General Conference was wonderful. I’ll be honest-last October, I was so completely overwhelmed with my life, I actually dreaded Conference, because I felt like there would be a laundry list of things I needed to improve on and I couldn’t handle it. I was honestly just trying to keep breathing, and there wasn’t room for anything else on my to-do list. But now, I am in a much healthier, happier place, and I was genuinely looking forward to hearing what the Prophet and Apostles as well as other General Authorities and leaders had to say. I was actually frustrated that we weren’t able to watch it all in Scotland, but it’s been neat to catch up every day. I feel like I have to listen to the talks over and over since I can’t do watch them all at once. We just turn on a different session or speaker during breakfast, and it gets the day started on the right foot. If I’m having a hard day, I let it play for hours, just to keep me in the right spirt. I am always surprised at how each message applies so directly to me. Of course there are things to improve on, but I’ve also felt great message of comfort-that I’m doing the best I can, and that’s enough right now.
Family time included a hike around Edgbaston Reservoir. We discovered the monkey bars, and I did exactly 2 chin-ups. Ha! I’ve decided that I can take the girls on nice weather days and get some more practice in…
The weather has been so bright and sunny! It’s been amazing to spend our days outside. We had a nice BBQ with some friends from school, and the ever amazing Carol brought some sand for our sandpit (which she also gave us) so Rachel has a little backyard wonderland! Carol also brought a cute green caterpillar (“Capetiller” as Rachel calls it), and we’ve had many fun days out in the garden hanging out the wash and riding Rachel’s “motorcycle”.
Paul started term 3, and he hit the ground running. Literally. He runs/walks to school every day. This guy!! I’m so impressed. He is doing a scene with Morgan from “An Ideal Husband” which is fun, and he’s playing the husband/father in “The Vortex”. He’s been working hard on his thesis, and he’s challenging himself with some classical voice work this term.
We’ve been preparing for a performance of “Our Story Goes On”. Jonathan and Lauren came over to practice last Sunday, and we had fun feeding them dinner along with Becky. I’ve been skyping some of the people who have never done it before to help go over music, and I’ve been trying to practice playing as well. Since we don’t have a pianist, Jonathan and I are switching off at the piano. Ah! It’s been a while since I’ve played for something other than church, but it’s just like riding a bike I think…
We recently had Pat and Wei Chi over for dinner. Pat was baptized last weekend, and Paul confirmed her a last Sunday. Sister Stone and Sister Pickett are such great missionaries. It’s fun to teach with them! Pat is amazing-she was praying for someone to teach her about God, and she walked out of her apartment and met the missionaries! She met with them every day for three weeks before getting baptized, and she brings her friends to church to teach them what she’s learning. She told me she was worried that once she was baptized, she might not be able to the all the things she knew she was supposed to do. I told her I worry about that every day! Every day I fall short, and every day I have to pray for forgiveness. We all need the atonement, because none of us will keep ALL of our covenants perfectly. The important thing is to TRY. And if our lives are focused on TRYING to keep those covenants, then we can answer with a clean conscience that we did our very best. The atoning sacrifice of our Savior will make up the difference. I was so grateful to reaffirm that truth for myself, and I’m so proud of Pat for her decision to move forward in faith. She’s inspired me!
Another highlight of the week was skyping with Kristen Metzger (in LA) and Jeff, Aurora, and Wilde Dickamore (in NYC)-all at the same time! It was a crazy party from around the world… in our living room. Love those wonderful people!
The weather has been SUPERB lately, so we’ve had several great walks and outside adventures. We had a fun outing to the Martineau Botanical Gardens for playgroup, and the kids loved playing in the pirate ship! Rachel knows she has to put on her jumper, socks, and shoes before we can go out, and she’ll help me turn off the lights or do anything I ask so we can get out in that sunshine! It’s so fun to see how much she has learned! She knows how to communicate so well and do so many things! She loves the book “We’re Going On a Bear Hunt” and we recite it all the time. Another favorite is “Mummy and Me.” She really enjoys helping me cook or bake, and she practices in her sand pit. She always makes me a sandy pizza! She loves to play doctor with her stuffed animals. Has to check their ears and eyes. She likes to tuck them in bed too! We spend lots of time playing Duck Duck Goose with all the stuffed animals, and Daddy and Rachel play “Bunny-Lamby-Launching” every night.
Alice can sit up all by herself, no problem! She’ll be crawling about any day now. She craves and loves face-to-face interaction. She really likes when I hold my cheeks right against hers. She is SUCH a good baby! Even when she cries (which is rare) it’s a pretty mild cry. She’s never hysterical. Still nurses 5 times a day. Doesn’t particularly love solids right now. She’s been poorly for a week with the runniest nose I’ve ever seen. Loves to hold hands and take baths with Rachel. Still our toothless Muffin!
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