Monday, April 28, 2008
Easter Egg Hunt
Here are the pictures I took of our Easter egg hunt last month. It was the only nice day in weeks.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Late Night Stroll in the Graveyard
It is almost 11:00 pm and Daniel and I just got back from a delightful walk. We decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather (who knows when it will be this nice again). I can't remember the last time we walked in the moon light. Daniel has been at scout camp for the past few days so we spent the time catching up.
The most notable thing about the evening was the location of our walk. We started out walking in the field that is next to our house, but since it has been really rainy lately, it was kind of mucky. Then we walked down and back up the road, but even at this hour, there was to much traffic. Finally we decided the best place to walk and be uninterrupted was the cemetery. I know walking in the dark in the middle of an old graveyard probably sounds a little creepy, but it was quite peaceful actually. The night was gorgeous! The stars were out, you could hear frogs in the distance, and the temperature was just right.
We did end up cutting our stroll a little short however. Okay I admit it, we got kind of spooked and decided to head home. What spooked us you might be wondering. The odoriferous smell of skunk.
The most notable thing about the evening was the location of our walk. We started out walking in the field that is next to our house, but since it has been really rainy lately, it was kind of mucky. Then we walked down and back up the road, but even at this hour, there was to much traffic. Finally we decided the best place to walk and be uninterrupted was the cemetery. I know walking in the dark in the middle of an old graveyard probably sounds a little creepy, but it was quite peaceful actually. The night was gorgeous! The stars were out, you could hear frogs in the distance, and the temperature was just right.
We did end up cutting our stroll a little short however. Okay I admit it, we got kind of spooked and decided to head home. What spooked us you might be wondering. The odoriferous smell of skunk.
7 Miles!
I ran 7 miles today and it felt great!
This is the first time this year that I have ran outside. The weather was perfect! It was cool and slightly breezy, which is exactly the way I wanted it. Jennifer ran with me and she planned the route. It was mostly flat, which made it really nice.
I have been worried about running outside because usually it is harder than running at the gym. 7 miles is also the furthest that I've run since I got pregnant with Michael. But to my surprise I felt great. In fact I could have kept running I felt that good.
This is the first time this year that I have ran outside. The weather was perfect! It was cool and slightly breezy, which is exactly the way I wanted it. Jennifer ran with me and she planned the route. It was mostly flat, which made it really nice.
I have been worried about running outside because usually it is harder than running at the gym. 7 miles is also the furthest that I've run since I got pregnant with Michael. But to my surprise I felt great. In fact I could have kept running I felt that good.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The Parable of the Rose
Tonight at our training, this poem was given to each leader. I thought it was beautiful and hoped you might enjoy it too. It carries a message in it that I very much needed to hear.
Let me echo the words that my husband posted a few days ago and express my deepest gratitude for having the friends that I do. You help me see past my innumerable thorns. You give me hope that there is a beautiful rose inside myself. Because of you, I know the Savior's love more personally. You help transform my life into a stunning garden. I love you!
The Parable of the Rose
by Ralph Gardiner
It is not recorded in scripture . . . Christ never uttered it as such . . . but it is evidenced by every word He spoke, in every deed He performed.
A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully, and before it blossomed he examined it. He saw the bud that would soon blossom . . . and he also saw the thorns. And he thought, "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns?" Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and before it was able to bloom, it died.
So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose..the Godlike qualities planted in us at birth, growing amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns . . . the defect. We despair, thinking that nothing good can possible come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never reach our potential.
Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone must show it to them. One of the Savior's greatest characteristics was that he was able to show people the Kingdom of Heaven within them. He was able to reach past their thorns and show them the rose.
This is the characteristic of love . . . to look at a person, and knowing his faults, recognize the nobility of his soul, and help him to realize that he can overcome his faults. If we show him the rose, he will conquer the thorns. Then will he blossom, bringing forth thirty, forty, sixty, or a hundred-fold as it is given to him.
Our duty in this world is to help our brothers and sisters by showing them their roses and not their thorns. Only then can we achieve the love the Savior wants us to feel for each other; only then can we become perfect as He wants us to be and blossom in the garden of His Father.
Let me echo the words that my husband posted a few days ago and express my deepest gratitude for having the friends that I do. You help me see past my innumerable thorns. You give me hope that there is a beautiful rose inside myself. Because of you, I know the Savior's love more personally. You help transform my life into a stunning garden. I love you!
Activity Day Training
Tonight I went to a Stake Activity Day training. It was great!
I have taught Activity Days for a couple of years now in this ward. I also held this calling in our ward in Provo (back when it was called Achievement Days). This is the first training meeting that I have been to, specifically for Activity Days. It was really nice to have so much attention focused on this calling. In the past it has felt like Activity Days was a "second thought" kind of a program and I was left pretty much to my own devices. I do pretty good on my own but service is much more enjoyable when you do it with others.
Our Stake Primary Presidency recently changed and the new group has really committed to providing more support for us leaders. This training is just the beginning. They put together a helpful records binder (although I do all my record keeping on the computer) and have set up a blog where all the leaders in the stake can share their ideas. I am also thrilled because they announced that they are going to be putting on a summer day camp for the girls.
It is so exciting to be able to feel connected with the Stake and know that we will all be supporting each other. I also can't wait to see what the leaders in the other wards are doing.
I have taught Activity Days for a couple of years now in this ward. I also held this calling in our ward in Provo (back when it was called Achievement Days). This is the first training meeting that I have been to, specifically for Activity Days. It was really nice to have so much attention focused on this calling. In the past it has felt like Activity Days was a "second thought" kind of a program and I was left pretty much to my own devices. I do pretty good on my own but service is much more enjoyable when you do it with others.
Our Stake Primary Presidency recently changed and the new group has really committed to providing more support for us leaders. This training is just the beginning. They put together a helpful records binder (although I do all my record keeping on the computer) and have set up a blog where all the leaders in the stake can share their ideas. I am also thrilled because they announced that they are going to be putting on a summer day camp for the girls.
It is so exciting to be able to feel connected with the Stake and know that we will all be supporting each other. I also can't wait to see what the leaders in the other wards are doing.
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