A Family Is Of God

A familiar scene, children rising almost as one drawing in a deep breath and exhaling the beautiful words of Christ's teachings.
We had our annual Primary program this past Sunday.  The theme for this year was "Our Eternal Family."  There was a lot of material that we really wanted to present, so the program was a little challenging to write this year.  We did our best and I felt like in the end it was a success.
We likened our families to a home, the Proclamation to the World was like the blueprints to our home.
The foundation, of course is Christ & Heavenly Father.  What family can succeed without their help in this challenging time in history.
The Floor is symbolic of the families that came before us, that taught us the way that we should raise our own children and treat our spouses.
The walls- just as a home cannot stand with only one wall, neither can a family be eternal without each member doing their part.  President Harold B. Lee taught, "The most important of the Lord's work that you will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home.
The nails, are the many principles of the gospel, they provide overall unity and strength to our families.
The doorway is of course baptism.  The entrance into the home and also the entrance that we all need to return to our Savior and be a part of an eternal family.
Windows are the prophets, their words shine light on our often troubling and dark times.
The bricks are like the temple is to us as latter-day saints, a protection against the world.  The mortar between can be likened to the blessings of the temple, it is what seals us together and holds us together for eternity.
The roof is like the Savior, He is our protector and keeps us sheltered from the elements of the world.

There was a song that we sang this year that has been so touching to me.  Every time I sing it I have a very difficult time not breaking down into tears.  It's called The Family Is Of God and its message is a powerful one.  I apologize to all of those that are in Primary, just scroll past if you don't want to reread it.

Our Father has a family

it's me, it's you, it's all others too

we are his children.

He sent each one of us to earth

through birth

to live and learn here in families.

God gave us families, to help us become what he wants us to be

this is how he shares his love, For the Family is of God.

A father's place is to preside, provide,

to love and teach the gospel to his children.

A father leads in family prayer to share

their love for Father in Heaven.

Chorus

A mother's purpose is to care, prepare,

to nurture and to strengthen all her children.

She teaches children to obey, to pray

to love and serve the family

Chorus

I'll love and serve my family and be

a good example to each family member.

And when I am a mom or dad, so glad

I'll help my family remember.

God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be

This is how He shares His love, For the Family is of God.

This was a very emotional program for me.  You see, they released the whole primary presidency this past week.  Right before we started the program at church, we were released.  It was very sad. 
I had an even harder time with it because I was the only member in the presidency not to receive a new calling upon being released.  So I moped around all day and felt unwanted and sorry for myself.  I had convinced myself that I had done a terrible job in fulfilling my duties, and that the Lord no longer wanted me to help build up his kingdom.
I felt sorry for myself for the entire afternoon and made everyone else around me as miserable as I felt.
As I was putting the girls to bed Kira started to cry and was very upset that I wasn't coming back to primary next week.  I wanted to cry with her.  She asked me why I got fired, and I explained that I wasn't fired and that I didn't do anything wrong, the Lord just wanted someone else to be in primary. 
Then she wanted to know where I was going to go during church.  I told her about Relief Society, and she said that it wasn't fair.  She told me that I did a good job and that I should stay in primary.
It made me feel better that at least one person was going to miss me, and one person thought I did a good job.  But it didn't do much for my feeling sorry for myself.
After a few minutes of silence, Kira spoke up again.
"Mom, what would happen if you broke your back?"
This question made me step back for a second.
"You would be paralyzed," I said.
"What does paralyzed mean?"
"It means that you can't move or feel a part of your body."  I answered her.
She asked me a few more in depth question about it until she felt satisfied that she understood.
As we talked I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my daughter and for my Heavenly Father.  Here He was showing me through my daughter that I had nothing to feel sorry about.  I am needed by my family, I am loved by them, and they want me.  I also am very blessed to a have a family who are all whole.  We have no medical problems to speak of.  We are very blessed, in so many ways.
I am very grateful for My Eternal Family, and I am grateful for the chance that I had to serve in the Primary.
And I wish the new presidency all the luck in the world.
Thanks for reading my very long post.

We Have a New Reader in The House

Yes, the most exciting thing in the world has happened in the last three weeks of Kindergarten.  Our second beautiful little girl has learned to read those little four page books that are sent home every Monday afternoon.  This is the last book that IS brought home and the incredible thing is, she was able to READ it all by herself.


So to demonstrate this I put together this little silent film of her reading it exactly as she did to me.



Do your really want me to answer that?

We are so proud of her, but maybe we need to get her eyes checked.


Sorry to those of you that have already read this story, it was posted on my Cake Crumbs site but thought that the family might enjoy reading about it as well

Update on Emma

Emma's cheek still has a home made dimple just above the apple.  It adds personality, but it is still hard as rock and is still rather large.  I took her to the doctor on Friday for a check up because she has been complaining that is hurts her still.  So we packed her up and headed to Dr. Madsen's. 
While waiting for him to come in she was singing and talking non-stop.  Like usual.  One of her comments that she repeated over and over was, "I love Dr. Madsen.  He's so nice."  I said to myself, we'll see how long that lasts.
When the Dr came in he poked and prodded the sore cheek, which Emma didn't even flinch at.  (Of course, I take her to the doctor and she tries to make a liar out of me)  Then he "hmm"ed and stepped out of the room for a few seconds, and brought back with him a tape measurer (is that even a word) and a terrible smell.  I guess you have to let it rip whenever the opportunity presents itself.  But then I have to wonder if he really had to leave the room to grab the tape or if he just had to provide himself that opportunity.  Guess I'll never know.
Anyway, back to the story.  He measured the lump in her cheek and reported that it was 4 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  And was far to large considering how long ago she had injured herself.  He suspected an abysses and so we were sent to the hospital to have blood work done.
This was Emma before we went back for the stick.

This was her after. 

On the way home she said over and over, "I don't love Dr. Madsen."

We filled her script for antibiotics and headed home to start her treatment.  Trying to get her to drink that stuff was like trying pull a nail out of a moving tire.  But on the bright side, her lump has drastically shrunk in size.  After 4 days of torture twice daily we got a phone call from Dr. Madsen.
D.M.- Well, good news, there's no sign of infection.
Me- What?!  Then why is her lump shrinking?
DM- I'm not sure?  That's interesting.  Have you been putting the hot compresses on regularly like we talked about?
Me- Yes, pretty regularly (Yeah we did it once, the first day)
DM- Well that's probably what's doing the trick.  Keep that up for a few days and she'll be ok.  The lump will probably stay hard like that for 12 to 18 months and then start to soften up.  But she will have the dimple indefinitely.  I can refer you to a plastic surgeon if you'd like.
A plastic surgeon?!  For a dimple, I told him no and that it would give her character.  And asked about the antibiotic.  He then told me to just have her stop using it.
GRRRRR!   I just spent nearly $75 on meds and co-pays to have him tell me to JUST STOP.  Not to mention the abuse I've administered along with the medicine.  Not really but I though about it.  And then to find out it wasn't even needed!!!!  I have found myself echoing Emma, "I don't love Dr. Madsen."

Wolf!

I can see a tradition starting here in our little family. This same thing happens every year in the second or third week of school. This year was no different.

Friday afternoon I was at home busy cleaning (he, he) when I was disturbed by the brrring! of the telephone. Yes I do indeed still have a land line so I still have to hear the high pitched sound of a corded telephone.

I made my way over to my phone and picked it up.

"Hello!" I said in a chipper voice.

I was answered with a very sad, very pouty voice at the other end.

"Mom?" Her voice shook as she said my name. Instantly mother bear was on the phone rather than rational Heidi.

"What's wrong Kira?" I asked quickly.

In a voice near tears she said, "I don't feel well, can you come and get me?"

"What hurts?"

"My belly, I almost threw-up on my desk."

"Are you sure you're sick?"

"YES, I almost threw-up!" She said indignantly.

"OK," I said with a sigh, "I'll be there in a minute."

Mother bear went back into hibernation and Emma and I got ready to go and pick her up. We drove the short distance to the school and walked to the office hand in hand.

Upon entering the office I spotted Kira in a chair in the corner looking sad and dejected. As I approached the desk to sign her out I proceeded to say hello to Christi Jardine the secretary.

"I'm not so sure Kira's really sick," She said in a hushed but smiling voice. "As soon as she got off the phone with you she got a great big grin on her face and then hopped around the corner to sit in the chair."

"Well, I'm here now so I guess I'll still take her home. But we'll have a talk when we get home." I said. We chatted for a few more minutes, then Emma and I followed Kira to her classroom to collect her things.

On the way home I quizzed Kira about what hurt, how it hurt and why it hurt. Then I asked,

"Are you lying to me, are you really sick?"

In an injured tone bordering on whining she said, "Yahesss, I don't feel well!"

"Ok, but no playing or Nintendo today." I told her in a stern voice.

Well we made it home and Kira dutifully went into her bed and laid down to rest and feel better.

This was her an hour later:

We had a long talk that night that included the story for the third year in a row about crying wolf and told her she can't come home unless she really pukes on her desk. Do you think she will EVER get the concept that she shouldn't lie?

Jailbird!

Come see my story on my Cake Crumbs blog. I promise you'll like it. Well maybe. But I promise that it doesn't have anything to do with cakes.

The Lost Week

Last week was the longest week of my life, I never thought it would end.

To start the week off, Emma was jumping on the trampoline and lost her balance, she tried to catch herself with her hands, but they went right through the springs and she caught herself with her face, on the bar. The result wasn't pretty. I think she had double vision for a few days because she kept running into walls and chairs and furniture.

To continue the week everyone was sick at my house. And it seems that when I am sick the whole house and everyone that lives there falls to pieces. No one eats, no one goes to bed, no one goes to church. The only thing that gets done is the kids think they can throw every little toy in every corner of the house while mom's not looking. I hate cleaning up after a week of chaos.

Later in the week my grandpa had a heart attack that gave us all quite a scare. We are all so glad that things have worked out as well as they have. I know grandpa's not well, but we're sure glad that he's here.

The same day grandpa had his heart attack Susan, Mindy and I went to a Mary Kay Party. It was a lot of fun. Thanks guys! I got my eyebrows waxed for the first time at the party, it didn't hurt as bad as I expected. But she also didn't take a whole lot off, maybe my eyebrows aren't as bushy as I've always thought.

To end the week I did a cake, it actually ended up being one of the best cakes I've made. I had fewer mistakes than usual but I was about a day behind so I was scrambling to finish it right up till the moment I delivered it. Oh well it all worked out in the end. I named the cake coming up daisies. I thought the name was cute, but my mom made the comment that maybe I should rename it since the cake was for a lady's 90th birthday party and she is probably pretty close to pushing-up daisies herself. So if you have any suggestions for a new name please feel free to leave them in the comment box! The cake is here.

Monday was the first day of school. Kira and Tiger were both very nervous as we walked into the school. But by the end of the day they both seemed fine. Kira got Mrs. Gutierrez, I'm pretty excited because I really like Grace, but Kira is excited because she has lots of friends in her class. This makes me feel bad for Mrs. Gutierrez. And I have no idea how to spell her last name, I'm probably slaughtering it.

Izzy went for her evaluation for Kindergarten on Tuesday. She did pretty well. I think she is going to love school. She has been temporarily put into Miss Tawna's class, but we were told that they are hiring a 4th Kindergarten teacher so she could end up in any one's class. Hopefully we'll know before Monday.

Well now you know why I haven't been blogging, but things should get back to normal now, I hope.

Nine Years Ago Today...

Nine years ago today Kevin and I were married at the Westwood Church in Price. The day was warm and wonderful. (Except for the giant windstorm that whipped through the field and ruined all my terra cotta pots that morning.) The ceremony was beautiful, my husband very handsome. And we had our whole life ahead of us.
Thank you Kevin for the last nine years!