What Friday Looked Like

Corban has three classes left to finish off his freshman year of high school.

Well, actually four if we are counting PE, which I am not.

Anyway, a lot of my time is spent waiting for him to finish things so I can help him with the things he actually needs help with.

Today he did a unit on World History and then took the unit quiz.

Which he promptly got a 68% on and it went into recovery mode.

Recovery mode is the WORST because it has him answer questions he missed and plays videos for every one he misses again.

It takes forever.

He finally got it done and then retook the quiz but had me read the questions out loud to him.

Then he promptly got a 91%.

Seriously.

Sometimes, ADD can be a pain in the butt.

His ability to focus ebbs and flows.

If I am reading to him out loud he can do it.

If he has to do it himself he loses focus and gets a 68%.

Then he spent so much time on that and we ran out of time for Algebra.

Darn!

I did spend my evening with Matt in our place of peace after all that.

It was much needed.

I wish I had time to spend more time there but my life season is not yet allowing it.

Maybe after this farm sells and we move closer to civilization.

We did seal my grandma, Claire Lucille Wright and my biological grandfather, Allan Roderick McKay together. 

It was nice to be with just Matt for a minute.

Tumultuous

Makenna's friend, Nigel made her a voodoo doll.

I am not sure why, but I think it is kind of funny.

So does she.

But that has nothing to do with this post.

On Monday afternoon our son-in-law, Dustin shot himself while Sam was standing hear him and the boys were in the next room. 

He is alive and in the hospital.

He basically shot off his nose.

It has been a whirlwind of emotion for me. 

I never wanted the life Sam has for her.

No mother wants their child to have the life she is living.

Makenna and I went over later that day to help with anything that needed our help. 

She didn't have anyone coming to clean it all up.  

I ended up cleaning it up.

That adds an entirely new level of emotion to things.

The last two days I have 'tucked in' and tried to process.

I know Sam is going through a whole lot of trauma as well.

I'm concerned for Afton.

Emry is too young to know anything but I am sure he can feel that things aren't right.

They weren't right before this.

One thing though.

I had a dream the day before it happened.

The Lord knew.

He prepared me for what I needed to do and I was able to do it.

There is a HUGE amount of comfort knowing that He always knows! 

Sacred

Yesterday, after the paint had dried on the stairs, Makenna and I were pulling off the tape.

I started to cry because it all just hit me.

I'm confident that in the next two weeks we will have an offer on our farm.

I'm sure that by February it will be sold.

And while this is SUCH a huge blessing (we're talking deliverance from bondage kind of blessing) I will miss so much from our dream farm.

There is a peace that permeates this property that I have not found any other place in my life.

It feels like it has been a place to connect with God and each other.

It's the place where answers to prayers were received and revelation was given.

It's where healing came.
So much healing has happened here.

Harvest Point Farms will forever and always be a sacred place for me.

But the winds are changing and the Lord is moving us some place else.

And since I trust Him, I expect to find abundance and happiness ahead.

I also hope there is a LOT of peace mixed in there too.

Two Pictures

In the last week I have taken only two pictures.

This one at the top for Rissa, which I took this morning and the picture at the end of this post with Makenna.

We went to the movies on Monday to see Little Women together.
It was a fun outing with her.

My week has been filled with teaching the gospel and being observed doing it.

For real, it is probably easier to get hired by the CIA then it is to get hired by the church.

And the feedback is brutal.

But I am grateful for the growth opportunities. 

For real.

I really am. 

Maybe I will blog more next week.

Or at least take more pictures of life.

 

Hello Again!

I realized this morning that I hadn't posted in a hot minute. 

Hot...I wish!

We've been in the -20's for about two weeks now.

The pipes to the kitchen sink and dishwasher are frozen.

They have been for at least a week.

Our cars complain every day that we start them.

I don't blame them.

It is freaking cold!

We've been firing up the wood stove every day, which has made the house cozy and warm.

But I've been teaching seminary all week and haven't been home to enjoy it enough.

Although, I LOVE teaching seminary.

I'm just happier when I get to testify of Christ and who He is.

I am student teaching now, all semester.

That is pretty exciting to me.

I don't know how all of this is going to play out but I am trusting the Lord, because this was His idea.

Let's see, what else is happening...

Makenna had a dentist appointment.

I didn't get any pictures though because I stayed in the waiting area watching a movie on Netflix that had the WORST acting I have ever seen.

That's about it.

January is usually the time when we hibernate and I am feeling very hibernatey right now!

SO COLD!!!

Our record breaking warm winter has officially disappeared.

As I drove into town to rescue Brittan from a migraine (she's house sitting) the temperature in my car said it was -21 outside.

That's the kind of weather that feels like it is killing you when you breathe.

Matt said to me, "Tell me why we live here again."

We say that every year.

But one thing is for sure, even with the horrible cold, it is so, so beautiful.

Oh also, I almost died today on KGB.

I swear I have a legion of angels protecting me and my family.

Also, I have some pretty mad driving skills to get out of a spin on icy roads.

But mostly the angels.

The Year of the Book of Mormon!

Years ago my brother told me how he had written something in his Book of Mormon that was a reminder to him.
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At the first page he wrote, "Dear Garic" and at the very last page he wrote, "Love, Your Heavenly Father."
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He explained to me how viewing the book as a personal letter from God changed everything as he read it.
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President Eyring once said. "The Lord has embedded into the Book of Mormon His message to you." February 2004, Ensign.
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Do you need some heavenly help?
Are there questions you need answered?
Are you seeking peace?
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It's ALL in the book!
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I am a witness of the power of this book.
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Through it I have been given words to pray, peace of heart, a feeling that I belong and I'm not forgotten. I've been comforted through it and brought to discern lies from truth.
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It is God's word to us and in it, through His spirit, you will find the answer to every single question you need answered.

Engaged and I am!

What better way to ring in the New Year than to add another member to our family...soon.

Last night Dustin Staley proposed to our Brittan!

It looks like wedding planning needs to begin. 

Also, this year, instead of resolutions I decided on "I am" statements. 

The words "I am" are powerful. 

Christ used them to describe himself.

When we use I am statements it tells others and ourselves the type of person we are.

It is an identity. 

After much deliberation and pondering, I decided on three "I am" statements for 2020.

1. I am a plant based eater

I have messed around with this one for about two years and I am ready to jump in fully this year. 

What this means is that the food I eat is plant based.

I avoid dairy, refined sugars and flours and eat very little meat.

2. I am a temple worker

Now I don't know if the opportunity will present itself to be called and set apart as a temple worker but I plan on working in the temple a lot more this year then I previous have.  

3. I am a gospel teacher

I have taught the gospel in many capacities but this year my hope, and what I am working toward, is becoming a full time seminary and institute teacher.

There is an element of vulnerability with this one because I am not in charge of who gets hired and who doesn't. 

All I can do is follow the prompting I received and trust in God with this one. 

I feel like 2020 is going to have a lot of twists and turns, but exciting things all along the way.