Elder Oak's daughter is and in our ward here in Fairfax. Jenny Oaks Baker is her name. She is an incredible violinist who shares here talent with us whenever asked to. On top of that, her father comes to town once in awhile. Today was one of those days. Church was so fantastic. I don't think it was all because an apostle was there but because everybody prepared for an apostle to be there. If that makes sense. The talks were very well prepared, lessons were very well prepared and I think the members came more prepared to be taught. However, Elder Oaks did give a very good thought at the end of our sacrament meeting. He said first off that "I am not afraid of members of the church being too bad but rather, being too busy." (this was in reference to agency). The second thing he said was "God will consecrate our afflictions for our gain... but something came to me this morning... the opposite of that is also true.... the devil will twist our advantages for our loss. He will take what seems to be an advantage and if we're not careful, he will twist it into a loss, in our spirituality..."
The whole meeting today seemed to be about putting your priorities in the right spot. He gave some final thoughts in Relief Society as well. He told us that sometimes you need to sit back and refocus on your goal instead of doubling our efforts to make up for the goal we aren't reaching.
It was a fantastic meeting that made me realize I need to put the Lord first in all things in my life.
Anyway, I thought I would share. Love to you all.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Happy Valentines to US
The girls and I spent Valentine's in Rexburg this year. Scott being the wonderful husband and father he is sent his beautiful girls these to show how much he loved and missed us. I think they are the most beautiful arrangement I have ever been given. The girls were on cloud nine as they admired their lovely flowers.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
My Girls
**Quick note: My sister Hayley and I have been snowed in together for much of the time the girls have been gone. It's been a blast, but I still miss my girls.**
These last couple of weeks I've had the extreme displeasure of coming home every night, and not being welcomed home by Kristen, Kayt, and Ella. I've also had to go to bed alone, wake up alone, say goodbye to an empty house - you get the idea. I knew I would miss my girls, but the idea behind them going home to Idaho now is that I'm rarely home during tax season. How much could I miss them for the two waking hours I'm not working?
Honestly, in some ways I looked forward to them being away for a bit. I wouldn't feel as guilty when I'm still at the office at 11. I could catch up on some reading, eat more sausage and potato chips, stay up and watch college basketball, and not have someone stealing all the covers. The girls room wouldn't smell like diapers.
I think at some point, every married person envies the flexibility of the single life. There seem to be hordes of single people that surround us Mormon kids that married young. Kristen and I have talked about how our lives would have been different if we'd never hit it off, or if Kayt and Ella hadn't come along so soon. At graduate school and at work I've always been one of the only married people and definitely the only one with multiple kids. You can't help but notice the contrast when I'm working to get home so I can tuck in the girls, and everyone else is working to get off in time to go to the latest nightspot downtown. I have no regrets about the timing of when the girls entered my life - the sooner the better.
Well, I got a chance to see my life sans the girls and it was very, very boring. Boring isn't strong enough. Barren, vacant, tedious, uninspired. I realized that a lot of my energy every day comes from being around or working to be around Kristen. I realized that most of what makes me really laugh comes from Kayt and Ella. I rediscovered that what gives me joy is my family.
I know this because I did all of the things you're supposed to do on your own to be happy. I started an exercise plan consisting mostly of pullups. I cooked wonderful meals (healthy and a la grease bomb). I finally perfected crispy hashbrowns, which was a long standing goal. I took long walks outside in the trees. I oil painted (badly), played basketball, read inspired scripture and fiction, listened to music, sang in the car (also badly), made lots of money for my company, and served others (thank you blizzard). And yet, I never went to bed thinking, "Today was a good day." It was always, "I wonder what the girls are doing."
A lot of you probably think this dependence is unhealthy, but so what. I miss my girls. I'm grateful they're coming home in 3 days. I look forward to seeing the twinkle in Kristen's big green eyes. I look forward to playing princess with Kayt. I look forward to gasping when Ella dives off the couch and then laughing afterwards at her big gap-toothed grin. So much of who they are and what they do makes me want to be a better person. Part of that is religious, as I want to be with them forever. Part of it is just the obvious gap I see between who they are - beautiful, intelligent, charming, forgiving - and what I am. I love them so much.
These last couple of weeks I've had the extreme displeasure of coming home every night, and not being welcomed home by Kristen, Kayt, and Ella. I've also had to go to bed alone, wake up alone, say goodbye to an empty house - you get the idea. I knew I would miss my girls, but the idea behind them going home to Idaho now is that I'm rarely home during tax season. How much could I miss them for the two waking hours I'm not working?
Honestly, in some ways I looked forward to them being away for a bit. I wouldn't feel as guilty when I'm still at the office at 11. I could catch up on some reading, eat more sausage and potato chips, stay up and watch college basketball, and not have someone stealing all the covers. The girls room wouldn't smell like diapers.
I think at some point, every married person envies the flexibility of the single life. There seem to be hordes of single people that surround us Mormon kids that married young. Kristen and I have talked about how our lives would have been different if we'd never hit it off, or if Kayt and Ella hadn't come along so soon. At graduate school and at work I've always been one of the only married people and definitely the only one with multiple kids. You can't help but notice the contrast when I'm working to get home so I can tuck in the girls, and everyone else is working to get off in time to go to the latest nightspot downtown. I have no regrets about the timing of when the girls entered my life - the sooner the better.
Well, I got a chance to see my life sans the girls and it was very, very boring. Boring isn't strong enough. Barren, vacant, tedious, uninspired. I realized that a lot of my energy every day comes from being around or working to be around Kristen. I realized that most of what makes me really laugh comes from Kayt and Ella. I rediscovered that what gives me joy is my family.
I know this because I did all of the things you're supposed to do on your own to be happy. I started an exercise plan consisting mostly of pullups. I cooked wonderful meals (healthy and a la grease bomb). I finally perfected crispy hashbrowns, which was a long standing goal. I took long walks outside in the trees. I oil painted (badly), played basketball, read inspired scripture and fiction, listened to music, sang in the car (also badly), made lots of money for my company, and served others (thank you blizzard). And yet, I never went to bed thinking, "Today was a good day." It was always, "I wonder what the girls are doing."
A lot of you probably think this dependence is unhealthy, but so what. I miss my girls. I'm grateful they're coming home in 3 days. I look forward to seeing the twinkle in Kristen's big green eyes. I look forward to playing princess with Kayt. I look forward to gasping when Ella dives off the couch and then laughing afterwards at her big gap-toothed grin. So much of who they are and what they do makes me want to be a better person. Part of that is religious, as I want to be with them forever. Part of it is just the obvious gap I see between who they are - beautiful, intelligent, charming, forgiving - and what I am. I love them so much.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Update of random thoughts
Okay, so now I have officially caught up on what all my bloggersphere friends are doing I better update myself. It is just crazy how time seems to creep by and in a flash it has been a month. I am currently visiting family in Idaho which is so fantastic. It has been nice to just be in a slow paced familiar place where everyone is nice even if they don't know you. It has been wonderful to run in the morning and feel the cold crisp air run through my lungs. It is wonderful to have too many family things to get to. It is awsome to cheer for my sister's in basketball. It is just good to be home with family.
The bad part, being here without Scott. Poor guy, he had to stay in Fairfax to weather the crazy storm and long hours at work all alone. (thanks to Hayley for keeping him company) If he wasn't soo good at what he was doing he might not have to work as long. What do you do?
While here, I have been able to take time and just enjoy the girls. Kayt and Ella are my little buddies and I don't know what I would do without them. Kayt is just getting so big. On the last leg of our journey to Idaho, we were taking a potty break and Kayt says to my as she is sitting on the toilet, "traveling is hard work isn't it mom." I started laughing. The poor girl was just exhausted. She is just so full of emotion and so expressive. Scott hit it on the head one night eating dinner, "kayt there is so much you want to say, you just need to learn the words to say it."
Ella has become quite the chatterbox and lovingly refers to herself as a parrot. Kayt calls Ella her little copy cat or parrot. Ella has taken the later upon herself. My favorite new saying of hers is "oh man!" She says it at the right times and with so much expression. It is hilarious.
It has been fun to look at all my family having babies and think back to when Kayt and Ella were just so tiny. It goes by so fast. I feel like I blink and miss it. I am trying to figure out how to preserve each moment. How to make it all last just a little longer. I have decided the key is to slow down and take time to really think about the wonderful day I had because God decided to send two of his precious daughters my way.
The bad part, being here without Scott. Poor guy, he had to stay in Fairfax to weather the crazy storm and long hours at work all alone. (thanks to Hayley for keeping him company) If he wasn't soo good at what he was doing he might not have to work as long. What do you do?
While here, I have been able to take time and just enjoy the girls. Kayt and Ella are my little buddies and I don't know what I would do without them. Kayt is just getting so big. On the last leg of our journey to Idaho, we were taking a potty break and Kayt says to my as she is sitting on the toilet, "traveling is hard work isn't it mom." I started laughing. The poor girl was just exhausted. She is just so full of emotion and so expressive. Scott hit it on the head one night eating dinner, "kayt there is so much you want to say, you just need to learn the words to say it."
Ella has become quite the chatterbox and lovingly refers to herself as a parrot. Kayt calls Ella her little copy cat or parrot. Ella has taken the later upon herself. My favorite new saying of hers is "oh man!" She says it at the right times and with so much expression. It is hilarious.
It has been fun to look at all my family having babies and think back to when Kayt and Ella were just so tiny. It goes by so fast. I feel like I blink and miss it. I am trying to figure out how to preserve each moment. How to make it all last just a little longer. I have decided the key is to slow down and take time to really think about the wonderful day I had because God decided to send two of his precious daughters my way.
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