Moms Rock

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity, along with my girls, to watch a live broadcast of the General Women's Conference.  This is an annual lds church meeting for all women and girls ages eight and up.  It's  a meeting that's broadcast though out the world, and to my knowledge, the largest meeting of it's kind.  I always enjoy this opportunity to hear the different speakers and reflect on my own blessings as a mom and a women.  But there was one talk this past Saturday that I especially loved from  Bonnie L. Oscarson.  Sister Oscarson is the president of our churches young woman's organization and her talk was straight forward and very inspiring to me.  In a society where I feel like the importance of marriage and family is constantly under attack, I found her comments to be beautifully simple and yet incredibly powerful.  I especially loved her thoughts about being a "homemaker" and that all of us... moms, dads, and kids play such and important role in making our homes places of happiness and refuge from this sometimes crazy world.

My girls and friend Shelby

And the opening story she told made this "missionary mom" a little teary ( let's be honest, that's not that hard to do lately).  

Missionary Countdown= Nine Days

(As in single digits baby. Whoot,  Whoot!) 

a good read

It occurred to me the other day that I've never done a book review on my blog.  So here it goes.  I love to read.  And I rarely read.  Mostly because a book has to be really, really good to convince my busy little self to sit down and focus.  And it has to engage me on some kind of  positive emotional level.   My vivid imagination and (sometimes) over empathetic personality just can't handle the negative/scary/violent kind of books. And, if I'm going to take the time to sit down and read, I want to fill that time with good things. That doesn't mean a book always has to be happy.  I  believe that some of the most positive and wonderful things can sometimes come from of the most difficult and sad things in our lives.  Maybe that's why this book appealed to me.

"Counting by 7's" by Holly Goldberg Sloan

I absolutely loved this quirky/ tragic/ beautiful/ happy/ unpredictable book.  The characters are as unique as the story and Sloan had me hooked after the second chapter.  It's a quick read with a powerful message that had me thinking and rethinking for days about the incalculable power of love and the human spirit. 

(Oh, and missionary return countdown=fourteen day. Yep!!!)

grateful

Today I am feeling grateful for

the green of spring

peanut butter sandwiches with apricot jam

 new yellow cereal bowls

 gerber daisies

our kids

clean water

 health

a husband that loves me

doritos

hot showers

a dog that wags his tail when he sees me

globe lights on our patio at night

birds that sing because they are happy
 
a Father in heaven that loves me

a Savior that died for me

forgiveness

charity

and our missionary Sadie who is coming home in seventeen days


….. just  seventeen days

sleep on it

     Last Friday we returned from our annual spring break trip to Brian Head Utah.  Yesterday was feeling like such a Monday as I dragged the kids (and myself) out of bed and tried to get back to the busy routine of our lives.  I felt so fatigued all day and struggled to push myself through the vacation laundry and other things that needed to be done.  By 9:30, I was wiped and decided to call it good.  Today I hoped to be done with the fatigue. For some reason, it lingered.  My brain has been tired and cluttered lately worrying about different things.  It's so easy to get caught up in the "what-ifs".  It's a game I try not to let myself play, but today, I had to fight to overcome it.
     Several years ago, a friend of ours, who is a doctor, told me that efficient naps should last either thirty minutes or two hours…. something about the whole REM cycle and producing restful sleep.  I like order and I like when things are clearly defined.  So, after learning about this little medical fact, I embraced it. And after many years of practice, I am an expert at the thirty minute "power nap" (something my kids will attest to…) I don't even set an alarm.  Occasionally, I just need one of these naps, and I always wake up feeling better.  So, as I dragged myself out of bed again this morning, I had the passing thought, "This is going to have to be a power nap day".  And then I had a glorious thought….
     Navy is getting spayed and will be at the vet all day. That means that after I've dropped the kids off, I could take the Golden Ticket of all power naps and make it a two hour nap! 
     I considered the possibility.  It sounded divine, but also super indulgent and probably not necessary. Then I reminded myself that I am a much better mom when I am not tired and overwhelmed.  So, YES I decided, I would go back to bed after dropping Gentry at school.  And when I got home, I did.  I burrowed down in my comforter and set my alarm clock for two hours later and drifted off into on the most restful sleeps I've had in years.  Then I got up and took a crazy long hot shower.  Then I put on one of my favorite Pandora channels, and spent a ridiculous amount of time doing my hair and make-up.  And then,  I felt better.  And then, I was ready to take on my mom job again with a little more patience and a little more kindness.  The two hour power nap is a very rare thing for me, but today, it was time well spent.  Because a happy mom=a happy family.

   

  Happy St. Patty's day.  And to all you moms out there.  Take the power nap.  You've earned it!