What We Can Do

From Elder Ballard’s address “Daughters of God”

What can you do, as a young mother, to reduce the pressure and enjoy your family more?

First, recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction.

Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “… I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less” (Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).

Second, don’t overschedule yourselves or your children. We live in a world that is filled with options. If we are not careful, we will find every minute jammed… One mother told me of a time that her children had 29 scheduled commitments every week… She felt like a taxi driver. Finally, she called a family meeting and announced, “Something has to go; we have no time to ourselves and no time for each other.” Families need unstructured time when relationships can deepen and real parenting can take place. Take time to listen, to laugh, and to play together.

Third, even as you try to cut out the extra commitments, sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children. … Turn to the Lord in faith, and you will know what to do and how to do it.

Fourth, pray, study, and teach the gospel. Pray deeply about your children and about your role as a mother. Parents can offer a unique and wonderful kind of prayer because they are praying to the Eternal Parent of us all.

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What Children and the Church Can Do

From Elder Ballard’s address “Daughters of God”

What can children, even young children, do? …

You can pick up your toys when you are finished playing with them, and when you get a little older, you can make your bed, help with the dishes, and do other chores—without being asked.
You can say thank you more often when you finish a nice meal, when a story is read to you at bedtime, or when clean clothes are put in your drawers.

Most of all, you can put your arms around your mother often and tell her you love her.

What can the Church do?

There are many things the Church offers to mothers and families, …Know them and be wise in what you ask them to do at this time in their lives…

I hope all of you dear sisters, married or single, never wonder if you have worth in the sight of the Lord and to the leaders of the Church. We love you. We respect you and appreciate your influence in preserving the family and assisting with the growth and the spiritual vitality of the Church. Let us remember that “the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”). The scriptures and the teachings of the prophets and apostles help all family members to prepare together now to be together through all eternity. I pray that God will continually bless the women of the Church to find joy and happiness in their sacred roles as daughters of God.

…Jesus is the Christ and this is His Church. We are doing His work…

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My Angel

Here’s what I love about Amy:

• When we were dating, she said “I love you” first.
• Even being married and having a baby, she still finished school and got her degree before I did.
• She’s better with money and budgeting than I am (I practically have to order her to buy stuff for herself).
• When I had a sales job in college, in the middle of winter she bundled our baby up, put him in the stroller and walked and talked with me as I delivered flyers around the neighborhood.
• When she’s happy her eyes get all sparkly.
• When I got accepted to law school in North Carolina, at first she cried about moving across the country, then she got to work and took care of getting our house all packed up and drove with our kids in the minivan while I followed behind in the truck. What a trooper!
• When I spent an entire summer as a hermit studying for the bar exam she would handle the kids all day and would always come quiz me on stuff whenever I asked, and at night after I got back from my prep class, we would just lie in bed and listen to audiobooks until we fell asleep.
• Also while I was studying for the bar, Amy took on the task of finding us a house in Southern California without any help from me. She ended up finding us a great house in a neighborhood that we just loved.
• Amy is currently the room mother for both our school-age kids’ classrooms and the assistant den mother for our son.
• Every day after school, she makes sure homework gets done, violins get practiced, chores are finished and dinner’s on the table.
• Amy calls me at work just to check in with me and tell me she misses me.
• In the evening after the kids are in bed, we’ll put on a movie and Amy always snuggles up to me on the couch and hands me the remote.
• When Amy wanted to learn how to make movies on the computer she had me show her where the movie editing program was and what I knew about it (which wasn’t much). Within an hour, she had put together a movie on her own, added a soundtrack and figured out features that I didn’t know about.
• Amy always looks stunning. She doesn’t need makeup or any fancy hair products. From the minute she wakes up until she falls asleep at night, she looks gorgeous.

Amy, you’re the gutsiest, hottest, sweetest person I’ve ever met. Happy birthday, babe!

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Are You Paying Attention?

I came across this video shortly before Amy and the kids left on their trip. I showed it to them and we all thought it was really interesting. Watch it and take the test. Let me know if you came up with the same thing I did when I first saw it.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4

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Finally, Spring Break

I’m not sure why our spring break came so long after Easter, but we are so ready!  Tomorrow the kids and I head up to Nana and Papa’s to spend the week with them and Erica & Kids.  Not sure if I’ll be checking in, but there should be some wild stories when it’s all said and done.  Unfortunately Rob can’t come with us, so give him a call if you’re bored. He’s such a hard worker 🙂

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