MARCH!

Today the youth in our church (stake) walked from our church all the way to the San Diego temple. With the trail that they blazed they will have marched approx. 22 miles to get there. They got up at 5:30 this morning in order to get there before dark (hopefully everyone made it). Hee hee.

The leaders made this challenge to let our youth of today know that they CAN do hard things!

I didn't end up walking, but Jamey & I manned 2 of the 8 check-points to make sure we didn't loose any youth (or adults) in between the church & the temple. This would be why I only got these few pictures (my boys & my friend Laura's boys).

The youth did really great! We ended up having 101 youth & 50 adults!! Wow, they didn't plan on that many to show up. I hope that each person who walked knows that they CAN do hard things! In fact you CAN do anything you put your heart & mind into. I'm so proud of all of them!!

Grateful

Today I am very grateful. Grateful for good friends & for family who show their love for me (& my family) continually. I can't even express how I am feeling, or how much they all mean to me. I am so lucky to have such wonderful people in my life. I have learned so much from each of them, - like how to be loving, kind & charitable - just to name a few qualities. I am especially grateful because I am not always the best friend, daughter (in-law), sister (in-law). I tend to get caught up in my daily life & neglect to visit or call them to see how they are doing. I also lack in the being charitable department (I guess if I am judged on my good intentions I suppose I will be okay, but I doubt this will be the case). Of course I rationalize my lack by saying I am too busy, broke, etc to follow through - but I don't really think that is a good excuse either. I'm hoping to learn by example & that I have plenty!

To my friends & family - thank you for being in my life, thank you for thinking of me (especially when I need it most). Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you so much & so grateful that you are all in my life!!!

Hugs!

It's hard to believe

that 20 years ago today, I gave birth to my second son, Nate. In fact it was about this same time of night on that very night my water broke at home (sorry Kevin!). By the time we got to the hospital my contractions were coming along pretty well. In fact I'd have to say delivering Nate was probably the easiest & fastest of my four kids, but also the most painful. Why you ask? Well, just as I was settling into my delivery room the nurse informed me that the anesthesiologist would be in to give me my epidural as soon as he was done with an emergency C-Section.

Ha ha, that didn't happen... Nate had other plans. He was ready to enter this world and he was delivered without any pain medication. Ouch! To this day Nate is still the same. He has always been his own person & had his own plans. He is head strong & smart, besides being handsome & loving.

When he was a kid his smile could melt my heart & if you ever look at his baby pictures with me, I will always comment on his adorable (one tooth missing) smile. He has always been kind hearted even as a small child, which was surprising at times if you knew his older brother. (Luckily Zak grew up to be a wonderful young man - but that is a whole other post for a different day).

I am constantly amazed at the handsome young man he has grown (& grown) into. I love his sense of humor too - at his high school graduation instead of just calling out his name, he had them say Doctor Nate Prescott. Ha ha. He is always doing silly things to make us all laugh...

I am the luckiest mom in the world to have Nate as my son. Our family would not be the same without him. I love you Nate thanks for picking me to be your mom!

No matter what Nate, your brothers love you!! It makes me happy to see you smile when they try & hug you too. Because I know secretly you really love it!

Be Prepared in All Things

Saturday morning David went on a stake hike, and I decided it would be a good time to go use my Kohl's cash before it expired the next day.  I was feeling super energetic and got up, showered, went to Kohl's, and was home just before 9 am.  Just a few minutes after arriving home, the phone rang.  It was Bishop.  I knew that wasn't a good sign, because his daughter was to be baptized in just over an hour.  Why was he calling us???  He said he needed a favor - that he was at the church building and there was sewage backing up in the baptismal font, and wanted to know if they could use our pool for the baptism.  Being our stake primary baptism day, there were two more wards scheduled right behind theirs.  Then he asked if he could let the stake know that they could use our pool as well.  At first I thought he might be kidding, but he said he was serious.  Of course I said yes, and went into overdrive.  Good thing we had friends over the night before and the back yard was pretty much cleaned up.  It just had to be extra clean.  It was a baptism and all! 

He put notes on the church door to let people know (I'm sure there were a lot of phone calls as well).  He and his brother in law or some family member came over and got to work.  Eric woke up and looked out the window, comes out and asks, "Mom, why is the Bishop cleaning our pool in his church clothes?"  Yay, another volunteer!  Hired!!  Everything was done and David returned home just in time for the baptism to start. 

Before Hurdsmans were done, the next baptism was showing up here. We had the "staging area" in the house for the people for that baptism. After # 1 baptism finished, they went out the side gate and everyone came from the house went to the backyard. We did that for the next baptism as well. The mom and the daughter used the pool bath to change, the dad used the garage door opener and went around the side of the house and changed in my bathroom for all 3 baptisms. Baptism #2 had refreshments, and since Baptism #3 was going on in the backyard, refreshments were set up on the dining room table. They exited out the back, came in the front, grabbed refreshments, went back out front and visited out there. Baptism 1 had prob 50 people, #2 had 45, and #3 about 10-15. We opened the side window of the patio, moved the piano to have the sound go out there, and even used the pool speakers and played primary songs during the time they were all changing.  

It really was a cool experience.  It wasn't rushed after the initial clean up, and we really felt the spirit during the baptisms!  Everything went so smoothly.  Sometimes things just work out as they are meant to and when you heed the promptings you get those extra blessings.  I even made some new friends!!  haha 

I've been telling the Relief Society that we are to be prepared in all things (as they are wondering why our activity this week is on living trusts, burial plots, and house organization) :)  That is my newest mantra, because you never know when 100 people might show up your house at any given day.

10 Months

Last week we received a memory card from Troy.  It always lifts my spirits when I get to see pictures of him.  Lately he's had a few struggles and he's been venting a little bit more.  Not complaining, just telling us about the not so perfect life he's living.  Tonga really is a different world.  Life here is so fast paced and I think that's part of his challenge to acclamate to his new lfestyle.  I also think that Christmas was hard for him.  That seems to be when he started telling the little events that get to him.  But looking at his pictures makes me so happy.  Because he looks happy.  One of the comments on the slideshow said, "I know it is not always this wonderful, but this is the way he will remember it! He looks great! What an experience!"  He does look great!  He will remember the wonderful times with great fondness, and hopefully the not so wonderful times he won't remember much at all.  I can't believe he's been gone for 10 months, but then again, it seems like a lifetime ago he left.  I really miss that kid.  (BTW, if you want to see the slideshow, click on Troy's Blog on the right.)

Becky gave a talk in church at stake conference and talked about Hannah giving her son to the Lord.  She likened it to how a mother must feel when she sends her son on a mission.  It was funny, because when Troy left, I wrote one of those sappy letters to him, and said the same exact thing!  I felt like Hannah, but lucky me, I only have to give him up for 2 years!  I will never regret teaching my children that this is what they're supposed to do.  Because I know this will mold them into better men, husbands, fathers, and church leaders.  I also hope that I send another one out in the next few months.  Not having him go will be harder than having him gone, because I know if he chooses not to go, he will regret it for the rest of his life.  He will miss those powerful experiences that a young man serving God completely for two years will only be blessed with.  As Troy recently wrote, "I will never regret my decision to go on a mission".  That's a great thing to hear, even when life isn't perfect.  But look at his face.  He truly is happy.

January 19th

was the birthday of this awesome missionary! Not sure what day it is in Tonga, hopefully it's still the 19th?

No matter, Happy Birthday Elder Prescott ~

we are so proud of you!! Keep up the good work.

EVENING OUT

Last weekend we loaded up the family (in two cars because we no longer fit in one) & headed to a cute little Italian Resturant in North Park to hear our good family friend sing. It was so fun to get out with the family & join good friends to listen to the awesome voice of a talented teenager! I've heard her sing before but it has been a while (years in fact!) & she has certainly become less shy. She's got a beautiful sultry voice. I won't be surprised if she eventually ends up on the radio! But not only does she sing, but she plays the guitar & piano as well! Such a talented young woman.... Thanks to her parents for inviting us for an exciting evening out!!