Potential

I've been thinking about potential lately. What is the definition of the word 'potential'? The dictionary definition is, ''latent but unrealized ability or capacity.'' So in other words we have something more inside us than we are even aware of. It's kind of a deep thought. We are capable of extraordinary things, so why aren't we doing extraordinary things? Our biggest road block keeping us from achieving the greatness that we have inside us, is..........us! We get in our own way. I look at it kind of as a track meet. Lets say we have hurdles to jump and our "coach" (aka Heavenly Father) says, "You can do this. In fact I will help you and show you how. All you have to do is jump and I promise you will make it over." So you start to run and your first hurdle is coming up fast. You watch it approach and right as you get to that hurdle, you stop. You stare at that hurdle, shake your head, and say "I can't do it! It's too high, it's too hard, or I'm gonna biff it and fall." So the Lord says, "Ok, here is a little help. So he puts a trampoline next to the hurdle. (aka your scriptures) and says, "Alright, all you have to do is jump." You look at the trampoline and say, "I can't! I still may fall and that just looks too simple to work." So the Lord says, "Ok, let's talk about this." (aka prayer) But we reply with, "I'm sorry, but I don't have time, I'm too busy trying to come up with a way to get over this hurdle." So the Lord shakes His head sadly and says, "Well ok, here is a step ladder. Take it one step at a time and you won't fall, and you will get over this hurdle." (aka keeping the commandments, temple covenants, steps of progression) So you start up the ladder. You take the first one, then the second, and you get to the very top. Some will climb back down, too afraid of what is on the other side of that hurdle. Some will just never climb the ladder, not having enough faith in order to try. And others will make it to the other side and find another hurdle a little ways up the path and decide to quit because there are just too many hurdles to climb. Others will continue to listen to the "coach's" advice and jump every hurdle that is presented. Others may trip and fall and decide to give up over a scraped knee. And then there are others that just keep going, hoping to just finish the race. Some hurdles take longer to get over, some are quick. But mostly it depends on how much effort we are going to put into overcoming that obstacle and how well we listen. At the end of the race, you will not only be rewarded by the knowledge that you endured and made it to the finish line, but you will also receive riches beyond your comprehension. YOU JUST HAVE TO FINISH!!!! No one will make it to the finish line without a few scrapes, bruises, and scars, but only the ''coach'' has the first aid kit, so you have to make it back to Him. No one will cheer you on more than the "coach". No one will help you or keep you hydrated more than Him. But you have to jump. You have to trust your "coach". You have to have faith that he knows what you are capable of and of what training you've had. He's a breath away, and He has a solution if you trip or fall. He has sent His "assistant coach" (aka Christ) down to help wipe the dirt from your wounds and get you back on your feet. You just have to ask. I can finish this race! I know I can! And...........I can become the incredible athlete that my "coach" knows I'm capable of being. The gift I look forward to the most at the end of this race is the approval of my "coach" and for Him to stand proud of me. I may not come in first, but I will finish. I have to, I have kids that are following me. I hope they come out with less scars, by learning from my mistakes. =) But I will do whatever I can to see them finish. Finish the race! Don't quit! Don't think you can't do it, because you can! Rely on Him to help and support you. And encourage your teammates to keep going. If it ever feels like the "coach" has given up on you, look around at all the tools He has given you in order to succeed. Use the trampoline, step ladder, or just ask for his advice. It's not about how fast you get there, it's just about getting there. It's pass or fail, and you can pass! You just have to keep going! I see too many people giving up and I will admit it is disheartening seeing so many sit down and give up. It's discouraging! But don't let other squatters keep you from finishing. Don't let them slow you down. Just keep running. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm thirsty. I'm ready to finish. So excuse me, would ya? I've got a race to finish. =) See you at the finish line!

What college has taught me........

So as some of you may know, I started school in August and it's my first semester. I am doing well I have to say. I am pulling an A average and I am happy about that. I use to feel kind of badly about myself because I felt I had nothing under my belt except "mommy experience". The world looks down on being just a homemaker/mom. We are thought as simple minded and unintelligent. As if we have nothing of importance to say. I will admit that I agreed with the world for some time. Because of how the world saw me, I myself saw little worth in myself. I thought starting school would make me feel good about myself and maybe make what I had to say have more worth. In some ways it did make me feel good about myself. But not much. =) I commend those that go to college. Especially a mom with kids still at home. But this is what going to school taught me......
School is important, but not important enough to neglect your children. I think I am a pretty good mom. I am not perfect by any sense of the word, but I care about my children intensely and want what is best for them. But I found that I was having to tell my son too often, "go play" or "go do something elsewhere so mommy can get her homework done." I couldn't feel good about that. I tried to tell myself, "it's ok, your homework is important. He will be fine." But It's not. My son will never be 2 again. Once that is gone, it's gone. It will not come back. I have a small window of opportunity with him, where he wants me around. Soon he won't care whether I am around or not. So......I choose him. Every time. I use to not be okay with the fact that I had no college experience, but it took me going to college to realize that being a mom IS, or SHOULD BE a full-time job. If your husband can stay with your kids while you go to school, I think that is fantastic and I understand that there are some mom's that would love nothing more than to stay home with their kids, but don't have that option. To those women, I applaud you. For you are doing what you must and lets face it, that's what mommies do.......what they must. But as for me, I am truly blessed to have this option. I can stay home with my kids. I can revel in the ages that they are and I'll never get back. I can decide to postpone my schooling for a more important subject..........my children. Nothing is more important than them. Ironically, my child development class taught me this. It showed me how fast they grow and change and that if I'm not careful, I will miss it. So instead of college making me feel important, it made me realize how important I already was. If I fail at school, well that is unfortunate, but if I fail my children and family I will never forgive myself. I know there will be people who will be disappointed by my decision to not go on next semester, but I want my kids to have my full attention and I can't do that if I'm worried about deadlines or getting assignments in. So after this semester I will be just a homemaker/Mommy! And I am completely ok with that. =) I am intelligent for what I know from my personal experiences. I don't need to master physiological theory in order to be intelligent. After all, it's just a theory. =) What I know for a fact is that children need their mothers. Their time, attention, hugs and kisses, faith, confidence...........they will get theirs from you. So I am going to finish this semester with the best of my ability and then I am going to focus on being a better mom and person for my children to look up to. Because they aren't going to care whether I am a speech pathologist. Only that I'm there. And I am going to change the world, one child at a time. =) I am more likely to change the world by raising my children strong and with a strong sense of who they are, than I could being a speech pathologist. This I know. Someday, it might be the right time for me to go to school, but as for now, it is not. God has blessed me with the responsibility of caring for my children. I will not let Him down by taking it for granted. God bless mommies! =)

The small things

So we just got done celebrating Allee's birthday. We had a party where my whole family came and we played kickball. I have to say, it was so much fun. It wasn't competitive at all. We just enjoyed playing together. Everyone participated and it was great. It is so nice that we can have a good time with each other. It was hilarious to watch all the women run the bases, trying not to pee their pants. =) One of the joys of having children. lol But I was mostly impressed with the pregnant women that could duck and weave to avoid being touched with the ball. lol They had skill. =)It was just a really good time. Then we came home and we laughed as we attempted different ways to "plank". I am so blessed to have the family I do. It was a really good day for Allee. She had fun and is already asking when we can all play kickball again. I have to count my blessings because I know that it is becoming a rare thing to have a safe and close family. There are so many dysfunctional families now and it is so sad. I really lucked out. I married a wonderful man who loves me, and blessed me with incredible, adorable kids. =) What more could I ask for? =)

Spurts

You know, I am finding blogging to be a lot like my scripture reading. It goes in spurts. I do really good for a while and then I stink really bad for a while. =) I need to do better in both areas. =)
Well.........welcome back. =) It's been almost a year since I last blogged and there is so much that changed. It's hard to know where to begin. lol To make a long story short, we are living in Logan now. I am going to school, it's my first semester. We've gone through bankruptcy and have seen all it's brutalities. =) But all in all, things are looking up. After all, when you are at the bottom, there is no other way to go other than up, right? lol =)
We are truly blessed and I feel my Heavenly Father's love. That seems to go in spurts also. =) I have no one but myself to blame. I humble myself and then I forget, I humble myself and then I forget. You'd think that I'd learn this by now. =) So is life though, I suppose. Or at least my life. =) I'm forever changing it seems. Which is a good thing I think, because I am always in need of changing. =) I am always in awe that my Heavenly Father still chooses to bless me even when I'm a bonehead. =) Life truly is an amazing journey.
So I am super excited. This is my favorite time of year.......Fall! Oh I can actually hear the leaves falling off the trees in the breeze and smell the crispness of the air. I love all the Fall smells; pumpkin, spice, apple cider. Oh they make my mouth water. I love Halloween! Quinn thinks I'm nuts, it his least favorite holiday, but I just love the carefree, childlike quality it has. It's the one time of year you can dress up and be something you are not or ever will be. =) At 28 years old I could still be a princess for one night. =) lol After all, isn't that a dream that we as women never truly grow out of? =) We all want the handsome prince/knight who grovels at our feet for just one precious kiss. Who would fight for us and sweep us off our feet. =) Yes, Halloween is for the children and children at heart. =) And I will admit I am still a bit of a child. =)
The other reason I love this time of year is that ALL our holidays are at this time of year. All our birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. They are all bunched together. And though this can be stressful at times because we are always broke at the end of the year because of all the holidays and birthdays, it's the most fun. It's like 4 months of celebration. =) I just turned *cough* 21 on the 19th. =D Allee will be 7 on the 25th, Bridger 2 =( on the 29th of Oct, Quinn will be "30" on the 24th of November (Thanksgiving Day), and Jolie will be 5 on Dec 19th. So yep, they are all, bam bam bam, right in a row. =) But it's fun. =)
I am super excited about all the fun stuff there will be to do this Fall and my family has made awesome plans for Christmas. We have made it a tradition to rent a cabin and spend a couple nights together with the whole family and it's a BLAST! I am so blessed to live in a family that enjoys to be around and play together. Truly, nothing makes me more giddy. =) I love families. I love that even after spending 28 years (oops it slipped =)) with my family that I am still learning new things about them and about the person they are becoming. Also, we are always adding new additions, whether it be a brother-in-law or sister-in-law, or niece or nephew. It's always changing and I love that. More people to get to know and more people to love. If I could find a job that I could just go around loving people, making them happy, and kissing babies, I'd be a rich woman. =D I would love that job. Know of any openings in that field? =D
Well this is longer than I thought it would be, but it's due to not keeping up with it so long. =) I really love comments guys, so if you have something to say, say it. I love feedback. But mostly, I just love to keep in touch with the people I love. So welcome back to my blog. I've missed you guys. Hope to keep this going, so all the encouragement is greatly appreciated. =) LOVE YOUR FACES!!!! =D