{week of apr. 6 - apr. 12}

sunday, april 12, 2009

Easter - When I think, on this day specifically, just what the Savior did for me, I feel humbled at His grace, mercy and love for me. I look at my children's faces and realize that no matter what choices they make in life I love them with every inch of my being. If I have that kind of love for them, I can't even begin to imagine the depth of love our Father in Heaven and elder brother Jesus Christ have for us. I wish I could remember this point every second of every day, because then I'm sure I wouldn't make so many mistakes. The beauty of it all is knowing that because of Christ's atonement I can always repent for my mistakes - big or small.

saturday, april 11, 2009

We had two Easter Egg Hunts today. One at the church with a Break-the-fast breakfast for our wards 40 day fast. The other we had later at our house while there was a small break in the rain. We had brat's and burgers. It was a really fun day.

friday, april 10, 2009

Lot's of just thinking going on this week in pictures. It's been almost two years since I made one of the most difficult decisions in my life. I knew then and I still know that it was the right decision. I know that both Patrick and myself have learned a great deal about ourselves and grown in many ways. I know that I was able to be a better mother to the other three than I otherwise would have been. I know that our relationship, mine and Patrick's, is so much stronger than it might have been. It's hard to think that I basically had to turn over the responsibilities as a parent, but I know without a doubt that I did the best thing I could do for Patrick, Me and the other kids. I am positive that we as an entire family would not be in as good a place emotionally if I hadn't made the choice I made two years ago. Here's to HOPE - hope for an amazing future ahead for our family.

thursday, april 9, 2009

A huge group of us (about 24) met on the lawn in front of the Visitor's Center for the Mesa LDS Temple. Every year hundreds of volunteers put on this wonderful pageant before Easter called Jesus the Christ. Before the pageant starts the actors come out and meet and talk with the audience. When Lucas saw this particular actor (who was John the Baptist,) he pointed and said, "Mom, it's Jesus."

wednesday, april 8, 2009

This is a problem...and I don't know what to do? Oh yeah, call a sprinkler expert to come and fix the whole system for a bucket load of money. I know this is part of being a home owner, but can I just give a primal yell of aggravation anyway?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

At least now it's all fixed, and I'll soon forget the pain to my pocket book.

tuesday, april 7, 2009

This is a funny story. A year ago I had to replace my windshield, and about one week later a rock hit my brand new windshield. Funny...right? The crack stayed small and contained in the upper right corner, without growing, for ten months. One day when Doug was with me, he said, "I can force the end of that crack to go up to the top so it won't continue across the front of the whole windshield." So he proceeded by putting just the right amount of pressure in the right spot so the crack would head straight to the top. Guess what the crack did instead? It zoomed straight left across the middle. He tried one more time because it wasn't in front of the driver's side yet, but it just leaped right past the new pressure point and well now you see why I have a new windshield. I think it's hilarious. We hadn't been dating very long when this happened, so he felt awful, but I just laughed.

monday, april 6, 2009

I took this picture, because it still never ceases to amaze me that both of these two boys are my sons. One older, ready to take on the world and become his own man. He graduates in a little over a month and will be off to college next fall. The other other one, young and still needing his mama in many ways to help him along the way even though he often tells me, "I tan do it." Then you put the two other children in the middle with their varying needs, and WOW! What an amazing and varied life I'm blessed to lead. I see Patrick and think, "I've come so far, and grown and changed." But then I look at Lucas and think, "I've got so far to go; so many improvements to make and lessons to learn." It's strange how it seems like just yesterday that Patrick, our first little toddler, learning and growing and needing us so much; in the blink of an eye, has grown up and is going off to find his own way in the world. He is still learning and growing and, yes, in many ways still needs us; but it is different now. Good, but different. I'm so excited for what lies ahead for Patrick. There's so much self discovery during this time in his life. My prayers for his success and happiness will never change. I guess this specific picture got me just thinking.