GRATEFUL

This afternoon, the girls were were "watching" Hayden while I was running up and down the stairs taking care of laundry. A good 10 minutes or so had passed by, and I called to Madeline asking if Hayden was still with her. No, was her reply. We quickly did the common "run through" of the house looking for him. He was no where to be found. In the past, this usually means he has crawled through the doggy door at the side of our playroom and in to the outdoor kennel. Not usually a big deal since the kennel is enclosed. Today he managed to push open the gate at the back of the kennel, which IS a big deal. This means he wandered around the backyard trying to get back in to the house. Another problem? There is snow in our backyard. Not a lot, but we still have a few inches in the shadow of our back door. The bigger problem? He was bare foot. We found poor Hayden screaming in pain, as he stood barefoot in the snow at the back door trying to get in. I quickly grabbed him, wrapped his discolored feet in towels, trying to fight back the tears. I was scared. I didn't know how long he had been standing there, and he didn't know better to get out of the snow. He had been there long enough though, that his feet were bright red, and his toes were an awful purplish color, and I was scared to death of frostbite. There was no time for a formal prayer, but I can promise I was pleading with Heavenly Father in my mind. I got him warmed up the best I could, I couldn't rub his feet because he would shriek in pain when I tried. I put on his cozy slippers, wrapped him in a blanket and got him some warm milk. Five minutes passed, and I checked his feet again. Still freezing cold and discolored. This is when I really began to worry. Finally after a few more minutes, and just when I was debating to do something more (call for a blessing, or take him to the ER) his toes went back to bright red, and then to pink. By this time he had fallen asleep in my arms, too tired after his ordeal to cry anymore. Madeline came in to check on him, and said "I think he will be fine mom. I said a prayer, and I felt really good after, like he will be ok". I am grateful for prayer, and the faith of a child. I am grateful that the first thing Madeline did in our stressful situation was go to her room and say a prayer on behalf of her brother. I am so touched. And, above all? I am sooo grateful Hayden still has his toes!

President Obama (First Grade style)

My girls were super excited about Barack Obama's inauguration yesterday, as was I. They watched it at school, and Madeline expressed how awesome she thought it was that she lives in this time, and that she was part of history. It IS awesome. We live in a scary time, but also in an amazing and wondrous time. I felt honored to witness Barack Obama become the 44th President of this great nation. Regardless of your political preference, President Obama has an arduous task ahead of him, and he needs our support and prayers. It is easy to become cynical when dealing with our political leaders, but I choose to keep it light and positive for my children. Avery brought home this booklet from school. It is chock full of extremely important information if I do say so myself....

I especially love some of the highlighted words...basketball, photos, piano, the beach...you know, the really important stuff. :)

*And just to add another very important note to Scholastic's... are the Obama's not the best looking family to ever live in the Whitehouse?! I think so. What a handsome family. I especially admire the evident love that is present between the President and First Lady. They are the sweetest couple.

Don't Let the Library Burn Down...

Recently I had the opportunity to compile some family history from Tom's side of the family. My mother-in-law Jimmie, has albums full of wonderful old family pictures and stories. I am forever grateful to her for sitting down with me and patiently sharing these memories. I loved learning about these people, who although not my own blood relatives, are part of my husband and my children. Through the process of "getting to know them", they became part of me. I learned of their personal struggles, heartaches, and triumphs. It was a tender experience for me.
I gained insight in to the times they lived, and perspective on the time we live in. Each family tree is full of character and beauty, and it is up to us to find it.... Each branch represents a person, who despite their weaknesses and disposition, have lived their lives so we might live. It is our responsibility to learn their stories, and to share that heritage with our children, that they might know their own story...

Verda Lue Campsey (Tom's Great-Grandmother), with her sons, Charles (Tom's grandfather) and Chester, Jr. (early 1930's). Verda Lou became ill with tuberculosis in her early 30's, and died shortly after. Being a child himself, Charles remembered coming home from school each day and tending to his mother before she passed.

My mission President, Val R. Christensen, now serves as the Rexburg Temple President. He is amazing, and wise, and wonderful, and I can't say enough about him. I love him. I love his dear sweet wife Ruth Ann. He continues to keep in touch with his Arizona missionaries, and sends us updates and words of wisdom regularly. Today he sent these quotes...


President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "It doesn't matter whether your computer is able to compile all the family group sheets for everyone that ever lived on the earth, it remains the responsibility of each individual to know his kindred dead....Even if the work is done, then it is still each person's responsibility to study and become acquainted with his ancestors."

Will Durrant has stated "Let us before we die, gather up our heritage and offer it to our children."

James Dobson of Focus on the Family also encourages us by saying: "When an old person dies it's as if a library has burned down."

I love that last quote. Our family members' experiences contain volumes and volumes of knowledge. Let us learn from them, and talk with them, and grow from them before the fire comes...I am grateful I took the time to get to know these ancestors, for I have gained a wealth of knowledge to pass on to my children, and my childrens' children. I am grateful when that time comes to be reunited with our loved ones who have gone before us, that the reunion will be sweet when they know we took the time to learn of them, and to keep their stories alive.

resolute

What are your New Year's resolutions? Do you make any? I always make them. I rarely keep them. This year I feel I have to keep at least some of them. I am determined.
Here are the things I plan to do:
*eat MUCH healthier. I eat healthy, but it's sprinkled with cookies and chocolate, and too many carbs. My body does not do well with carbs. I need to do better.
*exercise more regularly. I exercise, but it consists of random dancing, random Pilates, wrestling my 2 year old to get him dressed... or running the laundry up and down the stairs, and then I eat a cookie...
*read my scriptures regularly. I read, but the indulgent, entertaining stuff, and not enough of what matters most. I also plan to read with my children more.
*spend less time on the computer. I love blogging and reading blogs, I love facebook, I love my friends, but I need to limit my time. It takes away from the important things in life, like laundry, and dishes, and vacuuming...sigh.
*get our finances in order. We are blessed, but I overspend in some area's. It is hard to justify when we are still in debt with school, etc. So, I need to be more frugal and disciplined. It scares me when people we know are losing their jobs and homes...I want to feel more prepared.
*go somewhere, anywhere, with my husband, ALONE for a few days. Tom and I have not gone anywhere by ourselves in 8 years. It is a sad, sad reality. We need to.

So, that's it. Well, for the most part. Piece of cake, right?

Tomorrow it's a new year, but today...I am eating cookies and playing on the computer with fervor!! What are you doing today? ;)

Dear Nintendo DS

I love you. I never thought I would say it, but I love you...I love having two of you within the walls of our home. I love hearing my girls giggle as they send secret messages to eachother, and I love the silence as they play games on you. I love that you are small and compact and don't take up much room like the other toys do. I love that you play with my girls whenever they want. I love that you are bribing and bargaining power (for me). You make my girls happy, which makes me....very happy. I love that it is 2 days after Christmas, and they aren't bored yet. I love my mother-in-law for bestowing this gift upon us....

So, thank you DS, for being a little piece of sunshine amidst our winter break. I can't say what your fate will be when Wii comes knocking on our door, but for now you are great.
By the way, I think you are pretty cute, too.

Safety Saturday

Today I took the girls to SuperWalmart. It was pre-holiday madness. I quickly gave the girls the rundown on "stranger danger" (for the 50th time) as I eyed the "variety" of people shopping there today. Not to be judgemental, but you know what I'm talking about...
So, my rundown included staying very close to mom, not wandering to look at anything, because it's easy to get lost and distracted with so many people around...
Leave it to Madeline to take this business very seriously. They followed me around the store like little chicks. Poor Avery wouldn't be more then 3 steps behind me, when Madeline would loudly exclaim "Avery! You are not close enough to mom!!" This happened about 3 or 4 times. Finally, Madeline was clearly getting frustrated with Avery's dangerous ways, when, in the toy aisle, and the top of her lungs (with many ears available to hear) she belted out "Avery! Being kidnapped by these people is NOT on our list of things to do today!!" Thank you Madeline.

My Secret

I dance in my livingroom. It's true. I mean all-out, hands in the air, party like a rock star, dance in my livingroom. It's more fun than the treadmill. I know the visual image is disturbing, but if you don't dance in your livingroom - I highly recommend it. Let me share some of my dance in the livingroom soundtrack with you (don't judge me)...

Let it Rock - Kevin Rudolph
Hung Up - Madonna
Stronger - Kanye West
Shake It - Metro Station
and...pretty much any Justin Timberlake song (ok, mostly just one song, but I don't want to say it)

I hope you will still be my friend, however, I have a feeling I am not the only one who dances in their livingroom...