Moving on.......

Note:  I found this unfinished draft in my files and decided to post it unfinished  enjoy

A little light is moving out of my life. Megan is finishing up her year of lasts. Last year in High School, Halloween with the family, last church dance and many more. She is growing up and moving on. I would laugh when I would see those Take your kid to College commercials with the mother crying. But, it is just like that.

Even worse.


My Friend told me "Home is never home again. They will come for a visit, but their life if elsewhere." I thought "Maybe for you.....my kids really love ME!"

But, it has already happened with my other daughter Tasha.

But, I am excited for her. To grow in so many ways that are so important I will not trivilize them by listing them. The best is ahead for her. I cannot wait to see the woman she will become.

I will just miss the amazing light these two brought to my days.....

Nothing can replace a sister.

Another unfinished draft I found in my files from 2010 I think.  I wanted to post it unfinished




Yesterday we had The Mitchels and the Halls over to play. That was 7 children running all over the house and yard. There were laughter and tears, battles and harmony. It was a great day!!

Today Megan asked me why I was having another group over to play today.

Good question.

I was thinking about it as I sat listening to 6 children playing Mr. Potato in the Bonus room. Why do I host so many playdates for James? A lot of effort and cleanup goes into these adventures. It might be easier to just turn on the T.V. and take a break once and a while.

So I made a list of reasons:
To develop his social skills.

To keep him stimulated.

To hear the laughter of children.

To socially network.

To help him learn to cooperate
with a group.




But, perhaps most of all to help him miss his sister Tasha a tiny bit less. At the end of the day he still wants to tell her of all his adventures and sorrows. No matter what nothing can replace the deep love he has for his sister.

Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister

---Alice Walker

My Turn

My Turn

About 3 years ago my first and oldest daughter Natasha wrote this blog post that melted my heart.
http://tashamoon.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/i-love-my-mother/

   For Christmas that year she asked what I wanted for Christmas and I said "Just that Blogpost framed so that I can read it on my bad days."  It hangs framed and dusty by my bathroom mirror and has helped me through some of the hardest times in my life.

   Like other mothers I wonder if I am doing it right.  I question myself daily.  Sometimes my family is hard on me and sometimes I feel the judgement of the world.  Tasha helped me see the good in myself I did not see.

Since the day she wrote the post I have tried to write one about her in return.  I am no where the Blogger that she is, but I wanted her to have the some kind of reference to the fantastic person she has always been.  So now it is my turn.

My Daughter, my Teacher

    When I think of my daughter Tasha the scripture that often comes into my mind is Matthew 5:14 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."  She has truly been a light in  my life in so many ways.  I do not know what I did in the Premortal life to qualify me as a  Mother for such an amazing girl. 

    Tasha is a light in much of what she does and says.  She has a tremendous understanding of the Gospel and has guided me at times with her insight and is humble enough to seek mine.  Tasha has always been a beautiful example of dressing modestly.  She has a gift and a love for little children especially her brother. I love when she takes to time to talk to James about the Gospel.  Sometimes he shares with me the things she has said and I know she has a great impact on him. When Tasha sings it is with the beauty of an angel and her testimony always shines through.  She sings to bear testimony of the Savior and the Gospel not to glorify herself.

  Tasha has blessed our lives with two young men that David and I love as sons.  The first one was her best friend in High School who remains a strength and example to our family.  The Second is her fantastic husband that we are amazed by everyday.  I know Tasha will be an inspired  mother and Brandon will be a careful loving father.  Their goodness brings us such joy.

  Tasha has a unwavering obedience to the Lord  that inspires others to be better.  She is humble enough to know she has flaws and involves the Lord in overcoming them.  She has been open about her struggle with depression and has strengthened many in the process.   I have been so proud of her brave struggle with this terrible episode.  She is coming out of this depression with greater strength than ever before.   Just when I didn't think she could get better as a person the Lord found a way to give her a trial to make her even stronger. 


 Sometimes we teach our children about life and sometimes they teach us.  I am so blessed as a mother to share a life with a daughter who always stands for truth and righteousness  even when she has to stand alone.  One of my greatest blessings in life is to know that I get to be her mom forever.

  I love you Tasha you are everything a mother could ask for.

I love to see the Temple

Friday I was at the Temple for many hours. I served in the Youth Center where a family had a deceased baby boy sealed to them. The living children were an 11-year old girl and a 8-year old boy. When we finally took them to the sealing room to meet their parents, the children had been waiting almost two hours. As I saw the faces of the Family as they embraced, I realized they had been waiting much longer for this special moment to come. I started to cry. When I try to hold back the tears it looks really ugly.....which I know my family can understand because they all have this same issue when they are touched by the spirit.

It is funny how you can see and feel the love of a family you have just met. I was impressed by how very much the love this family had for each other was amplified by the Sealing power in the Temple. I choose not to go in the sealing room to watch the sealing because I was having a hard time already. As it turns out, it was a good thing I waited outside the Sealing room because every person coming out of there was crying. I heard the Sealing was wonderful and powerful.

Then we had a Stake Chapel Session followed by Stake Temple Session. Total I was in the Temple 6-7 hours that Friday.

I could write a really long blog on all the inspiration and strength I receive in the Temple however it is time to get back to the job of being a mom. In short I will quote someone who has said it much better than I. I testify of the truth of his statement and the happiness it brings.

"There exists a righteous unity between the temple and the home. Understanding the eternal nature of the temple will draw you to your family. understanding the eternal nature of the family will draw you to the temple."---Gary E. Stevenson

and that is all I could ever need in my life.

Overcoming

At any point in time in my life there is always something I am working on. Sometimes it is helping another family member through hard times, mostly it is forsaking my own weaknesses. Right now I am reading Spencer W. Kimball's "The Miracle of Forgiveness" I read this book many times when I was young. I have my husband's copy from his youth and I am enjoying seeing the highlighted parts he felt were important. There are two things that have hit me really hard from my reading.




1."It seems that evil is always about us. It has been speculated by one of the earlier Brethren that there are hundreds of evil spirits working against each of us."

David and I have talked about this. I believe it was him who said "The Adversary does not need our permission to work on us, but, we need to ask the Lord for help to overcome." I love that.


2. "Perfection really comes through overcoming."

That is what we are here to do. It is what we aspire to help others do. It is why we should rejoice when we repent of our sins, and not keep bringing them up.


I am so grateful I get to learn new things everyday! I am so grateful for a husband I get to discuss these eternal truths with.

I know if I continue to ask the Lord I can continue to overcome and as I do that I can help others to overcome as well.


"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."--Romans 2:13

The hope of something more.

Summer is almost over....
I can feel it coming to an end. My middle child is leaving for College in days and it will just be the three of us. It is like a return to the beginning when Tasha was first born and it was just us three.


Many wonderful things come in threes. The Three Bears. The Three Little Pigs. The Three Wise men. Three is a magic number.

So many wonderful things are ahead of us. My daughters are growing to become incredible women in so many wonderful ways, David and I are spending more time together, James is getting more attention.
















Thank goodness for eternity.

Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet--Vietnamese Proverb

"Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister."---Alice

Walker



Tasha is the person James wants to call at the end of a rough day and tell his troubles to. She always listens to his daily musings. She explains things of an eternal nature to him.






James big goal this summer was to learn how to surf. His sister Megan has been patiently taking him out in the mornings. It is sweet to see them both soaking up their last moments together before she takes off for College in the fall. He looks to her for guidance.


"To help one another, is part of the religion of Sisterhood."---Louisa May Alcott





I enjoy the beauty of my children's relationships. I gain such insight from their love for one another.



"The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never even introduce yourself to, had life not done it for you." ----Hailey Kendall