Simple Gifts

My Simple Gifts:

Joe - best friend and calm to my turbulent storm
My Children - teachers of humility, sacrifice, and love
My Moms - joy and sunshine, laughter and tears, best girls-get-away makers
My Dads - priesthood blessings and unconditional love
My Brothers and Sisters - examples and eternal friends
The gospel of Jesus Christ - peace, refuge and the knowledge of eternal families
Music - beauty
Friends and neighbors - strength and belonging
Visiting Teachers - comfort and lesson on Simplicity:

"We can’t predict all the struggles and storms in life, not even the ones just around the next corner, but as persons of faith and hope, we know beyond the shadow of any doubt that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and the best is yet to come," ("Let Him Do It with Simplicity," Elder L. Tom Perry).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Simple Gifts Lyrics

'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight,
'Til by turning, turning we come round right

'Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,
'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,
And when we expect of others what we try to live each day,
Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,

'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.

Happy Halloween

Jared really did end up a Grim Weeper for Halloween after all. His mask kept slipping and he couldn't keep up with his friends trick-or-treating, so he ended up at home in tears for a bit before going out again with his brother and sister. Rachel complained about her hat, saying it was too itchy (I wonder if she has eczema again), and almost didn't make it out trick-or-treating at all. She cheered up though when she finally got candy. Brock loved it and shouted Trick or Treat as loudly as he could at each house. The kids partied at a city Halloween Carnival the night before and loved it, so I suppose Halloween was a semi-success.

We Are a Happy Family?

Brock told me, "I love you Mom. And I love Dad. And I love Rachel. And I love Jared. We are a happy family!" Of course, later he got upset with me about something and said, "I hate you mom!"

I want to forget the anger and remember, instead, all the love I have for my children and they for me. I hope my kids will do the same in remembering me that way - because I'm learning too. Rachel brought home a picture of a monster she made at school. She named it Sera. I realize I've got a lot to learn.

My mom says we spend just a few years being raised by our parents and the rest of ours lives trying to recover from it. Now that I have kids myself, it's a little easier to recover, because, if my parents were like how I am now, then I know they just tried their best: they were not, as I mistakenly thought as a child, all-knowing. And they also weren't monsters either - just human.

A Marathon

We went to St. George earlier this month to visit Gran and Grandpa Saurey and cheer for our friend Landon as he ran the St. George Marathon. Landon did great – despite the rain! The rain poured down the entire race. I ascribe it to luck: it’s only rained twice in the Marathon’s 30 year history. The last time it rained? 25 years ago. Gran and Grandpa make us and our friends feel so welcome and we appreciate their hospitality and also the wonderful food: I feel like I ate Thanksgiving dinner already!

The Grim

I asked the children what they want to be for Halloween. Jared said, "I want to be the Grim Weeper."

We looked at costumes the other day and Brock said, "Look, the Grim Sweeper," and Rachel said, "No, it's the Grim Weeper."

Joe says, "We weep what we sow."

I say: That's the grim truth.

Timber

Joe took our dead tree down. A wind storm came through a couple days later. I'm sure nothing would have happened even if we'd left the tree, but we were glad we took it down before the wind came, just the same.

Girls and Boys

Joe asked Rachel about her day. Rachel said she told a boy at school, "I have a crush on you."

Joe asked, "Why did you do that?"

Rachel replied: "Because he's sooooo handsome."

She and a friend chase him at school, but he doesn't like them to chase him. Why? Girls have cooties.

Six Facts, Six Rules, Six Tagged

I've been tagged by Brecca! The rules are as follows: 1. Link the person who tagged you.2. Post the rules on your blog.3. Write 6 random things about yourself.4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.5. Let the person know you tagged them on their blog.6. Let the tagger know when you've posted.

1. I’m completely and absolutely directionally challenged. I think I could even get lost with a navigation system telling me where to go – hard, I know, but I think I’m up to the challenge.

2. I love blonde hair. At five years of age I just knew God should have sent me to earth with blonde hair instead of brown. I told my mom I wanted blonde hair like my best friend Bree. My mom told me I didn’t have any blonde genes. I couldn’t believe my luck, all I needed was blonde jeans and, voila, I’d be blonde! I told my mom I wanted to buy some jeans right away. Yea, I never got them.

3. I dreamed of starring in plays in elementary school and later in Junior High. My acting debut and end, however, occurred in fifth grade. I got to say one line in Treasure Island when the girl who was supposed to say it got sick. I repeated it over and over to myself so many times; I’m surprised I’ve now forgotten it.

4. Things I’m afraid of: my own driving (I think this is also one of Joe’s fears); talking in front of people (which came in handy when I tried out for plays); sharks; and going through labor again.

5. I love libraries. I think God must have a hand in our lives for Joe to get offered a job to work at the Rick’s college library – a place I loved and frequented often. I first checked him out there, and I haven’t returned him since!

6. Other things I love: My family – my best friends and greatest examples, camping or partying with friends (anytime, anywhere), the brilliant new Dr. Who series, foot rubs with pina colada lotion, my new neti pot, sleeping, watching meteor showers at slumber parties, Café Rio’s pork salad, and listening to Yo Yo Ma.

Six people I tag:

1. Aubrie
2. Ruth
3. Jake
4. Kiirsten
5. Mom Bryan
6. Joe (if he ever decides to blog again)

More of Manhattan

Wicked - Times Square

Joe fulfilled my fantasy by taking me to see Wicked on Broadway in New York! He surprised me for my birthday and also, he said, to celebrate our tenth anniversary. I know, I don’t deserve it, or Joe, but I love him, and I did love seeing Wicked – it’s, well, fabulous!