I have been spending countless hours moving soil, digging holes, moving rocks, researching and purchasing lovely deer-proof flowers, shrubs and trees. I’m exhausted, my neglected house is a mess, the yard is far from done and was feeling pretty much tired of the whole project…until a friend of mine shared this quote with me that I love!

“Progress, and improve upon and make beautiful everything around you. Cultivate the earth, and cultivate your minds. Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations. In the mean time continually seek to adorn your minds with all the graces of the Spirit of Christ.

The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you.” – Brigham Young

I’m feeling pretty grateful for the chance I have to create beauty. I’m also really grateful for good friends who life me up and keep me going!

Get the rusty cogs turning…dust off the blogging skills…

I’m back! I used to love, even crave the time I had to write. It is amazing how easily we get out of the habit of things. (I’m wondering how it is so easy to get out of the habit of doing good things but so hard to kick the habit of bad things – like sugar) So, here I am. I have so much I could write about. In August I started a pretty regular freelance job doing design. I like the people I work with, and the challenge. The money is nice too. I enjoy the positive feedback and the flexibility of working from home. What I don’t like having other people’s projects hanging over me though when I have enough of my own waiting to be done!!!

The kids are doing well in school. Sam thinks he may have pulled his first 4.0 ever and is pretty excited about it. He is also 6’1″ and still growing (He might be MOST excited about that!). He is having an incredible cross country season as the undefeated champion. Now he is trying to compete against himself to beat his own time. Anna decided to keep going with Irish dance and is loving it though she wishes she could do other kinds of dance as well as Irish. She is also playing soccer and really likes that. Her games are most entertaining. As for school, after a rocky beginning in first grade with a teacher she didn’t really like she seems to be settled in and content (if not resigned). Sadly, the teacher looks a little like Mrs. Van Frank, my evil 6th grade teacher who asked my mom in a parent teacher conference, “How can you stand to be her mother?” Anna’s teacher may look like my evil teacher but that is where the similarity ends. She is actually very nice. Lizzie is blossoming in to such an amazing girl with wonderful talents and an astonishing desire for good. She is trying not to be so exclusive with her group of friends. She also has quite a flair for satirical cartooning which I hope to put some of her samples up soon. William is thriving in his club soccer league but realized that maybe raw talent isn’t enough since he isn’t the only hotshot on the team this year like he has been in the past. He is loving school and enjoying his musical pursuits in piano and violin. His epilepsy seems to be somewhat under control. He has about one seizure a month while he is sleeping. We are feeling pretty lucky.

Grant was released from his calling as bishop of our church congregation on September 4th. We have enjoyed a little more time together and although I think he misses the sweet associations he had with ward members and other priesthood leaders, I think he feels like the heavy burden of responsibility that he has carried these past 5 1/2 years has been lifted. I enjoy sitting with him at church again and having him around on Sunday since he is no longer in meetings all day! Things at the school are going well too. We acquired the land (27 acres) through generous donations for the eventual expansion that will include a separate high school building, performing arts center and sports complex. We are all excited for that and wish it could be done now!

I am going to end this little update with a picture for the season. I texted this to Grant with the caption: “Even the produce we grow loves to snuggle.”

I’m not really done. I wanted to record a wonderful talk I read today entitled “Forgiving Oneself” by Elder Chad Richardson. I found it while doing a little study on forgiveness. Read it here. This is my favorite part:

“We must keep sin in its proper perspective. Satan would convince us that we are defined by our sins… He would convince someone who has stolen that he is and always will be a thief.

The Savior, in contrast, would have us understand that we have sins that need to be cleansed, but we are much more than those stains. If I spill ketchup on my shirt, I have a stain. Perhaps it is right in front where everyone can see it. But while I have a stain, I am not the stain. I need to recognize that there is a good deal of my shirt that is clean and white. I believe that God sees the white shirt—the goodness in His children—and offers, through Christ, to remove the stains. If we obsess about the stain, however, it will become who we are in our minds and then in our actions.”