Don’t forget to fill your own cup

My family always asks if I am taking dinner to someone (who had a baby, illness, death in the family etc) when I make a salad with dinner and a dessert. 

The lessons for whatever class I am teaching at church are always more elaborate than the family home evenings I plan for my kids. 

When company is coming,  I go into spic n span mode.  It has to sparkle. 

Meg and I were shopping together today (without kids.  It was so fun!) and had a fleeting conversation about organ donation.  I am an organ donor.  I’m not sure when in my mind and heart I began to feel that desire, but I do.   I know some day my body will be restored to a perfect state, but while I’m not using it, I love the idea of allowing someone else to learn and grow and love for a while longer.   So, while watching one of those surgery drama shows tonight, the thought crossed my mind, “oh my word, someone might need my heart-kidneys-lungs-etc someday… I have got to take better care of my body!”  

So, why is it that when someone else is going to be using it, seeing it, (living with it?) that it needs to be a lot more special than what I give myself and my family?  

As I have gotten older I have not only grown in height (and weight!) but in confidence, and I think it’s high time I start making dinner with salad and dessert,  spending more time on family home evenings, making my house sparkle and taking better care of my body because darn it,  my family (and my organs) are overdue.

Daily Gem

Each day via email, I get a “daily gem” from LDS.org.   I used to delete some of them without reading them due to the hustle and bustle or a full inbox and the desire to clean it out quickly.   A few months ago I realized that each day there were words from God being sent through my email!  (I know, duh Julia)  Some days it was just nice to read loving inspirational words, but on days like today the words spoke to my soul.  This blog is for my children and someday they will need this as I do. 

"In reality, there aren’t many things in a day that are totally without significance. Even the mundane and repetitious can be tiny but significant building blocks that in time establish the discipline and character and order needed to realize our plans and dreams. Therefore, as you ask in prayer for your daily bread, consider thoughtfully your needs—both what you may lack and what you must protect against. As you retire to bed, think about the successes and failures of the day and what will make the next day a little better. And thank your Heavenly Father for the manna He has placed along your path that sustained you through the day."   —D. Todd Christofferson

I am new to days filled with only my children.  For years my poor kids were given only the time I had in small gaps between work and making sure the house didn’t swallow us up in undone laundry and other such things.  I don’t feel as though most days are “mundane and repetitious” but I have forgotten to remember to watch for my tiny daily blessings that create these building blocks to my dreams.  And to thank my Heavenly Father “for the manna He has placed along your path that sustained you through the day."

My daily prayers are often a mixture of please please please, thank you, please please please and a grey area of thought that is what I imagine, worry and stress without specific words to go with it. Thank you Elder Christofferson for reminding me to speak clearly when I pray… “as you ask in prayer for your daily bread, consider thoughtfully your needs—both what you may lack and what you must protect against” 

Beautiful. 

 

A lesson in Jell-O

Who knew America’s funniest home videos would teach my children such a valuable lesson?

Scene: College kids having a  Jell-O eating contest.  (I know, initially I thought Jell-O shots, but no, good clean Jell-O eating fun) 

My kids are trying to figure out who the individual is that caused this scene to make the show… These kids are cheering and chanting, so much chaos… Table falling over onto someone? No.  Jell-O coming from a nose? Nope.

Just as we see green Jell-O eating guy inhale the last of what’s on his plate and start to celebrate, blue jell-O explodes from his opponents face. Everywhere. It had an impact both on the television and in my children's minds. 

Jared: Whoa.  so that’s why you won’t let us eat very much jell-O.

Lainy: (still clearly in shock as her eyeballs have no yet receded back into her face) From now on, I am only eating tiny bits at a time.

Comings and goings of summer

“Oooh that needs to go in my blog” crosses my mind several times each day.  And I often think that surely I will remember such an important thought, topic, comment, or idea by the time I get home.  Not so much. 

Summer has come and is nearly gone (at least as far as the schools go, the heat is here to stay for a few months) and I can’t say I have much to show for it!  I had high expectations for my summer schedule and how many projects would finally be crossed off my to do list, but in truth it has been nice to just be.  At the pool, at the movies, in my jammies, on road trips here or there.  It has been so nice to have  nights of laughter with my sisters.  The combo of watching bachelorette and sitting without children with my sisters in the later hours of day is bound to be filled with joy, snorting laughs, and completely ridiculous topics of conversations.   Love you girls!  (Shannon and Tami.  I love you and I miss you.  I imagine if you were there I might actually keel over and die due to too much joy, happiness and humor.)

I will say the blessings of the summer have been unexpected.  My 3 tiny people (I know they are no longer tiny,  humor me)  have become much better friends, though please do not mistake that to mean they don’t bicker and argue.  They do.  But they like each a whole heck of a lot more than they used to!  All 3 are heading to school full day in less than 3 weeks.  I am a very sad mama.   Yes, I will be the ugly crier mom standing on the pavement clutching her kindergartener.  Bleh.  Not excited for the first day of school. 

Joined the gym this summer.  Yup.  I did.  And since someday my children will be reading this, I will say that I joined so I can be healthy.  Truth is, I am definitely in my 30’s and my body has made sure that I am fully aware of it. 

I have a trip to Reno to get ready for to see my honey.     So signing off!