so much to say its overwhelming

ok if i just don't start writing i will keep putting it off!

I mean ALABAMA!  KONRAD!!  SO MUCH TO SAY.

and then school started!!!  for big kids, and school starts tomorrow for the last three.

SEMINARY STARTS TOMORROW!!!!  HOW IS THIS MY LIFE NOW??!!!

IF THERE WAS ANY QUESTION BEFORE, I'M OFFICIALLY A GROWN UP.


AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE BEST PART?  I'M NOT PTA PRESIDENT ANYMORE...which actually is a million times better because the PTA doesn't have to pay for the music arts program this year which is like the thing that made it so hard the last few years!!!  huge news people.

and my kids all got good teachers and my total terror and fear of the new year is being more manageable .

Could help that I had a superb day on Saturday when I got to chaperone the young women's disneyland trip which was amazing.  i'll take that kinda of 'service' any day!  but seriously it was really cute to see how much Darby has been working towards earning her goals so she can go.  Even late in the nite in Alabama she would be reading her scriptures and writing in her journal so she could have enough 'points'.  such great great youth leaders my kids have and primary teachers.  very lucky.  especially since my sister tells me at this point in my older kids lives statistics show they listen to their parents less and less and listen to their youth leaders and other adult influences.

Okay, so funny stuff.

Darby said that on the first day of school.  (Darby was excited/nervous by the way, I think Luke was just terrified) her history teacher did a get to know you game where you divide yourself into three groups....no chores at home, little chores at home, or lots of chores at home.  Can you guess which group darby put herself into?  Yes the LOTS OF CHORES AT HOME!  haha which I think  is super funny because for all she knows maybe its the same as the little chores but she views it as lots?  Who knows?  Maybe it really is lots compared to others?  Anyway, she said the LOTS OF CHORES only had 5 people and she was the only girl.   She said the NO CHORES had the second most, pretty close to the LITTLE CHORES.


okay, girls came in so now I can't remember what I was gonna say.

But went to adult session of conference and it was really great.  One woman spoke about how she had a really amazing career and how she chose to be a stay at home mom and the challenges and how her husband got baptized and she reactivated in the church.  It was so good for me to hear.  Like her awesome job was doing really good work, meaningful things that impacted lives (she worked in news television), but that how much more important was her work as a mother and impacted their lives and the world so much more.  Was like validating having a crappy car for me with the sacrifice of staying home with my kids.

Another woman spoke about having a truth filter for thoughts that come in your head.  Like to decide if a thought should stay, you ask yourself...Is it loving?  Can I feel the spirit?  She talked about how her prayers had gotten a bit monotonous and how she caught herself and chose to make them more meaningful and she had the distinct impression....OH HOW I'VE MISSED YOU!  from God as she talked with Him more.  Not, wow, you lazy slacker, where have you been.  You are not celestial material.  Nope that would have not passed through the truth filter.

Such such good stuff. President Lindberg spoke about how he planted these huge trees too close to his house and while they were so beautiful and provided shade for his house, it was wrecking havoc unground which he couldn't see.  And how tedious and hard it was to dig them up and out, but like sin, we must do that so it doesn't wreck havoc on our lives.  And then he read Mosiah 3:19..

 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

I having been praying for Elder Hamula's family this week and have felt great love for them.  Anytime someone is trying to dig out the giant trees in their yard that have been planted too close to their home their efforts should be applauded and compassion extended.  

Then we sang the closing hymn "I Believe in Christ" and I was touched by verse 3 it says, 'from Satan's grasp...he sets me free.'   So grateful for my eternally merciful and loving Savior!