We are loving the warmer weather; Penny is too! She likes to be outside a lot when the weather is like this and so do we. We've been playing more pickleball, doing more yard/garden work and going for more walks.
The girls had Spring break during the first week of April. We had a stay-cation and did some things around our area; some fun, some not so fun. The fun included: visiting 2 temples we'd never been to before (Layton and Bountiful...in the same day), eating Cutlers cookies while we were in bountiful, eating out (Rio Acai, menchies, costa, chick-fil-a), shopping including finding Annabelle a prom dress (this would probably actually go on my not-fun list, but the girls enjoy shopping and I enjoy being with them so we'll keep it here) and just spending time together. The not fun list includes dentist for me and Dr appts for Jane.
Saturday and Sunday at the end of spring break we had general conference. I love GC weekend! I love hanging at the house with the family, listening to our living prophet, apostles and other general leaders, baking/eating/cleaning while we listen, and we often try to do a project around the house in between sessions (we took down the trampoline which was a death trap), and we usually play pickle ball or go for a walk in between sessions.
One of my favorite talks from this weekend was by the general relief society president, sister Camille S Johnson. She shared the story of the 10 lepers and she pointed out that although all 10 were healed, only the one who came back and praised and thanked Jesus was blessed with something additional, "go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole." He was blessed with spiritual wholeness. Then she asked the question, can we be spiritually whole when we're still waiting to be healed; even if that healing may not come in this lifetime? She then told the story of the 10 virgins and the five who had their lamps filled with the oil of conversion that were also whole. She also quoted a scripture in 2 corinthians 12, which I had heard twice before just a few days prior which I thought was significant. In this scripture story Paul has a thorn in his flesh (we don't know what the trial/pain was) and 3 times he asks the Lord to remove it. The Lord does not remove it but says something like, my grace is sufficient for you. And my power is best manifest in weakness.' Paul loves and trusts the savior and so he's okay with his lot and having to hold onto his thorn.
I love this! We will all go through challenges and trials, sometimes very painful ones, just because we live in mortality, and sometimes those trials will not go away in this lifetime. But even through it all, if we trust God and lean into him, he will bless us with his love, peace and strength. Always. He always does and he always will. All we have to do is desire it and believe Him. I feel like that's the silver lining in these challenges (although that phrase doesn't quite do it justice because the pay off is so beautiful: his love, his strength, his power)... that as we go through these challenges and experience pain or suffering, we need help, we can't do it alone, not well, and so we can choose to draw closer to the Savior and that strengthened relationship brings us his power. And it's not that he did anything different, he's always there ready to give of his love and power, in good times and bad, but until we turn to him and draw close, which we often forget to do, or we're too distracted and too short of time, then we don't access that power.
Nora got her second phase of braces this week; she also lost another baby tooth in that same week. She's in 7th grade. And she still has 3 baby teeth that need to come out. But the orthodontist is hoping to speed that process up with the braces. We think this will be an 18 month ordeal.
I turned 42. I thought I was turning 43, so I guess that was a pleasant surprise. I say, "I guess" because so far, I don't actually mind turning older. I, in fact, have really enjoyed my 40s. I still have a good amount of energy, my kids are in fun ages, I love where I work and my relationship with Scott and I just appreciate the wisdom and peace that comes from having more years under my belt where I've been trying to improve myself and become more christlike...I've still got a long ways to go, but I'll just keep on, keeping on.
My coworker Holly, always makes us the best birthday cards which she then has our other 6 coworkers sign. It's always something I look forward to. She takes your headshot and puts it in different pictures she finds on the internet of things she thinks represents you. Mine has a picture of Kirkjufell in Iceland (we went there last year for Charles' senior trip), me teaching my English language learners, running with a black dog (penny!) and a pic of a supermom! It makes me laugh!
Last month Scott asked what I'd like to do for my birthday. I told him it'd be fun to do an overnighter and go to some temples we'd never been in before. So Friday we drove north and went to the Logan temple, and Brigham City temple, we got Indian food for dinner in Ogden, stayed the night in a hotel and then went to the ogden temple in the morning. There were a lot of young adults at the ogden temple on a Saturday morning because it's a college town. I loved all 3. Logan was the second temple built in Utah, back in 1884, so it's old and has character. Brigham City is one of the newer temples in Utah and is as beautiful as any.
We stopped at Cutlers Cookies on the way home for lunch and to bring some cookies home for the family since they love them.
Annabelle had prom that night and went with her friend Landon.
Nora had a soccer game that afternoon and after the game we stopped by Devil Angel dessert so I could get a boba smoothie since it was my birthday weekend. the line was SO long. While I waited to get my boba(and I ordered Scott and I some chicken and fries to share), Scott and Nora drove over to chick-fil-a to get Nora dinner.
My birthday was on a fast Sunday this year because of general conference the week before. I made a new sign for our fridge since our old one was looking pretty worn.
For dinner we had one of the recipes from my new macro friendly cookbook, enchilada casserole, which was yummy, and for dessert we had cinnamon rolls and berry crumble...I had frozen cinnamon roll dough from general conference the weekend before so that was super easy.
Scott got me the weighted vest I'd been wanting. I thought I wanted the 20 lb vest, but after wearing it a couple of times that first week, and my back feeling like I had a pinched nerve, I sent it back and got a 12 lb vest. I love amazon.
