When I leave the fridge unlocked...

We've had a lock on the fridge for quite a while now. And occasionally I forget to lock it after I'm through. Silly me! When this happens, I never know what I'll find. Today, the little ones decide to use their natural talents as chefs and invent a new dish. They combined pickles, Parmesan cheese, strawberry jam, and soy sauce to create a colorful, if not stinky mess. Hope they enjoy lunch, I'm ordering in.

More Stuff I wish were made up

This is a sampling since last writing:

• Friday proved to be entertaining. Friday I was with my Mom talking in the front room. The kids were being awful quiet so I went upstairs to find he two year old playing in the laundry detergent and the three year olds (yes that is plural) playing in the cereal they had dumped in the girls' room.
• This morning while at the bust stop (again) I found a trail of oatmeal in the den, up the stairs, own the hall, and into the bathroom where they were obviously trying to make oatmeal in the sink. Silly me for not locking up the oatmeal before walking out the door.
  

Can't make this stuff up

In an effort to find the humor in my current existence I am going to take to annotating the things in my life that would make me laugh if I wasn't in my life. (Ok, so they should make me laugh even now.)Check in occasionally for a good laugh.

• Recently my facebook status read, "Annie can't be in two places at once." I had gone upstairs to change a stinky diaper, only to come downstairs to another little one feeding the fish (half of the container of fish food). I head back upstairs to move the laundry and find another little one (different from the first two) stuffing wet wipes down the drain of the bathroom sink so he could fill the sink (and flood the bathroom). You see, we had already removed the drain plug because after he flooded the bathroom three times in one day we decided we didn't want the upstairs falling through to the downstairs.
• Just today I went to the playroom after filling the dishwasher and found a humongous spider web of twine. I went downstairs to get the scissors to clean it up and found they had beaten me to the scissors and had basically finished the cleanup job. And they cut it all up without cutting each others hair (which they have been known to do on occasion).

Don't worry there will be more.

Promised Slice

I was reminded yesterday how Heavenly Father is aware of His children, and how He keeps his promises. Almost two weeks ago Greg took himself to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain. I knew it was severe because my husband deals with pain quietly. For him to admit to it was telling. He accepted the wait estimate of 5 hours, while I put the kids to bed and fell asleep myself. He called at 3am. They had done a CT scan and found an infected gall bladder. No big deal. Easily corrected by surgery. However, because he had waited he needed to undergo a course of antibiotics before surgery. We were looking at almost two weeks before he could return to work. I quickly got dressed and headed to the hospital. Before leaving I called my brother-in-law to meet me there.
We believe in the gift of healing. A very special gift of the Lord, based on the faith of the receiver, that lends healing and comfort to those in need. A gift administered by one holding the priesthood of God. It was during this blessing that I was reminded of another important gift of our Father. He has promised the blessings of heaven to be upon those who do His will, with faith no matter the sacrifice. And through the blessing He assured us we need only ask for those blessings. They were ours to receive.
It was during the many drives back and forth to the hospital during the following week, I realized that in our current situation, any time off of work could be devastating. I opened my heart to heaven and begged for the blessings He had promised for my family. I begged for the quick recovery and the means to make it through this.
My prayer was answered. We will make it. A recovery that could have lasted a month, sees my husband back at work already. And the love of people around Greg at work settled other worries. The Lord does not forget His children. And He pours down the blessings of heaven daily to those faithful enough to receive. I know this. I have seen it. I continue to see it.

Happiness is. . . the love of a Heavenly Father.

Celestial Slice

There is a very special room in a very special place where the beauty is tranquil and serene, and the only sound heard is the quiet tinkling of crystal....
I own a pair of earrings. I bought them for their simplistic beauty. I almost took them back after wearing them that first time. The two hoops hit each other every time I moved my head causing a soft chime in my ears. It reminded me of the scriptures and the haughty daughters of Zion making the tinkling with their feet. I kept the earrings simply because I never found the time to return them and, quite frankly, I liked them. Inwardly I worried what it said about me. Not that anyone else noticed or cared.
Until I went to the temple yesterday. I wore my earrings. After all was done, I was sitting quietly listening to the crystal chiming in the gentle stirring of air. I turned my head to find which crystals where sounding. My earrings chimed. They chimed the same soft chime of the crystals. Not the haughty tinkling of feet, but that same soft chime.
Now, in the chaotic world of my life, amidst the noise and confusion, I can simply shake my head and remember - remember the peace, serenity, and love of a Father given through the simple chime of earrings.

Happiness is. . . that chime.

Rambling Slice

I realize life flies by and sometimes you have to drop things, but with school back in session I have no excuse not to post an update (I can't use the "I'm raising nine kids" excuse forever). It's just I've really been wrestling within myself. I want to shout from rooftops and what I want to shout needs to be forgotten. I want to be better, I want to help others be better. I can't do this when I want to fight and play nasty. I am tired and it would be so easy. I can't. It wouldn't be the righteous anger that is justified. It would just be anger. So I am praying for a little more strength.
The kids are happy and adjusted to this life. Greg and I are mom and dad, because little ones just need that and when everyone else calls us Mom and Dad, it feels right to them. We bathe them, read to them, say prayers with them, kiss their booboo's and set limits that make them feel secure. We are responsible for them and don't ask for their love. I like to think that we are trying so very hard to earn it, especially from those we have to be hardest with (ie, the preteen). We don't want to be their best friends, we want to teach them, and love them, and be hard on them so they'll have the self discipline some day to say, "I'm a child of God. I'm better than what this world wants me to be."
Have I confused enough of you? Then you know how I feel. Greg and I strive to be the best people we can and then reach a little further. We study and grow daily. We learn new things and always put our children first, all of them. Seeing others who don't confuse us and frustrate us. But we pray for them, what more can we do?
Just some ramblings, don't mind me.

Happiness is. . . rambling to understanding.

First Day of School

I look forward to the first day of school for many reasons. The much quieter house, lunch (actually eating), and time to catch up and reorganize the life that has gotten out of focus during the hectic summer. As part of the catching up phase I am letting you know I have uploaded pictures of our summer to picasa for your enjoyment (See Photo Album Slice link to right). Hopefully this is the first step of many toward feeling settled again.

Happiness is. . . a picture worth more than a thousand words.