to quote...

~ Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don't sing and bells don't ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result. -Come What May, and Love It," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 26"

lazy summer days...

We have had beautiful weather in the last few weeks... cooler than normal, lovely clouds dancing across the skies in the afternoons... creating beautiful sunsets and fragrant breezes...

I get a few tasks done each day, but not even close to everything that needs doing. Still, I find myself feeling completely happy... and I am grateful today for lazy summer days... for a snug home and happy, healthy family...

...for life.

and the rockets red flares...

...to misquote the anthem slightly, this line is true when you have a disease that flares... I suspect for any kind of disease, not just my disease...

It's not a lot of cool flashes and pretty lights to enjoy... it's more like the bombarding that the flag took when the song was written... bombs that are trying to knock your sturdy little flag pole down...

I feel like I am already down for the count... for this week, at least... I have fallen asleep 2 dozen times today, sitting up...

to quote...

~ Elder David E Sorensen

"Remember that faith and obedience are still the answers, even when things go wrong, perhaps especially when things go wrong." Faith Is the Answer, May 2005 Ensign pg. 72

...BUSY week..!

How is it possible my life gets busier every single week?

The last week has been so crazy busy... but productive and good... just so busy that I can hardly remember one that was less so... I got an amazing amount of stuff done, around the house and ticked off so many items off my "to do" list, that is REALLY good... and I am very glad to have more energy lately, but the week has flown by so fast it is a bit scary...

Here it is another Saturday morning with too many thing on my list to do and not enough hours in the day... I have tried to be careful not to push myself faster than I should... putting myself into a energy tailspin is not a good thing and I have learned over the years (and tears) to pace myself very carefully when I feel good...

A list helps me a lot, because I can focus on ONE thing for 15-30 minutes and then... rest... repeat... all through the day... The list helps me see progress (as I am able to check things off and keeps me on target with the next task when I am ready to resume... It is nice to be back to the point again where I see progress more that regression... It has been almost a year since I was feeling this well...

I am REALLY happy with how much I have been able to get accomplished just lately, but I am noticing that my list gets longer every day, instead of shorter... how is that possible...??? he he... oh yeah... LIFE!

The Noble Calling of Parents

...from Chapter 16 of Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, pg 153

The greatest trust that can come to a man and woman is the placing in their keeping the life of a little child.

Recently this topic has been on my mine a lot... I don't mean to slight anyone that does not have children... I have friends who have never been traditional parents that have nevertheless been a tremendous influence for good in my children's lives, and whom I am grateful could step into my roll if the need arose... it's just that I feel the weight of this burden more than ever as my youngest is soon to fly on wings of independence from our home... I keep asking myself... Did I get it mostly right??? Is the foundation we tried to lay solid enough??? If I wasn't there for my children to come to tomorrow, would they feel a void in their life as I do with the loss of my own mother???

I really do not worry that my children don't love me... I KNOW they do, they show me regularly that they love both hubby and I as their parent by word and deed... and that they miss us [their parents] when we are separated... this is simply a time of self refection as I move into a new area of life... I think a lot of parents must ask similar questions of themselves as their children leave the nest, and learn to fly with their very own wings, to use that prevailing imagery... and I don't suppose I will know the answers until we are all done with this life and we are able to see through the eyes of complete understanding...

I am looking forward to this new time of "empty nesting" that is coming to us... I don't wish my children away, but I feel we have earned this time of happy times with fewer demands on our home time. We can concentrate on each other more, without having to feel guilty that we are spending time away from children that need us too... It's a good thing to move on with seasons of life... I believe we are ready for it...

...but still I wonder... How did we do???