In keeping with my promise.....

Family Home Evening

April 26, 2010

In keeping with my promise to focus on the family, we had a Family Home Evening about Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty. We talked about the Proclamation to the Family and then made and signed our own Title of Liberty as a family.

Our family theme is : STUDY-PRAY-OBEY

(This is actually stolen from a dear friend, Bishop Welter, who is an inspiration to our family. Not to mention, we love him like and uncle, both he and his wife. He has made it his theme in life and we love the idea, so we have adopted it for ourselves.)

The Title of Liberty for our family is taken straight from the Proclamation to the Family. We signed it and dated it and it will hang in our home to remind us of our promise to be a better family.
"Successful families are established....on principles of FAITH, PRAYER, REPENTANCE, FORGIVENESS, RESPECT, LOVE, (RESPONSIBILITY), COMPASSION, WORK AND WHOLESOME RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES."

Each week we will recite this and then say, "STUDY, PRAY and OBEY!!!!"

No regrets.....ever!

Recently, I have been involved in a lot of extra activities. I was thrilled to be asked to help with some major projects for the big fundraising Gala for the private school where Jason teaches and the children attend.

One day I was so discouraged. I was doing all this work for the Gala, decorating for the Stake Women's Conference, getting kids ready for recitals, doctor's appointments, and the daily stuff of four kids, a home business and everything else....yeah, I cracked. I had a major meltdown on my husband. It was not pretty.

Before my adrenal glands failed, I did a lot. I was busy, really busy. When I got so sick, I couldn't even get out of bed most days. I suffered from headaches and hives and fatigue and an assundry of other ailments.

Most days I can now get out of bed and function. I can go two or three days without having to take a nap. I get projects done.

But, I also think I can do more than I really can.

Little things would remind me to not take on another project. But I was feeling so good at the time, so I would say "yes" time and time again.

Then the meltdown.

Jason was patient, but firm.

No more.

Take time off - at least a year.

You need to get better.

Your family needs you.

You need you!

General Conference talks spoke to my heart. Several friends, unsolicited, mentioned how their lives were to busy and out of control and they didn't know how to stop the madness. Talking to sisters and cousins have all made me realize how critical this decision is. Articles in the Ensign and even late night talks with my husband all pointed to this one element....simplify your life. Make the best choice for your family now, so you won't regret anything in the future.

The one that really hit home was a friend just yesterday, who cried in my living room as she lamented that she should have spent more time with her sons and maybe they would have made better choices. My heart almost stopped, as I heard he say those words. I hadn't even mentioned the concerns in my heart.

I have shed a lot of tears in the last few weeks. Some were from sadness, some were in frustration, some were thankful tears.

But, I have decided to commit to living my life the way I want to be remembered.

It's not going to be easy.

My family comes first from now on. I need to do what it takes to make myself healthy. I need to spend my extra time with my children, not painting signs and running around and always being tired and overwhelmed. It's not going to be easy, but I have to do it.

I will have no regrets.....from this day forward!

This is one thing I have never regretted.......marrying Jason. My hopes and dreams all came true the day I married him. It has been a long, hard learning process, but he is my everything. He completes me, he loves me and he can't live without me. What more could I ask for? Besides, who can resist that smirk?!?!?

And these four are the reason for this new commitment....love them more than life itself!!!

Even when we have days like this!

So! A new thought process on life....and I AM READY!

Some of my favorite pictures from the last month....

Even though I don't have time to catch up on everything that has been happening, here are a few things that I always enjoy....

I am grateful....

I am grateful for warm bathtubs to clean sweaty, dirty and tired children after a glorious 90 degree day. I don't know how the pioneers kept their sanity without running water and soap and nice, soft jammies. I am just very grateful today for simple pleasures I take for granted too often!

Ok, so I just updated my creative blog called One Creative Day. It's got some fun things that have kept me busy in addition to all my other activities!!!!

Go to Onecreativeday.blogpsot.com and check it out!

Garrett's last basketball game...the almost winning shot!

Garrett has come along way in the last two/three years that we have been working with him on his visual and auditory processing, his ADHD, his learning disabilities and his food sensitivities.. It has been a long road with dietary changes, therapy and all sorts of other things to keep him off medication and get him healthy.

When Jason was younger, he suffered from similar issues and he hated what the medication did to him. As an adult, he had heart problems from it and swore none of his children would go through what he did.

Lucky for us, Garrett has responded to our aggressive attempts to detox his little body and rework a lot of that neurological stuff. He is at grade level with his reading and math and with tutoring twice a week, play therapy and everything else, we are plugging along! Some days it is so hard. Some days, like his last basketball game, he makes me cry because he is so amazing and determined and just a great kid!

So, all year, he faithfully went to practice and games. He was a great defender and rebounder, but was always bummed he didn't get the ball as much as he would have liked. Fast forward to the last game of the season. His team was in the final playoffs. It was a crazy game. The other team had a coach that was screaming at the refs, our coach was pacing the sidelines, a technical foul for bad sportsmanship from one of the other team's players - where does and eight year old learn how to do something that would require a technical?!?!?!?

Anyway, so we are down by three points and the time is almost up. In a scramble, Garrett gets the rebound and shoots and SCORES! The best part of it was, I was screaming and cheering, but the other parents were whoopin' and hollerin' almost louder than myself! Everyone kept screaming "Great job, Garrett!" It was an adrenaline rush moment, for sure! Another foul shot and we tied the game. Lucky for everyone, especially their coach's blood pressure, they do not do overtime in third grade, so it was a tie and EVERYONE WON!

Since it was the last game, we had a party afterwards to celebrate. The coach praised Garrett over and over again for being such a great asset to the team. We, of course, went crazy with the hugs and high fives and everything else. It was so wonderful to see the fruits of his hard work and determination. We reminded him that he was a key member of the team and because he was there and doing what he was supposed to do, that shot was because of all of his hard work!
Here are some of his biggest fans at the game...yes, Jason was actually at that game. He didn't have to teach that morning, which made it perfect for Garrett and everyone else! We love you Garrett!!!

WE HAVE THE BEST NEIGHBORS!!!

When we decided to move to this area four years ago, I was sad. I didn't want to leave my house or our ward or our neighborhood. I loved our cul de sac and our great stream, the basketball court, etc. etc.

Little did I know what the Lord had in store for us. Our little pipestem is the best! Right now there are 13 kids under the age of 11. Six boys and seven girls and we have a blast! Two families are really close with us. We hang out with them the most, due to personality and ages of children.

We have been outside playing the beautiful sunshine and weather for several days. My children feel at home at their house and their kids feel at home at our house.

Tonight, we had an impromptu dinner. The kids were playing and jumping on the trampoline and shooting hoops and riding big wheels and sliding down the slide and just having a great time. So, I brought a wet rag out and washed faces and hands and we sat down and pigged out!

It's such a blessing to have great friends like these! The other day, my neighbor, had to pick up her son at preschool and her daughter said, "I not go with you! I stay and play with Miss Jenna!" To which her mom asked, "Did Miss Jenna invite you?" And she replied, "Oh, yes!"

Of course, Savannah, goes and sits on Miss L's lap and hangs out and sometimes even refuses to some to me!

And potty training has gone so much smoother since everyone can use our bathroom. For some reason, our bathroom is the favorite. That's ok, since the Smith's garage is the favorite hang out place. Then the swingset and sand box is the new favorite with the warm weather!

The older kids tonight were playing jungle on the trampoline. They were crawling around and growling and "eating" their prey. Savannah got on the trampoline (yeah, climbed in all by herself!) and started crawling around growling like the baby tiger. It was hysterical!

The kids are already talking about flashlight tag. It's their favorite summer game. It's truly amazing how much the Lord has blessed us with neighbors who would do anything for us, because we would do anything for them!

I know these pictures aren't the best, but I wanted to get something to remember!

So, here's to many more impromptu dinners and memories on the pipestem!