Conference!

Conference was really good as always this time around. Did you catch Elder Arnolds talk with the "stupid cow" story? His daughter who was in the pictures and who told the story was my friend Shelly! We were roommates in college and she can paint some awesome toenails :). Besides the fact that I know her, I thought the story was so applicable and had such a great message. It was an excellent talk! Watch it below:


I've been hearing so many good things about this talk (below) from the Priesthood Session that I had to check it out. Wow. So good. I know I need to work on myself in this area. Its so easy to be prideful without even knowing it.


Conference always leaves me with a greater desire to do good. And to work on all of my many many faults. I love it.

Truth

Stuff

Well, since we are moving now life is probably going to get a little crazy. Thankfully Nathan's new job is hiring a moving company for us and we won't have to do much besides pack the boxes since I would feel weird having someone else pack my stuff. But there is still a ton that i want to get done before I go. Like see all our friends and hang out with family as much as we can, go to the beach, maybe go up to LA to get some fabric for the house that i have NO IDEA how to decorate. (I am going to need some major help so I'll definitely be asking for it!) I have some other sewing projects I want to get done before I'm away from my technical support group (i.e. cheryl and elizabeth), and I don't want to gain 10 pounds from all the stress eating I am doing right now. Oh, and I want to try and keep my house somewhat decent because for some reason all this stress and anxiousness to move makes me not want to clean as much)

Anyways...so there's a lot that happened last week. The day we found out that Nathan got the job, well the very moment, we were on a whale watching trip. We didn't see any whales but lots of dolphins and it was just fun to be on the water. I didn't really enjoy it as much as I would have since Nathan got the phone call ON the boat.





We left Easton with grandma Judd and all the cousins and we left for St. George that night. We got in at two in the morning and oh man. WE WERE TIRED! Lincoln sure was a trooper thats for sure. We spent the next few days looking at houses. It was fun yet tiring and hard to find the perfect house. We made an offer and we're supposed to find out more today but nothing so far. I took pictures of it but I'll show you more if it goes through I guess. I don't really want to get my hopes up too much. So here is what the front looks like. it has 4 bedrooms on the top floor with a large loft and it has a beautiful kitchen. BEAUTIFUL. It was a model home so it has all the bells and whistles. We really really love it.


It was really fun to just have Lincoln with us. We totally missed Easton and we talked about him every day, but it was fun to have one on one time with Linky. He is such a sweetheart and was so good. He's also a big cheese ball. Love him.


Oh, I finished the squares on the book of mormon quilt. Its not anywhere near done, but I feel like it was a big accomplishment. I actually really loved doing it and it was a great experience. I thought a lot about the story being depicted on the block as I was sewing and as crazy as it sounds it reaffirmed my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that it is true! Who knew sewing would do that to you? Now I am kind of lost when I am sitting watching TV with nothing to do! I hate just sitting there now! Kind of bad, but also really kind of good.

Oh and I love this picture of both of my kids playing with flour

Well, that's all for now. No guarantees on how much I'll be posting but hopefully we get some good house news this week!

On Sunday I had the opportunity to play a piano duet with a friend in church. It was pretty nerve-racking for me - my hands were shaking and my heart was pounding - and I totally fudged the hard part at the end despite my hours and hours of practicing(UG!!!!), but I would much rather play the piano than get up and bear my testimony. For me, it is a way that I do bear my testimony, that I know that the gospel is true, and that we do have a Heavenly Father that loves us. I know that without a doubt!

The song was a children's primary song that I have always loved. I absolutely love the words:

Whenever I hear the song of a bird
Or look at the blue, blue sky,
Whenever I feel the rain on my face
Or the wind as it rushes by,
Whenever I touch a velvet rose
Or walk by a lilac tree,
I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world
Heavenly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see
The color of butterfly wings.
He gave me my ears that I might hear
The magical sound of things.
He gave me my life, my mind, my heart:
I thank him reverently
For all his creations, of which I'm a part.
Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me.

Every day I realize how beautiful this world is. All of the ugliness in this world is man-made. I hope that I can show my children and teach them to appreciate the beautiful world that we live in.

If you want to hear the music and the arrangement I played, click here, and find "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" and click on "high speed". Julie if you read this I want you to practice the top hand so we can play it at Thanksgiving!!!! :)

Saying Goodbye

We drove up to Provo to drop off Erica at the MTC (Missionary Training Center). I am so glad that we made the trip to support her. I just know she will make an amazing missionary. I totally look up to her for serving the Lord and taking 18 months out of her life to devote to the people of Columbus, Ohio. Because of Swine Flu they did away with the short meeting for parents in the MTC so my parents just dropped her off at the curb. Of course we parked across the street and took pictures! I'm going to miss her but I know this is where she needs to be! I can't even imagine making that decision and I really look up to her.