Again I Say, Rejoice!

It is so nice, when lots of things seem to be completely topsy-turvy, to get an affirmation that you're going in the right direction. It's a reason to rejoice! A quote from this article appeared in my inbox right after I posted my goals for this year.

This is what it said:

"Only one verse of scripture in the entire King James Version of the New Testament suggests what the Savior did to develop himself from age twelve until he began his formal ministry at age thirty: “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52; see JST, Matt. 3:24–26). In other words, the Savior developed in the same areas indicated on the poll: intellectually (in wisdom and knowledge), physically (in stature), socially (in favor with man), and spiritually (in favor with God).

I am convinced that if we make and keep resolutions in those four areas, we will have a happier and more successful new year this coming year and every year for the rest of our lives." ~Joe J. Christensen, “Resolutions,” Ensign, Dec 1994, 62–67

You'll have to read the article to find out what poll he was referring to. You might even find some other great words of wisdom if you take the time. :o)

What it said to me is that my four 15-minute goals ARE going to make 2009 an incredible year!

We're still fighting winter colds (though we're staying hydrated, trying to get enough rest, and eating healthier), we still have Christmas decorations up (though we did start taking them down yesterday, 15 minutes at a time!), we know we have an extra busy several months ahead of us (though we're excited for the reason - the Savior of the World production), and there are LOTS of long-term to-dos on our list (though 15 minutes at a time we're starting to see progress already!). BUT we're enjoying each other - working AND playing together, learning and adventuring together, praying and growing together - and feeling very blessed.

So, again I say, rejoice!

Adventures I Should Have Blogged

No posts in nearly two months means that LOTS of life here at the Woody Hacienda and Wonderwood Academy has not been documented. There have been way too many adventures between then and now to attempt to even highlight them. I have to be satisfied with a list. Here it is, in chronological order:

October 12, 19, and 26 Angel Choir rehearsals - We're loving the experience!

October 17-19 Trip to San Diego to celebrate Woody's birthday. Of course, it was also an "extended field trip." We had a great time adventuring at Balboa Park, Old Town, the trolley tour, missions, the Point Loma lighthouse, and the Wild Animal Park.

October 23 The girls had their last piano lesson until after the holidays. Life is already starting to get crazy!!

October 25 Aunt Debby hung out with us and then joined us for the annual Trunk or Treat party at church. Jelly and the Doodle dressed as Renaissance witches. (Possibly influenced by our current Middle Ages/Renaissance studies, and the fact that Jelly wanted something a bit more "Halloweenish, but not scary." When Doodle saw the pretty costume, SHE wanted one JUST LIKE IT! To Jelly's credit, rather than being annoyed, she immediately responded that, "No, I don't mind. We can be twins!" I just pray that their close relationship endures the teen years.

October 29 Liahona Field Trip to Griffith Park Observatory - We're studying astronomy and this was our first trip to the observatory since it reopened after a HUGE renovation. It is amazing!

October 31 Our new family Halloween tradition is to let the girls dress up and then we have a family adventure. This year we utilized our membership to the Aquarium of the Pacific and hung out with our aquatic friends. Pumpkin pancakes at IHOP were a tasty treat to top off the holiday. (The girls definitely didn't need more candy - more than sufficient was obtained at the church Trunk or Treat.)

November 1 Woody began rehearsals (as the tenor soloist) for the 5th Annual Messiah Sing-Along, sponsored by the Yorba Linda Arts Alliance. It's a tradition that opens our Christmas season the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

November 4 Civics Field Trip - We voted and then watched the returns come in. You win some, you lose some. Enough said.

November 5 Liahona had our first quilting class at Heritage Park. We got a fabulous intro and mini history of quilting, a hands-on opportunity for kids and grown-ups to use a rotary cutter, and made decisions on what kind of quilts we want to make. We'll get supplies over the holidays, and begin in earnest after the first of the year. Cool.

November 8 and 13 Woody auditioned, was called back, and got the part of Zacharias in the Savior of the World presentation. Our enthusiasm continues to build as we share this experience as a family. His beard is really coming in and it's going to be a busy winter and spring!

November 9, 23, and 30 Angel Choir rehearsals continue as we prepare for a concert in December. Everyone is still enjoying the experience and the girls are getting an awesome musical education. It's a little daunting, but they're loving it!

November 12 Liahona takes a free field trip to Albertson's - with a focus on learning to be "Healthy Eaters". We weren't sure what to expect, but a great time was had by all, and we gots LOTS of free stuff!

November 14 The Primary kids had a special practice for their Sacrament Meeting presentation, "I Am a Child of God." This was Jelly's last. Next year at this time she will have been in the Young Women program for several months already. She is truly growing into a wonderful young lady.

November 15 The Freeway Complex fire burned closer than any we've experienced before. Our bishop's family, as well as two other families in our ward, lost their home. Half the ward was evacuated. Jelly was packed and ready to go. Doodle handled her fears by escaping into one of her favorite movies. Though it's been amazing to see the strength and love of our ward family as people step in to serve each other, I hope we never have that experience again.

November 16-19 Though the smoke was still in the air, we knew we were safe. After a unique Sacrament Meeting (folks were still evacutated from many areas) Woody traveled to San Francisco on business.

November 23 The Primary Sacrament Meeting Program, having been postponed a week due to the fire, was a resounding success. Both Jelly and Doodle put their whole hearts into singing and their speaking parts. Looking back on past programs, my mama heart was prilled (proud and thrilled) to see the way they have progressed each year to overcome their shyness and fears. Yes, the shyness and fears are still there, but did NOT stop them from sharing their growing testimonies through music and words.

November 27 We have SO much to be thankful for!!!

November 30 5th Annual Messiah Sing-Along. Aunt Debby spent the Thanksgiving holiday with us and joined us for the first seating of the sing-along. The girls and I are Woody's best fans, so we were there for BOTH seatings. We love supporting Daddy and we also love the way this experience helps to usher in the Christmas season with a jubilant spirit.

December The entire Woody family is busy rehearsing for special Christmas concerts, but none is busier than Woody himself!

December 1 Christmas School is in session at Wonderwood Academy. We are participating (along with God daughter, SwimChick) in a special HOAC Co-Op on the Twelve Days of Christmas. More on this later.

December 2 Our baby, the Doodlebug, is nine years old!! This was a year for a family celebration, so she got to plan the entire day's menus. She developed a love for hand sewing when she was tiny, watching her Grandma Joy, and still talks about how she used to "help" put in some of the stitches. Watching Aunt Debby work on her current project revived Doodle's desires for a project that she can do "by herself." So, her special birthday gift was to select a printed cross stitch project. She's making a pillow case with a princess design. So far, she's stitched two of the butterflies and is VERY happy.

December 5 For at least the third year (I need to check on this) we attended the Orange Stake's Creche and Christmas Concert. It was especially fun this year to look for nativities from the countries we have been and will be studying in our Christmas unit at Wonderwood. We'll be adding some of the pictures we took to the girls lap/notebook projects. The concert, featuring the Anaheim Mormon Chorale (where Woody sings tenor), brought even more of a truly tangible spirit to our holiday season.

December 6 In a new joint effort, the Chorale joined with the Yorba Linda Orchestra for a combined concert. We weren't sure just what to expect, and so were VERY pleasantly surprised at the quality of the orchestra's sound. Conditions were less than ideal for the chorale members, but in spite of staging challenges we thoroughly enjoyed yet another wonderful holiday musical experience.

December 7 An amazing testimony meeting set the tone for a special Sabbath. We then basked in the spirit of a quiet afternoon at home, followed by an earlier-than-usual Angel Choir rehearsal. Only one week left before we sing in our stake's Christmas Concert. The day was capped by the First Presidency Christmas Devotional broadcast from Salt Lake. We normally watch it at home, on BYU TV, but since we were already at church, we stayed to share the experience.

There is a place in our family traditions for the secular side of Christmas, but I've been really pleased with the out-of-balance emphasis that we've been able to maintain with the sacred, spiritual, "real reason for the season" so far this year.

Not to worry - the girls have had and will continue to have opportunities for the just-plain-fun parts of the holiday, too. Our tree is up and has lights on it, so far, and our family tradition of holiday movie watching has also begun. (A little later than usual this year, but finally begun.) We're decorating a bit at a time, so there are red and green boxes stacked in a couple of corners. Shopping is almost done, and crafting and baking are on the horizon.

Stay tuned for updates. :o)

Angels in the Choir

Auditions were a couple of weeks ago. You can read all about THAT experience here.

Yes, it's true. As of last night, our entire little family is currently "in rehearsal" for the Anaheim East Stake production of "Savior of the World." We are all members of the Angel Choir. Woody will be auditioning next month for a principle role (at the request of the music director & director). He's already sporting two-week's worth of beard because of their question - "Can you grow a beard?" It has already begun to be a good missionary tool! Questions regarding the facial growth are answered with explanations about the Savior of the World. Awesome.

The rehearsal began with a wonderful devotional, which brought the spirit before we had even sung a note.

Are you ready for Jelly's description of the spirit she felt AFTER we'd sung?

"Mama, I just loved it! I didn't want it to ever stop! It was even better than when I'm playing my DS and it's working and I just want to keep going and going and going!"

Interesting, yes?

Prayers offered by both girls today have included their thanks for the great rehearsal last night.

Amen.

Taxi Dad

I know, I know... it really ought to say "Taxi Mom", but if it did, it just wouldn't be true!

We are SO blessed in our home to have a Daddy that puts his love for his family right out there where everyone can see it! One of the blessings that makes that possible for more hours of the day is a job that allows the man of our house to work from home most days. No, he doesn't have a wonderful home office where he can close the door and seclude himself from the world to focus on his assignments/teleconferences/etc. He usually works, as of late, in the dining room, sitting in a definitely-not-ergonomic-very-ancient-swivel chair that has a part in his personal history and that squeaks whenever he moves, allowing the girls and I to take over the much more comfortable living room for school. (The girls either sit curled up on the big, comfy couch, with a clipboard when needed, or use some beautiful tray tables as their desks.) If Daddy Woody needs focus, he puts on his headphones. More often, though, he listens with one ear to what is going on at Wonderwood Academy. Many times he contributes to the discussion for a while, and then goes right back to "work."

Jelly, Doodle, and I left him there, trying to make his point in a virtual WebEx meeting, and went to a Relief Society cooking class. We spent the morning having a totally fun time learning how to decorate cupcakes from a real pro. Stacy De La Vega just started a new home-based business called Sugar Rush Sweets & Bakery. She gave us all kinds of great tips for decorating cupcakes that look like you bought them. Between her helpful demonstrations and the fellowship with the other ladies in the class, the girls and I had a fantastic time as we decorated our 18 cupcakes. We did some fancy swirly ones with sprinkles, some with hearts and flowers, some that looked like a day at the beach, a special holiday ornament, and one (limited frosting of the right color) that looked like a jack-o-lantern. So we left for home equipped with dessert for the next few days and an icing bag with two tips so that we can make more artistic cupcakes.

When we arrived at home, Wonder Daddy was ready and waiting to rescue me from my taxi duties. I knew without a doubt that my arthritis was NOT going to allow me to be the chauffeur for other adventure we had planned. Donning his chauffer's cap, (uh, his tan canvas not-just-for-fishing hat) he whisked the cupcakes to the safety of the air-conditioned kitchen while I willingly transferred to the passenger-side seat of the Wonderwood School Bus.

A brief stop to pick up a car-picnic-lunch and with Daddy at the wheel, 45 minutes later we had arrived at El Dorado Nature Center to meet our homeschool support group, our Liahona friends.

Equipped with a grid-map of the trail and a nature-based scavenger hunt list of items, Doodle, Jelly, their friends, moms, and our Wonder Daddy headed out for an afternoon of science combined in the best way with P.E. My sweetheart was willing to push my chair, but I didn't want the noise to get in the way of spotting timid wild creatures. While the group explored, I spent time in the little museum at the center attempting to read (in preparation for a discussion with the girls) but truly being hopelessly distracted by the gorgeous view of the small lake and meadow just outside.

When the nature walk had ended, I was greeted by an excited group. In spite of the unseasonalby warm weather, a great time was had by all. While the kids discovered the delights of the little museum, including hanging out in the kid-friendly reading corner, I chatted with the other moms.

Woody did some adventuring of his own, never once complaining, and discovered and purchased a few small surprises for the Woodyettes. He found a patch representing the center to add to Jelly's collection, and for the Doodle a rainbow-colored butterfly eraser for her pencil and a cute turtle pencil sharpener. (Watching the turtles lounge in the sunshine on the rocks as we cross the bridge to the museum here is a favorite tradition when we visit.)

But that isn't all he found. The girls have been fascinated by owls ever since Harry Potter got Hedwig from Hagrid. Wonder Daddy is planning an extension of today's science experience - he will be supervising the girls as they do owl pellet dissections. I promise to take pictures!

So, no taxi mom here. That title belongs to Daddy, and we are SO grateful that he enjoys the work so much.

Middle Ages, Botany, and Olympics, Oh My!

Like Michael Phelps, here at Wonderwood Academy we are on a roll!

We have already had four awesome days of school for the 2008-9 year. We started on Monday, August 4th, so it would have been six, but I was attacked by a very feisty bug that knocked me off my feet for a few days. I am SO grateful, ornery bugs notwithstanding, for generally decent health. This time last year I was just home from a nearly two-week stay in the hospital facing a three-month plus recovery time. It goes without saying, but I will anyway – I don’t EVER want to do that again!

What I LOVE doing is watching Jelly’s and Doodle’s enthusiasm climb from general excitement to pure and simple joy as we delve daily deeper into our “Learning Adventures.” Each time we begin a new unit study, the 24/7 aspect of homeschooling and its influence on our lives is reaffirmed. The girls have a tendency to immerse themselves in whatever period of time we are studying. Our current focus is on Medieval Times – the Middle Ages.

So today for “Show and Tell” (We started this when the girls were little and they won’t let me forget to let them do it nearly every Monday after lunch! I thought they’d have outgrown it by now, but it has turned into a good opportunity for them to do oral presentations. Who knew? ;o) Doodle (4th grade) shared her Princess Minnie doll, who is currently studying to become a knight. Jelly (6th grade) presented her entire collection of Enchanted items, putting a Middle Ages twist on her explanations. She has also been consistently naming her main character during playtime, Giselle. I don’t fully understand how it works, but Giselle and Princess Minnie are definitely having Medieval Times time-traveling adventures these days. It so warms my mama heart to hear facts and fancies we’ve learned during “school” being developed into amazing scenarios for “after school” playtime adventures!

We continue to love Math-U-See, so other than needing a new level for Jelly pretty soon, no changes there.

Our basic curriculum this year is again based on Learning Adventures. We’ll be finishing A World of Adventure and moving into A New World of Adventure. I do have specific timeframe goals but as always, they are not set in stone due to our fondness for rabbit trails.

We’re reading The Door in the Wall, by Marguerite de Angeli, along with miscellaneous other books about knights, castles, cathedrals, King Arthur, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and plants. We’ve whittled Ivory soap, dissected a rose, watched most of the DVDs our library has on the Middle Ages (still a few to go – we like to watch them while we eat lunch), eaten porridge for breakfast and beef barley soup, with dark bread for sopping, for lunch. Pease porridge and bannock are on the menu for dinner later this week.

Lapbooking and notebooking are natural fits with our unit studies, and so we continue to do both. Currently the girls are working on lap/notebooks for both history (Middle Ages) and science (Botany). We’re using a combination of project packs from Hands of a Child and free resources gathered from all over the web. This week we’re adding Art (beginning with Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts) and next week when piano lessons resume we’ll add Music Appreciation.

I’ll post pictures and links soon. I’d do it now, but I’m too tired due to staying up late to watch the Olympics. We’d be lapbooking those, too, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day!

Go Team USA!

The Sacred: Savior of the World

This summer, Woody has been teaching a six-week summer institute class at church titled "Savior of the World." You can actually get links to download audio of the classes here:

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

Lessons 5 and 6

I am, naturally, a bit biased, but even those who are not said that the summer institute course was a wonderful blessing in their lives. I most heartily concur. I thoroughly enjoyed ALL the sessions, and was, as Woody also expressed, sad to see them come to an end. But, though the classes have ended, my desire to learn more about and draw closer to our Savior has been reborn.

The direction Woody was given for this summer institute was to use the script for the Savior of the World production as a foundation, and then to provide a historical and spiritual background in order to help prepare the members of our stake to participate in the presentation of the production during the spring of 2009. You can download that script, and even the score and accompaniment and choir rehearsal tracks here.

If I had to come up with just one word to summarize, that word would be JOY!

My personal testimony and love for the Savior has grown so much. I do KNOW (through a personal witness of the Spirit) that Jesus' part in the Plan of Salvation makes it possible for us to have hope! There is so much in this world that causes us grief and pain, but it doesn't have to end there.

For example, how can we get through heart-rending grief? There are so many of our own family and friends that are suffering and have heartaches that seem beyond bearing. We can, here and now, have a personal manifestation of the Spirit that will bear record to us of the truthfulness of our Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation.
That personal testimony of a loving Father's awareness of each of His children, and of a blessed reunion in a heavenly hereafter can not only give us peace, but JOY! Instead of being distraught, we can be eagerly awaiting that reunion!

In the summer institute lessons, we discussed the fact that Mary always kept things and "pondered" them in her heart as she witnessed and experienced events in the life of her Son. What an amazing example that we should follow! Like Mary, we can also come to a real understanding of these life lessons.

As we learned of the time Jesus spent with his disciples before His Ascension, some other things spoke to my heart.
- Charity is not a single act, it is a state of being.
- It doesn't matter what others do, our purpose in life should be to focus on our personal mission.

I'm taking these verses as MY mission:

Doctrine and Covenants, Section 88 verses 118-120, 123-126:

118 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.
119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
120 That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High.
123 See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.
124 Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.
125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.
126 Pray always, that ye may not faint, until I come. Behold, and lo, I will come quickly, and receive you unto myself. Amen.

Though I'm not (after three years) teaching monthly lessons in Relief Society anymore, I had the opportunity to substitute teach today. The topic was "Testimony," and was based on a talk given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, in conference this past April 2008. I closed the lesson by sharing my testimony, and I'd like to do that again now.

I know that our Heavenly Father’s Plan is in place because of His love for each one of us, His children. I know that our Savior, Jesus Christ, is our elder brother, and that the Atonement assures us the opportunity for eternal life. I know that the Prophet Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son, and restored the fullness of the gospel. I know that we have a prophet now, President Thomas S. Monson, who leads and guides us on our journey toward life with that same Father and Son. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

What does all this mean? The absolute bottom line is LOVE - sharing it, showing it, living it!

Wonderwood Academy Course of Study

UPDATE: The chronological record of studies at Wonderwood Academy is up-to-date!

Regular readers already know that we've been homeschoolers since before our girls were born. We've gotten lots of help and support from many different people, in person and online. There is no way to thank you all enough. I decided that it's time to pay it back, and maybe even pay it forward, by detailing a bit of what we have done, are doing, and may do in the future.

I decided that a chronological approach makes the most sense (to me, anyway). I hope that this is helpful to someone. It will make a nice record for us, as I print an archival copy of all our family blogs once a year.

Thankful Thursday

Technically, it's Friday, but since I haven't gone to sleep yet, it still counts as Thursday night. Tonight (or this morning) I am feeling very grateful for the following "top ten" things (in random order as they pop into my slightly-fevered brain):

1) being married to my most wonderful and supportive friend

2) our overall good (and improving) health

3) a Heavenly Father who knows each one of us as His much-loved child

4) available medical care (and insurance!)

5) two sweet daughters that have been extremely thoughtful and considerate lately (not that they aren't usually)

6) our cozy home that is a refuge from the world (and the wind!)

7) homeschooling - always a blessing, but this week because we don't have to completely miss school when we have "sick days"

8) an amazing support network of family and friends, in "real" life, and online

9) a consistenly clean kitchen sink (a la FlyLady)

10) making progress (baby steps, but progress) in reaching goals, personal and family

I was kind of hoping that counting blessings would work like counting sheep is supposed to work, but I'm not feeling sleepy, just very, very, blessed!

Just Jelly

The eyes have it! Thank Heaven our Jelly's beautiful blue eyes are so much more than all right!

There is a gene carried by many of the women in our family that we know goes back at least four generations. It was first manifested, that we know of, in my maternal grandmother, and has not yet skipped a generation. We haven't seen signs yet in Doodle, but unfortunately, Jelly has undoubtedly inherited it from me. For lack of a more scientific name, we call it the "worry gene."

After she got her long-awaited Nintendo DS for Christmas, Jelly played with it almost exclusively for three days. Our family has definite limits on TV and computer time, for lots of reasons, but it didn't even occur to us to limit her use of the tiny gaming computer. She had been waiting SOOooo long to have a virtual pet - a NintenDogs puppy she named "Dandy." After three days of puppy training, she began to complain of what she called "screen vision." So we set a 15-minutes-at-a-time limit on her Nintendo use.

When the complaints didn't stop, and her descriptions changed to seeing "specks" and "shadows", we stopped her DS time altogether, to give her eyes a rest. A call to our pediatrician resulted in a referral to a pediatric opthamalogist. Her appointment was this morning, and the doctor assured both of us (yes, my worry gene has been just as overworked as Jelly's lately!) that her eyes are in excellent health, except for a virus that will disappear in a few days. If it doesn't, he gave us a prescription for eye drops to fill that will irradicate Jelly's eye infection.

Her eyes are not only beautiful, but they are "normal!" Before we left the doctor's office, she whispered in my ear, "Mama, ask him if it's okay for me to play on my Nintendo DS, please!"

Her worry gene went into "relax" mode when he assured her that she could resume caring for Dandy - 15 minutes or so at a time.

:o) So did mine. The picture of Jelly is from our family New Year's Eve celebration, but we're celebrating again tonight!

Beautiful, normal, precious eyes.

Doodle's Day

Saturday came and went, but will never be forgotten!

Doodle has been 8 years old for over a month, but she chose to wait to be baptized until her grandparents could come from Texas to share her very special day. She has been so excited since right after Thanksgiving. That's the magic time, because after that, the next holiday in our family is her birthday. Last Friday, though, she was nearly beside herself... "Mama, I'm going to be baptized tomorrow! I was a little nervous, but now I'm not at all." And the peace on her face verified the words.

That same peace and joy was there all weekend, and though it has been a bit of a challenging week, she is still very much at peace. Her excitement also has not waned. Today she told me, with joy sparkling in her smile and in her eyes, "Mama, I've been a member of the Church for five days now!"

Many family members, friends, and members of our church family were able to share Doodle's special day with her. She, and we, will always be thankful for them. We are blessed to have a supportive family, and true friends. In an account of the baptism to an auntie that wasn't able to make it to the service, it was reported that Doodle glowed. It's true. The Light of Christ was most definitely in her countenance. My mama-heart was so full of joy!

Doodle is striving to strengthen her relationship with her Savior, learning to rely on her new companion, the Holy Ghost. She wants to make wise choices, and to shine that Light as an example to those around her. I'm so glad to be able to travel with her, and her daddy and sister, as we make this journey we call earth life.

I am filing away the memory of the strength of spirit that I felt on Saturday - to be able to pull it out on those days when my own spirit isn't as strong as it should be - adding it to my store of "golden" moments. I think most of us have those times when we struggle, for lots of different reasons. When I do, the memory of Doodle's day will be one of those I count on.

I am learning so much from our amazing daughters.

Year of the Ant and the Grasshopper

New Year's Eve seems to be a day when many of us just naturally look back on the year past and reflect, and then look forward to what the new year will bring. 2007 has been, for me, a year of transition. When my mom slipped through the veil between this earth life and a heavenly one last New Year's Eve, I knew I'd miss her very much. What I didn't know was exactly how that transition would affect our lives.

I still miss her very much. Her legacy and strength live on, and I continue learning life lessons from her example. I have also learned this year that it's okay for me NOT to be my mom. We are two very different women, each with strengths to be maximized and weaknesses to learn from or overcome.

Not long after we were married, Woody's mom, MY bonus Mom, gave me a little book called "Reflections from a Grasshopper." Reading it was an epiphany. Reflecting on 2007 has reminded me of the lesson I learned from that little tome. The world needs both ants and grasshoppers. I am a grasshopper. My mom was an ant. We each have things to offer our family, friends, and the rest of the world, and also things we need to learn from each other.

To have the House of Order that I crave, I need to put more focus on Mom's ant-like constancy. To continue to encourage the love of learning that we are fostering in our girls, I need to allow the grasshopper in me to flourish without guilt. I think the combination will allow both goals to be accomplished.

I'm praying that the lesson I've learned about moderation as I reach for better physical health will give me strength - strength to be as productive as an ant when I need to be, and strength to allow my grasshopper tendencies to be used to bless the lives of those I love.

I don't know what animal the Chinese say this is the year of, but for me, 2008 is the Year of the Ant AND the Grasshopper.

Giving Thanks

Counting blessings is always encouraged, but at this time of year it seems like it just happens - like spontaneous combustion! I'm on fire with gratitude. Here is my list - I'm VERY thankful for them all:

• My testimony of the Plan of Salvation; a loving Father in Heaven and His Son, our Saviour and Redeemer - supreme examples of giving
• Woody - the best of the best for me; add no. 1 and together we can do anything!
• The Woodyettes - being a mom is a wonderful challenge, but the perks and job satisfaction are so worth it!
• A cozy, comfortable home that is just right for us and where family and friends are always welcome.
• Extended family who are all real blessings to us and whom we keep always in our prayers.
• Friends who feel like family - you know who you are!
• Woody's good job - we often complain about all it requires of him, but appreciate his willingness to do so much to provide for us.
• A free country - even with all its challenges, there is nowhere I'd rather raise our daughters.
• Homeschooling - see the first four items on this list and then note the links in the sidebar to some of the awesome curriculum we use!
• Health - we're doing our part, and know that the Great Physician has greatly blessed as I've overcome some huge obstacles this year. The power of prayer and the priesthood are real!
• Our church family - so many truly Christ-like people!
• Scrapbooking - my creative outlet and family history all wrapped up together.
• Our minivan - it provides opportunities for so many amazing family adventures.
• My laptop - when my arthritis won't let me do anything else, there is still so much I can do and still feel productive.

And, as they say, the list could truly go on and on and on!!

My prayer is that I won't ever take ANY of these incredible blessings for granted, and that I can help our daughters learn to be ever thankful.

On Strength in Diversity

The Anaheim Mormon Chorale, which is Woody's main musical outlet these days, participated on Sunday in an Interfaith Concert. Earlier that day, Woody and I both had teaching assignments - the lesson being "Strengthening Our Families." The lessons and the concert were both wonderful experiences for us, and the lesson I learned that day concerned how much we have to gain individually and collectively when we work to increase bonds of unity while still appreciating the strengths of our differences.

When I first read the "Strengthening Our Families" lesson, I knew that there was already a LOT of expertise among my class members. The Spirit whispered, and we all benefitted as so many amazing women shared bits of wisdom regarding successes in their homes. Simple things, like a rule that nobody can say anything bad about anybody else (and if they do they have to follow up by saying three nice things about that person), maintaining the habit of family prayer (even if it has to be done on a speaker phone when a father is traveling on business) and encouraging family members to keep daily "Gratitude Journals" (recording at least one blessing received each day), really can work to make each person, and our entire family unit stronger.

And in the same way, I was reminded to appreciate the strength that can come through the diversity (as represented by the choral groups and representatives who spoke at the Interfaith Concert) of people in our world as we come to understand that we are all children of the same loving Father, no matter how we choose to address Him. The girls and I learned so much as we listened to declarations of faith and gratitude through song and speech. It was the first time I had ever heard from people of some of these faiths - Baha'i, Jain, Muslim, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Buddist, Hindu, and several different Christian groups(including Mormon) were represented. The culminating message was delivered by the combining of all the choirs as they sang "Praise to the Lord", under the guest direction of Craig Jessop (conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir). It was truly a wonder to behold!

I have the priviledge and responsibility to live in such a way that my life reflects the light of Christ, who is the foundation of my own faith. Some days I do better than others, but I will keep up the effort because the goal is so worthy!!

I do so love this season of gratitude!!

I Have a Plan

It's just after 6 a.m. and the house is still quiet.

I've meant to get back in the blogging habit for a while now, but got all hung up on the fact that I've "missed" so much. This weekend, our first away from home since I got sick in July, helped me realize that what really matters is that I'm ready to go on from here.

Being sick was not fun, in any sense, but it did bring MANY blessings. I am so grateful for the watchcare of a loving Father, for the love and support of an amazing husband who consistently gives more than 100%, for two precious daughters who've been willing, even anxious, to learn to do more so that they could help more, for extended family who never forgot us at prayertime, and for a church family who truly follow our Savior's example of unconditional love through service freely given. As we experience the "grateful" holiday season for the next couple of months, it is a perfect time of year to be able now to begin to give some back. It feels so good to feel good!

Our holidays were not exactly wonderful last year as my mom struggled in her final battle against her cancer. From early September when we had to put her into the hospital, to New Year's Eve at my sisters where we were with her when she slipped through the veil, we learned an important life lesson. What matters is who you are - what you stand for, and what you do with what you are given.

Being together to support Mawgs allowed us to share some sweet moments that will be always treasured, and to anticipate with joy a blessed reunion. It helped me to better understand who I am, what I want to stand for, and how I can give. I look back on those months last year and know that they were what they needed to be.

And now, we move forward.

I have a plan for our holidays this year - it is in place, and it begins today.