in my life.  Because I have realized that timing is one of those things we think we can control - but most of the time we can't.  At all.  So when it works in my favor, I am really grateful.

Sports Car Pedicure

I don't know what it is about red nail polish that looks so fancy, but it does.  I used to always wear pink polish on my toes. It was subtle and didn't show up right away when it chipped.  I envied my friends with their fire engine red pedicures.  It just seemed to be too bold of a color to stick on my short, uniquely shaped toes.  But I took the plunge to red this summer and I can't believe I waited so long.  It's like I am a candy apple red sports car when I am wearing sandals.  Vrrrooom.

Make Up

I like natural beauty and all that - but I am so thankful for make up. That way I can enhance what I want you look at and camouflage what I don't want you to notice.