August

Fast: setting and attaining goals; Loving, influencing and training our boys/youth and the youth in our lives; Nisar family & Gohar’s visa, Lamms. 

Increase my capacity to love. 

Be mindful of others’ feelings. 

Service is seldom convenient. 

Smile. Relax. And have so much fun with our kids!

*Create, build, and maintain a strong support system (Megan and Benette, Tamara and Kristen, Ashley and Becky)

Amy Korea Roe Colin “we can no longer live alone and adjacent to each other.”

“There’s only three things you need to do as mission president. Teach the doctrine, be an example with your spouse on what a good couple and marriage looks like, and love them.” -Packer

Humility: recognizing gratefully one’s dependency on the Lord (humble enough to make sacrifices in my day fir God)

excuses never equal results

“A determined man finds a way; the other man finds an excuse.” Haight 

“how have i sought for human companionship when thou art always with me?” -ten boom

“The greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life is to be known as a covenant keeper. The rewards for a covenant keeper will be realized both here and hereafter”  -Nelson

Study. Believe. Act. Trust. Nelson

Tennis. One month out. Get spiritually for to receive patriarchal blessing. 

We don’t have to know what’s coming next, we just need to be grounded to   It’s not to endure storms but to choose the right while they rage. -Eyring

“Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor.” -Brown

Enlarge our ability to help others along the covenant path. 

We cannot casually find our way back to our HF. 

How can we grow closer to God during this challenge (Covid, move, house, dyslexia)?

“Principal of participation.” We are blessed when we participate. YM pres

Story of a big brother with an abusive father. He sat down his younger two brothers and said: let’s promise each other that when we have families we will never hit our wives or children.

He was a pioneer in his family (as a transitional character)

Get outside of yourselves youth. Don’t worry about what others think about you when you talk to someone who doesn’t have friends. 

Shine a light on your problems and it will shrink. 

“Cease to be idol…” D&C 88 -Alan (Stake Pres)

1- last night on our date, Mike shared his vision for Sunday afternoons instead of naps. And today we did it picture perfect. It won’t always look like today but it was a great experience. He met with James and I met with Daniel about heroes, dreams, and goals. We identified 3 role models that we want to be more like. And a couple of specific for this week. They taught FHE tonight accompanied with fried Oreos that Daniel made. Our kids are seriously such fun people and friends and I love to spend time with them. 

I’m proud of each of our boys. They’ve received complements from youth conference of being: fun to be around, happily participating in all the activities, helpful, and well-mannered. 

James was called as deacons quorum president and when he told Mike who his counselors were he said his first two and then for secretary he said: “I’ve thought and prayed about it and it’s Daniel. I didn’t really want to pick my brother (because people might question that choice), but that’s the only name that kept coming back to me.” They will be a power house presidency and I’m super excited for the opportunities they have to counsel, lead, fellowship, and serve. 

“Our youth are durable, prepared, and strong.” Jamie G.

2- went bowling and played laser tag with the Neal family. 

Our boys are rockstars and they are on the right track towards being influential teens, diligent missionaries, loyal husbands, and loving fathers. 

We’re lucky to have the opportunity to have integral parts in their lives.

Not only is it thrilling and fun to have front row seats in the restoration of the gospel in these final days, but also for front row seats in the lives of four valiant boys. 

“Get the right people and give them a track to run on.” Nelson

3- highland service project with our scout troop. Service projects are always a good idea to attend. 

4- booked a trip to California. Sunrise at Tibble fork with Bitters. We all went out I. The boats and it was just what the dr ordered during the paint stress. 

5- Painters are fast! TP with Bitters. Small boat sailing with scouts. 

6- painters finished and moving back into our house. I’m ready to live in the home and enjoy our family. 

7- merit badge Pow wow. IKEA closet. Dusting and moving back in. Mike got us out on a date tonight and it was so great to be with him!

8-  James was set apart as deacons president and Daniel as their secretary. beautiful Mesa 

9- grand Mesa. Above the smoke. Beautiful stars, constellations, and shooting stars. 

10- everyone ran to Daniel’s rescue when he was “lost” on the four-wheeler at Grandad’s house. 

We made it around the lakes at Mesa lakes. 

11- we drove home and hosted deacons at our house tonight. We made cookies and delivered them to neighbors. I’m not in love the house or even the ward, but I am in love with our young men’s program and the people in it. 

12- a whole bunch of cleaning and moving back into the house. 

13- Matt & Sidney’s sealing and reception. How grateful we are for such shining examples for our boys to emulate. 

14- *record crucial conversations we have with our children. 

For example, A couple of weeks ago I could tell that Daniel wasn’t feeling very manly.  I think it had to do with him not wanting to participate in sports but rather do gardening and spend peaceful time outside. I showed him A photo of President Nelson and said “based on the world’s priorities and standards, he doesn’t appear to be manly. He’s little. But he is one of the most manly men I can think of. Big muscles and loving sports doesn’t make a man, but rather, a real man is one who respects and honors women and girls.”

Those are words heavenly father put into my mind and mouth. He does that for me a lot. He knows just the right words that our boys need to hear and when they need to hear them. 

15- * be an example of sustaining, supporting, talking well of, and sustaining our local and general leaders. Ex: wearing masks, ministering, members of bishopric. 

16- I loved picking up Daniel and his friends from the first day of junior high. I got choked up looking into the eyes of these youth. We’re all fighting hard battles and instead of being scared of them like I have been for the last two decades, I felt so much love, compassion, and hope for them. It was a new and glorious feeling for my heart to experience. Not only do I want to increase my capacity to love, but also my ability to lift. 

*for so many years I was dependent on mentors. Now it’s my turn. 

17- put exclamation points on miracles. Discuss and record them. 

18- God shows up and so do His people. I’m glad I was able to show up for Tamara at Ed week and sit sandwiched between Kristen and Grandmas Ashworth (who also shared her written video version story with me). I’m so lucky to have the Ashworth family in my life. 

19- *During hard times (the move, this beast of a house, boys’ challenges) turn TOWARDS each other and not away. Lean on each other with compassion, optimism, humor, intimacy, unselfishness, and patience. 

20- My parents were (and are)  always keenly aware of what was going on in our lives. They never checked out. Even when my mom was working, a portion of her brain was always on us. They didn’t escape her parental roles. 

21- “one reason I gave you a fixer-upper (house) is because you have the gifts and the home to share the gospel to these beautiful people that have moved and migrated here.”

22- Create, build, and maintain a strong support system (my own moaias)

23- Cherish, respect, and praise Mike and our Marriage. 

24- Tammy informed Ama and I that she and Chris are separating. I wanted to show her I care and the idea of “dollar store care packages” came to my mind. She loves those. She sends them to her missionary children and often gives them as gifts. So, I went to Target and found a variety of thoughtful trinkets to assemble. It sounds inconsequential, but I was definitely prompted to think of what she loves and then again as I wrote little tags on each one. Just a love box with random stuff and a combo of pampering, chocolate, empathy and humor. Hopefully she feels my love and availability for her. 

During Andrew’s cuddle night, I assured him with these words: “You are my hero. You are a smart boy and you have an inner fire and motivation. I don’t know a harder worker than you. I know you are very frustrated with school and reading. You have worked so hard and I would be too. Heavenly Father has a lot of trust in you. He knows you can handle this and I do too. I love you. I’m here for you. And I’m very proud of you.”

25: 

• how do I facilitates Daniel having the gospel of Jesus Christ written on his heart?
• take the words “I need“ out of my vocabulary, especially my internal dialogue. 
• love letters to boys on beds. Ponderize scriptures. Audio affirmations. Prayer walk. 

26- Examine my performance (day, trip, outing, activity). What went well? What can I improve on?

27- Derek is a full on reader. He read voraciously for 2 hours tonight and another 2 tomorrow. 

28- Mike, the older 3, and Peter and tiger hiked Timp today! I’m so proud of them!

29- for years I’ve prayed: “bless us with our money… smart with it, etc.” but after reading D&C 104 tonight I changed my verbiage to: “Bless us with thy money… that we will be wise stewards and know how we can best use it to bless others and to build thy kingdom.” It’s not our money. It is a tool we’ve been given to influence, strengthen, lift, and help others for good and to come closer to Christ. 

30- I have a cold. I am exhausted. Why? Because I overdid it the first two weeks of school. I was so excited to finally have time to myself. Time to catch up on the house. Time to move back in and to do my thousands of projects that have been sitting on the back burner for days, months, and even years. Derek is in first grade. For years I’ve looked forward to this time and all the time I would have to myself to catch up on journaling, etc. I feel like this house is like a new baby sucking my energy and me dry and yet not giving back anything like a brand new baby does. Living in an unfinished house is taking a toll on our boys. Yesterday Daniel was looking at the cover of a decorating magazine that has been sent to us since I move and he said “I feel sad when I see this picture.“ I appreciated that he was open and honest with his feelings. I’ve had to remind the boys and myself that we need to be patient with the move. We can’t do everything at once, my health being a case in point. Additionally, and my prayer with the younger to you tonight I said “help us to remember that the decorating and moving in is only part of the making of a home. But the kindness, thoughtfulness, and gospel living is what truly makes a home. Help us to focus on what and who we have. Help us to not only build a pretty home, but one that lasts forever.”

The grandeur of this house project can be overwhelming. And when it is, that’s when I have to put it all on the back burner and focus on what really matters: scripture study, schoolwork,  sacrifice & service, recreating, and making regular and positive connections with each other. Of course I don’t want our family living in unfinished projects or thinking that’s normal, but at the same time, I also don’t want them to just see their parents engrossed in temporary affairs that don’t last, and to think that that’s normal. There is a healthy balance, and it’s different for every family and at different times. 

Tamara Fackrell said that both the wise and foolish men built houses, but the only one of them lasted. 

James and Daniel practiced “I feel” statements and validation/empathy responses. 

• encourage Daniel to teach indexing and family history to peers and younger people. 

“We are sexual beings. Sex is not bad. You just have to earn to right to enjoy it.” -Bishop Sundwall

Gotcha!

M- hiking Timp, deacons, 

R-

J- Timp. Wrote and prepared a treasure hunt for Andrew to find his beret. 

D- “Hello!  I just wanted to drop a note because I have Daniel in my Utah History class and I wanted to let you guys know that I'm so excited to teach him this  year.  He is absolutely wonderful and positive and attentive and respectful.  Thank you so much for whatever you guys are doing because he's a great kid!  I hope he's had a good first couple of weeks of school.” -Mrs. Brasfield 

“Daniel is SUCH a sweet kid!  I'm so glad to hear I'll get to teach him in French down the road!  

Ivy thinks Daniel is the best.  Nice kids make life so much better!!  I hope Daniel is loving middle school!” -Mrs. Brasfield

A- worked his tail off his first week of fourth grade (at school and home), climbed Timp at 4 am, with a cold, and smoky air. There’s nothing that boy can’t do. 

D- is reading! And loving books!