Suddenly Scared ~

Okay, I have figured out what scares me. Apparently Primary! Go figure~ I was horrified to teach Activity Day Girls in January (I am the counselor over the 8-12 year olds and we didn't have a leader as my new Primary President WAS the Activity Day Leader). Survived that and the girls all love me (I brought candy). Felt pretty comfortable for the month of February (it was my turn to conduct, so I get to do opening exercises and that's it!) and then the fun began.

February was a short month, and March started on a Sunday and THIS month I am assigned to teach Sharing Time! Aaauuuuggghhh!!! That means two lessons each Sunday, one for Jr. Primary and one for Sr. Primary.

Don't even think I wasn't up until 2 a.m. this past Sunday morning cutting out all my little hand outs (and that was after 3 hours at my girlfriends Shawn's house) so that everyone would have the appropriate number of family members in their "packet" on Sunday.

Of course I have now challenged all the children to remember to bring their "family" with them each Sunday this month while we talk about what each family member's responsibility (job)is.

Thank goodness Carter is giving a talk this Sunday on the same thing, so I shipped him off my handouts and lesson yesterday with a letter knowing he will do an awesome job.

Then, just for the fun of it, I got a call from the neighboring ward's missionary calendar coordinator (I was released 3 months ago . . . ) asking if I knew which week they were supposed to feed the Spanish Elders (we share that set and rotate every other week ...) Apparently no one from that ward has seen the calendar this year so I am feeding all six of my Elders tonight. Gives me an excuse to try out a different mexican restaurant~

Am excited to be going to the temple again this week (trying to get my "sister's" names done and then work on my mechanic's dad's list . . .).

Gotta love life!

Christmas is Love

Had this awesome lesson my last week in Relief Society, now that I am in Primary Presidency its children all the way now~ Anyway, the lesson was about charity and and love and what that means to us as Christians. It was the perfect lesson to start the Christmas season.

I believe that "I love you period" is Christlike love. At this time of year when the world celebrates the birth of my Savior, I am amazed at His unconditional love for me. He truly loves me period. He loves me when I make good choices. He loves me when I make bad choices. He loves me when I am fat. He loves me when I am thin. He loves me when I am married. He loves me when I am single. He never leaves me. He helps me be a Mom. He helps me be a Gramma. He helps me be a daughter, a sister, a friend, a neighbor, a compassionate service leader, a 2nd counselor in Primary, anything and everything.

I am thankful for the Christlike love I have for all of my children and my grandchildren. They are ALL my favorites!!!

Too lazy to light up my house this year. Grateful I finally got all my Christmas cards mailed. Praying I get my boxes mailed on time. But mostly striving to have His love in my heart long after the Christmas season!
:-D

What an AWESOME vacation I just had!
It was wonderful to go back to Colorado and chill at the timeshare for a week with a few of my favorite girlfriends.

It was wonderful to veg and watch a bunch of my DVDs (some day I WILL figure out how to make my DVD player work with my DirectTV . . . ).

Did a little shopping at the factory outlet stores in Silverthorn and buzzed around Breckenridge on my way out ...

Spent some wonderful time at the temple with friends doing some of the sealings from their own geneology. VERY COOL!

Went to Gunther Toodys because one must when one is in Colorado!

Have a day to play with Nathan and Danica and learn how to loose on Playstation 3. Took pictures of them and Duncan and will also try and remember to get them off my camera, either onto disc or hard pics ... or download to hard drive at home ...

Thinking it would be GREAT if we did Breckenridge as a family in 2010. Given the sizes of your families ... you might want to consider if you can and if you want to, cause not all of us will fit anymore . . . (there are three beds, 2 king and one full) and two fold out couches and plenty of eating and showering areas ...) and we will figure something out at the end of 2009!

;-)

Your mother's view on conference ~

Can I just say how much I absolutely LOVE General Conference!!! Just when I think the last one was the best, a new one comes along and is even better!

I also love the fact that our ward has a pot luck in between sessions. It is nice to sit and greet each other without a lot of rush.

My favorite Spanish Elder is back in the area and we got to catch up after almost 10 months. He is due to head home to Mexico soon, but promises to bring his wife here, when he finds one.
:-D

Apparently the choir during the Priesthood session was amazing. Might have to sneak in some day and just check out that session . . . just kidding. Much too thankful to be a woman and a mom and a gramma. Have sons who have the Priesthood, and sealed to my Dad who has the Priesthood and I am surrounded my eager young elders through two of my callings, so have enough Priesthood to cover me several times over.

I wrote one note during the sessions; can't even tell you whose talk it was during (they had little lights to clip over the pews so you could see to write --- WAY cool). That note reads "you were raised on I love you period".

I somehow occured to me that my best journal entries were as each of you left home for the first time (Karen, that was Illinois) and how much peace I felt knowing that you knew I love you period. It was my belief then and still is that you (my children and now my grandchildren) can "make it" it the big bad world no matter what because you knew and still should know that I love you period.

I know I have made mistakes and have admitted to as many as I know of. I also know that each of you have made mistakes, and that we will all likely to make some more before this life is over for all of us. I do know that I have peace in my spirit because Heavenly Father and I have talked enough and my Savior has cleaned up what I couldn't/can't fix. I am reminded of this every time I sit in the Celestial room and rededicate my focus on being the best daughter of God I can be (and praying for help to be kind toward other drivers on the way home).

I am so grateful that despite the way I became a Mom, it is by far my greatest achievement. I was not a perfect Mom, but if you are (or if you are a perfect dad) then throw a rock on me. I am a great gramma. My kids and my grand kids are my greatest joy and my greatest blessings.

I hope that 20+ years from now you will be able to write something similar in your journals. You won't stop being a Mom/Dad or Husband/Wife in this life and we are all sealed to each other so we must be a Celestial family here in order to be a Celestial family for eternity.

Cannot imagine eternity without you!

Love,
Mom

What a Wonderful September!

So, my summer ended with a wonderful visit to Utah for Carter's baptism! 7 out of 10 grand babies is a good deal. Missed having the Lemons there, but am so very proud of Carter and his awesome spirit!

It was good to see my Dad and Mary again, and spend some time with Grandpa Lemon and Lisa too. And I got an early Christmas present, which Katelyn has already "taken" as HER church bag.

We had a wonderful and long overdue visit with her Mom finally this past Saturday. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, or any more huge gas price increases, we expect to go back up the weekend of the 27th!

Am already looking forward to my trip to Colorado in November. Guessing work will survive and just pile stuff up on my desk (not too bad this last round . . .) and now that I am the "acting" Relief Society music director too ... hoping the ward won't fall apart while I am gone either (November's vacation covers 2 Sundays --- and Elders lost their dinner calendar this round, so only guessing how bad two Sundays will be!).

Waiting now for the next "event" and lottery winnings (hard to win when you don't play!) or an unforeseen bonus at work!
;-p

End of Summer

I can't believe that summer is almost over. Given that everything here in the South runs s - l - o - w, summer has just raced past me!

I am so anxious to see most of my grand babies the first weekend in September, that I am now counting down the days.

Other than standing at the front door (glass) and watching a lightening storm or sheets of rain, or trucking the Elders around, nothing much excites me here. I lie. I forget I had my sinks "snaked" this week and am thrilled that I can run water for as long as I want to now in BOTH bathrooms. :)

Am sending one of my Elders home this month to West Jordan, and another one home to Alaska next month.

Have paved my way to the Celestial Kingdom by giving a Sacrament meeting talk two weeks ago, a baptism talk the week before that, and am scheduled to teach Relief Society this Sunday! Being good really is best (not better ... or good, for those of you who paid attention to that conference talk)!

We have Elder McConkie's son, Steven out here as our mission president. That apparently makes us famous, but then his sister, Mary, taught me health when I was in Jr. High, so I am already famous ...

So grateful to be upright and doctor free still. Guess I'd better save up for the dentist next huh ~

God Bless America

Okay, so I've got to say it. After months and months of being tortured by various doctors (who damaged more than they fixed), I am grateful for a month of being doctor free!

Guess that means I need to see a dentist. Does visiting with or hanging out with Danica count?
:-D

I am relieved to have all my tickets booked and paid for till the end of this year. Am thankful for new tires, new glasses,a new rug for my living room, and finally having rocking chairs on my front porch.

I am scared of the fact that apparently you don't have to "see" someone in your Bishopbric to be asked to give a talk (go ahead, ask about that one) and that they can book you out more than a month in advance.

I am back in the pool and hoping to loose SOME of my southern comfort (caused by comfort food and homemade mac & cheese ... not to be confused with the nasty box stuff). Can't have Jennifer and Shane being the only hotties in the family now can I?

So looking forward to Karen's updated blog ... hint, hint, hint and getting new picture of baby Charlie . . . another hint.

Happy and getting healthier . . .
:-)