I just need to say thanks

"How do you do it?" I hear that now and then, mostly from people who only see me in passing. If they knew me better, they'd know the truth. I love my life and the situation we're in, but it isn't necessarily any busier or better than someone else's. I can do it, because I don't do the rest. The answer is I don't do it all.   Picking and choosing, and learning to be 'choosier' is becoming a way of life. Times and seasons. Right now in my life is a season to serve my family and to serve the missionaries.

And even the little bit that I end up doing, is only done with a lot of help. Everybody is busy, and none of us do it alone. Even on your busiest days when you feel like you've been running around helping everyone else, somewhere along the way someone was helping you to do something-whether it was something as big as teaching your kids at school or at church or just by example to smaller things like holding the door or bagging your groceries.

And tonight, I want to say thanks to one special person who is always helping me. (After I wrote that statement, I realized it didn't narrow the field hardly at all. So many people fall under that umbrella. I have a lot to be thankful for... but tonight I'm sending this out to someone who is teaching me a lot about serving and loving others.) Every time I see her, she seeks out opportunities to help me. "That's what I'm here for," is her mantra. She helps out regularly with all our meals for the missionary groups taking on a huge bulk of that responsibility. She does all this even though she also takes care of both her elderly parents and her grand daughter every day after school. It's not just that she does it, but how she does it. She always makes me feel like I'm doing her a favor by letting her help me. There are a lot of great senior couples serving with us; we're very blessed. And she's been doing this for over 5 years. That's a long time. So, even though you probably won't have time to read this, I just wanted to tell you, Katrina that I love you, and that I appreciate you. Thanks.

Love IT!

Rebbecca gave this pillowcase kit to Jeffrey at his baptism. I love how he chose to color it! Isn't it perfect? He was so excited to finish it and sleep on it tonight. He had Mark iron it and seal the colors while Mark was doing the boys' white shirts for church. (What a nice dad!)

OK-so yes. This picture is posed. I wanted a picture of it finished and he wanted to be in it sleeping. But I snuck in later while he was sleeping-and it was even cuter, just no picture.

O Remember, Remember

Yesterday I decided to revisit my commitment to follow the counsel in Elder Eyring's talk, O Remember, Remember. In simple terms, the idea is to take time each day to reflect on how we saw the hand of God (often through others) in the lives of our family, or to ask yourself if you felt some inspiration from Heavenly Father during the day.

SO, during the day I'm looking for that special something. Mark and I came home just after our meetings (just in time to get a snack ready before the younger boys got home from school) and BINGO! There it was. But first, let me preset the scenario.

Jeffrey goes to the office every day to check the mail, just in case there's a letter for him. There's usually not a happy ending to this ritual (and yes, every time I remind him that if he wants letters he has to write letters! He says he did-to which I respond that letters written over a year and a half ago don't count. He stomps off upset. That pattern never varies.)

Back to the present. Waiting for us, wrapped in a simple card board box, was a present from Emy, Ben & Clara. There was a fun package for each of us. I had intentions of taking a picture to post and say thanks, but the contents were dissembled too quickly. We had a great time going through all those things. It felt so good to be loved and remembered. Thank you Ben and Emy! We love you, too.