Saturday, July 12, 2008

Best Friends


It is interesting to me that I can look back on my life and peg the day that my best friends have staked there claim on a portion of my heart. My best friends have come from many different walks of life, but each time they were a hidden gem in a sea of marbles all scrambling to get attention. Each time they found me. I, like many I know, was trying to appear as normal as possible. Just minding my own business when the gem sought me out. When I was a third grader, I played at recess every day by myself. One day I was walking by the boys who were playing hockey when three boys yelled out my name and asked me if I wanted to play. A few of the other boys said I couldn't because I was a girl, but my new found sapphires said that I could, and I officially had a place and status on the playgrounds. From that moment on, even through my Freshman year of college-a bosom friend had found me. He taught me many things, and though he was never popular, most likely because he was my friend, he was always loyal! I talked him through many painful nights of a life threatening disease, and he talked me through every crush-which happened to be every boy who had ever noticed me. After he left on his mission I moved to Twin Falls. Almost immediately I found Tom. The love of my life and the keeper of my heart. Again, he was kind. He invited me to join an institute class with him. He cared a great deal for his friends. He taught me true love. The kind of love that doesn't need a best friendship to bind it. A love that needs no ties at all. It is Christs love. Tom has an amazing ability to love people unending. There aren't the right kind of words to describe it. But Tom has it! Luckily, I get to learn from him every day. Tom is my Diamond.
Then after we were married, and had Seth, we moved to Boise. Once again almost immediately we found another Gem-My pearl. She was this beautiful quiet woman, who was willing to do anything. When she called me up to come and do her visiting teaching, I couldn't help but smile, because I could tell she was nervous. I later found out she has a terrible fear of phone calling. She came to my house with such love I couldn't help but invite her back. We developed a wonderful long lasting relationship with her and her husband. Christen has taught me how to serve faithfully. How to "go without" the praise. She has given me a greater testimony of the gospel. One time someone asked me if I had many friends like Christen. I should have said no, because she is irreplaceable. No one, could be as good as the wonderful friends I have been blessed with in my life. Heavenly Father has truely blessed me with gems. And I could never be grateful enough.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Counting My Many Blessings




















A new baby to welcome in January
Tom has a job he loves
Gabriel makes it to the toilet most of the time
Hyrum tries to make it to the toilet most of the time
Seth always makes it to the toilet
We buy our own food
We pay all of our own bills
We have insurance
Our car works for Tom everyday
Our spinach is growing beautifully
We are a 2 minute walk from the park
We have air conditioning
We have enough to eat
We have a family that loves us
We have the most wonderful friends
We have a couch and a rocking chair
We have bunk beds
We have a testimony of the restored gospel and because of this
We have direction from a living prophet
We have clarity of thought
We have blessings un-numbered from paying our tithes and fast offerings
We have scriptures
We have a temple
We have a stronger family
Tom has a great calling to teach the investigator class, we have both learned immensely from
I have a wonderful calling to serve the future Mothers of Zion
Our children each love their primary teachers
We love our bishop and stake presidency
We are buying a new house
Our new house will be just 3 minutes from the temple
We have a bedroom for everyone
We have a large garage and storage shed
We get to see our friends and family in August
Our new house comes with all of the appliances
The weather here has helped my skin to clear up
Seth wants to serve a mission
We went strawberry picking and have the most delicious strawberries
We live in a free country
We have the right to vote for our leaders
We have freedom of speech which lets us proselyte
We have a computer
We have Internet
We have a telephone
We have a wonderful mail system
We have gospel materials at our fingertips
Tom has the priesthood
I am a mother
I know my savior atoned for my sins
I was able to finish school
Tom has a bachelors degree
We live in a safe neighborhood
We have very kind neighbors
We have a wading pool
We have running water
We have electricity
We have other church members to help us strengthen our testimony
We have a food storage
We have a washer, dryer, and dishwasher
Seth is going to be a kindergartener
All of my kids are nursery age and older
We have a clock to tell the time
We have a calender to keep the date
We have a wonderful medical system, where we do not fear our doctors
We have the military to keep us safe
My brothers in the military are still alive
I was able to stay pregnant when so many of my dear friends either cant get or stay pregnant
My husband loves me
My children love me
My husband brings me flowers and dances with me
The spirit is my constant companion
I have unlimited access to food and chocolate :)
I have an eliptical machine
The sun is shining
There is unlimited green in Minnesota
Gabriel loves fishing



I am going to stop now, not because that is all of my blessings, just because that is all I have time for today. I hope this helps us all to feel a little more blessed.
With Love

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

A New Level of Understanding

Over my life time, I often look back to see times of great personal growth, and other times of stagnation. This point in my life, is one of those stagnant times. I am going through the motions, but I am not amazing at any one thing, nor terrible at any other. Though I recognize a need for change, I lack the inspiration or means to do so. So I am left to ponder daily on my seemingly frozen state of existence. I am speaking once again of motherhood. Each day we wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and settle in for a long day of television watching. It is to hot to go outside, and even though we break up the TV watching with reading and playing, it still takes over a major part of our day. I am also pregnant, in the first trimester. I seem to have little ambition. I clean the house at the end of each day and leave the next days mess for the following evening. I attempt a nap when my blood sugar level spikes- usually after lunch and wake up feeling worse than when I laid down. I keep thinking of my wonderful grandmother, our pioneer ancestors, and even my own mother, and wondering what they did at this stage in their life. There seem to be no stories in the journals of laziness or weakness. And they certainly faced more hardship than I, in my air-conditioned, comfortable home. Each day as we settle in to watch a new movie I wonder again.
The other day at an attempt to reach out for help, I called my favorite sister in law, to ask her what I should do, she gave me a few suggestions-ones that seemed highly fruitless for me, and then she assured me that I was doing fine. She said everyone has times like this. I surely can't imagine her acting like I am- and she has an extra child.
Some things that have not been lacking in my life recently are an abundance of spiritual reading material. It seems any where I look or lay I can find an ensign or some scriptures. That has been a true blessing I find myself reading often. Though nothing of great significance has stood out to me. Some thing that has truly blessed me spiritually recently is Toms Gospel Principles class-I think that is what the investigators class is called. I have been truly grateful for the lesson each week. It has left me with things to ponder and I have loved it. I am grateful also for this opportunity to write, my mind seems clearer, at least for a moment. I wonder what season of life this would be considered. It is interesting, to any one looking in at my life at this time, they would probably think I should be the happiest wife in the world. They are right. I am pregnant with a baby I desperately wanted. Tom and I are purchasing our first home this month, and it is a beautiful home. Tom and I have better communication now than we have ever had. Tom has a wonderful job that he loves. We live in a sea of green, it is everywhere, no yellow or dead things like Idaho. I am studying the gospel, and yet something is missing.

What?

I hope and pray that I will reach a new level of understanding.