10 Points

Guess what Devin said today when he got home from work and saw that I was still in the middle of making dinner and that 2 of our 3 kids were crying and that the toy room was a mess and that I was pretty much completely frazzled...

He said, "What can I do to help?"

Did you guess that?  10 points if you did.  He got about 100 points for saying it.

Yeah, he is amazing.  It was so wonderful that he offered to help instead of criticizing for dinner not being done or anything else he might mention.

There have been a few instances when he walked in and the first words he said to me were something like, "Why does the house smell weird?" or, "Did you make sure the cereal was on sale before you bought it?" or, my favorite, "What did you do all day?" (Men, take note:  that last one is seriously the worst thing a man can say when he gets home to his wife and house full of kids.)

It is unbelievable the difference it makes when the first words he speaks are kind.

Prepping for Thanksgiving

I don't like how Thanksgiving is basically forgotton or overshadowed by Christmas.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas.  But I feel like the poplulation in general needs a holiday to focus on being thankful for what we have because it is easy to forget.  I think it would be better if we moved Thanksgiving to sometime in September when there aren't any other holidays around so people could really celebrate.  Then, we could get out our Christmas trees weeks before December 25 and no holiday would be overlooked.  That's what I say we should do.

As Thanksgiving is approaching, I recalled an experience I had last year...

In my attempt to prep Jaxon for Thanksgiving I asked him what he was thankful for.  His response?

"Santa."

How ironic.

Marathon

I'm training for a marathon and a part of me wishes I didn't sign up.  I want to run another one to get a faster time, but I am just so busy with 3 kids and trying to work on this website and my Etsy shop, the burden of training is just one more thing to add to the pile.  I guess it is good I have an event to train for or else I wouldn't be making the time to exercise.  And I do love running.  It's my sanity time.

I started my Etsy to create some income.  I guess there's no reason to pretend like it is something else.  We have student loan debt I want to pay off and our standard monthly income is not enough to pay the debt off as fast as I want to.  For the shop to be successful I have to have products.  Making products takes time.  I just feel like I don't have enough time!

Anyway, just having a crazy day and needed to take a break to write:)

Time of Trouble

This morning I came upon Doctrine and Covenants 3:8...

"Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble."

The last part, "he would have been with you in every time of trouble" made me realize something:  that even when we are being obedient and doing what we are supposed to do, we can still have times of trouble.  Doing our best to make the right choices does not guarantee that we will not have hard times, but that in those times, the Lord will be with us.  

This was a good reminder.  Sometimes I think "why is this happening to me?"  I need to remember that as long as I am trying to do my best, the Lord will be with me to give me comfort when times of trouble come.  What a wonderful blessing!

The Pooch

The other day I had an epiphany of sorts regarding my stomach pooch.

I have given birth to 3 kids.  My stomach muscles will literally never be the same again.  Dr. Oz even said so.  

So, here's the epiphany:  I have decided to not give another thought of dislike or complaint about the extra skin on my stomach.  (Devin assures me it's skin and not fat.)  I exercise a lot and have come to accept the fact that my stomach is about as flat as it can possibly be ever again.  With all the miles I run and all the ab wheeling I do, there is about nothing else I can do (besides surgery, which I am not apposed to after I'm done having kids) to make the skin go away.  Plus, the "extra skin" came with my babies so I am grateful for that!

Laying It Out There

So, some days are just bad days.  Days when the kids seem to fight nonstop.  When the housework is overwhelming.  When I am not sure how the bills will be paid.  When the husband is not around to help.  When I have zits all over my face like I am 14 again.  (What's up with that?!)

Today was one of those days.  All of the above was coming down on me.  I just didn't want to deal with any of it.  And I especially didn't want to deal with everything with a smile on my face.  It was easier to let the tears flow.  But I tried to hold them back.  Some moments were better than others.

But days like this are why I have this site.  I want a place to go where I can be inspired.  Where I do not focus on the hard moments.  I am not going to pretend that the hard moments don't happen, but I am trying to look at those moments as opportunities to learn and endure.  And then look past them.  I want to read about other wonderful women who, through their unique life experiences, seek and find the light when it might seem easier to stay in the dark.

Please e-mail me if you have an inspiring story or experience you would like to share.