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!

My view today...

I was blessed to drive by this beautiful building today.

We drive by it a lot.

It is only 4.5 miles from our house.

We have been watching it being built since 2010.

It was announced in April of 2008...and we've been anxiously awaiting it's completion ever since!

It is almost done!

I can hardly wait to go inside.

It is the Gilbert, Arizona Temple!

Last year during Spring Break... 

Christopher had the opportunity to do a Mormon Trek with other kids his age.

They started at the San Tan Mountains...

working handcarts through the hills and sand floor...

 With high's in the low 90's and the desert floor non-forgiving...

pushing these carts was not easy!

In fact it was hard.

But after three days...

and 26 miles

 I spotted this!

It was a beautiful sight.

It still brings tears to my eyes.

They had set their sights...

HEADED to the Mountain of the Lord.

They had set their sights on this:

 The Gilbert, Arizona Temple!

And we were there...

 Singing hymns and crying!

They had made it!

My son had learned some incredible lessons during those 3 days.

But the one I want him to remember today is...

that he learned he could do 

HARD THINGS

as long as he kept his eyes

on the LORD.

I love you son.

Always have...

always will!

 

Stand Together

If you are a member of

The Church of

Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints

then you enjoyed along with myself an amazing weekend

of uplifting songs and talks

from the leaders of our church.

I LOVE how President Monson speaks...he is real and personable.

I LOVE how President Uchtdorf can share stories that lift and inspire.

I LOVE how when they announce President Holland is going to speak next...that I shout for joy...

then I hang on every word as I feel a  power to do GOOD and to be BETTER than I am!

The list could go on and on but you get the picture...

I was inspired

I was comforted

I found peace

I found joy

I found LOVE!

Yesterday I listened to the words of

Elaine Dalton...

Stand Ye in Holy Ground

and be Not Moved.

During our time with my sister's family we had the opportunity to go hiking in the San Tan Mountains not far from our

home.

We were enjoying the beauty of the desert and the time we were spending together.

With my sister's baby being only 4 mos. old

we took a small break so she could nurse him.

A couple of the kids were

VERY

insistent that they could go on ahead and they would meet us at the flagpole...or the end of the trail.

I told them NO several times wanting us all to stay together.

Finally after more attempts...

I finally gave in and let them GO.

As the rest of us headed back towards the end of the trail...

we heard a voice from behind us.

The kids had gone the WRONG way and had to be turned around by a Ranger who spotted them off the trail.

Arizona desert is known for Rattlesnakes that can be deadly.

Being off a trail is not the place to be!

After being found...

the kids came crying to us and wanted to know why they had gotten lost.

I reminded them that on several occasions my answer to them had been NO...

to not go ahead but to wait with the group.

How many times do we want to do things our own way...

instead of the Lord's?

How many times do we choose to not be obedient?

How many times do we get off the trails of life...

and then wonder how we got lost?

The Lord is the way, the truth and the light.

How grateful I am for this knowledge.

How grateful I am that the Lord will go find the one

LOST sheep...

How grateful I am that my weekend was filled with this light and knowledge and a reminder to

Stand in Holy Places...

and be not MOVED!

I sure do love our FAMILY!