I love General Conference weekend. It has filled me with light.
I went into the weekend with a lot on my shoulders and feeling pretty disappointed and discouraged in the direction the world is drifting in general. I wanted to find an easter dress for my oldest daughter this week and was so saddened to see that every option around me is completely immodest and distasteful. I did find one online which would actually cover her body but is so outrageously expensive there is no way I will be purchasing it. I did a little bit of reading about things happening in the political arena and was even more discouraged.
Enter General Conference.
Church leaders instilled in me love, confidence, determination and hope once again. We can make a difference. What I do at home with my children does matter and will always matter. How I do it matters even more. I am in control of my life and I can be divenly guided. I love receiving this encouragement and could tell that it affected my children similarly.
It was a fun, full week with beautilful weather and active children. A new apple tree is planted in the back yard. Flower seeds and vegetable seeds are sprouting and growing in many containers all over the concrete basement floor. {Another miracle that only happens because of light -- a good reminder again} Cousins came and played, another package of chalk was colored on the driveway and then painted off with water and paint brushes.
Another saturday with two soccer and football games went successfully.
One of the parents of a player on Clark's team told me that Madeline and I were 'top notch' coaches because when his daughter walked in we welcomed her and remembered her name. It made me realize how such little things can make such a large difference for people. Just by remembering someone's name we can send the message 'I care enough to remember you'. I was grateful to be taught again such a simple, powerful principle.
I didn't do much deep cleaning this week but still managed to keep the house looking mostly put together. This is getting easier and I am learning that when I just look at the clock really quickly and see how few minutes it takes me to do what we call a "room rescue" I realize that it gets easier each time. Especially when everyone helps out, everything goes so quickly and then we all feel better living here. With our family we will always live in a bit of chaos but I find that the tidiness of the house amidst the chaos really lightens my mood and helps me breathe deeper. Lessons I should have learned years ago.
The best part of another week gone by is that brings us one week closer to summer and having the children all home from schoool. Spring break this week made me realize how excited I am for summer and all the fun that comes with it! 8 weeks left of the school year is hard to believe. This is the hardest eight weeks of the year but then we will have a wonderful break and can enjoy each other more. Look at these adorable faces. Don't you want to spend summer with them as well?
Writing a summary of the week is an interesting thing. When I begin, I think to myself that we didn't do much this week and there isn't much to say. Then when I mentally comb through each day in the past seven I realize that we have had a lot take place; there is so much to learn and so much to share. If nothing else, it is so good for me to look back and see what worked and what failed and what bombed worse than failing. I'm glad I'm doing this and am also proud of myself for sticking with it every week so far. I hope your spring is beautilful and filled with light; especially this week of Easter.
Sailing on,
E
I went into the weekend with a lot on my shoulders and feeling pretty disappointed and discouraged in the direction the world is drifting in general. I wanted to find an easter dress for my oldest daughter this week and was so saddened to see that every option around me is completely immodest and distasteful. I did find one online which would actually cover her body but is so outrageously expensive there is no way I will be purchasing it. I did a little bit of reading about things happening in the political arena and was even more discouraged.
Enter General Conference.
Church leaders instilled in me love, confidence, determination and hope once again. We can make a difference. What I do at home with my children does matter and will always matter. How I do it matters even more. I am in control of my life and I can be divenly guided. I love receiving this encouragement and could tell that it affected my children similarly.
I was also lifted with light in my heart spending the day around family; watching with Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Rich and boys. We had such a fun easter egg hunt in the yard as well. What a light filled day!
It was a fun, full week with beautilful weather and active children. A new apple tree is planted in the back yard. Flower seeds and vegetable seeds are sprouting and growing in many containers all over the concrete basement floor. {Another miracle that only happens because of light -- a good reminder again} Cousins came and played, another package of chalk was colored on the driveway and then painted off with water and paint brushes.
Another saturday with two soccer and football games went successfully.
One of the parents of a player on Clark's team told me that Madeline and I were 'top notch' coaches because when his daughter walked in we welcomed her and remembered her name. It made me realize how such little things can make such a large difference for people. Just by remembering someone's name we can send the message 'I care enough to remember you'. I was grateful to be taught again such a simple, powerful principle.
I didn't do much deep cleaning this week but still managed to keep the house looking mostly put together. This is getting easier and I am learning that when I just look at the clock really quickly and see how few minutes it takes me to do what we call a "room rescue" I realize that it gets easier each time. Especially when everyone helps out, everything goes so quickly and then we all feel better living here. With our family we will always live in a bit of chaos but I find that the tidiness of the house amidst the chaos really lightens my mood and helps me breathe deeper. Lessons I should have learned years ago.
The best part of another week gone by is that brings us one week closer to summer and having the children all home from schoool. Spring break this week made me realize how excited I am for summer and all the fun that comes with it! 8 weeks left of the school year is hard to believe. This is the hardest eight weeks of the year but then we will have a wonderful break and can enjoy each other more. Look at these adorable faces. Don't you want to spend summer with them as well?
Writing a summary of the week is an interesting thing. When I begin, I think to myself that we didn't do much this week and there isn't much to say. Then when I mentally comb through each day in the past seven I realize that we have had a lot take place; there is so much to learn and so much to share. If nothing else, it is so good for me to look back and see what worked and what failed and what bombed worse than failing. I'm glad I'm doing this and am also proud of myself for sticking with it every week so far. I hope your spring is beautilful and filled with light; especially this week of Easter.
Sailing on,
E
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