Random Thoughts

I have had several random thoughts milling through my mind the last few days.  I thought I would share a few. 

1- When it comes to Easter time and singing Easter Hymns, I wish I were a high soprano.  When I am singing HE IS RISEN how can I "tell it out with joyful voice" singing alto, it just doesn't work for me!

2-The other day Ally came to me and said, "Mom, I am a SO-FORTH!"  HUH?  "Mom, I am a SO-FORTH!"  What exactly does that mean Ally?  She then started singing the 6th article of faith to me:  We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.  Very Clever!  And I am sure there is some additional meaning there.....

3.  My mom always says, "You are only as happy as your saddest child."  I think I am finally starting to see what she means.  I think it is true...Motherhood produces those kinds of feelings.  I also think those feelings prompt us to do the BEST job we can do at all times. 

4.  The other day in Relief Society we were talking about tithing.  I made the comment that the Lord has always taken care of us and I believe it is a blessing of tithing.  I then said that it would be interesting to look back at my budget book and figure out how in the world we have made it through the last 10 years! 

Another lady in our group said, "I think the Lord has a different kind of math....When we pay our tithing, he uses that math, it is the same math he used when feeding the 5,000 with a few fishes and loaves."  I've thought about that for a while.....Before Jesus fed the 5,000, he prayed.  The prayer was one of Thanksgiving and reliance on the Lord.  Isn't that what we do when we pay our tithing - isn't it an act of Thanksgiving and reliance on the Lord? 

5.  In our last Stake Conference Broadcast, a Member of the 70 said that he was once given this promise, "If you will fast on Fast Sunday at the first of each month, you will be able to handle all of the struggles that you have in that month."  I found that to be true this month, but I felt it "wearing off" last week :)  I am glad that today is Fast Sunday!

I've Got All My Eggs In One Basket!

Ally is 7, she is in 2nd Grade.  Last week she came home from school and said.  "Mom, someone told me that we aren't Christians."  Not trying to show any emotion I said, "And what did you say Ally?"......"Well, I said, 'Wait a minute!  We believe in Jesus Christ, I think we are Christian.'"  A little deep for Second Graders don't you think.  All I remember about 2nd grade was the Operetta and the...Well yeah, I guess that is all I remember.  I was proud of Ally for her unrehearsed response. 

Now if there are any friends or family members out there wondering the same thing, let me put your mind at ease.  We are Christians.  I BELONG TO THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.  In fact, spiritually speaking, I've got all my eggs in one basket.  I don't think I can let that comment stand on its own.  Let me explain....

While we were growing up, we played a lot of Phase 10.  As we sat around the dining room table, someone would inevitably say, "UGHH, I've got all my eggs in one basket."  Meaning - there was only ONE option, they had to draw JUST THE RIGHT card, or they would never win.  It was usually my dad or mom that would say it.  If it was my mom, you could believe her,  if it was my dad, he was lying, and would usually win on the next turn. 

In real life, I realize that there is also only ONE OPTION.  "I say unto you, that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved ." 2 Nephi 25:20

I believe that there is not another person, thing, or idea that can save me and my family.  So with all my heart I am clinging to the one great hope available to all of us - Jesus Christ. It is my firm belief that what we remember this Easter weekend is ESSENTIAL for every person.  The events that took place in the Garden of Gethsemane, and on the Cross of Calvary were the greatest things to ever happen in all of the history of mankind.   

And on top of that, I know that there was an EMPTY TOMB at the end of 3 days time.  This year, the words, "He is not here, He is RISEN,"  have been etched upon my heart as a great source of comfort and hope.

I testify of a LIVING Savior.  And as Isaiah said, One who is ready to turn our "ashes" into beauty. There is no other Name, and, spiritually speaking, there is NO OTHER BASKET! 

Goldfish!

Yesterday night Sam was DYING of hunger.  I told him to get a HANDFUL of goldfish and then it would be time to brush teeth and get ready for bed.  Five minutes later I realize that Sam is sitting next to me on the couch eating goldfish out of a large cup (I think it was 5 minutes.  But in reality, I have no idea how many goldfish he had inhaled at this point.)  I say, "Sam!  I said a handful!"  He replies, "Mom, they wouldn't all fit in my hand!"  This is the point where I try to discipline without laughing. 

This past week has been full of these types of incidents.  I remember Elder Ballard saying once that it is important that families have unscheduled family time.  Well, since this week was full of NOTHING but tonsils, movies, naps, and cream of wheat, we had plenty of time to do absolutely nothing. 

The result = it was wonderful!  We played more games, had more conversations, and laughed more than we have in - well forever.  (Tonight we even had a full game of "No Bears Are Out Tonight!"  Gary gave away our hiding place every single time!  Ally gave away her own hiding place, and Sam couldn't stop giggling!  Jared tried to hide behind a light pole, he is skinny, but not that skinny). 
In reality I am just writing to tell everyone that we are doing great, the tonsillectomies were a great success, and sometimes blessings come in strange packages!

Reality TV---REALLY?

This is a picture of Joseph....Do you see the look on his face?  That has been his general attitude towards life for about a week now.  I think the tonsillectomies have effected him more than Gary or Jared.  I think the look on his face and the potentail of the blanket in his hand becoming a weapon were his response when Jared said, "Smile Joseph!" 
Let  me tell you about another response....."Joseph please don't go outside, you are all dressed for church and you will get your church clothes dirty? ..... "No Mama!" .....  As I guard the front door for a few seconds and think that his urge to disobey has passed, I enter my room just in time to see him pushing out the screen in my window and crawling through it.  By the time I catch up with him, he is almost at Whitings....and I am out of breath. 
We finally get to church, with clean church clothes I might add.  Sacrament meeting was very enjoyable, the high councilman gave a fabulous talk, referring a lot to the Proclamation on the Family.  He talks about the things that will keep families together, " faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities" and in that order.  I think to myself, "it is hard to get all these kids to church each Sunday and struggle through church...but we are doing the right thing."  Perhaps, I just was not aware of how OBVIOUS our struggle was to our very kind ward members. 
I leave Sacrament meeting to go and teach my 16 and 17 year old Sunday School class (the best calling in the church, I might add).  They are always full of comments and updates as class begins, but this one came out of nowhere for me.  "So Sister Bolton, I have been thinking a lot....I think they should make a Reality TV Show out of your family, and I WOULD DEFINITELY WATCH IT."  There are a few comments that make you step back and look at your life from a slightly different view point, I think this was one of them.  And by the way, my Sunday School class could be a reality show most Sundays :)
So I will continue the struggle in church and outside of church, not because I want to provide true entertainment for the masses, but because it is my only and last great hope.  I will leave you with a favorite quote by John Adams.  Draw your own conclusions.
"What has preserved this race of Adamses in all their ramifications in such numbers, health, peace, comfort, and mediocrity?  I believe it is religion, without which they would have been rakes, fops, sots, gamblers, starved with hunger, or frozen with cold, scalped by Indians, etc. etc. etc.  melted away and disappeared."
Didn't that quote just describe the plot of LOTS of reality tv shows (minus the whole scalping thing).... I'm just sayin.....

I Hugged A Complete Stranger!

Whenever we would leave for school in the morning, my dad would say to us, "Have a Day!"  It was never, "Have a Good Day," it was only, "Have a Day!"  Well, yesterday, I HAD a DAY! 

We awoke early to go to St. George for the highly anticipated (at least for Gary) tonsillectomies.  Gary was first, and he was a trooper!  As I met him in the recovery room, he opened his eyes to say, "Mom, are my tonsills out (opening his mouth a half of a centimeter)?"  "Yes Gary!"  "Mom, did they tell you that I was SUPER BRAVE!"  "Yes Gary, I love you!"  He didn't open his eyes for another hour. 

A half an hour later, the nurses inform me that Jared is out of surgery and doing well.  One nurse timidly asks, "Are you Kathryn?"  "Yes."  "Your husband has woken 10 times, and each time he asks, Is Gary okay?  Is Kathryn okay?"  The operations could not have gone better.  We are GRATEFUL for good doctors.

We finally get full of IV's and we are ready to head out the door.  I am the driver with Gary asleep in the back and Jared asleep in the front.  Two minutes before the Logandale/Overton exit, Gary wakes up and begins throwing-up, again and again.  But no blood, so we are safe.  We get home to find that everything and everyone has survived here.  Then Jared mistakenly turns on the kitchen sink.  It breaks.  The kitchen sink breaking was not all that traumatic, I have no problem doing dishes in the bathtub for a while.  It was the amount of money already spent that day, that made me sick at the thought of buying a new kitchen sink.  I go to pick up Gary and Jared's pain prescriptions at Lins, worrying that the medication they have is minutes away from wearing off.  Surprise Surprise, they are out of that type of medicine.  They must see the deep lines in my forehead and quickly offer to call the doctor and work something out.  45 minutes later we leave for home.  The wind is CRAZY.  Sam is with me and as he opens the front door, it SMASHES into the neighboring, BRAND NEW SHINY BROWN PICK-UP TRUCK.  At this point, I was on the BRINK.

I looked at the DENT that the collision had caused, and I am ashamed to say that many thoughts ran through my mind.  "Oh, it was his fault for parking too close to me......I am sure he has good insurance...I can't control the wind."  But a quieter voice was saying, "This is a defining point for you.  You can be honest in easy situations, but can you be honest when it was HARD, financially and emotionally?"

I knew what I had to do.  As they came out of the grocery store, I said a little prayer and headed over with my insurance card.  "I, I, I put a dent in your truck!"  As I showed the man the dent, I began to rub it and found that the silver paint from our car came off, but the dent was still visible.  This gentleman looked at me and said, "If that is the worst thing that happens to this truck, we will be okay, it is not a problem."  This is the point where I hugged a complete stranger.  If you know me at all, you know that I am not a hugger, let alone a hugger of strangers.  

The rest of the day was relatively quiet.  I had "backed away from the brink," and could breathe again.  I prayed last night that this stranger would be blessed for the HUGE blessing he was to me.  Yes, it was quite a DAY!

Tonsillectomy Breath!

I heard once that the sense of smell brings back more memories than any other sense.  Dont' Google it, I don't want to know if it is true, it is true to me. 
Anytime I smell gasoline fumes, I envision myself sitting on a red sled behind a snowmobile.  All the while yelling, "Don't Jerk!  Don't Jerk!" (As in don't jerk the rope)  and Erin pretending she can't hear me, throwing me from the sled just seconds after the ride begins.  During those winter months, we inhaled TANKS of gasoline fumes.  We will all die of cancer, mark my word. 
Mosquito Spray -- 6 a.m., crisp chill in the air, 7 teenagers stumble from a big blue pick-up truck, and slather on the mosquito spray for another day of gopher killing!  Yes, for 13 years of my life, I was a professional gopher killer.  That in itself deserves 10 more posts. 
I tried to decide what smell would remind me the most of my dad.  A few came to mind...Popcorn, fresh fish (well, really only brook trout from Teton Creek).  Fresh cut grass.  The smell that comes right before the lightning strikes and the rain pours.  When most people closed their windows, we opened ours to "smell the rain."
My Aunt Karla's house has a specific smell.  My mom says that it is Juniper bushes, I think it is mostly Rice Krispie treats, really good Rice Krispie Treats!
I think that I have finally found the smell that I want to remind me of Overton, NV.  There are a few I don't want to remember - Friday Mornings in the Summer, Garbage day in our neighborhood..."Cooked" garbage is a smell I never care to remember.  And when it rains in the desert when it is 120 degrees outside, it smells a bit like a Senior Boys gym locker. However, each spring, all 10 days of it, the lemon trees start to bloom here!  When you smell them, you can almost taste sugar.
There are a couple of smells that will always remind me of the year 2011 - tonsillectomy breath and Amoxicillian.  Tomorrow Jared will have a tonsillectomy and Gary will also have a tonsillectomy and tubes put in his ears.  That will be 5 surgeries to date for this year (remember it is April) 3 tonsillectomies and 2 tubes.  Oh the Joy!  Oh the Smell!  Have you ever smelled Tonsillectomy breath - WOW!  I'm just saying......

For What it is Worth!

I thought I would drop off a quick thought this morning.  As we were watching General Conference on Sunday, I was reminded of something that President Kimball had said several years ago.  In the words of Presidnet Monson:
"The temple is the pinnacle of our faith. We begin by teaching our children as they learn to pray to regard the temple as holy. President Kimball once urged that each child have a picture of the temple in his or her bedroom so parents can point the child's attention to the temple. Then, having seen that picture frequently in childhood days, he or she will not turn elsewhere for marriage than in the household of God."
As I was redecorating my children's rooms this summer (at 8 months pregnant I might add), this thought came to me from the deep files of my mind.  SO....I hung up a picture of the Savior, the temple, and the Prophet in each of the kid's bedrooms.  The picture below is of Sam and Daniel's bedroom!  These pictures hang in the white frames on the left hand side of the picture.  (This picture really doesn't do the CUTENESS of this room justice, anyhow):

Yesterday Sam had a homework assignment to draw a map of his room.  The baby was asleep and he couldn't go inside the room to draw the map.  So he did it from memory.  This is what he came up with:

As he helped me decipher the map, (I have no idea why I couldn't see it for myself:), he unveiled the following things:  his door, bed, crib, window, desk, closet, and THESE 3 PICTURES.  I have highlighted them for you in orange.  Notice that they are half the size of the bed, and rival the closet.  Notice also that he left a lot of other things off from the map.  I have never talked to Sam about his pictures (not good I know), but all on their own, I think they made an impression.  For what it is worth....