Opened Eyes

"God will help us see a difference in someone else not as a source of irritation but as a contribution. The Lord can help you see and value what another person brings which you lack. More than once the Lord has helped me see His kindness in giving me association with someone whose difference from me was just the help I needed. That has been the Lord’s way of adding something I lacked to serve Him better."

Henry B. Eyring, “Our Hearts Knit as One,” Ensign, Nov. 2008, 70–71

Having been super irritable lately (this pregnancy is sure bringing out the grumps), this was just what I needed to come through my reader this morning. I think I'll work on it this weekend. I'm sure my family and friends will appreciate it.

Happy Weekend!

Three for Thursday

1. A lot of shopping is going on lately in preparation for my brother's wedding. The colors are orange and white, and I feel like every store I walk into I'm instantly drawn to anything orange seeing if it's something we can potentially use. It will be nice to shop in full color again.

2. The curb appeal of my home is currently sorely lacking. I haven't watered my pot out front lately and its contents are all wilting. Our bushes are extremely overgrown. We have a weed problem which fertilizer with weed control hasn't fixed, and we haven't pursued it any further. There's a gaping hole in our landscaping from a tree we took out since we still haven't planted anything in its place, and I don't think we will until the weather cools down a little. I need to give the yard a little TLC.

3. Today was not my finest as a mom. One of those days I need to keep track of just to keep it real. Lots of tantrums. Lots of disobeying. Lots of naughty messes (writing on bodies, the inside of the car window, pulling apart cassette tapes, water everywhere, and that's just the beginning). I'm tired. And I'm ready for tomorrow. Hopefully some fun can make its way into our day- I need it!

Seven

Seven years ago I woke up early. Beautification takes time, you know. Seven years ago you picked me up in the 626 and we headed to the temple for a whole lot of picture taking. I still laugh thinking about you wearing your suit and tux because you didn't want to wear your tux into the temple and you refused to put on your suit in the car of the temple parking lot. Seven years ago we were married, but more than just married we were sealed. Forever still sounds good to me. Seven years ago more picture taking commenced. We didn't mind since we couldn't wipe the grins off our faces, anyway. Seven years ago we hid our car in the garage of the Inn at Temple Square and walked across the street to our reception. It was fun to see the heads turn and the contagious excitement that comes from seeing a bride and groom. Seven years ago we were surrounded by the most important people in our lives as we celebrated the beginning of our life together. I couldn't have asked for more.
It's been seven years and you still make me laugh, often with the same jokes you've been telling for more than seven years. Seven years has brought us 2.5 kids and a whole new dimension to our relationship. I fell in love with you all over again when you became a dad. Watching you with our kids is my joy. It's been seven years and you're still my safe place, my sounding board, and my calm. You still look at me with tenderness. You still think I'm beautiful despite my currently rounded belly and the stretch marks that have found permanent homes in sundry places. I love you more today than my self 7 years ago could have possibly understood.

happy anniversary

Five for Friday

1. This is the first week in I don't know how long that we haven't had somewhere to be any night of the week. It's been heavenly! A much needed break, for sure.

2. My kids are Star Wars obsessed, and Pat couldn't be more pleased. I walked into Sam's room earlier this week when he woke up and he sang Darth Vader's theme song to me. Then he said, "That's Darf Vader's song. On Tar Wars." He's also busy turning every pencil into a light saber. In the mean time, Addie's been explaining the family tree to me. "First there way a boy Annakin, and then he turned into Darth Vader, and he had two kids, Luke and Princess Leia." I don't think I knew those kinds of things until I was 16.

3. I was lucky enough to nab some perennial starts from a sweet friend this week. I should've looked at the forecast ahead of time- 100 degree temps are not good for stressed out little starts. Some of them are doing great, some of them I continue to water with hopes that they will somehow be resurrected. Not sure how likely that is.

4. I found out this week I have placenta previa. Hopefully this placenta moves in the next couple of months to let this baby boy come out. We'll take another peek at 28 weeks to see where things are at- 7 more weeks to go.

5. Yesterday the kids and I took a trip to DI and had a blast. I forget all of the treasures to be found there. I went in search of milk glass containers for my brother's wedding. I left with one little white pitcher, a stack of books, and a semi-flat ball that Sam couldn't part with. My favorite find of the day was a children's book on baptism from the 1960s. The illustrations were awesome. I think we may need to start going weekly. I can blame my trips there on my milk glass search, right?

Where we've been, where we're going

Summer is in hyper-drive around here. It's been a good, busy week, with another good, hopefully not quite as busy week in the future.

This week I have...
-had a fantastic committee meeting for Enrichment and gotten totally excited about our upcoming Swap Meet! Now I have a bee in my bonnet to do some cleaning out.
-taken a lovely trip to IKEA (with the best of company) and purchased a duvet cover/pillow case/flat sheet for a whopping $2.99 a set, with the inspiration of turning said set into quilts like this for Addie and Sam's soon-to-be shared room. Bunk bed shopping is in full swing and I'm hoping these quilts turn out fabulously (especially since I'm planning to hire them out- I haven't touched my quilt since I've been in this calling, and I don't really see that changing right now).
-watched Addie at gymnastics. Persistence isn't something she's mastered yet- she starts out strong in her exercises and ends up skipping through things by her 10th time around. Not quite sure how to improve upon that, but I think she's enjoying herself. She's been on my mind a lot these days, and I really hope I'm doing right by my girl.
-restaurant-hopped with two of my favorite people. So sad to be saying good-bye to one as she embarks on a cross-country move. But man we had a fun night- I don't know that we'd ever run out of things to say during all of our girl talk.
-ran into a friend while making a return at Target. She just had baby #3 a week ago, and was already looking great. Seeing her 3 kids in/around the cart made me realize that will be my reality in a while. I think I'm currently content for the baby to be inside for a while longer, because 3 is seeming overwhelming. What was I thinking?!?
-relaxed in the chair during my cut and color. Nothing too drastic (not supposed to make drastic changes when pregnant, right?) but all cleaned up which feels good.
-grocery shopped, cleaned, and readied the house for my brother, our house-guest this weekend. My step-sister is getting married tomorrow, and our weekend is full of wedding festivities. I hope we don't melt too much with the weather in the 100s.

Hope you stay cool and soak up some summer this weekend.

Five for Friday

1. We are inundated with weddings this summer. We had one a couple of weeks ago. During the month of July we have 3. Then we have a break for a couple weeks and we're off to Idaho again for my brother's wedding in August. So excited for all the happy couples, but I think a wedding-filled summer has caught me off guard since we haven't had one for a few years.

2. The 4th of July was great. I didn't really mention it earlier, but our meal was fantastic, the treats just kept coming, the kids were in heaven playing together, and we had really nice visits with family. It was probably one of the best we've had in a while- loved how relaxing and perfect it was.

3. I went to Girls' Camp with the Relief Society Presidency for an afternoon/evening this week and had a great time. The girls in our ward are really great, and we played tons of fun games and then had a nice presentation at the end. We took letters to each of the girls from a woman in the ward, and they were all so touched that someone would've written a letter specifically to them- it was really neat for them. And Heber is beautiful! Pat's dad actually initiated the purchase of the land and helped in the development of our camp when he was the stake president, so it was fun to feel that connection to it while I was there.

4. We have our ultrasound this afternoon. Come back later and I'll add #5 to tell you what we're having!

5. It's a boy. :)

Greatest desires

{via}

Several months ago when Pat's aunt passed away, her daughter spoke powerful words at her funeral that have stuck with me. She remembered her mother as a virtuous woman who "looketh well to the ways of her household" (Proverbs 31:27), who let virtue garnish her thoughts unceasingly (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45), and who had courage and strength as she followed Christ (Proverbs 31:17). It was a wonderful tribute to a wonderful woman, full of grace and truth and beauty. Since that occasion, virtue has been in the back of my mind. As we were driving to Idaho I was trying to work on my upcoming Relief Society lesson and told him, "I think I'm going to teach on [insert long pause, tears, and squeaky voice] virtue." He's getting used to the increase of tears lately with the hormones (a few weeks ago at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House I was trying to tell him that Kneader's baked all the cookies for the reception at the end and totally lost it), but this time they my emotion was justified as I'd truly been touched while studying about virtue. Today I had the opportunity to teach Relief Society on this topic.
Even in the past few weeks as I've been thinking more about virtue, it's been amazing some of the subtle changes I've seen. I've studied the many definitions of virtue, the numerous positive qualities embodied by a virtuous woman. I've thought of examples of virtuous women I've known, the kind of women that have magnetic personalities, not because they are seeking attention loudly, but because their quiet dignity is so welcoming. These are the women who seem to be nothing but goodness. Women who make you feel important and loved as soon as you are with them, and who leave you wanting to be better than you were before. Women who are bold in their testimonies and can stand up for right, but who don't go around shouting their message. Women who delight in their home and family and are motivated to do so by love. Women who are not distracted by things that don't really matter and always make time for things that matter most. There is nothing off-putting, only welcoming. There is nothing hard or harsh, but instead gentleness and tenderness. I loved this quote used in my lesson today.

“Virtue begins in the heart and in the mind. It is nurtured in the home. It is the accumulation of thousands of small decisions and actions.”

- Elaine S. Dalton, “A Return to Virtue,” Ensign, Nov 2008, 78–80

I am excited to embark on the return to virtue. Today we challenged all of the sisters in Relief Society to complete the goals associated with virtue, and what a truly awesome program we're in for over the next 6 months. These are the changes I need to be making. Right now my greatest desire is to become a virtuous woman, but I know that it is truly that, a process of becoming.

Kid hilarity

Sam is cracking me up lately with his zest for life. The first thing I hear in the mornings lately when I go into his room is "Mama! I wuv Mama!" This same enthusiasm is carried throughout the day from activity to activity. "Trains! I wuv trains!" "Addie! I wuv Addie!" Today gave me pause when I was carrying some things in from the car and Sam said, "Heaby tings (Heavy things)! I wuv heaby tings!" Oh, if I could have the same passion for everything I come across.

Addie is currently my shadow. For instance, did you know that Addie's sister Beth Ann just got married, too (Beth Ann was the bride in the wedding we attended over the weekend)? Or did you know that today Addie just needed to make one quick phone call because there's a funeral at the church on Twooooosday, not Friday (and can you tell what I've been doing this week, although the funeral in our ward is on Friday)? Or did you know that Addie's currently planning a party for her friends and would like to plan who's coming and what to eat and some decorations? She is really taking it all in right now and keeping me on my toes.

You can't buy this kind of entertainment. Truly, these two bring me joy.