Forget Me Not Friday

*Be assured….God is in the details.

*As I was sitting in the temple, I was reminded that I REALLY need to work on finding joy in being a mother and a wife.  It is very easy to get caught up in the everyday mundane things and feel bogged down and irritated.

*It has been a lot of fun watching Jaycee and Braxton learn to ‘share.’  They both have shown their competitive side!  I was hoping that Jaycee would be inspired to walk after seeing Braxton walk all over the place.  I don’t think it is going to happen.

*Braden came into the bathroom while I was bathing Braxton and Jaycee and said, “Mom, Braxton has a penis just like me, but we have very different tummies.”  I was trying not to laugh at his observation, but it did put a smile on my face!

*Cozy and I braved shopping at the mall with all 5 kids….not a good idea!  We survived, but would not be a reoccurrence.

*I got to go to Logan and visit some dear friends and meet my newest little nephew, Aris Matthew.
*The kids and I got to go to church with grandpa this week.  That was such a special experience.
Then we went to grandmas church for all three hours.  Braden and I had a little falling out right before sunbeams, so when I dropped him off he was still a little teary.  As I walked out the door, I turned to take one last look and he was waving his hand in the I LOVE YOU sign even though he was still mad at me....ahhh, he just melts my heart. 

* This week has been bitter sweet.  I brought the kids up to Utah for spring break to spend time at grandmas, but I also came so I could be an escort for my mom while she attended the temple for the first time to receive her own endowments.  What a blessing it has been for her and for some of her children.  We had the privilege of having the temple matron guide my mother and us through the entire session.  I wish I had been taught the things that Sister Layton shared with us when I went to the temple for the first time.  She said some really powerful things that I really needed to hear, not only for my temple experience, but in my everyday life. 

                A little history on how we got to this point…My dad has never wanted anything to do with the church.  It has always been a sore spot in our family dynamics.  My mom made a valiant effort to take us kids to church until I was about 10 years old.  My mom reached a point that it wasn’t worth the fight with my dad, so she quit going.  Some of us continued to be active and others did not.  About three years ago when my grandpa passed away, it brought my mom really close to the Savior and she once again decided to return to church.  This created great tension between my parents.  This past January was the breaking point, not just the whole religion thing, but everything came crashing down.  Choices were made and my parents have made a decision to separate for a year to work on their relationship as well as themselves.  My dad hit rock bottom and had a realization that he needed to have the Savior in his life and make some big changes.  Miracles do happen and I have witnessed them with my own eyes and heart over the past two months.  He still has a long ways to go, but baby steps, baby steps.  He gave my mom permission to go to the temple and I hope that someday in the near future, he will be going for himself.  My dad has never really owned nice church clothes, but for this occasion my dear sweet Uncle Dean helped get him outfitted in a brand new suit, shirt and tie and I helped him get his shoes.  I can’t think of another time that he looked more stunning than he did when he drove us to the temple on Thursday.  It took a great amount of courage for my dad to be there.  I prayed really hard that he would feel our Saviors love and know that he is on the right path and the power of the atonement can heal him.  Dad, I love you and I know you have the desire to be a better man.  You have done amazing things these past two months.  I have faith in you.  

Today my mom, Michelle, myself, Uncle Dean and Aunt Pat made the drive down to Manti to do a session there.  It was an amazing opportunity in so many ways.  I can’t even fathom how the pioneers were able to build such a beautiful building…..with NONE of the technology we have now.  The details are breathtaking.  It was very powerful and touching to see things inside the temple that were probably given to the Lord by these pioneers, things that probably don’t have the same value to you and I, but were an extremely huge sacrifice to them back then.  It may have been the only nice thing they owned and they gave it to the Lord.  I am so grateful for the knowledge I have.  For the Plan of Happiness, the Atonement and for a Heavenly Father that loves us as individuals.  He knows who we are and the righteous desires of our hearts.  Having said all this, it brings me back to the first thing I listed on here today….Be assured….God is in the details.

*I am really backlogged on pictures from this trip, so I will have to get them up a little later.