Overcoming and Becoming!

Okay, so those of you who follow my blog and want to have a general idea about how we're doing, just read the first 7 paragraphs. If you want to be a part of my deep thought processing then go ahead and read to the end!.......i dare you!

My favorite motto for JUSTIN is: "Overcoming and Becoming!" He is truly an inspiration to me, our children and the many men and women he serves with. As desolate as Iraq is, the works of God are ever present. War is not a pretty thing, in fact if you ask me, i would tell you that i'm very Anti-War! It's an ugly thing to witness God's children being deliberately hateful for their own power and glory. On the other hand i'm forever grateful that God has prepared souls to step in and defend liberty. It's been this way since the great War in Heaven. Now, to reassure my husband, I will not be a fruit cake out on the streets protesting about it, but i WILL continue to pray for "world peace!" We are ALL born with the Light of Christ! Sorry, back to Justin. He was awarded an "Impact Award." This simply means he has a positive influence on the troops. Soldiers of all ranks (at different times) submitted his name for something that they witnessed him doing that had some great influence. They've had him doing some construction projects, cuz word got out that he was a tremendous carpenter. He took a written test and driving test on some big machines (that i can't name) that will make him more available to fill in if the need arises! He's ever so willing to embrace this time away from home! He finally met the LDS Chaplain (who resides at another camp), but there are 3 of them that can have a Sacrament meeting together! He takes it upon himself to teach a lesson too. A HUGE blessing. This weekend i hadn't heard from him (at all). He usually calls/skypes or emails and so naturally i started to wonder. I wasn't overwhelmed with fear, but i did start to put scenarios together in my head! Anyway, he did call me today. He said their first soldier was killed. A roadside bomb. They shut everything down. It's called "total blackout," because they want the family members to be notified first. Sad and crazy times. It sure 'up'ed my prayers a notch (pun intended)! I told you i thought i was praying diligently already, but hearing this sure changed my perspective (yet again). I'm telling you again to hold your loved ones a little tighter. Don't let the little/silly things get between you. Tell them and show them you LOVE them! No regrets!...........He isn't gonna keep this same job in the Army, so when he gets back, he'll be up for promotion and re classing. We aren't sure right now if it's gonna be Special Forces still or Warrant Officer. Those are a few things he's mentioned. I might suggest that he look into being an "Air Assault" Instructor. He loves to sky dive and he's very wise. We'll see. We haven't heard when he'll get to come home for R & R (rest & relaxation), but i'm definitely looking forward to those 2 weeks with him! So when we go into hiding, i hope you'll understand!

JOCELYN is such a determined leader. She loves school. She got straight A's last semester and remains on the honor roll. She also had highest amount of reading points in the 7th grade. She picks a book on the list that the school provides and each book has a level of difficulty. The more difficult it is, the more points attached. Well, in order to get the points she takes a computerized test and depending on the results determines the number of points given! She was in the choir and in drama (scroll down to see my blog about her choir concert). She is now in PE and was recently assessed. Her strengths are in her upper body! Surprise! She's in the top ten of 7th graders for push ups! She takes after her dad there, along with reciting movie lines! She wants to be a good runner, so that's what she's working on! She loves serving in church. She's in the presidency for the organization in our church called, "Young Women." Always willing to make the Sacrament Bread and give lessons. Her latest project was at Christmas. She wrote a play called, "Christmas Beehive Style." It was recorded! She is almost done with her whole "Personal Progress" book. Her goal is to finish before she moves on to Mia Maids. She then wants to do it over again and again! I thought i was a go-getter! She absolutely amazes me. She is a tremendous help to me too! I can ask her to organize things for me or make phone calls for me and she is happy to help. She's a great older sister and loves teaching her siblings (power-point style)!

JAYTON is a kind boy. He had a busy semester! His goal was to work hard while dad was gone this year to get on the "Regular Honor Roll! There is the regular honor roll and the Principals Honor Roll. I went to an awards assembly for him last week and he met his goal! I think he was hesitant to go for the Principals list, but this gave him the confidence to shoot for it this semester! He also received a life skill award, "Effort." I spotlighted him on his birthday and for his accomplishments in Cub Scouts this last year, so please scroll down and find those. He's a great kid. He is so kind and easily attracts friends. He loves competition and trying new things. He was in a checkers tournament, served on a committee for "Safety Patrol," and now participates in a group at school called, "Hearts Apart." He helps those kids that struggle with their mom's or dad's being gone. I love that! He does his chores with a simple, "Sure Mom, or Yes, Mom." If he's having a bad day, he goes and plays with his toys which reminds him that he's a boy. I appreciate his help, but i often remind him that he's not the man of the house. He hears that alot and i think it adds so much onto his shoulders. Yes, i challenge him to prepare for that role, but it's not his job. He's so tender when it comes to "protecting" us, but in my own way i tell him i'm there to "protect" him too. He seriously sleeps with an 'air soft gun.' This weekend he's participating in his first "Boy Scout Camp out." It's called the "Klondike Derby." He was soooo excited! I can't wait to hear about it! Okay, so he returned safely, but yes, they did freeze Friday night! The part that warmed my heart the most was Jayton telling me that he helped a boy out who was really cold. Jayton said his feet were warm with the wool socks i sent with him, but his friend wasn't doing so well. Jayton took out his foot/hand warmers and gave them to him and then stayed up with Joseph until he fell asleep. He was the only 11 year old, but this proved to me that age doesn't matter. It's about just doing the right thing. Making memories!

JORI is my energetic sweetheart. Her personality reminds me to have fun, get things done and never miss an opportunity to sing your heart out!!! She loves life and the people in it!!! She also made the honor roll for last semester! She is in the top of her class for math facts! Once she learns how to do something, she goes crazy with it! She gets coupons for free ice cream all of the time, becuz of her accomplishments in math! She also received a life skill award from her teacher, "Common Sense!" Jori is my practical/decisive thinker. I love that she can be given any task and just uses her common sense to get it done. Her teacher must have seen the same thing! She was chosen to lead a committee of 4th graders to work on nutrition for the school! I love that! She helps come up with food ideas for fund raisers and parties for each class! She loves being a part of it! She struggles a little with her reading comprehension. She wants to know the definition to every other word. I'm okay with that, cuz i know that's how her mind processes and that eventually she'll comprehend with greater ability. She is the one child in our home that loves being the first one to hug me in the morning!! She actually makes it a contest! Cracks me up, mainly because nobody else seems to care!!! She reminds me of "Punky Brewster!" What she wears and the fact that she goes to the beat of her own drum! Yes, she still loves to sing too! I've been looking around here for someone who can give her voice lessons. There is a lady here who used to practice with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I'm gonna talk to her. Jori has great potential, as you already know. She has such rich/clear tone! The desire is there and i think she is ready. I hope we can find someone to help her!

JETT reminds me to live while i'm alive. He loves to giggle, smile and tease! He makes me laugh often! I'm so thankful for his fun personality! Laughter is the perfect medicine, but it's also the best way to get out of a mood slump! He's who i turn to when i just need a good laugh! He's funny and his spirit is so carefree! love his innocence! He's also somewhat of a flirt! Justin gets a little jealous too, cuz he loves to give me kisses! He'll kiss my cheeks at least twice a day. Very affectionate boy! I worry about the girls in his future. He doesn't know he's a flirt or that he's so adorable. He'll be a heart breaker! Our focus is his mission (for our church)! I sent him to the public school here a few weeks ago! It tore me up! Justin said i like to have my children under my wings like a mother hen would. He's so right. I have serious separation issues! I really enjoyed teaching him here, but again with Justin gone, i needed to simplify. He was nervous at first, but really likes the kids at school and his teacher. He's doing well. His life skill award was "Courage." Last week was his week with me and i took him to Pizza Hut to use his "Book It," certificate. We talked and of course he had me rolling with laughter!!! I keep track in my journal of the funny things he says! He loves wrestling with Jayton! Jayton always pins him, but Jett still has some growing to do! I often see Jayton whacking Jett with something, but it's because Jett asks for it. My boys love to rough house! Justin recommended i read an article given by a leader in our church entitled "Loving Loud Boys!" My boys are very active and i love it!

JERIKA is my girl! Her nickname is "Jerika Smiles." Not because she smiles, but because her favorite thing has always been 'smiley faces!' She loves to see others smile, but she's not into it herself! My older brothers told me that when i was her age, i never smiled either. They said i always grunted and scowled. Welp, that's my Jerika! She asked me one day why people smile at her. I think she recognized that people were going out of their way to smile at her with the hopes of her smiling back! I'm okay with who she is! It's her personality! She has always been an independent girl. She didn't like Nursery (a group of the youngest children in our church) much because kids for the most part weren't HAPPY! She needs other people to just be happy and smile and that gives her comfort. She doesn't like to be talked to or sat by, but give her some monster trucks and she's perfectly content!! Well, she is now graduated from Nursery and into Primary (the older children's organization in our church) and i've made some deals with her that encourage her to show people she's happy. It's still a work in progress!!! She's a dare-devil. We were watching a movie about airplane jumpers and Jett says, "That looks scary!" Jerika says, "That looks like fun!" We were driving and i was going down some steep hills (there are a ton around here) and she says from her car seat, "Mom, put your arms up!" I look in my mirror and there she is in the back with both arms up as if she's on a roller coaster! I put one arm up and exclaimed, "Wooo-hooo!" She then says, "Mom, that's not fun, put both arms up, like this!" She is a thrill seeker.

ME... I am incredibly grateful for all of God's tender mercies during this time. They've always been there, but i am so much more aware of them in my life now. I really do thrive on change and adventure! This has been just that! I've adapted well to being here although i miss ALL of you! I wouldn't choose to retire here, but it's neat to experience living in a different state. I love life and learning. I know the Lord is teaching me to rely solely on Him. I'm grateful for that. I love reading and pondering ideas. I still love dancing. Justin encouraged me to teach Jerika to dance in the mornings, therefore i get my workout and she learns rhythm. Her attention span is about 10 minutes, but it's fun. I love nutrition. I love the human body, especially the heart and mind! They fascinate me. Jerika will be in kindergarten in a year and a half... I still love teaching, but I would love to take it to another level. I would love to teach nutrition to young adults. It's a long-term goal of mine. I love being a mom. I still read to my children in the evenings. We are currently reading/learning about scripture heroes. I still tuck them in at night. Each morning before school we do our family scripture reading. I still spend individual time with each child once a week. This week is Jerika. I'm not perfect, i just don't want to have any regrets! I'm still serving in the Primary. On average we have about 100 children. It's always chaotic, especially having so many parents deployed, but i love knowing that i can make a difference; even if it's only one child.

This month i've been teaching during sharing time (Sunday lessons) and this last week i talked about holding onto the iron rod. I love the scriptures. There are so many hidden treasures! In my studies i came across something that caught my attention. I was reading in the Book of Mormon about Lehi's vision of the tree of life. Reading about the many people who chose not to hold onto the iron rod, but instead they were in the "attitude of mocking." There were those who held on to the iron rod the entire time and did partake of the fruit, "...and after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost." I also came across an article by Chris Brady that discussed this very subject. From this article I will paraphrase & plagiarize, because it was so good. I will add bits and pieces of my own thoughts throughout. It basically said that if there were scoffers then, there will be scoffers now. If there were scoffers at such miraculous and powerful displays, there will certainly be scoffers at lesser things. These "mockers" are everywhere, at all times throughout history. Jesus Christ was always mocked and sadly, He still is today. Those with "attitudes of mocking" have been there at the proclamation of every new discovery, every new invention, every new idea, every new attempt by someone to achieve something of significance. And yes, they have been there at every step of our lives, as well.

These people feel obligated to tell us what won't work, what we should have done differently, how the quarterback should have played, how the manager should have managed, how the preacher should have preached, how the painter should have painted, how the writer should have written, how the businessman should have conducted himself, and even how the parent should have parented.

Jayton played the part of a court jester in a play recently and i think those that "scoff," are like the court jesters of our lives. No qualifications of their own, save for an acid tongue and a negative perspective. It doesn't matter what you do, for what reasons, or how well you do it, there will ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS be someone who stands in opposition, judgment, and criticism.

We should not be surprised at this. Nor should we despair. Rather, we should be thankful for "mockers," who are so reliably there. After all, it's the overcoming of obstacles that makes us better and forces us to continually examine our motives and improve our performance. They are kinda like weights in a gym. It is the resistance they provide which builds the muscle ~ as long as the possessor of the muscles is willing to work against that resistance. Therein lies the key. As long as we are willing to strive against those who "mock" we will be made better by their sorry position in life. From such an understanding we can see that rather than resent them we should be thankful for them, and perhaps harbor a little pity on their behalf. As the scriptures also pointed out, "...they did point the finger of "scorn" at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not." So, let's heed "them" not. Let's spread light and goodness instead. Let's watch our own tongues and speak kindly to and about others. "See a need, fill a need." Let's be in the game!!!

Today i'm thankful for my courageous husband, for my children's laughter, for my warm bed, for our reliable expedition, for yummy desserts and meals that make me smile, for great friends/family who make themselves present in my life no matter where i go, for opportunities to grow (especially when being mocked), for scriptures & good books that change my perspective, for those that exude optimism, for those that emulate the Savior's example and for knowing that I Am A Child of God.