Charity

We had the most tender moment during scripture study tonight.  Audrie was reading and stumbling on a word.  Kaylee quickly said the word thinking she was coming to her big sisters rescue.

To her surprise Audrie began sobbing saying, "please don't!  You don't understand. That makes me feel so stupid!"

Kaylee didn't exactly know how to respond and burst into tears.

Andy and I immediately reassured both of them that it was okay, no one was trying to hurt anyone's feelings, etc, etc.

We then said family prayer and upon closing Audrie began walking away.  I didn't want the evening to end in such a way so I told Audrie and Kaylee (both were still teary) they needed to hug it out.

Audrie came right over and they had the most tender embrace followed by the most heart felt conversation...I mean soul to soul.  So much so Andy burst into tears himself with an audible sobbing (we were all still there watching this unfold).

Audrie poured her feelings out so Kaylee understood exactly how it felt to be a sixth grader who can be out read by a second grader.  I happened to discreetly snap a picture as they were talking and hugging.

Definitely a moment no one will forget anytime soon.  I feel as though everyone now understands emotionally how Audrie feels, and how I have felt watching her struggle for the last several years.

I especially love the picture that is peeking through their embrace.  This moment was the epitome of love and empathy.  And I'm certain the love of Christ was in that room.

These are the moments that make this family life so worth it.

Crafts and Drama

My big craft day was Saturday and it was a big success!  I'm glad it's over, but truly it was very laid back and relaxed for me :). Having prepped so much really helped as well as getting all the help I did from Andy.  He was a real life saver!  I couldn't have done it without him.  He even took all the kiddos to have a fun day out while we were crafting.  I know they went tot the movies and walked around a furniture store (they had animals and other cool things).  They walked in right at 3pm (as everyone was finishing up their crafts and heading out the door).  Everyone went their which ways except Sam.  She stopped at the stairs, sat down and clearly was feeling something negative.  Then as she got up to tell me what was wrong she puked all over me and the tile floor...in front of all the craft day ladies!  I've never seem such a fast mass exitus (sp?).  Originally we thought it was because if what she ate while at the theaters....but she's been acting weird ever since.  Hasn't really thrown up again, but sounds super croupe like and is terribly mucusy!  Hoping she recovers quick!

Yesterday was our wards primary program, it was wonderful.  The best parts was Audrie had been asked to do a solo and has been practicing hard! She sang the song 'Gethsemane' and had a few girls sing with her by only for the chorus.  It was GORGEOUS.  She had many of us in tears...absolutely beautiful.  I wish I could have recorded it!!!

Then today I guess I decided I needed to create a little drama :/. This may be TMI for some of you so feel free to ski on. Anyway yesterday I sneezed really hard and thought I pottied a little bc I felt super wet.  So went and checked and I was pretty wet but it was clear and didn't smell like urine to me.  Thinking I was being paranoid I dismissed it, thinking there has to be some other explanation.  Well today I was riding my bike to school with Kaylee and by the time I got to the school my backside was quite saturated. So recalling yesterday and not having an explanation as to why my dairy air was wet I called the nurses at Obgyn.  They said I should got straight to labor and delivery B's get tested.

After 2 hours, being hooked up to machines and in a terribly warm hospital bed and room they came back saying the test results were negative!  Yay!  33 weeks is too early for this baby to come!!  Either way I feel mildly dumb, but still have no explanation as to what the heck was going on.  Hopefully somehow the seat was wet and I didn't notice until after I had been riding for a while.

THANKS heavens!  That would have been awful.

Now I must nap- I'm emotionally and physically drained!

Tyler's actual Talk

My talk

Hi, for those of you that don’t know me, my name is Tyler Hart, and I have been asked to speak on the words of the prophets. Quite a few kids my age and below look to general conference as a pain, keeping them from playing with friends or playing games. This how I used to think about it too, before the Saturday session. When the Saturday session started, I kind of threw a fit, because it was Saturday! I only have a day and a half for the weekend, and now they were taking away another day. It was unfair. But as I sat down, the first talk started. When it started, I was very connected to it, as it was useful to me and other youth. It was about a personal thing I was working to fix, and that talk helped me to know how I could accomplish my goals. That was pretty cool for me. So after that I started to pay attention. When I payed attention to this general conference, I could feel the spirit in our house. as I was listening, One talk in particular stood out to me. It was the talk by Richard J. Maynes. To introduce the talk, he starts by using this story. An elder using a potter’s wheel, was showing a group of youth how he makes his clay pottery. He put some clay on the wheel, and asked for volunteers to try to create some clay bowls or cups. The youth tried, but could not complete the task. He asked them why they couldn’t do it. They responded saying it was too hard, or they had no experience. He then showed to them the reason they could not create the things he asked. He showed them that the clay was not perfectly centered, therefore not being able to keep its form. Using that story he later speaks about how we must center Christ in the middle of our lives, then he would be able to mold us into the figure we are to become to return to him.  If we do this, we will be blessed. I challenge all kids to try to pay attention to talks in general conference, or outside of conference, like my talk, or others talks. I’d like to bear my testimony that I know that the church is true, and that prophet Thomas S Monson speaks the true word of god, and that general conference is a blessing meant for us even if it doesn’t seem like it. By doing what Christ wants, and listening to the holy ghost, we can return to him again, and be with are families forever. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen

Tyler's Talk Babies

We've had a great few weeks, especially enjoyed last weekend.  I really needed the spiritual nutrition that conference gave me.  Seriously loved every second, and needed to hear many of those talks. 

It is always particularly difficult for the children to sit that long, but we did our treat/word thing for Sat and it worked pretty well.  Tyler however threw quite a fit on Sat saying none of his friends parents made them watch the Sat sessions...he really struggles with being positive with church functions.  I'm not sure how to change that.  Although after the first talk started the he turned right around, looked at me in eye and gave the most sincere apology I think I've ever heard from him.  Within that apology he mentioned how crazy it was that the first speaker said something that he had just mentioned (amidst his fit)...so he is definitly listening and growing in some regard.  It's just hard to see sometimes. 

In addition he FINALLY had to give his first talk in church today.  We've been prepping him for probably close to 18 months saying it was going to happen.  Our ward seems to coinside talks with birthdays, so when Ty turned 13 I thought FOR SURE he would get asked to talk.  But no, it never happened.  So finally a week ago they asked him.  He got to choose any talk he wanted to from conference and I can't tell you how well he did.  He really has a fear of being in front of people, but he is conquering that.  He didn't even look nervous at all, spoke slowly and clearly, used personal experiences and we were beaming with pride.  He is a natural leader but has no idea he is.  I will attach a copy of his talk; which by the way he wrote all by himself with no help from Andy or I.  

I've been working away prepping for my craft day which is finally going to happen this Sat.  It's been a long time coming, but really I needed this long to prep as there has been A LOT of prep.  But a little every couple of days makes it much more doable. I still have one major purchase to make, that is the alcohol for the vanilla extract....I think I'm procrastinating.  First of all it's something I've never done, second of all talk about irony....molly mormon, pregnant, and like 10 liters of vodka.  Andy is going to have a camera in hand.  

I'm getting very big, 32 weeks tomorrow, which means I'm very near the end.  Audrie was born at 36 weeks so that has been my "done" marker ever since.  Kaylee and Sam were both born at 37 weeks, so either way it's getting close.  No way will I make it beyond 38, they won't let me, so we are weeks away.  And i'm ready.  I am up almost every hour using the bathroom and even my worse baby has never been that bad.

We are pretty much all prepped.  The Ford's came down a couple of weekends ago and our neighborhood was having their big fall community garage sale, so Cami and I went around.  It was pretty disappointing, but right at the end I found several items (just around the corner from our house!).  I love buying used.  It's fulfills the ultimate cheapness I have in my blood.  I have a few items to still get, and need to stock up on easy food and frozen meals, but other than that we are golden. 

We finished the babies room which turned out so great.  I don't think there is anything I enjoy more than working on projects like that with Andy. It is just so satisfying for some reason.  The board and batten turned out so great, not to mention the refinished dresser and crib, and my quilt (that I've been told looks kind a fem, but I tried really hard to make gender neutral...what can I say, I lean that direction naturally)

Having Ali and Perris's twins born a little over a week ago got me really excited.  I have to call almost daily to get a little twin dose.  It is so fun to see what it is like from the adult perspective vs my childhood experience.  I think everyone has been a little giddy from little Thomas and Davey's arrival.

Well I have more to say, but the home teachers should be here any minute.  Gotta wake up Andy!