It's About Time...

Shaelynne approached me the other night just before bed. She was concerned about a little habit she has gotten into. As we discussed things she could do to change, she asked if I would start do individual scriptures study with her. We do family scriptures at night but she wants to start individual study as well. So we set a goal to read in the morning before school. We will meet at the table at 6:15 and study side by side for 15 minutes.

I'm excited to spend this time with her. I struggle with finding time to do individual things with each of my kids. I miss them all day and make great plans for when they get home but when they are finally home, it just seems like chaos with my attention being demanded so many different directions. I have set a goal to spend 15-30 minutes a day with each of my children in one on one time. That seems like so little time compared to the 24 hours that are in each day.

I just heard a commercial on BYU Radio. It was a girl talking about all the time her mother spends on her and how she works so hard. Then the song says something like..."They say time is worth money, and you sure spend a ton on me."

I worry all the time that I can't give them more things...will they regret that I have not spent money on music or sports lessons for them, will they regret not traveling to far away places, will they be upset that most of their clothes were hand-me-downs or that their mother cut their hair. I hate that my answer is always, "We don't have the money for that..." .

And so I'm going to school so that we can one day have more money. But my working will take me out of the home. Even my classes right now take my mind and time away from my family. Ken said to me the other night, "We all just want our mom to come back home..." Ouch! Maybe it's time to rethink what is really important

How much time do I really spend on my children? Maybe my time is not being spent correctly. Everything is a trade-off, done at the expense of something else. Are my current choices worth the cost? What about the future? Does this road end at the destination I really want to arrive at?

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
-Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken)

Am I going to go with them?

....Or watch them go alone?

Henry turns 2

Henry turned 2 on Saturday. I had a hard time with his birthday this year. I strugled with the idea that this is my last baby. Don't get me wrong, he's in a hard stage right now and I'm relieved he won't be 2 forever, but I'm beginning to miss the sweet baby things that have been around for the last 14 years! It's like closing a chapter that I'm not sure I'm ready to end....

We went out to Mom and Dad's to celebrate. We bought pizza and made blue jello and filled it with gummy fish, gummy sharks, and gummy frogs.

We went easy on the cake and just covered a chocolate cake with chocolate pudding, oreo crumbs and gummy worms!

He was sweet! He wasn't sure what to think of the whole singing and candle thing...

With some help from Daddy, it all worked out.

Presents were next...

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

This next year we're hoping for some big things from our big boy....talking, sleeping in own bed, and potty training!

Made with Love...

Ken and I decided to celebrate Valentine's Day with our kids a day early. Ken went with me to pick out our surprises. We bought a heart shaped pan, some fondant, pink spray, and cookie cutters.

This is what we created...


It was more fun to make than to eat....!

I enjoyed just spending time with Ken, doing something for our children. But more than just serving our children, we were building memories with each other!!!

I wouldn't have wanted to spend the day any other way!

Finally Bloomin'

Two years ago, a plant that belonged to Ken's grandmother that we had recieved starts from after she died, died. (Wow! That was a great sentence! Did that make any sense? Where's my editor?)

Ken's mother was coming out for Shaelynne's baptism and so she brought us some starts off of the original plant and starts off of another similar plant she had. They sat in the window in a cup of water for several months. Finally we felt there was enough roots and we planted them.

After 2 years, they finally showed some life!!!

We saw a couple buds.... ? ? ?





Then more buds.... :) :) :)


And finally blooms....! ! !





The red plant is from Ken's grandmothers' plant and the white one is from his mother. We have loved these plants.

There was so much irony for us in the timing of their blooms...and the flowers brought a little bit of spring and cheerfulness into our gloomy winter kitchen window. I love what the bright colors of flowers do for my mind!


I wonder how long we will have to wait for blooms again.... :(

BLOG HIGH JACK

I've seen one of Laurie's blog friends have her blog high jacked by her husband, and felt like a recent event in Laurie's life merited having her blog high jacked today. Laurie is amazingly taking 15 credits this semester at C.S.I. while running a household, and seeing that everyone's needs are taken care of. I don't understand how she is able to keep up with it all, but she is doing an amazing job! Recently, she had an assignment that was due in one of her education classes where she decided to do a Powerpoint presentation. The assignment was worth 30 points, and she got 35 points on it....way to go. Her professor sent her an email asking her for permission to use her Powerpoint in the future as an example to her future students. Here you go....created by LAURIE!

A little motivation... !

A couple weeks ago, I was asked to sub three days in a row for the math teacher in the junior high at the charter school. I was scared to death!!! I had six classes and each one was a different math level. I'm not exactly a math genius so I knew I was in over my head!

The first hour was Zach's math class. I enjoyed meeting his friends and being with him. His class was chaos but nothing too bad. Zach told me after class, "If you think this class was bad, wait until 4th hour." Fourth hour came and he was right! It was bad. One of the students had a tutor that sat with him. After class, the tutor, Dr. Banks, approached my desk. He asked me a little bit about myself. I told him I was a student studying elementary education. He asked me if I would like to work in a bank instead. I thought that was a random comment and asked him what he meant by that. He then proceeded to explain to me that he had been a high school teacher for years and was now currently a college professor. He explained that one year he had a young girl student-teach in his class room. She was in her final semester of getting a degree in secondary education. He said she was of petite build, soft spoken, and very kind to the students. He said that by the time she finished her student teaching, she had convinced herself that she was not meant to be a school teacher. She did graduate but shortly after that she took a job at a bank where petite, soft spoken, kind women should be.

His message to me was very clear. I'm not that easily deterred though. It was my first day and I am not planning to teach math after I graduate. As a sub I was definitely at a disadvantage but I still had two more days to go. I would prove him wrong!

The next day I was more prepared. Still not exactly what I had envisioned as a teacher but I was on the right track. Mr. Banks' comment to me as he left fourth hour was "Nothing like trial by fire!" Grrrr..!

The final day, I approached each class prepared, still kind to the students, but very much in control. After fourth hour, Mr. Banks approached my desk for a final time. He shook my hand and commended my efforts. He listed the classes he taught at the college and told me that if I was ever interested in taking any of those classes, he would be honored to have me in his class. He was fascinated with my problem solving abilities and thought I was very intelligent. He told me after 3 days of watching me teach, he still convinced that secondary education was not my forte but that I would make an excellent elementary teacher. He told me to stick with my goal and wished me the best of luck in the future.

Ha!!!! Mr. Banks, thank you for the motivation you gave me on that first day to prove you wrong!

Something I learned

Ken and I were recently taught a lesson about marriage. I am a very visual person and so when I saw this, I got it! I'll try to explain it...

A marriage is an arrangement between 3 individuals... God, the husband, and the wife.
When placed in the proper positions, the three make a triangle. The spouses are equal partners with God at the head.


So where do the children fit into a marriage?

Between the husband and the wife?


No!!

They make another triangle, joined with the marriage, but seperate from the original three.


As the husband and wife work towards becoming closer to God, the triangle becomes smaller and the couple naturally becomes closer to each other.

And the children naturally become closer to the parents and to God as well!!!

With everyone focused on God, the family, as a unit, is guaranteed to become closer together.


The Lord says, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble;[...] for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Ether 12:27).

No matter what trials arise within our marriages or our families, as long as our focus remains on God and each other, we will be shown the way to hold our relationships together.

As we humble ourselves and allow the atonement to heal our souls, we will become stronger individually, as a couple and as a family unit.

It's so simple!!!!