Sometimes we do stuff

I would like to point out that every now and then we leave the house. For example, last summer, my sister and I took our kids to This is the Place Heritage Park.

Brigham Young led the Mormon pioneers to Utah in 1847. As he arrived, he looked down in the valley and said, "This is the right place." So, they settled here. There is a monument marking the place where Brigham Young said those famous words. And there is now a state park in the area. There are homes, stores, and other buildings from the original settlers. They have many games and activities that were common during that era. Our children had a blast.

Lots of kids. :-)

Picnic lunch in the bowry.

Washing clothes...chores are always more fun somewhere else.

Hanging them out to dry.

Playing some old fashioned games.

We couldn't get the stilts to work for us.

Ironing....

Beating the rug.

A very beautiful flower garden.

Horseback riding

 My niece--she has the cutest smile and happiest little personality.

 Beth didn't like the idea of horses, but there were other animals.

They hid from a sudden downpour inside a tipi.

Ammon's rain-style hairdo.

Nathan has a cute face.

Shave and a haircut..two bits.

 Playing checkers while waiting in the barber shop.

Who says girls can't shave? It's 2010! We can do whatever we want!

Panning for gold.

Ah...those are real tipis. Inside, Shoshone Indians taught us a bit about their culture and history.

Riding a little train.

The view from the train. I love Salt Lake Valley.

Navajo hogans. We learned about Navajo customs and history inside.

Just a-walkin' down the street.

A statue of Brigham Young and Joseph Smith.

Fun and learning all at once. It's a great little park.

School's in session

Chris started school this week. He is getting his masters degree in songwriting. The only university that offers such a degree happens to be in England. Chris will do most of his degree online, but has to go to England every so often for a few classes. We have missed him.

At bedtime tonight, Nathan said, "It feels like we don't even have a dad."

Ammon said, "Yeah. It's like we're orphs."

Orphs?

"You know, half an orphan."

Would you like to see some pictures from Bath?

It looks like a mildly pretty little part of the world.

Bath is the home of Jane Austen. Chris happens to be there during the annual Jane Austen Festival. Apparently, the streets are full of people in period dress.

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." --Jane Austen

A Roman bath--that's where the city gets its name, you see.

And Stonehenge. Chris is disappointed that the flash on the camera makes him look so...um, white. I think that being in the homeland (he does have English ancestory) is bringing out the anglo in him.

I know that it's not bright to announce online that your husband is out of town. It should therefore be noted that I live with my father.

Fly and be free

Ammon, Sarah, and Nathan caught a butterfly today. I know, they shouldn't have touched its wings. But it made for some pretty pictures. Then we set him free. Hopefully, he'll live.

The Few...The Proud...

It's been a long time. I feel like I have forgotten how to think of things to write. So I will just come back by telling a silly story. This happened about a month ago.

My cousin, Ellen, had a baby shower. Really, Merritt hosted the shower for Ellen. I was so excited about this! I am always excited when people have babies. And when people have wanted babies for a long time and finally get them, it is that much more exciting. And when those people who have wanted babies get to have TWINS, I mean, that is more excitement than I can handle. A boy and a girl. *big grin* and then *a little happy dance*

Anyway, back to the shower. I was surprised when I got to the shower to see my cousin, Judi, who lives out of state. She was unexpected. I love Judi. I was not surprised to see Ellen, even though she also lives out of state, but I thought she might show up. I love Ellen, too. There are 7 sisters in their family...Ann was missing...but everyone else was there. Plus a sister-in-law. Plus a brother.

What?! Yes, a brother! Jason was sitting there at the shower just as casually as if he attends (and helps host) baby showers every day. My cousins love to have parties. There are spectacular decorations and color-coded refreshments. We are not ashamed to have themed parties and we love a good shower game. Everyone was excited when game time came because my mom (Aunt JoAnn) was out of town and she always wins the shower games.

We played the typical shower game: look at a bunch of items on a table, then go away from the table and write down as many as you can remember. These items were things you might find in a diaper bag. We were looking at the table when Jason, who, apparently, is competitive when it comes to baby showers, said, "I know how to do this! In the Marines, we learned tricks about how to do these things!" He was very excited to show off his skillz. (Ellen, also a former Marine, just laughed.)

Remember that family Christmas party when Jason was the emcee during a non-talent show and he entertained the crowd by telling us Chuck Norris facts? I remember. I remember laughing so hard I almost fell off my chair. No one else seemed to find them funny. But secretly, Chuck Norris has always reminded me of my brother. Don't tell my brother; I'm a little afraid of him.

Chuck Norris can divide by zero.
Chuck Norris invented the Caesarean section when he roundhouse kicked his way out of his mother's womb.
Chuck Norris destroyed the Periodic Table of Elements because he only recognizes the element of surprise.

Tell me you're not rolling on the floor laughing.

I don't know what my problem is. Those jokes aren't even funny.

Anyway, I think I got a bit off point. Back to the shower game. The Marine lost. He lost. Which goes to show that you may be one of the few and one of the proud, but shower games are still way beyond your abilities.

One of the items on the list was spare change. For a bonus point, we could tell how much money was on the table. No one knew. Not even the Marine. But a little 7-year-old piped up and said, "There were two quarters, two dimes, and a penny!" She was right. Her name is Sarah. I'm not sure she'll find her future in the military, but I bet she'll be able to deliver a well-timed Chuck Norris joke.

More patience in suffering

This is a continuation of the More Holiness Give Me theme.

We are to the third line of the hymn: "More holiness give me, more strivings within in. More patience in suffering..."

I was sitting in a church meeting recently (I do that a lot) and we were reading and discussing the first chapter of the Book of Mormon. A phrase stood out to me in a new light.

"I, Nephi, ...having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days..." (1 Nephi 1:1).

In context, this phrase is easy to pass over since there are more important things in the verse. But during this particular reading, I paused to think about Nephi and his life. Let me summarize:

Nephi's father's life was threatened because of his religious beliefs and preaching. Nephi and his family left their home land, left all their possessions and everyone they knew, to follow the Lord's counsel to travel to a new land. This small group of people wandered in the wilderness for 8 years. Many times they had very little to eat. They were required to hunt for food or find food growing in the wild. Often they had to eat raw meat. While in the wilderness, Nephi's wife bore babies. They lived in tents. Nephi's brothers hated him and tried repeatedly to kill him. They beat him severely. They tied him up and left him without food or water for a long time. The Lord instructed Nephi to build a ship. Nephi learned from the Lord how to make tools and construct a ship. Once the ship was finished, the group of people took provisions and set out to the unknown to make a new life in a strange land. While sailing, there were storms and tempests and their lives were in danger. Nephi's brothers again tried to kill him. They finally got to the new land where they had to build houses, plant crops, and learn how to survive. Nephi's brothers became so angry with him that Nephi and those who would follow him had to leave their settlement and find a new place to develop a little community. During the course of his life, he even had to defend himself in war against his own brothers.

I think that his life sounds a little tough. But Nephi sees it differently. He clearly discerns that he has been highly favored of the Lord in all his days. There are many reasons and ways Nephi was favored of the Lord. I want to focus on the simple attribute of patience. Nephi was favored of the Lord because throughout all his suffering, he was patient. He endured his trials without complaint and with a cheerful heart.

Again from Nephi: "I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh" (2 Nephi 4:19-21).

Nephi's patience in suffering was found because he trusted in the Lord.

We all suffer in this life. It's part of the reason we are here. But if we learn to be patient in suffering, we can have joy in the journey. I believe that if we can develop more patience in suffering if we learn to trust God:

Trust God's promises of future blessings
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise" (Hebrews 10:35-36).

Recognize God's blessings in our lives and trust Him to bless us again.
"And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me" (Alma 36:27).

Trust God's timing, which is not the same as our timing.
"And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise" (Hebrews 6:15).

Trust in God's ability and desire to answer our prayers.
"Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament---the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted" (Doctrine and Covenants 98:2).

Trust that God knows more than we do and He wants what is best for us.
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Patience in suffering is worth the effort. "Behold, we count them happy which endure" (James 5:11). God has promised us blessings as we faithful and patiently endure daily suffering. As we recognize the blessings we are already given, we can see in what ways we are favored of the Lord.