What a week!

Sheesh! What a week! It was great and not so great.

In our small, old basment apartment we had some flooding this week. In our bedroom. We pulled up the carpet and GOODNIGHT!!! we had a lot of water and it stunk sooooo bad! Old basement + not very good air circulation + flooding = nasty moldy musty smell! Oooh it really was so gross. Bless our hearts. So I called the sweet lady that lives upstairs and she had some people come over and take a look.

Well they vaccumed up water, put in a dehumidifier (sp?) and two huge fans. I thought the problem was going to get fixed. Then the next morning I go in there and there is more water! I couldn't believe it! So these people had to come over and fix it again.

The hubs and I camped out in the living room for about 3 nights, each day just putting our mattress up against the wall in the kitchen. :( My house is not always spotless, but I like things somewhat organized and I feel like I can't totally relax when a room is "under construction", you know?

The floors finally dried, but they did not fix the leaking problem. They said they are going to do that in the summer. So I'm still a little nervous for the next time it rains/snows.

On the brighter side...

I got my carpets professionally cleaned!! Oh wow it felt sooo good! I told the carpet man our situation in our bedroom and he was kind enough to mix up a disinfectant deodorizer to put on our carpets first to get out the smell. My basement now smells like fresh oranges :) (hopefully it lasts!) Then the hubs and I cleaned the house really well mopping the floors and everything. I feel like I can finally relax and walk on my floor bare foot. It feels wonderful. I really can testify that the Spirit can be felt more in a clean home.

Then last night I got to go to a concert put on by Alfie Boe and the orchestra my husband is in. It was amazing. Alfie Boe is incredible and the orchestra did incredible as well- thanks to an awesome extremely talented director (my brother in law) and of course my husband playing his cello flawlessly! (Yes- I will always brag about how wonderful my husband is, because he is!)

Tonight I watched BYU play an awesome basketball game! I love sports. Always have. And yes, my husband and I, like almost everyone else, have become huge Jimmer Fredette fans! He is amazing. Tonight was a great game to watch! Go Cougs!

Then this evening as I was driving home I got to stop by and see a very very dear friend of mine who I haven't seen in a year! (she was in town seeing relatives) We only got a few minutes together but it was heaven! We gave each other a big bear hug and just chatted for a bit. I loved it. This friend is so special to me and we have such a neat connection. I truly love her with my whole heart!

Now I'm home relaxing, my little angel is peacefully sleeping and I am blogging. Life is good!

I'm learning

I feel like I've had so many teaching moments lately. "AHA" moments is what I'll call them. Aha moments of re-learning things in a different light, or simply learning new things. It's been awesome. I feel like I'm being stretched and I know that's what I need right now. I'm very grateful.



Today my mom and I went to the hospital because my cousin had her baby. A darling baby boy who I believe looks just like his mama. This cousin of mine has been one of my "aha" teaching moments lately. She is incredible. I'm going to write this very honest and very straight forward so here goes...



My cousin grew up very differently from me. I'm not going to go into detail because I don't know details. But her social life was next to none. Dating was next to none. Home rules were very strict. Living situation was very humble. BUT she was happy and her family is truly wonderful, we just grew up differently.



She came up to BYU-I and I was a bit worried- worried people would make fun, or get annoyed, or not know how to handle her lack of social skills and what not. Plus, after anyone has lived in very humble and strict circumstances they can sometimes go overboard when all the sudden they are living on their own and free to do what they want. I was really worried.



Well BYU-I did her wonders! I'm not kidding and I'm not being rude. She was blessed with incredible roommates who loved her and were kind to her and helped her out so much. She has had a wonderful experience here and I am so glad. She deserves it.



She got married last year to a boy who fits her perfectly. They are darling together.



This cousin, who continues to live in humble circumstances (they finally got a car and a bed after about 6 months of mariage) is one of the happiest people I know. I honestly can say I have never heard her complain once. Before they got a car, her husband used to ride his bike in the freezing cold to his 4:00 am job and they slept on an air mattress. 6 months! I even brought it up with her once and she just said how the air mattress was very comfortable and they were grateful they didn't live too far from her husband's job. Not one complaint! She will hear of successes in the family or fun vacations others are going on and she only has said how happy she is for them. Never once has she said, "I wish I could do that" or "I wish I had money for that" or anything like that.


She's incredible.


There were only four of us who were able to come to her baby shower and yet she just couldn't believe how much baby stuff she got.


Her baby probably has very few things that are brand new but all she has talked about is how grateful she is that people have been so generous and so giving. Never once did she say she wished she could go buy brand new things for her baby. She is simply so grateful.


We got to the hospital today and she stood up to give my mom a hug! I couldn't believe it! I told her she didn't need to get out of bed- she just had a baby!


This cousin who has never had much herself, doesn't want for anything. She is happy and content with her life. The smallest acts of kindness are mountains to her. She is so appreciative of everything. It's unreal. Honestly, sometimes I'm just in "awe."


She amazes me. She has taught me so much just by example and by the way she lives her life. She has a solid testimony of the gospel and she is so happy.


This cousin who I used to think was different and awkward has become one of the greatest examples to me and I feel so blessed to know her. I love her so much.

So what I'm trying to say is, I'm still learning. There are so many ways I can be better and do better. My cousin has humbled me and helped me realize that true happiness can be found anywhere and that it's a choice.

Quotes/Sayings

I love quotes or sayings - long or short. Some of these are humorous, some are spiritual, but these are just a few of some of my favorite simple and short ones...

"Be the kind of person that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "Oh crap! She's up!" -I found this randomly on someone's facebook the other day and I loved it! HA it's my goal...

"Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." -Sis. Hinckley. So true. So profound. So simple.

"Live your life so that those who don't know Him will want to know Him because they know you." I love this. It's very powerful to me. It's a great everyday reminder of how we should live our life. I found this one from a friend.

"Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly." I was giving a lesson in Relief Society once and I looked down at a paper about marriage and this was in big lettering at the bottom. I fell in love with it!

Okay this one is quite hilarious I think. I was in a craft store and found it on a cute little sign and I was cracking up because it caught me off guard-- "I don't skinny dip, I chunky dunk!" HA!

This one I found stitched on a darling little pillow in a craft store and I fell in love with it.

I need ya.

I got ya.

I'm keepin ya.

Love ya.

(I still want to make one for my hubby!)

These are just a few of the hundreds I love.... Randomly as I see or hear more that I love I will post them so I don't forget them.

Feel free to leave any of your favorite quotes/sayings!

You're Gonna Miss This

So about 3 years ago, when I was nannying in CT (I can't believe it's been that long!) a song came out that I fell in love with. I emailed the lyrics to the mom of the kids I nannied and she loved it too! Then I emailed it to my sister Heidi and she also loved it and said it was just what she needed.

Anyway, this is a song I wanted to make "record" of and write out the lyrics because it has great memories for me.

You're Gonna Miss This :
She was starin out the window of their SUV
Complainin sayin I can't wait to turn 18
She said I'll make my own money And I'll make my own rules
Momma put the car in park out there in front of the school
And she kissed her head, and said 'I was just like you'
You're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' want this back
You're gonna' wish these days Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times So take a good look around
You may not know it now But you're gonna' miss this
Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In her one bedroom apartment And her daddy stops by
He tells her it's a nice place
She says, 'It'll do for now'
Starts talkin' about babies, and buyin a house
Daddy shakes his head And says baby just slow down
Cuz' you're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' want this back
You're gonna' wish these days Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times So take a good look around
You may not know it now But you're gonna' miss this
Five years later there's a plumber Workin' on the water heater
Dog's barkin', phone's ringin' One kid's cryin' one kid's screamin'
And she keeps apologizin'
He says they don't bother me
I've got two babies of my own One's thirty- six, one's twenty- three
Huh, it's hard to believe But you're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' want this back
You're gonna' wish these days Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times So take a good look around
You may not know it now But you're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' miss this Yeaahhhh... you're gonna' miss this...


I hope you enjoyed it too :)

A Great Day!

Yesterday my husband and I got to go to the temple. It was so wonderful. I love the feeling I get everytime I go to the temple. A feeling of peace, of being at home, and a feeling of just being in the right place. It always feels right to be there. Especially with my husband. It was heaven.



Then an hour after the temple we headed to the adult session of stake conference. That too was wonderful! We walked in a few minutes late but the minute I walked in I heard the stake president say, "I feel impressed to tell you all to be happy. Whatever circumstance or part of life you're in find joy in the journey." (that's not word for word but it was something like that) It was exactly what I needed to hear! I think we all need reminders to be happy wherever we are.

When a speaker shared some thoughts on marriage I remembered a paper I got at a relief society activity last month entitled 100 Ways You Can Love Your Husband HIS way. (you can just google it and it will come up) I love it! It has some great advice! I thought I'd share a few...
*Focus on what he's doing right, instead of the negatives
*When you go on a date don't bring up problems, just have fun!
*Show interest in what he feels is important in life
*Recognize that the first few minutes after a spouse comes home often sets the stage for how the rest of the evening will go. So make it positive!
*Compliment him often
*Show him you need him
*Give him time to be alone
*Pray for him
*Brag about him to other people
*Look your best- make him proud to be seen with you
*Defend him if anyone talks disrespectfully about him
*Cheer his successes
*Thank him for just being himself

Anyway, it was a GREAT day! A lot of spiritual feeding which is always needed.

But now my little angel is in bed and I'm going to go spend time with my husband :)

Spiritual Gifts

I recently finished reading The Infinite Atonement, by Tad R. Callister. It's a wonderful book and it helped me understand the atonement of our Savior much better. Because the atonement is infinite and our minds are only finite, we cannot comprehend or understand it all, but I definitely gained more knowledge than I had and I have been pondering about a few things lately...


Spiritual gifts. Truly they are gifts given by the Holy Ghost. In his book, Callister quotes Elder Bruce R. McConkie saying, "Men must receive the gift of the Holy Ghost before that member of the Godhead will take up his abode with them and begin the supernal process of distributing his gifts to them....Thus the gifts of the Spirit are for believing, faithful, righteous people; they are reserved for the saints of God." Callister then goes on to say that that doesn't mean others of a different faith do not have faith or wisdom or love. He simply means that faith in it's fullest- the kind that moves mountains, charity that resembles the pure love of Christ, all the divine attributes in their grandest godlike proportions only can come through the gift of the Holy Ghost.

I had never thought of that before. How blessed we are to have gifts of the Spirit! We eventually need all the gifts of the Spirit to reach our eternal potential and become like God. To become perfect. We are blessed with some, and we need to do all we can to keep aquiring more. Just as the scriptures tell us to seek the best gifts, God is anxious to give them to us.

Charity is the gift I have pondered about lately. The pure love of Christ. I believe this is something infinite too, that our finite minds have a hard time grasping. It is so deep and goes way beyond love itself. Here are some attributes:
suffereth long
kind
envieth not
not puffed up
seeketh not her own
not easily provoked
thinketh no evil
rejoiceth in truth
beareth all things
believeth all things
hopeth all things
endureth all things
endureth forever

It is pure and perfect in all it's forms.
Like others, I too would say it is the grand motivator.

What a difference it would make if everyone was striving for charity. Especially in our relationships with ourselves and with others. And most definitely with our spouses.

Spiritual gifts. What blessings they are to us!


I'd love to hear your thoughts...

A Little More Country Than That (Acoustic Version)

I love love love country music. Love it! Always have. This is who I've been listening to a lot lately- Easton Corbin. He's fantastic. I love his voice. Enjoy!