Dust Bowl...Part 2

I'm catching up on sleep...

(sort of)

something about the lack of sleep...

the conditions...

and always having something to do and somewhere to be

has caused me to lack my usual

happy-go-lucky

ways.

In fact if I'm really being honest...

I don't feel like myself!

As much as I loved being with some amazing youth leaders

and some amazing young women,

it has taken a toll on my emotional and physical well-being.

So I'm hoping that as I continue this post with all the pictures...

it will help to cheer me up!

Nothing like a great set of pictures to remind you of the 

wonderful memories you created!

Day 2: Hike

I was lucky enough to be able to go on the hike with the

Third-year girls.

These are the girls my daughter Rachel's age.

They are a hoot and find joy in everything they do!

It was a good thing too...

it was a REALLY hard hike

and their enthusiasm and excitement for life kept me going! 

 Our THIRD YEAR group of girls!

 I think this picture is a perfect example of the amount of 

DIRT

we had being kicked up at us all day long.

For one day...we girlies had dirt mustaches to enjoy!

Our Third-Year group with leaders from just our WARD.

You can see our mustaches in this one!

Once we returned we took a much needed shower!

I couldn't wait to get the layers of dirt off of me and to remove my mustache once and for all!

We played a lot of games this night.

Our two favorites?

BIG BOOTY and BUNNY, BUNNY!

Our super hip and way cooler than me-camp director

helped us make really cute headbands...

which I ended up using the rest of camp to deal with my

wild and crazy hair.

I'm wearing it in this picture...

and I wore it in every picture until I went home!

 Lastly one of the things I was most looking forward to in going to camp was the opportunity I would have of going with my

two daughters.

And while I LOVED that I got to spend that time with them...

they were usually too busy with friends

to care if I was there or not.

But Megan is one of my GIRLS too.

She was our only Laurel to go to camp this year

(except for the last day)

and I gained a whole new appreciation for this amazing young lady.

She is my new inspiration.

I know if I look to her example and strength

I can get my groove back on...

and SHINE!

Postscript: Will post our final day tomorrow...which turned out to be my favorite day of all.

A Dust Bowl...

I just got home from

GIRLS CAMP!

I'm trying to figure out how to sum up my experience and I thought of three little words...

A DUST BOWL!

 

I'm from the beautiful, green, rivers and streams, lakes, grass area of Missouri.

So heading up to the North country of Arizona to camp for three days sounded like a great idea...

until I got there!

 

The wind blew dust from sun up to sun down.

Ummm...did I mention I was surrounded by DUST?

 I'm still trying to recover.

Seriously I haven't been this EXHAUSTED in forever!

 

So while I was HOT all day,

FREEZING cold all night,

wind blown,

dirty,

exhausted,

and pretty much pathetic looking...

 

I had the TIME of MY life.

I'll share it ALL over the next few days in pictures!

C3 Girls Camp Part 1:

 I dropped off Katie Wednesday morning to ride in the buses since I had to drive up later.

You can see her excitement with her 

FIRST-YEAR friends.

Still FRESH!

(No I didn't wear a skirt to camp...

just dropping off Katie that morning!) 

 Katee is the coolest chicka I know.

Seriously I love this girl and love working with her.

The girls are lucky to have her as their leader!

 OUR DAILY CAPERS!

(better known as CHORES!)

I really just wanted to get a picture of the background but my mom says she always likes to see a person in the picture too!

This picture is for you mom!

I have so many more pictures to share...

so many great memories to tell,

but I need some sleep.

 

Until then...goodnight!

The Reveal

Several weeks ago I showed you a

SNEAK PEAK

of a photo shoot we did with our young women.

We had a great lesson given to us by

KATEE

about our individual worth

and about how others truly see us.

I believe that night...

more than any other night we've had with our

GIRLS

that the vulnerability

of admiting how we truly feel about ourselves...

gave us a "real" glimpse

into each of our hearts.

That is why revealing these pictures...

gives me so much joy.

It shows that they are beautiful girls who have

 spirits full of love

and so much potential for good in this world.

And I'm proud to know them.

Each one of them.

Proud to work with them...

and proud to watch them grow!

Megan, Allison, Montana, Tonya, Jessica

Katee and myself 

 Nickname: Jess

easy-going, happy, optimistic, fun

 Katee is the coolest leader I know!

 Nickname: Megs

inquisitive, obedient, strong, talented

Name: Montana

comedian, artistic, friendly, life of party

Nickname: Ali

graceful, talented dancer, strong, spirited

Name: Tonya

shy, funny, easy to love

It was almost a year ago that I began working with these girls

and while some things will change...

and they will move on,

one thing remains the same...

I will ALWAYS love them and treasure the time I've had to work with them!

Disclaimer:  Megan Morris took these amazing pictures. We were missing two of our girls, Sydney and Tenille. They were missed and are deeply loved too!

Growin Up is fun to do...

Especially when you are

RACHEL.

We just sent her off today for a week to EFY-Flagstaff

and she literally

was squealing with delight as we pulled onto the

Northern Arizona University

campus.

 Although she wasn't in love with the smell of her dorm room!

 I love that at this point...

that even she realizes that maybe...

just maybe

they might have brought a "little" too much food!

When I asked her what she was most looking forward to as part of her experience...

she said to me while giggling,

"The BOYS".

I told her I could appreciate that answer...

but a mom also wants to hear that she might want to increase her testimony...

to increase her knowledge of Jesus Christ...

and to help her put her life in proper alignment with our Heavenly Father's teaching...

she said, "Oh yea, that too mom!"

These two cuties are off to have the time of their lives...

I can't wait to hear all about it!

Oh wait...

I already got my first phone call from her tonight!

For this sweet girl...

GROWIN UP is FUN TO DO!

 Disclaimer: I have to admit...I couldn't wait to hear from her tonight! It was killing me not to call her all day and ask her all about it!  So glad she loves to "tell" us everything!

Judge Not...that ye be not judged!

Recently I have felt

JUDGED

by a person who has a lot of influence in my

day to day life.

It has caused me more stress than you can imagine.

Hence, my trip last weekend to get "AWAY!"

However, after further reflection I have decided all that can be done is for me to

LEARN

for myself how NOT to judge.

I came across this beautiful quote from a LIVING prophet of God.

I don't know why on this particular occassion I have allowed someone to make me feel

so much less than I really am...

because I have been judged before.

Just saying the word

DIVORCE

brings out all kinds of judgement and scrutiny.

So I know what being judged is and I made a promise that I 

WOULD NEVER

judge another.

 I knew and learned firsthand that

No One

could possibly know what I had gone through

because only I had walked in my shoes.

But I think I had forgotten that lesson...

and it must have been time for the Lord to teach it to me again.

Lesson 1:  Don't make assumptions

Lesson 2:  Don't pretend you "know the whole story"

Lesson 3:  Only Christ can judge...He earned it and only He knows our true heart and intentions

Lesson 4:  Forgive often 

Lesson 5:  Love easily 

I know longer feel JUDGED by this person...

it isn't about me...

it's about our journey here

and what the Lord wants us to learn.

I can learn NOT to judge.

It must be working...

I feel FREE!

********************************

This has kept me from being able to think clearly about anything else but I do have a few quick updates I want to share.

1.  I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers and chocolate covered strawberries from these special people!

Even though there special mother and grandmother

is on the other side of the veil...

watching them, guiding them and protecting them...

they have allowed me into their

LIFE

to shower them with all the love I know they deserve...

and the love she would want me to give them.

Thanks for making me feel special this Mother's Day!

Ron also gathered up all the kids today to go do some shopping!

He then took us to lunch to help me celebrate a 

Mother's Day

weekend since he will be working most of the day tomorrow.

I'm so grateful this amazing man is in my life and takes care of the simple things. 

*******************************

Lastly, I had my sweet young women over for a late night.

We went to IHOP at 10:30 p.m.

Once we got in the car to go home one of the girls told me I looked really tired.

I told them when they wanted to do a LATE night to me that meant til 10 p.m....

that's my bedtime!

It was worth the LATE hour as I love them all so much!

(Just wish I had taken a fun picture of all of us!)

Happy Mother's Day!

(I will write about my own sweet mom tomorrow!)    

       

  

      

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!