Salt Of the Earth

I can’t wait to be a mom.  Of course when that time comes, I will be so ready and excited.  I love my job because I work with kids all the time.  I work with more abnormal kids than normal, but that doesn’t make me love them any less.  In fact, it makes me love them more.  They are so cute and so fun to work with.  I have been doing speech and language screenings for the past week and I had one boy come in who has an auditory processing disorder.  He is in 1^st grade and wears these little glasses that look a little too big for him so he is constantly looking up trying to keep them on his nose.  I just can’t help but laugh and want to give this little boy a hug. I know I shouldn’t have favorites, but he is certainly my favorite.  But I am just amazed at how unassuming and non-judgmental they are.  It is such a breath of fresh air.

And I have the 2 cutest nephews in the world.  If you keep up on my blog, you already know I believe this.  I am not shy in admitting that they are the cutest.  I have had a long couple of weeks with a lot on my mind and just being confused about some things.  And so we were over at my sister’s house for conference and Jack and Kaden were in the back yard playing so I went back there to play with them and I just started to cry.  I got so emotional with all my thoughts and worries and I just let it out.  I sat down on the cement and my 18 month old nephew Jack saw me crying and got this real concerned look on his face and I could tell he was really sad for me.  So he climbed up into my lap and wrapped his arms around my neck and just sat there for awhile with me.  I was amazed at how the simple love of a little boy for his aunt made me feel so much better.

During conference I got to thinking about how the future of the Church lies in the hands of our children.  We are certainly living in the last days and Heavenly Father has saved his most elect and choice children to come to this earth and battle the evil that rages before the Second Coming of our Savior.  It makes me feel such an obligation to make certain I raise my children in righteousness.

But to end on a funny note, my friend Cindy sent me these the other day and I thought some were so cute.

MELANIE (age 5)
asked her Granny how old she was... Granny replied she was so old she didn't remember any more. Melanie said, 'If you don't remember you must look in the back of your panties.  Mine say five to six.'

BRITTANY (age 4)
had an ear ache and wanted a pain killer. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle.  Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a child-proof cap and she'd have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: 'How does it know it's me?'

CLINTON (age 5) was in his bedroom looking worried When his Mom asked what was troubling him, he replied, 'I don't know what'll happen with this bed when I get married.  How will my wife fit in it?'

TAMMY(age 4) was with her mother when they met an elderly, rather wrinkled woman her Mom knew. Tammy looked at her for a while and then asked, 'Why doesn't your skin fit your face?'

This particular Sunday sermon....'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust...'  He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

Have A Great Week!!

Conference Weekend

I am so grateful for General Conference

and the opportunity we have to sit

at the feet of prophets and apostles and

receive counsel and guidance in

a wicked and misguided world.

I am so grateful for my testimony

and the knowledge I have.

I think I tend to take that for granted.

What a blessing to know that we are

led by a living prophet and

that the Lord’s Kingdom is once

again on the earth.

Traveling Companion

Ode To My Bag…

This bag pictured above is one of my most prized possessions.

I have had it now for 7 years.

S-E-V-E-N years.

That is correct.

And the most amazing thing is I have never, ever had a problem with it.

Not once has it broken on me.

The handles are ridiculously durable.

And don’t even get me started on the pockets.

There is one on the side that is open…so easily accessible.

There is a zipper one on the other side for things I need to keep safe.

And of course the big one right smack down the middle that has been

zipped open and closed possibly hundreds of times.

And the handles…

It has a big strap if I need to carry it on my shoulder.

But it also has the two little ones if you want

to carry it like a duffle bag.

It is glorious.

But it has traveled with me almost everywhere I go.

It has been a constant, loyal, dependable, traveling companion.

1.    Flagstaff, Arizona

2.    Salt Lake City, Utah

3.    Palmyra, New York

4.    Harmony, Pennsylvania

5.    Kirtland, Ohio

6.    Chicago, Illinois

7.    Baltimore, Maryland

8.    Provo, Utah

9.    Ontario, California

10. Niagra Falls, Canada

11. Los Angeles, California

12. Fish Lake, Utah

13. Heber, Arizona

14. Ensenada, Mexico

15. Fruita, Colorado

It may be fair to say that I may never part from this bag.

And yes I am proud (kind of) to admit it is my

cheer bag from good ol’ MHS. 

Bandwagon

Well I have officially jumped on the

IPod touch bandwagon,

and I am here to say…

I am loving every minute of it.

Thank you Apple people.

I Am Like A Star

We had our stake Achievement Day activity this past Saturday and it was a lot of fun.  The theme was, “I Am a Daughter of  a King” and they gave each girl a tiara and explained in different classes about the importance of the scriptures, the Holy Ghost, purity and modesty, the temple, eating healthy and keeping our bodies clean.  It was so fun and during the opening exercises our stake president spoke and I thought to myself, “I am a daughter of a king.”  It was funny.  Well not funny, but I was really moved by the things he said and how these special girls need to feel special and loved because they are daughters of our Heavenly Father.  The eight girls that I have are so fun and have quite the personalities and I enjoy working with them.  I am still getting use to them calling me Sister Parker.  It makes me feel old.

For our little dance we sang to “I am Like a Star” and did a little dance.  It was super simple but cute and they were such good sports.  I was so excited about their star headbands.  The shirts didn’t turn out the way I pictured but it worked out just fine. 

Roxy, Ashton, Bailee, Emily, Karson

I will most likely be moving out in a couple of months so I will be sad to be released.  So for now, I am just going to keep enjoying them.  Our next activity is neighborhood cleanup.  Isn’t that so exciting???!!!  I will need to come up with a fun craft and snack to go along with it. 

Weekend With the Fam

It was a great weekend with the family. We started with Dallin's football game as they demolished Dobson 42-6. It was great and Dallin did awesome! I am afraid my cheering side only comes out stronger when I have a brother playing.

Me and Rachel...sorry about the blurry picture.

I think this picture is so funny because I look so fixed on my texting conversation with Jake.

It must have been important....

Score at halftime...

And then we headed to Heber Saturday morning and I just had to take a picture of this gas pump. It is the oldest pump I have ever seen. When we pulled up, I was expecting an "out of order" sign but it totally worked!

It ended up just being my parents, me, Rachel and the boys since Alan and Danny had hw and Dallin had football. But we still had a lot of fun. It is so nice and pretty up there and so relaxing. It was great to get away.

On our way to the park...or should I say the death park! Oh my goodness. This park was SCREAMING liability and breakage of bones. The next few pictures will explain it all.

But first...you know those things that you sit on and spin around and around and around

and all you want to do is throw up? Well...don't you worry. It was there and I was so nauseated just looking at. But Kaden enjoyed it...until he went flying off and started to cry. Poor guy.

Ok display #1...are you kidding me?

Display #2...this slide was like 2 feet off the ground. You come sliding down and flying off. What child in their right mind would want to slide down this thing? Or more like...what mother would let them? I was even scared. JK.

My sister and I thought it was the craziest thing.

Display #3...Kaden is one of the most stubborn little boys I know and here he is trying to attempt the

impossible by himself at 3 years old, so obviously I had to step in. He was pretty nervous at this point in the decision.

And Display #4...are you really kidding me? If Kaden does it then Jack HAS to do it too. This is Kaden but the next couple are of Jack. I was laughing so hard by the end because Jack was so

bound and determined to complete this task. I mean seriously...check it out below...

Look at that determined faced! No fear!

And then to end on a light, safe note (sort of)...swings!

And we drove the quads. They were

OBSESSED with the bikes.

And then we came back this to the hot weather and headed to Olive Garden. Rachel and I dropped the kids off with Alan for a girl's day. We went to go see "All About Steven" and ended up walking out within the first 10 minutes. It was horrible! Do not go see it! But then we went and got some yogurt and did a little shopping.

It was a great weekend and this week is going to be good too. We have our Stake Achievement Day this weekend and my girls are going to be so cute in our dance. I am just super excited about their outfits. I got some more hours with SAVVY SPEECH and my substitute teaching certificate came in the mail. And...I signed up for the GRE! Say some extra prayers on October 28th. I will breathe a huge sigh of relief when that is over.

Oh and I just have to mention how proud I am to be a BYU Cougar. BYU beat Oklahoma 14-13 Saturday night. I am so proud!! It was awesome. It is going to be a good season. Sure wish I had my student tickets now.

Happy New Week!

A Matter Of Great Faith

A post like this makes me think I should go private but I also feel that maybe somewhere out there in cyperspace...someone needs to hear this too.

I didn't get much sleep last night. I woke up every hour on the clock and finally at about 5:45am I couldn't take it anymore and so I went for a run. And then I came home and went straight to the temple to clear my head and comtemplate my feelings.

Now I am not tooting my own horn here by saying I am going to the temple but just to give a little insight into why I needed some spiritual uplifting.

Steven and I broke up last night. I won't disclose the reasons of course but it is just not working for now or ever. Who knows? But I just need to keep having faith. He promises to always take care of us.

When I was a laurel I had gone to the temple to do baptisms. So as I was waiting outside the baptristy for my Laurel Class, I was watching a bride and groom take pictures. I wasn't thinking of much and especially not of getting married, but an older gentlement who had just left the temple noticed me watching this couple and he turned to me and said something I will never forget:

"It is all a matter of great faith!"

That simple statement has really carried me through my past relationships. I didn't think much of it at the time and wondered why he was telling me this, but I realize now why he was insprired to tell me with it being so difficult for me to find the person I want to spend my life with and marry.

Steven is one of the most incredible guys I have ever known. He wants to do the right thing and honors his Priesthood and takes it very seriously. He works so hard and his work ethic is one of the reasons I was so attracted to him. He is funny and we laugh all the time. Constantly.

And I will miss him!

"Be Not Afraid...but Believing"

But life is still good. I am working part time for a Speech Pathologist and loving every minute. I was born to be Mom, Wife, and a Speech Pathologist. I swear it is in my blood:) I work with a girl now with Asperger's disease which is a high functioning form of Autism and it is so wonderful. She is a hoot to work with and we have a lot of fun together. And I work with a few speech impediments and administer speech and language screenings. I am also substitute teaching and working for my parent's business manager. I take the GRE in October and it has been different trying to get back in the groove of studying. All the schools I plan to apply to are back east so that should be fun. If I don't get in for this next Fall, I will just keep doing my best.

My sister is due November 2nd, Dallin is expected to play a lot in this next game on Friday, and Spencer hit his one year mark a week ago.

So life is good. If there is one thing I have learned in my lifetime it is that we can never appreciate the sweet if we don't experience the bitter.

May we all be faithful and trusting in His All-Knowing Hand!