Goals

So it feels like I have had very minimal contact with the outside world over the last two weeks. I decided that I had to let the phone go and very limited blogging in order to accomplish a goal. I have been spending a large amount of time over the last two weeks with Nephi, Alma, Ammon, Mormon, Moroni and all of the other Book of Mormon prophets. I went to a relief society thing last fall with my sister-in-law, Jenny and her President mentioned a challenge of reading the Book of Mormon like a novel and finishing it in two weeks.
It sounded like a great idea, but I knew I would need to wait for the right two weeks so I could find time to get it done. With my birthday coming up and thought about what it would mean to be 30 and what goals I had lined up for the next decade of my life I decided to try it. Phil was going to be gone to Portland for work for three days and the silly part of me thought, "I will just read it all while Phil is gone." That didn't happen. There is a lot in those pages and it was MUCH harder then reading a 600 page novel, but it was wonderful.
I am so glad that I decided to do it and listen to the Spirit as it testified to me that the men I was reading about were true Prophets of God. I came to know them better and the story of one family leaving Jerusalem and heading out to the Promise Land and all that became of these people became real and alive to me. I did read the whole book when President Hinckley gave out the challenge and that was great, but this was more powerful to me. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the Plan of Salvation. I am grateful for the challenges that we receive from inspired leaders and the blessings that come when we follow their counsel.
It was amazing to see how the atmosphere in our home changed as I was so diligent in reading all these pages. I don't think anything within my children changed, but I was a much better mother and much more patient with them. It was easier to see my weaknesses as I was reading about what caused these people to be destroyed and how quickly they forgot the miracles and blessings from the Lord. Well I could go on and on about everything I have experienced over the past two weeks, but I will just sum it up with I think you all should try it. If you can't do it in two weeks do it in a month or two months or by the end of the year, but set a goal and accomplish it and you will be blessed.

Important Things

I have been thinking about what things I find important to teach my children and what things would make me the most proud of each of them. I loved playing sports as a kid and was super competitive so I find it rather odd that I am not jumping on team sports for my kids. I hope they get to play when they are older, but if not that is okay. I thought about their academics and being the top of their class, but really all I care about is them trying their best. I also don't want them to get bored in school because I really want them to love learning, not test taking, but LEARNING.
Today I went to pick up Miya from school and her teacher, Mrs. Jones said, "thank you for Miya. She is such a gift to this class. She is bright and comes to class with great skills, but mostly she is just kind."

I thought now that is really important. MY CHILD IS KIND! I am so glad I have Miya. I am not sure Cannon would always say that she is kind, but she tries really hard to do the right thing.

Berry Stain

Just a little helpful tidbit I learned this weekend while blackberry picking with Phil's mom.

Boiling water takes out any berry stain in clothes. There is no scrubing just stick the clothes in the boiling pot and within seconds the stain is gone.

I have already used the info again today when Lyla drank a blackberry smoothie more got on her shirt then in her mouth.

Light

Yesterday we had a really great Stake conference focusing on missionary work. This morning as I got up to run the moon was so beautiful and full giving off tons of light and just as I finished my run the sun was coming up with the great colorful sunrise. I thought of the scriptures I have just read in Genesis about the Creation and the gifts of beauty we have been given. In it is talks about the sun and the moon being created to be symbols of light and truth. I had to think as I was out among these creations how wonderful the Plan of Salvation is and how blessed I feel to have so much truth and light in my life. I also had to reflect on my life and the things I am doing to be a symbol of His truth and light to those around me. Lots to do!

Stolen Lunch

So school seems to be adding a lot of drama to our lives and is giving me many things to journal. Here is another conversation between me and Miya after school today:

Miya: mom I at all of my lunch today...

(I didn't think much about this comment until ten minutes later when I saw her eating snacks out of her lunch box that I had packed earlier today.)
Me: when you said you ate all of your lunch did you mean the school lunch?
Miya: (silents then lots and lots of tears, through the tears I heard something that sounded like) well mom, I wanted the school lunch.
Me: Miya I am really disappointed that you would eat the school lunch after all we talked about last week.
Miya: (still crying) I know, but I REALLY WANTED IT.
Me: Would you steal lunch from the grocery store?
Miya: No
Me: Well we are going to have to talk to your teacher and let her know that you are not to be eating the school lunch and pay for the lunches you have already had.
Miya: No you can't talk to my teacher because she will tell the whole school over the speaker and everyone will know. (lots and lots of crying)
Me: Well it is more important that we do the right thing and feel bad about what we did wrong and not worry about what others might think of us. We will go talk to her together and ask her not to tell the whole school.
Miya: I already know that she will tell the whole school.
Me: Well maybe that is what it will take for you to stop stealing the school lunch.
Miya: It isn't stealing I get a card from the teacher...(mother interuption)
Me: Miya I told you that you would not be eating school lunch everyday and that is enough. We will go talk to your teacher tomorrow. I love you, but we really do need to do the right thing even when what we really want to have is the wrong thing.

She liked that I ended on that idea and told me we could talk to her teacher, but to please ask her not to tell the whole school. I am pretty sure we don't need to worry about any announcements over the loud speaker.

"Good morning everyone at Tillicum Elementary, we have some very bad news today. Miya Combs has eaten two school lunches without permission from her mom and without paying her teacher. Everyone must laugh at her as she walks into the lunchroom eating her lunch out of her lunchbox that she brought from HOME!!!"

P.S. I thought the new song was so fitting!