Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Being Led By the Spirit

I've had a few experiences in the last week that have shown me that I can truly help others when I follow the Spirit. It's been quite humbling and exhilarating at the same time to realize that I've been the way Heavenly Father has been able to answer others' prayers.
On Sunday we mixed things up with our church schedule. Usually we go to Sacrament meeting, Sunday School and then Relief Society/Priesthood. This week we switched the last two hours. In Relief Society we watched a beautiful video about working on our own family history....finding those of our family who belong to us. I "leaked" through the story about a couple with four teens. They were struggling and the husband admitted that they might get divorced. The video was following actual people, so it wasn't a story that someone had written. Anyway, the couple worked on doing their family history together and began to get closer. Then at the end of the video the couple ended up getting sealed in the temple. It was absolutely a beautiful story.
Then we went to Sunday School. I hate to admit, but all through church, I was feeling sleepy and thought I might fall asleep if I had to sit still through one more class. We started out with a very good discussion talking about whining vs. murmuring vs. speaking up. One brother talked about how his young son had whined that he didn't want to go to his Primary class, then at that moment we heard loud whining in the hallway. His wife was out trying to wrangle that little boy and keep him happy and calm. We all kind of giggled at that, and went on. As we were going on a thought came to me, "You need to go out there and help." It was VERY strong and VERY persistent. I calmly put my scriptures away, gathered up my big bag and went into the hallway. I saw the look of frustration on the mom's face and asked, "Can I help you? I feel like I need to." She laughed and said that another sister said the same thing. We went to a table and pulled things out of my giant church bag. The things I had in there weren't necessarily things I would usually have, because I don't like taking treats to church, but I took them because we were supposed to have choir practice and my boys get a little whiny and rambunctious during that time. I gave this little boy some animal crackers and he instantly stopped crying. The other woman and I shooed the mom off to Sunday School and we proceeded to play with this little guy. We played cars, raced them, laughed when they drove off the table and then talked a lot. He didn't scream again for the rest of the class.
I honestly don't know why I needed to help him, other than I THINK that he would have kept screaming if I hadn't gone out with my cookies. But his mom got to enjoy Sunday School with her husband and not worry about her little boy.
Last night I had a voice mail from the lady that helped us do our lending. She sounded quite frantic and frustrated. She said she was trying to track down a check that our insurance company had sent for $412. She wondered if we had it.
I called her back, leaving her a message, that yes, we had gotten a check for $412, and that it was sitting quietly in our escrow account.
Here's the whole story.
A few weeks after we'd moved into our home, our homeowners insurance company sent us this large check. Steve had checked the mail, and was pleased that we were blessed with this extra money. He hid it from me, planning on surprising me with a Kindle Fire or an iPad for Christmas. Well, he couldn't hide it for long, and after 3 days showed it to me. I was INSTANTLY worried. I knew that we shouldn't be getting an extra check, and that we had JUST bought the home. I worried that we might lose our insurance or something else would happen.
I called the insurance agent and he suggested that we call our mortgage company and have them put it into our escrow account. I called the mortgage company and sent them the check. This was well over a month ago, and I haven't thought a thing of it since.
At the same time another couple, who'd just bought their home, got a cancellation notice on their homeowners insurance. Their premium wasn't paid at all. This was a more than a little frustrating to them, I'm sure, and they called our friend Julz.
Apparently, the title company accidentally paid OUR insurance (which is the same company) with THEIR money.
At the time I was putting the money back into escrow, I never felt good about *just* spending it. I only felt peace once it was safely tucked away, where we couldn't spend it.
Again, the Spirit works in mysterious ways.
My friend told me that I was one in a million, because anyone else would have spent that money. I explained the situation to her and how I knew it wasn't right to spend it. She said that it was a miracle, because they never hear about those kinds of things happening.
I don't know why I was so blessed to be the one to help others, but I'm grateful and happy that I listened.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Random Thoughts

**Today I woke up with a thought, "Be productive. Do more than you have been. You can do this!" So I woke up doing *some* of the FlyLady tips. I got out of bed, made my half (the other half was being slept in by a cute man), went to the laundry room and found my clothes for the day, got dressed, combed through my mane of hair, then went upstairs and got to work.
My mantra was different today too. Usually my only thought is, "Survive....you can make it through this temper tantrum. Things will get easier once everyone is sleeping again...." (Yes, I say this all day long, and usually it just makes me more anxious and more uptight.) Today my new thought was: "I am a powerful, yet under-control woman. I am the boss, CEO and leader of my family. I will show a good example and I will NOT fight." For the first hour or so of the day, it worked. (I have to admit, as my day went on, and fuses got shorter, my mantra changed to "It will be okay, you can try harder later.")
Before Cameron went to school I had taken care of the kitchen garbage, fed Jake breakfast (before the asking/begging began), set things up to do dishes and had calmly diffused 3 fights between the boys.
GO ME!
All through the day I did little things: dishes, mopping the floors, sweeping, unloading boxes....and I felt like I was QUEEN of the world. I had done SO much more than I've been doing and it was wonderful.
I do NOT want to lose my momentum. I mentally made the goal to wake up earlier than I do now and get myself ready before I have to get the boys ready. I've also made a goal to sleep better. It will be hard, but I can do hard things.
**I'm also extremely sensitive to comments right now. I don't have ANY sympathy for people who are having pity parties, and don't like being accused of having one myself. I had commented on a friend's status on FaceBook, and someone said, "Oh, I think ***** wins the pity party...." Like I was whining?? I thought what I said was funny, not whiny. I was less than pleased about it.
Then I go to my favorite place online, where my friends are, and people are having pity parties left and right.
I am beyond frustrated. I want to say, "You know, the world doesn't revolve around you. Get over yourself...you'll be SO much happier...." But I won't say it, because I would hurt feelings and that is NOT my goal here.
**After a month in this ward, we got the call today that the bishop would like to visit with us. I don't know if it's a get-to-know-you type visit, or if it's a calling-issuing visit, but we shall see. I'm truly loving our new ward. Don't get me wrong, I love and miss my old friends and old ward, but this new one is SO friendly and welcoming. I have yet to find someone I can connect with, but there are a lot of friendly women who have invited me to many things. I'm excited for this new adventure.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

I Just KNEW There Had To Be a Reason We Don't Live in Austrailia...

Jake was sitting on my lap (like he likes to do) and was being silly. Then I asked him, "Do you know what we should have for lunch?"
(At this point, I'd expected him to say a sandwich or noodles....)
"Yes," he said.
"Really? What?"
He hesitated for a second and then he exclaimed, "KANGAROO!"
Uh, erm....
"Silly boy, I didn't get any of that..."
"You're the kangaroo..." Then he proceeded to "eat" me.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Let's Take a Small Tour of our New Home

We've been in the house for a month, and you'd think in that time, I'd have everything JUST how I want it, right?
Well....
The kitchen is still mostly boxes and I don't have my pictures hung. (When I've moved in the past, this is one of the first things I do....but right now? Not so much...) I'm still trying to figure out where I want things hung. It will come, I promise....
For now, enjoy the little tour:
Living Room/Dining room:
Jake's bedroom (where the toys are kept...)
Cameron's bedroom (where the books are kept, and for some reason, my craft dresser...)

Kitchen
(see, this is my main pile...)
Office area in the family room
Rest of the Family Room

Monday, January 02, 2012

Is It REALLY So Easy to Change?

New Year almost always equals new resolutions. Some may want a hot new bod, some want to be more frugal, others want to give more of themselves....Me? I want to be a better mommy and wife to those I see every day.
I will admit, I'm an angry person. When my kids do things they're not supposed to, I yell and lecture them. When I need them to do something, I usually yell it at them, or plead over and over....and then I get no results so I resort to yelling at them because I'm angry.
I'm SO tired of it.
Being angry so often is exhausting.
My resolution WILL happen...it must. I want a happy home. I want to be able to tell my kids things and have them obey quickly and happily.
So far today, I've already yelled at the boys (they woke up WAY too early, and fought for an hour, all the while banging and throwing things around and screaming and yelling...) BUT I've also tried to stay calm and talk to them instead of lecturing. I must learn to pick my fights well. I need to let the little stuff go and focus on the big picture.
I can do this....I MUST!