Why...?

I ask a lot of questions, anyone who knows me well can tell you. I start a lot of conversations out with "Why..." or "can I ask you a question?" Asking questions is how I learn, but sometimes having so many questions gets me in trouble. People get annoyed or think I am questioning them or their authority. I lost one of the best jobs I have ever had by asking questions. My supervisor thought I was questioning her, but I was really just trying to learn why we were doing things the way we were.
Last night I had an experience I would like to share. I was saying my night prayers and I asked Heavenly Father a question. I asked Him why He was doing something. I have been told many times not to question the Lord, but like I said questions help me learn so I do question the Lord. I was worried that He would not like me questioning Him so I explained I do it only because I want to learn about Him. I saw in my mind His face and he had a look of such profound love that I knew without a doubt He is not upset with me asking Him questions or questioning why He does something. I feel His love, the love of a father, a father who never gets tired of answering my never ending why questions. I am so grateful that He knows my thoughts and intentions and knows that I ask only to learn, not to question Him or His authority.
This experience and others help me to know that Heavenly Father is truly our father. He loves us and His love is perfect. He wants us to come to Him with our questions, he wants to answer those questions and teach us. Is is the perfect father, teacher, friend, and comfort. I love Him and I know that He loves me because I am His daughter.

Hound Dog!

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog!

John thought that Glen looked like Elvis in these PJ's, so we just had to do a dance. I think it turned out pretty good, although it made me more self-conscious about my camera skills.

Perfect weaknesses

I have discovered a weakness that I have. A sort of good weakness, if you can call any weakness good. I absolutely hate having a messy house. When Glen was born I was going crazy because I couldn't keep the house clean. I either had John telling me not to do much, everyone else telling me to stay down, or my trader of a body telling me to do the same. Grrr...
I have been sick for a few days now. On Saturday I felt better and so I decided to catch up on house work. I takled three rooms and by the end of the night I was in really bad shape. I had over done it again. I spent most of the day sleeping on Sunday and so I feel better today, but I have learned my lesson, at least temporarily. I cannot run faster then I have strength.
It is frustrating though, I want to be a great mom, a great wife, a great homemaker, keep the house spotless, cook gourmet meals, bake from scratch, and never cook out of a box. I am slowly, but surly, learning it isn't going to happen. (especially with kids) So how do you come to terms with the fact that you cannot be perfect? In the scriptures Christ says "What manner of men aught ye to be?... Even as I am." -3 Nephi 27:27 So shouldn't we be perfect? I love the Visiting Teaching message we had a months or two ago. It talked about that scripture and said that to be like Christ is to love as He loves, and give as He gives...in other words, practice charity. There is also another scripture that I love that says "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble." -Ether 12:27, but later on in the same verse it says that we must first humble ourselves and then Christ will make that weakness become a strength. So even though this weakness I have of doing to much is bad for me now, with the Lord's help I can make this weakness become a strength. And who knows what will come after that...

Taking up arms

I am taking up arms to fight for Christ.
Tonight I was thinking that Jesus Christ loved everyone. He never let anything stand in His way. In my mission to become closer to Him I will never give up on anyone either. A friend who needs me, a member who is not active, a child who hurts, a stranger who needs love; I will be there.
"Savior, may I be my brother's keeper..." There are refugee's among us, refugees of the heart. Inside of each person is a battle waging within. If you look close you can see it in their eyes, do you know anyone who is losing that battle? I am taking up arms and leading them to a place of safety, a safe harbor of the heart. Sometimes the only arms protecting them, belong to you and I.
When the pioneers were coming across the plains the Martin and the Willie handcart companies, faced great struggles and many were dying. When the Prophet Brigham Young heard about their plight he ended conference and immediately mounted a rescue. The Lord would have done the very same. If the Lord will leave the 99 to go after the 1 we need to do the same. Starting now you can count on me to care. I am going to help ease the pain, lead a lost soul to safety, and help the one who is lost. From now on you can always count on me.

Sleeping sweetly

My nephew Elijah came to visit this weekend. He loves Glen so much and always wants to help. At two sometimes he helps too much, but it is sweet to see how much he cares. He was often trying to put Glen's Binky in his mouth, if Glen didn't want the Binky Elijah would suck on it. (Can't let a good Binky go to wast can you?) Elijah would help him swing, help buck him in to his car seat, or drag us in the nursery when Glen cried at night. It was like he was telling us "Glen is crying, help him." and when we didn't he looked sad, almost like we were being mean to Glen. I loved how Elijah often would take Glen's had because every one else was going to the table, Glen needed to come to, or he would try to lead Glen outside to play or go down the slide at the park. Elijah is going to have a new baby sister soon, what a relief it must be to mom to know how much help he will be. :)

The shape of my mind

I have been pondering what shape I would give my mind if I could.
I have decided that I would choose a Sequoia. The Sequoia tree starts
out as a small seed, but will eventually grow into one of the biggest
trees in the world.

When I was born I knew very little. How to eat and other instincts
were my only knowledge. As I grew I learned, and learned, and
learned more. I continue even now to learn and will do so for the
remainder of this life. Whatever knowledge I have not yet gained in this
life I will endeavor to gain in the next life until my mind, like that of the
thousands year old great sequoia trees is enormous and seemingly infinite,
some day to become infinite.

The changing seasons

So I was thinking about the changing seasons. During the winter I get sick of being cold and cannot wait for
summer, during the summer I hate being hot and cannot wait for winter. Each season has its advantages and also it's disadvantages. Winter brings skiing, sledding, holiday seasons and building snow men ans snow forts. Summer brings swimming, BBQ's, evening walks, camping, and vacations. (Not to mention our anniversary) Spring and Fall are fun in their own way, new flowers and jumping in a huge pile of leaves to name a

few.
I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows enough about me to send me somewhere I get to experience and enjoy all of the seasons. It seems like I am just getting sick of one when the next starts. What an exciting and beautiful world we live in. We are so blessed to have this world that He created just for us. I think that when the Lord was creating the world not only did He create it for us, but also with us in mind. He created things that we would see as beauty, things we would love, and also things to help us and try us. How much He must love us to do that.

I Love You Grandma

Glen loves Grandma this big!

Glen Rollling Over

Glen rolled over all by himself for the first time today. I have been practicing with him, helping him roll over and doing other exercises with him. I had been working with him for a few minutes when I left himon his stomach. After a bit he rolled over on his own. I had to get this on camera since John was gone.
Hey, since he rolled over two months earlier then is expected, maybe his first word will be homologate after all. There is still hope.

I am...

I am: A child of God
I think: A lot
I know: Less then I would like to
I want: to keep learning
I dislike: being late, disorganized, or having a messy house.
I miss: John when he is gone
I fear: losing those I love
I feel: my Savior love in all the world around me
I hear: Glen cooing
I smell: My cinnamon candle
I crave: pretzels
I cry: a lot when I am pregnant
I search: for answers to my ubiquitous questions
I wonder: If my mind had a physical shape what would it be?
I regret: it when I say things without thinking first
I love: dancing to my own music
I always: remember to put on pants before leaving the house
I worry: too much sometimes
I am not: perfect
I have: a yogurt in my hand
I remember: eating ice cream with my brother
I believe: in angels
I dance: wearing moccasins
I sing: when I know the words
I don’t always: eat my veggies
I argue: with myself more then anyone else
I write: letters
I win: at Tetris
I lose: every time I wrestle John
I wish: wishing were not so pointless
I listen: to music
I don't understand: when people hurt others
I can usually be found: with my nose in a book
I am scared: of mirrors in the dark (weird huh?)
I need: to feel loved
I forget: what I was trying to remember
I am happy:when Glen talks to me

Father son interview

Glen and John were sitting together talking to each
other one day. I thought it was great that they talked
back and forth for so long. The video is less then a minute,
but they talked for probably about 5 minutes. Glen loves
to talk. Just like his mom.

Dancing

If dancing builds brain connections, do you think
this song kills those connections?

Glen practicing

One day I left Glen in the nursery to play while I did a few things. I went back in because I thought he was crying. Turns out he was practicing to be a missionary. Here he is teaching the plan of happiness so that Octopus and the Satr-Bellied Sneech can be toghther for eternity.

Nature

A while ago I went hiking with my family. Glen and I stayed down at the bottom while Dad, Walter, and Julia hiked up above the waterfall. As we were laying there I looked at the trees, grass, and sky and I thought about how Heavenly Father made this perfect world just for us. Right after that thought I happened to look at a piece of grass that was turning brown and looked like it had been eaten by bugs. I started thinking that even though individually the world is not perfect, every thing combines to make it perfect. Well, one thing led to another and pretty soon I started to analyze people. Individually people are not perfect, far from it, but together we can become perfect. In a marriage each person has different talents, likes and dislikes, and traditions. When put together these differences can make a marriage wonderful. For example last night John and I were reading a book together and we came upon a word. he asked me if I knew the meaning and I replied that I did, we disagreed on the meaning though so we pulled up the dictionary. It turns out that he knew part of the definition and I knew the other part. Together we completed the definition as we complete each other and will eventually be perfected together.

Twins!

In September Angelina came for a visit with her two kids Angelea and Enoch. I had been so excited to see Enoch and to hold him. Enoch and Glen looked just like little twins. When they were not side by side we all (whole family) had a hard time telling them apart, even the moms and dads did.
Enoch and Glen hit it off immediately as you can see. They are buds. When we lay them down next to each other and they talked and played as much as infants do. They really looked like they were communicating, probably telling secrets, or talking about Jesus. We were so sad when they all had to go.