General Conference Time!

I love, love, love, this time of the year! It was General Conference weekend. That is where we spend Saturday and Sunday listening to the leaders of our church speak to us. They pass along revelations from the Lord, they give us counsel to live by and I find, generally pump us up to keep doing better!

This was an extra special meeting because the prophet announced the new ages that young men and young women may attend missions for the church! Young men may now leave when they are 18 years old and young women may leave at age 19! I don't think I will ever forget the surprised and excited whispers that came over the conference building at that announcement!

This conference was really great. A few speaker's topics, spoke directly to me. There were things that I really needed to hear right now.

Some of these subjects were...

• Our homes should be a place of refuge in these times. They should be places that defend truth. As parents we should not be afraid to say no and to bare our testimony to our children. The moral issues of the day need to be addressed in the family- Quentin L. Cook

• Ann M. Dibb of the General YW presidency said that we need to be proud of who we are. We need to wear our spiritual t-shirts that say I'm a Mormon! I know it! I live it! I love it! I need to be as active in the gospel as I am doing my hobbies, computer activities, reading my books ect..

• Life is really short. We need to enjoy the journey! Don't wear our business as a badge of honor. Looks to Jesus as an example. He spent his days giving others the precious gift of his time! How much real, meaningful time do we give our loved ones? Wishing we were more faithful is good but being more faithful and living our covenants is better! Anything of value is seen with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

• L. Tom Perry talked about the family and how we need to organize our family based on rules and responsibilities. The duty of the parents is to teach our children the principles of Jesus Christ. We partner with God to raise his children.

• Robert C. Gay told a story from his youth about tricking the ticket woman and paying a younger child price for a movie so he could get more candy. His father responded to his recount, would you sell your soul for a nickel? What do we sell our souls for? He said it isn't enough to just give up our sins, we need to be active and anxiously engaged in doing good. I loved this... Satan doesn't need us to Sin he only needs ABLE men to be neutrals and DO NOTHING. When the spirit prompts, do we respond right away?
• Linda K. Burton of the General R.S. said we need to first observe then serve! Do we do it for Christ or do we do it for ourselves?

I know there were so many more that I could go on and on about but these were some of the ones that touched my heart and made me realize that I need to do better. Jer shared with me what he learned from the Priesthood session as well and we both kind of had the same thoughts. We need to take action and start doing more within our own home.

I am so grateful for a living Prophet and Apostles who receive revelation and guidance for us. I am grateful for the gift of the holy ghost which guides me personally to improve myself every day. I do love being a member of  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

10 years!

September 19, 2012 was our 10 year anniversary!

It always makes me reflect on all we have done in our time together.  I can't believe how much we have been through in those years!

• 10 moves! (2 of which were across the country) 
• Lived in 3 different States.
• 3 pregnancies and babies born!
• 8 different callings in church!
• 10 different jobs between the both of us!
• 7 total births between our families
• 5 funerals between our families
• We have traveled to 3 different Countries 
• We have been to or through at least 20 different states together. 
• One child baptism!
• One bought home!
• 3 years of preschool, 1 year of public school and 3 years of homeschool (so far).
• 4+ years of college
• 2 technical training schools
• one broken elbow
• 2 stitches
• 5 vehicles
• 4 sports activities
• Billions of tears, laughs and giggles along the way!

I have sure enjoyed the journey so far!

 I am incredibly grateful for my wonderful best friend and eternal companion! This life has been good and I feel so very blessed!

Happy 10 years babe! Can't wait for many many more to come! 

Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner!!!

The day has finally arrived! After a lot of ups and downs, many stressful nights, and lots of prayers, we have finally purchased our first home!

 Jer and I couldn't be happier with our decision. It seems like Heavenly Father was guiding us in this direction without us even being aware of it. There were a lot of lessons learned. I know especially for me personally. I feel like He knew my wish list and wants and said "yes, I know what you want but THIS is what you need and will be better for you."

It just amazes me how aware of us our Father in Heaven is and he knows us better than we know ourselves. Two years ago I don't know if I would have been satisfied with our little house. Now I know that all of those "almost" homes were preparing me to take a step back and say in the long run, this is exactly what our family needs.

I am so grateful for family who have supported us, for a small town with people who are so helpful and friendly, and for my husband who literally lost sleep over this. I feel very blessed today!

Almost There!

Well, it is Thursday September 13, 2012. I don't know if I ever posted about us buying our rental, but we are.

I think the reason I haven't announced it is because it has been too good to be true. In the past so many things have gone wrong.

I am not saying that this hole process has been smooth sailing. We have had our share of roadblocks but it really helps to have a landlord who is willing and has the means to speed things along.

Somehow the whole paperwork aspect of this precess has gone by much more quickly than it ever has before. Possibly because we have gone through it a few times. Ha ha!

We've had all our inspections done and the appraisal finished but the appraisal was contingent on our roof getting replaced and the AC finished.

This week, Rick's guys were here and they redid the roof in 2 days! It rained yesterday so the AC guy didn't get finished until today. It feels amazing to have the whole house at the same temperature!

I can't believe we close tomorrow. We have just a couple more glitches to sort out but it is really happening!!!

Testing and Canning!

What a busy day!

Yesterday was Brooklyn's DIBLES testing with her teacher. We met at the Fort Morgan Library again. I have to admit that we almost did not make it. School was especially challenging that day. Dallas was really on a roll with interrupting and getting into everything. I told Brook's teacher Ms. Deb that and she just  laughed.

While in the library, Dallas and Mason made themselves busy by scooting a giant checkers piece and a hotwheels car around the floor. Yes, they were a little louder than they should have been in a library but they let Brooklyn do her test and I was pretty relieved with that.

Later that evening, I got the BRIGHT idea to try to can all the apples Jer's mom gave us. It only took me 2 hours!

 I have had my pressure canner for a long time now and I figured I better learn how to use it. I didn't have a good recipe for canning applesauce so I looked it up on pinterest and then I finally called my Grandma Philip and Dad for tips. I loved the flavor of the brown sugar and cinnamon but I think next time I will definitely peel the apples before I chop and boil them. It gave it a gritty texture that I am not a huge fan of. Oh well. At lest I know for sure that the pressure canner works and the lids are properly sealed. Trial by error I guess!

Looking back...

It amazes me that Jeremiah was on his mission the day the twin towers fell.

If you ask him, he can still tell you how it felt to be on a mission with such chaos all around 

I still remember clear as day that I was working at Subway in down town Easton. The radio announced the plane crashing. No one spoke, everyone just sat in booths in shock. Then when the plane crashed in Harrisburg, PA so close to home it really hit me that our country was attacked. It was the first time I ever felt the full impact of such evil.

That time was so full of sadness and fear but I also remember the following weeks and months. People were kinder to one another. If we knew of someone who had been spared, we felt the tender mercies of our God. I can't even count how many people I heard that were supposed to go into the city but for some small miracle they called in sick or stopped to get breakfast ect... It is still a wonder to me.

To me, when I look back at the day the twin towers fell, I feel sad for what happened but more than that I feel a great pride in our Country and in the men and women who lost their lives to help another. I feel closer to our Father in Heaven who is aware of us and if it wasn't time to be called home, he blessed those who still had work here to do. It reminds me that we are stronger than our enemies give us credit for.