TANK

 The boys pulled up a seat and watched the tank be delivered yesterday. I think it was their favorite form of entertainment all week. 

MONDAY MORNING

 On Monday I got the opportunity to go and spend time at the Provo Temple. It is the most peaceful sacred place. I enjoyed reading my scriptures and pondering my relationship with my sweet Sierra. We have our struggles on occasions. I want us to be close. 

This scripture came to mind. It is found in the Book of Mormon in Mosiah chapter four...

14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.

15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.

The thought came to me in the temple that I need to teach her to serve others by serving her and encouraging her to serve others. My next rebellious thought was, "What don't I do for her? I serve her constantly but she doesn't recognize how much I do for. She isn't grateful. I don't know what more I can do. What more can I do?" I know that my thoughts were a little cantankerous. We are all human and it is okay to search these things through in our mind, as long as we end questioning instead of blaming others or ourselves. If we end with a question, the spirit can then teach us. I thought I can help her with her horse. I can work along side her to scoop poop. I can have her be a secret friend to her brothers and set up play places in the house for them to wake up to, like a masking tape car track. Doing that once a week would help her develop a better relationship with them.  We will finish those two things and then I will ask my Heavenly Father what more I can do.Relationship take work, time and the spirit, but what other thing in life is more worthy of our efforts.

This little boy spent hours cutting leaves and letting the dog follow him around. 

Miss Lillie, don't you think she would fit in our family nicely? I think I will steal her and keep her. 

BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY

 We always talk about traditions like they are some grand event, but my favorite family tradition is going to church every Sunday and afterwards enjoying a nice meal together. It fills my soul. When James got back from church Sarge, the dog, jumped all over him and licked his face. He said, "Calm down buddy, calm down. I missed you too." It made me smile. 

  

Aren't these babies the cutest? We miss them when we are away.

All heart eyes for this new couple.

BRUCE SORENSEN's FUNERAL

Well, because I stole these pictures from everywhere, they are not formatting correctly or staying the proper order, sigh. Brother Sorensen's funeral was so beautiful. Several of his grand children got up and played, "If I could hie to Kolob" on the violin. It was so beautiful. Nate mentioned that he couldn't believe so much talent existed in one family. Watching his sweet grandchildren morn his loss really brought back a lot of memories of when my grandpa passed, he was such a great man too.

During the funeral one of his children shared about when Brother Sorensen was asked to speak at a Presidential Address to the Congress of NueroSurgeons he entitled his address "Physicians Heal Thyselves."  These words are from the mouth of the Savior. To give such a bold talk in front of such a diverse audience takes so much courage. I pray my children will grow up and be so courageous. I am grateful that such a man was Nate's mission president and that he admires him and looks up to him. It would be worth your time to go and read it.

After the funeral Nate and I went out to lunch at Red Robin with all of the missionaries he knew from his mission. It was so fun to hear them talk and laugh. You could definitely tell with such a jovial bunch that they didn't just preach the gospel they had fun doing it. Mary Ann Ivory one of the sisters who served with Nate passed along a few pictures of him from the mission. Why does he have to make that face?

COWBOY KITCHEN

I got the septic system pumped. I was finally able to do laundry and the dishes and take a shower but I was lazy. I kept putting off the laundry. Well, the man who is helping us fix our septic severed the line from the house to to our tank. Oops. Seriously? I wasn't mad. The pipe was made out of paper, literally, and was crumbling. It wasn't his fault. Since nothing was going right here, I decided to go see my parents for the weekend. I packed the kids up and headed home. Nate's mission president's funeral was this weekend. He wanted to go to Utah anyway. Nate encouraged us to stop by at the Cowboy Kitchen in Wellington. The wait was terribly long but the fries were some of the best I have ever eaten and I have a serious weakness for french fries. It made me forget all about the septic, for a minute.

MAY MY MESS come to an END

I am praying that this mess will be done in ten days. This project has been hanging over my head since, really, last October. I should have taken care of it months ago. Procrastination is a real monster. Procrastination has cost me a thousand dollars. Procrastination has caused me a whole lot of anxiety. You see those three holes in my yard, my children could drowned in any one of them at any moment. Procrastination has cost me friendships that could have deepened. I refused to let anyone play at my house for fear they will drowned and the smell in my yard has been real pungent. My children had no friends over at all this summer, except Sierra, because her friends are old enough to avoid the holes. Procrastination has cost me missionary opportunities. We committed this yard to barbecues and potlucks with neighbors and friends. We didn't do any of it. 

Why did I procrastinate? Because the first bid to fix it came in at 30,000. I wanted to cry. We finally found a few people willing to do it for 20,000. It was still so much money. I wanted Nate to say, "I'll take care of it." I knew in my heart he wasn't going to. He has been so busy at work. He has been very overwhelmed with life. Finally, I spent some time really praying. I knew I had this mess on my hands and I needed help. I should have prayed earlier. When I finally asked, He answered my prayers. I had all of these miracles happen in one day. I found a place to order the supplies. I found a place to order the concrete sand and gravel we need for the project. I found someone to order the tank from. Then the greatest miracle. My friend Lily suggested I call a man she knows well. He owns a backhoe. He could help me get the septic system into the ground. I knew this contact was a miracle when he looked at the engineered plans on my septic and asked me why the engineer did certain things. He me if the engineer fixed them it would save me money. I did and it saved me two thousand dollars. Now, it is just a matter of getting it done. I think I will be able to now do the system for 10,000, which is a far cry better than what I had originally thought. Oh, I can't wait to have this monkey off my back. 

Two days ago, the septic system filled again. We have to have it pumped before we can run anything down the drain. The toilet, the tub, the dishes, the laundry, everything is on hold. At first I was upset because it was going to cost me another 300, but then when I called every company in town and they are all a week out from being able to pump my tank. I was so desperate. I could be brave like my mother and live with a bucket for ten days, but I don't think I am brave and neither is my husband. I finally found someone to come out this morning. I am hoping they show. I pooped on a bucket today. I am too afraid to leave the house for fear I will miss the septic people and in desperate need of relief, so there you have it. Sometimes life stinks, but do you know what stinks more.. procrastination people. I could have saved myself from pooping on a bucket and a lot of other uncomfortable situations if I just hadn't used the p word in my life. It's a monster. Avoid it! :)

BUSY

I forgot my camera, so I used my phone, which I hate doing but I guess it will teach me not to forget my camera. Madison really wanted to go to her school carnival. I left Sierra with the boys and took her. We just went together. We were done in an hour and I know she enjoyed the one on one time with me. School is such a big part of my girls lives. I hardly walk into the school, not because I don't want to but because it would turn the school into a zoo to bring my boys there. It always warms my heart when we attend an event and all the teachers know my daughter's name. She is obedient and quiet and sometimes that gets overlooked but they notice her.

I left the three youngest with a babysitter and went over to the church for mutual with Sierra. We played a couple of relay games. It was a lot of fun. I know Sierra had a blast. She is participating in church volleyball. She loves it. She is starting to find herself in this new phase of life and am happy to see her growth.  

COOKIES FOR THE CARNIVAL

 Madison's class was suppose to bring in a treat for her school carnival. She asked if we could make something. I usually say no. This time I said, "Yes, you can make cookies while I clean the kitchen." She was really excited to make them and I am pretty sure they were the best cookies we have ever made. She was so happy to be cooking.

James was crying because Madison told him the cookies weren't for him they were for her carnival.

APPLES and SUNSHINE

 These boys are such a gift. They keep me busy all day. I love them to pieces. Lately, I have been encouraging them to practice being good brothers. I tell them they are both going to be big brothers and they have to be really nice to their baby brother. It takes practice to be nice. They argue a lot but there are magical moments when they get along so perfectly. James, went and got Max an apple from the fridge and he said, "Mom, aren't I being the best big brother? I got Asha an Apple." I said, "Yes, you are the best big brother. They laid in the sunshine and ate apples together. I thought they were adorable.