We had brunch and an Easter egg hunt today at grandma and grandpa's house. It was lots of fun. I love getting to see Myka play with her cousins. It was also the first time my kids have ever had "brunch" so that was fun! We had cinnamon rolls, fruit, and mom made this biscuits and gravy with eggs casserole it was sooooo yummy!
Monday I got a letter from the school saying Ruth's eye test showed she was far sighted. I figured I'd try to get her in during spring break. I got her on Tuesday. The doctor said she was really far sighted. They ordered her glasses and said it would take 5 to 7 days. They came in 3! I'm so glad she'll have them when she goes back to school! I'm hoping this will help her focus on school more. (No pun intended.) But her attention span is not long. ... I think she looks totally cute and is loving getting use to looking at things and how different it all looks!
A few months ago I took a class called "Eternal Warriors". I learned so much about how to more effectively combat Satan. It has changed my life in so many amazing ways and I feel so much closer to my Father in Heaven because I can hear his voice more clearly, among many other things. At the end of the class we were challenged to create a family "title of liberty" to help our families be like Captain Moroni, from the Book of Mormon. This will help us remember why, and how to combat the adversary. For months I've taught about it. .. then I got serious and prayed about it and as I read my conference issue of the Ensign from April I read a talk from President Monson and I read "...in order to gain and keep the faith we need, it is essential that we read and study and ponder the scriptures. Communication with our Heavenly Father through prayer is vital. We cannot afford to neglect these things for the adversary and his hosts are relentlessly seeking for a chink in our armor, a laps in our faithfulness. .." I knew this was what I needed to focus on! It's what we HAVE to do to fight the enemy pray and hold to the word of God. Then came to my mind a scripture our family "ponderized" a few weeks ago. (Ponderize comes from another talk from last conference. We pick a scripture to recite each day discuss what it means and think about it through it the week so it becomes more meaning full to us. ) I had chosen 1 Nephi 15:24 because of similar reasons. I wanted us to remember how important it is to hold on to, apply, and follow the teachings of the scriptures and our prophets. It says "and I said unto them that it was the word of God and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish, neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary over power them unto blindness to lead them away to destruction. " I just knew these two together would be a powerful reminder. But I also wanted to have a place where we could put "the words of God" that we were focused on that we were holding fast to. ...so we have our scripture that we will ponderize each week posted at the bottom. I also envisioned an actual iron rod on it as a reminder to hold to it...and it looks cool...
I presented my idea to my family at family home evening. We had been taking about it for months. Most everyone was exited, some gave input like making the words diagonal (which I love because it's more interesting), colors. ...we were all excited about it and so the next morning I asked my amazing friend Heidi Davis to help me make it happen. She is an incredible sign maker and did an amazing job. It's exactly what I wanted. She suggested putting a title at the top which I love! We just hung it last night!
I saw this "craft" on pintrest and really wanted to make one with my kids. We put it together last week. The grass grew much faster then I expected. What I also didn't expect was what I would feel about it. ... each morning I watered the grass seeds and as I did my mind would automatically run through the words to the hymn "There is a Green Hill Far Away" which says. ..
There is a Green hill far away, without a city wall, where the dear Lord was crucified, who died to save us all.
We may not know, we cannot tell, what pains her had to bear. But we believe it was for us He hung and suffered there.
They're was no other good enough to pay the price of sin. He only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in
Oh dearly dearly had he loved! And we must live him too, and trust in his redeeming blood, and try his works to do.
This is one of my favorite Easter/sacrament hymns. And my heart has been turned to Him more as I have these thoughts each morning.
Tonight was our "Just Dance" dance recital. It was a lot of fun. 4 of my 5 kids danced. Ethan ran the video camera. I'm so proud of all my dancers.
Brock's 8th grade class went to the Jewish history and Haulocaust education museum and the Holocaust memorial for a field trip. It was really interesting. I didn't even know there was one in Portland. I do think that middle school teachers should get some kind of an award though. I'm very sure I couldn't do their job.
Now that cousins live closer we get to have cousins over for the weekend more often. This weekend their mom and dad is in Canada so we are having a sleep over. Grandma provided some dilly bars from Dairy Queen. They are all having fun!
