Happy Thoughts

I saw this tag on a friend's blog today and thought I would do it, since it would do me good today to think about what makes me happy.

"If you get tagged, you have to list 10 things that make you happy. What are the things that tickle your fancy, make you smile or still give you that butterfly sensation? What things do you seek out and truly enjoy? The only rule is that you can't say your kids or your spouse...it's too easy."

1. The feeling that Heavenly Father loves me and is happy with me and I've done what He wanted me to do. Knowing He watches over me and my loved ones, and answers our prayers, and that we aren't left to muddle through this life alone, but He'll help us through.
2. Leaning my head on John's shoulder and holding his hand. Going on dates with him.
3. Reading to my children. There is something magical about holding them both on my lap with my arms around them and reading happy stories together.
4. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Being sealed to John and our children in the temple and knowing I can be with my family forever.
5. Beautiful weather. Rain in Arizona, peaceful (not windy) snowy evenings in Idaho, crisp fall days with the smell of wood fires burning, warm summer days after long winters, the newness of spring. It always makes me happy to be alive and able to get out and enjoy it.
6. Playing the piano. I'm not great at it, but it always soothes my soul and makes me happy to play the piano. Especially when it's a real piano, not a keyboard...ah, someday!
7. Cooking something yummy for my family in my clean, bright kitchen. (It's not clean and bright all the time, but when it is, I love it!)
8. Fresh flowers. Cut, planted or potted, I just love to see them and their beauty brightens my day. My first semester at Ricks College, I walked down 1st West every morning to school (I lived just north of the stadium) and growing out of the middle of the sidewalk were some little orange daisies. They were so bright and friendly-looking, they always made me smile and they always made my day better.
9. Apple crisp. As a horticulture student, John gets apples for free from the orchard on campus, and we've been eating lots of apple crisp. I love it! It smells and tastes so good. Yum. And fresh fruit in general makes me happy, especially the free kind.
10. Joshua's kissable cheeks and Adam's cheesy grins.
11. (Bonus) Holding my sweet baby who has just fallen asleep in my arms.

I'm not much for tagging people, but if you could use a boost and would like to do this, consider yourself tagged! It will brighten your day.

Anna

Regarding Proposition 102 (AZ) and 8 (CA)

Hey folks, I've been trying and trying to rewrite this in a way that will express our views best, but I just can't say it better than this article by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We agree whole-heartedly. Marriage is going to be defined one way or another, and my personal view is that society in general will be adversely affected if marriage is re-defined to mean something other than one man and one woman. Please read this article, ponder and pray about the decision you are making, and then vote your conscience. As for John and I, we are in favor of these amendments, as they will preserve our rights to worship as we choose. Do you realize that if same-sex marriages were legalized, churches who refuse to perform them could be in violation of law and could be prosecuted? That is scary to me, as I know my church and many churches believe that same-sex marriage is wrong and would not do it. So, as for me and my house, this is a proposition we support. Make your own decision, vote your own conscience, but please take these things into consideration when you do. Thanks! Love you all!

Here's the article:
The Divine Institution of Marriage

Thoughts

I was talking with my mother a few days ago, and she mentioned that many of the challenges she has had in her life have helped her to be able to relate to other people who are struggling. They have blessed her to be able to help other people better, because she can understand them better. That struck me, and as I pondered more about it that night, I thought of a scripture--the same one I shared a couple of weeks ago after the miscarriage.

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

"And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." -Alma 7:11-12

I would not have chosen this experience, even if it will help me understand other people better. I think it has been and will be of help to me, because, like my mother said, it is a chance to learn through experience things that will allow me to better assist other people who are struggling. But I wouldn't have picked it and I still fight against it sometimes and wish it wouldn't have happened. The Savior, on the other hand, chose to take upon Him the pains of all people: the pain of sin, the pain of sickness, the pain of sadness and loss. He did this so He could understand perfectly how we feel and help us in our trials. That's why we can truly say that we are not alone in our suffering, because not only is our Savior with us, strengthening us and suffering with us, He has also been there before, and has felt what we are feeling, and knows how to "succor", or minister to, us in our sorrows. And when we suffer, though, unlike our Savior, it is not by choice, it can help us to be more like Him, and more able to minister to those around us who are also hurting. Maybe that is one reason things like this happen.

Thank you all for your kind words, faith, and prayers. We have been strengthened by your love and support. I'm sorry if we have given the impression that because of our faith, this experience has not been difficult for us. There have been lots of tears. We are just private people and choose to keep our tears to ourselves. Please forgive us for not expressing that better.

With love, Anna

Picture Tag

We've been tagged (why is there no way to dodge or outrun this kind of tag game?) so here is the fourth picture in our fourth picture folder. I carved this for Anna last winter when we went to a friend's cabin. There was more than three feet of snow on the ground.

p.s. It says "ANNA"

Groundbreaking

Our stake was recently created and because of that we don't have a building yet. We had a groundbreaking last Saturday. We were all able to attend. Fortunately, we also had some friends there who had a camera.

Adam was first (they talked a long time)

Joshua's turn

Rexburg's perpetual "how-well-do-you-know-the-other-roads" construction.