Blossoms of Love

Recently, I had been feeling well... depressed. Which is just silly because I have no reason to be down. I am so blessed. I recognize and appreciate my blessings. But still I had this fog of depression hanging on me. I am not sure why. Maybe my hormones were just off or something but it was worse and longer than my normal one day of feeling blue per month.

Honestly, there were several days in a row there where I just wanted to stay in bed and cry all day for no reason. I am a little embarrassed to even admit that but it is the truth. The frustrating part for my analytical mind was not being able to pinpoint why I was down or how to get it turned around. It gave me great sympathy for those who suffer from depression more chronically.

But as I was thinking my way through my rain clouds, I identified a few ways I could feel more sunshine in my life. Some of these were things I could not bring into my life on my own.

Today the weather turned warm here in Dallas. I am not going to say that didn't help my mood a bit. But it was the capstone to a myriad of small miracles that have told me that the Lord is mindful of me. You see in these last few days, several people have provided to me those mood lifting opportunities that I could not give to myself.

It got to the point where I started to think, "Geez! It is like someone told everyone how I was feeling and everyone around me is trying to lift me up." Then today it just subtly hit me. Maybe someone didn't tell everyone how I was feeling but some One knew and was inspiring people to say and do things that would lift me up.

I am grateful to have friends and acquaintances who live close enough to the spirit to follow these gentle whispers. Today as I can hear the promise of spring in the song of the birds outside my window, I also can see the beauty of the bouquet of love blossoms the Lord has gathered for me through the words and actions of his living angels on Earth.

Opening the Past - Call for Prayers

Yesterday my girls had a family history themed activity for church. Annie and Lauren both decided to dress up as my grandmother Mary Harris and tell funny stories about her. There are no shortage of funny stories about Grandma Harris. She was a hoot.

I thought it would be fun for them to take some of her clothes that I actually have but I haven't seen them since our move. I decided to go look for them. One of the places I thought to look was in the trunk upstairs in Sabrina's room. It was my hope chest when I was a girl and I have put some special things in it from my mother.

It is also where I have kept all things Camille that were made of cloth. I guess I just didn't really remember how many things I had in there. It has been a long, long time since I opened that trunk. I was running around looking for these Grandma Harris clothes and opened that trunk and as I put my hands down in those little baby girl clothes ... she was just there. I could feel her little legs in my hands and feel her soft cheeks against her favorite blanket. I could just almost feel her little body in my arms.

This summer will mark 6 years since her passing. She would turn 7 in a couple months here. I see other little girls her age and wonder at how big they are. I wonder at what her personality would be like at that age.

But she is still just shy of 14 months. She is my baby preserved and waiting for me. Someday I will make use of those blankets and clothes. I will wrap her up in them and hold her tight to me again. That is the hope to which I hold. It is the promise of the Savior through the power of the Resurrection. I will hold her little 14 month old body alive and whole again. And it will be a glorious day.

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One of the little girls in our ward (a "would be" a classmate with Camille) just got diagnosed with Leukemia last week. Her name is Melody Johnson. Her family has been so kind to us since we moved here and they have kids all the same range as me. I am sure their family would appreciate any prayers any of you would like to offer on her behalf.

Knowing the power of masses of people praying for you as I do, I simply must ask for your prayers on her behalf. Thank you!

Finding Happy

I am feeling a little down today. I know it is probably just hormonal, but I hate feeling this way, especially when I have so very many blessings in my life. In an effort to lift my spirits, I thought I would share a few things that make me happy. And maybe give myself some pointers on how to better fill my life with these things.

Helping Others - Fewer things bring me greater joy than knowing I am helping someone else in a time of need. I love feeling that I am making a difference in the world for good. Big or small, making a difference by helping someone else makes me happy.

I have been blessed to have wonderful children. Being a mother gives me opportunities every day to make a difference in the life of my children. I need to remember to look at my mothering more fully through this lens. There isn't anyone in my life upon whom I can have a greater impact than my children. I need to make sure I am working daily to make a difference in each of their lives for good.

Learning - I love learning. I wish I could always be taking some sort of class. Perhaps I should look into doing some online coarse work. Or maybe I just need to take the Texas Bar. :) I will have to think on this one. So many choices on what to learn.

Music - Good music can always lift my spirits. I ought to keep my earphones next to my bed and pop a song in to start my day that will get me up and going with a skip in my step and a smile on my face.

Friends - I really enjoy spending time with old friends and really getting to know new friends. I love it when you can break through the superficial wall we all put up with other people and just have a real and honest deep conversation with someone. Having a great conversation with a friend is sometimes as good as going to therapy for me and lots cheaper.

Family Happiness - My family, when they are happy, brings me so much joy. I mean I still love them when they are crabby and whiny and angry etc. But sometimes when they are in sour moods it can bring me into a sour mood too. But when I am feeling a little down, all I have to do is ask Noble for a little "sunshine" and he will look at me with this cute smiley face that brightens my whole day. Each of my children and my husband have this power to brighten my day in small and simple ways.

Writing - I can almost always pick my chin up and have a brighter perspective when I write. I am so grateful for this blog and the blessing it has been to me in that way. Even when all the world is falling down around me, I know I can find a silver lining through writing.

It has even helped me today. I am feeling a little bit better just being able to sit here and see this list of happy things and a few plans to bring them more fully into my life. And now I have a primary lesson to prepare for church tomorrow. I get to substitute for Lauren's class. :) I am sure it will make me happy.

Nerium. Have you tried it? Here are my trial results!

 A little over a month ago. A good friend of mine, Sunny Valencia, asked me if I would try out a product she sells. It is a night cream called Nerium. I am sure some of you have heard of it. I told her I would and I would post the results on my blog. True to my word and in spite of the awful selfies, here is that post. :)

It has been 35 days since I started using Nerium. My bottle ran dry last night. I took the top photo here the night before I started using the product just after washing my face.

I took the photo below one month later.

I took a few closer up photos on specific areas I knew I had wrinkles. The top is always the before and the bottom the after.

Now for my personal review: This product is really easy to use. Really all I did was rinse my face with water each night and put the product on according to directions. It feels kind of like a mask and gets tight on your skin which I liked. You leave it on over night and rinse it off in the morning.

I will say I did not love the smell of it. It smelled a little like bananas to me. But my husband likes bananas very much and he really liked the smell. To each his own I suppose.

As for how well it worked, I think the photos speak for themselves on that. I was skeptical, I will admit. But I was surprised when I looked at my own before and after photos how much of a difference I could see in how pronounced my wrinkles were, especially on my forehead.

All photos were taken at the same time of day in the same room and lighting and, as much as I could, at the same angle.

If you want to get some of this lovely wonder. You can contact Sunny at sunnyvalencia@yahoo.com or go to here website HERE

 Before

After

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After

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After

Prayers getting longer

Ever had a season of you life when it seems like your prayers just keep getting longer because you keep adding people to pray for every day? I was feeling like that last night on my knees. I was going through all the people I know of who are suffering in one way or another and praying for each of them individually. Some of these people I have been praying about for years. Others are new urgent additions.

I know none of their issues are going to be solved overnight. But I also know all too well the power of people praying for you when you are suffering. It is a power not to be underestimated. And so I keep praying for these people, my family and friends, and sometimes even strangers.

Last night the list seemed to be getting rather long and the weight of sorrow and sympathy in my heart seemed to be growing heavy. It was then that I was reminded once again that there is One who carries all these burdens with them.

And I wondered at it... at HIM! He knows all the hidden and secret problems and sorrows of us all. And He has suffered them all with us and for us.

I know He has the power to lift each of us up out of the deep.

So, I turned my concerns and sorrows for myself and those for whom I pray over to Him.

And I thanked Him once again.

My Funny Valentine

Dearest Camille,

Today our family gathered in the family after scriptures and I handed out valentine's cards I had made for each of my kids. I thought of you when I was making them. I had a cute piece of paper ready to write you a card too. But I decided to write your card on this blog instead. Sending my words out across the nebulous expanse of the cyber world feels a little more like getting them out to you than holding a piece of paper in my hand.

My heart aches to be with you and hold you and tell you how much I love you in person dearest. I want to thank you for helping us grow so much as a family and for helping us remember what is important in this life.

In each of the other girls valentine's card, I told them how I loved their talents. I look forward to the days when I can get to know your talents more fully and know you more fully as a person. As your brothers grow and I now that they are leaving the baby stage I think of you often as my baby still waiting.

One day I will hold your little baby girl self again and I will squeeze your little thigh and kiss your cute poochie lips. I will watch your grow and learn and hear the amazing things you will tell me. And I will learn from you. One day.

I love you to the deepest part of my soul,
Mama