My Favorite Month of the Year - October

It is my most favorite month of the whole year! I love everything about October.  The changing of the leaf color, swirling leaves as they fall to the ground, the brisk morning air, SWEATERS!, the bright blue sky, and just that "change of season" feeling.  Makes me happy.  Yesterday we went to Autumn in Fall. It was a small fair with horse drawn carriage rides, pumpkins for sale, food, and tons of little tents of people selling home made items and antiques.  I loved it!  It took forever to get there - oh my..I didn't think we'd ever get there but it was well worth it when we did.  We bought some homemade bread and a few other items.  It was a totally laid back, fun sort of morning.  Later that evening we had a great meal with some good friends to round out the day.

People keep asking me how I am adjusting to being an empty nester, so I thought I would make a list of what I like and don't like.  Maybe someone else that faces this same challenge will be able to take something from it.

Likes:
1. Clean Kitchen...every day.
2. Small laundry - never, ever thought I would say that!
3. Quiet evenings when the house closes up for the night.
4. Spontaneous activities with Dan - like the fair!
5. Dinner out for $13.50 - true statement!
6. Groceries for under $200 for two weeks!

Dislikes:
1. Bustle of a busy house with people going and coming.
2. Daily hugs from my kids.
3. Empty house all day...you think that would be on the Like list, but I get lonely in the afternoons.
4. Family activities
5. Making a big dinner that everyone loves
6. Coupon shopping with David!

So you see, it is a give and take. I am enjoying this different life, and I look forward with great eagerness to Thanksgiving when everyone is together again. 

Man's Best Friends

Aren't they cute??  When Dan goes off to work in the morning, they keep me company.  I work at home, and it gets lonely sometimes.  They truly are my friends....they warn me when someone is outside (usually just walking by, or a salesman sometimes), they warn me when the school bus comes, they accompany me on my daily walks, and they make the floor messy so I get to do that thing I love most of all - MOP. Which is second best to dusting, but that is another post.  I am grateful for my furry friends!

Camp Helaman

I was asked to speak in church today about Camp Helaman.  Camp Helaman is a weeklong camp for boys ages 16-20ish. During camp they learn about Christ and His mission.  They also take part in exercises to deepen their testimonies of Christ and learn about sharing the message. This is what I spoke about:

I believe that most everything that is important in this life takes work. Relationships, marriage, testimonies…and not just the work it takes to start, but the ongoing learning and pressing forward that makes these things better than they were the previous minute. I don’t believe in “get rich quick” schemes, and I don’t believe most infomercials that promise results for $19.95…oh, and call in the next five minutes and you get one FREE!

So considering that, when people would tell me that “Camp Helaman” could change lives, while I believed it could be a good thing to do, I was wary of believing in the effect that it really could have. Sending your kid to spend a week with other boys eating enormous amount s of Hostess products – how could that really do anything?

I am happy to report that I was wrong. I saw concrete changes in not only my son, but in all the boys I saw that day when we went to pick him up. We parked our car and then began walking towards where we thought we were supposed to be. We stopped to ask someone if we were going in the right direction and he said to “follow the thunder”….not sure what he meant, we kept going and began to hear the most wonderous sound…..the sound of young men singing hymns. The sound filled the air and as we reached our destination we saw it was not unlike this chapel. The parents were seated at the back and the boys were seated down below facing away from us at a lower level – so in this room the parents would be standing at the back of the room and the boys would be seated in the chapel facing the front where the music leader stood.

Their voices were so powerful – you could feel the spirit of God strongly. The second to last song was Army of Helaman – the primary song. Before they sang, they all turned to face their parents and then sung with strong emotion the song We’ll Bring the World His Truth – or as I call it “The Army of Helaman Song” the chorus was felt by every parent that was in that meeting

We are as the army of Helaman.
We have been taught in our youth.
And we will be the Lord’s missionaries
To bring the world his truth

You could see the light of Christ in every boy’s eyes – and you could feel the light in your whole being.

After the song, one by one they lined up to bear their testimonies….and while it didn’t seem possible that the spirit could be even stronger, it grew. At the end of the meeting we stood and looked for our son. He hurried towards us and hugged us all in turn. The light of Christ was bright in his eyes and you could tell that Camp Helaman had a profound effect on him.

Camp Helaman was a great experience for our whole family….for our son, who was able to internalize the importance of Christ’s message, for the rest of us that saw how powerful a group of young men, holding the priesthood of God, can be for good. How proud I was that day to be my sons mother and how thankful I am that we are linked forever as an eternal family.

Teach Them to Fly

Once there was a mama bird.  She had two little baby birds in her nest.  She worked and worked at keeping them safe and helping them to grow.  She was there when they were pecking and pecking to get out of their hard egg shells...rooting them on and cheering when a little piece would fall away.  She was there when they were crying of hunger, fed them and then taught them how to hunt for food on their own. She would kiss the hurt away when they fell and got hurt, or were hurt by others.  Day by day she loved and loved them and  prayed they would always know it.

One day she came to realize her birdies were no longer small, and that the time had come to encourage them to venture out and try their wings.  They had been in the nest so long and it was comfortable there for all of them.  They all had their routines, and they all knew what to do with each day.  Their wing feathers were beginning to sing....and the song needed wind to be full.  So gathering up her courage, mama bird set the first birdie on the edge of the nest and with encouragement told her to fly.  The birdie teetered and tottered and then fell out....Mama birdie's heart felt like it would explode as she watched her baby birdie take flight and her beautiful wings spread and sing broadly the new song of independence.  Soon it was time for her youngest birdie to do the same. With tears in her eyes again, she placed him on the edge of the nest and encouraged him into the wind.  The same thing happened...and the song was sung again.

As mothers we spend our children's lives keeping them safe from evil that is all around. We protect them when they fall and when others threaten their happiness.  We anguish when they make choices other than what we would have done...and we sorrow to the depths of our souls when they cry.  We start young pushing them out of the nest...we teach them to self sooth to sleep through the night as newborns; we teach them to pee on the potty and not in their pants; we teach them to share and to go to school to learn.  Eventually we have to let go.....and let them soar. Our job is not done, as many think, it is just taking on different meaning.  Teach your children to fly - the song is definitely worth hearing.

I am on FIRE!

I decided to take my daughter's advice and blog more.  I realized that it is important to record things that happen so I remember them later.  And that it is important for my college kids (BOTH!) to be able to connect with home other than through the phone.  I'm trying to blog every Sunday...and I think this is at least my second time! Hence the title...
I don't have much exciting to report, but I thought I would share a few things I am thankful for:

1.  In the midst of an Eeyore streak, just a little statement on facebook will bring friends to the rescue..and turn that Eeyore streak back into Tigger!  I'm so thankful for family and good friends to lean on when the world looks a little gray.

2.  I am grateful for repentance and forgiveness.  What mistakes I make on a daily basis!  I'm so grateful my family and friends, and Heavenly Father always allow me to say "I'm sorry" and then truly forgive me. 

3.  I am grateful for fall! I love this time of year. I know, I know, we are still dragging out summer...but I am so excited to see the leaves change and get out my sweaters.  I took the advice of a good friend and really tried to enjoy the "heat" of summer this year. I think, except for a few days, I was very successful.  I really enjoyed the blue blue skies, and going barefoot as often as possible.  I am now ready to wear socks, and to curl up with a book in front of the woodstove, and light some yummy spice candles!

4.  I am eternally grateful for my family.  I don't know what I would do without them.  We all bug each other, we all do and say things that drive each other insane sometimes, but in the end, we all love each other intensely.  I'm so glad I get to spend an eternity with all of them.

5. Finally, I am grateful to have God in my life.  He is my protector, my "go to guy" in times of need, and in times of joy.  I am grateful to be able to stand and be counted among his sheep.

Have a great week everyone!