Blessing and Journal Writing

Let me first start off by clarifying: journal writing has never been my forte.

I think I was about 13/14, maybe even 12ish, but the Alonzo E. Bushman (lovely name I know) family was challenged to say their prayers for a year, read their scriptures for a year, and write in their journal for a year.  If you finished it, you got a certificate. 

My mom and dad challenged my sister and I to do it.  I'm pretty sure I did it, but I look back at my journal entries for the year, and let's just say they were lame.  I think one verbatim would have gone like this, "It was a nice day today."

I'm the Sunday School teacher for the 14/15 year-olds in our ward.  In the month of August, we talked about record keeping and family history.  One of the talks I had to read to prepare my lesson was President Henry B. Eyring's, "O Remember, Remember".  In it, he talks about how for several years he kept a journal detailing how he saw the Lord's hand in his life, and in the lives of his family. 

**I'm going to meander while I stand on my soap box.  I firmly believe that to everything there is a season.  We are all at different stages in our lives.  If you have not felt prompted to keep a journal, don't feel guilty!  There's something else you should be working on.  This is what the Holy Ghost told me to do.  Not you, (unless he has, in the which, you have my permission to feel guilty).  I loved what Elder Scott said in his last (April 2013) conference talk, "We need not worry if we can’t simultaneously do all of the things that the Lord has counseled us to do. He has spoken of a time and a season for all things. In response to our sincere prayers for guidance, He will direct us in what should be emphasized at each phase of our life. We can learn, grow, and become like Him one consistent step at a time."

Back to my story. 

I felt prompted to keep a journal.

Ignored it. 

Taught my lesson.  Told the kids they should keep a journal.  Again, felt prompted.  Again, ignored it. 

A couple of weeks later, I was praying for the desire to want to become better.  (I know, confusing.  Read it through a couple of times).  I had a very strong impression, that I'd already been told what I needed to do to work on becoming better.  I needed to keep a journal. 

My thought, "I'll do it tomorrow."

**people, I am obviously very impressive.

Then, this girl buckled down and told herself, "No.  You prayed to know what you needed to do, and you can't procrastinate it.  Write it tonight.  Even if it is late.  You already bought the notebook when it was on sale because of back to school."

I did.

The blessings have been beyond compare.  There have been blessings that I've received from writing in this journal that aren't even related at all to journal writing.  I've had insights into my parenting, my marriage, and myself.

I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who sent me repeated promptings to do something that in the end, would only benefit me.   I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to become more grateful, and more aware of God's hand in my life.  I've been grateful for things like red lights, answers to prayers, and songs playing on my iPod.  I've had blessings that I didn't need, just wanted.  And I have precious memories recorded to read again. 

Now I just need to work up the courage to find out what the next step on the path for me is. 

Camping, of a sort

Aaron and I decided to take the boys camping as a way to soothe their disappointment about not getting to go to the MVHS homecoming football game.  Don't ask me why we figured camping would make them less tired than staying up watching the game.  Minds work strangely sometimes.

We did an Overton type of camping.

We pitched our tent in the backyard.

Our "fire" such as it was, was charcoal briquettes in a grill starter. 

Our marshmallows were rock hard, and provided more entertaining as flaming torches than in gooey s'mores.  We tried the s'mores, the marshmallows didn't even ooze.

The wild animals consisted of one cat, who spent the night trying to sneak into the tent.

And the actual sleeping in the tent?  That lasted 5 minutes, until Cade decided that it would be more comfortable to sleep in his bed.

But, it was a sweet memory, we got home in 2 seconds, and still smelled like camping. 

Fall Mantle

We made these pallets in Relief Society, and I was too indecisive to write on it then.  It's only taken me two weeks to decide what I wanted it to say.

I wrote it first with chalk, and then just painted over the chalk.  It's far from perfect, and the instagram filter makes it look much better than it is, but I love it still. 

Next on the project list, some burlap and flannel pumpkins.  I'm going to attempt them tonight...maybe.  Unless I decide to exercise instead.

Updates

A lot has happened to our family, and I've been putting off writing about it, until everything gets set somewhat in stone.  That's the worst.   To announce something and then have to take it back.

I can't take this one back though.

Our third baby is coming in February.  My due date is February 12th (which happens to be my grandma Lyon's birthday, my father-in-law's birthday, and my uncle's birthday).  We have many people rooting for that day.

**I'm still rooting for earlier

Our ultrasound is scheduled for September 25th, and I have resigned myself to the fact that it will probably be another boy, so that I will be pleasantly surprised when my mother's intuition is right and it's the girl I think it is.

Second update.

We put in an offer on a house and it was accepted. It's beautiful.  I'm in love, and we're going to stay in the same ward, and never move again.  (I do accept the fact that Heavenly Father may have other plans, but hopefully He reads this blog and agrees with me).

Cade's favorite part of the house was the kitty.  He was sad when he found it that wouldn't be included.  


**for member's of the Ov 2nd ward, we're the mysterious individuals who bought Jill Williams' house.  Sorry to keep you in suspense.

I can show you a few MLS pictures.  My favorite is the kitchen.  If we get all our paperwork turned in and finished, we can move in November 4.

another of the kitchen.  I told you it was my favorite.  My grandma and I are already planning on going antique shopping to get some cute glass for that open shelving.

my very own laundry room...

 3rd Update

Aaron got some additional responsibilities at work and is now the new marketing manager.  This makes me, editor-in-chief.  I get to review all the ads, banners, and clever catchphrases.  And I'm pretty good at coming up with cheesy ones....

4th and last one

Cade has gotten pretty funny with some of his little comebacks.  I've posted some on facebook, so I won't be redundant, but his latest one really got me.

Grandma Lyon has a pantry.

A glorious pantry.

Filled with candy, fruit snacks, and popsicles.

He frequently asks to go to Grandma Lyon's house.  

One day, I was over with them, and Cade asked me if he could have a piece of candy.  I told him no, since he'd had plenty of sweets already.  I'm talking to my grandma and notice blessed silence, and a closed pantry door. 

I open up the pantry and see the two sinners surrounded by grandma's candy basket and empty wrappers on the floor.  I start picking up the candy and told Cade, "Cade McCombs, you weren't supposed to have any candy!"

Cade: "You weren't supposed to see me!"

Color Run in Salt Lake City

In April, my sister-in-law, published on facebook that she had just signed up for her first 5K.  Being curious, I clicked on her link, and noticed it was a color run.

So I signed up.

It was in August, the end of August.  I started out really well with the training, telling myself that it was going to be harder to run 3.2 miles in Salt Lake than here because of the elevation differences.

Training was great in April and May...

**yes, the dot dots mean that it definitely petered, getting worse and worse until August got here.  And then I saw that the race wasn't even timed, which again made my motivation fly out the window. 

August 24th came and I was a little nervous, but I ended up running the whole thing.  My hip flexors were not happy about it all day, but the adrenaline definitely got me through it. 

I have discovered that I enjoy racing, but I do not enjoy non-competitive races.  Most people walked this one, and having to jog around people was not my favorite thing.  I will do the race again, because it was fun, and my kids loved smearing themselves with the remnants of the color, but I'll also look into getting into some races that are timed. 

Just not right now. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Domain

Conversation we had tonight after Aaron saw a large cricket by his side of the bed.

Him: "Shell, will you please kill it? I always kill the bugs,"

Her: "Nope. God made you the boy, so He must have meant for YOU to kill bugs. It's your domain."

Him: Sighs, grabs a shoe, squeals just a little, and kills the bug.

Him: "Ew, its guts are every where."

Her: "Make sure you clean that up."

Him: without missing a beat, "Nope. That's your domain."

So I'm Slightly Paranoid

I've had a brief bought of tummy aches and a head ache today.

I did the bare minimum for my kids, and spent most of the time lying on the bed with a pillow under my tummy.

**this may or may not have resulted in Desitin being smeared all over the bedroom and Cade's "baby" (a stuffed teddy bear) being dropped in the toilet while he (the baby) was trying to go potty.

I was doing okay until Aaron came home for lunch and I told him I was feeling a little nauseous.

His first reaction?

"You're not pregnant are you?"

**my last period was 5 days ago.

Me: "I don't think so..."

Don't ever Google pregnant and period.  Apparently, many people have periods and are still pregnant. 

**pay no attention to the fact that I only had one symptom of pregnancy...the nausea.

I knew it.  I was pregnant.  Baby number 3 was due in October.  While on birth control.  And while I still had a period.  This kid is one in a million folks.

I went to the dollar store, bought the cheapest test they had, and tried to find a way to make my kids look older.

**next time, I'm going to buy tampons at the same time.  That'll show 'em.  Try & figure that out!

The final verdict.  Not pregnant.  But I may need a year supply of pregnancy tests, just to keep me calm.