Fear, faith and peace...

Our son Cole (13 1/2 years old) motivated me to move forward and pushed me to make sure I had my Temple recommend so we could go as a family to do some Temple work when we went to Utah to visit family there. I wanted so badly for the past to go away and let me live in the present...I am grateful for our boy...as he has no idea what I have been struggling with and yet here he is being such a good example to me and encouraging me...exactly what I needed!!

Tuesday, July 26th was a wonderful day as I got my temple recommend all signed and I am good for another 2 years. It has been a while since I have actually been to the temple...sad, but true! Not because I wasn't worthy to go to the Temple, but because I was unknowingly  allowing Satan to win.

The temple for me has always been a struggle of my mind and my past. I, unfortunately had somethings happen to me in the Visitor Center as a child that no one should experience or got through. So, for me, that was what was holding me back. Satan was using what had happened to me as a way to keep me out of the temple. Yes, I got married in temple and I believe all that we are taught about it and what it stands for. BUT, it didn't change the horrible connection that haunted me. 


It was like those gates that are connected to the Visitor Center that I needed to go through to get to the Temple were holding me back. Once I realized that what had happened to me in the Visitor Center wasn't the Temple as they are 2 very different places and that Satan was using that as a way to keep me out of the Temple it was like my eyes were opened and I could see and I understood what was going on. Not anymore, I will NOT let him win!


There has been so many good talks in church and in The Ensign about going to the Temple and the Temple in general that have moved me to tears. I know that Heavenly Father has been telling me it is time, time to let go, enough is enough. I know, he understands and he knows all! 

It has been very easy to come up with excuses of  

"why not" and "why I can't go." 

But then I was reminded about the stories of the pioneers and all they went through just so they could get to the Temple and be sealed together as families, husbands and wives. All that they suffered and endured to be able to go, to be able to help bring the church here. No more excuses, it is time for me to let it go and have faith and trust in the Lord.

I am ready! I am excited as I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. So, our new goal (Kent's and mine) is to get to the Temple at least once a month. We will go to the Edmonton Temple until the Calgary one is built. It will be so neat to have a Temple so close to us.

Calgary, Alberta Canada Temple

We will never forget!

10 years ago on Sept 11, 2001 Kent and I were on our first official vacation get away together down to Cancun Mexico...we were SO excited to be down there! We had only been there a couple of days. 

Sept 11, 2001 morning Kent wasn't feeling good so he was in the bathroom. I turned the T.V. on as I waited for him to come out. I thought it was strange that every Chanel had the same thing on it...a building on fire and people running. None of the channels I was on were English so I truly had no idea what was going on...I thought it was a movie to be honest. I kept turning the channel hoping to find one that spoke English and I finally found one. As I watched what was on the news I was horrified at what I was seeing and hearing. 

 This is our hotel room in Cancun. I sat on the edge of the bed watching the T.V. in disbelief at what I was seeing and hearing.

As I watched the T.V. screen, scrolling across the bottom of the screen it said, 

"all planes grounded in the U.S. and no flights allowed over the U.S."

I started to cry as I thought of our little boys (Cole was 3 1/2 and Tyson was 1 years old) and how were we going to get home to them. I was telling Kent all that was going on on the T.V. while he was sick in the bathroom. He was so calm about it all and told me everything would be ok. Him being so calm helped me a lot!

It was a very somber feeling when we made it down to the dining area for breakfast. It was very quiet! People looked like they were in shock and some were crying. An older couple sitting next to us began to talk to us and told us they were from N.Y. And that they had been trying to call their son as he worked in one of the Towers and they couldn't get a hold of him. What do you say to that? We listened as they told us stories of other family and friends that they were worried about as well that they couldn't get a hold of. We tried to distract them by asking where they had traveled all their lives and listening to them speak happily about that.


Staff at our hotel and on the excursions we went on were AMAZING! So kind and doing all they could to make the best of us being there. We were able to go home on our scheduled flight 5 days later. I was petrified the whole flight home. But once we landed and we were safely home I remember being SO thankful to be home and with our boys again!

 This is one of the songs/videos that really touched me right after 9/11 happened. Celine Dion did such a good job!

This one made me cry and still does. Whoever came up with it did such a good job. 

I will never forget that day and all that I felt!

Happiness is...

Isn't this just the greatest saying...so true...it speaks volumes!!

 I love uplifting sayings, quotes and stories...I collect them.

 "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

This quote is another good one! I can pin point the times in my life all 3 of these things have been in sync and life has seem so good. So to me, that means I need to keep trying each day to make sure I am doing all I need to do so I can be happy...and those around me can feel my happiness within my self. How great would that be? 

A few years ago when I FINALLY clued in that is really was up to ME to make myself happy and not up to others around me it was a big A-ha moment for me! When I am down I know now that it is up to ME to fix it, change it and do what needs to be done to make ME happy and at peace again in MY life!

Taylor Swift concert

 My sister in law Melanie, her daughter Jade (my niece who is 7 1/2 yrs old) and I all went to Edmonton to the Taylor Swift concert which was Friday August 13th.

Jade, Melanie and I

(Not the most attractive picture as we took it of ourselves in the dark with my cell phone ha ha)

Melanie and especially Jade are big fans of Taylor's. I like some of her songs but wasn't familiar with all of them. Let me just say I was pleasantly surprised by Miss Taylor Swift...her concert R-O-C-K-E-D!!  

This is Jade as she first saw Taylor Swift come up out of the floor and onto the stage. She was smiling and clapping her hands. 

I was too busy watching Jades reaction that I missed seeing it all myself LOL! It was so fun to be there with her to see her react and be so excited.

Miss Taylor Swift did an amazing job! It was really neat how she did her concert and sang each song like a story. She acted them out along with all her dancers and it was really, really fun to watch.

She is one beautiful young lady. And it was so nice to be at a concert where it was all kept "clean" and family friendly so to speak...you know what I mean?! I was really impressed.

It was fun as we stayed over night and did some shopping the next day as well. It was nice to get away, just us girls!

Back to School!!

I was SO ready for my kids to go back to school. I was literally singing, "it's the most wonderful time of the  year" yesterday morning as I was getting their lunches made and getting them out the door for school :) My boys were laughing at me!

Cole is now in Grade 8

Tyson is in Grade 5

N.P. (foster son) is in Grade 1

and Brynley is home with Mom :)

They all came home from school with big smiles on their faces, which made me happy!

 

Cole was thrilled to have gotten all the classes he had wanted. So that is huge as his year is starting off on such a positive note.

 

Tyson really likes his new teacher Mrs. Petit. Plus he is super happy to FINALLY be in Grade 5 as they are the oldest kids in the school.

N.P. was a bit nervous his first day of Grade1 since it was all day long. But he loved it he said and he was looking forward to his second day today. Recess time is so fun and he said can't wait to be able to read.

As Kent and I were talking last night I was telling him how funny it is that now that the kids are back in school that for some reason I am STILL exhausted and I feel like I am even busier...how is that possible?! LOL

SO BEHIND!!

Just wanted to say I am still alive, just terribly behind with my blogging and I don't even know where to start. So I am just letting you know once school is back on and we are back into our routines I am hoping to get back into blogging again. Life is just flying by these days...is it for you too? So much has happened and there is a lot going on...as usual! So I will fill you in ASAP!!

Girls and Boys

So, guess what? 

I have come to a hard realization lately...my boys are growing up...and I can't stop it!! ha ha

This Summer we have had some girls that keep showing up at our house asking for Tyson. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like that girls are showing up at our door wanting to be with Tyson (who I might add is only 10 3/4 yrs old) and hang out with him!? They tell him they love him daily...seriously!! 

I was raised that it is NOT ok for a girl to call a boy, let alone show up on his door step giggling and asking his Mom for him!!! 

Am I wrong to feel this way? 

Don't get me wrong as I had a lot of "boys" that were just my friends growing up and that to me is different.  

My sweet boys and I

{{SIGH}}  

Ohhhhh, I am SOOOOO NOT ready for this stage in my boys lives!!

HELP ME!! 

LOL