Winter Quarters

Today we traveled to Winter Quarters for a temple trip. Bill and I usually make this trip each month. We live about 2 3/4 hours from the temple, so it takes most of the day for a single session. For this reason we plan our trips on Saturday. Up until last fall, Ethel went to the temple each week with a couple in our ward who are temple workers. Last fall she developed a peculiar type of car sickness that manifested itself in gripy bowels. After the second time the couple left her at a truck stop and called me to come and get her, I put a stop to her going with them. (Who leaves an 83 year old lady at the truck stop by herself????) So today, armed with extra clothes, towels, etc--Matt and Mandy got the day off from work so they could help her in and out of the car (Bill had to work), we began the trip. The plan was for the children to enjoy the visitor center. With starts and stops and cleaning up, we arrived at the temple 4 1/2 hours later. During the trip. . .






Josh and Jessica slept in a pile in the back seat.

Daniel watched everything out the window and while he looked rather bored, he only stated so once during the entire day. Matt took care of the CD player and Mandy snoozed and snapped pictures.

When we arrived at the visitor center, we took the opportunity to watch the Joseph Smith movie. It was an inspirational way to get the mood back for the remainder of the day. Then it was time for Ethel and I to go for our session at the temple. While we were there. . .

The children got to dress up in pioneer gear and then go through the hands on exhibit. Daniel did his cool dude pose in cowboy gear.

The next phase of the exhibit was bunks on a ship, made life size. My 3 boys would have had to share this small bunk for the entire trip across the ocean.

Jessica and Mandy would have also had to share a bunk, however they would have either had to have all of the family things that weren't in storage or another sister sharing with them. How about it Rachel??

Finally after being cramped across the see and then sitting on raw board seats on a train, and then a river trip, they would begin the treck with the handcart. A family our size with 8 people would have had only 1 cart, however since Matt is an adult, we might have been able to have part of a second cart. No such luck with the girls being adults though. Each family member would have been allowed only so much on the cart. Bill, Myself, Matt and Mandy--17 lbs each, Jessica and Joshua--13 lbs, Daniel--11 lbs. When you consider that my standard size scriptures weigh 5 lbs, that is really not very much. We have handcart pioneer roots. Our family came across in the Willy handcart company. I am humbled and greatful for the sacrifices that our ancestors went through in coming to Salt Lake. Because of thier testimony and faith, we have been blessed for what is now the 5th generation since that time. It is a legacy of faith handed down to us, it is who we are, both by culture and by choice. We are blessed.

Warriors

This past couple of weeks have been a much needed spritual boost for our family. First General Conference, and then this past weekend a broadcast Stake Conference. In listening to both I have pondered the rolls we has parents take in raising our children.

I have always loved history. In any given time period there are things I love, but my most favored time period is the Medieval time period. My boys love playing with toy swords, and for many years now any stick still becomes a sword. They are actually quite good. I was thinking that if we lived in a keep, they would all be quite acomplished warriors right now, or at least in training to be a knight.

At age 8 they would have been given thier first sword and through careful teaching they would have been taught how to use them. These warriors in training would be given careful training in battle techniques and weaponry. Instead we gave our children a set of scriptures and taught them how to find the answers to their questions. Instead of training we had Primary, Sacrament Meeting and Family Home Evening.

At age 12 the Medieval warrior would begin to go in small skirmishes. They would also begin to learn property management and protection techniques. At age 12 my sons (Daniel will follow in 3 months) became Deacons and began learning how to serve within the ward with passing the Sacrament and collecting Fast Offerings. They have also learned many character building techniques in Scouts and Young Mens.

At age 14 our young warrior is old enough to be a squire. He wouldn't be the primary squire, but would begin training in the care of his Lords weapons. He would learn the proper care of clothes and would fight along side the primary squire at his Lords back. Now at 14 our young sons become Teachers in the Prieshood of God, They become Home Teachers, learning to care for those who they have stewardship over. Thier other training continues, but now we have the addition of Early Morning Seminary. For this they must sacrifice sleep to learn more of our Heavenly Father, His plan for us, and a more in depth study of the scriptures.

At age 16 the warrior of old takes over full primary squire duties. He will now be sent on errands for his Lord, checking up on other properties, or going ahead to prepare for the arivial of him whom he serves. He will also be given the job of helping his younger sqires to take over when it is their turn. This is the most intesive part of his training as he moves into the final years of becoming a knight. Our 16 year old sons have reached the age of becoming Priests and now begin to Bless the Sacrament. Serve as assistant to the Bishop and teach younger Scouts, helping them to achieve new ranks. He has many people to help him along the way. Home and Family, Scout and Young Mens leaders, Sunday School and Seminary Teachers and the Bishopric. This is an intesive time of preparation.

Between 18 and 19 our Medieval young men approach that time when they begin the trials. The time when the must show what they have learned to become a knight. They are tested to see what skills they have learned. It all comes down to preparation. They then wait to see if they have made it, becoming a full knight--what will thier assignment be. Where will they go. Two weeks ago Matt finished his papers. He is an Elder in the Priesthood and serves in the Elders Quorum as Secretary. He is called upon many times to serve those in the ward. This is not something new, he has prepared carefully. Now we wait. . . where will his assignment be. . . He is now prepared to become a full Warrior of God.

Finished

I consider it a victory that I have avoided startitis for an entire month now. Meanwhile I have been finishing up a few projects. First is the 2 sweaters for the twins. I don't think I will make this pattern again for a bit. I have made it 6 times now and am quite board with it. That is alright, I have many other patterns to work from. Truth, I have had 13 friends who have had babies in the last 8 months and I have knitted baby things for most of them. I am tired of baby clothes for now. Currently I am finishing the white baby afgan, only one more row one one more side to go. Here are the sweaters for the twins. I like the pink one, but I love the green one.

The Laundry Act of 2009

Back when my children were little it seemed like there was tons of laundry, however I could usually get it all done in 1 or 2 days each week. As each of my children have become 13 they have become responsible for thier own laundry. You would think that this would make the job easier. . .NOT!! Now we have 5 children (those still living at home) and Ethel all wanting to do thier laundry on Saturday. If not Saturday, then they put a load in, then think that the load magically goes from washer to folded in thier drawers in a blink. Soooo for the past 2 months I have had an enormous pile of laundry in my kitchen. NOT my favorite thing as I have a sort of toy sized kitchen, and who on earth puts the laundry stuff in the kitchen that is toy sized to begin with?? So today when I was wading to get to the washer to wash mine and Bill's laundry, I was frustrated when I came upon a load, who knows how long it had been in the washer, and there was a WET load in the dryer, well to say that I came slightly unhinged is an understatment. Good news is that everyone was home this evening, so we called a family counsel and came up with the following. . . .

The Laundry Act of 2009

Monday--Jessica and Communal
Tuesday--Matt and Mandy
Wednesday--Ethel
Thursday--Josh and Daniel
Friday--Bill and Cheryl
Saturday--Communal
Sunday--Emergency only


Articles

1. If you don’t do your laundry on your day, you must get permission to use someone else’s day.
2. If you empty laundry supplies tell Mandy.
3. Get your laundry out of the Kitchen on your day!!!!
4. Use your basket to transport YOUR laundry.
5. Basket snatching will NOT be tolerated.
6. Laundry left in the kitchen will have to be earned back.
7. Using another’s day without their permission will be dealt with by Mom and Dad SEVERELY.

Will this work????? who knows, but I am going crazy right now. It is a contract. I am amazed how well a contract works with teens and young adults who lives in your home. Truthfully the one I am worried about the most on this one is Ethel. Just how will we deal with Ethel if she breaks the rules. . . .?

My Dear Sisters--March

My Dear Sisters,

I have been thinking of the term Watchcare In regards to Visiting Teaching, Sister Kathleen H. Hughes used the word “Watchcare” with the definition as “to watch over the church always. I looked “Watchcare” up in my dictionary. It wasn’t there. It doesn’t exist. However as I have pondered this over the course of the last several weeks, I realized that “Watchcare” doesn’t exist in the world, because it was not of the world. As visiting teachers we are charged with watching over our sisters, caring for and serving one another, but most importantly strengthening each other’s testimonies of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the June 1978 Ensign, President Spencer W. Kimball spoke of visiting teaching. “There is the old story you have heard so many times of the question asked of three builders of St. Paul’s cathedral in London, “What are you doing here?” The first one answered, “I am working eight hours a day. I am putting in time. I am earning my living this way.” The second one said, “I am putting brick on brick and I am building a structure here.” The third, when asked, raised himself to full stature and said, “I am building a great cathedral.”

“So it seems to me that visiting teachers who must go and do their teaching, who must get in their reports, who must answer to a call, who must do anything, are just time watchers, clock watchers. I guess there could be some of those, the clock watchers, in the Church. Then there are those who have a little better vision, “Why, it is part of the work of the Lord and, therefore, I guess I should set aside my own interests and go.” But I am sure most of the sisters in this Church are “building a great cathedral.” I am sure they are the majority”

Our attitude when we go visiting teaching strongly affects how we are received. We should look on visiting teaching as a joy, rather than a duty, as a covenant between each of us and the Lord to watch over each other. I know that if we think of ourselves as providing “Watchcare” for our sisters, not only will be become closer to those who are in our care, but we will draw closer to our Heavenly Father and Savior. As we serve and pray for each other we will become more united as sisters in the gospel. Sisters, I love the Lord. I know He knows us, and loves each of us. I testify these things to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Sister Cheryl Helm

Loose Ends

Today is my 45th birthday. On my birthday each year I think of the things I have done during the previous year--what were my goals? did I reach them? Then I set goals for myself for the next year. Added to this years ruminations, is the odd weather we have been having. For instance, last Saturday it snowed 6 inches and then today it was 70 outside. Weird!! When the warm weater starts I find myself with an affliction that I have been working on for the past 10 years. It is newitis. When it gets warm I want to start a new knitting project--every year. This year I was determined that I would not catch newitis. So I decided to take out all my unfinished yarn projects. The problem with these isn't that they are hard, or that there are mistakes, it is that I am bored with the. This year there are only 5 unfinished projects. One year there were 45 and I have been really working on finishing what I start. So this year only a few loose ends. . .

Like this cute baby sweater. It only needs the sleeves and it will be finished. It is an easy 3 days of knit when I can and it will be completed. Which I had better finish because it is for a friend who is having twins in a couple of weeks. Good news is that I have finished the one for the boy.

The Whim scarf. This scarf was to go with a hat for Jessica for Christmas. . .she got the hat and well she can wear the scarf next year. The reason it is called the whim scarf is that I am trying al sorts of new stitches in it and I knit until I am bored and then switch.

To be truthful, this one shouldn't count, it is one I am doing at the same time as a knitting student of mine. I give her an assignment and then knit to that point until her next lesson. But the hat is done.

This is a baby blanket that I started when Rachel was small. A very good friend of mine made the same blanket--NO THIS ISN'T YOURS!! I have my own to finish first. Perhaps it will be finished by the time Rachel has a baby. It only needs a boarder around the boarder.

This is the greatest in my hall of shame. When Matthew was 4 years old we went to a stained glass exhibit at an art gallery. When we came home drew a picture and asked me to make him a blanket. I began the squares the next day. In all honesty I really did finish this about the time he turned 5 but I didn't know what I was doing and put it together wrong and it had horrible lines all over the back, so I frogged it (ripped it out) and put it in a basket. Finally I took it out about a year ago to finish and silly me--Matt grew!! So I had to make tons more squares, and well I got bored again. Still tons more of work to do.

The good new is that I made it through the day without starting a new project so perhaps I can stave off newitis for a few more days.

Goals for last year: I completed 28 knitting projects and gave them away as gifts, or to humanitarian places. I did better on my daily personal scripture reading and keeping my journal up to date. Also I worked on balancing my family and my church calling. Still working on the whole saying NO thing.

Goals for this year: Continue the balance, scripture study and journal writing. Refinish the woodwork in my entry area and hall. Knit--Bill's sweater, socks and mittens.

The Plunge--week 6

So I am now at the 1/2 way point of the 12 week plunge. One of my team mates had major surgery last week, but is still on track, another is losing tons and looking fantastic. I think the third one has sort of dropped out--we don't know as she is kind of private and hasn't shared with us how she is doing. Me--I have gotten rid of a total of 8 pounds so far and am now up to 8 1/2" gone. These are the totals that my trainer has been keeping and not the radio station. Each week I go in and they put down a number that is on the scale, then tell me that I have gained a couple of pounds--are they crazy?? The number is less than the week before, how could I have gained?? So I am going to go by the scales at the gym. It is what I will continue to do once the 12 weeks are through. It isn't enough to see yet, but I am happy with my progress. Mostly I am happy that over all I am feeling stronger.