A Glass Half.....

Empty
        ~Lilly has been sick and needs constant holding. I should be loving it, but I'm kinda going crazy.
        ~Sometimes I get discouraged by the fact that most of what I do is never finished. Laundry and dishes, scrubbing and sweeping, cooking and cleaning. I do it and it is undone immediately. Sometimes I get so disheartened that I just don't do those things for a day or two, but that just makes me feel worse.
         ~I hate reflecting on the time I've wasted. I believe that will be one of my most painful regrets when this life is over.
         ~ If a child is living with their grandparents I think that the grandparents should have full authority to raise that child in the way they see fit. If, for whatever reason, you can't keep you child with you and you ask you parents to take them, you forfeit your right to be the parent and make the rules....dang it. Forgive my little rant, but I needed to get that off my chest.
         ~ I think I was born in the wrong century. I have old fashioned ideas about a lot of things. Sometimes I think the young women in my ward think I'm crazy. For New Beginnings the girls all dressed up in formals and I told them that they had to be Quakerishly modest. They didn't know what I was talking about. Another time I told them I had never kissed on the lips until I was engaged. Wide eyed silence. Yep...crazy.
         ~ My husband's brother is taking his family and moving to Joe City. I am in denial half of the time and jealous the other half. Not that I want to live in Joe City, I just crave change...and a real home to sink my roots in and improve. We're still on the no debt/pay cash plan, so it make take a while.

Full
      ~ My husband is wonderful. I love him and relate to him in so many ways. He strengthens me where I am weak and very gently helps me see when I'm being silly. He never criticizes me even when there is ample room to find fault. I have been blessed.
       ~ My children are the sweetest and the best. They are choice people. They are not perfect and we have our challenges, but I wouldn't change my kids for anyone's.
       ~Some days I am incredibly productive. I get more done on one of these freak days than I do in a week of normal days. I fantasize about what my life would be like if all my days were like this. I must find the secret to this anomaly.
       ~ I'm so excited for this summer. I'm already planning and scheming. I want to soak up and savor every minute of freedom and warmth. I love letting my kids sleep in and wear whatever the want (within Quaker-like reason).
       ~I have been blessed with all of the essentials and many many of the comforts of life. We are living the life of luxury compared to so many people on earth that struggle everyday just to stay alive. We have so much.
       ~My life is a gift from God and he has a plan for me. He knows my name and He loves me.

Dusting off the cobwebs

It's funny how every year at Christmas time I always think that everything will settle down after December is over. If I can just make it through December... and then January hits and there is no sign of calming down. I'm still catching my breath from the crazy holiday rush and the new year planning it just ramping up. I'm mostly thinking of Young Women and all the planning, revamping, and organizing I have to do. Tomorrow we start the new curriculum and I'm so excited to start! It is wonderful and I know it will be so much more effective. The old manuals had some good material, but man they are outdated as far as relating to the world that these girls live in today. The gospel doctrine part is never outdated, but the case studies and some of the quotes are ancient and, quite frankly, funny! It's exciting to have a living, breathing, updating curriculum.

Anyway, life is good, busy and challenging. We're all growing and learning as we go. So much has happened that is blog worthy, but in interest of time I'll just do a quick update.

Andrew left on his mission! We are so proud of him and miss him very much!

I'm teaching violin again and it has been fun, but more than once it seems like I'm just too busy for it right now. I'm excited for a time and season in my life when I can devote more time to playing and teaching.

I was called as the YW president in our little ward. Heaven help me...no really.

Ben and David came for Christmas and we had too much fun and too much swapping of illness.

The woodruff library lost it's funding and we're looking at closing. So sad, but we really don't have the patronage to justify the expense of running it. We may stay open on a volunteer/ seasonal basis. We'll see.

I finished reading the conference Ensign. It was a beautiful experience! The overarching message seemed to be becoming truly converted and really living what you believe even when things are hard. It has been so motivating!

That's all I have time for now. I'll have to do another post with pictures for the kids.