Loveland Aquarium

I love this little aquarium. It is super cool and has such fun things to do! We spent a good part of the day there and had.a.blast!

The girls are very good explorers and enjoyed everything.

They both had different favorite future aquarium jobs. Ruby would like to work in the baby penguin nursery and Coco would like to take care of the sneaky octopus. 

When we got home we watched Finding Nemo, made dinner, had FHE and held baby Darcy. 

Starfish cookies were a hit!

 

This is the sweetest baby girl!

Sweet baby days

Today was a good day. Yesterday was a good day too. When I first got to Utah Sierra and Chris picked me up. We had a fun talk, stopped at the store for some things, ate at Cafe Rio and then we all came to Jenna’s. While we were at the store the girls called and asked me why I was taking so long to get to their house. When I got here Ruby said “Mimi I just love you so much and you were gone so long, I’m glad you came back” (melt). I love being a grandma and a Mom.

Darcy is the sweetest little baby. She is peaceful and calm. She’s so very pretty and is so tiny. 

Today I took the girls on a winter hike. We went to dripping rock and it was cool because the dripping water was long hanging icicles. We saw deer walking around and the girls were so cute.

After dinner the three of us went to Dani’s to make cookies and hang out for a little while. It was nice to see everyone & spend some time. Marshall and the girls went to the basement to play. It was a long day of playing and having fun, when we got home the girls went straight to bed, and fell right asleep.

Jenna’s been laying low, getting rest when she can and she’s feeling pretty good for a mom of a newborn. 

 

Elevator

 God answers our prayers.  I've been thinking about that a lot lately and trying to be very mindful of my prayer life. We have been praying for many months (think 9) for the safe and healthy delivery of Baby Johnson.  I specifically asked for a vbac for Jenna, and a delivery that would help erase some of the birth trauma she must have experienced with the girls birth almost 4 years ago.  Yesterday that prayer was answered in a big way.  Jenna and Clayton welcomed baby Darcy Ella to earth.  She is a beautiful baby and I can't wait to go and help out and to get some baby snuggles.  Jenna said her birth went perfectly, it was quick and she had a great epidural and all is well. 💕.  God is good!

I listened to a good book this month driving to work.  It's called "Learning to Pray" by James Martin, S.J.  He is a Jesuit priest so it was very Catholic in flavor but I found his stories inspiring and his advice was really good.  I was taught to pray by my parents when I was little, and in primary, and in all the regular places.  When we went to San Francisco many times a year Baba Olya also taught me to pray the way she did.  She was Russian Orthodox and her prayers involved an icon.  Even though it was very different it still felt like Heavenly Father was hearing our prayers.  I remember a couple of times going to church with her and Baba Katya, and a couple of times to Christmas Eve mass with Aunt Sonya (a catholic).  I enjoyed both kinds of services and I think I have always known that there are great truths in the world and that all of God's children have access to those truths.  I love learning about what other people believe and what brings them closer to Heavenly Father.  

That said I am ever grateful that we have been blessed with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and can enjoy the fullness of those blessings.

One thing he talked about was remembering to be grateful when a prayer is answered and giving the "credit" to Heavenly Father.  

Yesterday I listened to a BYU devotional on the way to work.  It was given by Elder Holland, who not only is a special witness of Jesus Christ, one of his living Apostles on the earth today, but who is also a very eloquent and skilled orator.  He is a wordsmith of the highest caliber and his talks not only delight the spirit but enliven the mind.  He shared the story of Troy and Deedra Russel from Henderson Nevada.  7 years ago their 9 year old son was tragically killed when Troy accidentally ran over him with his truck.  What an awful, awful trail.  Losing a child is right at the top of the list of things you never want to have happen.  Late last year Deedra was driving on I-15 and was hit by a drunk driver.  She barely survived and has been in the hospital recovering for many many months. Elder Holland went on to share several important life lessons that we all need to take into our lives.  I won't write them all here but I will share one thought that really jumped out at me.  He said " we ought to acknowledge the tears of a Heavenly Father who simply asks us to take care of one another, to be careful rather than reckless with the well-being of our sisters and our brothers.  Childlike obedience to His parental calls and divine warnings will spare us and others agony in the end.  Thus the cry of His Only Begotten Son: "If you love me, keep my commandments". It is part of the apostolic burden for us to stand with the Savior in this request.  We always extend our love - always- but we are morally obligated to ask for obedience to the commandments as evidence of that affection".  I really loved this because first there are so many blessings that come from obedience.  Second I felt the weight of his description of the burden of discipleship.  The loving people part is sometimes easier than the teaching obedience part.  Especially when you are working with teenagers, or someone who doesn't have the fullness of the gospel, or who did have it but who has strayed.  We can not uncouple what the Lord has put together. If you love me, keep my commandments. (and in my words if you love someone else teach them how to come unto Christ by keeping the commandments).

Anyway that story obviously resonated with me.  I am SOOO grateful for the impossible miracle we were blessed with in Sierra's survival.  My heart breaks for the Russel family, I remember well the dark nights and difficult days when Sierra was in the hospital in those early weeks of her recovery.  I can not imagine enduring months and months of that. We prayed many prayers and our petitions were answered.  I also related to their losing their son.  I didn't lose my son but Val & Ryan did and that is a nightmare that we (their family) have walked with them the best we could, or can.  I have prayed many prayers on their behalf and I have seen those prayers answered.  Even though my role is small and peripheral I know that the prayers of loved ones are heard and answered.  I know a lot of people love Val and Ryan and Tanner and that as we have lifted our prayers to Him who can ease their burden, who does walk with them, who has embraced Tanner as a faithful son and who works daily miracles in their lives those prayers are answered and they are blessed. Conversely I have also tangibly felt the many prayers that sustained our family when Sierra had her accident. I am grateful for the wonderful gift of prayer.  (even as I know I could do better, could be more faithful, more diligent, more sincere)

Which brings me to my last thought on this chilly January day.  This morning's driving devotional was by Ruth and Dale Renlund given in Dec 2019.  Elder Renlund shared an "embarrassing story" one he was unwilling to even tell his wife for some many years since he was so ashamed.  After medical school for him, and law school for Ruth the Renlund family moved to Baltimore MD for his internship. He said this was a grueling many years of working every day, and every third night and that sometimes he didn't get to go to church with his family.  In fact about half the time he didn't.  One particular week he had worked all day, then the whole of the night, and it was Sunday morning and he realized if he hurried he could finish in time to go with his family to church at 2pm.  They lived across the street from the hospital and only had one car so he had to be home before his wife and daughter left. Then he realized that if he slowed down his efforts just a little bit he would get home after 2.  It would be too late to go to church as the family would have already left, and he could take a nap.  He said he is ashamed to admit that he did just that.  He came home at 2:15 and lay down on the couch to rest. He could not sleep though, he was profoundly disturbed.  He said he had always loved to go to church.  He always felt a burning testimony of Christ's living reality. But the intensity that day, was not there.  He then got off the couch and knelt on the floor to plead with God for forgiveness. While he was praying a plan formulated in his mind and he came up with some ways to change his behaviors to always include the personal, private acts of devotion that are necessary to sustain us and keep us strong. 

His talk was powerful and his advice was wonderful.  Also imagine if that was your most embarrassing sin...choosing to nap instead of go to church one week.  I imagine that does not even register on the radar of sins by most people.  Luckily we are not all judged by the Apostle yard stick.  Luckily we all can learn and grow, change and repent...and when our hearts are nudged to be better we can be better. I am so grateful for that blessing. I am grateful for the answers to my prayers of contrition, my pleas for forgiveness, my petitions for guidance and grace. 

Here's another biggie.  After 18 years of praying for Ethan to be a good missionary, 18 years of making what feeble efforts we could muster to raise him right and teach him, he is in fact a good missionary.  I love to read his letters and to talk with him late (too late) on Monday nights.  I keep praying and am grateful that God knows and loves his son, my boy Ethan, and I know that it is an answer to those prayers much more than a result of our efforts that he is the man he is.  

Brrrr

It is winter here in Florida. It’s usually cold a couple of days or weeks each year. It’s been cold the last week or so, and by cold I mean it’s been in the 30’s at night and in the morning. It’s also still humid so the air is icy. 

Epcot is having there Art Festival and their Disney Broadway Concert series. Grace has all county band this week and is away at practice each night. Even though it’s winter I asked Rob if he’d go with me to hear the concert. We went after work, got in line with our ice cream cones, got great seats, watched the concert (it was Newsies themed) and then went home. So fun!

 

Weekend

Friday night we went to Hollywood Studios!

Saturday was cold. We stayed home and then in the evening went to the first meeting of the BBQ club. It turned out more fun than I thought it would be. We had about 50 people there and ate and  visited. 

Sunday was church and BYD.

 

Celebrate

Grace spend the day at Animal Kingdom with some friends. Then Lettie came home with her for spaghetti and cake. 

 

Birthday Eve

After work I went to the dentist to get my permeant crown, it was horrible but I did survive. 

Then I picked up Grace and we went to DS to buy her birthday present. We had a fun time. We both love to look at Disney stuff, and I made her eat at the Polite Pig, which is my favorite. She ate two brussel sprouts…on the Eve of her 17th birthday she finally tried the beloved veggie!

She’s a cutie! I’m glad she’s mine💕

 

Temple Night

After work I met Maya, Lettie and Chase at the temple for baptism. It was a nice night. It was sweet and quiet and peaceful. 

 

MLK

 

No school so we went to Epcot. We rode Remy’s cute ride for the first time. We enjoyed the art booths and ate some ice cream. 

Our weekend was nice. I love a three day weekend. Saturday we did errands. Sunday we had lots of church meetings. 

We had a couple of really good talks yesterday. There is a young couple in our ward, the wife spoke, I think she’s probably 20 years old. She spoke about how she was always so active and considered herself to have a strong testimony and to be a leader in YW and seminary. Then she got a rash and it was pretty bad. She was diagnosed with eczema and went to lots of doctors but it never got better. It got worse and worse and after many years of pain and bleeding and itching and burning and no one being able to help her she really got discouraged. She said she always came to church but stopped with the seeking and the studying and other private religious practices. She just felt like God had forgotten her. This last conference she heard a talk about Joseph in Liberty Jail and it really touched her. She was reminded that God does know her, even in her affliction. She is still struggling to find answers but has found peace for now. Some struggles are really difficult. Chronic health issues are definitely on the list. 

 The other talk was by a high counselor named Bro Urton, He got up to speak and he’s very unassuming looking, a little round in the middle and a little bald on the top with glasses and a mild mannered speaking voice.  He mostly read his talk and it wasn't dynamic but quite pleasant to listen to none the less. So he talked about serving his mission in France and they had a young convert named Giselle. She always asked them to teach her mom, to come talk to her mom. They tried several times but the mother was not interested and in fact was rude (in that special way the French are known for). This particular day they decided to try again and went to her home. As they were walking up to her house they saw that the yard needed work, there were weeds needing pulling and a lawn that needed mowing. They asked Giselle if they could borrow some of her brothers work clothes and set to work. They spent a couple hours and he said Giselle’s mom didn’t need a message preached to her that day, she needed her lawn to be tended. The mom was grateful and came out to talk to them several times, then invited them to stay for dinner, then listened to their message. He said he was really blessed by listening to the spirit and showing forth love not just trying to teach. He also said it wasn’t much of a sacrifice because plan A was to knock doors and no one was excited about that!

Then he said he wanted to share another story, one that doesn’t put him in such a good light but that taught him a lot about love. He was in Afghanistan and was commander over the anesthesia department in a field hospital. They treated not only America soldiers and our allies but also wounded enemy combatants. He told about one time when they had to do surgery on someone they knew was a suicide bomber, who was responsible for the deaths of soldiers and civilians. They saved his life, and he (Brother Urton) was not glad. Another time an Al-Qaeda soldier came in with terrible cataracts, he was almost blind. While he was laying on the table being anesthetized he was spitting and saying horrible things about what he planned to do to Bro U’s wife and family, and other innocent civilians. Again, and although he followed orders and did his best medical job, he was not glad. He then bore his testimony about how we need to love everyone. We are commanded to love everyone.  This takes humility and the grace of God to do. He said he was not where he needs to be in his feelings about those men but his heart is softer, and the miracles of God's love and repentance are very real, and he is slowly becoming who he needs to be.  It was an excellent talk and I felt the spirit strongly. 

Date Night

 

After a very long work week, which included but was not limited to Edward forgetting his meds (I knew right away), Delvin and Cameron punching each other in class, Gianna crying when she failed her test, and no lunch with friends because we were all sick with something or other and decided not to mix the germs. I needed a night out.

When I got home we went to Hollywood Studios. Neither of us had ridden Rise of the Resistance and it was amazing!! Maybe the best ride in the parks. 

Then we went to the Sci Fi Drive in where you get to sit in 50’s style cars and watch an 1950’s classic sci fi movie while you eat your burger! 

My date was handsome and cheerful and it was a great start to a 3 day weekend!

After it was so cold I had to buy a hat to walk to the parking lot in.

Almost Friday

Our little amaryllis plants are sprouting. 

On Tuesday Grace went to the doctor and she tested positive. I don’t know how I was negative and she positive when we had the same symptoms at the same time…if anything I was more sick as I had a fever for a couple of days but there you go. 

 Other than that there is nothing new. We work. We do school. We watch the cats destroy things. We wait for Jenna’s baby to be born. We enjoy moderate weather. We cross our fingers for Spain. We gather for family scriptures at night. 

Oh Rob got a lathe and is learning to turn wood.