Sick and Tired...

I'm sick and tired of having sickness in my house.
Someone has been sick in this house since Easter!
We're talking 7 weeks.
WHAT is up with THAT?
I've disinfected the house weekly.
I've had two of my kids to the MD at least 3 times.
I've probably spent a whole pay check on pharmaceuticals.
When does it end?????

Chris is the latest victim and ironically the biggest baby of us all.
So if you see me outside wandering aimlessly, just make sure I'm not in any danger cause chances are I'm half asleep and don't know where I am OR I'm taking a mini vacation from the confines of the sick house.

Mazatlan 2009

What a wonderful trip! After being delayed in Phoenix, we finally arrived in Mazatlan mid afternoon. We had a wonderful view of the beach from our balcony and personal air conditioning in our room. PERFECT!! We explored a little and hit the local grocery store for some snacks. We walked back to the hotel along the beach at sunset. SO PRETTY!

Saturday morning we went Zip Lining at the Huana Coa Canopy. This is the region of Mexico where the desert ends and the rain forests begin. Hence you have HUGE tropical trees mingled with Cacti. We had so much fun. Some of the landings were high up in trees and the last one we repelled off of. Our exursion included a tour of the tequilla plant nearby. It was interesting to learn how they make it, but no drinking it of course.

Upon our return to the hotel, we slipped into our suits and went to the beach. It was so pleasant. The water was nearly as warm as the air. We were body surfing with some friends and minding our own business when I got stung by a jelly fish, bad. Mostly these fish just swim beside you and every once in awhile their tentacles will slide over your arm or something. Not too bad, but this thing wasn't done with my arm. It had to attach itself to my back and just pulsate it's charges into my body. OUCH!! I spent the next few hours dealing with the pain in the privacy of our room. There were quite a few tears shed, but I was back to normal by morning.
We went to dinner with some of the other Dentists and their wives, then hit the beach for a sunset "wedding". Everyone wanted to play volleyball which I sat out of, but when the game switched to soccer, I joined in and took everyone by surprise when I scored the most goals. I think they underestimated the fat chick still suffering with a jelly fish sting.

We spent Sunday by the pool. There was NO WAY I was headed back into that ocean again. I got my yearly sunburn and didn't sleep well our last night. All in all it was such a relaxing trip and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. After having a weekend away, we realize yet again how important it is for us during this turbulent time to remove ourselves from the chaos and focus on one another. We are recharged and ready to deal with the business, family, church callings and demands by our children.

So as many of you know, I teach the Marriage and Family Relations class in our Ward. I have learned so much and it has truly been a joy to teach and share with the couples in our Ward.

I have a new found appreciation for my marriage and our relationship. Although at times, I feel as if our marriage is suffering, we always work it out. Where the recession is concerned, we haven't had the best financial situation our entire married life, so we don't know any better. Where the H1V1 virus is concerned, we have our own personal stash of face masks thanks to his career.

We really have a great marriage. We are as in love with one another if not more than the day we married. We're definitely more in love than when we first met.....it took 2 years to finally hook up to "dating" status. I really love my husband and am so glad he chose me to be his companion. As much as I hate to admit it, I went to BYU for my MRS because I'm not marketable with my BS.

A week ago in class, we had a quote by President Boyd K. Packer regarding the shield of faith:

“Our Father’s plan requires that, like the generation of life itself, the shield of faith is to be made and fitted in the family. No two can be exactly alike. Each must be handcrafted to individual specifications.

“The plan designed by the Father contemplates that man and woman, husband and wife, working together, fit each child individually with a shield of faith made to buckle on so firmly that it can neither be pulled off nor penetrated by those fiery darts.

“It takes the steady strength of a father to hammer out the metal of it and the tender hands of a mother to polish and fit it on. Sometimes one parent is left to do it alone. It is difficult, but it can be done.

“In the Church we can teach about the materials from which a shield of faith is made: reverence, courage, chastity, repentance, forgiveness, compassion. In church we can learn how to assemble and fit them together. But the actual making of and fitting on of the shield of faith belongs in the family circle. Otherwise it may loosen and come off in a crisis” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1995, 8; or Ensign, May 1995, 8).

I learned so much from this one quote. I learned that the gospel being taught in Primary and other organizations is a "one size fits all". It is up to us as parents to shape and mold it onto our children. It is up to us to help then recognize the spirit and answers to prayers. It is up to us to help them understand how they fit into the Eternal Plan. It is up to us to help them know the story behind the First Vision and what happened because of it. It is up to us to make the gospel personal to each of our children. What fit's for Zac will not necessarily fit for Tyler or Samantha.

WOW, what responsibility! I'm so grateful Chris and I are up to the challenge. I'm so grateful that we are true to our covenants and promises. I'm grateful that we have a home that tries to invite the Spirit in and learn from it. There is always room for improvement and it takes line upon line.

So there you have it. Dad, you owe me a Hot Fuge Sunday!