Testimony Meeting

One of my favorite meetings and activities that the Special Needs Group does together is the week we share our testimonies.  Tonight was that night.  These people have testimonies and like to share them.  Some get scared and might need someone to stand by them.  Krista asked me to stand by her. She text me to ask me and I told her I would.  She typed her testimony out and waited until the time was almost gone before standing up.  Krista has a hard time speaking but did a really good job.  Rachael, our little firecracker, felt the spirit and was crying.  Her good friend Sadie takes good care of her and got her a kleenex.  Then Sadie stood by Rachael while she reverently shared her testimony.  I didn't hear her very well and I didn't understand what Rachael was sharing but I felt the spirit.  Everyone was reverent while they listened.  It was so awesome.  After this group shares their testimony they sing one verse of their favorite song.  Their favorite songs are beautiful and some of my favorites as well.  We never have a pause at this meeting.  The participants are eager to share their sweet testimonies. The are pure and wonderful.  I waited until the end and then I shared my own testimony.  I shared the love I have for each of them and how I feel closer to Heaven since serving them.  I shared that they are "special"... so much so that their disabilities just might be protection to them from...you know who. It was a beautiful meeting.  I can't wait to start doing Sacrament Meetings with this group again.  We have been given permission and I am excited to share these spiritual giants with our wards and stakes again.

Weeding is Fun to Do?

Weeding is only fun to do if you have help.  Carla is such a great friend and has been helping me week my yard.  It really is kind of fun being out there together pulling out those weeds while we talk.  The reward is satisfying.  We got the North side of the house done and along the front fence.  We have lots of grass out in front that is really hard to pull out.  I have become really good friends with the weed killer.  I walk around the yard often with it spraying the unwanted weeds and grass.  I also like preen.  I shake it around after we pull the weeds.  Who knew these things?  Ok....I'm sure most people know these things but for some reason Larry and I didn't learn them.  There's help out there to maintain a nice yard....we finally found it.  We still have way too many weeds but we are making improvements.  You know you have a true friend when she will come and spend an hour or so helping you pull weeds.  I love Carla!

Kam's Tumbling

I got to take Kamryn to tumbling today.  I forgot where it was at and went way past the correct street.  I forget that Kamryn has tumbling on Wednesdays and so I have only gone to watch her a few times.  She is pretty good.  She's a strong girl.  I asked her if she was planning on being a cheerleader when she gets older and she said she was.  She is also planning on playing football. ☺  I love this sweet girl and enjoyed the time we had together.  We went to Trichelle's after for a little visit.  I dropped Kam off at her other grandma's house so she could help her family do yard work.  That's what Lynette wanted for her Mother's Day Service project.

Temple....a Great way to Start a Day

I love getting up and going to the Temple.  Today all the flowers were pulled out and filling a trailer.  They were still pretty but I guess it was time to plant new ones.  There were a lot of workers out around the Temple grounds today taking care of it.  It's kind of fun seeing them in the mornings.  Today while we were doing Sealings I heard a few different names.  How about Toothacre or Fish for last names?  They made me smile. ☺

We had a little lady from Germany join us this morning.  Her name is Hilda.  Hilda comes to the Temple every single day.  She is the only living member from her family and her deceased husbands and is trying to get all their work done.  We only did names that Hilda brought in today.  I asked her who does all the endowments since that takes so much longer and she told me that she does all the women and the men's she turns in to the Temple where they usually grow mold on them.  (her words)  What a blessing Hilda is to her family.  It was nice meeting her and feeling of her wonderful spirit.  

When Hilda first went to the Altar, the Sealer was being sweet and said:  "if you start to feel light headed" right then another sealer cut him off and said: "just fall over." hahaha....we had a little fun in the Temple today.  But, I still felt the spirit of some of those having their work done for them.  I love the feeling!

Kindness Matters

We love this family!  Larry and I have had the privilege of being the Home and Visiting Teachers to Cary and Shelley over the years.  The Mark family is a wonderful family.  They are a close family and so very kind and loving.  Today was Cary's mom's 85th birthday and it was also her funeral.  Betty (Cary's mom) had just moved in with Cary and Shelley in April.  She wasn't happy at the nursing home and so they invited her to live with them.  Betty passed away Friday.  Instead of celebrating her birthday here she celebrated in Heaven with so many of her loved ones.  When Betty passed we were called.  The Mark's know they can call us and that we will be there for them.  We are so glad that they call us to help.  They asked Larry to conduct the funeral service that was being held at the mortuary.  He was honored to do that for them.  Our wonderful ward provided them with a yummy meal after.  Cary didn't want to accept that gift since they don't attend church.  Larry told him that didn't matter.  They are in our ward and our ward takes care of each other.  I went to the funeral to support them as well.  It was fun learning more about Betty and the good job she did raising her little family.  Cary mentioned in his talk that their family was complete again....his parents were together after being apart for many years.  (Cary's dad dies when he was young)  It was a nice service.  I want to say that Dakota made my day when he came up and gave over to me and put his arm around me and gave me a hug.  We love the Marks and they love us back!

I had just got home and changed when Larry called and told me that while we were at the funeral Braxton scared everyone at work.  Something isn't right with Braxton. He gets light headed and weak and looses his energy....he has panic attacks.  Justin and Scott gave him a blessing and then they both left work and took Braxton to Justin's house since Natalie would be home most of the day.  (that might not have been so bad but no one called Kelsi to let her know this was happening...I think they didn't want to worry her but she should have been told)  We make mistakes as we go through life and we learn from them. (darn it) After talking with Larry I had thoughts of losing Braxton...you know that what if...kind of thoughts.  I hope that doesn't happen.  I thought about how hard it would be to lose a son but how much worse it would be for Kelsi and Sadie.  As much as Braxton is mine and always will be, we turned him over to Kelsi and he is hers now.  It was a weird thought and I pray we don't experience it.  I thought about what a good kid Braxton has always been.  Oh he's been mischievous and drove me nuts but as far as anything that matter eternally he has been good.  No word of wisdom or moral problems.  Braxton is pure and sensitive and strong when it come to spiritual gifts.  My heart hurt a little today.

I am so thankful for the kindness offered to Braxton.  I am so glad that Scott and Justin could give Braxton a blessing.  I am so thankful that Natalie was okay with having him dropped off so he wouldn't be alone.  I am so thankful for Kelsi that has to go through this trial with Braxton.  I am so thankful for her patience and love towards Braxton.  I'm sure it must be frustrating for them both not understanding or knowing why this happens.  My heart breaks a little when I see my son tearing up because he doesn't like being this way.  He doesn't like others worrying about him and would rather be on the other side of things.  It's his test and I guess those close to him are here to help him through it.  In a way his test teaches us as well.  There are many lessons we can all learn as we experience our tests in this life.  I wonder if we could choose our tests if we would choose the ones we get?  I know we wouldn't choose anything harder but I wonder if we would really choose anything easier...especially if we knew the lessons being learned.

mother day gifts

Mothers Day

I often go walking in Meadows of Clover.....Dear Mother all flowers remind me of YOU!  I love that song.  I loved singing it to my mom and I loved having my kids sing it to me and now I love hearing my cute grands sing it.  I also like Mother Dear I love you so. Your happy smiling face, it's such a joy to look at.  You make home a happy place!  I LOVE Mother's Day!  I love my mom and everything that she has taught me.

I love Larry's mom for everything that she taught him.  We have been blessed with wonderful moms!

 

 I LOVE being a mom!  It was always my dream since I was a little girl.  I was blessed with a body that was made for having babies.  I could get pregnant when we wanted and felt it was time.  I didn't have any problems carrying my kids.  I was only sick with the girls and mostly Trichelle but I think it was because I didn't quite know how to help handle the change in me.  I wasn't sick the whole time with my girls, mostly just the first trimester. I recovered quickly and didn't really get the baby blues.  Thank goodness to all my blessings.  I was suppose to have this many children and was blessed so I would.  Each child was planned we were never "surprised."  I would have stopped at five because my hands were full but the Spirit let me know there were more.  I might have had a hard time accepting that knowledge but not as hard as Larry.  He didn't want to accept that we had more waiting to come to us.  He wouldn't pray about it and God was well aware of that so He let Larry know without asking.  I did miscarriage between Jaydan and Kimleighel and I consider that miscarriage a blessing to remind me that Heavenly Father is in charge. Everything for a Reason!

I'm so thankful for these wonderful spirits that call me mom.  I love each of them so much.  They each teach me in different ways.  I couldn't imagine life without one of them.  I truly adore them all.  They have grown up good in spite of my mistakes.  (I prayed they would)

We celebrated Mother's Day by having a Fiesta!  It was Braxton and Kelsi's idea and I thought it was fun.  They came and made Sopito's for everyone.  I really liked them but will say that Mexican food isn't Larry's favorite and he thought our house smelled yucky.  I think he ate left over pizza. ☺  Braxton and Kelsi brought music and a fun light to make the party complete.  Mexican music makes me happy and I danced.  The little one's shook their little booties too...so cute!  Ivy prayed in Spanish for us and I loved hearing her rattle off a prayer that I didn't understand.

Kevin made a sweet potato soup.  It is a recipe from his mission and pretty yummy.  Natalie brought chips and salsa and Trichelle made a rice with tomato's.  I like it all and filled up fast. (I fill up fast these days....the scales should be going down)

It wouldn't be a fiesta without a pinata!  Lucky for us we had a pinata just sitting around.  I filled it with Mexican candy...the kind without chili.  I didn't want it to go to waste. Most Mexican candy does have chili in it and I did buy one kind and it lit my mouth on fire.  I can't handle it but I know Ivy loves it.  We let the youngest try breaking the pinata first because we were pretty confident they wouldn't.  They were so cute watching though!  They liked it.  I can't remember when Olaf's head came off but I know everyone had at least one turn at trying to get it off.  When one of the grands was hitting Olaf his bottom broke open and candy came out.  We let the grands gather that candy and we taped him up.  I actually had baggies of candy stuffed inside the pinata so that every grand would get a good share of the candy. (a birdie told me about that idea)

When the head came off Braxton and Justin tied the rest of Olaf up under his arms and everyone started chanting....momma-momma!  I got up and took a turn.  I promised not to peak and I kept my eyes closed tight.  I swung and swung and started to sweat but I never really connected. Everyone was laughing and I guess I was coming close to hitting Larry every swing.  I surrendered the bat and let the other mommy's give it a shot.  They didn't promise to close their eyes.  I think Julie ended up breaking the body open and so Kelsi didn't get a chance to swing at it.  (I don't think she cared)

The kids ran in and gathered their loot.  I couldn't believe how fast those little ones moved when the candy went flying.  Everyone had a good time.  I really liked our Mother's Day Celebration!

When the candy was gathered the big grands went outside to play.  So my kids decided to play a game.  Everyone chose a fruit to be and the person "it" got to try to hit the fruit called out with a pillow before that fruit said another fruit. (we chose someone to go first at being the one to call out a fruit and also to try to hit)  Our games always end in tears.  We were having fun and laughing until little Jordyn walked between her mom, who was "it", and the peach, Trichelle, who just got called.  Julie knew Trichelle was behind her but she didn't know Jordyn was and she quickly swung around and took Jordy out.  It was sad.  Jordy got settled and we continued.  (we shouldn't have)  Things got moving pretty quick again and when Jared was it he threw his head back only to connect his head with Macie's.  Macie was crying and asking her mommy to take her home please.  And that's how we know we have had all the fun we are going to.  The party was over.

I'm thankful for my fun family.  I love the Sundays we are all here together.  The one's in these pictures are my favorite!  I absolutely adore them all!   It was a Wonderful Mother's Day!

These are my favorite little Mother's!  They all do such a fantastic job at loving their little ones! ♥