Utah Valley University

I got to wear my Wolverine Pride for St. Patty's Day.

Several weeks ago Kiersten got invited to attend an awards banquet at Utah Valley University for her scholarship. She got to attend a dinner and received a very nice blanket. Earlier that day she and Tyler toured some housing prospects and found one where if you are accepted into the honors program, rent is half off.

She came home and got to work writing several required essays, submitting them the day they were due. An email came the next day, stating she had been accepted into the honors program. I guess the next step is to put down a deposit. She also had an interview to be a Brighton counselor this summer and we are in waiting mode to see if she got accepted.

I am so grateful for her and for her steadiness and good heart. What a blessing she is in our lives.

What's happening in my yard
Ahhh spring! I love it. I love watching everything wake up. My forsythia is all in bloom and makes me want to plant more. What a beautiful yellow.

I also took care of my raspberries, cutting out old canes and thinning them down. Technically this should be done after my June bearing ones are done producing and then sometime in the fall after my everbearers are done. But life kind of got in the way last fall and I didn't get around to it until now. I start by cutting everything down to about 2 or 3 feet high. That way I can see what I'm dealing with. Then I cut out all the old stalks which look more gray than the newer stalks and tend to break easier. Then I cut out any that are out of bounds. Raspberries like to sucker and will start coming up in places you don't want them. I cut those out and then I cut out the thin, spindly stalks, leaving the stronger ones behind. I will also cut out some of the stronger ones if they are too crowded. Crowding will give you less yield. Last year I got enough to make my own jam in addition to just eating them. Can't wait to see what this year does.

These are the days of . . . 
* I got asked to give a gardening presentation in my old ward. However, the day did not work for me and I had to say no. That would have been a really fun experience. Hopefully they call me another time.

*Field trips to the Clarke Planetarium. Third time for me so I opted out of the star show and instead caught up with an old friend.

Answer to a prayer

"It was meant that life would be a challenge. To suffer some anxiety, some depression, some disappointment, even some failure is normal. . . . if you have a good, miserable day once in awhile, or several in a row, to stand steady and face them. Things will straighten out. There is great purpose in our struggle in life." --Boyd K. Packer

This last week.

Yeah, this last week.

Let's just say I'm glad it's behind me.

It should have been a good week.

I could have made it a good week.

For cryin' out loud, it was birthday week (and that's just what I did on my birthday . . . cried to my mom for an hour).

Doors for the job search seemed to shut one after the other.

Our check to pay off a 401(k) loan was lost in Kentucky for a week and a half due to bad weather and never made it on time. Thankfully they have worked with us so we won't be charged an outrageous penalty.

My washer broke. Thankfully I was almost done with laundry and only had to take two loads to the laundromat. But my goodness gracious . . . $5 to wash two loads. Hoping the repair man shows up tomorrow. The dirty clothes are oozing out of their baskets.

I lost the keys in our ward building and could feel the stress mounting. During my nightly prayers I asked Heavenly Father to please help me know where they might be. IMMEDIATELY the thought came to check where we always hang our car keys. Did I straightaway go check? No, I was nervous and waited until morning . . . and there they were, just like He said.

I know I have the power to make my days into any kind day I want it to be.

These are the days of . . . 
*"Trainings." Alex and his friends at school are in training for something. I thought at first it might be American Ninja Warrior, an ultimate obstacle course on tv. But after talking with another mom, it might be more Nacho Libre kicks and punches. We've talked about not doing this to other kids.

*Getting pulled over. Erik drifted through a stop sign on his way to work and was immediately pulled over. Thankfully he had his license on him and the cop just gave him a warning. I hope it scared the crap out of him that he'll be a little more cautious. I've told him that he cannot afford to get a ticket at his age. Not only will he have to pay the ticket but the rise in his insurance also.


*Kiersten getting her chance at concert mistress. She got to walk on stage with her teacher, the conductor, warm the orchestra up, and sit in first chair. Her friend Brianna usually has this spot, but Brianna didn't know the music. Kiersten was euphoric the night of her concert about this little turn of events.

Grace

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.

-Romans 12:12

The past couple of days have been some downers. I am usually an upbeat woman full of faith and hope and optimism. But I let fear creep into my thoughts, bringing me pretty low. I went to the temple needing some assurance and some heavenly help and power from on high.

The word GRACE was whispered to me as I entered and I contemplated and referenced this word, waiting.

"My grace is sufficient for thee . . ." 2 Corinthians 12:9. This was a tender answer to my pleading for assurance from my loving Father in Heaven. His blessings and love are enough for me to get through these most difficult times. God's grace is sufficient for everything I lack and everything lacking in me.

"[I]t is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." 2 Nephi 25:23. I had been wondering why it seemed nothing was working in our favor and yet I felt I was doing everything I could within my power. I came to the temple asking about this and was pointed to this scripture. The Lord knows I am doing all I can and through his love and mercy and power He will make things right. One day this trial will end, saving us in a sense.

When the trials of life drive you to your knees causing you to realize how utterly dependent on the Lord you have to be, the only place to look is up. And God ever so patiently waits for us.

I came home, not feeling really any better, still wondering how to stretch our dollars. I was in a funk, needing to snap out of it, and decided a nap could help. Sometime during that nap, a delivery man, disguised as our bishop, handed Ty an envelope from a unknown benefactor. This is the second such envelope within a month containing a "sufficient" amount of funds.

Tyler and I are still so unsure how to handle this, wanting to pay it forward in some way. And so it sits, in a nightstand, waiting for the right time and the right use to manifest itself to us. The goodness of the people in our little community and ward has been incomprehensible as they continue to shower us with God's grace in rich abundance.

I once saw a quote that said something like this: "The gospel made us sisters; visiting teaching made us friends." I have found a new friend in one of the ladies I visit teach. She became aware of my "no good, terrible, very bad day" and gave me something to cheer me up.

I had told her that ice cream makes everything better. And she believed me. This was no easy task for her, having taken a chemo pill two days earlier that left her feeling very sick. What a gracious gesture. A gesture full of God's grace.

On a day when everything seemed to be wrong, God showed me through simple, small ways that he is still in the details of my life, very aware and concerned. God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.

These are the days of . . . 
* Ash's math competition. Two mornings a week since October she's been attending early morning math in preparation for this competition between the elementary schools in the district. Her team took 2nd place, only two-tenths behind first. So far all the my kids have participated in early morning math and loved it. Some of those questions had me scratching my head.

*Grammar Nazi.  Every day should be two words unless you are using it as an adjective as in "My everyday clothes are sweats and a t-shirt." This is one of the most common misspelled words I see in print, on billboards, and even on an English teacher's bulletin board.

Basketball

Church ball has come to an end . . . and I am sad. I love watching my boys play together. Their time spent practicing together really pays off. Nate's code name is Stealing Arms and he lives up to it. He's great at reading the pass and getting the ball. Erik had some good passes and shots and both did well at the foul line. They went undefeated this year but had to pass up a chance at region since half the team would be a tennis tournament in St. George.

Young women church ball. Well, that's a whole 'nother animal. There is simply no comparison and it's quite frustrating to watch. I love coaching from the sidelines with their coach Jamie from Big Canyon. We have dubbed ourselves Big Lake, a combination of the two wards names. For one of Mel's personal progress projects, she needed to come to all our basketball games and play in each one for a minute. In our last game, Kiersten gave her the ball and cleared the area, allowing her to shoot. I was so thankful to that other team who allowed her that moment.

I've spent the last two weeks subbing English classes at the high school. One week for one teacher and another for a teacher I sub for frequently. One of these teachers gifted me with a gift card, something I've never had happen. I guess I can consider it a bonus. Truthfully, I love substitute teaching.

 
These are the days of . . . 
* funny thoughts. Tyler told Alex he was a good learner. Alex gave him a curious look and replied, "I am a good murderer?"

*ACT prep. Erik is scheduled for another test on Tuesday.

*possible moves. Tyler had a really good job opportunity come up . . . in Seattle . . . that looked really promising. Enough that we had started looking at areas to live and homes. But news came back that he would not be continuing on in the interview process. He was one of five. At least they had the courtesy to let him know which is more than any other company so far.

Faith in the middle

... there are some of us who are sorta stuck here in the middle of the story, God, and we don't know what the next chapter holds. 

We've got no idea how our hearts are about to get broken or when, what the doctor could end up saying tomorrow, how the kids will turn out, or what's on the next page or the one after that. 

And when you're stuck in the middle of the story? Well, honestly, it's easy to feel at the end of your rope. 

And You pull us close, real close: "I’d never forget you—never.
Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands." Isa 49:16

You've etched the very letters of our name, of who we are, right into You. 
You haven't forgotten us or this chapter or this story, and if You haven't forgotten us, we're not about to go forgetting that Your stories always work out in the end -- and if things aren't working out quite yet, it just means we're not quite yet to the end. We'll literally practice our faith -- we'll practice saying thanks in the middle.

Faith thanks God in the middle of the mess, 
Faith thanks God in the middle of the night,
Faith thanks God in the middle of the story -- 

Because it believes in the relentless goodness of Him who will won't stop writing till there's good at the end of this story. 

--Ann Voskamp, Facebook feed

Cleft palate

My family story this week is to tell about an unusual genetic trait that runs in our family. At least it seems to.

Nathan was born the end of July and his 2-month checkup showed his uvula wasn't quite right (this is the little piece of skin that hangs down in the back of the throat). We were sent to an ENT who determined he had a cleft, splitting the uvula in two. The cleft also came just a little way up into his soft palate as well.

No surgery would be needed until he was about 18 months to correct it.

Fast forward a couple of years and my cousin Stephanie on the Seamons side gave birth to a baby boy with a full cleft that came all the way through his soft and hard palate and part of his lip. He has had to have several major surgeries to correct it.

During one family reunion as we sat and discussed these findings, my granny informed us that Sherwin, my dad's twin, also had a partial cleft resulting in his speech sounding a little nasally. 

The ironic thing is all three were male and all three were the third born in their family.

Nathan dealt with ear issues as a baby and toddler. He had four sets of tubes and has had to really work on several of his sounds to correctly pronounce them.

Best Mom Award happened the day before his 8th birthday, again involving his ears. You can read all about it here.

These are the days of . . . 
* subbing A LOT. Like every day. Which is good. We need the cash right now. An added bonus is I get to check in on my kids once in awhile, like Erik's AP Calculus class where I sat at my desk and surreptitiously took these photos of him and his cousin Scott working hard. And they were . . . working hard . . . for the most part.

Utah Valley University

My goal of writing more is getting all shot to heck. Life is busy.

This girl finally got the piece of mail she's been waiting for. Utah Valley University is getting an incredibly smart, talented, dedicated, thoughtful, righteous girl. As much as we give her grief about her decision to digress from the family alma mater, Utah State to become a wolverine, I know she knows how to receive revelation and this is the decision that brings peace to her.

Wanna know how you know you're getting answers? Well, really internalize your feelings. Are you conflicted or do you feel calm? When peace comes you will know it and you will know that that is your answer to whatever you are seeking.

For me the spirit is calm and peaceful and I relish those days when such feelings are in abundance and build confidence in my choices.

These are the days of . . .
*tennis. Conditioning has started and I can't wait to watch my boys play this year.

*Winter Ball which included a dinner at our house with snowman building beforehand.

*All About Me poster. I'm a smart mom and held on to the poster from last year. All we had to do this year was add a picture or two. I also happened to be subbing one day and got to take his picture.