Personal Progress

I have started the Personal Progress program over again because I found I was lacking in my own personal progress. I have a number of goals and things I want to accomplish but just had not put them into action. I started the program over again this month. It is now open to all women in the church 12 years and over. Also, it's hard for me as a teacher to motivate the young women on the importance of the program and not making it part of a checklist when you're finished, if I myself am not actively involved. And so I have become actively involved in the program again. And I'm loving it! My goal is to finish the whole program again by the end of this year. I'm off to a good start, so we shall see. I hope I can also encourage the girls in my class to be motivated to finish theirs or to move on to the honor bee. And one of the coolest things - you can track your progress online now - you don't even need a personal progress book. Awesome!

I found after the deaths in the family last year that I was sinking into depression. I started gaining weight again and am back to unhealthy. I know I'm supposed to be happy for those who have passed on because this isn't the end and I'll see them again. But I miss them terribly and their loved ones are still suffering on this side. It's not as easy to get through as people think. I also felt guilty because I know the gospel - I have a very strong testimony - I know my dad is around because I feel him around on occasion - and I know he's happy. But I still get really sad sometimes. It is getting better with the passing of time, but every now and then reality hits and I realize he really is gone and I won't be seeing or speaking with him again for a long time. I still worry about my brother and his wife all the time too because of their losses. I'm sure time is healing them as well but time only softens it doesn't stop the pain.

Anyway, I've realized I really need to get out of that sadness and move on because I know my dad would want me to and so does my Heavenly Father. And so I have started. I love feeling closer to Heavenly Father, studying the scriptures, doing more with my family. It is what makes me the happiest. I still have my days, but they are getting fewer and fewer and I'm finding I laugh a lot more often than I used to. Things are looking up.

Quotes

I saw a quote today that was nice - I liked it. It said, "God's NO is not a 'rejection'. It's a redirection." So true. I didn't want so many of my family members to die all at once - at all - but it happened. I have learned lots from the experience, have become closer to my family, have a better understanding of people in my family, and have a greater understanding and appreciation for the atonement of Jesus Christ. Sometimes in our darkest and most difficult moments we find our strength; we grow; we progress; we come back stronger than we were before.

"No's" aren't my favorite, but I am grateful for what I learn from them - even if it hurts a little - because I know the hurt will pass.

Busy, busy, busy...

It has been a super busy year so far and it's still at the beginning! Crazy!! I have not blogged in a while and lots has happened so I'll see if I can catch up a little.

I just changed out all the pictures of Jared's art work in that section of our website for all new ones - there's over 200, I think, in there now. He has been drawing a lot more often and just whips them out like his hands are on fire. He comes home with 10-20 drawings daily from school and adds about that many more to his day in the evening. So, trying to keep up with photos of them and posting them has presented quite a challenge for me. Anyway, they're up and I'll change them out more often.

Becky has had 4 new additions to her bottle caps collection which have been added to the bottle caps section of our website. We are looking forward to summer when we can go out hunting for more!

Jared has started baseball season again. So much fun! He is on the Cubs team this year and he likes it and looks forward to the games. We're making progress - hooray!


Becky just completed a project at school on 'water survival' - the dos and don'ts in water to keep you from drowning - and she got an A+. This week, for her book report she had to make a movie trailer about her book. It turned out great! If I can figure out how to put it on here I will.


Emma is definitely one of a kind! She just had her third birthday last month and is as independent as ever! She has a wonderful imagination and makes us laugh all the time! She just recently decided that she liked the song 'Following the Leader' on Peter Pan but didn't know the words so she made up her own. When the chorus says, "Tee dum, tee dee, a teedle ee do tee dum", Emma says, "To dee to blop, a dee a dee a blop". We love it! She probably gets sick of us asking her to sing it over and over again, but it's just so cute!! I'm going to post a video of her singing (again if I can figure out how).





My girls decided they needed crowns the other day so we made some fun crowns and they dressed up as princesses and queens. It all started with needing a crown for King Lee - Becky's newest addition to her stuffed animal collection.


School will soon be out! I am really looking forward to summer break and warm weather!!