insta-july

Instagram has been kind of a heavy place lately. Not that it's all a bad thing- some thing have to be heavy in order for them to be addressed and some things need to be addressed before they get better. (Now, some things are just heavy because people are ignorant and combative and that's hard, too.) 

I feel like my Instagram this month swung from heavy to light with dizzying speed - but that's what Instagram is. I say right on my feed:

Wife. Mama. Disciple. Homeschooler. Builder.

These squares: happy, heavy, determined, humble, simple, joyful.

This feed is all of those things. 

7.4.20

I shared my heart in my stories today about everything going on in our country right now. I did it more for me than for anyone else. I want this collection of squares on the internet to be a place where I can share all the pieces of my heart, the heavy, the determined, the humble, the simple, the joyful. I've been stuck waiting for the right words, but they aren't there. So I will share these: I am a builder. I will build my home, my community, my country to be the place that my hope and faith tells me it can be. I will humbly listen, pray with faith, and go forth with effort and truth. I will share light, I will teach love, I will make mistakes but I will not give up. I will build bridges and I will build fortifications. I will build a sanctuary of faith in my heart and home. I will work to build peace outside of my home. I love America and will work to build it, too. It's the Fourth of July today and my heart is solemn with gratitude for those (of all backgrounds) who have worked to make our country what it is, and pledge to do my part to continue to build on their legacy with love and faith.

📷: @kelsieraephoto

7.6.20

Ain't gonna to let a little bit of sun stop our summer fun. 👒🕶️👖After Lucy getting a sunburn after only 15 minutes outside this spring, I learned my #albinism lesson and we always make sure she has sunscreen, a UV suit, and a hat whenever she goes outside. She's also learning to tolerate her sunglasses because her eyes are clearly more comfortable with them on. Also, swipe ➡️ to see a picture of a doll named Mrs. Beasely from an old TV show, Family Affair, that hilariously looks just like Lucy in her sun-suit. ☀️

7.9.20

Tonight, the following disagreement happened between Lydia and Austin (while they were supposed to be falling asleep in their beds):

Lydia had opted to sleep in a large box that she had constructed for the sole purpose of trying to sleep in. She had carefully taken two smaller boxes, cut the edges, and meticulously taped the edges together to create one large box. She mentioned to Austin that she was proud of her box.

Austin, quick to correct her misuse of words, told her that it was not A box - but rather, it was TWO boxes. Lydia, hurt by the lack of care or understanding of the effort it took to make it into one box stubbornly insisted that it was ONE box.

Commence argument.

Enter Mom to the scene.

Mom: Go to bed, please stop talking to each other.

Austin: Mom, I just need to say two more sentences to Lydia. "Lydia, that is not one box, that is two boxes that have been taped together." whispers to mom: We are having a disagreement.

Lydia, indignantly: "Austin- it is not TWO boxes. It is ONE box."

Mom exits the scene after instructing each child individually to STOP talking to the other about the box.

After a few minutes of begrudging silence, talking was again heard from the room. It was more arguing about the box.

Dad, unaware of the ongoing argument enters the scene.

Lydia: "Austin is making me feel bad because he thinks that it is two little boxes instead of one big box. It is one big box and it makes me feel bad that he does not think it is.

David tucks Lydia in, then stands to talk to Austin about the box.

Austin's simple reply: "I can't let Lydia say things that are not right."

---

David and I had a great conversation about the parallels between this and our society today. And we learned that listening to another's perspective may not make you change your own opinion- but it probably would help you feel better to know where they are coming from.

7.10.20

Who doesn't need another picture of Baby Lucy in their Instagram feed today? You are welcome.

7.12.20

Church at home learning about the Rameumptum, win ✅. Me at dinner where two of my kids ate their jello then disappeared to "the bathroom", one never came to the table because she doesn't like Lasagna, and their dad finally left to go find them and make them come back to eat, fail ❎. (But at least Lucy liked the Lasagna!).

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Church at home. With kids so small, sometimes I feel that it is... lacking. But today I had the chance to listen to our Stake President bear testimony about how these small church at home situations have the ability to be Powerful Personal Spiritual Experiences. It is so neat to think about this tiny pocket of light in my home, in our Sabbath day, being able to make a big difference. So tonight I'm thinking about that instead of how dinner was a flop. 😂😍😂

insta-david

{7.27.20}

A little hard to see, but this is a giant crack in our basement window. There are two ways to look at the last 10 days for us.

1) We came in contact with someone who later tested positive for Covid-19 and had to qurantine and could not leave our house. Then our air conditioner broke and we can't have anyone come fix it until our qurantine ends and it is so hot. Plus it will be expensive to fix. If things were not bad already, one of this kids broke the window in the basement. It has been a lousy couple of weeks. Oh and our fish died.

2) We got to see a good friend recently and it was wonderful. She got sick with covid-19 soon after we saw her, fortunately she is doing better now. Shantel got tested as well and it came back negative! Everyone is healthy and doing great and we just finished our precautionary qurantine. We have been so blessed to have friends and family willing to grab us a few needed items (and a few bonus treats we did not expect) at the store. Our air conditioner went out this week as well. I'm so grateful our basement is finished because it gave me a cooler place to work this week with no AC. We had kind friends loan us some fans to help. Our good friends daughter had an accident at home and was knocked unconscious. We are so grateful because she is okay, even though it could have been much worse. Finally, Big Blue passed away this morning. We loved that little fish and will miss her.

I have learned: Don't curse the Lord for your blessings, and look for the blessings you DO have, not just the ones you want. These are minor things, but with the right attitude, you can count your blessings. For those facing challenges much more significant than a broken window: Keep praying, keep believing, the Lord will not forsake you. The Savior is there with you and you are loved and are not alone.