Our week in review

Sunday- Cole made the treck back from Utah/California where he worked for his dad doing carpentry these past few weeks. Not what we expected to be doing with his Radiography degree, but it was a blessing none the less. We know Father in Heaven has something in store for us and we just have to be patient and persistant.

Monday- My Dad treated us to a Tommy Emmanuel concert at the Kimo theatre. It was incredible! You can look him up on U-tube. He plays the guitar like he has at least six hands. He plays the entire guitar, using not just the strings but the body for percussion. It was amazing.

Tuesday- I applied for a job working at a gym in the child care. It would be a huge blessing because I can take the babies with me and still have them around while I work.

Wednsday- Got a call back from the gym. Think I got the job. Also, Hyrum was "rocketshipping" off the couch and landed on the coffee table splitting his head open. We rushed him to urgent care and tonight he is as happy as can be with two staples in his head. Counting our blessings again that his injury was so minor.

Oh Deer!

My babies have a strange fear of deer stemming from this past February when we were traveling and one came through our windshield. They still believe the deer attacked us. When we discovered a male and female deer in my parents yard tonight they(the babies) were pretty nervous. But they still managed to pose with a smile. Afterward Hyrum said things like, "If that deer jump on my head I be really scared" and Shailee wisely told him, "We're safe in the house cause the doors are all locked." I wouldn't be suprised if they have nightmares tonight. In their minds these creatures are pretty ferocious. Hyrum kept questioning me about their teeth and their ability to bite us.

Wet War

My sister decided to put on this water balloon fight in my parents backyard (the site of most of our adventures this summer) It was pretty brutal but tons of fun. That's my sister in the picture above trying to command the troops. We have had some crazy fun with all eleven cousins together this summer.

Arts and crafts

We've been enjoying some time at my mom's house with cousins and wonderful Aunt Carrie. My brothers wife Carrie is so fun and thoughtful, she is always providing some type of great entertainment for the babies.

More on marriage

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Advice to my babies on marriage

Thinking about marriage tonight and how important it is for us to defend it even against our own selves. This is advice I would pass on to my babies if for some reason I'm not there down the road to give it here it is. Almost six years is not a lot of experience but I think I've learned some valuable things even if some have come the hard way. It helps to have an almost perfect husband too...

1. Give...you only get from a relationship what you give to it

2. Be Honest...This is one place hiding your real feelings is especially not helpful. You can't really hide it because it will come out, either through healthy communication or unhealthy explosion.

3. Have Charity...I don't mean having pity on your spouse. I mean loving him/her enough to care about his/her feelings even when they aren't "rational" to you or you don't fully understand. Caring how your spouse feels because more than anything you desire his/her happiness.

4. Forgive... even those of us with almost perfect spouses have to do this. Not forgiving is giving up. Forgiveness is also vital if you want your spouse to be honest.

5. Listen...I guess I would say pay attention as well because not all communication is verbal. Part of the joy of marriage is coming to know that person you share life with.

6. Share...Your time, your food, your jokes, your experiences, your burdens. It's a basic human need. That's what spouses are for. If you don't share with them you'll end up sharing somewhere else. Sad.

7. Work...Lots of hard work. You can't get lazy. Husbands need to court their wives. This means you need to keep impressing her too. Woman appreciate kindness, fatherhood, affection, and attention. Kiss her without expecting to get anything out of it for you. Compliment her genuinly, we see right through the fake stuff. Make her a priority. The more wanted a woman feels the more happy she is and thus the more happy her husband is. Wives need to attract their husbands, I don't mean staying the same size you were in high school (that's craziness), I mean beautifying your spirits and minds as well as looking descent whenever possible. I mean building yourselves up so you have something to give.

8. Have Faith...I don't think it's humanly possible to succeed in marriage. That is, It's only possible with divine intervention. Marriage has to be centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Have faith in Him and act on it. Have faith that He loves you and can show you how to be happy together. Turn to him in prayer together always.

Rainbows

Yesterday after a rainstorm my sister and I went to visit a friend who is losing her husband to cancer. She had just returned from the hospital with their two young children and she answered the door teary eyed as would be expected, but with a smile, " Did you see the rainbow? It's beautiful!" she said. " Heavenly Father is still giving me reasons to smile." and she hugged us both. I was amazed. She wasn't hiding her feelings or putting on a brave front, it was genuine, she was hopeful enough to recognize the love of God when she felt it. I had watched Shailee's face just twenty minutes earlier as she saw the same rainbow. She couldn't stop squeeling and laughing and enjoying it. I believe that our Father in Heaven allows us to mourn, he mourns with us, and he allows us to hurt, and he hurts with us, and then He asks us to open our eyes...hoping, trusting, and find the happiness he has provided, and he rejoices with us. How grateful I am for the freedom and hope that comes when I hand my life over to his will, knowing he loves me and he fully understands.