Serendipity

~ We all have one of these family pictures… you know, the one where the toddler refuses to cooperate and simply smile for the camera no matter how much coaxing or bribery you do! ;-) The moment I saw this picture on my digital camera tonight I laughed out loud… It reminded me of something I recently read in 'A Mother’s Book of Secrets' by Linda Eyre.


She wrote, “The definition of serendipity is “Through awareness and sagacity, finding something good while looking for something else. Serendipity usually happens because of a crisis or when you are least expecting it. It might be getting a great idea because of something your kids said or did. It might be taking a minute to enjoy a gorgeous sunset. It might be getting a call from a long lost friend, just when you though it was so important to accomplish something else. An annoying interruption by a child becomes an opportunity! … When you get really good at looking for serendipity, instead of rolling over in the morning with your first thought being a heavy, “What do I have to do today?” you might be able to roll over and think, “I wonder what’s going to happen to me today?”


~ This picture was my serendipity today. Instead of finding the perfect family photo on my camera, I found a priceless memory where everything was out of my control and just the way it should be.

(Christopher Creek this 4th of July weekend)

Celebrating 10 Years

Now for the sappy part... I promise to keep it short :-)


10 years ago we sat on the floor in my parents dusty attic in Utah and made a plan. We casually talked about what we wanted our future lives to be like ~ who we wanted to become ~ how to raise our 10 children-haha ~ what our home environment would be like and what we could accomplish together... Over the past 10 years I have watched as we've lived the life we planned. Yeah, we've had our share of mountains to climb along the way... and we are stronger because of them.


This man was designed to fit me perfectly... He's been the never ending supportive force behind my wild vision for our family's education, makes me laugh, gives compassion when I need it, teaches me when I am impatient, gladly takes over the children and household when I am in desperate need of ME time and is an amazing father to our 5 (not 10 :-) children... and I could not ask for more.


~ Looking forward to creating the next 10 years together :-)


We took a relaxing get-away ~ Dinner, movie and a little shopping. We stayed at the Camelback Inn JW Marriott Resort & Spa. It was quiet and relaxing with a great view and a lot of fun AZ history.

Confessions of a Converted Reader

I started collecting Children’s Literature my first year of college. Since then, I have steadily added to my Home Library each year. In the past I have been a reader of scriptures, parenting books, how-to manuals, self-help, and nutrition books.

Once in a while I would hear about those people who eat books for breakfast. Looking back, I think my dad was one of them… But, for those of you who HAVE been hearty readers your whole life… I have some catching up to do!

This past year I completed the first half of a 5 Pillar Certification Program which was created by George Wythe University. It was an inspiring and transforming experience and Wow - I believe in the power of self education! I have caught the reading bug and now “I cannot live without books” as Thomas Jefferson said.

"Because life and time are short, we will be able to read only a few thousand books in our lifetimes. When we pick any book, we are ruling out hundreds and thousands of other books. How important it is, then, to choose time-proven great books that will [uplift and transform us], and enable us to rise to greater levels of truth and beauty and insight and understanding and, hence, spirituality. Many great men and women have found that a steady, systematic approach to literature has enabled them to fill their beings, in a lifetime of good reading, with the great thoughts of men and women of all the ages, for through reading great books we are put in touch with the great minds of all time, and we become their spiritual and intellectual heirs.” George W. Pace

In the last 2 weeks, because I have a break from my 5 Pillar group, I have finished The Anatomy of Peace, listened to 3/4 of Pride and Prejudice and 1/2 of The 8th Habit by Steven Covey. I like to keep a "classic" going along with a "principle" book. I admit that I listen to the audio books of about 1/2 of what I read on my ipod and follow the actual book when I come to something I want to mark. By using audio books, I can do housework at the same time ~ gotta multi-task with a house full of 5 little ones! :)

Awareness

The last two days have been full of busy-ness and urgent things… running kids here and there, shopping, mountains of laundry… In those moments it was easy to allow my mind to see the urgent things as more important than the little people begging for my attention. I love Thursdays because it means that I can slow down and take care of the people and things in my little corner of the world.

This morning I was having our Morning Devotional with the kids and received a phone call from my mom letting me know that my grandfather had lost his battle with cancer late last night. For a few minutes I sat and pondered on his life and how he will be missed by those he left behind. I was reminded of the most important things I can be spending my time doing... grateful to have all of my children gathered around me and to be holding my usually active two year old close to me as I read scriptures to them. It was one of those joyful moments that a mother cherishes :)