Studying to Learn

I'm one of two gospel doctrine teachers in the Ogden Valley Deaf Branch. I take turns teaching every two weeks with a wonderful sister in the branch. I love to sit during her lessons and learn from someone else's perspective. I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to comparing my teaching abilities with hers, and at times it leaves me feeling inadequate not only in the difference in teaching techniques but making it so that the information found in the Old Testament is accessible in American Sign Language to those that I teach. But I digress.

Since I am a little slow on the uptake at times (more often than I'd care to admit, actually) I have realized that this wonderful sister in the branch often contributes in my lessons as if she's read the lesson before coming to church. I decided to take an early look-see and read tomorrow's lesson. I pulled up the the Church's website and clicked on the links for tomorrow's lesson and also pulled up the scriptural references associated with the topic. Let's just say that Hosea was WAY over my head. So I thought I would try something...I hope I don't get struck by lightning for this...I googled "Bible translation" and pulled up a website that supports a different translation than the King James Version of the Bible, and voila! I was able to read all the references in plain old English. It helped me understand what was actually being said in Hosea. I read all the references to the lesson first, then went back and compared the important points in the lesson and the light came on. I am not dogging the King James Version of the Bible, please don't get me wrong, but sometimes that flowery language makes my brain do somersaults. I am hoping that aside from the straying off the path of recommended scriptural usage, I will be able to fully understand what is being taught, and to learn more about the gospel.

I feel like it's okay to look for a little help when it comes to understanding the scriptures. It totally enlightened me and put me a little more at ease. Now maybe I can look to more than just a couple of resources to not appear to be such a gospel retard when standing in front of a classroom full of people trying to explain something that even I don't get!

It's the Little Things

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't usually handle stress too well. I'm an emotional person. I jump to conclusions. I'm passionate about things. I cry and cry hard to let stress go. I hold things in until I could emotionally spontaneously combust. I usually imagine the worst case scenario in seemingly hopeless situations, dwell on it, and drive myself and everyone around me absolutely nuts only to later find out the end result was nothing near my worst thoughts as to what could happen. So why do I sit here and post about all this?

The last couple of years have been some of the most difficult of my life. And yet I still sit here with a conglomerate-like pile of "what ifs" and "possibilities" on my life's plate. And though there are definitely those moments of trying to digest one idea over another as to what my life has in store for me, I am currently calm and show no signs of "indigestion".

Again, the 2 people who actually read this may be sitting and looking at their computer screen, wondering "what in the world is this nut-job talking about?"

I'm talking about letting go, and letting God. In the last two years, we have been living by the "what if" concept and at times it has been heart-breaking, disappointing, full of joy, confusion, introspection, and faith-trying.

We have loved and lost foster babies, considered the possibility of a cross-country move, staying put, being employed or not, looking for jobs both in state and out, sworn up and down we'd never foster again (only to be inspired to do it again), and been blessed with an incredibly gorgeous and fun red-headed ladybug. The list goes on and on but the recent epiphany that has come to mind is that over the last two years, through all the ups and downs, God has been with me the ENTIRE time. If I ever felt distanced from Him, or alone, or just downright miserable, it's because I was so absorbed in whatever it was at certain moments that I had absolutely no control over, I failed to recognize either His hand or presence.

Last year, when we sent the boys to live with their grandparents, it felt like someone had died. The loss I felt almost felt like an opened wound that would never heal itself. But then something happened.....time & life. Life came in and went on even when all I wanted to do was curl up and let it move on with out me.

God had something else planned for me though. He wasn't about to let me just wallow in self-pity and a broken heart. He got me motivated to go back to work full time and pursue a higher level of certification in interpreting. Then the possibility of fostering presented itself once again and I thought I was crazy when Brandon and I decided it was something we were willing to try again.

I sit here amidst what could turn out to be a lengthy process of whether we get this adorable little red head. We still don't know if Brandon will be laid off, or transferred. We are anxious to move out of the duplex we are living in for a myriad of reasons (those of you who are aware of our plight, know that's an entirely different post). Yet I have absolutely no control over any of these things. And very recently I let out some frustration over this very thing, but when I started focusing on the things that I do have control over, and the countless blessings that I have, I felt more at ease.

I have opened my heart and my mind to God. I almost always have a prayer in my heart. I am studying my scriptures. I am trying to be more patient. I am thinking more positively. All because I made myself sit back and think about the blessings in my life. And "letting go and letting God".

In Truly Loving Memory

About an hour and a half ago, my paternal grandmother Darlene Ethel Schow Voorhees passed from this earthly life in to the loving arms of our Heavenly Father. She was 78 years old.

I am grateful for the knowledge of God's restored gospel and for the eternal understanding it brings of forever families. I know that I will see her again.

My grandma was a wonderful lady. She will be sorely missed here by those she left behind. I look at it this way: it is a sad loss by our family, but truly a blessed gain by God, because on this day He couldn't have chosen to gain a better angel.

Shoes!

At the beginning of the summer, I was excited to buy Lady Bug some sandals. I wasn't able to find any that I loved though. My wonderful Mom went to the Children's Place and found some adorable-will-match-any-and-all-outfits shoes. They were a teeny tiny size 2! They fit Lady Bug perfectly! I pretty much had her wearing them every day. The only thing about them was because of their tiny size that isn't normally meant for walkers, they didn't have any tread on the bottom. I went to Target (my new favorite baby clothes store) and found her some cute white sandals with flowers and a few diamond gemstones. She was able to wear these with everything too.

What I didn't think about was the fact that baby girl would grow out of the size 2 right in the middle of the summer. The entire month of July was spent looking at almost 7 different stores for sandals in a size 3. I was open to just about anything at this point. Everywhere I went there were the fall season's shoes out. I was getting frustrated. My last resort was to buy her some shoes that were more for the fall but realized if they were the right size, I would just be happy to have her little feet covered. I went back to Target and bought her a couple of pairs of shoes. I just really struggled with the fact that when it is still in the high 90's during the day and they have FALL clothes out, in the middle of summer.

So the last few weeks Lady Bug has been wearing these shoes I bought her. They are adorable but then because I am so anal about having shoes match her outfits, I was bummed they didn't match all the adorable clothes that I've gotten her. Someone told me that I should go look at a store called "Kid2Kid" I decided to go check it out anyway. Kid2Kid is a second-hand store full of kids clothes. I will admit I am kind of a "clothes snob" and that I prefer clothes come brand new, but I was desperate. I found a cute pair of size 3 sandals for $3.50. Talk about a deal.

Here's the kicker: last night I was putting away some clean clothes and opened a drawer and what was inside? A shoe box of size 3 white sandals just like the ones Lady Bug had grown out of from Target. I had an epiphany I had actually been smart enough to buy a second pair of sandals in case she did grow out of the first ones! I was thrilled! Now this little girl is stylin' and profilin' with 4 pairs of shoes! I'm thinking that maybe I will go ahead and use the sandals that fit her now and save the other shoes for this fall. (but watch, she'll grow another size in like a month even though she was a size 2 for freakin' ever!)

Blogging Sloth

I have been slow and downright lazy when it comes to blogging. Every time I go to write something, I lose the motivation. I'm working up the gumption to force myself to sit down and upload pictures of the goings-on in my life. We even bought a new digital camera, and I haven't posted anything. You have my permission to do a cyber slap of my hand.

I will try to do better. I have still been keeping up with y'all's blogs.

So here's to jumping back on the bandwagon, hopefully I don't miss and fall flat on my face!

Domestic Violence 5K

So I signed my butt up for this 5K and am looking forward to it since it is the first one in over a year that I'll be participating in. My goal is to do it in less than 35 minutes, since I am still not in the shape that I used to be in. I'm running because it's close to home (no driving clear to Salt Lake or Draper like my last two 5ks), and for the cause. I'm excited!

Oreo Pudding+Spaghetti for the first time+14 month old=Quite a Mess!

What was SO hysterical was this little one would take the spaghetti and rub it on her tummy, then put it in her mouth and eat it. Brandon and I just laughed. She got a big old smile on her face when she realized it made us smile. She has such an awesome little sense of humor.
Not unlike most things she eats, she seems to think that a lot of the food we give her has some miracle skin therapy or hair treatment.
Love this picture! Seriously! Just when we think she couldn't be ANY cuter......

Above is her signature scowl. She has a wide variety of expressions. This is one caught in many pictures!



I had a coupon for a buy one get one free Jello. I bought the Oreo Pudding and when it was made, we let her try it, needless to say she LOVED it!