Mission Monday

Yeah, I know.  I went offline for a week.  I haven't been feeling well, and something has to go.  But now it is only one week from when I get to skype with my missionary boys!  I'm pretty excited about it.  Gotta take care of myself and get all better this week, and get lots of sleep so I don't conk out during their call.  Oh yeah, due to the time differences, they will have to call at 6:00 IN THE MORNING.  I love these boys so much that it is worth it to talk to them at any hour.

<going back to bed now>


From South Africa:

Well, this week has been a HUGE transition for me. I'm not used to teaching with three missionaries. I'm only used to having two in a companionship. But it has been good. And the amazing thing is that even though we had to go to Cape Town to pick up Elder Castro, (and that ate a bunch of our Wednesday) we still had a really good week. And the mountain is still on fire, so that is cool, but scary at the same time.

Picture from a news story about the earlier fires in March

And the weather here is changing... it is starting to be winter (well autumn) and that means that it is flu season here. And guess what. We got it early this year. I guess that's what happens when you have two other missionaries around you all the time. But it has been fun, not being sick, but having two companions. We have gotten a lot of work done, and it was cool to see so many people there at church on Sunday. It is really an amazing thing to see the fruits of your week. I love being here and it has been a really spiritual week. We even had a baptism! Given, it was a child of record, but we had a hand in getting that taken care of. I love being on mission and love having the opportunity or the chance to share the gospel. It really does change lives, including mine. It has been amazing to see how much mission has changed not only those that we teach, but also me.


And from Madagascar:

So this week I just want to share a spiritual thought mixed with a Morsel of Malagasy. The word is fahasoavana and it means grace. It comes from a word that means to benefit, and that's exactly what grace is. It's Christ's way of providing a very big benefit to us. I know that Easter time has passed, but it's never too late to celebrate our Savior. He lives, He loves us, and He has given us the way to be exalted and recieve all that our Father hath. THIS IS WAY BIG GUYS!!! I'm so blessed that I get to work out here and be an instrument in the Lord's hands to bring His children into his life! My favorite part of this great work is the love that I'm getting for my brothers and sisters. I find so much satisfaction just in serving my fellow man and my Lord and all I need to feel that is some clothes and some scriptures and a desire to go out and work! It's so simple! I feel so blessed that the Lord has given this great chance to work to a bunch of his young children who are definitely not up to the task on their own, but that doesn't matter, because it's really not our job to get things happening. After all the Lord has said that he will hasten his work in his own time. We just need to show up and be ready to harvest that which he has prepared! What a blessing that is! Especially because I get to help others obtain this gospel gift that has blessed my life so much and given me so much joy and happiness. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us, and because of that we can dwell in the presence of our Father in celestial glories with our own eternal families! I love my Savior and his work that he has given to me to do! And I love you all too! Have a fantastic week and let your lights shine forth a little more!

Love the Home You Have

For the next part of the book, I was supposed to imagine my dream house - every room!  I'm such a planner and a detail person, so thinking all the way through my dream house will take weeks and weeks. Maybe months and years.  Gah.  I finally compromised my thinking about what kinds of things I would love to have going on in my dream house.

I want a five-butt kitchen where lots of people can work at the same time and not be in each other's way.  I also want a sitting area/family room/great room adjacent to the kitchen so I can be part of things happening/watch the kids/sit and visit with Trent while he makes breakfast.

I really want a large dining area, where we all can eat dinner together.  Enough room to set up extra tables for a big dinner party would also be nice.  Maybe the dining area should be part of the kitchen/great room?

I want a large family room, where we have seats for the whole family to hang out or watch a movie or say family prayer.  That's an important part of our lives - just being together.

That's the main wish list.  On the periphery is a deep porch for sitting, flower and vegetable and herb gardens, a big wooded lot for the kids to make their own play, gobs of parking for my husband and his vehicles, and a soaking tub.  It would also be nice to have some elbow space from the neighbors, and to be able to live at a little slower speed.

I can spend the next week dreaming about this.  Happily.

Prom Season

Prom is coming up... again.  I feel like it does this every year!  I just read that the average prom this year will cost about a thousand dollars.  Say what?  I'm not sure where all of that money goes, but we do save a little bit by having a couple of teen-sized tuxedos in the closet, and doing the flowers at home.

This year, I'm not sure where my floral wire and green tape are - probably in a box somewhere.  I'll have to go hunting.  And I don't even know what color the young lady's dress is so I can make sure I have ribbon to match.  This is what happens when the young gentleman prom-goer is involved in track and never has time to speak with his mother.

Last year, or was it last fall at Homecoming time? Chris helped me make the corsage and did a pretty good job.  Hopefully he won't claim to be too busy and he can make it himself this time.  

I was surfing around, trying to find a good diagram that shows how to make a corsage, so we could be boring - I mean quick and efficient - and make this year's arrangement.  I'm really surprised that I couldn't find any!  I won't say they aren't out there, but I sure couldn't find any.  

I did find some good tutorials, though.  You can watch these while I go crawl around in the garage and look through boxes.

Mission Monday

<sigh>  I am missing my boys this week.  I love looking over their letters and seeing how they are growing.  I can really see a softening of their rough edges, and at the same time a strength coming in that they didn't have before.  Serving the Lord is pretty awesome stuff.



From South Africa:

To start off, mother nature decided to do the hot, cold, sunny, cloudy thing, and mess with everybodys head. So it has been a fun and exciting week. I love being a missionary! There were so many little things that just reaffirmed my testimony this week and added to what I already knew about the Church and My Savior. I really am grateful for the Spirit and it's direction.


From Madagascar:

NORBERT GOT BAPTIZED!!! He is still a stud among studs and his wife finally came to church for his baptism and his confirmation the next day and... drumroll please... she loved it!!! We are going to get the rest of that family! Ah, he's just such an awesome man!

Then what happens on this Saturday and Sunday? GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! Sorry for all of the caps and exclamation points, but that is really good stuff! So you could say that I'm way pumped for that to happen.

Love the Home You Have

I got my new book, and I've been reading Love the Home You Have. It's been more difficult than I thought it would be.  I didn't realize how much emotional baggage I had when it came to houses.  And I love to read, and I read fast, so I was hoping to finish it quickly.  Alas, this will be a book of reflection and internal work.  Work, bah humbug.  <sigh>  But I need this.  I need to love this home and make it mine.

First of all, I was supposed to list three things I loved about my current home.  Only three!  Guiltily, I came up empty.  I fought with my thoughts for a while and finally came up with a few things.  But they came out very begrudgingly, "I don't even have a ______, but (grumble, grumble) at least we have a sprinkling system that mostly works."  Most of my first thoughts centered around the trees or the fenced yard or the great neighborhood.  

Then I forced myself to focus on the house itself.  It's really been a challenge to move into this house.  We didn't move here because we wanted to be in a new place.  We didn't move here because it was a better house than the last one.  We didn't move because it fit our family better.  We moved here because this is where my dad is, and we didn't want him to have to move.  Crazy!  Why would we move and inconvenience a family of 10 for the desires of 1?  I don't know, and on paper it is ridiculous.  But it feels like the right thing to do.  

It's certainly not a bad thing to be here, and it's not a bad house.  I've just been focusing enough on the things that don't work for us, and need to see the things that do work for us.  After a bit of mental rebellion, I took a walk through the house.  I noted the nice color and pattern of the kitchen floor.  I saw how the light pours into the back windows.  I appreciated the spacious laundry room.  I was glad that the noisy areas of the house are farther away from the areas we need to keep quiet.

And you know, the more I saw things with grateful and happy eyes, the more good things I saw.  I now have a list of far more than three things I love about this house.  And I'm feeling more happy to be here.

Decent Women's Costume Month

I was looking at the calender today, and I amazed that it is halfway through April!  The twins love to look at the "ky-lander" and have me tell them how long it is until their birthdays.  So we were counting off how many months until their birthday, until school is out, until school starts again in the fall (and they will be in kindergarten!  Aagh!), until Halloween...

We stopped at Halloween because it is their absolute favorite day of the year, until Christmas rolls around, that is.  They are already dreaming up what they want to be for Halloween.  Current favorite: minions!  I love to sew and create - always have - so making Halloween costumes is something I put a lot of thought and time into.  I like dressing up too, but let's be real.  With a family of ten, making costumes for myself is way, waaaayyy down on the priority list. 

And forget about buying anything ready-made from the store.  I'm not about to show that much skin in public - especially chilly Halloween night!  I don't know why it seems that costume manufacturers think that all women want to show off their legs and cleavage on Halloween.  Every costume comes from the same pattern: bare shoulders, deep necklines, and short skirts.  No creativity.  And no coverage, if you prefer to be modest.  I do.

I've decided to declare the rest of April to be Decent Women's Costuming Month.  There isn't much going on for the next few weeks (no major holidays, not yet the frantic end-of-school rush, no family vacations to plan), so I have time.  

I picked up these fun historical patterns a few weeks ago when there was a good sale at the fabric store, and I might be able to pick up some fabric tomorrow.

If I sew a little bit here and there, instead of doing a whole bunch all at once, I won't get sick of the project.  Also, I won't end up with back problems from hunching over the sewing machine, and my children will get fed.  Bonus that my house won't turn into a disaster.

Now I just need to decide which pattern I want to make!  I'm leaning toward the Regency dress, but that would mean I have to watch Pride and Prejudice again for inspiration.  Or If I choose the 1950s dress, I'd have to check out some Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe.  

Bring on the popcorn!

Spring (Snow) Showers

Happy Spring!  This is the view out my back window right now. Two days ago, we were admiring our tulips and daffodils. Yesterday, we were slammed with a massive windstorm. My headline for yesterday should have been "Giant Trees Blown Over in City Cemetery.  Thousands Found Dead." 

And today, we are back to winter. We've got the gloves and boots and hot chocolate out, and the fireplace is a-humming. I was planning to do yard work today...  not disappointed to have to stay inside. 

We're cozy!