tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24812469229441613182024-03-14T03:28:18.753-06:00Why, oh why, oh why?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger372125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-61604219948089757422018-08-26T21:37:00.000-06:002018-08-28T09:38:25.734-06:00How I REALLY feel about turning 40.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Over the hill.” The phrase
conjures images of black balloons and middle-age crises. Turning 40 means your life
might as well be over, because it’s “all downhill from here.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But then I turned 39, and the reality of 40 stared me down. I
fought the urge to flinch. Was it possible that my best days were behind me? I
was determined that the trajectory of my life would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> decline. I would make 39 the year that I really discovered who I
am and what I really want. And more than that, 39 would be the year I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">acted</i>. I would create real changes and
start to live my life accordingly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So today, on my 40<sup>th</sup> birthday, I make the
following declarations:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is never a mistake to show love. Even when beliefs
differ, common values can unite us. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The best course of action is almost never proposed by the
far right or the far left.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My marriage is worth more than mediocre effort and
long-established habits. My husband deserves more than my complacency, and I deserve
more than his. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
True friends are worth their weight in gold. I will
cultivate relationships with the women who see my worth and I will help them to
see their worth as well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will make it a point to spend time alone, because I like
myself and because time alone puts my priorities in perspective.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My dreams are worth chasing. I will apply for the Ph.D.
program because if I don’t, I will regret it in five years – also, because I will
be a damn good professor. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My body is my story, and it deserves the same grace and love
that everything else in my life deserves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will not waste my time or money on cheap ice cream or
cheap deli meat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will run a half-marathon because the process of training
will help me discover whether I can ever experience the elusive “runner’s high.”
If I can’t, I will never run again, and I will not feel bad about it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
To 40, I say bring it on. We’re going to have such fun
together. <br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-14176641508877902122018-07-26T14:25:00.003-06:002018-07-26T14:32:36.322-06:00If I had the time and energy to respond to every Facebook comment...The issue of the day is breastfeeding. It has been popping up in my social media feed from a variety of sources and with a variety of viewpoints. The Trump administration took a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/08/health/world-health-breastfeeding-ecuador-trump.html" target="_blank">controversial stand</a> on an international resolution (see <a href="http://thefederalist.com/2018/07/10/no-the-trump-administration-didnt-oppose-breastfeeding-at-the-world-health-organization/" target="_blank">this link</a> for a conservative response to the NY Times article). A few days ago I read an interesting article titled "<a href="https://work.qz.com/1332996/coworkers-can-influence-women-to-keep-breastfeeding/" target="_blank">Why it's so crucial to support colleagues who pump breast milk at work,</a>" which contains links to two scientific research studies.<br />
<br />
I read about an incident where <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/07/24/police-call-breastfeeding-mom-minn-pool-leads-nurse/824931002/" target="_blank">police were called because women were breastfeeding their babies at a public swimming pool</a>. And then there was this gem about a <a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/lds-mom-says-she-lost-temple-recommend-for-breastfeeding-at-church" target="_blank">woman and her husband losing their temple recommends</a> because she was breastfeeding at church without a cover.<br />
<br />
I'm not going to rant about these two particular stories. I already did that to my husband, and he is tired of it. He did kindly point out that in the case of the temple recommends, we only know the side of the story presented by the woman. The church leader who made that call would be completely out of line if he discussed this decision with the media (even more out of line than denying the recommend, in my opinion). So we are taking this woman at her word when she says it was entirely about her refusal to cover up while she breastfed. (Although I don't have any reason to disbelieve her account.)<br />
<br />
But like I said, I'm not going to rant about these particular stories. I've just been thinking about the comments that were made by readers in response to these articles and in response to each other. Some of the comments are supportive of breastfeeding mothers. Some commenters are trying to walk a fine line between support and condemnation ("I like what you do, just not how you do it"), and others are just downright mean.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the most common or interesting comments, and my thoughts about them.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">"I don't want to see your boob hanging out."</span> Oh, good. I'd be worried if you did. But here's the great thing: Nobody is making you look. Your discomfort doesn't dictate another person's options. The fact is, we all do things that other people might not like. And we train ourselves to look away from things we don't like. I don't like horror movies, or indoor cats, or avocado green bathroom fixtures, or fake plants. I don't like that people put dogs in grocery store shopping carts. Gross. But me not liking something doesn't mean I get to go into a public place and demand that other people change their behavior.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;">"It isn't modest."</span></span></span> This was the argument used by the woman's leader when he refused to give her a temple recommend. I will just say that modesty has a lot more to do with attitude and behavior than with clothing, and we do our young women (and apparently our adult women as well) a disservice by focusing solely on their clothing when we have these discussions and teach these principles.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">"Just use a blanket."</span> I
don't breastfeed anymore. My youngest is 8 and that ship has sailed.
But when they were babies, I breastfed them whenever I needed to. I
tried to be discreet, but sometimes I wasn't very good at it. I hated
using blankets because it got too hot. And it was another thing to
wrangle besides a squirmy baby and my shirt and my nursing bra and my
nursing pads. And when I had toddlers, I often had to wrangle them too
while I was trying to breastfeed an infant. Sometimes I did use a
blanket - usually because I was uncomfortable getting the baby situated
and didn't want to expose myself in front of certain people, such as my
father-in-law or my grandpa. But I made those decisions based on MY
comfort level, not out of concern for anyone else. They have muscles in
their eyes and neck that allow them to look away.<span style="color: purple;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">"Go breastfeed in the bathroom"</span> This is one of my favorite comments because it is just so ridiculous. Think about the logistics of that for a minute, beyond the fact that many public restrooms are noisy, dirty, and stinky. The only seats provided in most of them are of the toilet variety. And for the most part, those toilets don't have lids. So that means you are telling a woman to go sit on an open toilet to feed her child. Gag. Also, what am I supposed to do if I have other children with me? I can't leave them unsupervised, and you can bet they won't fit into that stall with me. I would bet that most women out and about with a breastfeeding child have at least one older child tagging along. I don't have statistics on that, but I have three kids, so two-thirds of my children had older siblings with us while we lived our lives.<br />
<br />
Here is the more palatable alternative to the bathroom: <span style="color: purple;">"We have a mother's room for just that reason."<span style="color: black;"> Some businesses and most LDS churches have mother's rooms. They can be a great option. But they can also be terrible. In my previous church building, the diaper pail wasn't emptied regularly, so it was stinky. There were two rocking chairs in a room the size of a modest walk-in closet. It was HOT (which didn't help the stinky diaper pail issue), and those two chairs were in high demand during times that we had two congregations in the building. And they weren't only used by nursing mothers. Women whose kids were acting up sought them out as well. I've seen mother's rooms with only one chair. This just isn't always a feasible option. And even when it's feasible, it should be up to the mother to decide if that works for her. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;">I remember one particularly difficult time with one of my babies. I was physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. Looking back, I was probably suffering from mild post-partum depression. I needed church. I <i>needed</i> to be able to sit with my fellow worshipers and be a part of that community. I was already feeling alone and unseen, and I just didn't have it in me to go isolate myself in the mother's room. So for the first time, I breastfed my baby in sacrament meeting. And you know what happened? Not a thing. The meeting went on as if nothing was happening. Afterward, an older sister told me she was happy I had stayed and that she wished more women would stay. And I went home uplifted because I had been able to take the sacrament, worship and sing with my fellow congregants, AND feed my baby.</span></span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;">"I don't want my husband (also insert son, recovering porn addict, etc.) to see your naked breast. He might get sexually excited."</span> I will not speak today to having a recovering porn addict that I'm worried about. But I will speak to having a husband and a 13-year-old son. And I don't want them staring at naked breasts inappropriately. So what do I do? I teach my son to look women in the eye and I expect my husband to do the same. In the event that they see someone's breast while she is breastfeeding, I expect them to look away. That mother isn't out to sexually tempt my husband or son by feeding her child.<br />
<br />
Here's another favorite: <span style="color: purple;">"What would Jesus do? He wouldn't want to make anyone uncomfortable."</span> Yes. This is a real comment that was on the article about the woman who lost her temple recommend. The commenter was making the argument that Jesus would have gone to the other room so that others wouldn't be uncomfortable. Personally, I can't think of a single time when Jesus catered His actions to the comfort of others. But I can think of cases where He called the little children to Him and blessed them. I think the comfort and care of these little children was more important to Him than the discomfort of onlookers. Remember, He chastised His own disciples for turning the children away. What would Jesus do? I think He'd tell the onlookers to look away and mind their own business - to focus on the beam rather than the mote. And he'd tell the mother to feed her child.<br />
<br />
And here's another thing. You can't use the phrase "What would Jesus do?" as a way to enforce YOUR idea of what Jesus would do. You can only use it to determine your own actions. So if the person who asks what Jesus would do truly believe that He would leave the room, then she should follow that example and leave the room when she breastfeeds.<br />
<br />
Nationwide, laws protect a woman's right to breastfeed in any public
or private place where she and her child are legally allowed to be,
regardless of exposure of her breast (including nipple) incidental to
and before and after breastfeeding. <br />
<br />
See that period at the end of the sentence? That's because it's a period. End of story. No caveats, exceptions, or conditions. (See the <a href="http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/breastfeeding-state-laws.aspx" target="_blank">National Conference of State Legislatures</a> website for more information and for links to specific laws in each state.)<br />
<br />
I
never had anyone criticize me for breastfeeding. For the most part,
people looked at me, looked down to see what was going on, realized I
was breastfeeding, and looked back at my face and kept talking to me.
Funny how that works. There was the one man in a cafe in New York City. I
was feeding Faith (6 months old) and he sat down at the same table to
wait for his order to be filled. When he realized I was breastfeeding,
he immediately turned around most awkwardly in his chair and looked very
embarrassed. I kind of wish I had started a conversation with him just
to show him that breastfeeding women can also be functioning members of
society.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I want my friends and relatives
who breastfeed to do so with minimal burdens placed on them. Isn't the
burden of breastfeeding enough? And please don't start with me about
how breastfeeding is natural and wonderful and not a burden at all. I
won't argue that point. Breastfeeding <i>is</i> natural and wonderful. It can also be challenging and painful and tricky and awful, especially for a new mom, but even for seasoned moms. Let's allow mothers all the options, and let them choose what works best for them.<br />
<br />
*** Also, I use parentheses a lot. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-12903914239634129992017-07-19T22:16:00.001-06:002017-07-19T22:16:20.741-06:00I am bold - but not as bold as I wanted to be<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true">Let me first start out by saying I love the Boy Scouts of America. I love the program they run and the effect that it can have in a young man's life. I wish young women were allowed to be a part of it. I spent six summers working at Scout camp when I was in high school and college, and that's where my love for Scouting was born.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true">I am currently the committee chairperson for my ward's Scout troop, so I attend roundtable each month. For the uninitiated, roundtable is a monthly training and idea-exchange meeting for all the Scout leaders in a particular area. There is a brief opening meeting with everyone in attendance, and then you break off into smaller groups based on your position in your own Scout group. There is a group for Scoutmasters, for committee members, for representatives of the chartered organization, and a bunch more that I can't remember right now. I go to the committee members meeting. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true">A few months ago, I was asked to be a roundtable commissioner, which means that I help to teach the class for committee members. I am admittedly pretty new to the Scout committee, so I was surprised they asked me, but I agreed and have been doing that for several months. I've enjoyed it, and I've especially enjoyed being the ONLY female roundtable commissioner in my district (as far as I know - so if you know of another one, don't get all up in my face about spreading false information). It's been kind of funny to stand in the large group meeting and recite the Boy Scout oath and law, and have all these men look at me weird because I actually know the Boy Scout oath and law (six years of Scout camp will do that for you). Also, I stick out like a sore thumb in the commissioners meeting we have after the break-out sessions - both because I am female and because I don't wear a Scout uniform. In fact, I often wear the brightest thing I have just to draw attention to the fact that there IS a female commissioner.</span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span>
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true">We currently meet in a chapel here in South Ogden. The Cub Scout group also meets in the same building at the same time, and the last several months have been CROWDED. Like, standing-room-only in some classrooms. The roundtable organizers have been discussing the possibility of having the Cub Scouts meet in a different location for some time, and they finally made the decision to split the groups. I've known for some time that this change would be coming, because we've discussed it in our commissioners meeting. The primary concern the organizers had about splitting the group was that then they would have to provide two cracker barrels.</span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span>
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true">Oh, this Scouting terminology. Cracker barrel means refreshments. Their biggest concern was that they would need to do two sets of snacks. When they first mentioned this concern, my first thought was, "Wait! There's snacks?!? Why didn't anyone ever tell me?" Apparently, there are refreshments for those who attend. But since I have a commissioners meeting, and then ANOTHER meeting after that one (with the Scout leaders from my own stake), I have never had the opportunity to have a snack.</span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span>
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true">Which brings up another (although unrelated to this post) point: A snack? Really? For a bunch of adults? Why do adults need snacks after a 7pm meeting on a Thursday night? You can't tell me that having a Twinkie and a glass of punch makes coming to the meeting somehow "worth it," and that if they stopped offering this treat that people would stop coming. I don't buy it.</span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span>
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true">But I digress.</span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="3gjp7-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span>
So this morning, one of the district executives called me. He told me that they have indeed decided to split the two roundtable groups. And then he reminded me about their concern for cracker barrel.<br />
<br />
It was at this point that I started to feel my heart sink.<br />
<br />
He went on to explain that so-and-so's wife has taken care of cracker barrel, but since he is part of the Cub Scout group, they need someone to do cracker barrel for the Boy Scout group.<br />
<br />
Awkward silence... I think he was waiting for me to volunteer. I didn't.<br />
<br />
Then he said that he had so many people in my class who could easily fill my position (helping teach), but he didn't have anyone to do cracker barrel, and would I maybe be willing to take on that important responsibility?<br />
<br />
And then I lied. I said, "Well, my first thought is that I am still the committee chairperson in my ward, so I need to be in that class even if I'm not teaching it. And I also have a meeting with my stake that I need to attend. So I don't know how I would be able to do that."<br />
<br />
What's the lie? My statement that it was my first thought. My first thought was actually, "ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?! BECAUSE I'M A WOMAN YOU THINK I NEED TO BE IN CHARGE OF REFRESHMENTS!?!?! ANY MAN CAN DO MY TEACHING JOB, BUT ONLY A WOMAN CAN BRING THE TREATS!?!?!"<br />
<br />
Something like that. But if I'm being completely honest, I would include a couple of swear words in there.<br />
<br />
No, I will not do your cracker barrel. Pretty sure a man is just as capable at buying boxes of Twinkies and mixing up punch. And if he tries really, really, really hard (I'm being sarcastic here, in case you can't tell), he might even be able to put out some napkins and a garbage can.<br />
<br />
Next month at roundtable, I'm wearing neon colors.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-31330782230176726822017-01-31T11:46:00.001-07:002017-01-31T11:46:34.391-07:00Chick-Fil-A messed up my plans, and I couldn't be happier!We have been planning a trip to Disneyland for a couple of years now. You know, it's kind of the thing to do - what childhood would be complete without a trip to Disneyland to meet the princesses and ride Space Mountain? And with Harry Potter land (or whatever they call it), even more reason.<br />
<br />
But the other night we were playing a "dinner game" that came in a Chick-Fil-A kids meal. The game contains a collection of cards that contain simple games and activities. They are designed to start conversations and improve the quality of the family dinner time. That night, the question was, "If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world (that you have not been), where would you go?" We all took turns. I chose Spain or Italy. Lauren chose New York (to see the Statue of Liberty). Faith chose Washington DC. I can't remember what Michael chose. And Jeff didn't get a turn to answer because everyone else was talking about all the things to see in Washington DC or New York. (HA! Isn't that how it goes?)<br />
<br />
It suddenly hit me what was NOT on that list. No one had mentioned Disneyland. All three of the kids had picked places in the U.S. that were NOT Disneyland. And if we didn't go to Disneyland, we could certainly manage to visit one of those places. So I asked if maybe we should rethink our plan.<br />
<br />
I should insert here that we are planning to take the kids to Europe in a few years, hopefully for an entire summer. This experience will be just a <i>little</i> bit expensive, so the trip we are currently planning will likely be our last "big" vacation until then. So where we go matters. (I mean, I know it doesn't matter in the long-term "how will my life turn out" sense, but it still matters.)<br />
<br />
We gave the kids a few days to think about where they really want to go, and last night we came to a unanimous decision. We are going to DC later this year! I am really excited. Faith wants to visit the National Mall. Lauren wants to see the Vietnam Memorial and Smokey the Bear (we had to have a chat about that one - she apparently missed the part in school where he is a cartoon, and the real-life bear that was named after him died in 1976). Jeff and I are excited to make a side-trip to Virginia to visit my sister and see some historical sites there. And Michael is just along for the ride. I don't think he really cares. For some reason, boys seem to lose their opinions when they turn 10 or so. I'm assuming they get them back at around 14, when their primary opinion will be "I hate everything and everyone around me."<br />
<br />
Jeff has been to DC several times for work, but I've only been there once. What's on your list of family-friendly, "must-do" activities? (Besides the National Mall and various Smithsonian museums there.)<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-24949276099046260632017-01-22T14:32:00.001-07:002017-01-22T15:09:19.687-07:00Something that makes this Mormon woman stand (up and say something)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]-->It’s no secret that I love to argue and debate and discuss
all kinds of issues, both moral and political. (And let’s be honest, many
issues fall into both categories.) In fact, my former brother-in-law was banned
by my sister from talking with me because it always ended in an argument – ha!
But productive and enlightening discourse can only occur on the presumption of
honesty. In other words, it is fine to disagree with others and to promote your
own agenda or cause. But when you knowingly misrepresent that agenda or the justification
of it, then you are being dishonest.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today’s case in point: Mormon Women Stand. This is a
Facebook group that I have recently become acquainted with. The description of
the groups says, “LDS women who, without hesitation, sustain the Lord's
Prophet, the Family Proclamation as doctrine and our divine role as covenant
women for Christ.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay. I can get behind that. A lot of women I know and
respect like their page, and that’s how I came across a particular article that
was posted by them titled “Abortion: The Mormon Perspective on Abortion and
Human Life.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second paragraph of the article begins, "The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is firmly and openly against abortion, and
continues to stand against this 'assault on the defenseless.'"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Now my first thought was, “Hold on, that isn’t the Church’s policy
on abortion.” I’m one of those nerdy types who reads things like the Church
Handbook and Mormon Newsroom for fun. So I’m pretty well versed in official positions
of the Church, particularly about various social issues. (You can quiz me at
another time. Trust me, I’m great fun at parties.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I continued to read the article, and it is full of
quotes from prophets and apostles regarding the evils of abortion. I can’t
really argue with any of those quotes. I agree with them, both individually and
collectively. But here’s the thing – the article never, not once, cites the
Church’s official position on abortion. And that fact alone means that the
contents of the article do not contain the whole story of the Church’s
position. There is a link at the bottom of the article to the Church’s site,
where you could find out the official position if you want to go look for it.
But if you just read the article, you will definitely finish believing that all
abortion is a horrible sin that is soundly condemned by the Church.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But it isn’t.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
WHAT!?!?!? THE MORMON CHURCH DOESN’T CONDEMN ABORTION!?!?!?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nope. Not in the way this article is portraying, at least.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s the Church’s official position, as put forth by
Mormon Newsroom (yes, an official LDS site, as opposed to Mormon Women Stand):</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints believes in the sanctity of human life. Therefore, the Church opposes
elective abortion for personal or social convenience, and counsels its members
not to submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for such abortions.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Church allows for possible
exceptions for its members when:</span></b></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pregnancy results from rape or incest, or</span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A competent physician determines that the life or
health of the mother is in serious jeopardy, or</span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A competent physician determines that the fetus has
severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.</span></b></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Church teaches its members that
even these rare exceptions do not justify abortion automatically. Abortion is a
most serious matter and should be considered only after the persons involved
have consulted with their local church leaders and feel through personal prayer
that their decision is correct.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Church has not favored or opposed
legislative proposals or public demonstrations concerning abortion. </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(source <a href="http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/official-statement/abortion">here</a>)</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So the Church clearly opposes “abortion for personal or
social convenience.” But not all abortions are for personal or social
convenience. And the Church recognizes that, or it wouldn’t go on to list some
few and rare circumstances in which abortion might be justified.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a dear friend who is LDS, and who unfortunately had
one of these procedures. And yes, it fell into one of the categories the Church
considers justified. All I could think as I read this article was how
devastated I would feel if I was her. I would feel alienated by this complete lack
of acknowledgment that there are times when an abortion might be justified, and the implication (indeed, direct statement) that she needs to repent and ask forgiveness for this supposed "sin." My heart
broke for her and for any other woman who is in her position who might be
reading that article.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then I got angry. But I controlled my anger like a good
Mormon woman (one of the few times, I assure you). I made a comment on the
article, in which I basically said what I’ve said above – I cited portions of
the Church’s official position, and stated that there are exceptions, although
they are admittedly rare. I also said that if the group was going to post an
article that presumably defended the Church’s position, I hoped they would at
least accurately represent that position. My comment was thoughtful (in my
opinion, at least) and not argumentative.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The comment got a lot of “likes” and even a comment or two
in the vein of “Yes! Thank you for saying this!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then it got deleted. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Disappeared.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Vanished.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apparently, the page administrator doesn’t like that the
Church allows for some abortions. Or maybe they don’t want people to know that it’s
okay for some women in some circumstances to make that decision through prayer,
in consultation with their doctors and priesthood leaders. Read the statement.
That’s what it says.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another section from the article posted by Mormon Women
Stand:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“This article has been created to add to the current
conversation and can be used as a resource guide for Mormons on the topic of
abortion. It utilizes information from scriptures, Church doctrine, and
teachings from past and present prophets and apostles, and will hopefully help
members of the Church explain, teach and defend their beliefs on this issue.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please, if you are reading this, take time to study and read
for yourselves and learn what the scriptures say. Learn what the official
statements of the Church are on various topics. Read the entire talks of Church
leaders who address this, rather than the short portion included in the
article. I assure you, they are much more representative of position laid out
by Mormon Newsroom. Pray and listen to the spirit, and let him teach you truth.
Do these things so that you will not be deceived. Just because someone claims to
represent Mormon Women, does not mean they represent Mormon doctrine or
position.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And to Mormon Women Stand (and other groups that
misrepresent the teachings of prophets and apostles): Stop putting the Church into
a box you’ve created. Stop using the Church to justify your own positions. If you
want to persuade people to your opinion, you’ll have to do better than relying
on misrepresentations and incomplete information. That’s called dishonesty, and
it is definitely NOT what this Mormon woman stands for.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-21834524629598912412017-01-21T17:42:00.001-07:002017-01-21T19:13:09.067-07:00Post-Inauguration day thoughtsToday my heart is heavy. I feel like I’m grieving, and yes,
it has a lot to do with the new president and his inauguration and the events
of the last couple of days. But it probably isn’t what you think. I grieve
because I am seeing so much hate on social media. So. Much. Hate.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When your post or comment contains derogatory name-calling,
you’ve moved beyond helpful discourse and descended into pettiness. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When you make statements such as “get over it,” you refuse
to acknowledge that the other side has legitimate concerns and fears and
doubts. And when you refuse to acknowledge that, you have lost empathy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When you claim that all those who voted for one person are
sexist, racist, misogynists, you fail to acknowledge that in fact, an
overwhelming majority of them are good, hard-working, loyal Americans who feel
that the administration of the last eight years had lost touch with their
concerns and was not serving their interests. Just like the administration of
the previous eight years maybe didn’t serve your primary interests. I come from
a conservative, traditionally Republican family. I can pretty much guarantee that
I am one of a very few of them who bucked that tradition in this election. But I
can also guarantee that you will never find a group of more loving, accepting,
caring, devoted, loyal, amazing people than my extended (and immediate) family.
I take personal offense at the suggestion that they are racist or deplorable in
any sense of the word. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When you lump all protestors into the same category as the
anarchists who destroy property (217 arrests out of over 10,000 protestors),
you fail to acknowledge the power of a peaceful protest and the right of those
who feel marginalized to engage in such protests.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Consider this an appeal for more decency from all sides.
Recognize that the issues are more nuanced than any soundbite, newspaper
article, or television/radio spot can explain. Seek to learn from those who
have different experiences and different perspectives. You don’t have to agree,
but seek to understand. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-46824400093096039242015-04-06T17:22:00.000-06:002015-04-06T17:22:27.979-06:00heartacheI recently learned that someone I love very much has been deliberately deceptive for the last year and a half. She constructed a completely false story which she then distributed to dozens of people, for purely selfish reasons. She has outright lied about some of her choices because she didn't want to be judged for them.<br />
<br />
At least, I <i>assume</i> that's why she lied. I'm not sure she even knows yet that I know about her lies, so I haven't asked her about her reasons.<br />
<br />
I'm kind of waiting for her to come to me. But I don't think she will. She obviously didn't care enough to tell the truth in the beginning, so why would it be any different now?<br />
<br />
The repercussions of her decision to lie are heartbreaking. It will seriously affect her relationship with me and with others that love her for a long time.<br />
<br />
She pulled others into her lies as well. Those others are, of course, responsible for their own choices and the part they played in her deception. But the fact that she even asked them to go along with it is another blow to her character.<br />
<br />
She thought I (and others) would judge her for her lifestyle. But she never gave us the chance to make that choice. By making that assumption, she became the one who judged.<br />
<br />
If I judge her for her choices, that's on me. But if she lies, that's on her.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-44407873952982741372015-03-29T18:54:00.000-06:002015-03-29T18:58:07.740-06:00When hymns collideRev'rently and meekly now, Let thy head most humbly bow.<br />
Think of me, thou ransomed one; Think what I for thee have done.<br />
With my blood that dripped like rain, Sweat in agony of pain,<br />
With my body on the tree, I have ransomed even thee.<br />
<br />
With humble heart, I bow my head<br />
And think of thee, O Savior, Lord.<br />
I take the water and the bread<br />
To show remembrance of thy word.<br />
<br />
In this bread now blest for thee, Emblem of my body see;<br />
In this water or this wine, Emblem of my blood divine.<br />
Oh, remember what was done That the sinner might be won.<br />
On the cross of Calvary I have suffered death for thee.<br />
<br />
Help me remember, I implore,<br />
Thou gav'st thy life on Calvary,<br />
That I might live forevermore<br />
And grow, dear Lord, to be like thee.<br />
<br />
To be like thee! I lift my eyes<br />
From earth below toward heav'n above,<br />
That I may learn from vaulted skies<br />
How I my worthiness can prove.<br />
<br />
Bid thine heart all strife to cease; With thy brethren be at peace.<br />
Oh, forgive as thou wouldst be E'en forgiven now by me.<br />
In the solemn faith of prayer Cast upon me all thy care,<br />
And my Spirit's grace shall be Like a fountain unto thee.<br />
<br />
As I walk daily here on earth, <br />
Give me thy Spirit as I seek<br />
A change of heart, another birth,<br />
And grow, dear Lord, to be like thee.<br />
<br />
At the throne I intercede; For thee ever do I plead.<br />
I have loved thee as thy friend, With a love that cannot end.<br />
Be obedient, I implore, Prayerful, watchful, evermore,<br />
And be constant unto me, That thy Savior I may be.<br />
<br />
"With Humble Heart," Hymns, No. 171<br />
<br />
"Reverently and Meekly Now," Hymns, No. 185Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-52569801149889131402015-03-28T16:58:00.000-06:002015-04-06T17:21:27.160-06:00What I learned from being offendedLast week I taught Gospel Doctrine. As part of the discussion, I shared briefly how a couple of years ago I was deeply offended - so much so that I didn't want to go back to church. I didn't share the details with the class, just that I am grateful that my roots are deep and that I didn't allow that experience to pull me away from the Gospel.<br />
<br />
Over the last week I've been reflecting a lot on the experience itself... particularly what I learned from it. I've been reminded that there are powerful lessons to be learned in difficult times, and often, we don't really learn all that we could until we look back on it later.<br />
<br />
For example, I learned not to judge those who leave the Church because they are offended. The kind of offense that would cause someone to choose to leave is a BIG deal. We should never assume that they must not have a testimony, or that their testimony must be shallow. And we should <i>certainly</i> never get that self-righteous attitude of, "I would never quit going to church just because someone hurt my feelings."<br />
<br />
Because really, I think my Gospel roots are pretty deep. I feel like my testimony is pretty darn firm. I can't think of anything that would shake my testimony of my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, or of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Lord's church on the earth today.<br />
<br />
But now I know that there are things that would seriously challenge my Sunday attendance. And one of those is having to smile and pretend that nothing is wrong, when members of my ward (even leaders of organizations in my ward) are openly hostile to me and my family; when they berate me behind my back to other members of the ward; when they call me a hypocrite on facebook and claim that I must not be a true follower of Christ.<br />
<br />
Yeah, things like that make me not want to go to church.<br />
<br />
But here's what else I learned: If I don't do what I know is right, then he wins. I don't mean the person on the other side of my experience. I mean the devil. Satan wins when I succumb to the desire to leave. He is the one who is really motivating that spirit of contention, and he is the one who really doesn't want me to go back to church. He doesn't want me taking my kids there, teaching Gospel Doctrine there, serving and helping and participating. He wants me to sit and stew at home about how horrible that other person is and how, "I'll show him," as if that other person cares a bit how I react to his vitriol.<br />
<br />
I also learned that I have to forgive, and that I <i>can</i> forgive, even I never receive an apology. I don't have to "say my piece," (which I<i> very</i> much wanted to do.) Sometimes it's best to realize that the person who offended us didn't care then, and won't care now. I need to give the burden of my hurt feelings and my anger to my Savior, who will gladly carry it for me and give me the peace I need to move forward.<br />
<br />
But moving forward doesn't necessarily mean that everything goes back to the way it was - that would be moving back. I can respect and support others in their callings without having any desire to be their friend. I can be kind and generous and loving to others without liking them.<br />
<br />
In the end, it doesn't matter what they say or think about me. What matters is the truth. I know the truth, and my Heavenly Father knows the truth. People who know me and care about me will see the truth for what it is, or at least love me enough to seek out my side of the story before they pass judgment.<br />
<br />
I recently read a talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks (Judge Not and Judging), which I love. He quoted the essayist William George Jordan in saying this:<br />
<br />
"There is but one quality necessary for the perfect understanding of character, one quality that, if man have it, he may <span class="emphasis"><i>dare</i> to <i>judge</i></span> — that
is, omniscience. Most people study character as a proofreader pores
over a great poem: his ears are dulled to the majesty and music of the
lines, his eyes are darkened to the magic imagination of the genius of
the author; that proofreader is busy watching for an inverted comma, a
misspacing, or a wrong font letter. He has an eye trained for the
imperfections, the weaknesses. …<br />
<br />
“We do not need to judge nearly so much as we think we do. This is the
age of snap judgments. … [We need] the courage to say, ‘I don’t know. I
am waiting further evidence. I must hear both sides of the question.’ It
is this suspended judgment that is the supreme form of charity” (“The
Supreme Charity of the World,” <span class="emphasis">The Kingship of Self-Control</span> [n.d.], 27–30; emphasis in original).<br />
<br />
Don't you love that? <br />
<br />
The final thing I learned is this: There are very few people on earth whose opinions of me I care about... and almost all of them are related to me. Most of them live in my home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-81943979024085502782015-01-11T22:49:00.001-07:002015-01-12T11:35:47.714-07:00Back to SchoolSo I have big news. It's big to me anyway... but it's still early, and I don't want to tell everyone. But I'm really excited about it. I figure posting it on my blog is safe, since no one reads it anymore, haha.<br />
<br />
I'm going back to school! I have begun the process to apply for the Master of Professional Communication program at Weber State University. If all goes well, I will begin this summer, and finish in about two years.<br />
<br />
Lauren is five now. She will be starting kindergarten next year, and it has been on my mind what I will do at that point. I love being home with the kids, but with all of them in school, I know I will be bored. I can only clean the house and do the laundry so many times. I plan to spend more time in the temple and in other pursuits, but I have always wanted to go back to school, and the timing is ideal.<br />
<br />
I had been contemplating this for a while, considering several options. I had been praying to know the direction I should take. As these things were in my mind, I received a postcard in the mail inviting me to an information session about the master's program. It felt like an answer to my prayer.<br />
<br />
As I researched the program, I was nervous to apply. The program's website says that the ideal candidate will show professional accomplishments. Since I haven't really worked in the field since before Michael was born, I was concerned. But Jeff encouraged me to attend the information session anyway. I did, and I am so glad.<br />
<br />
Walking into that building on campus, it was like coming home. The building was actually constructed after I graduated in 2002, but it still felt so comfortable - like I was meant to be there. Almost the first thing that Dr. Edwards addressed was that a small percentage of cohorts are people who have been out of the workforce for a long time but are looking to return. I felt like she addressed my concerns completely and immediately.<br />
<br />
So I knew - this is a good path for me to follow. I registered to take the GRE and contacted Gerry from the Church News and one of my former professors to ask them to recommend me for the program. I haven't heard back from Dr. Scott yet, but Gerry said she would be happy to. I still need one more reference. I am deciding whether I should ask Brandon from the hotel, or contact another of my former professors, Rick Sline.<br />
<br />
It seems that things are falling into place. We'll need to figure out how to pay for it, of course, but the cost isn't actually as prohibitive as I expected.<br />
<br />
My eventual goal is to work as an adjunct professor teaching communications classes. I think that would give me the flexibility I want to be home with my kids, but still offer me the opportunity to challenge myself mentally.<br />
<br />
I read through my patriarchal blessing the other day. It promises me that through hard work and study I will become very good at teaching. I always thought that applied just to teaching the gospel, but it struck me differently this time.<br />
<br />
I'm excited to begin this new adventure.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-65766994304143626612015-01-11T09:25:00.000-07:002015-01-11T09:38:49.536-07:00Lauren's birthday post<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Lauren turned five back in December. She had her first birthday party. Back in October, she told me that she wanted a Halloween party for her birthday. So when the stores clearanced out their Halloween stuff, we stocked up. The kids came in costumes, and we colored pictures and played pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern. We had a pinata (a must for every party, she informed me), and of course, cake and ice cream. Well, Lauren chose rainbow sherbet instead of ice cream. Here is a photo of her cake:</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Questions
about: Lauren Ann Sabin</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Date: January 11, 2015 (yeah, about a month late)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Age:5</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Nicknames: Lozone, Lo-R-E-O, Lolo, Lologirl, Tweeps</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">(All
questions strictly according to their verbal answers)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite color? Blue (this changes pretty much weekly, based on what color they are learning about in pre-school)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite toy? My Anna and Elsa Barbies</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite fruit? Bananas</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite TV show? He-Man</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite thing to eat for lunch? Pizza</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite outfit? My Elsa shirt</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite game? Bingo</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite snack? Ham and turkey</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite animal? A butterfly</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite song? Let It Go</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite book? Big Snowman, Little Snowman</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Who is your
best friend? Mayci (Julander) </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite cereal? Coco-Puffs with Marshmallows </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite thing to do outside? In winter I like to eat snow </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite drink? Apple beer</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite holiday? Christmas, because that's when we get all the presents from Santa</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What do you
like to take to bed with you at night? Pluto (a stuffed Disney Pluto dog)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pizza</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What do you
want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What do you
want to be when you grow up? A ballerina </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What do you
want most for your birthday? Anna and Elsa dolls, and paper and pencils</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite candy? Rips </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite sport? I don't have a favorite sport</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What makes
you sad? When somebody takes something away that I'm playing with</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What makes
you happy? When I get to play with my daddy </span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite movie? Frozen</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Other things about Lauren - this girl can talk! She is my little shadow and loves to hang out with me. We get to spend a lot of time together since Michael and Faith are both in school all day. She is also turning into a Daddy's girl, which is so nice for me to see. Lauren is really independent. Even though she likes to be with someone, she is fine making up her own games and playing on her own. She is so much fun to be with. She has the best sense of humor. For example, one day she was being silly, and I asked her, "Lauren, how did you get to be so goofy?" She didn't miss a beat when she replied, "Because I practice my goofing every day!" Haha. So true. She does practice her goofing every day.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">We love you Lolo!</span><br />
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*These photos were taken by my amazing, talented friend Emily Julander (Em-J Photography).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-1699384352582324062014-10-20T22:09:00.001-06:002014-10-20T22:09:36.502-06:00I apologize if this image makes anyone feel uncomfortable, but today marks eight years that my Tori was "born sleeping." I still think of her and miss her every day. I am so grateful for the help and support we received from family and friends during that time, and for those who remember her and acknowledge her still. We went to the cemetery to visit her grave today, and I got out my box of her things to show to the kids. It was neat to talk about her with them and to show them the molds of her hands and feet, her ultrasound photos, and other mementos. I am grateful for my faith, which gives me the assurance that our trials and hard times serve a greater purpose, and that one day I'll have her with me again.<br />
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<br /><!--3-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-27249045795588616022014-03-30T21:56:00.001-06:002014-03-30T22:11:58.203-06:00The promptingI so often think that I want to write something down so I will remember it... but then a couple of days go by and I keep putting if off, until I forget that it ever happened. That makes me sad, because I feel like writing it down helps me to solidify and internalize what I learn. I wonder how much better I could be as a person if I wrote down, and therefore internalized, the promptings and impressions I have during lessons at Church, or during conversations with friends, or during ordinary moments in my ordinary life.<br />
<br />
I had one such experience this past week. I'm not blogging about this so that anyone says, "Oh, you're so wonderful for helping." I'm writing it because I want to remember that I have been an answer to someone else's prayer. We can ALL be the answer to another person's prayer. So many times, we are the means through which the Lord cares for His children.<br />
<br />
Over the past week or so I had been thinking frequently about a new sister in my ward. She and her husband have three young children (2, 3, and 4), and their fourth is due in about a week. Her husband is in the National Guard, and he was supposed to be out of town for the last week. I kept thinking I should probably give her a call and see how she's doing, but I just kept putting it off for one reason or another. On Friday, I couldn't get her out of my head. So I texted her. I told her I had been thinking about her, and I knew her husband was out of town. I told her that Jeff had gone out of town the week before I was due with Faith, and I knew how stressful that was. I offered my help in whatever she needed.<br />
<br />
She responded and said she was "super stressed out," and asked me if I would take even one of her kids for a few hours. I said of course, I'd take any and all.<br />
<br />
So that's how I ended up with three extra kids for the afternoon. When I went to pick them up, she told me that her husband's travel schedule had been changed, and he had actually just left that morning for 12 days. Before he left, she asked him to give her a blessing. He promised her that she would have help in the time that he was gone. That was comforting to her, because she was overwhelmed by her circumstances and wasn't sure how things would go.<br />
<br />
Her dad had been planning to come help her that day. But that fell through. Her mom couldn't come because she was grading papers for school. Her visiting teacher came by, looked around and commented that it looked like she could probably use some help, then left. (WHAT!?!?!) Her sister was not available. She said that she was literally in tears when she received my text. Me taking her kids for a few hours allowed her the time to clean her house, which helped her feel in control of her surroundings and better able to cope with the demands of motherhood. (I can SO relate to this.)<br />
<br />
I am so grateful that I took the time to follow a prompting. She is a neat person, and is becoming a good friend. I am also grateful for the opportunity to serve. As I find and act on those opportunities, I feel a greater desire to be more available, to be more observant, to be more conscientious of the needs of those around me so that I can be a means through which the Lord can bless their life.<br />
<br />
Isn't the Gospel wonderful? I find it so satisfying that we have the great blessing to serve each other and serve our God in this way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-75712363424845214772014-03-02T17:35:00.003-07:002014-03-30T22:10:28.610-06:00Faith's sixth birthday<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Oh. My. Goodness. I cannot believe Faith is 6 years old. She is seriously one of the most delightful people I know.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Her birthday was actually on February 10, so I'm kind of late getting this update in. My friend Rachel has a tradition she does where on each of her kids' birthdays, she asks them the same set of questions. The idea is to see how they change over the years. I stole her questionnaire and thought it would be fun to do it too:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Questions
about: Faith Sabin</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Date: March
2, 2014 (yeah, a couple weeks late)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Age: 6</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Nicknames:
Doopster, Faythie, Doopsie Daisy</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">(All
questions strictly according to their verbal answers)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite color? Pink</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite toy? Littlest Pet Shops</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite fruit? Orange</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite TV show? He-Man (Yeah, we're on a Netflix kick lately.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite thing to eat for lunch? Macaroni and cheese</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite outfit? My nightgown</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite game? Superhero Pet House (a game that Michael made up)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite snack? Applesauce</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite animal? Flamingo</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite song? He Sent His Son</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite book? Pinkalicious</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Who is your
best friend? Ben (Cash)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite cereal? Marshmallow Mateys and Coco-Puffs with Marshmallows in it</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite thing to do outside? Play games</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite drink? Soda</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite holiday? Easter</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What do you
like to take to bed with you at night? A stuffed animal</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cereal</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What do you
want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What do you
want to be when you grow up? Illustrator</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What do you
want most for your birthday? Toy sewing machine</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite candy? Candy canes</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite sport? Soccer</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What makes
you sad? When somebody bees mean to me</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What makes
you happy? Getting gifts</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">What is your
favorite movie? Frozen</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Her birthday was on a Monday this year. The night before, we had the Sabin family over for cake and ice cream. Here she is with her "water slide" cake.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She got a lot of fun presents. Grandpa and Grandma Sabin gave her a little Lalaloopsy doll. Kari and Rich gave her some paints and canvases, and we gave her a rubber band loom and a set of My Little Ponies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">On her birthday, she woke up and informed me as she kicked off her covers that her legs were now longer because she was six. Haha.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">My mom came up with my Aunt Judie and they took her to brunch at Denny's. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Grandma and brought her a sticker and coloring book shaped like a purse, along with a pack of erasable crayons, and Aunt Judie brought her a necklace with a penguin pendant.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">She chose to go to Chick-Fil-A for dinner. She told me a couple of days later that it was really fun to be 6 years old.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">Just a couple more shots of the 6-year-old. This is her doing her "Am I cute?" pose. (Yes, that's what she calls it.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Almagro","serif"; font-size: small;">And this is her on her 100th day of school. She thought those glasses were the bomb.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-24969220192785854222014-02-18T20:32:00.001-07:002014-02-18T20:34:56.481-07:00Presidents Day weekend - *warning*: LOTS OF PHOTOS!!!Jeff's parents recently bought a winter home in Hurricane, Utah. We've been down to visit them a couple of times, and since the kids had a long weekend with Parent Teacher Conferences and the Presidents Day holiday, we decided this would be another good opportunity. They took us out on the ATVs to see Peekaboo Canyon. The weather was beautiful - we didn't even need jackets until we got inside the canyon.<br />
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The kids had a great time in the back of Kawi (Richard and Anna's Kawasaki side-by-side):<br />
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At our picnic spot just before entering the canyon:<br />
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Just to the side of the entrance there was a short trail that led to this spire: <br />
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Michael just inside the entrance to Peekaboo Canyon: <br />
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Lauren:<br />
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A couple views of the slot canyon: <br />
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Faith showing us her "giraffe move": <br />
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Lauren showing us her chicken dance: <br />
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I can't get over this sassy little thing. I swear she <i>never</i> poses with just a smile. It's always this face: <br />
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A little detour: <br />
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Stretching to see if they could touch both sides at once: <br />
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This is how Jeff chose to do it: <br />
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Ah! They got it! (In another area of the canyon): <br />
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More views of the narrow passage: <br />
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Faith found herself a shelf: <br />
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The only greenery in the canyon was this moss growing on the side: <br />
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A final view: <br />
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It was a fun trip. The second day we were there was Sunday. Jeff and I took the kids to sacrament meeting. What a crazy, crowded event that was! The bishop announced that there were 60 additional people there from a Lacrosse team, but that didn't begin to explain how crowded the chapel was. We were lucky to find a seat. The entire cultural hall was full of chairs, which were full of people - and several families sat out in the foyer for the entire meeting.<br />
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After church, Jeff and I went hiking on the anticline, while Richard and Anna took the kids on the ATVs out to Sand Hollow State Park. Michael got to drive some, which he loved, and the girls got to climb rocks, which they loved. So all in all, everyone had a good time.<br />
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These photos were taken by Anna out at Sand Hollow: <br />
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Here is a view of the anticline - it's this ridge that extends for miles and miles. We climbed up to the top and then followed it for a little way - maybe 3/4 of a mile. It was pretty cool once you got up there, but that was a steep climb!<br />
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On Monday, Jeff's parents left early to spend the day with some friends. We packed up, cleaned up, and locked up, then headed up to Heber City. We met my family for dinner at Don Pedro's. Then the plan was to go to the ice castles in Midway. Apparently that was the plan of 25% of the state. Holy smokes, that place was crowded! We had purchased our tickets ahead of time, and then found out that it would be the last night the ice castles would be open. The warm weather is melting them, and there are concerns about the safety of attendees. By the time we got there, the wait to get inside was an hour and a half. No thank you. They will honor our tickets next year, so wait we will. Instead, we walked around the outside and saw what we could. The kids (and adults) thought the ice castles were beautiful.<br />
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Aren't they beautiful? We can't wait to go inside next season!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-3391940021599482462014-02-01T15:21:00.000-07:002014-02-01T15:21:24.642-07:00Tori's giftI had one of those experiences that are beautiful and terrible all at the same time yesterday. My aunt Jodi called me and told me that SHE had just received a phone call from a friend who I'll call Susan. Susan is a member of Jodi's ward. They are friends, but not particularly close. Anyway, Susan called her and explained that she had just been woken up by a dream, in which she saw Jodi holding a tiny baby girl. When she woke, she knew she had to call her. So she did, and explained that her daughter had just had a miscarriage. Susan didn't know why she had dreamed about Jodi holding this baby girl, but she knew that Jodi must have some experience or information to share that could help her daughter cope. She had been promised in a blessing that her baby would be okay, and so naturally, to lose the baby was devastating and confusing.<br />
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Jodi told her that she had never had a miscarriage, so she wasn't sure what she could offer. Susan insisted that there must be <i>something</i> - after all, she wasn't in the habit of dreaming about Jodi. So Jodi told her that there was one time when she held a tiny, beautiful, perfect baby girl. Susan asked if there was any way she could talk to me, and Jodi agreed to call and ask.<br />
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There have been several times over the last seven years when I have talked to people about Tori. But always before, I have been approached by someone who had a sister or a friend who lost a baby, and they wanted to know the best way to help their friend. This was different. I was being asked to share what I had learned personally about overcoming the grief and devastation. What I knew about facing the absence of Church doctrine and revelation and still maintaining a hope in the Resurrection and in personal revelation.<br />
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I agreed to talk to Susan, and told Jodi she could give her my phone number. Less than 10 minutes passed before the phone rang. I have to admit I was still not prepared. Susan introduced herself and said that she had talked with Jodi, who thought I might have some insight to offer.<br />
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I began by telling her how sorry I was that her daughter had to deal with this. Then I told her the short version of my story. I told her how I woke up bleeding one day, and that the doctor said my placenta had torn. I was put on bed rest. Susan said that it was the same with her daughter - a torn placenta and bed rest. I recounted how I was on and off of bed rest for a month, and that during that time, I was called to the Primary presidency. In the blessing that Bishop Bowthorpe gave me when he set me apart, he promised me that my pregnancy would be successful.<br />
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I started to cry as I told her what almost no one knows - that when he said those words, I immediately received one of the most powerful impressions of my life: If I could have my baby girl in the Resurrection, then this pregnancy was successful. I think part of me knew then that we would lose her.<br />
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I have faith in that promise from my bishop.<br />
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I went on to tell her about some of the things that helped me through the days following Tori's death; about the statements I found from Church leaders that comforted me; about the book <i>Gone Too Soon</i>. I especially told her how important it was to me that she not be forgotten - how my mom makes blankets every year and donates them to Utah Share; how Jodi calls me and takes me to lunch around Tori's birthday; how we talk about her in our family.<br />
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I hope that what I told Susan was helpful. I hope her daughter can find peace.<br />
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Losing Tori was perhaps the hardest thing I have ever gone through. But the lessons I have learned from it are among the most beautiful. I am always grateful to have the opportunity to help others who are experiencing something similar. I call it Tori's gift. It's the gift she gave to me, so that I could give it to others.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-89380980762643358772012-11-22T07:24:00.000-07:002012-11-22T07:24:19.232-07:00Thankful Thursday1. Snuggle time with Faith and Lauren. I love it when either of my girls ask me to lie down with them. They snuggle up next to me, and Lauren wraps her arm around me really tight. Then the other one usually needs a turn.<br />
<br />
2. Prayer. I have horrible nightmares - the kind that make you not be able to sleep because you can't get those horrible images out of your head. But at 2:30 in the morning, you really want to sleep. I have found that prayer is a surefire way to get the pictures out of my head and get back to sleep. In fact, I couldn't tell you what my nightmares are about, because I don't remember. The images are truly gone.<br />
<br />
3. Miss Sadie, Faith's pre-school teacher. I love that Faith is so excited every day for pre-school. I love that she always comes home with a cute craft or drawing and a big smile. I love that yesterday they had a Thanksgiving feast and presented a little program complete with fun songs and a play. I didn't think to bring my camera, unfortunately. I really wish I had taken some photos.<br />
<br />
4. Michael. That boy is seriously such a blessing to me. He is a helpful, loving (usually) older brother. He is a good example to his sisters, and also to me. He helps me remember what a blessing it is to be a mom, and I try to tell him often that I am proud of him and that I am glad I am his mom.<br />
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5. Weber State's online classes. I've just started taking a series of digital photography classes. I'm learning a lot about my camera, and the class has made me delve into the overwhelming owner's manual. Don't worry - I'm not going to be starting my own business. I just want to take good photos of my kids and my cakes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-71266262645674445262012-11-17T07:31:00.000-07:002012-11-22T07:32:28.029-07:00Orange belt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltyOyHKVk57XxFSANi725xcgAyV5oQHHTgRlvnOYicsFydDsh_EpWUtU7ioLVf9eIyAjNooqVLwukot2cuyanESefotwuTDBiGRdWFnK05yXbM4DgjPQ4-6B-LTRpPY-_XeNVkphZXb-r/s1600/IMG_0973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltyOyHKVk57XxFSANi725xcgAyV5oQHHTgRlvnOYicsFydDsh_EpWUtU7ioLVf9eIyAjNooqVLwukot2cuyanESefotwuTDBiGRdWFnK05yXbM4DgjPQ4-6B-LTRpPY-_XeNVkphZXb-r/s320/IMG_0973.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-48163006018417269002012-11-16T07:03:00.000-07:002012-11-22T07:07:36.388-07:00Notice anything different?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9S8wKkbvnJg_ek836Qpfa8Mc_c6okfp8piBLZe8CWKEVoAUrhQLAHqmZP5aDMBQWw7EP9YhQe0dzFMBONOcEHz-33ENwFQPrMKr-JhFHptmzasy5D-4D5hR6vk2KdQtYgrnmTELJbp5LO/s1600/2012_1116_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9S8wKkbvnJg_ek836Qpfa8Mc_c6okfp8piBLZe8CWKEVoAUrhQLAHqmZP5aDMBQWw7EP9YhQe0dzFMBONOcEHz-33ENwFQPrMKr-JhFHptmzasy5D-4D5hR6vk2KdQtYgrnmTELJbp5LO/s320/2012_1116_01.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Need a hint?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72BcXRvvMKj9u7Bajomhi0qjZKdCHTA772i6RjJtDTevhpHnqHmtQWV9CskvKKbSRGy9Lr8InqgSIKSYdAAphEFaS_WxBwjJuMLFyBK8mcrAMZHDJ33ARaBP5J_LUdbUUW9UPDtDVgiUX/s1600/2012_1116_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72BcXRvvMKj9u7Bajomhi0qjZKdCHTA772i6RjJtDTevhpHnqHmtQWV9CskvKKbSRGy9Lr8InqgSIKSYdAAphEFaS_WxBwjJuMLFyBK8mcrAMZHDJ33ARaBP5J_LUdbUUW9UPDtDVgiUX/s320/2012_1116_03.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Yes, we had Lauren's ears pierced last night. She was so good. There were two ladies at the store, so they did both ears at once, which I thought would be better. But one of the ladies missed her dot - by a lot. It was high and through part of the cartilage in her left ear. So we had to take the earring out and pierce it again. I was NOT a happy momma with that one.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-83818674153215213312012-11-15T10:17:00.000-07:002012-11-15T10:17:46.693-07:00Thankful ThursdayUm, let's just say it's been a long time since I blogged, and move on, okay? Here's what I'm especially thankful for today:<br />
<br />
1. Uncle Jerry's work. Okay, so this place is actually called TDS, but it will forever be "Uncle Jerry's work" to me, my siblings, and my kids. We have had not one, not two, but THREE flat tires in the last few days, and they have fixed all of them for free. I love that the people there talk to my kids and I love the free popcorn in the waiting room. (So do my girls.) I never feel like they're trying to scam me into doing some expensive service or repair. They tell me straight up, "You can probably wait on this a while," or, "I'd probably do this in the next couple of months."<br />
<br />
2. Shutterfly. I'm trying to make some photobooks, and from the programs I've tried, this one seems to be the most user-friendly for the best cost (if you wait for a sale). Michael and Faith both have books I made them when they were little, but Lauren has never had one of her own. Recently she started asking, "Where's my book?" Well how do I answer that? So I'm making one for her for Christmas.<br />
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3. Blogs - specifically my own and my sister Callie's. In addition to the book for Lauren, I'm starting the overwhelming task of making a book for each year that Jeff and I have been married. My plan is to give a copy to each of the kids for each year they have been alive as well. This involves scanning in all of the art projects we've kept, as well as random school program flyers, etc., that I want to include. My own blog and Callie's have been so helpful in figuring out when different things happened so I can put the right dates on them. Also, it has been so fun to review my old posts and remember things that I had forgotten, like this conversation with Michael in 2008, when he was three:<br />
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Me: Look, Michael, an airplane!<br />
Michael: Is somebody flying?<br />Me: Yes, somebody is flying.<br />
Michael: Do they have shoes on?<br />
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Love it!<br />
<br />
4. Inspiration. I have recently felt inspired to make certain changes in my life, specifically regarding the way I respond to my kids. This has been so helpful in making our home a more peaceful place where the Spirit can be felt more readily. Also, my kids are happier, and so am I.<br />
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5. Opportunities at Jeff's work. Jeff has been in a job he has hated for the last year or so. But starting next week he will be able to return to an area that he loved. The bad part is he will no longer be able to work from home. The good part (besides him enjoying the job more) is that he will be able to do a 4 10s schedule and be home every Friday. (The other good part is that I won't have to share my sewing room with his office anymore.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-86669002130798230312012-02-15T14:02:00.001-07:002012-02-15T14:10:54.587-07:00For my dining pleasure<div style="text-align: left;">Well, Jeff is out of town again (he is currently on his second week of four in DC, although he does come home on weekends). And you all know what that means - PROJECTS!!! Last week I decided to paint the dining room. I've been debating it for a while, but Jeff wasn't too thrilled about the idea, as he says we get a lot of compliments on it. That's true, but it just felt too dark to me, and I'm pretty sure the compliments are more about the moulding/beadboard/etc. than about the color. So I went for it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">HUGE thanks to my friend Emily, who came over Monday night and helped me paint. I really hate to paint, and I was having a hard time getting motivated to do it. Having her come gave me just the push I needed. We got the previous dark red all primed over that night, and then over the next two days I put the color on. I also changed out the light fixture, installed shelves, and made a chalkboard to write the menu on (also inspired by Emily). Today, I finished it by taking the swivels out of our dining room chairs and just attaching the seat to the bottoms. I'm happy to have quieter meal times, since the kids won't be able to turn back and forth and bang their chairs on the table.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">New light and new curtains (the flowers are from Jeff for Valentine's Day).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCY77Fwi9aaMMYEvUzLubxq0ALgN7xxZU9yx3KTV5URvqkAXX3iJPPXLyGxwUWWUH54Ox_kfmgzkEoNk_TwH1KpY3NzWPwYdb25HAOy1uG0qjJAQ0ZH1VLNSKXRaIsBjkcD2GnOcT7BE_/s1600/IMG_2792.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCY77Fwi9aaMMYEvUzLubxq0ALgN7xxZU9yx3KTV5URvqkAXX3iJPPXLyGxwUWWUH54Ox_kfmgzkEoNk_TwH1KpY3NzWPwYdb25HAOy1uG0qjJAQ0ZH1VLNSKXRaIsBjkcD2GnOcT7BE_/s320/IMG_2792.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you think my table looks too dark to be in there? I'm considering painting it white. Actually, I want to paint the top of the table and the tops and backs of the chairs white, and then do the bottom of everything a fun color like turquoise (if I feel bold) - or maybe a more subtle color like gray. I'm still debating.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I kept my plates from Portugal.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IYH8P3SGsSOBYimvU5h188k-GCWQRTCmqJsSZJNZiCeRRJfKxmQfUWcq8eY8fE-x4l8Qs-lhZ7BLeYqs6mkzXbHVN-kgcRnUMVK4ToJutKMhGL1K5uPGFgESNotTtWADbOFvZkHTtXP9/s1600/IMG_2791.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7IYH8P3SGsSOBYimvU5h188k-GCWQRTCmqJsSZJNZiCeRRJfKxmQfUWcq8eY8fE-x4l8Qs-lhZ7BLeYqs6mkzXbHVN-kgcRnUMVK4ToJutKMhGL1K5uPGFgESNotTtWADbOFvZkHTtXP9/s320/IMG_2791.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">New shelves with some fun thrift store finds (still adding to my collection, as you can see by the empty shelf), and the new chalkboard menu. I kept my FHE chart, but I need to figure out how to make the initials of our names stand out - I'm thinking something with Mod Podge and fabric scraps.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRITUhwQ5Gcq98GTisIoLmIvkDnKjFy5S2WAFBBqU9yzfSLqth3jupb2jZJlU0sk2FYHfUs3drg3sX6pReeAzika6liz97I0EDxZD-3lzDRctoX6U19_3z3hgIva8bYLUY_HW2HunvxLP/s1600/IMG_2793.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRITUhwQ5Gcq98GTisIoLmIvkDnKjFy5S2WAFBBqU9yzfSLqth3jupb2jZJlU0sk2FYHfUs3drg3sX6pReeAzika6liz97I0EDxZD-3lzDRctoX6U19_3z3hgIva8bYLUY_HW2HunvxLP/s320/IMG_2793.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Can I just say, I am so in love with my dining room. I wish I had done this months and months ago. It feels a lot bigger, and I love having the color scheme match my kitchen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jeff still has the rest of this week plus two more weeks to be gone. Why is it that I'm so much more productive when he isn't around? Seriously, I stay caught up on laundry, dishes, and cleaning, PLUS I do things like this. I sure like having him around, but I guess it's good for my house to occasionally have him be away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next week? Who knows? I probably won't do anything this drastic again for a while (although I'm really starting to consider my floors....). I need to work on those dresses my cousin asked me to alter for her wedding. There will still be some big changes in our house though - this weekend someone is coming over to start putting a new shower into our basement bathroom. It will take several weeks, as he is only able to work on it on the weekends. But I am so glad to finally lose the 30x30 unsecured insert with no ceiling and insulation randomly falling down on me. Yeah, I won't miss it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-35661856817335897952012-01-05T19:54:00.000-07:002012-01-05T19:54:25.217-07:00bedroom re-doWhile Jeff was out of town for work the week before Christmas, I took it upon myself to re-do Michael's bedroom. We painted the ceiling and trim on Wednesday, then painted the walls on Thursday. After the paint was dry, we ripped out the carpet. The wood floors underneath were in really good shape, but still needed to be sanded, then stained and sealed to match the floors in the girls' room. By that time, I was done. It had been an incredibly busy week. I was also on the committee for the ward Christmas party, which had been on Tuesday - we had spent pretty much all of Monday and Tuesday at the church, all of Wednesday and Thursday painting, and I declared Friday a day of rest. And also, I didn't really want to tackle the sanding. So when Jeff came home, that became his project. He sanded and stained, and I put the polyurethane on. A week after I planned to be finished, we moved Michael into his new room.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C7HoMX4ZtAo/TwZh-zLQ_TI/AAAAAAAABUI/2sfoZLUywM0/s1600/IMG_2709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C7HoMX4ZtAo/TwZh-zLQ_TI/AAAAAAAABUI/2sfoZLUywM0/s320/IMG_2709.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LZPnPReKe-Y/TwZiBMKFNzI/AAAAAAAABUQ/IBL8JmRjdpI/s1600/IMG_2707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LZPnPReKe-Y/TwZiBMKFNzI/AAAAAAAABUQ/IBL8JmRjdpI/s320/IMG_2707.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6sZltNrIV4Q/TwZiDZWsOLI/AAAAAAAABUY/8BTAytt8yy8/s1600/IMG_2708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6sZltNrIV4Q/TwZiDZWsOLI/AAAAAAAABUY/8BTAytt8yy8/s320/IMG_2708.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>He has new paint, new curtains, a new floor, a new bed, a new dresser, and a new shelf to put his stuff that he just can't part with. I am so happy with how it turned out.<br />
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Jeff is going out of town again in February. I'm already thinking what project I can get done....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-37192374108121327462012-01-01T21:48:00.000-07:002012-01-01T21:48:41.149-07:00New Years ResolutionsI'm a big fan of Christmas and New Years Day landing on Sundays. Christmas, for the obvious reason that it helps us to remember and celebrate what Christmas is really about. And New Years, because it helps me have a more spiritual perspective when I'm making my New Years resolutions.<br />
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Before church today, my resolutions were:<br />
1. Make my bed every day except Sunday.<br />
2. Go to the gym three times a week.<br />
3. Read my scriptures every day.<br />
4. Take the Advanced Gumpaste class.<br />
5. Finish my pile of unfinished projects.<br />
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But our lesson in Sunday School was on the Book of Mormon, since that is what we'll be studying all year. We read the scripture in Matthew, in the Parable of the Sower, specifically Matthew 13:22, which says,<br />
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"He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."<br />
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I'm afraid I'm becoming "unfruitful." I know I have too many worldly cares, and I know I've certainly been "deceived by riches." I mean, who hasn't? I feel like I generally have the guidance of the Spirit in my life, but I don't feel like I've really been progressing.<br />
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This was a good lesson for me today.<br />
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So I've changed my list of resolutions to just one: Strengthen my relationship with my Savior.<br />
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Because no burden is too heavy if He is helping to lift it. And no pain is too great when He shares it. I know those things. I've experienced them. As someone in church said today, "You're bound to win if one of you is God." I feel like I've been playing for my own team of one a little too much lately, and not seeking out the counsel of my Heavenly Father. <br />
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If at the end of 2012, I can look back and say that my relationship with Christ has improved, and that I know Him better and that He is a more important part of my life, I'll consider that a greater accomplishment than making my bed every day and learning to make realistic orchids and Easter lilies from gumpaste.<br />
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But I still plan to do that, too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-16449766478619414482011-12-22T22:52:00.000-07:002011-12-22T22:52:36.845-07:00Lauren's birthdayLauren turned two on December 1. For a couple of days before her birthday, I would tell her, "You're going to be two on your birthday!" Then when it was her birthday, I would ask her, "How old are you?" At first she answered, "I two!" But then it was "I three!" and then "I four!" So yes, she is learning to count - just not what those numbers really mean yet. (Incidentally, today she counted to 13 while I was getting her pajamas on.)<br />
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We had two parties for her. On November 30 we had Jeff's family over for dinner and cake and ice cream. Here is her cake: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PPMh7SqGSck/TvQTOeZ_HOI/AAAAAAAABTY/yl_bFqDRRlQ/s1600/IMG_2666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PPMh7SqGSck/TvQTOeZ_HOI/AAAAAAAABTY/yl_bFqDRRlQ/s320/IMG_2666.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Here she is with her cake:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t6cXak3ModU/TvQTQvjBg9I/AAAAAAAABTg/9HNimIJyxfI/s1600/IMG_2669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t6cXak3ModU/TvQTQvjBg9I/AAAAAAAABTg/9HNimIJyxfI/s320/IMG_2669.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div> She really has the present thing down. Look at her go!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R4MAjF9U1zk/TvQTTI9XHcI/AAAAAAAABTo/zpZGakCeeOU/s1600/IMG_2674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R4MAjF9U1zk/TvQTTI9XHcI/AAAAAAAABTo/zpZGakCeeOU/s320/IMG_2674.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> Inspecting the My Little Pony from Aunt Kari and Uncle Rich:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OWFvpnwnPa8/TvQTWCwcF9I/AAAAAAAABTw/ehuxSNDsjog/s1600/IMG_2675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OWFvpnwnPa8/TvQTWCwcF9I/AAAAAAAABTw/ehuxSNDsjog/s320/IMG_2675.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A new baby from Grandma and Grandpa Sabin! When you push its belly it laughs and says, "Momma!" Lauren kept making it do that and saying, "She say 'Momma!'"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tYwQOhKGecw/TvQTMUfAWNI/AAAAAAAABTQ/tFJUHkkafDQ/s1600/IMG_2681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tYwQOhKGecw/TvQTMUfAWNI/AAAAAAAABTQ/tFJUHkkafDQ/s320/IMG_2681.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>That weekend, we had our Hansen family Christmas party at my parents' new house in Fountain Green. (As a side note, let me just say I have some serious house envy going on.) Since it was convenient, we also celebrated her birthday then with my family. My mom gave her a quilt for her bed, which she LOVES. As soon as she opened it, she lay down on it and just wanted to stay there. It was sweet. Even now, she frequently says, "Grandma made it for me - I love it," when she is on her bed. I love it too. It's <i>perfect</i>. I don't have a photo of it right now. I would go take one, but Lauren is currently asleep in her bed, and I don't want to wake her.<br />
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Some notes about Lauren:<br />
-She sings her ABCs and counts.<br />
-She LOVES her baby dolls. If I would let her sleep with all five of them, she would.<br />
-She loves Michael and Faith and gets really upset if they are doing something she's just too little for. She really wants to participate.<br />
-She has an enormous vocabulary for a two-year-old. I know neither Michael nor Faith talked so well at this age.<br />
-She is Miss Independent lately. It's kind of obnoxious when we're in a hurry and she insists on getting her coat or shoes on "by myself," but I do love that she is able to do so much for herself.<br />
-She plays really well alone and can entertain herself happily for a long time.<br />
-She loves to color. I think I could leave her in her chair all day with an endless supply of coloring books and crayons, and she would never make a peep.<br />
-She and Faith like to play dress-up and lots of make-believe games.<br />
-She is mischievous. She is my little tease.<br />
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It's so fun seeing her personality develop. Love my Lolo girl.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k7U49SYATvM/TvQXBpbpN3I/AAAAAAAABT8/wl3jI5G8XsU/s1600/IMG_2654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k7U49SYATvM/TvQXBpbpN3I/AAAAAAAABT8/wl3jI5G8XsU/s320/IMG_2654.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481246922944161318.post-33884536352651004062011-12-21T23:48:00.000-07:002011-12-21T23:48:32.559-07:00What you get when you don't upload photos for three months...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This is the cat we *almost* adopted. It spent a weekend trapped in our shed while we went down to Delta. When Jeff heard it and rescued it, it just hung out. The kids fell in love, and so did Jeff, and I was almost ready to give in (as long as it was an OUTSIDE cat). But then we got lucky and the cat disappeared. Hopefully it found its way home.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mT2QanTluX4/TvLRoaKvr6I/AAAAAAAABTE/iTIBCp9MQsw/s1600/IMG_2080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mT2QanTluX4/TvLRoaKvr6I/AAAAAAAABTE/iTIBCp9MQsw/s320/IMG_2080.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Lauren really does love her babies.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y1hVuiNEyb8/TvLPy2JREnI/AAAAAAAABSA/uDaOmZpA7R4/s1600/IMG_2599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y1hVuiNEyb8/TvLPy2JREnI/AAAAAAAABSA/uDaOmZpA7R4/s320/IMG_2599.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> We went to Black Island Farms (yes, back in October - I'm THAT far behind). The kids (including the big one in sunglasses) had a great time on the slides.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T1TEBdOWmps/TvLP4LslbzI/AAAAAAAABSI/dqppVgxS0EM/s1600/IMG_2601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T1TEBdOWmps/TvLP4LslbzI/AAAAAAAABSI/dqppVgxS0EM/s320/IMG_2601.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Waiting for the hayride to the pumpkin patch.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GxrXoJVTCj4/TvLQACwU-zI/AAAAAAAABSQ/fCXaS9Zp2yQ/s1600/IMG_2635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GxrXoJVTCj4/TvLQACwU-zI/AAAAAAAABSQ/fCXaS9Zp2yQ/s320/IMG_2635.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> On the train.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CkSOPdA2KEU/TvLQDDIlIqI/AAAAAAAABSY/NkmJwyw43xA/s1600/IMG_2617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CkSOPdA2KEU/TvLQDDIlIqI/AAAAAAAABSY/NkmJwyw43xA/s320/IMG_2617.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> We painted (and Jeff carved) pumpkins. I love how the bottom two seem to be afraid of each other.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PfVQ71D8WQ4/TvLQHpzFH8I/AAAAAAAABSg/by7UIC69uMU/s1600/IMG_2644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PfVQ71D8WQ4/TvLQHpzFH8I/AAAAAAAABSg/by7UIC69uMU/s320/IMG_2644.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> We had some sort of stomach flu bug that just would not go away. It left us all pretty much feeling like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TPnIzYJ8JTU/TvLQLjiKntI/AAAAAAAABSo/e0VB5tnUcuA/s1600/IMG_2648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TPnIzYJ8JTU/TvLQLjiKntI/AAAAAAAABSo/e0VB5tnUcuA/s320/IMG_2648.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> We played in the leaves. Doesn't she look beautiful here?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-8M-iFFvus/TvLQYKakulI/AAAAAAAABSw/qB_sm1tgYHI/s1600/IMG_2650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-8M-iFFvus/TvLQYKakulI/AAAAAAAABSw/qB_sm1tgYHI/s320/IMG_2650.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> I made cakes - this is a photo of a horseshoe cake that for some reason WILL NOT turn the right way.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4juGJ5CBwRo/TvLQvgpzbiI/AAAAAAAABS4/gBK-UGaCvUE/s1600/IMG_2595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4juGJ5CBwRo/TvLQvgpzbiI/AAAAAAAABS4/gBK-UGaCvUE/s320/IMG_2595.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>So much more to post - so late at night. I'll really try to write about Lauren's birthday tomorrow.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2