gratitude

i have found that there is great power in gratitude...and by writing everyday i am in constant thought of all my blessings. so just for today a few things i'm grateful for are:

* the great joy and energy i get from walking with good friends early in the morning
* having a job where i love the people i work with and the children i teach
* red peppers for lunch
* having some quiet alone time tonight
* getting to share my day with shell and hearing about hers
* the tulips in my front yard

and most of all....

i'm grateful i know who to thank for all these glorious blessings!
 

best time of night

tonight while watching my grandkids read before the lights had to be turned off it took me back to times when i would read a little more using the light from the porch light coming through my bedroom window. bekah is reading nancy drew...a favorite of mine too. reading in bed until my heavy eyes just can't stay open is still one of my favorite ways to fall asleep. it's nice to see that tradition continue and that  technology hasn't overtaken such a delicious evening treat.

regional conference

today we had regional conference which was very good. Elder Anderson spoke and talked about faith, diligence and patience. he noted that diligence requires effort each day. that we don't put your life on pause but should be moving forward. and like this quote...we may often move with imperfect steps, but if we're trying to move forward we will be helped.

rainy saturdays

i love rainy days! i love staying home and cleaning my desk and having the radio on while i clean the bathroom. i love wearing my sweats and catching up on writing notes. and of course there's the ultimate luxury of curling up under an aphgan and reading...but i didn't quite get there. still it was nice to know i fertilized yesterday so my grass is out there loving this rain as much as i am inside.

my beliefs

glorious

                               i've got a burst of spring outside i just had to share!

good friends

sometimes you get to work in a calling in church that is such a wonderful 'fit'. when this bunch was all together in our relief society presidency we all knew it. we loved getting together to serve and each time we got together it was such a joy. i'm grateful that the 'get togethers' still happen. or as we say 'we miss us'. i love these sisters!

Easter hunt

it is true happiness to me when we can all get together.....just wish the others lived close enough to join us. whoever came up with the plan of kids moving far away was definitely not a mother!

He is risen!

He is risen! 

those were the first words that came into my mind this Easter morning. what a glorious thought. i am so grateful for my testimony that He lives and that He atoned for me. 

I have come to understand the atonement in a much deeper way throughout the last few years and i am so grateful that not only can he forgive, he heals. he lifts and carries, he understands and comforts. 

through the atonement i am not only better later...i can be better now.

and this morning when the sun came through my window i was moved to tears because that light....that glorious heavenly light was so symbolic of his light. 

that light was not put out because of his death. not even dimmed but shines brighter than ever before because

He lives. 

He lives.  

how can i not rejoice. i know my redeemer, my savior and friend lives. 

of that i testify.

birthday boy

look who turned 1 today...my little david up in seattle! tonya said he gobbled up his cake with no hesitancy at all. what a sweetheart!

in the moment

i think i used to live my life like this....one foot in 'now' and my other in 'then' or 'when'. looking forward to an event but then when i was in the thick of it really wishing it was over or already planning on what was coming next. it wasn't horrible, i just wasn't always all there. i think i saw it as multitasking. (yeah right!)

and i still do it. especially in church sad to say. i often am half tuned in. and i'm notorious for getting my planner out and thinking about my 'to do list.'

so living my 60th year i've tried harder to have both feet in the moment. 

i know i'm happier that way...and when the kids come over now i love it. i don't worry about if things are a mess. or feel i need to worry about what we're doing next. i just enjoy them. 

i think Heavenly Father wants us to learn to see that time is precious. and that even though we have eternity to look forward to, if we don't learn to value the moment how can we truly value eternity. 

i love being 60. i'm here. in this moment. 
and it's good.    

walking buddies

every other morning i can be found walking with head lamp, reflective vest and these dear friends. you know you have true friends when they will get up at 6 in the morning to go walk with you since you can't go later. 

and these are true friends. 

it's just starting to get light by the time we get home and we get to see deer cross our path, breathtaking sunrises, and feel the crispness of a new day just budding. not only does the walking energize me for the day, but especially the conversation. yes, we solve world problems....but mostly share our lives, our thoughts, what we're learning, what we're trying to learn...and mostly that we all are trying to do the best we can.

i'm so very blessed to have these two rays of sunshine
no matter what the weather is.
 

recitals

tonight i got to enjoy some great classical music at kyle and bekah's recital. the pieces "animal band" and "ladybug" are always a crowd pleaser! they both did a great job....so proud of them!

time to rejoice

these are the cherry blossoms in my backyard...and a killer blue sky (no photoshop here!) how can anyone not rejoice in this season. 
 

it makes sense that Christ was born and resurrected during this time of year.

new life is everywhere...
 

hopefully reminding us all of Him who's gift to us
 is eternal life.

sunday activities

i thought I'd just post a few pictures that showed a little of the weekend. saturday night kyle and i finally got to celebrate his birthday by going to McDonald's for dinner (i think it really was all about getting the toy in the happy meal,) then off to walmart to pick out a birthday gift, then home to snuggle up and watch turbo. he spent the night over and we rushed him home in the morning for church.

after church i drove down to check on jons who had lasik surgery on thursday and was still in a lot of pain...thank goodness he has a wonderful wife who takes such good care of him. celeste was trying out their new smoker and i lucked out by getting to try out some really yummy ribs. mc told me all about the big storm they had the night before (we think we all heard about it at least 50 times. apparently it made quite an impression!)

at the stop light i saw this gorgeous sight...
timpanogus with a beautiful full moon. i wish i could have stopped for all the other breath taking things i saw....a stunning sunset over the oquirrh mountains, an orchard of pink peach and white cherry blossoms and then a bright moon in the night sky. 

spring is glorious!

quote

first time this year

it was a gorgeous day....so nice that i came home and opened the back door to let the springtime in....mmmm... blue sky, warm air, and i hear a lawn mower in the front yard. it may get cold next week but today is spring. 

totally spring. 

and i want as much of it as possible. 

inside and out. 

happy birthday mom

it's my mom's 85th birthday today...and you couldn't find a sweeter more valiant woman. she would do anything for me and has spent a lifetime of serving others. she misses my dad terribly and no one can fill that emptiness but him. they truly had a fairy tale marriage. tonight we went to olive garden to celebrate. i know she doesn't hear everything and her memory is diminishing each time we meet, but she is always so pleasant and so grateful for any and everything. 

mom, thank you for giving me so many priceless gifts....

a happy childhood
a home full of love
a mother who loved and honored her husband
the blessing of being an american and a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints
for loving me and having confidence in me in whatever i tried
for giving me life.

i am eternally grateful

and i will love you for eternity  

    

pelicans!

you can't see them very well in this picture but every spring shelley calls me with a julilant phone call that the pelicans are back. sometimes 4 or 5 have come to enjoy the pond sometimes 15 appear. they stay for a week or so and then head somewhere else. shelley's love for all animals has over the years taken seed and i have to admit i appreciate animals much more and now look forward to this happy sign of spring that i would normally have hardly noticed let alone look forward to. 

that's one of the blessings of friendship....
new eyes, new thoughts, greater awareness, extending one's life to be bigger than it was before. 

another's life in a small way becomes also part of my own. 

and i am richer for it.

in the sunshine

i've been spending the last few afternoons for an hour cleaning out flower beds. i get a real sense of satisfaction cleaning, organizing, seeing bits of spring poke out here and there like hidden gifts. i love the fresh new lime green that sings of spring. so listening to a byu speech while feeling the pleasure of physical work i enjoy a bit of springtime heaven and relish the tired muscles for the trade off of afternoon joy.

line upon line

today while teaching i was thinking 'how important is it that these kids know that there are 4 things in soil; organic and inorganic material, water and air. or how critical is it that they know the life cycle of a frog. many may never really see a live frog.' ok, learning to read is crucial, but all the other stuff? later while driving i was thinking how learning details isn't always important, but in all those details a child starts to understand how the world works, and just because i may never visit the rainforest doesn't mean learning about it doesn't help me in some way (other than create more dendrites.) i think it's that way with the gospel. when i read certain stories i think the lord is trying to help me get a better picture of Him, and His ways. all the details aren't important but collectively it helps me understand mankind and our relationship to each other and God. tonight while reading some passages from isaiah i feel like i'm just a kid beginging to learn to read...definitely at the emergent stage. and i may not really 'get' it all, but i have the faith that with persistence and work i will eventually grow in understanding and it will be meaningful. which is progression. which is what this life is all about.

another feast

this morning during general conference Bishop Stevenson spoke of noelle pikus-pace, the olympic skelton silver medal winner. he spoke of all the hard work that had gone into her '4 minutes' of competition. he likened this to our brief time while here on earth... our '4 minutes' to prove ourselves by showing who we are. this life is our time to prepare to meet God and it made me really think about how i am using my time. are the things i involve myself helping me, strengthening me, helping me reach my potential, or are they slowing or even stopping progression.

then elder bednar talked about 'the load' we carry. he started by talking about a friend who went up in the mountains in his 4 wheel truck to get firewood and got stuck in the snow. it was after he had a load of firewood that he was able to get his truck out. his 'load' actually helped him. he went on to counsel us to evaluate if our 'load' is creating sufficient spiritual traction...and that only when we take on the Savior's yoke will we have the strength to carry our load. 

the Savior understands in a deeply personal and perfect way all of our 'loads' and only through Him can we be strengthened, comforted, healed and lifted.

what a blessing to hear these messages...i've recommitted to 'run the race' more valiantly...i look forward to the 'training' for that is where there is joy.

general conference

 today conference began....what manna to the spirit. i've been really looking forward to some feasting and i have to say i was well fed. i am so grateful for the general authorities that prayerfully seek the Lord's will as to what to speak on. i felt like today's messages were what i needed to help me align to the Lord's path. this world wants to create so many diversions and vere us in paths that lead on nothingness. today the direction was clear, was full of hope and i felt strengthened to remain steadfast. 

i can't wait for the second course tomorrow. 

reflecting

                                 ahh.......the reason to blog

back in the saddle

since i started working full time it's been a real challenge getting to the gym. a challenge i am dismally failing out. but the beautiful thing about life is you can always start again. so here's again...again. i've exercised everyday this week which is good and bad. good to get going again, bad to see how quickly and how much i've lost. for the girl who ran a 10 miler a while back i now get winded at a quarter of a mile. but like i said....i've started back. my big motivation....57 days until my trip to belize and i have to be strong enough to keep up with those kids. i refuse to be a wimp!!

 so breakfasts look like this now....a spinach smoothie which i actually really like!

patterns for a joyful life

i read an article called 'a pattern for a joyful life'. here are a few thoughts from it that i want to remember:

we are reminded by the Lord to 'continue your journey and let your hearts rejoice, for behold, and lo, i am with you even unto the end.  d & c 100:12 

the path is not always easy. it is not even mostly easy.

it is not enough to continue to walk with gritted teeth. we are told to rejoice evermore.  to rejoice evermore isn't just an ancient nod to the power of positive thinking. when we rejoice, our eyes become open to miracles. there are gifts of grace all around waiting to be made visible by our rejoicing. if we are willing to rejoice in our walk, however hard the road, we will witness miracles.

the Savior is with us-to the end. He has shown Himself in His power and calls to us personally to know Him. because He is with us, we must continue, embrace and own the lives we are given, find ways to make them useful and live every day of our eternal life- and that means today. 

sister eliza r. snow declare, 'i will go forward...i will smile at the rage of the tempest, and ride fearlessly and triumphantly across the boisterous ocean of circumstance...and the 'testimony of Jesus' will light up a lamp that will guide my vision through the portals of immortality.'

the goodness of light

this morning while reading my scriptures i read this phrase, 

"the show of their countenance doth witness against them."
                                        2 Ne. 13:9

when i'm around righteous people i 'feel' their goodness, i am energized by their spirits. their countenances seem brighter. maybe faith does that. satan seeks to do things in the dark, in secret, but the Savior says himself, "I am the light." yes, our countenances alone witness where we stand, what we stand for and ultimately who we are.

i seek righteousness.

i love the light.