Mother's Day or Daughter of God Day!

So this year's Mother's Day was a little bit harder than usual, but I wanted it to be a good day, so I renamed it Daughter of God Day!

We are all Daughters of God and I wanted to show my Young Women how much I loved and appreciated them. Along with my mom, Matt's mom, and our Grandma.

We dipped strawberries on Saturday Night. Lots of them. I want to drizzle "black" chocolate of the brown chocolate. We didn't have any dark chocolate, so I thought I could use food coloring to make the medium colored chocolate black. Well it didn't work. It turned the chocolate and ugly green and also made the chocolate to work the right consistency. (Matt told me on the instructions, not to add any moisture. I didn't listen very well.)

We gave our Moms' a plate or chocolate covered strawberries and Grandma a Pansie. Grandma said chocolate ruins the strawberries. (Good thing, we gave her a plant. Love you, Gram!)

I gave the Young Women the following scripture and a Chocolate Covered Strawberry after the lesson.

Proverbs 31:10


10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. (Or Chocolate Covered Strawberries)

Matt eating one of the "Green Chocolate" covered Strawberries

Aren't they beautiful...and they taste great too!

If you look really hard, you can see "Green Chocolate" Covered Strawberries. 

Happy Daughter of God Day to every Young Woman (yes, I mean you!)

BABY Blanket

One of my Young Women advisors is going to have a baby boy and I couldn't think of anything for the young women to make for a boy, so I decided they could tie a baby quilt.

So I got the task of making the quilt, I kept putting off making for a couple of weeks. Well the day was getting closer and closer to tie the quilt, so I finally buckled down and did it.

I cut out all the squares and figured out a pattern. My mother-in-law helped me pin and iron as I sewed. Thanks, Ma! Well we started about 5:30pm and ended at 10:30pm. The longest part was the backing for the blanket - buying it, washing it, and waiting for it to dry. But it got finished.

The Young Women tied some of the quilt, but we ran out of time, but it is complete and we will be giving it to the advisor this Sunday. What a great Mother's Day present!

The things you learn after Young Womens

It is amazing the things I have been learning in Young Womens.

Patience is a key that if you haven't learned yet, you will...teenagers equal DRAMA. (Just because I am an adult and out of high school doesn't mean I get to miss the High School/Junior High drama! :-)

Planning and organize help too!

Sewing skills are essential, especially if you want to try and make 15 skirts with Young Women, who don't really know how to use a sewing machine, let alone stay calm enough to listen to the instructions. Thanks to my mom and mother-in-law for coming to the rescue with this crazy activity.

May We Have GRATITUDE

This was the subject of the lesson that I taught to the Young Women on May 1st.

 I never would have guessed that I would need the lesson so much in my own life, just days from having taught it.

So many don't know, but in February we were picked by a birthmom get her baby. This happened on Tuesday, February 7th. The next day, we found out that we were going to moving into a 3 bedroom townhouse, directly adjacent to our 2 bedroom town house. We were thrilled, thinking things are looking up now. So we did get to move into our new place, but the birthmom backed out of the adoption.

This has weighed on my mind for the last couple of months, thinking that it wasn't meant to be, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH! (I hate this saying by the way) But with Mother's Day tomorrow and the birthmom having been due Mid-May,  it makes me think that I could have been an actual mom on Mother's Day.

So in trying to apply the lesson from Sunday that I taught my Young Women, I am greatful for what I do have and the blessings that I have been given and the trials (waiting for a baby and Matt trying to find a job in his field of study) that Matt and I get to learn together.

It is amazing the map we set for our lives in our head and what actually happens in reality.

MAY - I have Gratitude for the month of MAY and forever.

A poem sent by a friend (Turkey) to warm my heart!

I received the poem below in an email from my friend, Turkey.

Turkey - Thank you for sending this poem. It made me cry and when I need comfort, I go back and read it. Especially lately, lots of babies are on their way to wonderful mothers that we know. But as the poem says, Matt's and mine, will be delivered through a special carrier of our very own.


It's called "Just the Same" by Diana Lynn Lacey

Sometimes---
God sends rain straight from the sky to nourish the young flower and it grows.

Sometimes---
God sends rain from the sky to the mountaintops, then over hills and through valleys until it reaches the flower and it grows, just the same.

Sometimes---
God sends a child straight from His realm into a mother's arms and love grows.

Sometimes---
God sends a child from heaven to another's arms, then over hills and through valleys until he reaches the arms of his mother and love grows, just the same.



***Our dear precious little one that we don't know yet, we think of you often, pray for you often, and we wait for the day you will be in our arms and we will call you OUR own!***

A little Tatter Baby of our own!

Easter fun with the Elswoods

We spent the Saturday before Easter with our best friends the Elswoods. David and Kristen with our adopt-a-kids, Gracie, Katie, and Parker.

Matt went up early on Saturday to build a suprise for the girls. A house for the sand box. This house has a door bell and a window that slides. The girls had no idea about the house. Matt and I gave them some bubbles and we asked if they wanted to go outside and blow them. So outside we went and they didn't even notice the house for a little bit as they were so intent on getting the bubbles open.

Well Katie finally noticed the house. Here are some of the fun surprise:

After the fun with the new house, we ate dinner, and then colored Easter Eggs. Matt and David help Gracie and Katie color the eggs, while I got to write on the eggs before we colored them. Here is our fun!

 I wrote all of our names on the eggs. Some turned out better than others. Matt and I got our pictures taken with our adopt-a-girls. Thanks David and Kristen for letting us be part of the family. We love you and the girls, and Parker (who was in bed), so much! You are our family!

 Matt and I posed for a couple of pictures with our Eggs. Thanks David for taking our Photos!

To document the occasion on me spelling Kristin's name wrong. I do have an excuse though, a lousy one, but I have an excuse. I wasn't feeling the best and I work with a Kristen at work and always have to change her spelling because I spell it Kristin's way. So David took the opportunity to document my mistake. I get a reminder every couple of years how to spell Kristin's name correctly. Love you KristIn. :-)

Proud to be an American!

I took this picture some time ago on my cell phone. It captured a beautiful sunset and our American Flags blowing in the breeze. I am so thankful for the country we have to live in and for the people who fight for our freedom.

Recently one of my closest and long time friends, Brian, came back from fighting oversees. I am glad he is back safe. Thank you to all that serve for our Country!