My Baby Turns 2!



Not too sure about the candle thing!

Keeping it simple...store bought cake from the bakery + M&Ms makes one perfect cake for this 2 year old!

Carrying on a Family Tradition:  Cindy entertained Jake's dad, Jason.  Jason entertained Jeremy,  Jeremy entertained Jake and now Jake is entertaining Jayden.  I'm sure Jayden will someday entertain Jake's kids!

Just photos

"Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death."

"Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death."

Very true statement.  I've been thinking about that a lot lately.  In my lifetime and the lives I've those around me, I've seen how much fear and insecurity can creep into your head and heart during times of trial. 

I watch the news and see all the death and destruction and general anger all around.  I've watched people's anger at recent trial results in the news.  I've watched the economy turn normally calm people into those with paranoia. 

Now our life is pretty good.  We struggle just like anyone else with finances (comes with the territory in this economy when you own your own business).  We have had to learn to compartmentalize the stress.  But when it comes to doubt, you really do have to rely on faith to make it through life. 

Faith in yourself.  Faith in those you love and trust.  And most important to me, faith in my Heavenly Father and our elder brother, Jesus Christ.  It is my faith that sustains me.  I've often heard the phrase, "Work like everything depends on you but pray like everything depends on Him."  And that's what I try to do.  I know that any complications or setbacks I may have in my life are only temporary.  I know that in the end, all things will be worked out as long as I'm working towards my goals.  So when I read the quote at the beginning of this post, it really struck a chord for me. 

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! :)

My Supermen!

It would be impossible not to feel lucky with two guys like this in my life.  This was taken on the 4th of July, a day where I feel lucky to be free to have opinions, to be able to voice them, and to live where I have the right to worship however I want to worship!

But most of all, I've been especially blessed to have these two in my life.  Jeremy is hardworking, hard playing and a "what you see is what he is" guy.  He's a great father, a patient husband and a loyal friend.

Jayden is such a blessing.  He's cute as all get out, fun to be with and a sweet little guy.

In short, I don't have one Superman, I have two Supermen! :)

Thoughts

I was reading through the lesson for Relief Society for church tomorrow and it was a talk given by one of the members of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles of our church, Elder D. Todd Christofferson.  It's a talk titled "As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten".  One phrase jumped off the page for me (though the whole talk is excellent) where he said,
            "I would like to speak of one particular attitude and practice we need to adopt if we are to meet our Heavenly Father's high expectations.  It is this: willingly to accept and even seek correction.  Correction is vital if we would conform our lives 'unto a perfect man, [that is,] unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ' (Ephesians 4:13).  Paul said of divine correction or chastening, 'For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth' (Hebrews 12:6).  Though it is often difficult to endure, truly we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct."

It got me to thinking about the life Jeremy and I share and whether we rejoice in our corrections.  I know we had a Family Home Evening when we were first married where we discussed our commitment to improving our lives, our marriage and our overall performance.  We talked about how we were going to be obedient to what our Heavenly Father asked.  Now we have in no way acheived perfection--as you may have already guessed since we haven't been translated--but we certainly have put a lot of effort into it. 

I'm always saddened when I hear people say that they do not get much out of Sunday services.  I know for me, that has not been the case.  A few years ago, one of our local church leaders asked the congregation to move forward and sit closer to the pulpit so that we may pay greater attention to the words being offered.  At the time, Jeremy and I were very much back row people due to what seems like heavy cases of adult onset ADD on our parts.  But we looked at each other when he said that and knew that starting the following Sunday, we'd be in the front row.  And there we have been ever since.  Now some of the talks given in Sacrament meeting have not always been exciting.  But I have made a conscious effort to get something out of them no matter what.  I even started taking notes.  And you know what...it has been awesome!  There has not been one Sunday where I haven't heard something said over the pulpit that hasn't struck some chord in my soul.  I don't know that I've necessarily learned something new each week, but I certainly have had some principle or behavior reminder that I have tried to incorporate into my week and I have seen more peace come to my physical and spiritual body as well as that feeling that I got something out of church each week.

Why am I writing about this?  Well, it's certainly not to toot my own horn, because quite frankly, no one's listening to that tune.  I just was feeling reflective and enthused about a talk and that led to a reflection.

I hope all those in blog land have a great Sabbath Day tomorrow!  I know I will...no matter what!