By Small and Simple Things...

We were blessed to have an apostle of the Lord, Elder Ballard, speak to our ward this Sunday in our very own chapel! The ward's and our excitement to see a live apostle reminded me of a over decade ago during my days at BYU. We would anticipate apostles and prophets invited to speak for the campus wide Thursday Morning Devotionals; we'd crowd into the Marriot Center until it was overflowing with more people than any basketball game . I still remember Pres. Monson's (who was Elder Monson at the time) talk on how to study both for things spiritual and secular. That talk has always motivated me to truly learn how to study both subjects. Those words were a great lesson for me.
True, I didn't have a rather energetic 2 year old at that time (I married after my graduation from BYU) but Elder Ballard's message this Sunday gave plain and simple truths that warmed my soul and made my heart smile all while I was catching thrown sippy cups sailing midair over the pew or rushing out as our toddler loudly proclaimed, "I need t'go potty!".

If life was a nature hike, I feel as if this Sunday, Elder Ballard's talk gave us, as a couple,
a point in our journey where we were able to pause
to look at how far we had come and not be discouraged, but encouraged.
It was an opportunity to look ahead on our journey here on earth and not be daunted, but energized.
Both vistas gave perspective and we were able to see the beauty of our journey both behind us and ahead of us.
Was/is our route perfect? No (wouldn't it be great if it was!), but we're getting better and heading in a great direction with minute changes of God's spiritual compass.
TheMan and I felt encouraged and excited to continue pressing on to become better.
The small and simple things that Elder Ballard spoke of: watch conference, be humble, manage your finances, have couple prayer and scripture study as well as personal, have family night, create lasting family memories, have fun, pray and read the scriptures together as a family, etc. These little things will always lead us closer to Christ. It is by these small and simple things adding up that make great things come to pass.
Elder Ballard stated that these same things are reiterated by the prophet and apostles in General Conference because we, as Saints, need to continue pressing on and doing better at following them before more great mysteries are revealed - like where is Kolob :). That would be pretty interesting, but I've got enough on my checklist right now without getting out the star charts :)! How lucky we are for all that has been revealed in this day and age. I'm thankful for living prophets and apostles.

Birds of a Feather

We flock together. TheMan: Thanks for all the extra special little things you have done the last two weeks! I'm all atwitter. :)

Paint, Paint, Everywhere...

Finger painting is fun for mom's who dare! I even have paint in my hair!

Pitter Patter

My dearest PrincessPea:

Today we ran through the grass. It was dewy wet on our bare feet. You exclaimed, "Mommy run!". You grabbed my hand and together we laughed and ran. It was so beautiful enjoying just the element of being here on the earth with you. I had so much fun! Thank you for such a wonderful gift. You exuberance for life is infectious. I love you.

God is Good

"God is good." said Loralee as I reported my last tests and it is so true. I feel calm and reassured despite needing one more round next week. I am so thankful for my husband and all of my family who have faith in things unseen.

The Tuck 'n Roll

PeaPod's been potty training this month! Since I decided not to force it until she was ready, it has been surprisingly easy. It has been a great experience to see her personality come out while learning this new thing. When she was ready to do it, she did it! She is quite independent and wants to do it all by herself. "Get out, Mommy, please!", is a frequent sentence.
I love hearing her say, "I did it!" Which has been this summer's theme for all activities.
It was a challenge for me to figure out how to encourage her to go when she was distracted playing and having fun. If I asked her straight out, "Do you need to use the potty?" The answer was inevitably, "NO!".
But, then Mommy got sneaky! I would say, "My turn to use the potty!" and make a run for the bathroom. Peapod has learned from gymnastics and playing with outher kids that one does NOT want to be left out of something that takes "turns". We have had many a race for our "turn" at the loo. As soon as we had gone cold turkey to panties, she was getting it. I would hear the flush of the toilet without ever reminding her. Washing the hands is a big deal. Soap is applied a bit too liberally. My favorite thing though is her technique of solving the problem of rolling out too much toilet paper. Since she knows I don't like it strung all around the bathroom, but it sometimes is hard to reroll, she takes the end of the roll and tucks it up and rolls the rest around the paper holder. It's hilarious. This blog post is going to be super embarrassing for her later in life, but I just want you to know PrincessPea, that I'm excited to see your capability, tenacity, and positive attitude topple other challenges and learning opportunities in life. Love you! (or as you say right now: Yove You!

NieNie, A Teacher of Beauty

As many of you know, the below quote by Ruby Dee has been my chosen quote for few months. There are so many empty, beautiful carcasses of people here on earth (just look around in media for starters). They have a misdirected focus and thus are going about achieving true beauty backwards. You know I love pretty things and mascara (I'm a sucker for a good mascara ad), but being at Young Women's Camp all last week reminded me that faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works, integrity and virtue should be applied or that mascara is just covering up not magnifying beauty. Ruby Dee has this beautiful statement, reminding me of true beauty shining from within will brighten any countenance. As I have followed NieNie Dialogues, I have been taught by NieNie what real beauty is.

The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within - strength, courage, dignity.
― Ruby Dee

This week, I had some news that delivered an unexpected, possibly large trial. We are praying and fasting that this trial will be taken from me. It could potentially change a lot of my life choices. It has left me feeling down and concerned about my and my family's future life and decisions. The first day I thought, "Do I have a target painted on me somewhere?" Then, today, I read this post and knew that true beauty shines from within, and no matter how feeble our mortal bodies are, we can overcome with the Lord's hand. And I realized, no matter what happens, I'm just being redirected by the Lord's hand. I am grateful for NieNie's willingness to share her story of strength and hope. I feel that spark of heavenly fire now. Read about her blazing fire. See her beauty, the hard-to-get kind, shining with a heavenly fire on her countenance. Go here.
Here is her quote:

There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire,
which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which
kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.
-Washington Irving