The Finished Product

After a few changes to my gratitude journal for our next enrichment, here's how the finished product looks and I like it much better than my original. Same concept, just a little different design.

On a Lighter Note

My in-laws celebrated my birthday the day before (thankfully it wasn't the day of after how sick I was) by fixing me dinner and a delicious ice cream cake. I always ask for corn on the cob because when I was little I grew up on a farm and my birthday always came around the time the corn was fresh and ready to be harvested, so we'd live off the corn for weeks it seemed. I guess it was just my birthday tradition so to speak (at least it was in my mind). So Lance's mom gave me all the corn I wanted and fixed lasagna, garlic bread, and salad for everyone else. They spoiled me with generous gifts that were far too unnecessary (not that I'm ungrateful, I just think they could have spent their money on something more worthy, certainly not me). It was a fantastic early birthday!

The day of, while I was laying on the couch writhing in pain, my parents and sister in law and nieces and nephews came to visit me with lovely cards and gifts. Thank you so much everyone, I'm certainly blessed with the best family and in-laws that anybody could ever ask for! This is the front of the card that my boss (aka my dad) gave me. It's so fitting and absolutely me in every way.

I Turned 24

Here's how my birthday went: I got to work and after a few hours I find that my stomach isn't feeling too hot. I drank a lot of water to try and flush it out and ate a graham cracker. I left work at about 12:30 without telling anybody because my stomach was twisting and turning in complete knots and I was in excruciating, sharp, stabbing sort-of pain. I called the dentist to reschedule my appointment for the afternoon because I really wasn't feeling well. (Now mind you this appointment was no ordinary check up. I've been having some jaw pain so I thought I'd let the dentist figure it out instead of WebMD). The secretary said no, you definitely need to come in and the Dr's last patient just left so the sooner you get here, the sooner he can tell you what's wrong with your jaw. Fine. I was doubled over with nauseous pain so Lance drove me and once I got into the dentist chair I asked him what I'm supposed to do if I need to throw up. At this point I wasn't at all worried about my jaw because my stomach was seriously upside down! He said, you turn that way (pointing to his assistant) and do your thing. Ha! What a comedian! (His lovely assistant then left to get me a bucket).

After he poked and prodded in my mouth a little bit he decided that he needed another Xray. Once he got them he put his finger to his chin and said, "Huh! Well that's a first in my career" and then left to show the other Dr my ever so beautiful Xray. Long story short, the one wisdom tooth that wasn't pulled when I was a junior in high school, has decided to show it's lovely presence by trying to get it's way through another tooth. Yes, I have to have oral surgery next week to remove not just one, but two teeth which will leave me with a huge hole in the back of my mouth. Happy birthday!

Experimenting

When the glass etching turns out, it's a pretty light color and texture that isn't all too easy to see. I wondered to myself what would it look like if I did it on a piece of glass that was dark? So off to the hardware store I went to find some darker glass which I didn't see but alas! I found a gorgeous black granite tile. Here are the results and you definitely have to look at it in the right light to see the letters, but this one was for Lance. My conclusion is this: the granite tile did work to etch on but it's pretty subtle so it depends on the kind of look you want.

I Love FHE

Last night Kempton gave the FHE lesson since most of the family was together. It was a really great lesson and something that I definitely needed to hear. We each had reading assignments and gave a brief story of the ones we were assigned which were about past prophets and how they demonstrated their faith in certain situations. We talked about Abraham and Sarah, Daniel and the lion's den, Joshua and Jericho, etc. etc. We then read Hebrews 11 which also references the same and many other stories of prophets and people demonstrating faith, and were taught even deeper the principle of faith. I was deeply touched by what we read in Lectures on Faith by Joseph Smith:

"We here understand, that the sacred writers say that all these things were done by faith. It was by faith that the worlds were framed. God spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order by reason of the faith there was in Him. So with man also; he spake by faith in the name of God, and the sun stood still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lions' mouths were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion; and all this by reason of the faith which was in him. Had it not been for the faith which was in men, they might have spoken to the sun, the moon, the mountains, prisons, the human heart, fire, armies, the sword, or to death in vain! Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power, dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God. Without it there is not power, and without power there could be no creation nor existence!"

My Loyalty to Girlfriends (the shop that is)

Can I just say how much I LOVE {squeal!} Scrappin' Girlfriends?!?!?!
I went in there yesterday to get some ideas on a gratitude journal that I'm making as a handout for our next enrichment meeting. Michelle was more than helpful and was running all over the shop showing me different ideas, colors, shapes, and purposes that I might be able to use.

[Gasp!] What??? You have never been there?!

Well seriously, get over there now because trust me, you don't want to miss out on all their fabulous crafts and besides that, they're having a sale that ends Friday. Check them out on the link below under creativity and hurry before the sale ends!

Now this isn't quite the finished product but rather my trial run at the gratitude journal. I don't quite like how this one turned out. I don't know what it is but something is just amiss (besides the typo on the quote). I'm going today to get the rest of the supplies so when I'm finished I'll have to post a picture. And might I add, with the chip board front and back plus the embellishments, the grand total is

drum roll please.................

The total is $1. But with the consensus of the scrapping girls from last night(our mini RS class), I'll be making them a little bit different than this one and a little cheaper to about 50 cents!

From the 1940's

Accentuate the positive;
Eliminate the negative.
Latch on to the affirmative;
Don't mess with Mr. In-Between.

Magnify Your Heritage

This past weekend was Craft Day with my family and my Grandma was in charge. I was really looking forward to it for a number of reasons other than the obvious of making a cute craft. However, my Grandma wanted us to learn about her mother in law, my Great Grandma Charlet whom I never knew. I was really grateful for this because I never knew her and as I become older and hopefully wiser in my years, I'm absolutely intrigued by family history and family stories. I love to learn about it because #1 its a part of who I am and #2 its a part of the legacy that I'll pass on to my children and grandchildren.

Grandma Charlet was a woman of spirituality, integrity, hard work ethic, etc. Among the two things she lived for besides her family of seven children and a wonderful husband whom she married at age 17, were that of quilting and her flower beds. Each of her grandchildren in attendance that day (my aunts and mom) were all to bring the tea towel that Grandma Charlet made for them and display for us all to see. She did beautiful embroidery and sewing!

I'm so grateful to have a family heritage that is honorable and one that I aspire to contribute to. I'm thankful for those who are now living that preserve the memories and possessions they carry that once belonged to my ancestors. I'm so happy and eager to learn about family history and to pass it on to my posterity. I love it. I treasure it. It is who I am.

My great grandma Charlet with her son, my grandpa Don Watson who was in high school during this photograph.

State of Mind

I've had a very overwhelming week and although I can't pinpoint exactly what has made it so, especially since nothing out of the ordinary has taken place, I feel..........................I don't know exactly.......................................extremely blah and strung out. I'm exhausted and completely drained. I have no energy and I feel like I need a heavy dose of Tawni's workouts as a swift kick in the behind and a fierce slap to my face. (Seriously Tawni, I miss your aerobics class SO much!)

However, I can relate and am so drawn to this quote by Abraham Lincoln. I feel like it's the only thing giving me hope right now: "I have been drawn many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go."

Words of Encouragement

There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part-or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.....
.....We need to remember that the full commitment of motherhood and of putting children first can be difficult. Through my own four-generation experience in our family, and through discussions with mothers of young children throughout the Church, I know something of a mother’s emotions that accompany her commitment to be at home with young children. There are moments of great joy and incredible fulfillment, but there are also moments of a sense of inadequacy, monotony, and frustration. Mothers may feel they receive little or no appreciation for the choice they have made. Sometimes even husbands seem to have no idea of the demands upon their wives.....
.....The first question: What can you do, as a young mother, to reduce the pressure and enjoy your family more? Second, don’t over schedule yourselves or your children. Third, even as you try to cut out the extra commitments, sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Fourth, pray, study, and teach the gospel.....
.....Let us remember that “the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children” I pray that God will continually bless the women of the Church to find joy and happiness in their sacred roles as daughters of God.
- M. Russell Ballard