Lessons from Abraham

A few weeks ago in Sunday School our teacher was presenting a lesson on Abraham. Abraham was promised great blessings, but didn't see the fruits of his obedience right away. Our instructor asked the class to reflect on times when they were directed but didn't see the results of their obedience to that prompting until much later on.
An experience immediately came to mind, but I try not to share in class very often because I always end up crying every time I open my mouth!! I reflected on the experience and felt prompted to write it down. It was not a huge experience, but it has always been evidence to me that the Lord is aware of me and will bless us with that which we need.
Ryan and I had been living back East and I only had a few more months until I graduated. We had always planned to return to Utah ASAP, but we grew to love the people and the area in NJ. I was offered a great job at a renowned hospital in Pennsylvania and was very excited about the possibilities of starting my career there temporarily. We thought about it a great deal, we realized that it really made sense to stay where we were for at least another year or two before moving home. We felt really good about our decision and then we prayed about it! We both received the impression that we needed to move home. It was confusing to us because financially and professionally it seemed like the best thing to do.
We did end up moving home and moved in temporarily with my parents. Prior to graduation we learned that we were expecting. I graduated, passed my boards, and began looking for work. I kept looking and looking and nothing was working out. I was finally offered a job 5 months later 1 week before Parker was born, but it was a very part time schedule. When Parker was born he had a cleft lip and palate and required literally around the clock attention. I pumped for 30 -45 minutes every 3 hours and he had to be fed every 2 hours. A feeding lasted anywhere from 45min - 1 hour because of the time required to pump the milk into him with the special feeding system. My parents and brother were absolutely angels during this time. Parker received all the attention that he needed including several surgeries and biweekly doctor appts in the first 6+ months.
I remember reflecting on our situation when this was all occurring and being overwhelmed with God's mercy in providing us with all that we needed during this time. Had we stayed back East we would have been better off financially, but I would not have had the support I needed to take care of Parker. I would have had to return to work and juggle doctor appts and caring for him during and after surgeries. I also would not have been able to stop working because our medical insurance would have been through my work. We recognize that even in the small and seemingly unimportant circumstances of our lives the Lord desires to bless us and blesses us with what we need to be sustained during our difficulties. For that, I am so very grateful!

No Better Place

Things have been crazy, busy lately (as they are for everyone). Last month on our scheduled temple date I had to work, followed by the usal b-ball games for Parker, ect. The day just kept filling up and then Parker's team actually advanced in their playoffs and ended up playing a game during our schedule temple appt. time. We ended up rushing home and making it to the temple in time to do intiatorys. There were several times during the day where I felt like it would be okay to cancel our temple appt. and that it was just too hard to fit in. I was not in the temple more that 10 minutes when the following words came very clearly to my mind, "There is no better place for you to be." It was a sweet night filled with peace and literally I felt that for a few hours at least, my burdens of daily life were lightened.

Life marched on and a few weeks later I ended up at the Temple one morning with my Young Women Presidency. I felt like junk (had been sick for several days), I only had a 4 hour span of time off work that week between Mon - Sat. and was a little (okay totally) overwhelmed with all that I needed to get done, get caught up on and do just to keep our family treading water! I again contemplated not going, but ended up going. As we waited in the chapel, I again was filled with peace and the words entered my mind, "There is no better place you could be." It was a tender mercy to be once again reminded that the Lord can bless us and sustain us when we draw near unto him.

Failing Grade

I loved this list I found onLisa's blog! If I were to be graded on this is a 49/99 even a passing grade? I think I should get extra points for not having been involved in a lawsuit or for never calling in sick when I really wasn't...right!?!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (dated a boy who played in a band, does that count)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (3 more weeks baby!)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Visited a Castle
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (I have been in a commercial and a TV show though!) 56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts classs
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memoria
l71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Spent New Years Eve in Trafalga Square
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Have been published
81. Visited the Redwoods
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (does a fish count?)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Testified in court (hmm...traffic court?)
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (I photographed dead birds on it's shore!)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee