Attitude of Gratitude

1) I am so grateful that I got to see my niece pass off her last Article of Faith last night. She only turned 9 in March and has just amazed me with how fast she's working through the Faith in God program. I am so proud to be the aunt of such an amazing girl.

2) I am grateful for a husband who was willing to drop his plans of alone time at a moment's notice when I needed a second adult at Activity Days with me and for a dad who was willing to watch the older boys for me.

3) I am SO grateful for my Time Out experience. For getting such a spiritual and emotional boost, having fun with my SILs and getting to see and hug C for the first time since placement. It was an amazing weekend and I hope that I never forget it.

Time Out Experience

I learned some important things this weekend:

*I am born to be a queen
*I am never alone
*To never be the one thing standing in my way
*Hope is wanting what I want, faith is wanting what God wants
*Give to the Lord and keep back nothing
*I will know my children as adults for eternity but as children for only a few precious years
*Instead of worrying about my weaknesses, I should build on my strengths
*Stop trying to feel happy and feel grateful instead
*Instead of trying to get help with my problems, learn to help others instead
*Ask Heavenly Father every morning what the most important thing for me to accomplish that day is and then do it
*LIFE IS TO BE ENJOYED, NOT JUST ENDURED

A song kept coming into my head during the weekend and this was the part that kept coming:
"Long before the time you can remember
Our Father held you in His arms so tender
Those loving arms released you as He sent you down to Earth
He said "My child, I love you, don't forget your great worth" "
The song is called Walk Tall, You're a Daughter of God and can be found on the Church's website.

How could I experience all of this and not come out feeling the way I did?

AWESOME WEEKEND!!!

I feel like a completely different person than I was on Thursday. I kind of hit my breaking point that day. A good friend gave me a lot to think about along with a well needed dose of reality.

Friday I headed to Time Out for Women with my SIL, H. We met the rest of the family there and had a very yummy lunch at Olive Garden. We got checked into our hotel and my youngest SIL, A (who is still older than me) and I got to go swimming for a little bit. We could have had a longer time, but neither of us knew that the other wanted to go. Off we headed to the venue for Time Out. Here is my favourite part of the whole weekend. I got to see C and hug her for the first time since placement. It was the most special part of the whole weekend. As mothers go, she is second in my life only to my own mother. LOVE YOU, C:)

I loved Time Out. The presenters talked about everything I'd been needing to hear and I feel so renewed. I got a couple of books for myself:
In Trying Times, Just Keep Trying by Merrilee Boyack
The Mother's Mite by DeAnne Flynn (Why Even Our Smallest Efforts Matter)
There are many other things that I would have loved to have bought but they were either sold out when I went to get them (TOFW journal and Another Testament of Christ) or else I just couldn't afford to get them (Book of Mormon for Families). I love what I got, though and am fine waiting for the rest another time. I got to see C again on Saturday, which happened to be Birth Mothers Day.

John and the boys gave me a gift card for Chapters Indigo earlier in the week in case I wanted to buy a book for the trip. I chose Season 2 of Stargate Atlantis. This morning they made me breakfast in bed of bacon, croissants, Turtles, Tootsie Rolls and orange juice. It was really yummy. I also got a card from the boys and one from John. I had a wonderful day at church. We got great snacks in Relief Society and scented candles from the youth. John didn't take long with tithing today so he let me go and take a long nap when he got home. It was a wonderful day, the best Mother's Day that I've had.

Happy Mothers Day to any woman that is nurturing to anyone and helps teach the rising generation.

Mothers Day, UGH!!!

I've said it every year. I hate Mothers Day. I don't even think it has anything to do with L anymore, I think it's just a disappointing day in general for me. Last year went okay because I made a last minute decision to go to Wainwright and spend it there. Can't do that this year because of John's calling (finance clerk). I think I just need a really good Mothers Day one of these years to change my opinion of it...

Also, I realized in the last couple of days that because C is going to TOFW this weekend and I am as well, that we will be in the same building together on Birth Mothers Day. Odd coincidence for our situation, since our openness includes no meeting in person. However, if you are reading this C (I have no idea how often you check my blog) I just want you to know that if I do see you that day all I want is a nice big hug:)

I have until Sunday morning to decide. Am I going to brave church this year on Mothers Day, or not?

Attitude of Gratitude and TOFW

1) I am grateful that Brettley is growing so well and has had no problems coming off of his caffeine. He is 7lbs 12oz as of today and the pediatrician said he's doing very well. We are so blessed to have him.

2) I am grateful that starting next week we are going to be eating even healthier. We have some really yummy sounding recipes that we'll be using and I'm looking forward to trying them all.

3) I am grateful that the snow is melting and soon the kids won't have to be bundled in everything and its dog just to play in the backyard. It's nice to be able to open some windows and get some fresh air in the house without freezing:)

Also, I bought my tickets for Time Out For Women in Calgary. I'm very excited to go with my in-law family (John has 4 sisters and no brothers). It should be lots of fun. I'm so lucky to have John who is willing to take care of all 3 boys (Brett will not even be 3 months yet) so that I can go do an overnight trip to Calgary and have some time away.

Attitude of Gratitude

So I just wrote up my entire post and posted it and then realized I'd accidentally put it on the baby's blog.

At any rate, after being encouraged during General Conference this past weekend to develop an attitude of gratitude, I have decided to adopt Thankful Thursday. Each Thursday I'll post three things that I'm particularly grateful for that week, besides the obvious answers each week.

I'm grateful for a husband who is so willing to give. A few days ago my oldest SIL invited me to join her, her sisters and her mom for Time Out For Women in Calgary next year. I went to TOFW last year when it was here in Edmonton and I loved it. However, the Calgary TOFW is the first weekend in May. The baby will only be 1.5 to 2 months old at that point. Most husbands wouldn't be thrilled about taking care of all 3 kids by himself while his wife goes away overnight for an unnecessary trip, especially with the youngest being that young. But mine was wonderful. He thought it would be a great idea for me to go and had no hesitation in saying he'd be fine taking care of the kids by himself. I am very much looking forward to spending time with his family that weekend and coming home being even more spiritually uplifted.

I'm grateful to finally have scheaduled a prenatal appointment and a diagnostic ultrasound appointment as well. It was a huge fiasco to get my GP's rear in gear (and his receptionist near the end) that took over 5 weeks. However, the OB/GYN's receptionist was great and made sure during our phone call that everything would be taken care of and that I wouldn't miss any windows for testing. We're looking forward to seeing our little Perry for the first time on the 27th. Perry is the name we're calling the baby until we know the gender.

I'm grateful to have been enjoying such beautiful autumn weather. It almost makes up for the summer that we didn't have up here in E-town.

So, what are you grateful for?

Belated Update

Well, it's official. Caleb is definately day time potty trained! He hardly has had any accidents in the past week and a half, so that's super nice. He did have one at church this past Sunday, but I think it may have been because his normal nursery leader wasn't there, there were more kids than normal and the last block was visiting teaching conference, so it was all men in there. But other than that he is doing great, I am so proud of him.

This last weekend I had a chance to go to Time Out For Women. It was SO amazing. I came back so spiritually uplifted and I just felt great. It was awesome. I'm really hoping to go again the next time that they're in Alberta (and maybe I'll drag Christal along with me, ha ha). I'm just hoping that the next time I go I don't have to experience the flat tire. Thank goodness for AMA!

My surgery last Tuesday went okay. They didn't find any endometriosis, so I don't know what we're going to do now, but at least we know for sure about that. I started lifting Ty again yesterday, which was nice. I had a hard time not being able to lift him for a whole week. I'm so grateful for my kids and all of their smiles and laughter. They bring so much joy into my life and I have no clue what I'd do without these 2 precious boys that have been entrusted to me.

WOOHOO!

I am having such a good day today! First off, I got to order a new laptop for us today and a router, so I will have the internet downstairs once the laptop comes, YAY! I'm super excited about that. I've wanted a new laptop for so long, since our's only works when it's plugged in now and it's so old that it REALLY just needs to be trashed. The only problem was that I meant to order a red one but accidentally ordered a black one. Oh well, black was my second choice, so it's all good.

Even better news is that I have somewhere to take my laptop to on May 1st. Not only am I going to Time Out For Women, now I am also staying overnight at the hotel in a Junior Suite. A king size bed all to myself, YES! I asked John if it would be okay, and he agreed that I deserve to FINALLY have a night on my own with no kids. I am so excited about this. And it's got free high speed access, so that's a huge bonus.

Some news that even tops that is that my Utah trip is really coming together for me. Instead of things becoming more complicated, which they always have in the past until I ended up not being able to go each time, this time it's like everything is just falling into place. I'm so excited. We've had some changes to our original plans, but they are changes that are working out for the better. For example, we were originally going to go in October of next year, but it's now bumped up to August of next year. And I thought I was going to have to search and search for ways to spend a whole 2 weeks in Utah, but now we are going to be travelling through Idaho, Oregon, Washington and BC as well, so I'm super excited about that. And yes, we are stopping in Forks for a meal and spending a night in Port Angeles, ha ha.

And here is the best news of all. I got to go to the temple this past Thursday with the youth from my ward and do baptisms for the dead. It was the first time that I've been able to do them, and the first person I was baptized and confirmed for was my grandma on my dad's side. Super exciting! I also was baptized and confirmed for both of my dad's grandmothers and had Brother Closson baptized and confirmed for my dad's father and both of my dad's grandfathers. When Brother Closson was being confirmed for my grandpa I felt inside that I wasn't the only member in my family anymore. I didn't feel as alone as I had before. It was great. I cried a bit, which was so good for me. It had been so long since I'd had a good spiritual cry. It was such an amazing experience and I'm so grateful that I was able to offer these blessings to my ancestors. What an amazing and loving Heavenly Father we have who is so merciful to us all.

Poor Ty

Last night John and I were super tired so we went to bed at about 8pm. Well, come 10 I woke up to Ty screaming worse than I'd ever heard him scream before. So I went rushing into the boys' room to find Caleb in the crib and trying over and over again to jump on Ty. Caleb got in big trouble for that one and Ty got relocated for the night into the portable crib in his old room.

On another note, I'm starting to get excited about Time Out For Women in May. I still have no clue how I'm getting there, but I'm really looking forward to it.

Also, I'm starting to think about getting my driver's. The reason is that I want to have the ability to teach seminary. I am going to be substituting in seminary for a week next month, which I am so super excited about. Seminary teaching is my dream calling, but John keeps reminding me that I wouldn't be able to teach regularly without my license. So I've asked John to set up some time while we're in Magrath for me to practice parking and what not, the stuff that I don't ever do when I'm driving. I still probably won't get my driver's for quite a while, and even when I do, I don't plan on using it more than I absolutely have to in the city, but it would be nice to have it just in case. Maybe I can just not tell people when I do get it, ha ha. I guess we'll see how that goes.

November's Almost Gone, YAY!

It's been an interesting couple of days. On Sunday we went to do our tithing settlement with our bishop and while we were there he extended a calling to me (after I begged for one, ha ha). Turns out they've been waiting on this one for a while just to make sure that I was okay after having the baby and all of that. I won't say what it is yet since I still have to be sustained this coming Sunday, but I will say that I'm very excited about it and I know that it was definately inspired. Also, Kari asked me if I would be in charge of our Relief Society's book club, and I accepted. I'm not a natural leader, but I'm sure it will work out good. Our first meeting is tonight and we'll be discussing future meetings and Twilight.

I just finished registering for Time Out For Women. It's coming to Edmonton on May 1&2, 2009. I'm really excited about it, since it will be my first time going to one.

On Sunday Ty turned a month old! I can't believe it's already been a month. The time seems to be going by even quicker this time than it did with Caleb. Before I know it they'll be going on missions!!!

I've been cleaning the house the last couple of days and it actually looks presentable now. I'm so happy that I'm able to take care of the house again and not have to rely on John to do everything. If he's going to go out for 5 long days every week so that I can stay at home, then the least I can do is take care of our kids and our house and have dinner ready (or close to it) when he gets home. It really bothered me when I wasn't able to do that because I felt like I wasn't fulfilling my role as a wife and a mother. Maybe I'm just wierd, though, who knows?

I've also started wrapping Christmas presents and yesterday I put out the few decorations that I have. I realized that I have next to NO decorations, so next year we'll have to invest in a few more, I think. Oh well, the tree will be up next week and that will help. We made decorations yesterday, which was interesting. Caleb did a better job of painting the wipes container than his actual ornaments, but whatever works, right? Anyways, that's all for now:)