Week of Work

I'm so excited to attack the to-do list this week.  We get to paint, rip out bushes, plant berries, build stuff, remove carpet, and have tons of fun.  Jaremy is gone to China.  So we keep extra busy to surprise him.  Also we do things that cause upheaval (like painting floors and such), so that he doesn't have to deal with the chaos and late dinners they cause.  Also I don't look so great with my hair slicked back and in my paint clothes.  So it's best he not be here when we do these projects.

I'm so grateful Heavenly Father has taught us work is divine.  I love it!

Rainy Campout

Jaremy is the Scout Master in our ward.  He is taking the boys camping tonight, in the rain.  Fun! Fun!  Not!  They will probably have fun, but it sounds miserable to me.  My calling is much easier:  teaching Primary.  I'm so grateful I have a husband who fulfills his callings and loves the Lord.

A Day for Reflection

Yesterday was a huge day of painting.  Of course, it is only one of many the kitchen will need.  It wore me out.  So today I'm taking it much slower.  I've been looking at some properties in Austin, TX.  It's just a silly distraction I'm sure, but you never know.  I've listened to the news. Now I'm going to finish preparing my primary lesson and read my patriarchal blessing.

Then I want to go on a big walk and start to build up my strength and endurance for labor.  I've been so bad this pregnancy: eating too much, exercising too little. But I can and will turn this around.  From now on I will keep my promise to Heavenly Father not to eat sweets and chocolate, not in any amount.  I've slacked off the last few months.  Also I will limit my calories to a healthy 1400.  I will make careful choices.  I will exercise 45-60 minutes a day and build up to 3 hours of walking/hiking.  I will build up to wogging a 5K and run a 5K twice a week until the baby is born.  I will get down to 135 healthy pounds by the time I deliver.  This will help me sleep better, breathe better, and function better all around.  It will help insure the baby's health as well.  It will also help me be strong for future pregnancies and life in general.  This means lots of raw food, breathing and relaxing, and exercise.  Wonderful!  I'm so grateful for the challenges of caring for our physical bodies.  I know Heavenly Father has and will help me as I stretch and discipline myself.

Painting the Kitchen

Today we are all reading our scriptures, cleaning up, and getting some basics done before we attack the kitchen.  We need to take down wallpaper and paint walls, cabinets, and floor.  We will see how far we can get.  We need to be done by the time Jaremy gets home from work.  He has so sticking much on his plate we don't want to add another distraction or worry.  So we will do what we can and have it cleaned up by the time he gets home for scouts.  We will finish our projects while he is in China next week so he won't have to be bothered with the insanity.  Home improvement projects always produce quite a bit of chaos.  But it is such a treat to work with my sweet children and see the improvements we can make.  Heavenly Father has blessed us with supplies, health, and energy so that we can get things done and improve our surroundings.  He has also blessed us with the enjoyment of working with each other.

Amazing Kids

It has been so nice to be able to assign big jobs to my older children.  Right now Benjamin and Moroni are setting up cages, nesting boxes, and a watering system for the rabbits we will get this spring.  They are designing, sawing, drilling, mounting, etc.  They are doing it all from the things we already have on hand.  Jessica and Natalie can also be given complicated assignments and pull them off beautifully.  I'm so grateful for their skills, hard work, and creativity.

Blessings of Tithing

Elder Bednar's talk has been such a blessing this past while.  It is like it was given just for us.  I'm so grateful Heavenly Father is teaching us to be more resourceful, more creative, more content.  Sometimes I'd rather money just fall from the sky and solve all our problems, but not much character would be developed that way.  The Lord is helping us develop things that really matter.  It is hard to appreciate that sometimes, because I feel so pressured to have the things I feel we need temporally.  I'm grateful the Lord isn't near-sighted like us mortals.  I'm grateful He does what is best for us.  I pray I can trust Him fully and stop whining.  I came to earth to become like God and do His will, not to be pampered and given my every worldly whim.  I'm grateful He has reminded me of this.

Laneys' Move

Kami and Shane have decided to move.  They are not sure if they are going to Boise, Idaho or Austin, Texas.  They want us to follow them.  We said we would try if it was Texas.  Idaho is great but we already know what is there.  No adventure factor.  In reality, we will probably be staying here for quite awhile.  Jaremy has great opportunities at his job right now.  And getting a new job is a ton of work and worry.  However, who knows?  It is a small company and going through a tough time.  We have great hopes it will eventually succeed gloriously, but it might go down too.  Who knows?  The Lord knows!  And we plead with Him to provide and put us where He wants us.  It is such a comfort to know that the Lord will lead and guide us and give us the opportunities and challenges we need.  In the meantime, we will really miss the Laneys.