Pretty darn cool!

Last Sunday afforded my family and ward an unique opportunity:
Church Public Affairs came and filmed our meetings. The 1st hour, we had a regular sacrament meeting. There was no filming so as not to disrupt the Spirit. I am the choir director in my ward and we were scheduled to sing "Sweet Hour of Prayer". After receiving an email on Thursday informing us about the film crew coming, I asked a violinist from our ward to accompany us along with our pianist. I wanted to kick it up a notch. I am SO glad I did! The P.A. director asked us to do it again so they could film it! They then filmed portions of the sacrament meeting. I felt bad for a particular youth speaker who was asked to give his talk again. He was pretty nervous! I thought everything about the experience was cool. I've always wanted to be in a movie or on film. I just never thought it would be like this! Everyone was given a notice from the public affairs that talked about "Why" they were doing this.
Here's what I gathered:
Many news organizations have/are/do contact the church asking permission to film or take pictures of our "typical" Sunday meetings. Instead of disrupting many services to grant these, the church decided to film 2 wards in our stake for this purpose. The footage can be used in part or in its entirety. It may be released as print, ads, commercials, Mormon messages, etc.
  So look for me in upcoming releases from the church that show a sacrament meeting. You'll most likely only see my back as I conduct the choir-badly I'm sure! Anyhow, it was an amazing, fun, once in a lifetime experience and I am glad it happened to us!
It was also a bit frustrating keeping my little ones quiet and gorgeous and well behaved for 2.5 hours! YIKES! For the most part, they did really well. Until one of them knocked over a water bottle and it poured all over me and the pew. Oh well, I was wearing black and you really couldn't tell. Emma got VERY tired by the end though, was ready for bed, and got a little cranky. All in all, we all survived and I think it is a very cool thing the church is doing! AND I think it is sooo smart considering the political scene that is approaching. 
It was Pretty Darn Cool!

Faith, prayer, and the temple

My sweet husband and I had decided a while ago that we were not going to stay in the military. Once his time was up-we were getting out. We prayed about this and felt great about the decision. Then the "what do we do now?" began. Gary has ALWAYS wanted me to open my own performing arts studio. I say Gary because he has actually wanted it more than me. (TRUE story!) I mean, I thought it would be great but truly doubted my ability and resume to assume the position of "professional" on the matter. Anyways, we made plans, took them to the Lord and felt good about the plans that we were making. However, I always felt that we may not end up there. -In Florida with my own studio :( And then it happened. IT! My hubby woke up one night, couldn't sleep, and commenced to prayer. He felt an overwhelming impression to go to law school. This freaked me out and I honestly cried for a good 48 hours. On the 3rd day I was praying and had a thought: UGA!!! We could go back to UGA! I have friends there, I have work there, it's close to my family! YIPPEE! So we started going down that path...until Gary and my mother in law and the Lord said "what about Ohio?"

...Excuse me? It's cold there! It's NOT close to my family! I don't have ANY friends there! Did I mention it's cold?! WHAT?!? 

So after more crying,  sleepless nights, and many protestations of why it would NOT be a good idea to move in with my in laws as a grown woman with 5 children, I finally decided to pray for faith. (I couldn't pray for an answer because I didn't even have faith at this time!) Did you know faith is a gift? It is! And when asked for, it is received -or given, as the case may be. Did I mention I also made a list? Gasp! I know, I made a list of pros and cons to both law school in Ohio and Georgia. Ohio was winning in a big way! :( I needed to go to the one place on earth where my mind stops reeling at speeds so fast I can't keep up, a place where time stops, and a place where I am at such peace, I listen!  The temple.

I LOVE the temple! I love everything about it! I especially love that I feel so close to my Father in Heaven when I am there. Gary and I were able to go to the temple on Saturday. I was given faith and a peace in my heart that I desperately needed. The journey before me will be a new one with many challenges and great joys and I am excited for it! I have faith in my Savior and in my husband. I know we are on the right path and that everything will work out. I also received another interesting answer to a prayer but that will have to wait for a while...

Valentine's Day!

My sweetheart bought me the list book from BAM! What a surprise! We got the kids these cute M&M dispensers with Star Wars M&M guys on top (totally cute). I am lame because I did not take any pictures but since I don't have a decent camera-I can blame it on that. The only camera I have right now is my phone so facebook has WAY more pics than my blog does :( Anyways, I cut out hearts and taped them all over the walls and chairs and got a Valentine's table cloth from Target and the kids just thought that was super awesome. It's amazing how much fun things become just by changing the look of your environment. I mean, they got M&M's for V-day. That's it! But they felt like they were transported into Valentine's Day and they were happy! And so was I!

So here's today's list: (Idea taken from my new book)

List Bad Things You Did As A Kid

1. Egged my neighbor's mailboxes and front porches on my 9th (or 10th) birthday party. It was really stupid to do it to your own neighbors! I had to apologize and clean it up.
2. TPed houses ----A LOT!!! I used to TP houses every weekend. I would spend the night at my friend Anna's house and my brother would spend the night with her brother Mark and we would all sneak out at midnight and TP houses in their neighborhood. We never got caught!!!
3. Went to parties I shouldn't have and lied about it. Oh my gosh, I can't even count how many times!
4. Broke into houses under construction with my BF Morgan and played "house"
5. Drove her Mom's car to the grocery store when we were only 15. We got caught because we ran into a car! Oops!
6. Spray painted her closet with graffiti.
7. Hazed freshman when I was a Junior and Senior on dance team.
8. Went out on dates with boys before I was "allowed" to. 
9. Lied about where I was going and what I was going to do.
10. Stayed on the phone all night long. 

Yep, I lied a lot. But I never did drugs, smoked, drank, stole anything, or destroyed anyone's property. (toilet paper can be cleaned up) I wanted to write this list so I can remember that I did bad things as a kid and turned out OK. I need to remember that so I can relate to my kids as well as keep them from getting into trouble. :)

Things I am afraid of or fear

1. spiders ---seriously, don't go there.
2. Blood, yes blood! If it is not inside your body, there is something wrong! 
3. My teeth falling out. I have an implant with a crown on it right next to my 2 front teeth. When it was just a bridge, it broke several times and I was SO embarrassed!
4. Losing one (or more) of my kids. Not "losing" them as in I can't find them, obviously. I mean, they pass away before me. I am sooo afraid of that!
5. Losing my husband. Ugh! I know a wonderful lady my age with 4 kids my kids' ages and her hubby was killed in Iraq. I balled my eyes out! I was SO sad for her! I cannot even think about it!
6. Having no money. Scares the beegeezus out of me! That's a new word, feel free to use it! :)
7. Being on stage and forgetting my lines (I don't need to worry since it's been AGES since I've been on stage..)
8. Judgements (mine, yours, ours)
9. Not measuring up and being what I need to be.
10. Pride, jealousy, and anger

Top 10 favorite things to eat

1. Steak and potatoes. I LOVE steak!
2. Grilled salmon
3. croissants
4. chicken salad (without big chunks of celery and onions!)
5. milk chocolate caramels
6. French silk pie blizzards from DQ
7. burritos (Spanish rice, black beans, chicken, sour cream, lettuce, and cheese)
8. Hawaiian pizza
9. Dr Pepper (What? It's not a meal? GASP!)
10. anything I don't have to cook! 

I have interesting thoughts and feelings about food and actually don't like to eat but thought the list worthy of noting anyway. Food brings me no pleasure. I don't like to cook. I don't enjoy menu planning. I eat because I have to. Sad huh? 

Lists: 10 Places I want to go

1. Disney World. Seriously, this is #1 on my list b/c I want to take my kids while they are still young enough to enjoy the "magic". I first went when I was 14-totally not the same. I am hoping to make this happen for my family this year. (anyone want to donate to the fund?)
2. A Cruise To anywhere really. Gary and I were supposed to go for our 10th anniversary. It didn't happen. Now we are embarking on our 12th and still no cruise. Gary suggested we combine the cruise with the Disney thing but I emphatically refused. Disney is Disney. The cruise is for us! :)
3. Yellowstone Natl Park (also Zion Natl Park and the Tetons) As soon as sister is able to walk on her own. I want to take all the kids and hike through/visit Yellowstone. The time I spent there as a college student was priceless. Never before or since have I felt so close to God through nature. I was insignificant. My troubles, concerns, and weaknesses palled in comparison to God's majesty and glory.
4. General Conference at the Conference Center As soon as the kids can sit still long enough-we are SO there! I've always wanted to go. I will go with my entire family before Zechariah leaves on his mission.
5. Hill Cumorah/The Sacred Grove ----here's the thing: I don't just want to visit it. I mean I DO! But I also want to perform in the pageant. I will. This is on my bucket list. :) 
6. The Grand Canyon because I've never been and I want to go!  
7. Alaska-just to visit because I want to see all its beauties and wonders and I've had good friends live there and they loved it. I would NEVER want to live there though! I hate the cold!
8. England why not? There are castles there!
9. South or Central America-I will let Gary choose where as he is the one who speaks Spanish fluently and served his mission in Guatemala.
10. Heaven I desperately want to end up here. I hope I make it!

Lists

Gary and I got to go on a date Friday night. It had been a REALLY bad week and I desperately wanted to go to the temple but we were unable to get Gary a Stake President's interview for his renewal. I almost cancelled the babysitter (as we really did not have the money to pay for one-they work for free if we go to the temple!) However, I have been angry, depressed, stressed, and hurt over this past week and needed to be with the one person in this universe who loves me through thick and thin-my hubby! What did we do on our one evening out without kids? Errands. It's true! How pitiful are we? But hey! Those errands got done in 1/2 the time they would take with the kiddos. First, we went to Massage Envy to book Gary's massages he still had left on his contract and then we cancelled his contract. I booked a jewelry show in the process! :) After that I stopped at Subway for my fav sub, Chicken Bacon Ranch. NumNum... I am salivating! After that we went to Lowe's to pay off my amazingly awesome Dyson vaccuum that I bought for myself. Then we headed to Target for some Valentine goodies and mayo for my "famous" potatoe salad Gary offered I would bring to a CID get together on Saturday. Pulling out of Target we saw it was only 8pm!!! So we went to BAM. (Books a Million to those of us from the old school) I had not been there yet but Gary and the kids had several times. Gary LOVES book stores! I think it borders on obsession. It runs in his family actually. You should see his brother's house! They don't even read all these books! They are just there "in case I need the information someday". Ummm, yeah that's what the internet was created for! :) If I had $500 extra every paycheck and gave it to my love he would buy more computers and books. My little nerd. Wow, I am long winded today. This whole story is to get to this point: I saw a list book at BAM. Seriously, it was just a book where they had one phrase at the top of the page like "Places you want to visit". Every page had a new topic and a whole page dedicated for you to write down your thoughts. I thought it was a fabulous idea to put on my blog. Since I am so sporadic with updating it anyway, not many people follow it or read it. I originally intended it to be a means for which the Grandparents could see updates and pics of the kids but I don't think they have ever read it!
Since I was sad, depressed, fustrated, etc,etc last week (and in light of Feb-the love month), I thought I should start with this list:

10 Things I love about my life right now 

1. My children are happy, healthy, and friends with each other
2. I get to stay home with my children every day (I even homeschool them!)
3. My house is beautiful. I love my house. It is comfortable and calm (most times) and my sanctuary.
4. My husband loves and adores me. (He even thinks my belly isn't horrendously disgusting like I do!)
5. I love and adore my husband. He is SUCH a good man. I could go on and on about how good I have it but will save that for another blog post.
6. My truck. It is paid for, big enough, and a diesel beast. I love it and have decided NOT to sell it!
7. I have a girl! Emma Lee is practically perfect in everyway. She is such a joy and has made our family so different already. I am different because of her and that makes me happy.
8. My Premier Design Jewelry business is doing GREAT! I have a good team of girls and friends around me and my home shows are bringing in good, desperately needed money
9. I love my ward. The people are so strong in the gospel. They love each other, support each other, and genuinely care about each other. I am going to be SO terribly sad to leave them.
10. God is guiding us to get out of the Army and embark on a new advetnure/chapter in life. While this freaks me out like nothing I've ever done before-I know we are in His hands. He loves us and will guide us.

There you go. List #1 of a whole list of lists :)