Day 28.

Today was yet another awesome Sunday spent in primary (the best place on earth!).  Merrill and I taught the oldest class in primary, and love those kids.  A couple of them are very well loved babysitters. 
Primary is always an uplifting experience and I am thankful for the great people that are there with my children every week, teaching them and loving them.  You can’t be in there and not feel the spirit.  It is incredible. 
Lynn also had her baptism interview with the bishop..  it’s a mixed bag of emotions there.  She is looking forward to all the fun to come.  I think she’s most excited for the new dress, I am excited to take pics, and design her invite.
It was also another snowy day here, something that we LOVE!  I am thankful to neighbors who help us out.  We pay this one pretty nice (and good looking) guy to take care of our driveway, cover his gas and all, ;) and another neighbor came by and took care of the sidewalks.  It was a nice blessing that made it possible for us to stay in and enjoy the day as a family. 
Merrill gets perks for putting the shoveling off, and I don’t win the argument that we should really look into a snow-blower.

Day 14.

I am thankful for Primary.  I was blessed enough to spend the day in our ward’s primary, teaching Lynn’s class.  That is the best place to be!  I was there as president, and quite sad to leave when I was released, but I am thankful that they think of me for a sub and that I get to go back.  To hear the children sing, to get back to those basic principles it such a reminder, such a blessing.

I am also thankful that the Sabbath is a day for our family.  It is a day spent at home, with little to no interruption.  Just a day for us to be together.  I feel that it is a necessary re-charge before going out into the world for another week.

I Love to See the Temple...

Yesterday morning, we got up and dressed in our Sunday best to go to the temple for our Primary activity.I am so homesick for Primary, so I was more than happy to be there, with those kids and leaders again!Lynn was quite disappointed when I told her that we most likely wouldn't be entering the temple. But trying to explain the reasons "why" to my six year-old weren't going to stop her bad attitude.. and the unattractive face that comes with it. Telling her that we would soon attend the open house for another new temple in the area, didn't soothe her either.
So she was stoked when the security guard who was acting as tour guide announced, "Let's go across the street and go inside the temple."
She was ecstatic!! "I told you so!" she said triumphantly.
Not what she thought.. it was only the visitor's area, right inside the doors.
She watched, vigilantly, for an opportunity to sneak through the next set of doors, to somehow get "inside" the temple..
I hope the fountains made up for it :)

We also went to the DUP Pioneer museum.. I have got to go back there!! I haven't been since I was little, and I could look at every object, every name.. there was some cool stuff there!

Depiction of "Battle of the Bulls", Joseph Levi Fifield (my fifth great-grandfather), was involved in. The Battalion were blessed before they departed, by Brigham Young, that they would not be involved in any conflict with men, if they did what was right. As they got near southern California, they happened upon these wild bulls who attacked. Levi was getting his shotgun ready to fire at one of the charging animals, and it jammed! He kept trying to get it to fire but the Spirit told him to "get down". He did, just as one of the bulls jumped over his head. there were a few injuries, a few killed animals, but no human loss. It was also a blessing as they had not had much meat their whole trip. They loved the fresh beef! (Gerald Lund used this story in "The Work and the Glory" novel, but adapted it to be another character.)

A pioneer handcart. It was found in Iowa (if I remember correctly..) and sat in some one's garage for a long while. They donated it to DUP (grandma was a DUP.) to display here. Can you imagine loading this, 15 pounds per person, full and trekking across the country?!

With tomorrow's FHE lesson being on the temple, and this trip yesterday, I think the girls will be more than excited to go to the open house. I can't wait to take them.. I know that I cry over EVERYTHING, but I cry just at the thought of showing them this magnificent place!! To show them the beauty, to feel the Spirit, and to know that, one day, I will be there with them again. What a blessing to have so many temples so close to us, to have the knowledge, and to be able to teach our children and to take them there!

No Primary today...

It was kind of sad, really surreal, to not go to primary today. It was so weird walking the kids to primary, turning around, and heading to Relief Society. I was glad that they put me right to work saying the opening prayer. The lesson was just what I have been focused on lately, the last days, preparation. It was so nice to have zero worries, to go and feel the Spirit and be taught. I did forget, and it really isn't ever a concern or worry to me, but I was asked to speak (kind of) in Sacrament meeting today. It was really a testimony, but was pretty much asked to give a five minute talk and bear my testimony on the worth of souls. That's something else I have been struggling with... my own worth.
I was asked to teach the lesson in Relief Society next Sunday, I am way excited about that!

Aaaaahhh....

You can take that as the breath in between sobs or as a sigh of relief...
I was released yesterday.
While Primary President was a lot of stress and responsibility, I loved it! I loved who I served with, I love those kids!
I didn't love the inner struggles and contention that I would sometimes feel. Feeling like I wasn't doing anything right... it was also hard to have been told, back in AUGUST, that a release was coming, after the Primary Program... and here we are... anyways...
I still pray for a better attitude.
I feel so much peace, because I knew who was supposed to be in there, and those sisters are awesome! My family is in good hands.
It will be weird Sunday, that I will have close to zero responsibility. My biggest stress will be making sure there's goldfish in the diaper bag...
We went to the temple on Saturday night, and I so needed that. There are so many blessings that come to us because of the temple. We are so blessed to have so many near us. It gave me comfort to be there. I received the answers I was in need of. Thanks Kaitlyn for watching the girls!!!
It seemed, that, just to reaffirm the importance of the temple, there was a fireside for the sisters about the temple, last night. Christie and I went together, and cried together! It just crowned the weekend.
I came home to Mer loving his girls...I always worry about Peyton being happy, and he snuggled her to sleep!

It's done...

The Primary Program is OVER!!! It is just one of those things that come and go, with much preparation between. It's a good thing I have my entourage, there to be behind the scenes with me, working through every possible detail.
The kids did awesome! They sang so well, I just wish that the pictures hadn't been so plentiful, or there at all... darn, I should have left them at home on accident...
Lynn said her part and Ashley was Ashley. She didn't say much of anything, even with a generous bribe, and there was only one song that mom said she really sang. Mom came to sit with Peyton, who has had a bit of separation anxiety lately, and with me and Merrill in primary now, I was kind of worried about that. She was good, till she got tired...
Now we are home, relaxing... wondering what I can do just for myself until the next thing comes...

Peyton's New Tricks...

Any day now...
She is trying to figure it out!
Here's her "push up"...
What, like you have no clue what this is doing to me?!
She is so mobile now... it will only get better (or worse?). She has earned the nicknames "Scooter" and "Squealer". She scoots wherever she wants to go, and squeals with delight at just about everything. That's how Mer got his wake-up call this morning after his "boys night out"... She has also started to either play with her left ear, or twirl what little hair she has on that side of her head when she sucks her fingers. It is so cute... even though I so wish she wouldn't suck her fingers!
My favorite thing she does now, she gets genuinely excited to see me. I can leave the room and come back, and see her get so excited. I love it. I love to just lay on the floor and play with her. She is so much fun...
Mer and I got to be together in nursery today, just like the good old days. He was the only nursery worker there, and the whole rule about guys not being alone... that put me with him. We had so much fun. But I missed being in primary with my comrades... There were only three kids there. Those kids are so cute! And Peyton got to squeal and scream all she wanted without me sush-ing her. It was sad at the end of our day in there, to watch him take the key to the toy and treat cupboard off the key ring... it has had a home there for five+ years. I think that we needs to retire his Nursery manual and that key, put them in a shadow box, and hang it on the wall in the nursery. He is moving on to the primary, CTR 7, teaching with another guy in our ward. I hope it gets the bishopbric to lay off him. They have been trying to get him out of the nursery for quite a while now. They say he's been in there for "too long". But he loves it! Why would you take someone out of there when they sincerely enjoy it? Not to mention he does a good job....

Cheez Whiz!!!

We are ready for a vacation!!!
Now the countdown begins for Powell...
I got my board shorts and Pey's life jacket...But Cheez Whiz! It was a good Sunday!
8 new kids in primary today, only one a visitor. It helps that we had an active family move into the ward. I also got all of my names approved by the bishop!!! That's a major accomplishment... hopefully, Primary and Scouts will be fully staffed for a little while...:) The chorister even apologized for her comment and attitude a couple of weeks back. That was nice. She'll be out of town for the first two weeks of September, and I get to lead! Now we'll work on our songs for the program and get the kids weaned off the pics...
Merrill is pretty much back into the swing of things. Yesterday, while we were at the primary activity (which was awesome... how much fun can a bunch of kids have while hurling water balloons at their primary president??) he mowed, edged, and trimmed the lawn all by himself. We worked on the deck for a while until he ditched me for a night out with his brothers... glad he had fun :)...

Just venting...

Here's your warning:
I am just venting... there are no intended bulls eyes... I am not flinging my words in any certain direction... I am not talking about YOU... I do not intend to hurt feelings... I am not looking for solutions... I am not seeking help... I am not trying to be "Debbie Downer"... This is just how life is right now, I am usually positive, but I just don't feel like being Pollyanna today... I am just venting! So if you don't like it... wait till I update later.
The stress of today actually began long ago. Sunday's are no longer the relaxing, "put all of your cares aside day" like they used to be. Primary is always changing. It would help if they would stop taking away people who like to be in primary, who the kids love... but it changes. It would also be helpful if the people who are called to serve in primary, would simply do what they were called to do, or did what they say they would do.
Yesterday: I find out that teachers will be gone.
Today: I find out that more people were gone with little or no notice. It's great to come to primary and some pretty key players aren't there. Not to mention that the list of names I submitted for callings, A MONTH AGO... still hasn't been dealt with completely. Or that names on said list are no longer available, even though they were once told they could be "mine".
They are also very stealthily trying to take Merrill away from me, like we don't talk?
He's freaked out about that, change... Oh, and after the doctor's appointment yesterday, where THE BEST DOCTOR, DR. CARDON... gave us more information in 3 minutes than we had gotten in one week!!! He told us that the little cyst, needs to be surgically removed... cha-ching$!$
Then I have a music leader who isn't teaching the required songs for the program but then goes on to be huffy when sharing time eats into her music time... they are songs that the kids have sung for x number of years... this is just a review of all those years plus the last 3 weeks. 5 minutes of singing time is not a big deal. I don't think I hid my annoyance very well... Christie heard it in my voice, and I cannot hide my feelings well in my facial expressions... Julie both saw and heard... I hope I got my point across, "You aren't teaching any new songs... these are the same songs from the past few weeks... it's just a review... five minutes will be okay, they are wrapping-up sharing time." She left right after music time in Junior Primary... like she regularly stays for sacrament meeting... and she's supposed to be teaching the kids the gospel in song? But she doesn't stay for the most vital meeting in the Sunday block? Yah.
So then I visit with the counselor over us... that's where I find out that close to nothing has been done, and the names that were once mine, aren't mine any more, apparently there is something much better out there for them than serving in the Primary. Yada yada yada... I zoned out, I couldn't take anymore bad news...
Let me just tie my own noose now...
Mer was in pain, so we stayed to take the sacrament and then go home to medicate, and vent... To only have Julie chasing me down the hall... "Look at this!" The program has the Primary children down to sing a medley of songs... Ummmmm.... we have no chorister (remember, she went home), not to mention nobody told me about this... I would later find out that it was a "select group of children" who were prepared, and they just worded it wrong, well, maybe not wrong, but not in the best, most clear way...
So here I am, half dreading the week ahead...
Everything continues to pile on up, and I am bugged...
This is all I can recollect at the moment, and what I can say politely...
So there ya go.
Did I mention we are thinking of moving?

I really did have plans today...

Yesterday, after I posted, I found out that s.i.l., Kaitlyn made Lakette! Congratulations Katie!!!!
Next week, Mikell tries out for Cheerleader... Good Luck Kitty-Cat!!!
So today... I really did have plans, but sometimes things just don't go as planned. I had errands to run, a baptism to get ready for, a sharing time to prepare, and an meeting to gather information for, the meeting is tomorrow... and now I just realized that I forgot to call Jen...
So, I got a shower, to everyone else's pleasure so I wouldn't smell :)... I got to the baptism. I got some laundry done. Only one errand run. Checked on a friend's cats (they are great by the way...). My sharing time is in my head, I have to make sure that I have everything ready for it. The info... I'll do that too.
Lynn almost fell off the bed today. Fell off with excitement, that is.
Every day we have to do the daily run-down, the events that are to take place that day. I told the girls that dad was going to take them down to the store to play while I went to the baptism. Pey got to hang out with me... Lynn complained that that would be "weeks away", what would they do until then?
Me- "I thought you guys could get ready and go play outside, you know, in your playhouse, jump on the trampoline..."
Lynn- "But there is snow on the ground out there. We can't play."
Me- "The snow is all gone."
Lynn- An excited look on her face which quickly vanishes, "Then it will be too cold."
Me- "Nope... It's supposed to be really warm today. If you want a jacket..."
Lynn- Excited look reappears, she almost falls backwards off the bed, until she catches the covers.
Let's just say she was excited.
I made them so me little lunches in lunch sacks to have a picnic outside. It was a good day.
Ash is still so concerned about Grandma. She thinks that some one will take her. We are going to go and check on her tomorrow, and Grandpa too.
Mom asked me what sentimental thing I would like to have of Grandma's... all I could think of was a crochet hook, after all, that is how I learned! She said there were plenty of those and some knitting needles. I will gladly take a pair of those too. She asked if there was anything else that I could think of. Right off the top of my head, nothing. Except for the bread box... but that is really Grandpa's too. I told her. She said that it just sits in the sewing room, Grandpa wouldn't mind if I had it. I am so excited! That's where they used to keep candy for us grand kids, instead of bread. One of those memories...
Now I get to go and get all of that stuff ready... I am not looking forward to tomorrow... My first Sunday doing sharing time since I've had Peyton. I also have a correlation meeting, need to come home and feed the fam, finish getting them ready, get to church early, set-up sharing time, and make sure, somehow, that Peyton will be settled until I have a break when I can actually nurse her... and Christie is gone. I shouldn't feel this way about Sunday, stress is no good. The only positive so far, is that it is Fast Sunday... well, and Lake Powell is on for September!!! WooHoo!

Oh, SnaP!

This is the phrase that is stuck in my head (refer to title of post...). I am trying to control my self from saying it too much...
We watch a lot of TBS, I do not even want to disclose the shows that usually get viewed on that station... "The Office" is probably the most wholesome... But "My Name is Earl", will be starting soon... I love that show, and Joy busts me up, so that's why it is stuck... they are constantly running press to announce it.
Yesterday we had a Primary activity. Thank the heavens I had nothing to do with it! All I had to do what buy the treat, and the treat I got was that Christie, Julie, & Jen took care of it all! Those guys are aWEsoMe!!! I just wish that Ash would untie my apron strings from around every appendage of her three year old body... She has been so clingy ever since she made the transition into Primary. She panics even when I tell her that I am going just five feet away to help her sister, that she'll see me the whole time, I am not leaving...
Peyton kind of got thrown off her usual schedule, and was not being the most happy girl while I tried to make dinner and keep her happy. She really needed to sleep so I held her, and made dinner one handed. Steak, mushrooms and onions to top them, mashed potatoes, peas, and five cheese Texas toast... um, one-handed... I finally got her to sleep and I laid her down. Just as I am cutting into my delicious steak, she wakes up. The past two nights she has wanted to eat when we are eating... that makes my dinner a little difficult to eat... but last night she wasn't hungry, just wanted some closeness. Mer, the sweetheart, held her and ate. He held her for the rest of the night, Hog... but I love him for it. He's such a sweet dad!
So all of my plans for the day today (scrapbooking, vacuuming...), went FlUsh!!! We seriously did nothing. I showered, bathed Peyton, and did a load of dishes, well, at least I started the dishwasher. Peyton and I took a nap, awww... And now I am pondering which of Brooke's creations I will print and send out. She makes it way too hard... She's awesome!

Carmel, part two...

I've posted Lynn's two pages, but I had to re-post, I added her little name... My layout was super easy tonight for Ashley's pics, because I ripped it off from Lynn's. This is the 8x8 album I've been working on since May... I am almost done, I think I have 4 more pages...

I slept really well last night. Maybe it was the carmel, maybe it wasn't... everyone else seems to enjoy the carmel too! Especially Lynn. She told Mer that the carmel was "so damn good". He had to help her find a better emphasis word... So back to sleeping... Of course I was up, who knows how often, changing position when something began to ache or fall asleep, or for an inevitable bathroom trip... but it didn't take me as long to fall back asleep.

I did have a really weird dream. I dreamt that one of the Primary teachers, and a girl who I knew as a teenager, were walking around together at a dance competition for Mer's sisters. They were walking and talking, and every so often, they would stop, and throw up! So random! Fast forward... At 8:30 am, the phone rings. I get it, it is this same teacher, calling to tell me that she has the stomach flu and won't be there to teach her class today. Is that weird or what?!?

My sharing time went good today. The Junior Primary had fun with it, both sharing times were about the creation.

Ashley takes things so literally. I gave all the kids a picture of something resembling a part of the creation, stars, flowers, different animals, etc. I told them to listen as I read the account from Genesis, and if I said something that sounded like what was in their picture, to stand up. We did this for each day of the creation. So as I read about seeds, plants, trees, and fruit, Ash stood up. She had the picture of fish. I told her that we weren't quite there yet. She pointed out to me that there was "grass", seaweed, in the picture too. I was amazed... my three year old is so smart...

Sacrament meeting was great! The activity day girls, ages 8-12, sang "I am a Child of God". They did so good! When they got to the chorus, I could hear other little voices in the congregation singing along. So sweet! How could I not cry? I do cry about everything anyway, now add in pregnancy and the voices of little children sweetly singing... I'm so sappy...

A glimpse of the past...

I updated the wall downstairs, and I couldn't get rid of these pics... So I scrapped them.

I just feel so blessed looking at them! To think of what we had, what we have, and what we are becoming is awesome. I know that I am blessed, I know that the Lord blesses me everyday. I am thankful to be able to recognize these blessings in my life and in the life of my family members.

I am thankful to be celebrating my birthday this week too! I get to do it in the best possible way. Pretty much a whole week of scrapbooking (Monday & Tuesday, then Friday and Saturday :) yea!!!) with my best friends and favorite family! (That means that Christie and Jen had better be there Friday!!!) I am also so blessed because I have a hot hubby who says to enjoy away... even if he still does tease me and call it "crap-booking". He tells me how lucky our kids are to have their lives documented, and he enjoys remembering too...

Today was ward conference. It went well. I feel like Sundays go by too fast now, like I really don't get to enjoy them. Primary flies by! Some weeks that is good, while other weeks, I just want to revel in it more. Either way, I am blessed to be able to be in there with my girls, with an awesome presidency (who are more like my best-girlfriends), and great people I look up to.

Aaahhhhh! I have a SUNBEAM?!?

Yes, I know that she turned three... I knew it was coming, but this morning, when it actually all went down, it was surreal. Poor Merrill! Saying goodbye to all three of us now, and making his way down to nursery, all by himself...
Hopefully Ashley will do better next Sunday than she did today. She did okay, but the first was hard for her. I couldn't stay with her, I had Sharing Time. Luckily, she loves Julie...

I don't post my layouts to brag... although I do think they are cute sometimes ;)... I really post them so I have to stick to my goal, and prove it, one page/layout a day... just in case some of you think I am a bragger... just kidding...
I am going on 34 weeks!!! This obviously isn't my first time. I just keep getting advice dispensed like it is... I am so happy that so many people love me and are so caring about my pregnant-booty's welfare...

So did I call it or what... Primary stayed settled for one week. There were some developments today, well they actually began a long time ago, that need to be remedied soon. Just the life of a Primary Pres....

I Love Goldfishes 'Cause The're Sooo Delicious....

Ahhhh... Primary and Scouting are completely staffed!!! One less worry, but for how long???

Today was emotional little girl day at the Pitcher household... if it was possible to have any sort of reaction over a situation, it was crying 99.8% of the time. (I must add that this statistic excluded myself...)

I was finishing Ashley's hair in the bathroom when Merrill came in to finish getting ready, (the girls' bathroom is our "hairspray bathroom")... anyway... Ashely bursts into tears, no one has said anything to her, mind you, and I ask her what is wrong. "Daddy said I look crazy!" What a weirdo! Try consoling that one. Then she cries even harder because she has "boogers sliding out" of her nose... (crying intensifies...)

From the beginning of my pregnancy, goldfish, yes, those cheesy little crackers, were the only thing that would help to calm my nauseous stomach. Not just eating them, sucking on them. I discovered this gem during Sacrament meeting, you know, while the kids are snacking on them... I got many cases of Goldfish as gifts, or help, however you look at it...

So today in Sacrament meeting (see the irony setting in...), between contractions, I kept feeling this tickling feeling in my tummy, like Peyton has a constant wiggle... So after a while, I looked down to see if I can see whatever limb it was, poking out. I looked down to find Ashley, Goldfish in hand, making a circular motion against my tummy. She said she was "beeding" Peyton. Kind of funny considering the irony of the situation...

Lynn was getting in trouble tonight, a little sass, a little back-talk, you know, girl hormones/attitude... again... so as I am talking to her, firmly, she says, "I'm never gonna yell at my kids!" Merrill and I laughed out loud! I told her that that one was going in my blog... here it is...

I just have to say after the day I have had today, I am so blessed! Such great family and friends... hour long late-night phone conversations with some of my best friends, that make our husbands go "hmmmmm...", are the best!

Today, Lynn actually sang with the Primary kids for the first time! There was one time that she stood on the stand with them for Mother's day, but ended up throwing a mini fit and I took her out. Today, she did it for real. I was helping the chorister by holding her pictures to help the kids, and there was Lynn, right in front of me, on the stand, singing. I had to look away from her, I was going to cry! What a milestone for her. I hope it was a pleasant enough experience that she'll do it again.
I am afraid that the prayers of of two little girls are trying to be answered or maybe it really is just my body reacting to being prego the third time around. You see, teh girls have been praying for a couple of months now, that Peyton will "come out soon so they can play with her and hold her". Last night, I started in with some minor crampiness, lower backache. I tried to explain the crampiness away, and when doesn't my back hurt now days? I slept without a problem, or disruption (awesome). I woke up this morning feeling great. After I had been up for awhile, it started again. It continued on during church. So I have my three amigos who have all have had three children or more, helping me. Christi (has done this 6 times...) is telling me, "It is your third time around." (that's how I really feel.) Julie (four...) is telling me, "My labor was never really painful, it was like dull menstrual cramps." And Jen (three...), the nurse, is telling me, "You should be okay if they go away once you relax." Aren't they awesome!
All night tonight, dull cramps, and a nice firm, Braxton Hicks between. The Braxton Hicks is usually followed-up by a hard kick or other such activity from Peyton. This is all while I am sitting on my butt, crocheting. How much more relaxed can I get?
I did get Lynn's scarf done, after going to two different craft stores last night to get more yarn. With the yarn, which I only needed a little of to finish her scarf, I made myself a cute hot pink hat too. Merrill thinks that it looks cute! I am attempting to get a third out of the rest (fingers crossed).

Inevitable spiritual high today... had a baptism. After a little chaos (there always has to be some...), everything went well. I love my calling, but especially this part, you are guaranteed to feel the Spirit! No matter what else is going on in your life, you always feel it.
I cannot wait for tomorrow to be over with, though! I have all of my puzzle pieces put together, and I need to have the stamp of approval, if you will, stamped upon them. There has been so much that needs to be re-figured in Primary (and Scouts, oh and how!), and I've been ready and waiting... just waiting for that one phone call! FRUSTRATING!
We watched Evan today while Brooke took pictures for Ken and Promise. He is so dang cute! I love to see the different personalities in the kids in our family. He and Merrill played together for awhile and it was too cute. Merrill was trying so hard to get him to laugh out-loud. You see, when Evan is tired, he does this cute little inside chuckle. He wants to laugh out-loud but it's like he's just too tired. Merrill kept working at it but finally gave up. He is just such a sweet baby. I was hoping he might help me in convincing Merrill to go again (Yes, mom, I know that I am pregnant...) for a boy.
The girls are watching "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer", again. We watched it last night and they both loved it so much! They especially love the "Thing". I've never heard Lynn giggle so much, she thinks his voice is hilarious! They also love that his favorite phrase is, "Aw, crap!" Which must be really funny since it is a garbage word in our house.
I am on my way to make divinity, I've had a craving. Let's hope it turns out, it is my first time doing it solo....

Okay... I'm blogging at almost midnight because I had such a fun day! I had to tell Merrill all about it before I sat down to get it all out again. I feel like a giddy school girl!
I just have to say how blessed I am to have friends that I do. My new counselors and secretary are so awesome. It makes me so excited, takes away that feeling of, for lack of a better word right now, ugh, that was coming with the everyday "stuff".
We had our first presidency meeting ever this afternoon, it wasn't really a meeting. We got so much discussed and accomplished, but we had so much fun! Our kids had a good time too. It is just such a relief to me to find other women who feel the same way that I do, and bring such fresh, new, great ideas to the table. Ideas that get me motivated. We got so much accomplished, I felt so good afterward. So after a fun afternoon, What could be better? Talking on the phone with them even when we talked for that long! See, I am a school girl!
We even had stake leadership, which was funner than I remember as well. I just felt so good having them there with me. I felt like I had "back-up". I just can't explain it... After the meeting we had some fun "Mommy time" with other sisters in our ward and neighborhood. It was so nice to sit and visit, and not have my cell phone even ring! It was relaxing. Julile didn't get to join us though :(...
After all of the hesitation I felt at the beginning of the summer, knowing what was coming and all the un-doing that had to be done to get this, I am so thankful. In a way, I want to kick myself in the butt... If I would have done it then, how much stress would have never even happened? But I can't think about all of the "what ifs". Either I needed something between then and now, or maybe someone else did... I can refer back to a previous day, and just say that I am blessed. Gosh, I am so thankful for these women!

As I look back, I can see how my life has been blessed with certain people at certain times. It is easy for me to think of some people and wonder, why the heck did I even associate with them? But now, I can see that I needed certain people, or certain personalities at certain times in my life.
Right now I am primary president in my ward. Today, we cleaned house. It has been months in the making, I knew it needed to be done, and I didn't want to do it, it seemed too daunting. So in my mind, I was putting it off. In the big picture, however, I was being patient, I was really waiting for the time to be right and to have things shown to me, to make it easy. (That is what I have since learned. My own mom chastised me about procrastinating...)
So as I sat and talked with my two new counselors, and briefly with the new secretary, I could see, I needed those other sisters at a certain time in my life. The good and sometimes the difficulty that they brought, I needed it.
Now it is a different time, or a season, if that doesn't sound too corny, and I need these "new" women for different reasons. I am thankful for them, and for this time in my life so I can need them. But I am really thankful to see why things were the way that they were, to understand why I had to go through certain experiences, why some people were a part of my life, good or bad, so I don't go on thinking that they were idiots, or maybe that I was...