As the weather changes....

This last week proved to be a little stressful in someways. Dan took a work trip Monday thru Wednesday. I hate staying home alone - although I did have our canine children to keep me company, and I did sleep better this time.  I was SO cold on Monday that I build a fire in our woodstove - first one of the season! It kept me warm all night and it was so pretty to watch the flames dance.  Fortunately the time Dan was gone went quickly and he was back Wednesday night.  Some highlights of the week:

1.  I learned that it is not economically wise for me to go to Costco alone.  The book section draws me near every time and I have a hard time not buying everything I want! Fortunately I did escape for under $200...a minor miracle for sure.

2.  I used my "new to me" wood stacker (to the left of the woodstove) that I picked up at a garage sale for $5 this summer. I love the way it kept the wood neat and not falling all over the hearth...and it kept the puppies from dragging the wood all over the house. For some reason they think that the wood in the woodshed is for their sole pleasure of dragging around the yard.  While bringing that wood in from the shed they decided it would be a good time to play "kick mom in the knees and watch her fall into the mud"...fortunately I was not physically hurt, just irritated!

3. I was able to reconnect with my little sister this week and it has been a joy to me to be able to talk with her and plan a trip to visit our father.  She impresses me so much with who she has become and I'm so excited to get to be with her for a few days.

4. I had to learn to be a Long Distance Mother this week while David has been sick. Usually I am right there when he gets his twice yearly upper respiratory gunk, and it was hard to be so far away this time. He is recovering, and I am glad.

5. I had the honor of attending the temple on Saturday with Dan. There is nothing more sweet and sacred than attending the temple with your eternal companion. I am always struck by how my anxieties leave me and how I am able to concentrate on the message given while I am there.

6. Today at church I learned that it is important to extend forgiveness to others and to ourselves. All we have to do is sincerely ask Heavenly Father for forgiveness and he freely gives it - why do we expect that we cannot do that for ourselves?

I am SO grateful for my family and friends. It seems to be a good season to remember to say "thanks" to the people that touch our lives. My challenge to all of us this next week is to slow down...let someone else go first....help someone who needs help....and extend your love to those around you that may be feeling unloved.

 

October 22, 2012

Yes, I know, it is still Sunday, October 21.  Since I am trying to write on Sunday's, I wanted to keep that tradition, but this post is about October 22.  27 years ago, roughly in September, I told the love of my life that I loved him for the very first time. I was headed to college (where now my son is at) with my sister and a friend.  I had spent a wonderful summer with the best friend I had ever known.  The night before I left, he spent most of the night preparing a surprize for me to open when I arrived at college.  The next morning he gave me a tin foil wrapped package that was fairly heavy - about the size of a medium hardbacked book.  As I was getting in the car we hugged and said "I love you".  I was so excited to get to open that gift.  As we stopped for the night in Twin Falls, Idaho, I pulled it out and opened it.  It was a giant tootsie roll block with the words "Love, Dan" marked out with tootsie rolls.  I was in LOVE! It was my favorite candy at the time and he had stayed up all night melting down a ton of tootsie rolls to make it. 

We made it to college and the first thing I did was get a bank account and then hook up a phone. That was before cell phones, my friends.  Dan and I spent long periods on the phone and we wrote back and forth at a furious pace.  He said he would come visit me on October 22 - half way between the start of school and Thanksgiving, when I could return home for a visit.  I checked the mail one day before boarding the bus to school and there were 3 letters from him. I was SO excited! I yelled to a friend on the bus - I got three letters from him! A boy asked "what are you doing here then?"  At that point I decided he was right and made preparations to leave school and come back to Washington.  I was really struggling with loneliness at school and other medical issues so it seemed like the right choice.  I returned at the end of September, and by the following July we were married. 

October 22 is a special day we always celebrate - a "first date" sort of day. We laugh when we talk about, how I didn't make it to the halfway point, but how glorious that reunion was when I stepped off that plane!

Check In

Dan caught a picture of these two "sharing" my recliner.  Newbie likes to lay on the top to look out the window, and then Roo will sit in the chair. Apparently Newbie decided that there was plenty of room for the two of them to share the chair seat....

Sami asked for a picture of the corn. The garden this year was successful in some ways...but I planted too late this year, and then got tired of watering so late in the season so some things didn't get harvested, they died of dehydration. On next years agenda: watering system of some kind.  Anyway, Sami planted the corn and it did fabulously.  Potatoes, cucumbers, radishes, strawberries were all a hit. Carrots failed - planted them twice and they didn't make it either time. Lettuce was ok, but I didn't harvest it in time and it went bitter.  I did get one zucchini, and would've had more had I watered more.  I'm planning on getting a load of dirt and really winterizing the garden so that next year I will have less work in the spring.

I've decided to do a check in of sorts - stolen from a blog I follow - so here is my week in a nutshell:
1. Dan went out of town for three days.  I kept busy each day, and each night it was harder to sleep. I hate the dark, and I hate being alone at night.  I did it though - go me!

2. I was successful in meeting my work goal this week. I set a certain amount of hours I want to put in each week and then work towards that.  Due to variations in each week (doctor's appts, lunch with friends, etc) sometimes I end up working a little more on Friday than I intend. This week was perfect! I only worked a couple of hours on Friday.  Gives me a little breather and helps me to do the housework I want to do without doing it all day Saturday.

3. Speaking of Saturday, I went on a little retail therapy trip....I hit Value Village, Kohls, Fred Meyer, and Goodwill. I did find a few things I needed, but the elusive coat I've been searching for is still on my list.  And I came home with $ in my pocket - so score!

4. Spent time with a friend Friday night and then again on Saturday morning. It is SO important to keep friendships alive and well.  We all need a support system..it is better to have that support system in place all the time than to wonder where it is when you really need it.  So that is my challenge this week: Be a friend. Listen instead of speaking. Lend your love and your hand where it is needed. We all need friends.

Happy Third week in October! The wind is blowing and the rain is here - LOVE IT!

Things to Ponder

Yesterday and today I had the opportunity to listen to leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, of which I am a member, give us counsel.  Everyone worldwide, members and nonmembers alike are invited to hear the messages.  I decided today's post would be a recap of what I learned. I hope it is helpful to your lives.

1.  The sanctity of marriage and the value of strong families are paramount in today's society. How do we work towards having a strong family unit? Prayer, spend time together, share our beliefs with our children, and organize your family on clear basic principles.

2. Christian kindness. Often I hear that Mormons (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) are not christian. Not sure how people come up with that, as the name "Jesus Christ" is in our name.  Christian kindness begins at home - helping each other in any way we can. Not keeping track of who did what, how many times.  Then we extend to our communities. Christian kinds transcends all barriers: color, religion, sexual identity. Christ loves all of us no matter what color we are, what we believe, or who we love.  We need to come out of ourselves to lend a hand, shoulder, heart, ear to those in need. That is how we show Christ we love him.

3. Be anxiously engaged.  What does this mean? It means lending that Christian hand to those who need it.  Fill our souls by loving others and doing good works. Get involved, however you can, in your church, your community, your home.  Something as small as a smile to a stranger in the store can lighten your own load and let a glimmer of love take root in your heart.

4. Remain steadfast. It is easy to give up when the going gets hard. And we've all had hard trials.  No one knows your trials quite like you do, and it is easy to bury inside and let them overwhelm you.  Remember to do the simple things to keep on track: Pray (or meditate if that is more your speed), keep a gratitude journal by writing 5 things down daily that you are thankful for, surround yourself with others that hold similar values as you do.  Serve others.  Keep doing all you can to keep your head above water and eventually you'll come out of your trial. 

5. Don't erect "pavilions" or walls between you and God. Don't allow fear, hatred, or negative emotions keep you from hearing what He has to say.  We all need His guidance. Pray to accept His will before our own, and to have our prayers answered in His way, on His time schedule.

6. Extend love to those who've we've offended or feel like they have offended us. Ask for forgiveness or extend forgiveness.  Hate is allowing someone else have real estate in your head.  Don't know about you, but I need all the real estate I can get up there.

The Lord is in the details of our lives. Come - stay true - love God - lend a hand.