Come, Take My Hand

Tonight I'm sitting here in the quiet house, 2 kids & 1 cat sound asleep in the adjoining rooms & a husband who is working on a project out of town. It's quiet here & as I'm about to go into bed I realize how much I will miss our pillow talk. (I'm not sure that he will! LOL But I'll let him off tonight!)

I love my hubby! We will soon celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary! That completely blows my mind! I've been a little nostalgic lately as I realize that 21 years tomorrow we met for the first time! I remember it is GREAT detail, right down to what we were both wearing & which lights were on in the room & which ones were off. I also remember who was there & how they seemed to disapear the minute that Darren & I shook hands for the first time. I know it seems all "mushy/gushy" and right out of a soap opera, but I can tell you that the first time I held his hand & looked into his eyes, I knew that I loved him deeper than I could've imagined loving someone & that we would spend the rest of our lives & eternity together. I knew it without a shadow of a doubt. And it was weird & thrilling all at the same time. Especially since the man I had comitted to marrying was standing next to us & it wasn't Darren!

Yes, it's true, I was engaged when we met! I think back on that now & despite all of the morbid details that there are, I only remember 2 emotions. Fear & Gratitude....both towards the same person. Have you ever had one of those moments where something happens within a few seconds & yet your mind & soul are so consumed with pure knowledge & emotion that it seems almost impossible that "all of that" happened within such a short time frame? That's what happened to me. I remember being terrified that "HE" would somehow sense the miracle that had happened between Darren & I, and even more terrified of what would happen if he did. But even more profound was the immediate realization that "OH! This is why I needed HIM, it was so that I could meet HIM!" *swooning as I continued to look at Darren* That moment was the weirdest mix of terror & gratitude for facilitating that but extreme terror of him trying to prevent it & it not happening. And THAT idea, the one of Darren & I not being together was & still is, the thing that haunts me the most.

So every November 20th I begin to remember & I begin to give thanks for a plan larger than I could've imagined & for the knowledge that God is in charge & I'm so very thankful. For many reason, reasons that I can't even begin to list here. I'm thankful for fairytales that do come true, and the magical possibilities that can come when you shake hands with your very own destiny.

♥Love ya, sweetheart!♥

Takin' a BREAK to XPRESS my Gratitude!

I'm so grateful for these 2 beautiful dancers & COOL CHICKAROOS!!!! I'm so grateful for all of the time & effort they put into teaching my sweet girl & lots of other sweet girls how to dance!
















But mostly I'm grateful for WHO they are! I watch them teach our daughters grace and tolerance & kindness at the same time instilling in them the spirit of teamwork, hardwork and integrity. They truly are some of the greatest....Coaches & Friends!
Thanks Shayla & Brenda for just being AWESOME! You're THE BEST!!!

I'm Still Grateful....Honest I Am!

Lest anyone think that I stopped being grateful, let me give you an update:

Last weekend we had the WONDERFUL priveledge of going to Phoenix to the NASCAR race with our dear friends! It was a BLAST! We ate wonderfully (even though I got an entire glass of water knocked into my lap! BRRRR....), we shopped, we lounged, we had a blast! And we didn't get a single photo of all of us together! What the heck?! We are both avid photograghers and yet, not one! LOL Add it to the list of things to do next year!

Tuesday I woke up with the beginnings of a nasty cold/sore throat/earache. But I kept telling myself, "not yet, wait 'til Friday". I had my sweet stampin' buddies coming for Stamp night on Thursday & I did not want to be sick or get them sick. So it waited (and I was grateful!) until Saturday!

So here's my gratitude list in random order: (and let me warn you, it's not deep & thoughtful!)

1:Werthers Originals! I love that smooth carmel-y taste that doesn't taste at all like medicine, which is my reason for eating so many: "It medicates my sore throat & the swallowing helps my ears!" LOL I know, big stretch!

2: My bed with soft white sheets & LOTS of big fluffy pillows!

3:My South-facing window in my room! Gotta love that warm sunshine coming through to warm my whole self right up! So Cozy!

4: Good friends! Every day I look forward to talking to my newest sweet friend on the phone! We've lived by each other for years now & we've just connected. So fun! (Love that she called me to reprimand me for my "extended blog hiatus" this morning!)

5 "Young at Heart"Friends. There is a lady in my ward that is a widow. She's been alone for approximately 10 years now. The other night when she told me: "I love getting older, it means I'm getting closer to being on the other side with my sweetheart!" And honestly, she just TWINKLED and SPARKLED and GLOWED! I loved it! We have a lot of giggly grandmas in our ward & I just love their energy! I think that it'd be so fun to gather them all together & listen to their stories and partake of their wisdom & enthusiasm, take their pictures (of them laughing!) and just let them be their sweet little selves!

6: Stephens Wassill! Ok, just go try it! *SLURP* (oops! I mean *SIP!* since it's hot! lolol)

7: The fact that Thanksgiving is only 10 days away! Which means my moms SCRUMPIOUS homemade rolls! (And carmels!)

8: Health: This morning my heart and mind are with a sweet friend who is having surgery this morning after finding out last week that she has breast cancer. It puts my little earaches & sore throat into perspective when those will be part of her journey through chemo. I do hope & pray that she will feel the healing power of prayer & hope that our Savior offers us.

9: A quiet home & a noisy home: I love the peace & quiet that I have here during the day, but I also love it when the kids come home. For years I wasn't sure if children would ever be a part of my life, so even on the bad days I have to remind myself that they are an answer to my prayers. I quite love their spirited little selves!

10: My sweet husband/best friend/"lovah"/roomie....you get the idea!: We had so much fun together last week. It was a 10 hr. drive each way. While I napped a lot more than he did, I loved that we could just talk and giggle and laugh like when we were dating. I appreciate the opportunity to go off by ourselves and just be "US"......

which brings me to:
11: I'm so grateful to those friends that take care of our children when Darren & I "run away". They are so gracious and wonderful! I appreciate them so much! Thank you! Thank You! Thank You!

There, that should catch me up! LOL I'll be back! I promise!

Teachers are T-Riffic!

For many years I've wondered about teachers. What makes good teachers & favorite teachers, what makes a teacher less than a favorite? My dad was a teacher, he was a favorite among students. I wouldn't say he was the "ultimate cool & hip" type of a teacher, but the kids liked him. He was STRICT, which goes against the "cool factor", so my question remains...."What makes a Good Teacher?

Here's my theory: GOOD People make GOOD Teachers! I know that sounds like I'm over-simplifying it, but think about it. A good teacher is more than a babysitter. A good teacher is more than a taskmaster or a boss. A good teacher is someone who inspires and reaches out to those that need a hand up, someone who cares and teaches others to care & work hard. A good teacher is knowledgeable & has a desire to learn. With all due respect, some teachers think they already know everything and their students HAD BETTER *foot stomp* appreciate that & listen up to what they have to say. A good teacher is someone who knows that everyone has something to teach and learn & that we all learn together.

Take Mrs. M. & Mrs. K for example: Both of them had the most powerful influence on my children, and in turn, our family. Both women had VERY POSITIVE outlook on life. What that taught the children was to HOPE and BELIEVE in themselves and in others. They were HAPPY and KIND, PATIENT and FAIR.

When my kids were in Mrs. K's Preschool class they would take turns with their classmates at being "The STAR of the Day". That meant that they got to be the helper, the leader & example. They got to bring a show & tell as well as a snack to share with the class. Well, when you have a classroom of 12 four-year olds you're bound to hear "I don't like that/that's gross/that looks yucky!" type comments as the Star would share their treats. Mrs. K knew how to handle that. In her sweet, sing-song voice she would lilt: "You get what you get & you don't throw a fit" & "Thank You or No Thank You, Please". She would often tell the story about how, as a kid, she HATED peas. But she kept trying them & trying them and now they are her favorites! "Try it 'til You Like It". She taught these kids manners & how to be polite. It became a family mantra at dinner "You get what you get & you don't throw a fit, keep trying it & trying it until you like it". Eventually it was shortened to "You know what Mrs. K says". One holiday we were gathered around the table & I heard one nephew say to his brother, "You know what Mrs. K says!" Thinking that there was 2 different people, I asked, "What does YOUR Mrs. K, say?" His response was "You get what you get & you don't throw a fit! Keep Trying it until you like it!" I said, "YOUR Mrs. K says that too?!" and he said, "I don't know Mrs. K, but I hope I get her next year!" Truth and Kindness are so contagious!


And then there's Mrs. M. Mrs. M was an answer to our prayers. Karlee entered her classroom nervously that day. The previous year was not a good year. (Not bashing the teacher, it just wasn't the ideal learning environment for Karlee) She had gone from starting 3rd grade reading on a HIGH 8th grade level & within a month we were struggling to keep her on grade level. We knew that 4th grade was pivotal in whether she or not she succeeded in school.

Miracles happened in 4th Grade! I saw group of "at risk" kids blossom into the BRIGHTEST, HAPPIEST group of students. She was HOPEFUL & POSITIVE, PATIENT & KIND, She LISTENED and made learning FUN and EXCITING. Oh, how she loved them & they loved her back.

On the last day of school they surprised her with a party. Karlee had called me to bring in balloons, so I went with my camera in the other hand. (BIG SURPRISE! LOL) Can I just tell you now that it's really hard to look through a viewfinder when a curtain of tears is shielding your view!



When she opened the door, they rushed her with a big group hug---the first of MANY that day! They all shouted their love and praise. And she reciprocated! The thing that sticks out in my mind was what I call "The 4th Grade Final". She opened her gifts and thanked each child for being a gift to her. She went on to tell them what great individuals they are and that she hoped that as they grew older they would stay friends with each other, help each other & make good choices in their lives so they could always be "LIFTERS". Because we were in school, she had to be careful in what Gospel teachings she shared with them, but I can bear witness to you, that the Spirit was there as she bore her testimony of love and friendship.

So Thank you "Mrs. K" and "Mrs. M" and all other teachers like you! Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could bottle what they have? Bottle it up, and share it! Wouldn't we all be nourished? And more importantly, wouldn't our children grow and thrive if they were daily fed nutrients of love and caring? Think about it....aren't we all teachers? What kind of teachers are we?

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. ~Henry Adams


The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book. ~Author Unknown

Grateful for Grandma

Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple. Grandmas are short on criticism and long on love.

I am so grateful for this sweet woman, My Grandma! Just look at her & you see absolute beauty & grace! If you look closer you also see spunk & mischief, tenderness & joy. All my life I wanted to be like my Grandma. When I was little, I wanted to just live with her all the time because it seemed like she was always going to "Polar Bear" for Chocolate Ice Cream! (I later learned it was just when she was with me!) As I got older, I wanted to be rich & dress like her. (At this point she'd be laughing, because while they were rich in other areas, their SMALL dairy farm didn't yield a very big cash crop!) And when I was a teenage girl, I wanted to be in love with someone as much as she was with her sweetheart! Oh did her & Grandpa LOVE each other!

I spent a lot of time with my Grandpa & Grandma S. growing up. I longed for summers when I could go out to their farm during the week. When I was there, all seemed right with the world. There was a sense of peace and tranquility there that my rebel soul longed for. I needed a "thinkin' spot" & Grandma's was the perfect place. While I actually did more work there than at home, I felt more relaxed and "at home". Every day would begin with an early morning 2-4 mile walk with Grandma & her friends, Mardean & Ruby. I loved those brisk morning walks & I always felt so honored to be among these women. They always treated me like visiting royalty. After our walk, we'd go home & make breakfast for Grandpa. Thick, fresh bacon, eggs, pancakes or toast & hot chocolate. (My mouth is watering now as I type!)

My favorite part of spending time with Grandpa & Grandma came just before we dove into that delicious feast. Grandpa would come in from the barn after doing the morning milking, take off his farming hat & boots, wash up & announce, "Smells Good, Mother! Are we ready for prayer?" which would gently announce that it was time to slide off my chair & kneel. You can learn a lot about someone by the things they utter in prayer. The prayers offered in their home were prayers of humility and gratitude, hope and faith. To this day, I'd give anything to gather around my Grandparents kitchen chairs and listen to them converse with their Father in Heaven.

But as I mentioned, there was a spunky side to my Grandma too. My Grandma has a lead foot, 10 iron toes and a need for speed. She is not your typical "granny driver" by ANY stretch of the imagination. The woman likes to go places & she doesn't like to waste time getting there! Growing up this was most often demonstrated when there was a grandkid playing a ballgame somewhere. I'm sworn to secrecy on how fast she got to Malad to watch my cousin, Marvin play baseball one year. I've also sworn an oath not to divulge on what her "adjusted Grandma S. speed limit" was going to town or to SLC every summer. But I'll tell you this, we always got there safely & we giggled the whole way. The day her eyesight was deemed a potential danger to others & she hung up her keys for good was a sad day. Her freedom to just hop in the car & go for Ice Cream were over. (But at least others were safe!)

During my teenage years, I was a knot-head rebel wannabe! I had attitude out the wazoo & I didn't care what my parents thought. The ONLY person I let my guard down around was Grandma S. A few years ago we were talking on the phone & she divulged that she had heard my laundry list of bad choices. She knew what I was outside of her earshot. I asked her "why didn't you say something? You never said a word!" Her response: "I was the Grandma, my job was to Love!"

Well Done, Grandma, you succeeded! I Love you!

A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher,

and a little bit best friend.

Gratitude is the heart's memory.~French Proverb

As I was searching through some Gratitude Quotes this morning as I was deciding on what to post I was struck by the simplicity of this beautiful proverb. It described exactly what my heart was doing, thumbing through memories on the in my "heart file". While there I found the topic that I would like to expound upon today.

~MUSIC~

For as long as I can remember (and that's a LONG time & another post) I have had this connection with music. I wish I could sing it, I gave up playing it way too easily and writing it is something that baffles my mind, so I do what I can: I appreciate it!

“For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads”

In times when my soul needs a time-out, music reaches those dark crevices that need enlightenment and encouragement. It uplifts and strengthens & recharges. Like the scripture states so eloquently, it is like a prayer from my soul.

Do you remember the first things you did on 9-11? I'm sure you do, just as I do. I remember feeling the same shock and awe, terror and fright and a sense of hopelessness that I'm sure everyone else did. I remember rocking back & forth in the same rocking chair that my Grandmother used to rock me to sleep in, wishing for that same peace & comfort that I had felt in her lap so long ago. As I found myself wondering "Where Can I Turn for Peace?" I realized that I had answered my own question & I ran for my hymnbook & rocked and sang the hymn "Where Can I Turn for Peace?" as well as many other hymns. While my neighbors probably appreciated the fact that I did this in the privacy of my own home, I appreciated the fact that in the midst of trouble and fear, I had found comfort and Peace in the hymns.

My family will tell you that I'm pretty picky about what music touches my ears. If it assaults my ears, then it disturbs my spirit. I enjoy an uptempo tune anyday, but I don't want it to scream at me. And I don't need the bass drums pounding home the message either. Give me a a song that reaches my heart and you'll have a happy momma.

Today I'm going to share with you, a song that has saved me so many times. Listen to the words and feel the Spirit remind your soul who you are, what you are capable of and WHO loves you and believes in you.

Hilary Weeks singing "He'll Carry You"



Kelly, this one's for you, and anyone else who needs it! May your soul delight in the prayer of a song. May your heart be lifted & your burdens be lifted & lightened by the joyful strains of a beautiful song.

Lotsa love
~Melanie

Gratitude

~:>Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, <:~

but the parent of all the others.

So I'm learning something about myself this week....I like to be challenged. I think the key is that the challenge must be something that I would want to do anyway...No "Double-Dog Dares" to Kiss a Boy at a party or strip naked and run around the backyard for me. It must serve a greater purpose.

So what is this great challenge? Well, with it being Novemember, Desi has challenged me to write something everyday that I'm grateful for. Well, that SHOULD be easy, I have so many things to be grateful for. The REAL Challenge will come in CHOOSING which ones to spotlight.

This should be no surprise that the very first thing I would choose would be my family. But the thing that I'm so GRATEFUL for is that my family is active in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is one of my favorite pictures. Not only because it was taken on Carson's baptismal day, but because of the way that Christ is the center focus of our family & it shows in this photo.

We had the most amazing thing happen today in church. We had awaken to a major rainstorm this morning. (one of my absolute favorite thing EVER!) Just as it was time to leave for church the rain stopped and the sun peaked out for a moment in golden beauty. But as we were sitting in Fast & Testimony Meeting we all were startled by these THUNDEROUS sounds of rain & hail POUNDING upon us. It happened just as one of our Stake Leaders got up to speak and it made me really think of this scripture in 3 Nephi 18:

12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock.

13 But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them.

14 Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you.

So as I sat there in the protected chapel with my family gathered close being taught by the spirit of God and the Holy Priesthood, I felt protected and blessed. It truly was a magnificent meeting and I'm so grateful to be there.

So as I sign off I extend the same challenge to those of you that read my blog to do the same....record something you are grateful for every day this month. Imagine the shift that could happen if we became a more grateful people.

~Melanie