#1 Run a 10K

Here we are, the crazy turkey trotters!  Thanks Tish for running with me, even though I nearly died at the end.  We ran every step of that 6.2 miles.  Time: 1 hr 6 mins 48 secs

#56 Brine a Turkey

I brined this baby.  And to my pregnant stomach, it tasted pretty awful.  Everyone else seemed to like it though.

To Be a Mother in Zion...

I've been having a rather difficult summer.  My plans have not been adding up the way I wanted them to, with my husband's knee surgery, preschool complications, and other unexpected things, I've been feeling a lot of stress.  Life is tough, and I am dealing with a lot of raw emotions.  Sadly, my mothering skills are too often in slacking mode.  I feel as though I am in meet-basic-needs mode and I can't get out of it.

While sitting in the "Family Relations" class at church the other Sunday, we were asked to read a talk by President Ezra Taft Benson titled, "To the Mothers in Zion" for our homework.  My first instinct was to ignore it since I felt guilty enough already but I started it anyway, and then spent the next several minutes reading it in class.  It is a gem.  I don't remember a lot about President Benson's time as Prophet (1985-1994) since I was pretty young, but from reading the words he said, I feel that he speaks quite directly.  I usually enjoy that, and it was no different in this talk.

President Benson begins directly with a statement that is so true, it rings in my bones.  "Spending time with your children is the greatest gift of all."  That's it.  T-I-M-E time.  Precious and fleeting though it is, and perhaps because that is exactly what it is.  My eyes start to well and my chest tightens because I know that this is the important thing, and yet is so easy to run out of.  However, he then gets specific and gives ten ways to spend effective time with our children.

1. Be at the Crossroads
2. Be a Real Friend
3. Read to Your Children
4. Pray with Your Children
5. Have Weekly Home Evenings
6. Be Together at Mealtimes
7. Read Scriptures Daily
8. Do Things as a Family
9. Teach Your Children
10. Truly Love Your Children

So, to help me internalize these principles, I'm giving myself an assignment.  For six weeks I will read this talk each Sunday and try to incorporate the ideas into my weekly activities.  Then I will write a summary report.

As I said in the beginning of this post, it's been an emotionally draining and difficult summer for me.  I feel that I often get caught up in the monotony of dishes, laundry, cleaning, wiping faces/hands/feet, cleaning muddy footprints/shoes/hands/fingernails/faces, cooking, and dishes again and forget to enjoy where I am.  My small children, the joys of their small triumphs and failures, the excitement of dirt/shovels/water/bugs, and their growth that is a seemingly indirect result of all the pure grunt labor and sacrifice I make every day.

And then, as I write this, I remember that times we played in the hose, watered the garden together, went to the park, read books or just talked.  Those are the happy times.  I want more of them.  And that is purely up to me.  The kids will find those imaginative opportunities.  But if I want to be a part of them, their imaginations, their joys, and their triumphs, I'll have to take that time, let other things go and BE a part of it.

#26 Build a Sandcastle

Here it is.  The kids especially loved the hole inside.  I officially got my hands dirty and sculpted some sand.  It was more fun than I thought it would be.

Blessings

It's been an interesting day.  I've had three extremely late nights in a row due to a combination of insomnia and my skin issues, and woke up this morning feeling rather angry at the world and sorry for my tough lot in life.  After a morning full of poopy diaper changes, getting three breakfasts, doing last night's dishes, starting a load of laundry, and helping mow and clean up the back yard, I stood at the counter making sandwiches (Two peanut butter and jellies on white bread for the husband, two soynut butter and jellies for the girls, and one soynut on a bagel for the allergy boy)   for everyone's lunch.  Wallowing in my self-pity, nasty thoughts came to mind of how not one of them would even care that I made three separate lunches for them so they would each like it/be healthy/safe and it was almost positive that they wouldn't realize I still have one to make for myself since I don't even like pb&j (or the allergy friendly variants) and even if I did want one, I'm not sure if I should eat that bread since I still have baby weight to lose.  


At that moment, I had a moment of recognition that I was wallowing and I decided to stop.  But, my own will was not strong enough at that moment to do it.  I said a prayer.  It went something like, "Dear Father-in-Heaven, please help me.  I don't want to make these sandwiches out of spite or duty.  I want to do it out of love.  Please help me to do that."  And, I forced a smile and kept spreading the jam.  

In a few moments, I looked out the window and saw B. playing with her little brother.  He was laughing, she was laughing.  E. was walking slowly in front of Dad pushing the small handle of the lawnmower while Dad, arms stretched long, walked behind her as they cut the grass.  I had a very different kind of moment.  It started out peaceful and happy and quickly turned to awe.  I thought, "We are a family.  We all do things that aren't convenient to help each other out.  We do it from duty, from need, from kindness, and above all from love.  That is what makes our family work, and why I cycle through the never-ending practical necessities--including making sandwiches.  I bowed my head there at the kitchen counter again, this time in gratitude for an answered prayer.

Then, a little bit later, I had to bite the bullet and call the credit card company to take care of some incorrect charges.  I thought that I would have no chance of having them removed, though I had done everything as correctly as I could.  As I said a prayer for strength and courage to make the call, I remembered that we had paid our tithing on Sunday.  I stayed after church and deliberately made the payment, though a big part of me wanted to just take it home and then turn it in next week.  However, I decided not to be lazy and did it.  Remembering that instance right before my phone call, I felt that I would see the blessings of paying an honest and timely tithe.  I made the call and everything was resolved quickly and easily.  As I dissolved into tears of gratitude, I knew in my heart that this blessing was a direct result of tithing.

I write this today in hopes that my future self or children will be able to look back on these experiences in a time of need.  It was greatly needed by me today and I am so grateful to know I have a Father in Heaven who loves me, who knows my needs, and who answers my most humble prayers.  

#51 Hang a Shelf

  And to top it off, I hung two!

Golden

I'm not sure when or where I heard about golden birthdays and golden years, probably in Elementary school. All I remember is that the year you turn the age of your date of birth is your "Golden Year". One of the best years of your life. I remember being annoyed that mine was so far in the future and have looked forward to being 27 almost as long as I can remember. Today is that day. The beginning of my Golden year. However, rather than sit around and expect this to be the best year of my life and ending up disappointed, I've made a few plans. First, I want to remember this year I've waited so long for. So, I will be taking a picture each day. Hopefully something good and memorable. Second, I want to write in my journal once a week reflecting gratefully on my blessings. And finally, I want to give thanks to my Father in Heaven each night. I hope and have faith that doing these things will help me make this anticipated year well worth remembering. Allez!