Connie's Quilt

Connie is a woman in our ward who was RS president when we moved here. She has a heart of gold. When she was released from her RS calling, she was called to be the Sunbeam teacher. Caroline was in her class. I'll never forget Connie sharing her testimony in church before her first lesson in Sunbeams, and telling the little Sunbeams that she had already been praying for them. Caroline, along with all of the Sunbeams fell in love with Connie. In January there was a little staffing shuffle in Primary, and Connie was asked to teach the CTR 7 class; Graces's class. I don't know who was more excited, Grace or me! We love Connie...I honestly think that everyone who knows Connie loves her.

A couple months ago, Connie's husband died of a sudden heart attack. The RS came together and made a beautiful quilt for Connie to show our love for her. Connie's former Sunbeams had a quilt block, as did her CTR 7 class. Our family made a quilt block with the New Testament scripture reference John 16: 20-22. Back story: I was friends with the RS president in our family's ward when my mom was sick. I was on my mission in TX at the time, and she sent a talk she gave in sacrament meeting titled, "Joy" which included this scripture. It was just what I needed, and I've held it close to my heart ever since. I know that the Lord knows how to comfort us when death takes a loved one.

I took on the task of assembling the quilt top. At the onset of this quilt project, Wayne's work hours were cut more than 50% in order for his small medical device company to stay alive while trying to secure more funding. We struggled once again with unstable employment. Putting together Connie's quilt was good medicine for me. Everyday I thought of Connie and felt reminded to embrace each day I have with my own family. Things were still challenging, but I found it healing to find a way to give of myself everyday and offer my time and resources; things I already had on hand, for someone else's comfort.

That, and it was FUN!

~Girls night out tying the quilt...gabbing so much that we missed who was voted off Dancing with the Stars...3 hours of quilt tying never went by so fast. Before we knew it, it was 10pm!

~When Kelly showed up at my house with her quilt square, and there I was in my black fleece sweats covered in white thread strands. I told her it probably wasn't a good idea to wear black fleece for this project...we laughed!

~Amy's autistic son who kept dropping in as we tied the quilt at enrichment. I loved talking with him and he even helped tie a bit while his mom was at one of the RS classes.

~Seeing all of the different thoughts and expressions of love on each quilt square was amazing.

~I loved this way of interacting with and getting to know other women...service really can bring out the best in us.

The quilt literally took over our dining room...go ahead and imagine the mess; it was real, and yet my family never complained. When women came over to bring their quilt block they looked through the stack of quilt blocks already turned in and could tell that something very special was in the making. Connie's quilt will forever be one of my favorite projects. It was one of those things that never felt like work because it was such a joy.

For more on Connie's quilt, you can drop in on our RS enrichment blog.

Wesley + Corn Starch = ?

If I bathe him, will he thicken?

The Annual Father's & Sons Outing

Dad gave me this awesome new pack. Now I don't have to lug around a suitcase. My pack has a bunch of pockets for all of my stuff.

This is dad & me by a tree by Living Waters.

This is dad and me in front of Living Waters.

This is Dad & me, my camping friends, and their dads. This was taken at our camp site. At our camp site I liked to tend to the fire and lay in the hammock. I slept in the hammock. It felt like I was sleeping on air.

"My Survival Hike"

So, Cameron, Ben, Josh & Luke, Nathan and I were exploring a little trail at Zion’s Camp. We saw a cliff and walked toward it and noticed a trail next to the cliff. Ben and Luke didn’t want to go on the trail. The rest of us started to go down, but it was much steeper than we thought it would be, so we couldn’t get back up that way. So, we started to get a little scared. Cameron noticed a really narrow passageway. While we were hiking through the passage we had to grab onto rocks to hoist ourselves up. I was holding onto a rock, but I started to slip. I noticed Nathan found an easier passageway, so I let go in order to go that way. I got Cameron and Josh to go that way too. It was sort of hard because it was steep, but it was easier because we had trees to hold on to so we wouldn’t fall down. I was the first one to get back up to high ground. Josh was pretty scared by this time, and Cameron and Nathan were behind him. Josh was frozen in fear and started to cry. Josh’s dad came and literally climbed down to help Josh. He got Josh. Nathan slipped, but grabbed onto a tree, and then he and Cameron got up to the top.

The End

Mommy notes

*Christina had a really nice YW mtg. last week. They introduced the Virtue value. One of the achievements within the virtue value is prayerfully reading the Book of Mormon. Christina's leaders showed the girls a necklace made of sterling silver chain & "ruby" crystals (see Proverbs 3:10...). The girls will earn a ruby for each book in the Book of Mormon they read, & in December when they complete the Book of Mormon reading chart, each girl will make one of these necklaces for herself. The YW leaders invited the moms to participate in the BoM reading challenge, but only the girls will make these necklaces. I'm taking this on...I'd have loved to do something like this with my own mom. I also want Christina to know that reading the B of M is truly a lifelong worthwhile study. No matter how many times you read it, you'll always find something applicable, learn something new, and be reminded of true doctrine. I'm thankful that Christina is taking this challenge on & has such great support from her YW friends & leaders.

* Thomas gave a kid the bird on Tuesday at recess. He doesn't even know what it means, although he does know it represents a bad word. We talked about reacting to situations and recognizing triggers that push his self-control to the breaking point. He deeply regretted what he did. I'm glad someone called him out on it right away. I told Thomas that kids are going to be cruel. Kids are going to be mean. You can count on someone not liking you, quite possibly all of your life. You can't control that, however, you can and have to control how you behave and react to every word and action that comes your way. You are accountable for your behavior. You can't control who loves you and treats you with respect, but you can and should find a way to think kind thoughts about everyone, even those who offend you. They don't need to be your best friends, especially if they constantly bring others down, but harboring ill will isn't just not nice, it hurts you; it's never a good thing. I told Thomas that behavior like giving the bird is completely out of character for him, and that was obvious by how upset he was at HIS own behavior, not just at the boy who offended him. On Wednesday there were a couple things that took place at school that were hard for Thomas to deal with. This time he didn't let the situations get the best of him. He had no regrets, and I helped him recognize the difference in how he felt Wed. as opposed to Tues. I told him how proud I was that he was true to himself today. We stopped by Barnes & Noble on the way home and Thomas used his birthday money from Grandma Ann to buy The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-it-Yourself Book. Good day.

* Grace is reading The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs. To hear her talk about it is hilarious. She finds a way to insert "sassafras springs" into each sentence. She took her book to school to read aloud to her class. Spring has sprung and Grace is back on her bike. She loves belting out HER song, "Amazing Grace." She loves to sport her striped sunglasses to school (thanks, Aunt Sara!). Grace went on a field trip to the zoo and rather than track down a brown bag for lunch, she found a blue & yellow polka dot gift bag. She's fun as ever.

* Caroline: "Mom, if carrots are good for your eyes, what's good for your ears?" Do YOU have an answer for that? I don't. I told Caroline that I just couldn't let her go to Kindergarten next year. I want to spend another year at home with her. She said, "OK." "Really?!!!," I asked, although I knew her reply was too good to be true. Just to be sure, I asked, "You really want to stay home with me?" Caroline didn't miss a beat and said, "For ten days." She gave a start date of sometime in the end of August, which quite possibly could be 10 days before school starts. I can't win! :)

* Stunt man, Wesley: He does a stop, drop and roll stunt...don't know where that came from, but it keeps us laughing! He's so easy to adore. Last night after putting the kids to bed (Thomas & Nina were at church with Wayne), I heard Wesley laughing hysterically from the gut, just like he does during tickle torture. I went in his room fully expecting to send the girls back to bed. No one was there, and Wesley, while awake, seemed to snap out of a day dream. I felt terrible for interrupting. I asked him if grandma was playing cars with him, and I helped him snuggle back in his blankets and put his head on his pillow. Happy Dreams:)

Faith

The whole talk this quote is from is well worth reading....

"Master, the Tempest is Raging," by Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, November 1984

Visiting Teaching

After 10+ years in Primary (still love it!), I'm in RS now serving as Enrichment Counselor. It's interesting how the gears change. I still LOVE the primary children, and those I served with (now dear friends), but feel that love broaden as I've moved next door to RS. I love the sisters and feel my stewardship in a real way.

We had our Relief Society Visiting Teaching conference on Mother's Day. It was so nice to gather for the 2nd & 3rd hours of church while the men taught all of primary & SS. YW joined us the 3rd hour. Our theme was "Instrument of the Lord." We had flowers, musical instruments, sheet music, and art for decor. Our handout was a small booklet for the sisters to utilize in visiting teaching. The purpose is to show how visiting teaching can be literally offering ourselves as an "instrument of the Lord," looking after one another as the Lord would were He here. I don't pretend to be a perfect VTer, but I have to say that since starting this, I have definitely thought of my VTing sisters more in a genuine sisterly way, rather than the end of the month rushed "visit." The booklet is now HERE on Sugardoodle. You can tweak it to make it work for your theme or just print it as is. The flower is symbolic for the God-given feminine attributes of compassion, creativity, and nurturing. When we as women join forces through VTing, the effects are immeasurable, but certainly start with more capable women and stronger families.

Have you ever had a conversation with women where you came away inspired and empowered? I went to lunch with several women from the Resolutionary Challenge I participated in last winter. My friend Whitney has a gift for guiding discussions and keeping the bar of the conversation high. It was a delight to meet these women, to offer compassion and understanding, and to feel that in return. The topics of conversation steered clear of the gossip gutter and self-pity street. We talked literature, life, and dreams. I felt enlightened and inspired by these women, and discovered a thing or two about myself as well. I walked away as if I was given a super-heroine cape and a mission. I took a natural reassessment of my dreams and pet projects. I felt empowered to take on a dream project; writing my mom's story, that I had on the back burner with much easier tasks (emotionally & intellectually) always coming first.

I think that part of the reason I felt compelled to drive 45 minutes to Cambridge to have this lunch date was because this experience gave me a message for the sisters at our VTing conference 2 days later....There is great power and potential in us as women, especially when we strive to act as an instrument of the Lord in looking after each other and building one another up. It's no wonder VTing teaching started in the first place. Isn't it the Lord's way that as we act on His behalf we change, and our relationship to Christ changes as well. So efficient and beautiful!

Now, go give your sisters their cape, a dose of sisterly support, & a truffle just because:)