Because the sun is shining today

and the wind is blowing a lot kinder than it was last night, I am going to share some things.

This is my mr. and little mr. j, recently blowing out the candles on one of their birthday cakes.  Can you guess which one?  (Hint: look at the smoke--it makes me laugh--we had to open the windows.)

These are all the fourth graders lined up to stake their claim at the annual Land Run at our school.

Little mr. b and two awesome friends did some stratigerizing and got that prime stake right in front.  I was so proud and then we sat down and ate our picnic lunch.

For more information on the Oklahoma Land Run, watch this:

and fyi-if my dog was a horse, it would be Tom Cruise's and if I punched her, it would break my hand and there were no big accidents today like on this video, I did see one child in a red shirt take a tumble, and the red head Nora and her husband are Sooners. Oh, and no fourth graders were shot, thank goodness.

This is miss s, who is getting a lot of that beautiful hair cut off tomorrow.  If you had that hair, would you cut it off?  I wouldn't.  I question her thinking.

This is miss h, who has awesome style and probably will be very mad at me for putting this picture in.

This is mr b playing soccer.  Guess which one he is.

And now, because I am feeling brave, this is

my camera.

Aren't you glad you've seen it?

And now I am off on a date with my mr. because we are old and have wonderful teenagers at home, who are kind enough to care for their younger siblings.  We are blessed.

And, if you didn't read today's earlier post, please do.

I wrote it a couple of weeks ago, put a post-dated publish on it and forgot all about it until a beautiful comment showed up in my email.

Then I remembered it.

Please go read it and leave an idea.

Ideas are good and I'd like to stretch my brain.

And---THANK YOU BECKY FOR YOUR KIND WORDS!

I will be addressing them soon.

(And, you should read Becky's comment, it makes me look --Oh, so good.)

(Tomorrow or the next day I'll tell you another story that happened today that will make me look---Oh, so bad.)

Be on the look out.

Boomer --  Sooner!

Bye.

What do you want to know?

Alright-here's a question for you.
What do you want to know?

Maybe I know.
Maybe I can find the answer.

So, what is vexing your versing?

Big Life Lesson

This one's a doosey.
I learned it early in life.
I used to not like it.
I have accepted it.
And I am at peace.

Life is not fair.

It never has been & probably never will be.
All one can do is deal with it.

Sunday School

Today I learned (again) that even though I am wiped out, I really shouldn't take long naps because then I will be wired at bedtime. Will I use this wisdom in the future?  I don't think so.

Really, it was a great Sunday.
Great talks in Sacrament meeting and then I got to substitute in mr. b's Primary class.  After that, a great Relief Society lesson.

In Primary, the lesson used the story of Jacob and Esau to teach how our values effect our choices (and although is didn't state it--the consequences of our choices).  Esau sold his birthright for some dinner.  He must have been really hungry.  Satisfying hunger = temorary value, keeping birthright = eternal value.
We make choices everyday.  I think I'm going to think more about where my choices are coming from this week.

In Relief Society, out lesson came from a general conference talk given last Novemeber by Elder D. Todd Christofferson.  When I read it last night (woo hoo-I actually read the lesson in advance for once), it struck me to be so very, very spot on for the times our nation is going through right this moment. And-it seemed to fit right in with Jacob & Esau.

You can find the full text of the address here.
Here are the parts that stuck out to me:

The societies in which many of us live have for more than a generation failed to foster moral discipline. They have taught that truth is relative and that everyone decides for himself or herself what is right. Concepts such as sin and wrong have been condemned as “value judgments.” As the Lord describes it, “Every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god” (D&C 1:16).


As a consequence, self-discipline has eroded and societies are left to try to maintain order and civility by compulsion. The lack of internal control by individuals breeds external control by governments. One columnist observed that “gentlemanly behavior [for example, once] protected women from coarse behavior. Today, we expect sexual harassment laws to restrain coarse behavior. …

“Policemen and laws can never replace customs, traditions and moral values as a means for regulating human behavior. At best, the police and criminal justice system are the last desperate line of defense for a civilized society. Our increased reliance on laws to regulate behavior is a measure of how uncivilized we’ve become.”2
                                
I have heard a few parents state that they don’t want to impose the gospel on their children but want them to make up their own minds about what they will believe and follow. They think that in this way they are allowing children to exercise their agency. What they forget is that the intelligent use of agency requires knowledge of the truth, of things as they really are (see D&C 93:24). Without that, young people can hardly be expected to understand and evaluate the alternatives that come before them. Parents should consider how the adversary approaches their children. He and his followers are not promoting objectivity but are vigorous, multimedia advocates of sin and selfishness.
                               
We cannot presume that the future will resemble the past—that things and patterns we have relied upon economically, politically, socially will remain as they have been. Perhaps our moral discipline, if we will cultivate it, will have an influence for good and inspire others to pursue the same course. We may thereby have an impact on future trends and events. At a minimum, moral discipline will be of immense help to us as we deal with whatever stresses and challenges may come in a disintegrating society.
                               
Then he tells us that "We will be fortified in the moral discipline needed to walk uprightly before the Lord and be at one with Him and the Father."

What an inspiring message.  There is right and wrong.  It is good to stand up for what is right. It is good to know we will be "fortified."

But the things he said that stood out to me the most were:
Societies will struggle in vain to establish the common good until sin is denounced as sin and moral discipline takes its place in the pantheon of civic virtues.5

We must declare the essential need to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before Him in soberness, or in other words, with reverence. Each must be persuaded that service and sacrifice for the well-being and happiness of others are far superior to making one’s own comfort and possessions the highest priority.


What choices are we making, showing what we value
Someday, everyone will have what they need.  Everyone will be taken care of.  We just aren't ready for it yet.  
We need to get there ourselves, not have it forced.

How's that for a little politics thrown into Sunday School?

A Perfectly Natural Thing to Do

Find this "child's favorite chair" here.

While out and about today, I saw something funny.

And I think you will get a chuckle out of it, too.

After shopping at a deptarment store that sells chocolate milk, yet-not the dreaded WM, I was unloading the new supplies in the back of my vehicle and as habit has it, I was surveying the area.

(I like to know what's going on around me.)

A row over, with it's open hatch facing me, was parked a mini SUV.

A little girl, probably 4 or 5 was standing inside the back. She pulled down her bottoms and sat on something.

Quickly, I looked away.

And giggled.

Because, I haven't a qualm about public restrooms, but baring it all in public is truly a brave concept to me.

That child will probably never have stage fright.

And then I thought about the consequences of having a full potty in the back of my vehicle with all my new supplies.

Eww, yuck.

But then I found this:

Find a portapotty here.

I hope they had one of these.

And then. because I found this very funny, you must see:

Find the Peter Potty here. 

Today I am thankful that my children will use public restrooms or trees.
That is all.

(Except this--If you'd like to read about toilet training at our house, click here. It's long & not so funny, but there is a funny picture at the top and it works.)

Monday, Monday on Thursday

Monday my high school driver came home from school early feeling ill.

Monday I went to the gym, bought dog food & ran another errand that I can't remember.
We did mr. j's "learning" and loads of laundry.
Then little mr. j and I finished planting the rest of the petunias that didn't get planted Friday because it started raining.

So, tired and proud of my work, I got in the shower to prepare for the chaos that comes after 3:30pm on weekdays.
And as I step out of the shower, the phone rings.

"Mom, are you going to pick me up?"
And my missions accomplished pride quickly deflated.
Out of all I did, I forgot one very important "to do."
Naked me said, "I'll be right there."
I forgot that I needed to pick up my other high school daughter, who does not drive.
Monday, Monday.
I'm just glad I remembered to get dressed before stepping out to get her.

The Dog (part 2)

Talk of the dog not being part of our family has gone by the wayside, much to the relief of two young people living at our house. (You might not have even known that talk was going on, but it was.)

A friend came over and said, "Your dog feels ostracized."

Oh, the enlightenment. 

So, certain children have been paying her more attention and it looks like it is working.

Thank goodness.

Her, the dog's not my friend's, behavior has really improved with the attention now being given.

I guess this dog's a lot like me. 

Ok for awhile, but if ignored for too long goes a bit crazy.

So, don't feel obligated, but it's ok if you leave comments on this thing sometimes. 
Just a little "hi" or something's great. 
I know there are a couple of you reading out there.
Sometimes I just feel a little alone.

Me, the bad mom

Item can be found here. (We totally didn't pay that stated price.)

Some days, I just don't do a good job at being a mom.
For example:
A couple of evenings ago, I took little mr. j out on a shopping excursion, because he was in need of some new shoes. Whilst at the shopping emporium, I remembered an event he was scheduled to attend in two days. A big event. A birthday party for a friend.

So proud of remembering, I said, "Hey, let's go get a gift for your friend."
He was so precious trolling the toy isles. He decided on an awesome car related gift (of course). And he proceeded to carry the thing all around for the rest of our shopping trip. And home.

He also stated that he really, really wanted one of these things.

When we got home, he wanted to immediately show his dad the prize.
He went in and I brought all our "stuff" in. (Because when one is shoe shopping at such a vast emporium, it is really easy to remember all the things one has forgotten one "needs".)

On my last load in, I see the child's father sitting at the dining table taking all the little parts out of the plastic packaging. The wonderful mother/wife in me said, "What are you doing? That's a gift for the birthday boy not for little mr. j."

And not missing a beat or a chance to shift the blame, my mr. said, "little mr. j opened it, I'm just taking the pieces out." My mr. does not like being around an upset mrs.

Poor little mr. j, he had no idea why I was upset. I asked him to sit at the table and wait for me while I finished up the stuff.

A few seconds later, my mr. came and said to me, "You need to hear this."
I went to little mr. j and asked him why he opened the package. He preceeded to tell me that he wanted to get it out and ready for the birthday boy to play with so he wouldn't have to wait for it to be taken out of the packaging.

And I said, "You don't like having to wait to play with your new toys, do you?"
He said, "No."
I said, "You are a very thoughtful friend. I am sorry."

Then my mr. fixed the package up to look presentable.
I emailed the birthday boy's mom to warn her about its appearance and little mr. j had a fine time at the party.

His presents will be unpackaged and preassembled from here on out.

Sunday School

Gospel Library iTunes ap

In case you missed it, the link above is apparently awesome.  (According the my mr.)
Especially if you are asked to substitute Primary or Sunday School last minute and have the technology.
It's approved and official and everything is on it.

Maybe someday I will really know.
For now, I will have to go by faith.
________________________________________________________________________________

This is an after church post edit.
Our congregation's meeting time has changed from 8:30am to 8:00am, due to parking lot issues for the congregations that follow us.
I've been of the mind that 8:30am is pretty early to begin with.
This shall be interesting.

Oh

Tonight I have learned that I need a cat and an iPad.

Playing Possum

Picture and a load of information about possums can be found here.

(information like --poop, prevention & their legal status--very important stuff)

I've been lying low of late. Maybe even playing possum.

Here's where we become versed on that saying.  The following comes from the website linked above.  You should visit. It's awesome possum.

“Playing Possum”

Figure 5. (The picture above)  When caught out in the daylight with little chance of escape, or when attacked, the opossum will “play possum.”


The opossum is a slow runner and when threatened will usually growl, hiss, and bare its teeth or try to escape by climbing the nearest tree. However, when caught out in the daylight with little chance of escape, or when attacked, the opossum will “play possum.” This is a surprisingly effective defense commonly seen in insects. In such cases the opossum will fall on its side, curl its body, open its drooling mouth, and excrete droppings—all to give the appearance of being dead.


While the opossum is in this state, which lasts several minutes or several hours, no amount of prodding will produce a response. Though it appears to be in a catatonic state, its metabolic processes are as high as when the animal is fully alert.


When the opossum believes the danger has passed, it will begin to wiggle its ears in an effort to pick up sounds. If it thinks the danger has passed, it will pick up its head and look around. If danger persists, the opossum will play dead again.

While I haven't had the physical conditions described above (ok, maybe some drooling, but all else has been in control-thank goodness), I have kind of been hiding out in my "busy" life (aka using that as an excuse) and not visiting this place.  (The last few posts were written a while ago & posted at later dates.)

I'm wiggling my ears & I think I might be back.  I hope I am, because this place is good for me. 

Thank you to a sweet friend who invited little mr. j over to play.  I was going to take a nap, but a playground fall on the face by little mr. b disturbed my home alone plans and here I am.  (It would just be wrong to go take a nap when I am supposed to be keeping an eye on a child who might have a concussion.)

And, because you have been so kind to read my rodent writings, here is a funny story for you- courtesy of little mr. b. Possum themed, I promise.

Last Saturday, on babysitter running, soccer taking duty, we drove on a certain road a number of times.  On that road were two dead possums, very close to each other--posed as the picture above.  They were obviously dead. I saw red fur.

I don't know how little mr. b didn't see them in all our running on Saturday.  But on Sunday, while we were driving home from church, he saw them and he thought they were pretty funny (please don't be offended-keep reading).  I said, "Why are you laughing?  They are dead."  He said, "Don't you get it, they are really playing possum."

And FYI-I drove down that same street a couple of hours ago. One is now flat.  The other is still the same.
And more FYI-This weekend I also discovered that we have vultures in OKC.  I had been missing them desperately since leaving San Antonio & what a thrill it was to see one helping out some different roadkill near my home.  Hope it can find those possums.
And -I am hoping to get off this morbid maggot and roadkill path I've been on.  You may never visit again if I don't.

Please think spring and make what you've just read leave your brain.
Adios for now.

Happy Easter

Early Sunday School

Picture from here.

Two Sundays a year, I get to go to church in my pajamas!  It's great.
And because I live in the Central Time Zone, I get to sleep in too! Woo hoo!
Because you see, two Sundays a year, our regular meetings are not held and we have the opportunity to hear the things God wants us to know right now.  Kind of like modern day scripture being given over the pulpit.
We get to stay home (because technology is so awesome) and listen to some wonderful counsel.

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I believe we have a living prophet here on this earth.  The messages he and the other people will be giving at this spring's "General Conference," are pertinent to our situation in the world right now.  The messages are usually directed at the members of the Church, but I think everyone who might or can hear these messages will profit.

To find out broadcast times & get an audio or video stream of this, click here.
Also, if you get KBYU on your television, it will be on that channel 10am & 2pm MST.
April 3 & 4, 2010.
After it's over, I will post a link so you can see what was said if you didn't get a chance to hear it live.