Finally Home

The last couple of weeks have been pretty chill. Little A and I were with Grandma and Grandpa. We went on walks with Grandma, played picnic, read a lot of stories, played Winnie the Pooh, and watched movies.

I'm not sure what these tears were about (I think it was because she didn't want me to take her picture), but I thought it was so cute how she has her hand to her face. She really has been so much happier since things have gotten back to normal.

We had a few play dates with one of my friends from my mission and her two little girls. It was a lot of fun to see my friend and catch up with her. Her girls are darling, and hilarious! Little A was pretty clingy to me and a bit shy, but otherwise had fun. She even gave my friends youngest girl a hug! She gives those pretty sparingly.

Aunt C took Little A and her 4 boys to the zoo. A had a ball! She loves those boys, and they are so good with her. She went on her first carousel ride. C said she wasn't sure about it at first, but seemed to like it okay by the end. The boys told me that she would run from animal to animal and really liked to jabber at the animals. It was such a treat for A to go! I am so grateful to C and the boys for taking her.

She also went to Uncle A1 and Aunt F's for a while to play. She really enjoys playing with their 5 kids. They also came over a couple of times to play. Their girls are really good with Little A. It's fun to see them all play together. Little A is right in between their son and youngest daughter. Those three are always after each other, picking on each other.

When Allan got to Grandma and Grandpa's we went on some family walks, and Allan took her to the park and to play outside. She was so THRILLED to see Allan again and was pretty clingy. She didn't want to let him out of her sight. Little A is totally enthralled with dogs right now so we introduced her to the movie Bolt. She LOVED it.

We really enjoyed General Conference. A had a rough time having to be quiet for so long, but she played pretty good. Allan went to the Priesthood Session with his Dad and brothers. They always come home afterward and have ice cream around the island in the kitchen, and talk about the session. It's always so fun to see them all together.

We watched Big Hero 6 with Grandpa one evening. I thought it was hilarious! Little A got bored and wanted to go to bed. Robots and superheros just aren't as exciting as cute little dogs.

We came home last Sunday. It has been so nice to be home! I immediately missed Grandma and Grandpa though. It was challenging to not have constant care for A and I, and actually have responsibilities again after a month off. The Relief Society arranged for some dinners for us, and my mom and K6 alternated days to help during the week. It has all gone really well. I am so grateful for everyone's concern and help!

Nana and Pops got the girls some play-doh for Easter. Little A loves play-doh now and asks to play with it every day. We've also been outside as much as possible playing with chalk, going up and down her slide, and picking dandelions.

A has had fun playing with K6 and P. Those two are so funny together. They had a lot of fun playing kitchen, ring around the rosie, and dancing. They also watched Daniel Tiger and a couple of other cartoons.

I'm so glad little A has a cousin nearby.

Allan took little A to the park, and we went on some family walks as well. Little A was absolutely thrilled to go to the park. Allan said that she ran as fast as she could to the playground when he got her out of the car. She picked up every pine cone and stick she could find. She swung on every swing, and even went down a slide!

I taught my primary class this week. It was so nice to be with those kids again. They are such good kids, I missed them. It is still really uncomfortable to sit, so I stood for the last two hours of church. I was really tired by the time we got home, but otherwise it all went well. Little A was so happy to be back in Nursery. We've been keeping her out so that she doesn't get sick, and then get me sick.

Unfortunately that is what happened. She got a cold and then gave it to me. Thankfully it was a pretty tame one, not a lot of coughing or sneezing. She was very tired though, but I couldn't get her to sleep. I finally tried laying her on the floor in the living room and then lying by her. She was staying there good, but talking my ear off instead of going to sleep. I got up to use the bathroom and when I came back she was out.

I hid in my room for the next hour reading my scriptures and trying to catch up on a few other things. When I came back in to check on her she was like this:

K3 and C came down the weekend before my birthday to look through baby clothes (all of our family baby clothes are stored at our house). She brought a delicious cake, and we played the "Awkward Family Photos Game". That game is hilarious! And I won :)

My family threw a birthday dinner for me.  Pops took the kids outside to play for a while, Little A wasn't having it though, she wanted to be inside with me.

Allan and little A gave me a card with some shopping money in it. He also made a banner and left me love notes all over the house!

Little A rediscovered the cookie cutters and now likes to use them as bracelets. She gets as many on her arms as she can. The best thing about this is that it will hold her attention for a good 10 minutes or more! There's a lot I can do in 10 minutes! (Like make a felt board, fix the mobile for her room, and do the dishes!)

She also is started to discover that she can climb into things. She was very pleased that she could get into her Lego wagon.

Allan made her a trundle bed to go under my old daybed. He got it done just in time for me to go home. I couldn't lift her yet, so this was a great blessing. Because of this bed we didn't need help to come until 8 or 9 in the morning, otherwise they would have needed to be there by 6:15, eesh. Little A has loved her new bed and slept really well in it. She really likes that she can get into it herself.

One of our friends came over to help Allan move in her new dresser (he also helped move our treadmill and A's old dresser). This week we finally got the daybed moved in and now she has a whole new room. She has loved having the daybed and dresser. She especially loves that she can see herself in the mirror.

The other day I talked to A about calling things by their names. She just says "Mom" for everything. So I told her that my name is Mama, daddy is daddy, and also went through dolly, cup, outside, etc. She nodded and said "Yeah!" The next day she started calling everything "Mama" instead of "Mom", lol! And that is still what she does. She says a lot of other words too, but most of the time she just says "Mama!"

So a couple of days ago I put her down for a nap, waited for 10 minutes, and then got in the shower. I do this every day. She is always asleep after 10 minutes. Well, this day as soon as I got in the shower she yells "MA!" And I could hear her running around in her room. I had shut the door though and she can't turn doorknobs yet, so she was stuck. She continued to yell "ma", "mom", or "mama" the entire time I was in the shower. Eventually she says "Mom! I said Mama!" lol! Poor girl couldn't understand why I wasn't coming. When I finally got there she had dumped her socks, shoes, hats, and bows all over the floor. She'd had a grand old time. I explained to her why I hadn't come right away and then put her in her bed, and she was asleep in about 2 minutes!

We got to go to a Temple ground breaking yesterday. It was a really special experience. We were clear at the back and couldn't hear anything. After a bit people started broadcasting it on their phones with the volume up so they could hear it better which helped. Eventually someone drove their car up behind us and plugged their phone into the speakers so we could all hear.

Little A had a ball playing in the mud and saying "hi" to everyone who would look at her. I discovered a lady bug in her hair. I got it out and showed it to her, she thought it was pretty neat, but not nearly as neat as dogs and people.

I got to see one of my good friends from high school today. I haven't seen her in several years. It was so good to see her, meet a couple of her kids, and catch up a bit.

Happy Easter!

What a great blessing it was to listen to General Conference today, and hear our church leaders testify of our Savior Jesus Christ.

He lives! He is our Savior and Redeemer! I am ever grateful for his atonement for my sins, the example He has given me to follow, and the grace He gives through His atonement that enables me to do and be what I could not with out Him.

I love my Savior, Jesus Christ!

Sustaining the Prophet

Today in General Conference there were a few people who stated their opposition in sustaining the Prophet, his counselors, and the 12 Apostles.

While it saddens me to see those of our faith struggle to sustain the leaders of the church, I am grateful to belong to a church that not only allows its members to express their concerns and doubts, but also directs them to those who can listen to their specific concerns, and help them in resolving these issues, if they so desire.

Truly "...the worth of souls is great in the sight of God". (D&C 18: 10)

I sustain the Prophet, his councilors, the 12 Apostles, and the other General Authorities of the church. These men and women have been called by God. 

The principles they teach are true.

They teach us to be clean and virtuous, to have integrity, to respect and honor our bodies, to respect and honor those around us, to be temperate, and to rely on God. When we follow the council of the prophets we become more like our Savior; we become disciples of Christ.

Following the prophet can often be a challenge. “A prophet doesn’t take a poll to see which way the wind of public opinion is blowing” (“Follow the Prophet”, Glenn L. Pace, April 1989). The things the prophet teaches us are often not popular with the world. The prophets share the same intent as Nephi and the other ancient prophets: “For the fullness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved. Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.” (1 Nephi 6:4)

Of this President Harold B. Lee (former President and Prophet) said: “You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may conflict with your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life … Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow … Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.” (Conference Report, October 1970, p. 152–153.)

Following the prophet is ultimately an act of faith. President Ezra Taft Benson once said, “How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness.” (“Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”, Ezra Taft Benson)

I sustain the Prophet, his counselors, the 12 Apostles, and the General Authorities of the church. These men and women are called by God.

President Monson is God’s chosen prophet and president of the church. His counselors and the Twelve Apostles are prophets of God. Their words and their examples will guide us to Jesus Christ and help us to partake of His atonement in our lives. God speaks through these men, and as we listen to and apply their words we will be guided safely through the struggles and challenges of our day.  God has commanded us to listen to and follow His Prophet.