Putting Back the Pieces

Time seems to stand still when your life comes

crashing in around you.

Which is why I've been silent on my blog

for the last few weeks.

I'm trying to put back the pieces of my life and to find the words to express my thoughts

without getting too personal in a public forum.

Just when I thought our life seemed idyllic and wonderful...

2014
 began with challenges and trials that have at times

"knocked" the wind out of me...

quite literally.

So here I am ready to share my story...

the good...

the bad...

and the ugly...

and how I'm putting back the pieces of my life...

one piece at a time.

I was laid OFF over one week ago.

I have children struggling with extremely challenging trials.

My husband received a new position at work...

 moved to a new store location,

with a new manager who challenges even the BEST of employees and my husband is no exception.

But the LORD in his infinite wisdom and love

is providing me with

opportunities

to pick up the pieces...

through the selfless service of others.

Only a few days after the news of my job I had the opportunity to spend an entire Saturday

with a group of youth that I have grown to 

LOVE and ADMIRE.
At first I wondered if I should be the one to spend the day with them...
when all I really wanted to do was
crawl in a hole...
and stay there for awhile.
But staying true to my commitment and responsibility 
to being a
CAPTAIN OF 10... 

we started early at 7 a.m. with 51 kids in our ward

who then

joined with 12,700 youth in our area...

to practice for a celebration that would commemorate the

dedication of the Gilbert, Arizona temple only one week later.

We have been practicing for over 2 months with either

 our ward family 

or our stake family

 and it was finally time to come together with everyone else.

  So with our Captain Moroni banners in tow...

we descended on Discovery Park only 4 miles from our home so we could get to work and be ready for our

BIG

performance next week in front of the Prophet of the Lord!

 Some of us started out a little slow...

 or a little cranky...

 but mostly they came with smiles on their faces...

and playful hearts.

These kids had no idea what their hard work and dedication to

our church and to the gospel

meant to me that day.

They were healing a broken heart...

and reminded me of what is truly important in this life.

My first miracle of the day began when I stepped foot onto Discovery Park and felt that I had walked onto sacred ground.

Life instantly felt "lighter" and more "manageable".

The second miracle came when a few kids from our ward joined together to sing...

"Army of Helaman/Sisters in Zion".

Soon we had the other youth in our ward join in the circle...

and a miracle of 

LOVE

formed in my heart for all that I had...

and all that I had been blessed with. 

 Of course part of healing means we have FUN moments too!  Which is why I love my beautiful and silly friend Amy
who shared with us her

GANGAM style dance moves.

 or Dayna who enjoyed a few WATER fights...

or the kids who "bonded" while waiting at

HOME position for their turn to practice.

("Bonding" meaning...getting close to "cute" girls!)

But nothing could help prepare me for the sight I witnessed...

 of 12,702 youth performing and doing their best!

Or the youth performing
"True to the Faith"
for the first time in front of everyone...
and everyone cheering them on,
and afterwards the kids with smiling faces telling me,
"This makes it all worth it!"

Oh yes, yes, yes...

it is all worth it.

Miracle #3: A Reminder that life is worth it and even though

 life brings us challenges...

and isn't always easy...

or fun...

I can pick up the pieces of my life...
with the 
Temple as my Focus.

Thanks kids for the reminder...
and for bringing me back to life!