Helpers

Goes along with that song from Alabama called 'Angels among us' from way back in the day. I just heard that song on the radio the other day too. So amidst any tragedy or disaster there are always helpers - ordinary people doing what they call ordinary things, but helping and healing the hearts and souls around them. Are you a helper in your neighborhood??

too much

It's just getting to be too much - hitting closer and closer to home. Every day activities becoming unsafe and deadly. Shopping at the mall, listening to a Politician, going to school (elementary, college, high school)!, a midnight movie. I can't help but ask why do people continue to make these choices??? What is it about their life that just seems this is the only option and then why must others suffer too?? How sad for these families right before Christmas to lose their small children in such a tragic way. It's frustrating, scary, upsetting and sad that some consequences can't be undone. You can't bring back that child or parent, sister, daughter, brother, son, husband, friend. And for what reason, I wish there was an easy answer or something that can be said or done for these families who remain here on earth with nothing but questions and probably some regrets. What was the last thing you said to your child today as they left for school? Do they know I truly, madly, deeply LOVE them!? Did they offer up a prayer as they faced the end to their life here on earth? What was that reunion like in the Spirit world? Can I still believe there is a God who allows this to happen more often than we'd like or even at all? 

Every time I hear a situation of any sort where someone has suffered at the hand of another, I'm reminded of this story (I really don't like the word story as it seems the telling of this situation is 'fake' - it's not fake it's a recording of true events that has been preserved in the Book of Mormon.) Anyway, I think of this - doesn't mean everything I feel instantly goes away, but it does answer the question Why? Why can't we stop these people who choose to harm another, why must the innocent suffer? Why am I still here - why did I survive?

Our prayers and thoughts, tears and sorrow are for those families who are suffering with the loss of their child, spouse, parent, sibling, however they are related in Newtown, CT. That they can find peace and not hold a grudge - to eventually forgive the misguided child who committed such acts of bizarre and unwarranted behavior. I would hope that if I were ever put in that situation that I wouldn't allow Satan to take hold of my feelings and twist them into a 'justified' grudge. That I might rise up, never forget my child, spouse or loved one and make the best of a miserable situation. Easy to say, hard to do.

Chapter 14 : Alma 14:12

Chapter summary: Alma and Amulek are imprisoned and smitten—The believers and their holy scriptures are burned by fire—These martyrs are received by the Lord in glory—The prison walls are rent and fall—Alma and Amulek are delivered, and their persecutors are slain. About 82–81 B.C.

8 And they brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be ^acast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be ^bburned and destroyed by fire.

 9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of ^amartyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire.

 10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the ^apower of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.

 11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in ^aglory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the ^bjudgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the ^cblood of the ^dinnocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.

 12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.

 13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.

Where can I turn for peace?

Quite often it's through scripture or General Conference, but more often than not it's from other people who lovingly share their trials, how they struggle to find peace and although for them it may seem they are just writing down thoughts - it's helpful for someone else. Today that someone is me. Though I don't have any major trials that I can see to share, it's those times when times are good that I need to be reminded of how grateful I should be and find someone who may be in need of service or kind words or something from the Lord through me.

 

I love this quote from Elder Wirthlin and I borrowed it from Melissa's blog:(Jeff's cousin)
"The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude." -Elder Wirthlin - November 2008 Ensign

How grateful I am for my family and the family I joined when I became a Risenmay.

My heart will go on......(sing it!)

We survived walking to the MGM Grand aka the M&M store and returned just in time to see the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel. We also got some flack from an Elmo-look-alike - told Jeff he was cheap for not wanting his kids picture taken with ELMO. Totally fine with that - elmo was creepy.

Lucky for us the fountains were set to Celine Dion's 'My heart will go on' and we have to sing along in our best dramatic singing.

 it's a very emotional song - bahaha!

 belt it out!

 It's so beautiful and you'd never know it's surrounded by chaos, noise, and filth.

 And this is where Mo takes over because he's tired of walking, listening to us sing, and wants to go home.

 whoa - zoom out.

Vegas rocks!

If you take the kids to Vegas.

If you take the kids to Vegas, they'll ask to go out to eat.

Because we love Grandma - we take her to lunch and entertain her.

Because we love Grandpa (who works nights) - we take Grandma to lunch. win-win.

Because those 2 on the left are Risenmays, they argued over who got to pay for lunch and politely threatened to make a scene should the cashier choose a certain brother's card over his own - brother in the dark blue/no hat won. oy.

Because Grandma can only tolerate those 2 big boys on the left, she goes back to work.

Because she goes back to work, we head to see Vegas during the day light -honestly no matter what time of day it is, weeeeeeeeee-irrrrrr-d.

Because I tolerate the Strip, we go to the Bellagio and see the amazing garden decor - it changes with every season. Beautiful!

If we had to see the garden, then we will want to go outside next to a place where I can pretend to be in Paris.......somehow it's not quite the same.

 and see the ginormous Harley Davidson

 So if you take the kids to Vegas, they'll want to go to the M&M store. See every floor - there are 6. 

See the M&M show - it's amazing!?! Well it's alright - it's free. The kids loved it. :) I'd show you the pictures but my brother-in-law took pictures on his nexus and hasn't given them to me yet.

Take a picture by the cool car

 Be lucky enough to see Blue! (maybe we should have taken that luck to the slots and tables....)

and be reminded relentlessly to not, NOT, touch things as they will break

 some of us should have taken our own advice.......Jeff. :)

pose for pictures

 candid photos of awe and wonder.

  want everything on every level, ask for every color M&M (cost $14/lb!!!), ummm, no.

show off our fat lip from the playground....poor girl

and because we don't get anything to take home with us, we stick our face in the giant M&M for a photo op....nice.

Painting nails

It's a novelty in our house to do our nails. I don't care much for getting my nails done - my toes I like to have painted, but not my fingernails. Lea LOVES it. She wants to paint her nails all the time and since my answer 99.9% of the time is no, she's taken to using highlighters, ball point pens and whatever bottle of paint she can quickly use then hide back in the surprisingly large stash of nail polish we own.

Last night, Jeff wanted to play Lego Star Wars with Lucas - some quality boy time, then asked what us girls would like to do. We'll paint nails - Lea will be so happy. So we painted her nails, orange, pink, blue, and a light blue. We used to paint multiple colors on each hand/foot - I'm not very patient so the girls get to pick a color for each one and not a 'rainbow'.

I found it ironic that Ammon and Lea were the ones interested in the nail polish. Abbey and Lucas were more interested in the game. Mo likes the 'pretties' and was insistent on having his pretties done. No, Mo, you're a boy......sad little munchkin, but he toughened up and got over it.

 this is what happens when the older cousins and the older sister get the nail polish out and I'm taking a nap elsewhere.....at Grandma's house. (July 2012)

While I waited for Abbey, I decided to venture into the painting of my own nails. I saw a friend of mine with cute nails and thought I'd try it out -it's not permanent. Always interesting when I get to painting my right hand.....my options are to paint them myself left-handed or have my daughter try it. I opted for myself to which she said, 'Mom, is this the very first time you've ever painted your fingernails in your adult life?' (wow. I must lead a very boring life from her point of view). No, Lea, no it's not. I just don't like to paint them as the paint wears off easily and bothers me. So I have purple nails - I quite like them.....for now. We'll see how long it lasts. I'm new to this whole 'girly stuff'.

Abbey is sporting orange, blue and green nails. We are quite a colorful bunch!