Feeling it at Church!

In all my years of attending church (click here for LDS info)- never has sacrament meeting ever meant so much to me as it has the last 4 years. I am a firm believer in you get out what you put in. You have to be an active listener. It is my responsibility to feel the spirit and to learn - not the speakers responsibility. However, in the past few years I have started to question my stance.

When I attend other sacrament meetings (not my home) I do not feel the spirit as strongly. I am still wrangling 3 kids, sometimes I even have more help. I do not feel that my mindset is vastly different. So, I have often wondered, Why? Why this huge difference in the general spirit of the meetings? Is it the number in attendance, the more the harder to feel the spirit? That does not seem to make sense, but was the conclusion that I was arriving at, until today.

Today as I listened to my friend teach us about service from the heart, I understood what has made the difference for me. Here at home were the numbers are small, each person who teaches is my friend whom I love. Every word they utter is the heart felt words of a friend. I care immensely about their life experiences and the thoughts they have to share. I find myself during the week reflecting on the words they spoke. Do I listen more intently? I don't think so, but the words of a friend have more weight.

I believe I have found myself a challenge when the time comes for us to move and we find ourselves lost in the crowd. I will have to serve more and learn more about each person. That way each person who teaches is a friend and not just someone I go to church with on Sunday.

Many of you are probably shaking your head and thinking this is the same principle they have taught us about reading our scriptures. They are the Lords words and if he is a beloved friend and father then his words will have more meaning to us and we will have a greater thirst for them. I just had not thought to apply this to my regular church meetings.

Metamorphosis School!

Thanks to our great friend Turk Peterson, we had the pleasure of learning first hand the transformation of caterpillar to butterfly.

Nessa (short for Vanessa) emerged from her cocoon early on May 13. We tried feeding her some syrup. She only crawled through it, and made me worry we had ruined her wings. So we quickly took her outside so she could finish drying and find food when she was ready. Her are some pictures of our beautiful butterfly.
Her home!


All stretched out.

The next part, you have to view like a flip movie.

So proud of his butterfly!


Oh, its moving!




Cool, its still moving!



Right about this time I realized we were about to have a freak out. I snapped these pictures in succession as fast as I could. Nessa was moving quickly. I had to stop taking pictures to calm him down and remove her to some where safe.

Things you missed this week.

2 new teeth, lots of dirty diapers, she told me potty and I didn't realize that was what she said until she was already wet, Night at the Museum 2, "firepower", Cafe Rio dinners, Gunpowder chicken, Grahm accidents in their many forms, Jayce took a soccer ball to the face - kicked by an adult and no tears!, Jayce claims his special field trip lunch was "not healthy", Grahm is worried about the mermaids getting you (the mean ones from Peter Pan), being told that I don't know how to lead music, Charlotte hugs the phone, she calls Daddy regularly and points out the front, lots of Lego's, Lego comics, chocolate pudding pops, fever, runny noses, smoothie pops, the night I was frustrated and needed a time out - so I was going to take one -I told them to just go to bed - I was planning on coming back when I could deal - and Grahm started crying and this is what he said when I asked why because "we will die if we don't say our prayers", Orange Granitas,


Tonight I am missing you terribly. I know that this is just a moment in time, but I am very tired and thus teary. I am lonely and have heard things that have hurt my feelings. I need you to tell me that the person is an idiot and that I should not pay any attention. Its not the same when I say it. I miss you commenting on how clean the house is, it always makes me feel good that you notice and care.
Mostly I am in desperate need of a hug from you. I have commented several times this week on how hard the lot of house wife is. I would never trade it for another job. Sometimes I just wish I could have a few hour break and have the work still get done and not be waiting for me. Or to just leave and not have the work constantly whispering that it needs done. I have realized that for the few moments when you wrap your arms around me - I get that. I get my deliverance, I feel peace, safety, love, rest, and reassurance. Everything I need to pick up and keep going.

A Crafty Husband!!

I don't thing husbands like being called "crafty". I am only helping my Dad with a little ribbing.

I do think that Jason is talented with his hands in so many ways...

For his Christmas present I gave him a Damascus Steel Knife from Two Finger Knife (it will get you extra points from your husband). You can have them finish the knife for you or you can let your husband do it. Jason finished his while we were in Idaho and of course wanted to make more.

He made a knife for his Dad and one for my Dad. He fancied them up by adding a gold inlay. His Dad's has a 3 initial diamond monogram and my Dad's has his cattle brand. His Dad's handle is made from burled maple and my Dad's from Amboyna (I guess Ferrari uses it inside their cars).

Some back blogging!!

A couple weeks ago I was guilted (not a word) by a friend of mine. I told her I had once again forgotten to bring her baby gift with me to church. She quickly forgave me and told me that she could wait for anything handmade from me. Haha!! I thought, I have only once made a baby gift for anyone and sorry - but yours is store bought. However, it made me start thinking about making something for all the new mothers. So, I quickly made a game plan. Here is what I did one week.
I made two pair of boy shoes, first time - I like how they turned out.


I also made Charlotte a spring coat.

So, if you are having a baby any time in the near future - you will get a pair of baby booties. Sorry to spoil the surprise.

EEEWWWW!!!

Check out my Family Blog for some really gross broken arm pictures - there are two posts. My little sister came off a horse 4 miles up in the mountains. All the horses gone and three boys. Two ran down the mountain to get help (911 and my parents). They sent a biker and a horsewoman to help her out. It took about 4 hours from the break until she was at the hospital. OOOWWWW!! One tough girl!

Tradition!! (you should be hearing Fiddler on the Roof in your head when you read the title!!)

There is a lot of tradition associated with the hooding ceremony.

The colorful hood of each university is reserved for those who attain the highest academic degree beyond the bachelor's degree. It is a special part of academic regalia and denotes scholarly and professional achievements.

The pageantry of commencement has its roots in medieval times, dating to the early tradition of Europe's first universities. Origins of academic attire are obscured in history, but it is likely that the scholar's distinctive dress was based on modifications of ecclesiastical costumes of the times. In 1895, the United States set for its universities a uniform academic costume code, which is reflected in most of the regalia worn today. Meanwhile, European universities maintained their right to variety. The vivid diversity of regalia for European degree holders brings to the American commencement such visual pleasures as sable berets, cardinal robes and other distinctive garb.
The cap, the hood and the robe are the visual components of the academic costume. The mortarboard, as we see it now, comes from joining the elements of a square bonnet and a skull cap. As early as 1600, scholars at Oxford University began using lightweight boards to hold out the corners of the bonnet.

Gown designs represent the levels of academic degrees. Color is allowed to break through in the hood. The outer binding of the master's and doctoral hoods represents the field of study in which the degree was received.


Dentistry is represented by the color - Lilac.


Also, you can only be hooded by someone who has the same degree that you have earned. Only a dentist can hood a dentist. There were lots of family members there to hood loved ones. I think there were even 3 generations represented. The whole thing was very cool and I am glad Jason was able to participate. I like tradition!!

Waiting for the ceremony to begin!


Beautiful Cathedral!!









I am waiting for pictures of the actual hooding.

Here is a post hooding pic!

Doctor Jason T. Geary

Jason graduated from Marquette Dental School on May 17, 2009. He unfortunately missed graduation because the Navy has called...

The week before he left was filled with lots of goodbye get togethers. He had his last Saturday Morning Breakfast with Walter.

We doubled with Bill and Katy for Celebration Steak (to Jason nothing says Job Well Done like a steak).

A barbecue with Bill, Katy and Sammy. Our kids come by their goofiness honestly!!

Last, a family party (that was supposed to include friends, but Jason was sick).

The Tooth Fairy Visits Again!

Wow, they grow up so fast. Jayce lost another tooth. Would he just stop getting older and let me snuggle him a bit longer?

My Mother.

I found this quote by George Washington and I felt it echoed my feelings about my own mother.

"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her." -- George Washington (1732-1799)

She has the most wonderful love for life, her children and grand-children. She loves to have fun.

She is a great mother and wonderful example to me. I call her several times a week to either share something funny about her grandbabies or to get her help and advice.

I found this poem and it made me think - did I thank her like I should?


As I Look Back...
As I look back on my life
I find myself wondering...
Did I remember to thank you
for all that you have done for me?
For all of the times you were by my side
to help me celebrate my successes
and accept my defeats?
Or for teaching me the value of hard work,
good judgement, courage, and honesty?
I wonder if I've ever thanked you
for the simple things...
The laughter, smiles, and quiet times we've shared?
If I have forgotten to express my gratitude
For any of these things,I am thanking you now...
and I am hoping that you've known all along,
how very much you are loved and appreciated.
Author Unknown

Thank You Mom!! And most of all, I love You!!

He loves me...He loves me not...He Loves Me!!!

Early in our sweet marriage just after laundering our sheets I made a confession to Jason.

I confessed how much I loves freshly laundered sheets. When you first climb into a clean bed, the sheets are crisp (not scratchy - free of wrinkles), tight, and smell like clean cotton. Oh, just thinking about it makes me want to grab all our sheets and through them in the washer. I just love it.

After this confession, do you know he has never climbed into a freshly laundered bed before I do. Never. In fact the other night illustrates this perfectly. I fiddled on the computer while Jason enjoyed his nightly routine and then he graciously helped me put the clean sheets on our bed (the really tall mattress and deep pocket sheets are tricky - without his help, his side will eventually pop off the corners).

Then I skipped off to enjoy my nightly routine assuming he was just going to climb in and doze until I finished (as is our usual, unless I get to go first). Well, and to put it mildly, if I don't think Jason is waiting I am very, very, very slow with my nightly routine. I use that time to think about how the day went, what I need to do tomorrow, and I fuss.

It was already getting to be late when I started and then I came to bed. There he was, extremely tired and waiting for me, lying on top of the quilt. Just so I could be the first one to slide into those freshly laundered sheets.

Does it get any more apparent than that!!!! It is the little things, isn't it?