Terri

Best picture ever! This is why I love her.


Blake and Michael


I miss her. I want her to come back. She was so much fun and made me laugh all day. Her kids and my kids were the same ages. She disciplined her kids the same way I did and liked the things I did and ate food like I did. (Except she ate wacky flaxseed and peppers dipped in NO ranch) I loved her testimony and how everyone always said to her, "You look like that girl . . . Helen Hunt." I loved how much Michael and Blake loved each other and how well they played and how I'd watch her kids and she'd watch mine and it was easy to ask her. I loved that she loved to read too and always had a suggestion or loved what I suggested to her. I miss the way the very end of her nose moves up and down when she talks and how she always made me want to be a better mom like her. I've been sad about her being gone all day.
But she's coming for Christmas and may even stay with us for a few days. Yea!

Pies

My neighbor came with me last night to the broadcast. She is not a member of the church but has been investigating it. Tonight she brought over two pies. She said, "I just kept mulling around in my mind the words that he (Elder Uchtdorf) said and I just wanted to create!" She even found an area and cleaned it up and made it beautiful just like he suggested. . . "create a space." Her husband joked, "You can go with Melanie to those meetings whenever you want." Isn't that great? I love how we all were so touched and hopped to it. I made a great dinner complete with rolls and a broccoli salad. I don't do that enough and I used to really enjoy creating in that way. Now on to the monkeys . . .

I am so grateful for the leadership of this church and for conference which happens twice a year. Last night we went to the Relief Society broadcast from Salt Lake and it was wonderful. I loved Elder Uchtdorf's talk! He said so many things that as women we need to hear. Let me share just a little of what was said. He said (speaking of women) " . . they focus on what is lacking or imperfect rather than on that which has been accomplished and who they really are." I think this is one of Satan's greatest tools. I think he loves to jump in there and tell us that we aren't important and that our contributions don't matter. He is very good at showing us other's strengths and comparing them to our weaknesses. It is easy to think that everyone is better and more talented than us and that we have very little to contribute. But then he said these beautiful words. "Remember, you are spirit daughters of the most creative being in the universe! Isn't it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it, your spirit body is a masterpiece created with the beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination." Wow. Who am I to ever think that I am not of worth! He even said later that we all have talents and mentioned that "flowing laughter" in one's home is a talent! Yea! I came home with a new sense of purpose and just happier to have felt the spirit. I also went to that broadcast with some friends, including my neighbor Norma and then to dinner afterwards. Perfect.
Then I had to opportunity to go chaperon the Laurel/Priest activity until midnight. Well, um, like I was saying, the broadcast and dinner was fantastic. I am so grateful for my membership in this church.

. . . And I really am grateful that we were able to jump in on the regional Laurel Priest activity so last minute. We had 55 kids there from our stake and it looked like they were having a blast.

Swimming

I love that our family has found a sport we all love. Our kids signed up for swim team this summer and LOVED it. Blake has even signed up for swim school this winter. He loves it too. So, wanting to be that great mother who understood her kids pain, I signed up for an adult swim class twice a week too. It has been hard to get there - but the times I have gone, that coach has about killed me. First night - 60 laps. Yes. Me, the fat, lazy one swam 60 laps. Anytime I'd stop to rest she'd say, "Stop hanging on that wall!! Get moving." Anyway, I have learned so much! I love it too. I'd probably actually lose some weight too, if I didn't eat half a bag of buttered movie popcorn and half a box of milk duds right before practice. Oh well. I guess I've stayed off that heart attack for one more day.

The Gospel

This blog was made not to keep a record of all our family happenings - but to record the hand of the Lord in our lives everyday. Today I am grateful for the resurrection and the knowledge that we have through the gospel of Jesus Christ that there is a life after this one. My good friend's mother died today. She had been quadriplegic for 13 years. As my family sat down to read the Book of Mormon together tonight we were in 2 Nephi 9. It was all about the resurrection. (I love how that always happens! The scriptures always apply to our daily lives!) We had a beautiful discussion with our children about the plan and about how Nickie's mom can now be free of that body that didn't work and that one day she will be restored to a perfect body that moves the way she wants it to and can fully function again.
I remember the morning that my dad died. Right as my mom and I realized that he was gone, we knelt down and thanked our Heavenly Father for our blessings and the knowledge we had of the gospel and that this separation from our Dad was just temporary and that we would be able to return to live with him again. The Spirit was so strong and confirmed the truthfulness of this to our hearts. My heart is breaking for Nickie to lose her last parent while she is yet so young. I am so sad for her at this time. But I am happy for her mother to be free from that body and that she is now reunited with her husband that died just 3 years ago. The gospel is true. It is such a comfort and I love it.

Family

Today I am grateful for family. I am grateful to be a part of two great families. I love the Wellmans and am glad that I married into such a welcoming and friendly family. We all get along so well. It was so fun to see 5,000 cousins running around chasing a stray kitten last night and to all be present for Renee's blessing. There is so much love and support there. We are going to miss the Hardins as they move to Utah and part of me is jealous that they get to move within 10 minutes of my family - the Prices. They too, are such a loving and supportive group and I loved being with all of them for so long this summer. I have awesome brothers and a great sister in law up there and fun nieces and nephews spread all over. Shelby and her family was just here last week and it was such a blast. I'm begging Lexi to move to Phoenix because I would love to be near her every day. I hope that is what Heaven is going to be like. One big street of Prices and Wellmans playing kick the can all night and Ticket to Ride until morning. I certainly see the hand of the Lord in my life as I look about my two extended families.

Laughing

Tonight I am grateful for laughing. Last night we had some friends over to play games and laughed ourselves silly. When we went to bed we kept giggling about things we had said. Finally Jeff had to tell me to be quiet because every time he'd start to fall asleep - I'd start laughing again. Then tonight we went with the above same friends to hear a comedian named Jim Gaffigan? Hilarious. I almost cried. And then we got stuck in the car on the billioneth floor waiting for every car in the parking garage to get out before us and (I WAS SO THIRSTY) we retold like every joke the guy had said and laughed our heads off a second time. Even the drive thru (to FINALLY get some water) was crazy funny. Happy Birthday Summer. I'm grateful for all the laughs - my stomach hurts.

Food

Today I am grateful that every time I start a new diet I find some reason to make some extra great treat and blow the diet all to crap the very first day. Maybe because I always start my diets on Monday and then by FHE I think, "Wow - the kids really need a great treat . . . " (but really I'M STARVING) and there it goes. Cinnabon Cinnamon rolls. Mmmmm. They took all day to make but so worth it.
I love watching my family during Family Home Evening. Tonight as Blake was leading the closing song Lizzy ran up beside him and pretended to lead too. Darling. Also Jeff had the kids act out the Good Samaritan during the lesson and it was awesome to watch Cody beat up Blake and then steal all his money. I love Family Home Evening.

Also - a side note: We are getting addicted to Haught Fresh donuts from Krispy Kreme. Last week our friends brought us a box from Mesa and Cody snuck like 5 of them. Well the next day Shelby was here and bought some glazed donuts from FRYS and Cody took one of them and said, "Ugg Theses donuts are grossie!" I guess he has become a true donut connoisseur like his mommy. How funny that a two year old could totally tell the difference.

Blake's Prayers

I love Blake's prayers. Every now and again I just have to write them down. Tonight he said, "And please bless the kids in my school class that need help, that they will be able to feel the Spirit and know how to choose the right." He's 5. He's the best.

Shelby

Shelby's family was here this week and as I think about the hand of the Lord in our lives this week it is definitely that Shelby is doing so well and that she was able to beat cancer this year. Last year this week was when she came down for the Creative Escape convention and on the last night she came out to stay with me. She had been having some pain in her chest and so I took her to the ER and we found out that night that she had a huge mass in her chest and by the end of the week we knew that she had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It's been a rough year - but I am so glad that she was healed and that she is healthy and still with us. I love her so much and count my blessings every day that she is ok. If you haven't, check out her blog www.shelbysjourney.blogspot.com Start at the beginning. You'll be inspired.