Preschool Time

It's preschool time for Dave-o. Today we began at the beginning-with the letter A. He already recognizes and knows how to write most of the letters. So, we are focusing on the sounds each letter makes.

 

A..A..Alligator

 

 

Garden Growth

 With a gigantic swimming pool taking up most of our backyard, I have limited soil to plant anything. Here is a look into my minuscule garden.

Our tomato plant is beginning to produce fruit.

James took this picture of blossoms from our aloe plant. The hummingbirds love the nectar from these blooms.

 Mom, is this a hollyhock plant? When I planted the seeds you sent me last year, nothing came up. However,  a month ago this plant started growing up in the same spot. It is now about 3 1/2 feet tall. I was about to pull it when it first began to grow because I thought it was a weed. But now, I'm beginning to think it is a Hollyhock plant. I can't wait to see what color the flowers are.

And you can't have a garden without bees. Thank you bees for pollinating my plants.

Look what we get to have for dinner. And this time I picked the artichoke before it bloomed. I'm learning.

Memorial Day

In the morning we drove to Colma, (City of the Dead) to visit my Grandparents grave. We kept warm by walking around the cemetery searching for soldiers' tombstones.

 Then we met up with some friends, the Sundstroms, at Great Jump. After working up an appetite, we went to their home for FHE. We BBQ and they shared photos and stories from their recent trip to Egypt and Israel. It was a wonderful day.

Let's Talk About Dung Beetles

I wanted to share the talk that I gave in Sacrament Meeting today on "Following the Prophet". It applies to what is going on in my life right now and thought it important to jot down for prosperity purposes. It's rather long, so read at your own risk.

A little over a month ago, Kirsten and I read an interesting article found in her English textbook about Dung Beetles. Living with 5 boys, Kirsten and I weren’t grossed out by all the poo talk. In fact we were very curious about this beetle and researched the animal further. We learned that the beetles live off the nutrients of the poo. The larvae are also dung eaters and are born in the ball of dung. Most wrap the dung into a ball and quickly roll it away from the dung source to their home. Its head is down and is walking backwards. Kirsten and I then watched some you tube videos of different experiments scientists performed to test how this beetle solves certain problems. They quickly discovered that this animal clearly knows where it’s going and knows where it wants to go. This is a very important thing. When they are at the dung pile competing for its food source, they want to get away from everybody else. And the quickest way to do this is in a straight line. The scientist tried to confuse the dung beetle by literally turning the world under its feet using a turn table board placed in the ground. After rotating it 90 degrees it doesn’t even flinch. It knows where it wants to go and heads off in that direction. How are they doing this? Every now and then they would climb on top of the ball and take a look at the world around them. What are their obvious clues to help them get to their destination? The obvious thing is to look at is the sun. So the scientists went on to perform another experiment. They shaded the sun with a board and moved the sun with a mirror to a completely different position. The beetle did a little dance on top of the ball and headed in the opposite direction, following the new position of the sun. Once the mirror is taken away, the beetle reorientates itself back to the direction it was originally going.

Are we like the dung beetle? Do we clearly know where we are going? Do we know where we want to go? As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have received the answers to these questions. Our path should be clear. Eternal Life with our Heavenly Father. With our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Just as the dung beetle follows a straight line, we too have the “straight and narrow” path to follow. Heavenly Father has even given us an iron rod to hold on to while traveling this adventure called earth life. We are so blessed to have the Word of God at our fingertips. It comes in the form of our scriptures, General Conference talks, and listening to our current prophet, President Thomas S. Monson.

Elder Eyring said, “There seems to be no end to the Savior’s desire to lead us to safety, and there is constancy in the way He shows us the path. He calls by more than one means so that it will reach those willing to accept it. Those means always include sending the message by the mouths of His prophets whenever people have qualified to have the prophets of God among them. Those authorized servants are always charged with warning the people, telling them the way to safety.”

Every six months we gather together as saints to strengthen one another, to provide comfort, to learn. Here is what our prophet said about the importance of General Conference in April of 2012: “Some of you may be seeking answers to questions and challenges you are experiencing in your life. Some are struggling with disappointments or losses. Each can be enlightened and uplifted and comforted as the Spirit of the Lord is felt.

Should there be changes which need to be made in your life, may you find the incentive and the courage to do so as you listen to the inspired words which will be spoken. May each of us resolve anew to live so that we are worthy sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. May we continue to oppose evil wherever it is found.”

In the experiment that I mentioned in the beginning of my talk, the dung beetle’s world was turned around. It is inevitable that the same will happen or has already happened to us at some point in our lives. Evil will try to enter our lives. Disappointments will weaken us. Satan will try to lead us away from our path to Eternal Life. The best response is to “not flinch” like the beetle. However, if Satan succeeds at leading us off course, we must quickly find a way back. We need to climb on top of our ball to gain some perspective of where we are and how far we went off course. What is keeping us off track? Is it pornography? The Word of Wisdom? Are we struggling with prayer? Whatever our problem is, we can find the answers in the words of the prophets; past and present. Our greatest safety lies in strictly following the Word of God given through His prophets, particularly the current President of the Church. The Lord warns that those who ignore the words of the living prophets will fall. In D&C 21:4–6, He promises great blessings to those who follow the prophet. “Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith. For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.”

As we study what the Prophet has told us and follow his counsel; As we apply the conference talks to our lives; And as we read the scriptures, I know without a doubt that we will be able to reorientate ourselves back in the direction we were originally going.

Jeffrey R. Holland (April 2011 General Conference) “As our conference comes to a close, I ask you to reflect in the days ahead not only on the messages you have heard but also on the unique phenomenon that general conference itself is—what we as Latter-day Saints believe such conferences to be and what we invite the world to hear and observe about them. We testify to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people that God not only lives but also that He speaks, that for our time and in our day the counsel you have heard is, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, “the will of the Lord, … the word of the Lord, … the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.” If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you.
Brothers and sisters, in general conference we offer our testimonies in conjunction with other testimonies that will come, because one way or another God will have His voice heard."

A few days before this last General Conference, our home was broken into, while three of the kids were still in it. As you can imagine, we were scared into action. A lot of our time was consumed with figuring out ways to make our home like Fort Knox. We even had a security alarm installed.

I went into General Conference with this experience fresh on my mind. And do you know what happened? I received a bit of a chastisement in the very first talk. Elder Boyd K. Packer’s talk entitled “These Things I Know” touched my heart and reminded me that as a parent, I need to be protecting my family from far worse dangers than a burglar. Elder Packer shared a story about seeing snakes in his ivy eating bird eggs and birds themselves. His next words penetrated my mind and body: “I said to myself, ‘What is going on? Is the Garden of Eden being invaded again?’ There came into my mind the warnings spoken by the prophets. We will not always be safe from the adversary’s influence, even within our own homes. We need to protect our nestlings. We live in a very dangerous world that threatens those things that are most spiritual.”

Elder Packer went on to explain how we can find peace, safety, and security for ourselves and our children. I am grateful for these words. Just as Elder Holland taught, I was able to receive a personal prophetic epistle…Just for me. Little did I know that Elder Packer's talk was also to prepare me for this last month. Our home has been threatened by something far more dangerous than a physical threat. We are battling a power that has the potential to spiritually rip our family apart. I am grateful for a latter-day prophets, who give us the guidance that we need to get through this life.

Dino-Mite Birthday

Dave-o is FOUR today!

He had a joint birthday party with his good friend Noah, who lives around the corner from us. Their birthdays are only a week a part.

 In the morning, Dave-o ate dinosaur pancakes. Then we prepared for the party. David drew this amazing T-Rex ball toss.

 At the party, the kids were given dinosaur masks and they made dinosaur feet.

 Owen (Dave-o's cousin) and Daisy

 Mandy and Thomas

 Kalila...The ball toss was a hit.

 Rodney Armstrong and his mom (who made the cake) and Justin

 They had a dinosaur egg hunt.

A dinosaur dig

 David and his brother Michael

A freaky looking T-Rex pinata

 The adorable and yummy cake

 Present time!

Thanks for coming! Hope you had a Dino-Mite time.

First Dentist Appointment

Dave-o's first dentist appointment. He did great! No complaining at all. I thought that he would complain about the toothpaste they use, since the other kids never have positive things to say about it. At the end of the visit, Dr. Vehawn announced "No cavities," and sent him to the toy chest, where Dave-o of course picked out a dinosaur glider.

Sprinkler Fun

Dave-o loves playing in sprinklers that are turned down low. 

 This time he had a devious plan. Can't you just read the mischievousness in his expression?

Our neighbor, Andre, was the unsuspecting victim.

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

On a side note:

Justin came home today and says he is willing to accept our rules. 

We shall see...

The Climax

The climax of a story is the turning point. Usually it is the most intense and dramatic action. It's where everything changes-and the new way of being is created. For example, in the movie Shrek, it's the scene in the church where the dragon comes to save the day. In a thriller, it's the final battle.

In the "Justin Saga" the climax occurred tonight when he reached a new level of violence. His actions and crazed look in his eyes were that of an addict. Justin's addiction may not be alcohol or drugs, but it is just as dangerous. As result, Steven was punched in the stomach as he courageously stepped in to help me with the situation. But the most disturbing part of the scuffle was watching Justin grab a Glades Plug-in to use as a weapon against his own father. If he had a knife in his hand, I would not doubt that he would have used it. David quickly put an end to the confrontation. Justin was thrown out of the house and told not to come back until he was willing to change.

Here is the text he sent me tonight:
"I'm sorry I was a disappointment of a son. When I turn up dead on the streets at least you can say I didn't belong to you anymore."

I responded with:
"Your choices are a disappointment. Not you."

Now we wait to see what kind of "falling action" will occur from this climatic day.

My Gold Miners

 

David and his friend Paul Moore took Friday off from work and took James and Steven to mine for gold in the Sierra Mountains. They even had a mini dredge going. 

 

After arriving at their destination, David realized that he had forgotten the tent. No problem, though. The boys slept in the mini-van. They divided up the "pay dirt" and will pan it at home. 

Some Good News for a Change

Ready for some good news?

I'm pregnant!

Are you shocked?

I was!

Along with scared.

But, now...

I'm excited and can't wait to have another child join this crazy family.

Right now, I am 14 weeks pregnant. The baby's due date is November 17. However, I'm hoping he/she will decide to come on November 12th, because that's my sister's birthday. And to be fair, November the 4th would be equally as grand because that's my brother, Douglas's birthday.

We all think the baby is going to be a girl. David has already had "the baby dream" that he has during each of my pregnancies. Currently, he has been correct 5 out of the 5. In this dream, David dreamt that a baby girl was born and we named her Lonetta (Lonnie for short). The name is a combination of my mother's name, DeEtta, and my mother-in-law's name, DeLona. We are still unsure of a boy name. David really likes the name Bode (after a famous electrical engineer-yes, my husband is a nerd). June 28th is the day we find out. Can't wait!

Goodbye Lori

(Me, Lori, Sascha, and Lisa-Taken in October of 2011)

Did you know that writing down sad events doesn't get easier? 

Yesterday, my dear friend, Lori Ellington courageously lost her battle with ovarian cancer. She was a daughter, a sister, a missionary, a seminary teacher, a primary worker, a listener, a Relief Society president, an aunt, a cousin, a hard worker, a peace maker, and a FRIEND. The truest friend you could ever need or want. I consider myself blessed to have known her. To have served with her. Her love and example will live forever with all who knew her. Until we meet again...

A New Day

I emerged from the long night amazed that another day had begun. Time tends to stand still for a worrying mother. The new day and rising of the sun brought hope. Despair from the night before seemed to have vanished with the stars. I spoke to many family members who further lifted me up. However, real relief came when Justin finally made contact with me. He was at school. Safe.

Justin came home after school to get ready for work. I tried to talk to him, but it ended in another argument. I was glad he was okay, but upset that he pretended that nothing had happened. There wasn't a sign of remorse in his words or on his countenance. 

After work, David and I tried again to talk to Justin. He still had no intention of following our rules. It was like we were talking to a brick wall. He grabbed some clothes and chose homelessness over love of family once more. I slept on the couch that night (as I had the night before). David has an addiction to the sound of a fan while sleeping. This noise drowns out the sounds that my mother-ears sought out. Like a radar, I heard my wayward son rustling around in the backyard. At first I thought it was an animal and went back to sleep. But the rustling noised kept alerting me awake. At 4am, I lifted my body off the couch and saw Justin staring back at me through the screen window. It had gotten cold and he was ready to surrender. I opened the door to let Justin in and saw a makeshift bed using our patio furniture.  

I don't know what tonight holds for us. Will Justin continue to try and wear us out? Or have we worn him out? 

I'll end by sharing a quote that my brother, David, emailed me. Reading it brought a lot of comfort. Thank you. 

“It is a great challenge to raise a family in the darkening mist of our immoral environment  We emphasize that the greatest work you will do is within the walls of your own home and that 'no other success can compensate for failure in the home.' The measure of our success as parents … will not rest solely on how our children turn out. That judgment would be just only if we could raise our families in a perfectly moral environment, and that now is not possible.

It is not uncommon for responsible parents to lose one of their children, for a time, to influences over which they have no control. They agonize over rebellious sons or daughters. They are puzzled over why they are so helpless when they have tried so hard to do what they should.

It is my conviction that those wicked influences one day will be overruled. …

We cannot overemphasize the value of temple marriage, the binding ties of the sealing ordinance, and the standards of worthiness required of them. When parents keep the covenants they have made at the altar of the temple, their children will be forever bound to them. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught a more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God” (Boyd K. Packer Ensign, May 1992, 68 and Orson F. Whitney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1929, 110)

Reality can be a Hard Thing to Accept

It's easy to jot down happy moments. Care free days. Laughter. Accomplishments. 

However, writing about disappointments, failures, worries, and personal tragedies is near impossible. In doing so, I am forced to internalize the situation. Pride gets thrown out the window as I question my decisions and actions (or lack thereof). But worst of all, I make it permanent. Writing it down makes IT real. Am I ready for the problem to be real? Do I want whoever reads this to know that I have failed at being a mother to one of my children. Yes, technically I am his mother. I gave birth to him, raised him, and loved him. But, he has reached adulthood with doubt of my love for him. This, and this alone, convinces me that I have failed. 

With my pride now out the window, I have to admit that over the last few years I have had a hard time showing my love to Justin. He has been like a porcupine. Quills out. On the defensive. Ready for attack. Have you ever tried to hug a porcupine? Without getting hurt? It has been an on going struggle for me. Quills of lies and disrespect continually poke me, leaving my body sensitive and hurt. The hurt builds walls of suspicion, anger, and resentment. It is a continual battle to knock those defenses down. 

How does one easily put aside the hurt pride to love the porcupine. On Tuesday, I got a phone call from Justin's dean wanting me to come to the school right away. He had called justin into his office to discuss his truancies. Justin became very emotional and shared with the dean that he was getting over a break up, is worried about not graduating, and was upset about letting his parents down over the weekend. The dean was concerned about Justin wanting to hurt himself. I hurried to the school and found Justin in a room with a police officer, who was determining whether or not to put Justin in the hospital. I felt we had a good conversation. Justin agreed to be more open with his parents and to see a therapist. However, as the week dragged on, Justin became more and more withdrawn.

Which brings me to the present. It is just past midnight. Mother's Day is officially over. Justin has been gone for two hours now; but it feels like an eternity. He has rejected every single value that we have taught him. He chose his phone over family. I have been trying to enforce a new rule in our home. Cell phones and all electronic devices must be turned in to me for the night. Justin thought he could skirt around this rule by purchasing his own phone along with his own plan. Before going to bed I explained to him that as long as he lives in our house, he has to follow our rules. He grabbed his backpack without any thought, and announced that he would leave. Is wandering the streets right now? Did he call a friend to pick him up? I don't know. But I just heard a siren and am very worried.

 In my worried, emotional, and frantic state, I am clinging to the faith of my 14 year old son. Steven, bless his heart, found David and I in tears and suggested that we have a special fast for Justin on Monday. How did he become so wise? Thank you Steven.

20 Years of Surprises

Twenty years of marriage deserves a childless get away. Right! David booked us a room at Oceano Hotel in Half Moon Bay. We love this area. I always feel so blessed to live in such a beautiful and diverse part of the country.

The hotel room was gorgeous! It was decorated with all my favorite colors. We even had a balcony that overlooked the ocean.

After checking in to the hotel, we drove a short distance to a Mediterranean restaurant called Cafe Gibraltar. Our table was on a raised platform with pillows as chairs. I tried to convince David to order the "Wild Boar", but he played it safe and enjoyed a perfectly prepared steak. My dinner choice was duck. The food didn't impress me. It was bland. 

We were disappointed to find all the little shops in the downtown district to be closed already. I guess everyone was preparing for the "Holy Ghost Festival". On our way back to the hotel, we stopped off at Safeway to pick up a few snacks for the evening. As we were racing our way to the beach to watch the sunset, we got a phone call from a worried Steven. We learned that putting our 18 wanna-be-adult son in charge wasn't the best decision. He wasn't where he said he would be and had no intention of coming home. Deceit and concern cut our trip short. (But isn't that what 20 years of marriage is all about?) SURPRISES! Always full of surprises. 

Note: The first thing I did when we got home was throw up my dinner. Yeah...My stomach disliked it more than my taste buds.  

Scorcher Great America

The word "hot" doesn't begin to describe Math and Physics Day at Great America. Even at 9 in the morning,  shade was a sought after destination. 

Dave-o only went on this slide one time. Doesn't his expression explain why?

He enjoyed the blue one more.

Kirsten choose to hang out with Dave-o and I in the kiddie area. She loved going on the rides with him (and visa versa.) 

The boys hung out with a bunch of their homeschool buddies. I was surprised to get a call from them at 1pm begging to go home. The heat beat us all down. If the water park had been open, we could have survived; but as it was our pool back home was calling for us.