A New Season

September seems to mark the end of summer for me. School is back in session. The weather is cooling off ever so slightly. Routines are back. People are all back from vacations. 

There is something comforting about the return to routines. For me, this fall marks the end of the worst summer of my life. I welcome the changes of the season. The new season marks a new chapter of my life. I know every ensuing chapter will be framed around the events of this summer. But, with mixed emotions, I am turning pages and starting a new chapter. 

Sabrina and Annie started school and have been enjoying their new teachers and new friends. Here are a couple of photos of them on the first day of school.

My Answer

I have been pondering my own question from the previous post. How would my "secret journal" to the Lord be different from my prayers? As many of you have noted, the Lord knows all my thoughts and feelings. I don't think I would be writing those in my secret journal to Him.

No, I think my secret journal would be full of questions. I usually don't ask the Lord lots of questions. I never have asked "why" of the Lord during this trial. I think I avoid questions because I feel uncertain about getting answers. I just think that the Lord only tells us answers we really need. The rest He expects us to take on faith. 

But pondering this self posed question has made me rethink my position. I have learned so much through the subtle whisperings of the Spirit these past couple of months. I have learned things I didn't NEED to know but that are comforting and wonderful. Maybe the Lord wants to teach us things about his kingdom but is waiting for us to ask. 

Maybe if we never ask, we are missing out on treasures of great knowledge that He would like to give us. I am not saying I can just go ask what happened to the dinosaurs and get the answer. But, I think I may start asking more questions and studying the scriptures and pondering and listening for more answers. And I am going to be careful which questions I ask. I am going to ask questions that can teach me more about my Father in Heaven, my relationship to Him, and how I can progress further in my journey to Him. I think these are the kind of questions He may be waiting to answer for me.

Secret Journals

A very good friend of mine Molly, is a family therapist now. I visited with her a bit to evaluate whether or not to do family counseling after Camille's death. While we ultimately concluded that at least for now counseling wasn't necessary, she gave me some great ideas to do with my girls.

One of these has been having a secret journal for each girl. Each girl has their own journal. They can write their thoughts or feelings in it and put it under my pillow for me to read. Then I write back to them and put it under their pillow. 

My girls have loved having secrets with me. Now none of their secrets are juicy. Most are wondering if we can play Clue together "next day" or ideas of where we can go on vacation next. But I love that they have a place to communicate more privately with me. 

I think secret journals are a great idea. Thanks for the journals and the suggestion, Molly.

So, if you had a secret journal with your Heavenly Father, how would what you write differ from how you currently pray?  Just throwing that out there for thought. I don't have my own answer to that yet. Just another of my deep questions to ponder for the night.

Remembering

Remembering

Remembering is so painful, 

It just makes me want to forget. 

I pull my mind to the present,

 to keep me from feeling regret.

I cruise through days nearly normal,

Enjoying life, children and love.

I feel healing, strength and wisdom,

Pouring down from heaven above. 

Then out of the blue, a trigger,

A gesture, a phrase, a sweet laugh,

Remind me of tastes, sounds and smells,

I want preserved like photographs.

The lobe of her ear in my mouth,

Her head tucked tight under my chin,

Her smell just fresh out of the bath,

Her eyes, her kisses, her soft skin.

Faced with all I have forgotten,

Her taste, her laugh, her cry, her smell.

Forgetting is just so painful

I want to remember her well.

Drama Queen

Annie and Mikenna (Britt's daughter)

The fever has gone and now the rash has come. This virus that has gone one by one through our little family has certainly had more of an effect on me than it did any of my kids. They all got fevers for a few days and then a rash for a day or two after that. But neither of these stopped them from eating, sleeping, playing, or doing. The only one that even complained at all was Ann Marie. 

Annie is my drama queen. She is the last person I want sick in this house because when she is sick I have to practically carry her everywhere and she cries ... no wails most of the time.  All she said when she had this was that she was itchy. She kept scratching her thighs and arms and I could see the rash spread to most of her body.

Now either this has hit me way harder or I need to newly declare myself the biggest drama queen in this house. 

I had the fever and chills and my body ached so badly I couldn't do my normal chores. I had to soak in a hot bath to warm myself everyday and then go to bed early covered in blankets. Then I woke sweating and bare several times a night. That was the fever part. I am done with that part. Yesterday I noticed the rash.

The rash is the same one Annie had. And yes, it is itchy. It isn't too bad though. No, it is just bad enough. Just bad enough to make me grumpy yesterday. Just bad enough to cover my whole body from the sole of my feet to the crown of my head. Just bad enough to make my skin red and hot like it is sunburned. Just bad enough to make me have to think not to scratch because that really hurts. Just bad enough not to let me sleep.

Aye there's the rub. No sleep. Coming off a week of bad sleep, I really need my rest. Last night, that was not happening. I can only count one other time when I was more frustrated by not being able to sleep and that was in the hospital with Camille. I was just so tired last night. Finally at 1 a.m. I got up and went downstairs and watched a movie.

I think I finally got to sleep around 4 a.m. only to be woken by Lauren at 6 something. Then I couldn't go back to sleep because of the insane itching. 

In the hospital with Camille, my sister in law Nikki and sister Lesli each took a night and read scriptures to me to calm me so I could sleep. It worked for about an hour each time. This morning I finally gave up trying to go back to sleep and came downstairs. Annie was awake by this time. I couldn't even open my eyes but I could tell it was her that came to hug my by her height.

She took my hand and let me to the couch. She laid me down and asked if I wanted her to read me some scriptures. I said yes. She opened to Alma 30 and started to read. After ever verse or so she would say, "Mama, now tell me what I just read to you." 

Sometimes I had been conscious enough to remember and could repeat some of the words. Then she would say, "That is good Mama. That is right." Other times I couldn't remember and she would say, "Okay Mama now listen this time as I read it to you again."

She read the entire chapter to me just like that. By the end of it I knew exactly who needed to take me upstairs and put me to sleep. She and her sisters took me upstairs and Sabrina told me a story first. Next was Annie's turn. I was not conscious for the end of it, thankfully. 

I love my gifted little Ann Marie for her ability to read, her vast ability to love, and for ability to put me to sleep.

How Quickly They Grow

Sabrina and Annie Sept. 2007 

Last night I was headed to bed after finishing my Midnight Sun reading. I heard a noise as I reached the top of the stairs and went to investigate. I found Sabrina up going to the bathroom. As I turned to leave her she spoke. "No, Mama, Don't go," she said. "Come sleep with me."

Sabrina is the only baby I have ever had that would sleep more soundly with me than in her own bed. She is seven now and seems so mature sometimes. I figured there may not be too many more years that she would want me to snuggle her to sleep so I indulged us both and went in to lay with her till she was soundly back to sleep. Then I stayed a little longer. 

Laying there next to her, I felt all my love for her wash over me. I was so glad we have had so much good alone time together. I love the sweet loving girl she is and the helpful sensitive young lady she is becoming. I was also astounded once again at her incredible beauty. The soft tender skin of her neck and clavicle were just a breath away and got several kisses from her mama while she slept with one arm wrapped under my neck.

"Some day she is going to get married," I thought to myself. "Someday some man is going to look at that neck and admire it with such different feelings than mine." I began to think, "Whoever she dates or marries better treat her with all the respect and pure love she deserves. He better adore her. He better live to take care of and protect her."

I thought of all the ways men can and often do inflict injury on their wives. Finding a good husband is not always easy. Even good men can make stupid mistakes that cause their wives major pain. I feel so blessed that the Lord turned Jon's heart to me. But what of my daughters?

I have no guarantee for them. Well, except Camille. I do have a pretty sure guarantee for her. Whoever she chooses will already have overcome the trials of this world as well. There are so many trials on this world she will never have to suffer.

Sabrina, Annie, and Lauren I will still have to worry about. I will watch them grow in beauty and stature. I will teach them and train them. I will admire and love them. I will hope for them and pray for them.

And for now, I will lay with them when they want me to because I know one day they won't ask any more. One day, they will be too big to snuggle in my lap. One day they won't want me in their rooms. So for now, I will snuggle with them all I can.

Sabrina June 8, 2008

Midnight Sun

Some of you may have already heard about the leak of this much anticipated novel by Stephenie Meyer. I feel really sad that someone leaked a partial draft of her book on the internet. I am even MORE bummed that she has put the book on hold indefinitely because of this leak. 

I am thrilled, however, that she has made the partial draft available to us her fans who wouldn't go read it illegally on the internet. If you want to download it go see her site HERE I have spent the day reading on my laptop. I would SOOOO much rather be holding a book than a computer, but I have throughly enjoyed reading this side of the Twilight novel. I actually wish I had read this before I read Breaking Dawn.

I hope Meyer decides to return to this novel and finish it someday. I just know how bummed I am going to be when I get to the end of this draft. I think having this partial draft out there will only whet appetites all the more. 

Well I am 150 pages into the 264 page draft and loving it. I am feeling better today. The fever seems to be more under control and Edward and Bella have been occupying my thoughts. I think I will return to them now. Happy reading!

The Wonders of Being Sick

I have to give a shout out to my awesome sister Lesli. I have not been feeling well and she has helped with the blog, my calling in Young Women's, and today she came over and cleaned my whole kitchen. Les, you are heaven sent.

So this is the first time I have really been sick since Camille died. I was sick when Camille died with a nasal thing that seemed to drag on forever after. Now however, I have been fighting a fever, chills, and body aches. 

The funny thing is, I actually feel so much better inside than I have in a long time. I don't know if I am delirious from the fever, or if it just feels like all the inside pain is taking a backseat to the teeth chattering chills, but I almost feel like my life is -- normal?

How can that be? I don't know. And frankly, I am not too worried about it. I want to get to a place where I feel this way more often. So I am riding it out as long as it will last. 

I have had a few thoughts this week in my deliriously normal mind. We grievers hold on so closely to our grief as if it is the last piece of our child. It feels subconsciously like letting go of the grief is letting go of the child. This is not true. 

God did not allow us to suffer this trial with the intent that we spend the rest of our lives in sorrow. Rather, we are to learn to bear the sorrow with broader shoulders than we thought possible and find joy once more in our lives.  I really believe that I have suffered this trial for purposes so vast that only my Creator knows their entirety.

No it is not the grief we must cling to, it is the love. The trick is that they are so linked. I suppose there will always be sorrow in the separation. That is only natural. But I want my sorrow to be the kind that is over powered by joy. 

Joy in the blessing my daughter was and is to me and my family. Joy in my work here on this earth. Joy in the work my daughter is engaged in beyond the veil. Joy in my other beautiful children. Joy in my relationship with my husband. Joy in the Savior. Joy in the love from all those angels in heaven who have stood by me in every time of need. Joy in the love of a Heavenly Father I trust implicitly.

Enough from my fevered brain. May I share a quote from William Wordsworth:

"There is a comfort in the strength of love;

'T will make a thing endurable, which else

Would overset the brain, or break the heart."

END OF AUCTIONS!

Time is up. This is the end of our three auctions. It is Nie Nie Day today and we feel so grateful to those of you bidders out there who contributed so much for this special cause.

The three winners are as follows:
Item #1: Eye Candy necklace, winner A.P. at $150.00
Item #2: Blush Lavender earrings, winner Jennifer at $60.00
Item #3: Navy Love necklace, winner Maine626 at $135.00

CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS! We hope you love your items and especially the good feeling in your heart that you helped a fellow blogging mamma and her darling Mr. Nielson.

Winners please send an email to lesli2go@yahoo.com and include the following:
1) Your first and last name, 2) mailing address [where you want the item shipped to], 3) your blogsite address if you have one you wish to share

I will email you my paypal account and then you can make payment there. Then when I see your payment has hit the account I will be able to ship out your item. I will donate the total of the three payments to the Nielson's recovery fund via Paypal.
This just seems easiest to do--less steps for everyone involved.

So I look forward to hearing from you winners. And our many many thanks to those of you who participated and even browsed our auctions.

If you would still like to donate to the Nielsons you can do so by clicking on the following Nie Recovery button. It will take you to the official donation site.

Another silent auction

My friend Emily is also holding a silent auction for the above pictured bracelet. It is 7.5 inches and made with gorgeous green freshwater pearls with green and new jade stones and pewter bead caps.  It has a pewter toggle clasp. For more information you can visit her website HERE. Or you can just make a bid on this item by emailing here at adornmail@gmail.com.

Thanks again for all the support for this family!

Silent Auction Item #3

What a remarkable response we are having with our first item! (see below)

We have decided to add two other items for auction. Each auction will end on Thursday, August 28th at 10:00 pm PST.
See the two previous posts for the other two auction items.

This is auction item #3:

Navy Love Kazuri Necklace





22 inches total length
Adjustable length at closure
Color: navy Kazuri beads with a center dark grey bead with navy polka dots

Made with sterling silver secure closure so as not to come undone while wearing them. I made this design with some of my loose Kazuri bead collection. The beads are made of clay from Mt. Kenya and hand shaped and hand painted by underprivileged women who are employees of the Kazuri factory.

TOP 10 AUCTION DETAILS:

1) what am i bidding on?
Navy Love Kazuri Bead Necklace and free shipping of course

2) when can i bid?
now. the bidding begins with the publication of this post.

3) where do i place my bid?
in the comments section of this post we will leave the first comment with the starting bid such as "i start the bid at $40". then the next bidder can submit a comment with their bid like, "I bid $50." and with each bidder to follow they just leave a comment with their price. only bids posted in this post's comments section will apply to this Navy Love necklace.

4) what amount can i bid?
please keep all bids to an even $1--no change please. example: if the bid is $65.00, then the next bid should be $66.00 not $65.50.

5) how do i know what the highest bid is?
check the comments. it will be the most recently posted comment.

6) when does the auction end?
THIS THURSDAY, AUGUST 28th @ 10:00 PM PST

7) what if i win the bid?
after the close of the auction we will post the winner and their bid.
if you are the winning bidder, just email your contact information to lesli2go@yahoo.com.

8) how can i pay for the necklace?
a paypal payment would be preferred. (that makes it easiest for us to transfer the full amount to the nielson's fund) but we will also take a check/cash if you know us personally.

9) will all of the money go to the fund or just a portion?
ALL OF IT, we promise

10) why are you doing this auction when you don't know the Nielson's personally?
because we were so blessed by the kindness of strangers in our time of need.
where much is given, much is expected. this might not end up being much but we feel a need to do what is within our abilities to help. help us help them.

*just a note: to donate directly to the family go to here: www.leslistreets.typepad.com and click on the blue "donate to Nie Nie" button on the left side bar.

HAPPY BIDDING! click comments to leave your bid.

Silent Auction Item #2

What a remarkable response we are having with our first item in the previous post.

We have decided to add two other items for auction. Each auction will end on Thursday, August 27th at 10:00 pm PST.
This is auction item #2:

Blush Lavender Kazuri bead earrings



To bid on this item please go to the comments for this post and leave a comment with your bid. Only bids left in this post's comments will apply to these earrings.

For auction details & "how tos" please see under our first auction item in the previous post.

And by the way, thanks everyone for the kindness!

Silent Auction Item #1

Welcome to our silent auction for burn victims Christian and Stephanie (Nie Nie) Nielson

People have been so giving to our family in our time of need. It spurs us to want to do something to help this couple in their time of desperate need and pain. Knowing they both suffered serious burns and that burn victims go through numerous months even years of skin graph surgeries and physical therapy makes one shudder to think then of the medical bills that will follow.

Stephanie, and I are hosting this silent auction here on her blog. All money that is paid for our item we will donate to the Christian and Stephanie Nielson Rehab Fund at Bank of America. 

What treasure are we auctioning off? 

Something the girls in our family can't get enough of. Something close to our hearts. Something of value. Something that is one-of-a-kind. Something handmade. Something that represents women from around the world.

Our ITEM #1 FOR AUCTION: 

This Eye Candy Kazuri Bead Necklace

20 inches in total length

About a 9 inch drop

Colors: periwinkle, purple and marbled purples on the large egg shaped beads

Made with sterling silver secure closure so as not to come undone while wearing them. I made this design with some of my loose Kazuri bead collection. The beads are made of clay from Mt. Kenya and hand shaped and hand painted by underprivileged women who are employees of the Kazuri factory.

TOP 10 AUCTION DETAILS:

1) what am i bidding on?

This Eye Candy Kazuri Bead Necklace and free shipping of course

2) when can i bid?

now. the bidding begins with the publication of this post.

3) where do i place my bid?

in the comments section of this post we will leave the first comment with the starting bid such as "i start the bid at $40". then the next bidder can submit a comment with their bid like, "I bid $50." and with each bidder to follow they just leave a comment with their price. 

4) what amount can i bid?

please keep all bids to an even $1--no change please. example: if the bid is $65.00, then the next bid should be $66.00 not $65.50.

5) how do i know what the highest bid is?

check the comments. it will be the most recently posted comment.

6) when does the auction end?

THIS THURSDAY, AUGUST 28th @ 10:00 PM PST 

7) what if i win the bid?

after the close of the auction we will post the winner and their bid. 

if you are the winning bidder, just email your contact information to lesli2go@yahoo.com. 

8) how can i pay for the necklace? 

a paypal payment would be preferred. (that makes it easiest for us to transfer the full amount to the nielson's fund) but we will also take a check/cash if you know us personally.

9) will all of the money go to the fund or just a portion?

ALL OF IT, we promise

10) why are you doing this auction when you don't know the Nielson's personally?

because we were so blessed by the kindness of strangers in our time of need.

where much is given, much is expected. this might not end up being much but we feel a need to do what is within our abilities to help. help us help them.

*just a note: to donate directly to the family go to here: www.leslistreets.typepad.com and click on the blue "donate to Nie Nie" button on the left side bar.

HAPPY BIDDING! click comments to leave your bid.

Stephanie -- "Nie Nie"

I am not sure how many of you have heard about the story of Stephanie and Christian in Arizona. My sister in law put a link to them on her blog with a call for fasting a prayers on their behalves. I took special note because we share the same name. Knowing all too well the power of fasting and prayers by the masses, I went to her site and read about their tragic airplane crash. You can read about it HERE.

This lovely couple have four children, another thing with which I identified. They are severely injured with burns over much of their bodies. Their family is caring for their young children during the long recovery ahead of them. My heart goes out to them. You can read about their road to recovery HERE. 

I am posting this now because the family is encouraging people who want to help to hold silent auctions on their websites and then donate the money to help cover the medical costs. We have been getting a few bills for Camille's medical attention and I know first hand how quickly deductibles and co pays can add up. 

I have been incredibly touched by the generosity of so many of you during this difficult time for us and I hope you will consider bidding on the silent auction my sister Lesli and I are doing for this couple. 

My sister will guest post the auction tonight for a beautiful Kazuri Bead necklace that she strung. It is made with beads hand painted by single mothers in Kenya. We both visited the factory where these are made and met some of the women. This company is designed to specifically help women in need. I love the story behind the beads and I LOVE the beads themselves. I am sure my sister will write more about them.

Thank you all for your love and support of me and I hope you will read more about this other Stephanie who needs all the prayers, and support she and her family can get right now.

True Charity

Think of the hardest thing you have ever had to go through in your life. Now imagine the way you think Jesus Christ would look at you if you saw him while you were thinking about this trial and mentally reliving it. What do you think his eyes would look like? He KNOWS how your trial feels. He has been there. He knows you can get through it. Even when you don't think you can. He is there to help bare the weight of your cross when it becomes too much.

The look He would have in His eyes would be full of true charity -- the pure love of Christ. I have been thinking more about charity lately and how the "look" of true charity would look in the Savior's eyes. I imagine it would be a deep knowing, ultimately loving, completely empathetic and totally confident look. The look would give your strength. It would help you stand taller, walk straighter, breath easier. It would let you know you were not alone.

After a tragedy, people look at your differently. Most people do one of two things. They either have a look of pity and concern in their eyes, or they ignore the tragedy and try to act as if it never happened. They don't want to bring it up and make you think about it. Neither of these reactions feel right. 

A few people, those who KNOW, look at you differently. They look at you with a sorrow in their eyes that matches your own. There is a knowing in their eyes. They don't have to ask how you are doing. They know. They don't ask why you are crying. They know. They don't worry if you are going to be alright. They know you will be because they will be. 

They don't avoid talking about your tragedy. Neither do they feel compelled to verbally acknowledge it every time they see to check on how you are doing. It is not an awkward subject with others who know. It is a piece of common ground.  They grieve with you, not for you.

Most importantly they look at you with love. Yes I believe the look in their eyes in a pure form of charity. Your hearts are bound together in trial and you feel each other's pain. This is how Christ can love us so purely. He knows. Our hearts become bound to his through trials as we feel the pains he felt. With each different trail we gain a precious new aspect of charity.

I have spent the last four days with a friend like this. I met Brittany Kunz on the miracle of the World Wide Web after both our babies died within a week of each other. We have corresponded often since. We have talked on the phone frequently. We have laughed together and cried together. Meeting her in person has been the most comfortable natural thing I could imagine. There is no need for explanations. We both just know. There is empathy in the truest sense. There is love. There is true charity.

Doug and Brittany Kunz and Stephanie and Jonathan Waite

Here are our girls. Savannah, Lauren, Annie, Sabrina, Mikenna.

Surviving the Hurricane

This weekend we have been busy. We have the pleasure of being in the company of the Kunz family. They are in town on business. I will write more about our visit tomorrow. For now, I just want to say how wonderful it is to have someone with you in the storm.

Today we spent the afternoon at the Lied Children's Museum. I convinced Britt to come join me in the surviving the hurricane exhibit. Here is our best photo from the fun.

Here are Lauren and Annie and I on the left and Mikenna and Britt on the right. Now I am off to play some games with these new friends.  Rook anyone?

Obituary

Our little 3.2 megapixel Sony cybershot digital camera died this week after an accidental beating by unnamed little women. Sony was a loyal and trusted member of the Waite family for nearly a decade. She was the newest hottest camera available when the Waite's purchased her so many years ago. 

Over the last 8 years, she has served the family well. She captured the births of 4 lovely daughters, 16 birthdays, and hundreds of everyday wonders. As of late, little Sony had seemed a bit sluggish in her flash speed. She simply could not get a picture of Lauren with her eyes open if she used her flash. She also found her megapixels more limiting in these modern times. 

We will miss our little Sony cybershot. 

May she rest in pieces. 

She is survived by a new Nikon Coolpix P80. We are anxious to get to know this new arrival and begin recording new memories with her. 

Welcome to the family little Niki!

What is Real?

"What is Real?"

This is one of my favorite questions. It has been ever since I read The Velveteen Rabbit. In that story we are taught that "real" is something you become through love. 

These days, waking up to a deafening silence reminding me of my harsh reality, real takes on new meanings. I have had to remind myself over and over What is Real. 

What is Real?

Love is real and undying.

Heaven is real and close by.

Angels are real and all around ministering.

God is Real and He loves me.

I am real and I am here living.

My husband is real and so is our love.

My girls, Sabrina, Ann, and Lauren are real and they need me.

Camille is real and her spirit lives.

Camille's death is real and it breaks my heart.

Christ's love is real and it heals the broken heart.

Our separation is real but it is temporary.

Our family bonds are real and they are eternal.

The Hearts of the Children Turn to their Fathers

Dreams are funny things. They twist a bit of reality with a bit of inspiration into a crazy impossible story that once in a while teaches a lesson. Lately my dreams have been rather vivid. Last night was no exception.

Right now I am at my daughter Sabrina's piano lesson with Grandma Waite. She is currently learning to play Keep the Commandments. There is the reality. Now let me tell you about my dream.

I was going to my piano lesson. I arrived at an older home and my mother in law was there. She looked exactly as she does now. There was another woman with her. They were obviously family. They looked as though they could be sisters. In fact this other woman looked very much like my mother in law's sister Aunt Josephine. But the likeness was not exact and the woman in my dreams was about my own age and had longer hair.

Aunt Jo, Grandma Jo, and Kathleen (my mother in law)

My lesson was not with my mother in law. It was with the other woman. I had forgotten my music. Actually, I hadn't even practiced. I was totally unprepared for this lesson. I searched for Sabrina's book so I could play something for her. Not finding it, I told her that maybe I could play Keep the Commandments. She handed me an old blue hymnal. I said the only song I knew was not in that book. She told me we would have the lesson anyway and she would teach me one of the songs out of that book.

There was no piano in her house. There was only an organ that I could see. We used the organ to do the lesson. Just before the dream ended, I walked through the old house and found my mother in law and this other woman sitting together on a piano bench playing a duet on an instrament that was both an organ and a piano. One played the piano and the other organ. It didn't seem like the music should go together for some reason, but it did. Together they played the most beautiful piece of music.

Then I woke up. I woke up and realized the house we were in was very similar to the house in which my mother in law grew up. The living room where we had the piano lesson was the same even down to the wall paper. I believe the woman in my dream was my mother in law's mother, Grandma Josephine Christensen.

I only had a chance to meet Grandma Jo a couple of times. She had a very straight forward personality. I liked her. You never had to wonder where you stood with her.

I have thought of Grandma Jo many many times in the last two months. Grandma Jo's older sister died when she was very young. And Grandma Jo also lost an infant son. I remember the last time I visited with her before her death, she told me about losing her infant son. She had twins boys. One was healthy. The other never got to come home from the hospital. She told me in tears how hard this was for her. She said when she came home with the one healthy twin how mad she would get when people would say, "Well at least you have the one healthy one. That must be a great comfort to you."

"No," she told me. "It was no comfort. It didn't make the loss any easier." She was still upset saying this so many many years later.

I remember thinking at the time, "Geez, you would think you would count your blessings for the healthy children you did have." I did not understand. Back then, I did not understand. Now I do. Now I do.

I am grateful to be sealed to this incredible woman through the binding ties of eternal marriage. I feel her strength and empathy often. Though I only got to meet and talk with her a handful of times, I feel a great kinship to and love for Grandma Jo. I am glad she is there to teach me, an unprepared student, how to play this unexpected piano on this stage of my life.

The Little Things Are Really The Big Things

This Sunday Elder Robert D. Hales came to my parents stake conference. He is one of the 12 apostles who serve as special witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. We decided to take the opportunity to go to hear him speak this Sunday instead of going to our regular church service. 

Elder Hales gave a good talk. I will admit that I didn't catch the full effect because kids just don't stay reverent for a full 2 hours. I was half listening, half entertaining.  One thing he talked about that I did catch really hit home. 

He talked about being a graduate student at Harvard. There was so much pressure to put your whole self into the program. The professors looked for who showed their commitment.  He and his wife were called in and their ecclesiastical leader asked if he would accept the calling of Elder's Quorum President. 

Jonathan was the Elder's Quorum President in several wards since we met and I can attest that it is a time intensive job. Elder Hales talked about what a difficult decision this was. He knew it would take away from his schooling and would be frowned upon by his professors. He and his wife decided in the end to accept the call. 

Elder Hales said that this decision was actually far more difficult than the decision many years later to leave his profession and home and serve as an apostle for the rest of his life.  He had already decided long ago where his priorities were. 

There are so many small decisions with which we are faced in daily life. Do I get up and read my scriptures or head straight for breakfast? Do I pray or go straight to bed? Do I follow the promptings I am having into the scary darkness or stay in the comfort of the status quo. 

In the Book of Mormon, there is a man named Lehi who is a prophet. He has a vision in which an angel of the Lord bids him to follow. He follows the angel and finds himself "in a dark and dreary waste." (1 Nephi 8: 7-8) 

He says that in this vision he traveled for many hours in this dark and dreary waste. He then began to "pray unto the Lord that He would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies." He is then shown a marvelous vision of the path to the Love of God and an iron rod representing the word of God that stands as an anchor to lead men to this Love which is represented by the fruit of the tree of life.

I have had times in my life in the past where I have heard the promptings of the Spirit calling me to an unknown, far away, and seemingly scary path. They have been paths I would not pick for myself. I have had to leave my family, my security, and other more appealing opportunities to follow what the Lord wanted me to do. I had an unshakable faith that the Lord wanted me to walk the unfamiliar path. I had an equally strong faith that the Lord would be with me on that journey and would provide for me if I would but walk forward with faith.

I walked. The road was as difficult as expected and sometimes more so. But the Lord did provide for me with just enough support to help me pass the test. He did not make it easy. But He always made it possible. 

I now face the longest, darkest, hardest road of my life. I know it is the Lord's will that I am in this path though I would never have chosen it for myself. I am grateful for my past experiences that teach me that He will provide for me now even as He has in the past. It will not be easy but I know that He will always be with me to help me and make the journey possible. 

I am reminded of a quote a friend gave me during a dark time in college; 

"It is amazing what two people can do 

when one of them is God."

There is a comfort in the trial 

when the Lord is by your side.