Sacrament is Sacred

This is a lesson most of us, who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (and other churches who pass the bread and water) find ourselves teaching our children.

My Allori is a spitting image of me. I knew as a younger person that I would never use the term "spitting image" but alas, I was wrong. She is. She looks like me, but more beautiful....The difference is how she acts-- as a child I was quiet, shy and very unsure of myself. I think this was a product of my upbringing, partly. Because Allori does have some shy in her, and her father is shy and her mother was quite shy until high school. Allori can be shy but will tell you whether she is being shy or not. Now I would say I am more spunky and feisty. My shy does creep up on me occasionally but doesn't haunt me continuously. So I think for the most part Allori behaves more like I do as an adult (in accordance with her age appropriate behaviors.)

Example of Allori's shyness. One time we were going through the Taco Bell drive through and she wanted sauce for her taco, so Wayne told her to ask the lady for sauce at the window. She seemed excited (She was probably not quite 2 at this time) but as we pulled up she looked the lady square in the face and said a bit quietly, "I'm too shy." Of course, neither Wayne or I could keep from chuckling and asked for her sauce for her. And as an update, she still prefers any and all types of sauce available for any and all types of food.

We let her tell people she was shy a few times but I didn't want her to get in the habit of that or encourage it so we started to work on it, but it happens to be ingrained in her a bit. If you saw her at home, you wouldn't believe a word of this. She is the princess of the castle (only cause there is room for only one Queen and we all know who that is..hehehehe). When she is decently sure of her surroundings, she is a natural leader, shyness dissipates.

Side story. We went to Tuscon last summer to meet a bunch of Wayne's family for a vacation and one of Allori's cousin's who also lives here in Albuquerque was there. We don't spend much time with them because Wayne's brother is not family oriented and it seems to be a thorn in his side to plan anything together (or even to spend time with his own immediate family for that matter), but the kids love playing together. Anyway the girls, Lydia and Allori are very close in age. Both born in 2004, Lydia in January and Allori in November. Well, Lydia (who is not one bit shy) followed Allori everywhere, did everything that Allori was doing, changed her order at the restaurant (orders mac and cheese every time at a restaurant, but because Allori was getting something different, Lydia got something different)...This was none too pleasing to her mom, Kathy. No one wants to see their child being the follower child, but it was kind of cute to see her break away from doing "the norm" and Allori is a good girl, thats the kind of person, if one is going to follow, that you would want your child to follow really. But you do want them to make their own choices as well. I think she really was just trying to make a connection with Allori and let us know she wanted to be with her, They are 3 for Heavens sake. I think she was saying, let me be with my cousin, I love her. I realize my dad is a poop, but my cousin is cool, don't punish me for his issues. (in a kid way of course) Anyway, bottom line, I do think Allori is a bit of a leader.

Her shyness does come out and we don't push it when it does. For instance, her primary teacher is very good and if the primary presidency asks them to do something that the 3 year olds are not comfortable doing, the teacher lets the presidency know not to push them. She does get shy when its her turn to say a prayer in primary, things like that, and I just keep encouraging her, telling her I know she can do it and we take her up and so far she usually doesn't do it and we don't make a big deal of it...She does have a little one minute talk coming up next Sunday so for Family Home Evening last night, we practiced it, had all the kids practiced it, she did fabulous! We will practice all week and hope for the best!

Anyway, the point of this blog is we work on teaching our kids about things, and some things are just naturally ingrained into them. Nature vs Nurture. Although I like that they are changing this from vs to something else. Every child is a combination, it is not Nature vs. Nurture, it IS a combination, but thats a whole other post. Of course I have gone on so many tangents here, what would be the difference....anyway....

So a few weeks ago we are sitting in Sacrament meeting and The bread is passed and each child takes a piece and Wayne and I do the same and then the water is blessed and passed and Allori, who was having a rather feisty moment says, "No thanks I would rather have a snack."

Oh boy.....lesson not quite learned yet.

But we did appreciate the humor (as silently as possible.)

Behold the new Prophet

Today as I listened to our new Prophet, Thomas Spencer Monson (who incidentally made me laugh so hard! He is so funny!) speak at General Conference, the spirit testified to me again of the divinity of the Gospel. I need this once in a while. I think so often its easy to get caught up in what we know and what we live that it can easily be taken for granted, but it is special, it is a pearl of such great price, this Gospel that we have, and each of us (me) can do a little better and can stand a little taller.

I loved the messages I caught today-to value your wife and the great work she is doing, to uphold and respect your husband-to pray for our prophet, as he prays for us. Such simple lessons that can bring us such large blessings. And so many more.

By far one of the best days in my life, is the day I went under the water and took upon myself the name of Christ. I sure could do a lot better and be a better woman. But where would I be without the foundation of the Gospel that I have?

Thank you Heavenly Father for watching out for me and for bringing me the gospel....I love it, and I love You!

I write a lot of blogs....

as I am driving...and boy are they good. I just sketch them out in my head and I hope to get them here at some point....Its kind of like story boarding. Right now my life has taken on a new angle of chaos. We have a new foster daughter. This is always a new adjustment. It, like any new life thing takes some time to get into a groove with. When I was younger I was a serious early bird. You could not KEEP me in bed past 7. AND I was alert and awake all day. Now, I am a not a huge sleeper inner...but I am not so much an early bird. Allori and I usually are up by say 8ish. Mess with this and we are messing with the wave pattern, ya know what I mean? Well Wayne gets up at like 6:30 and he gets Juliana and Jena ready for school. I have generally made his lunch for him and set out the girls clothes and bathed them the night before, so the getting ready is or should be a fairly smooth process...

But I go to bed much later than Wayne. Well we mostly go into bed at the same time, but I read for hours some nights and he goes to sleep pretty quickly. So time wise it evens out ...sort of....

Well we have a new foster daughter, she is 17 and has an aversion to men (so did Jena and Juliana when they first got here) so that means I have to do all her "Stuff," meaning all her running around, etc. Well....just for fun, she gets to be at school at 7:25 in the am. That means we leave here at 7:00 in the am. This pains me. It really does. I do it, and I do it with a good attitude, because I think thats what a child of any age deserves, but between you and me, its painful for me. And I don't really like it. Its kinda messin' with my groove.

Anyway, its a bunch of driving, new driving, new appointments, new routines to get into, new teenage moodiness, new stuff to worry about and love and talk with her about. She really is a doll, but she really is a teenager. :) We were all there, we know how it was....we know da misery we put people through. lol.

I am worried about her education. And some other things. We will work it out. I am a fighter, I will advocate and help her get the things she needs to be successful. I don't think she gets it yet, but she is a part of my family. In fact I think I will go make her a lunch for tomorrow.

My husband says my signature email quote is old by now, but I still love it, so I would like to end this blog with it.

Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.
Vincent Van Gogh