2nd Grade Performance

Kaiya had her second grade performance and portfolio viewing party on Thursday, May 16, 2013. It was so much fun to watch her perform so many patriotic songs.

The Boy Scouts in 2nd grade did a flag raising ceremony.  Kaelani was so cute, I said, "place your hand on your heart." She placed both her hands on her heart for the ceremony and the Pledge of Allegiance. She is so stinking smart. The rest of the program she danced or tried to copy the hand actions of the kids as they sang the song. It was adorable. 

Kaiya did a wonderful job. She is so smart. She sang beautifully. Her portfolio was gorgeous. Kaiya ended 2nd grade with having half the math facts for 3rd grade passed off. She is reading at the end of 4th grade reading level. She was awarded a super friend award by her classmates and he teacher awarded her with the scientist award because if how much she loves Mother Nature and just kept supplying stuff for their science table. Super proud to be her mom.!

Mrs. Cox and Kaiya

Kaelani right at home in the spotted beetle chair

Kaiya surprised by my appearance at her award ceremony!! Love surprising this girl!!

2nd grade all dolled up in their patriotic colors saluting our country and our heros!!

Hike

Had an amazing evening! A beautiful  hike this evening with great company! The view was pretty amazing! Had my second hiking rattle snake encounter of my life. He was an angry thing .... Truly rattled away! I almost turned around, grateful for encouraging words and a courageous companion! On the way down, we came across a tailless whipping scorpion, that was very cool! I had seen them on t.v. but never in person. The moon was gorgeous and lit the whole trail!! After the hike got a fire going and roasted some s'mores and enjoyed a great conversation with good company! That is until I got cold! Only I could be cold with a fire going in May in the Arizona desert! We packed up and headed into town for a beverage. Could have stayed up and talked all night. Good thing for work.

American Pride

Got these little outfits just in time for Memorial Day!! So freaking cute ...the girls are loving dancing and tricking around in them! Bring on the Patriotic Holidays!!! 

Stinkers

Kaelani has  been very aware of her bowel movements. The last few months I will ask if she is pooping, and she will nod yes or say "aye." Last night she stunk to high heaven suddenly! I figured she was fully loaded with kaka. I opened the diaper and it was just a small single rabbit pellet. With diaper off, I asked if there was more poop. She nodded yes! So, I said "let's go sit on the potty. Let's race!" All 3 of us (potty seems to be a family affair) raced to the potty! Kaiya and Kaelani beat me there running holding hands! She sat on the potty and big sister coached her to push. Little sister would pull a squishy face and stop. We heard a load noise ... But that is all there was!! I was just proud she sat on the potty!!

Charity - Is not puffed up

1 Corintiahns 13:4 lists the next attribute of one having charity as "is not puffed up."

Puffed up is such an interesting phrase to use. When I think of puffed up, I think of someone having an allergic reaction to something or to water retention, one's body can look puffed up. This is definitely not what the Lord was referring to in this scripture. Puffed up is not a term we use very often anymore. It leave a lot to interpretation.

I looked it up for good measure to be sure I completely understood it's meaning. I found the following definition seemed applicable in relation to developing charity.

Puffed up to become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger

When one is full of pride, arrogance, or anger they typically feel they are not in the wrong. They display actions that show they believe everything with them is right, and it is the rest of the world that has problem.

What does a person who is NOT PUFFED UP behave like:
1 - is humble, meek, and teachable
2- does not speak vainly or seek attention
3 - Serves happily wherever called
4 - Lifts praises, builds others up
5 - SEEKS the WILL of GOD

In DRASTIC contrast, someone WHO IS PUFFED UP behaves like:
1 - is proud, eager for attention, self-centered, pompous, boastful.
2 - Murmurs against leaders
3 - is condescending with spouse or "holier than thou"
4 - is offended when advice is given

The not so obvious behaviors of being puffed up:
1 - does not praise or give due credit to others
2 - Aspires to positions
3 - is a know it all, is UNTEACHABLE

In 2 Nephi 9:42, it talks about people becoming puffed up because of their knowledge or wealth. As we become more experienced and more knowledgeable, one must really watch and be aware that we do not become unteachable and puffed up.

Recently, when I was extended the call as a sunbeam teacher, I experienced what it is to not be puffed up. My entire adult life, I requested every bishop to please give me any call but primary. I love children, I love working with them. However, I just felt like I work with kids all day as a teacher and am home with kids all day as a mom. Please, let me have time to be an adult. 

I got the phone call on Sunday morning from the counselor in the Bishopric. I knew immediately he wanted to stop by to extend a calling to me. As I cooked French toast for the girls, I said to Kaiya, "I hope they don't call me to Primary." Immediately, the Spirit was so strong. I again looked to my daughter and said, "That was wrong of me to say. I need to be willing to serve where ever the Lord needs me."  The Spirit was so strong, and I knew I was being humbled by the Lord.

Sure enough, I was called as the Sunbeams teacher. I shared the experience with the counselor, and told him I was grateful for the entire experience that Sunday morning. It is a terrifying calling. And I do indeed miss being in Relief Society, participating in lessons and being spiritually filled. However, there is a different kind of sweet simple fulfillment being in Sunbeams.  No, it doesn't provide the deep discussion of basic Gospel principles as Gospel Doctrine and Relief Society do. However, in strong contrast, I am touched by the sweet spirit of very basic simple doctrine that is taught to the little 3 year olds. It is a strengthening of my faith in the most simple and amazing parts of God's plan and his creation.

There are areas that I do need to improve. I want to seek to praise others more often. I am good at saying thank you. However, that doesn't lift and praise others. There are moments that I grumble because I miss Relief Society, I need to be happy always to serve where called.

Over the past weeks, I have become more teachable, and meek. I see many things I need to work on, areas that have hindered my life, and things I want to change. Things that hold me hostage by my past experiences because they effect my now. I am becoming more and more humble and I seek, acknowledge, and accept the shortcomings I have, and try to sort thru where I developed them, and how to overcome them.

 

Rodeo

Before we could head out to the rodeo, we had to get everyone properly outfitted! This was Gizzy's first rodeo! So, the night before we headed to our second favorite western wear store . . . .

Gizzy with her new hat and boots!! 

Checking her cute self out in the mirror before we left! 

We went to the Memorial Rodeo in Payson today. We attended this rodeo for the first time in May 2011. Kaelani was with us but, she was in mama's tummy!! Dada got lots of good pictures.

Watching Intently! 

 The girls LOVED the rodeo! Kaelani was super good at putting her hand on her heart again for the American Flag.

Looking good in her horseflauge shirt. 

Raising her right . . . hand on heart for the National Anthem and American Flag

Two Year Top Molars

Kaelani has been loving wandering around with a wet wash cloth in her mouth. We wet it down often. Today, I decided to check out those two year old molars! No bottom molars, but sure enough there were two cute little molars starting to peak thru her gums on top!! Which explains out interest in biting on wet wash clothes or chewing her favorite animals ears!! 

Recital Time!!

Love this girl! She got costumes at dance yesterday! This afternoon has found her prancing around the house as she tries them on!! 

Sweet Mother's Day

Kaiya gave me lots of sweet Mother's Day love! This beauty was by far my favorite. Not the figurine, that was a gift long ago from my friend Karina, the jar! Kaiya wrote "happy Mother's Day" on the lid and within there were lots if little papers. On each little paper was a reason she loves me, by far the best gift!

She add she ran out of time and would add more and more! I heart this girl!!!

Charity - Envieth Not

This week attribute of charity is one I have struggled with in the past, not as most people may think. Charity ENVIETH NOT!!

Envy is the lusting after what someone else has or after possessions. I do not often envy possessions. Occasionally, I will wish I had that new car, or the nice clothes. However, I am pretty content and would rather give up so that my children or others could have their needs and wants met. I do not envy material possession very often.

I do envy the family at church, with the 5 kids, husband, and wife. I envy the parents that have family home evening. I envy the couples that go on date night every Friday night. I envy those with a husband and father in their home. I envy families who have figured out how to survive off their husband's income to allow the mother to be home caring for the children. I envy mom's who wear their spouses shirts to cut down on cost of buying their own, that never get their hair cut professionally, that put themselves last and provide a way for them to be with their children. I envy mother's who get to stay home and be just a mom! I envy the mom's who get to spend their days cooking, loving, playing, cleaning, climbing, washing, folding, dusting, playing, and just being a MOM! I envy the mom who is expecting another child and get to go thru the joys of growing a child of God within her, and bringing that blessing home. I envy things of the eternal nature, things that bring true happiness. I envy Relief Society teachers, missionaries, Young Women leaders for the impressive and important roles in Heavenly Father's plan. I envy those to have their family sealed to them in the temple for time and all eternity. Do they know what many blessings they have??

Needless to say, I ENVY! Do I necessarily envy things that are bad, no. However, I do envy! With envy can come resentment, anger, pain, disappointment, and the pushing away of our Heavenly Father. I once allowed myself to get so envious of other's blessings of eternal nature that I began to be resentful of my Father in Heaven. I had done what I was suppose to do my whole life, all I wanted was a family. Did not have to be a perfect family, just a family where both mother and father were committed to each other, to making the family stay together at any price or cost! I jsut wanted someone as committed to marriage and family as I. As I became more bitter, and felt like I always did what was right, began pushing the Lord away from me, and began turning my heart from Him. it was in this feeling of being neglected by the Lord and denied my one want of life a family that was progressing towards beign eternal that I finally stopped attending church. I turned away, and I made not wonderful choices.

Is it necessarily bad to want those things, no! My desires for those things being a wife, a mom, sacraficing for my husband and children are not evil things to want. However, when you begin to be resentful because of the aching and yearnings of your soul, it become bad. I still ache and want all that other appear to have! However, I recognize that while it is God's will to give me all those blessings, it takes more than just the Lord and just I. It takes a third party, and that third party has their own agency.

I need to work on not being envious, especially of things eternal that I want and ache for . . . this is an attribute i need to truly study and pay attention to!!

If one posses the attribute of Envieth not, their attitude, behavior, and actions:
- are content, grateful for blessings
- Rejoice in another's gifts, talents and success
- is generous and offers help to those in need.
- lives frugally
- knows the difference between needs and wants
- avoids unnecessary deby

Obvious lack of this attribute means one is:
-resentful, jealous, greedy, covetous
- fails to pay an honest tithe
- is selfish and whitholds help
- has a "my", not "our" attitude
-incurs excessive debt.
- as a spirit of specualtion

Not so obvious signs one lacks this attribute of Charity:
- is ungrateful
- is a partial tithe payer
- i vain sets heart on costly apparel, etc
- lives beyond income
- allows interest on credit to accumulate
- does not try to save food or money for future needs

I need to continue working on this. . . I have gotten better. I still wish I was married, wish I was expecting another, and wish I was part of an imperfect family that was committed to one things . . . progressing thru eternity till we were given the blessing of an eternal family because of our efforts and the atonement of Christ. I recognize that this one great desire of my heart is dependent upon more than myself and the Lord, and neither he nor I can remove the third parties agency.

I am so grateful, I have sought to find thigns I am grateful for each day. While I still ache, I do not become so envious that I become bitter. The Lord has His time table, and all are promised to me if I will live worthily.

This week I am going to seek to be more grateful for every small things, even in times of trial and heartache. I am going to seek to find joy in the blessings other's have and expressing to them the joy I have for them.

Kaiya's Baptism

Kaiya was baptized today. It was a very exciting day! I tried really hard not to cry, but I cried and cried and cried.

She spent most of the day swimming with cousins. While she swam, I cleaned, cooked, prepped a talk on baptism, played with Kaelani, cleaned, and finally it was time to get the sweet girl ready.

She was so super excited! She looked amazing in her baptism dress. She kept saying, "I can't believe I am about to get baptized."  We left about 40 minutes before the baptism to make sure we were there on time, the room was organized, and to set up her guest book and picture. We made sure they had a jumper in her size, and then began to wait. I read thru my talk a few times, I felt really nervous. This would be the first time that I spoke in public at  church since 2008, plus it was my beautiful daughters baptism.

Guest began arriving  and I realized Kaiya had not asked anyone to be in the circle for her confirmation. So, she went around the room quietly and asked those she wanted to please join her in receiving the Holy Ghost. She had a Relief Society room full of family and friends there to support her in this important choice of being baptized.

I spoke on Baptism. I really had hoped to make it thru the first sentence of my talk without crying. Between it being Kaiya's baptism and having recently been rebaptized, I did not have a chance. I should have accepted that fact long before her baptism. It was wonderful for me to be able to talk to kaiya about the promises we make at baptism, and the promises the Heavenly Father and the Savior make us at baptism. I still stand amazed at the fact that no matter what Heavenly Father always keeps His promises to us.


Her Aunt Natalie gave a wonderful talk on the Holy Ghost and how you must invite him to be wiht you every day! Just like you invited people to attend your baptism. She had lot of cute little trinkets to help Kaiya remember the purpose of the Holy Ghost and how to invite him to be with her.

Madison, Mackenzie, and Meriden performed "I am a Child of God." It was beautiful. Madison played the piano, Kenzie the violin, and Meriden sang (her instrument was too big to fly down).

Granddad baptized Kaiya. Her dad confirmed her and gave her the gift of the Holy Ghost.