It's our sweet 16th!

16th year of marriage, that is!

How is it possible that we are celebrating 16 years of marriage when we are still just kids?

Okay, I know I'm not really a kid anymore (and my good friend who is my hair stylist knows I'm not a kid anymore, either because she has to work really hard to cover up my "natural" highlights!), but I still feel like a kid!

So, if I still feel like a kid (or at least a young adult), how in the heck can I be celebrating 16 years of marriage to this awesome guy:





I guess time flies when you spend your life with a guy who:

• makes you feel like you are the most important person in the world - every.single.day.




• always listens to you
  
  


• NEVER offers unsolicited solutions to your problems (well, most of the time!)
  
  


• loves you in spite of any quirks you might have (not that I have any!)
  
  


• encourages you to pursue your goals
  
  


• supports you every step of the way as you work toward achieving those goals
  
  


• recognizes the good in you (even when you don't see it yourself)




• cheers and cries right alongside you in good times and bad




• defends you when you need to be defended (even when you are your own worst critic)




• accepts your obsession with candles and books and fun papers and books and candles with only a slight roll of the eyes (did I mention a slight obsession with books?)




• thinks you are the best teacher to walk the halls of the school




• has helped you pack and move and pack and move your collection of classroom materials, teaching resources and um, just a few books, when you have had opportunities to change positions or schools




• takes you to amazing places like Niagara Falls, the coast of Oregon, Boston, and more




• drives many miles out of the way to take you to a small coastal restaurant so you can enjoy the incredible Dungeness Crab sandwiches you were introduced to during a previous road trip with your great-aunt and great-uncle




• knows that Girls Night is important to your emotional well-being and encourages you to organize and participate in these events with your friends




• watches Chic Flicks with you without flinching (even though Gone With the Wind, your all-time favorite movie, is one he hasn't experienced yet)




• knows how important your family is to you and willingly spends time with them




• understands that you and your sister "share a brain" and embraces the fact that the two of you are inseperable a lot of the time




• is an AWESOME uncle
  
  


• shares the same values and the same beliefs as you




• strengthens your faith and testimony in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ by being a powerful example of righteousness




• prays with you every single night and every single morning
  



• tells you how much he loves you every.single.day.
  




• makes you laugh (proof is in the picture....)
  

No wonder time has flown by so quickly in our marriage!

Thank you, B, for 16 sweet (and often times, sassy!) years of marriage.

We really were "kids" when we said "I Do" and in the 16 years we have already shared since that day (not to mention the 3 years we dated before we made it official), we have had some incredible moments!

I am so grateful that even as we have faced some truly hard trials, you make "our song" come to life for me. And so, I will "cross my heart and promise to give all I've got to give to make all YOUR dreams come true" as we continue in our journey together.

I thank Heavenly Father every single day for the blessing of our marriage and for our amazing relationship, and I look forward to an eternity filled with creating more great moments and memories together as B&K!

I love you.
K

Being an Aunt (part 4 of 4)

Many, many moons ago, I was introduced to MG Power.

What is MG Power, you ask? Well, it is a special power that fills you with happiness, joy, laughter, and giggles. Not to mention, it boosts your ego, your energy level, and your own super aunt powers - but only if you happen to have MG Power yourself!

So, what is MG Power, you ask again (because I haven't really explained it!). Quite simply, MG Power is Murphy Girl Power, and in our family it's MG: Power of 3!

My first dose of MG Power came with the Power of 1. As in one small cutie, who at the age of 2 called me, "Turten Turtle" (pretty good considering that my maiden name, "Kirsten Sturgill," is a mouthful for grown-ups sometimes, much less a 2 year old!).

I had been dating B for awhile when he told me that his older brother was coming into town with his cute little family - at the time this was just Joe, Christi, and Em. I remember being nervous about meeting them because they seemed so grown-up to me (side note: I was just a 17-year-old kid!). Pluse, B had talked and talked and talked about them so much and I really hoped they would like me (I know, I know, of course they would like me, who doesn't! If only I had known at 17 how awesome I truly am! But who knows that about themselves at 17?)

Seriously...They were grown-ups....They were cool grown-ups...B looked up to them...I was nervous. And then I met them: Joe, Christi, and Little Miss Em. Yes, they were grown-ups (well, not Em, she was just a baby!). Yes, they were cool (especially Em!). But hey, I wasn't nervous anymore! I loved 'em and they loved me back.

Now, fast forward many, many moons to the time when I am no longer "Turten Turtle" (although I think I still have the turtle mug I was given to represent that unique pronunciation of my name by that super cute 2 year-old back then!), I am now an official part of "the family", and the MG Power in Joe's little family has grown from 1 to 3. And what power it is!

Now, Murphy Girl Power is strong with 1 dose (love you, Em!), but when it is doubled (love you, Sarah!), or Tripled (love you too, Rach!) it cannot be contained and you can't help but be affected by it! It makes you happy, brings you joy, makes you laugh, and causes giggles!

I love a good dose of MG Power and I love these nieces of mine. They are amazing young women who are striving to live Christ-centered lives and who seek to be examples of righteousness to others, and I am so proud of them!

They boost my own levels of MG Power and I love them tremendously!

So, enjoy some MG Power for yourself and remember, if the player doesn't pop up you can either hit the refresh button on your screen or visit this link: http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=dce8b7b250219d4406b096&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

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Being an Aunt (part 3 of 4)

Introducing... "The 6-Pack!" Filled with energy and guaranteed to keep you moving and grooving, "The 6 Pack" includes:

• J = The Leader of the Pack, The Big Cheese, The Big Brother... the only boy! J takes his role of big brother very seriously and despite a skirmish here and there (natural in any pack, no matter the size), he loves his sisters incredibly and always looks out for them. Not only is he a great big brother, he is also a great athlete, he's musical, and he's smart. Seriously, this kid has challenged my knowledge of child development and kept my perspective as an educator open about how children learn at different rates and how we, the adults, shouldn't assume that just because they're young, they aren't capable of higer level thinking and learning.




• E = The Sweetheart, The Peacemaker... The Heart and Soul of the Pack! E is a gentle soul who would hurt no living thing. She is a lover of animals, a serious thinker, and is curious to know everything going on in the world around her. Because of this curiosity and desire to learn, she is extremely observant. So you definitely have to watch how you act and what you say when you're around her. Her love for others is pure and true and she gives great hugs!




• C = The Questioner... The Artiste... The Energizer of the Pack! C loves everything from her stuffed animals to playing soccer to dancing around her room at night with her parents before she goes to bed (Waltz Time, to be exact!). She invents games to play and since she is the rule-maker, it's your job to follow those rules. As she tries out her own style, she models some interesting fashion combos the likes of which the catwalks in France have never seen! And if you need a good art piece to hang on your fridge, she's there for you, all you have to know is if you want markers or crayons!




• Next in The Pack is Little G = The Entertainer! This girl has the best sense of humor and can drop a one-liner at just the right time in the middle of a conversation (a skill she has had since she started talking!). She has a great imagination and can play on her own, just give her a toy kitchen built into the stairs and she's good to go for quite awhile (just don't mess with her shopping basket!). She has the cutest giggle and the most intense scowl (which she pulls if you mess with said shopping basket!). She is full of life and loves to be the star of the show.




• Then comes Little L = The Strong but Silent Pack member... at least she's silent until she gets to know you and then you are her bestie (as long as you do what she wants you to do!). She has a strong will, she knows what she wants, and she can hold her own in any crowd (actually, she can quickly own the crowd if she wants to!). She has the most beautiful eyes and a great smile that will warm your heart when she shares it with you. One warning though: if you're trying to keep up with her, you better eat your Wheaties 'cuz this girl moves!




• The last of The Pack is Miss A = The Life of the Pack! Miss A is precious! She's happy, easy-going, loves to laugh, and has the whole Pack doting on her most of the time. Now that she's mobile, she's giving the rest of the Pack a run for their money and chasing them in all that they do! She loves her family - especially The Leader of the Pack (aka: The Big Brother, The Big Cheese, "J") and makes everyone happy.

And now, a look at my favorite 6-pack:

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Hope for the future

I know some AMAZING teenagers and they give me hope about the world in which we live!

Now these high schoolers (19 of them) act just like normal teenagers in many aspects: they are involved in school, they participate in extra-curricular school activities such as sports and band, they work, they date, they hang out with friends, and once in awhile (just once in awhile), they throw down a bit of attitude (but hey, don't we all!). However, in spite of the similarities they have to your average all-American teen, there is nothing really average about this group of teenagers at all.

You see, these teenagers (and hundreds of others around the world) are striving to live by higher standards than what is necessarily "cool" in the world. They attend church each Sunday, they accept responsibilities of leadership in their youth organizations, they join their families for dinner, they pray regularly, they fast, they pay tithing, they dress modestly, they seek to be morally clean, and they get up before the sun every Monday - Friday so that they can attend a class to study the scriptures and learn about the life, the teachings, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ before school. You see, there is nothing really average about them at all!

You may be wondering how I know this about these high schoolers who range in age from Freshman - Seniors. Well, every morning (Monday - Friday) I wake up, I get dressed, and I leave my house by 5:20 am to teach this early morning scripture study class for high school students that begins at 5:45 am. That's right, I get to join these high schoolers at church each morning before school (wayyyy before school!) to study the scriptures and learn more about the teachings of Jesus Christ.

For all those who know me, this seems a bit ironic, all right - comedic! After all, even though I value the adage, "early to bed, early to rise," I'm not one who actually lives by it! I am much more likely to still be awake at 5:00 am then to be getting up at that time to go somewhere. So I see the humor in me being the one asked to teach this class. But, God works in mysterious ways, and this last year of teaching early morning seminary has proven that to me over and over and over.

I will admit that there are some days when I bring a better A-game to the classroom than others, and there are some days when the students bring a better A-game as well, but it is amazing how blessed we are by the Lord for our efforts to make time each morning to study the gospel. The fact that I am actually able to get up, get there on time (dressed, too!), lead the class, then go on to a full-day of work when I typically don't get enough sleep, is proof of the Lord's hand in this experience. The fact that a group of high schoolers with busy lives can be engaged in great discussions and learning activities that early and that we can feel His Spirit, is proof of His hand as well.

Even though it is really hard to get up when that third alarm goes off, I know that I am blessed for my diligence and obedience and I am the recipient of so many great things because I am teaching this class. First of all, my testimony of Jesus Christ, and my love for Him has been strengthened tremendously. My understanding of His teachings and my knowledge of His sacrifice has grown incredibly. My appreciation for the daily blessings and miracles in my life has increased exponentially and my eyes are opened to the tender mercies given me by my Heavenly Father and my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

I love my Father in Heaven. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I appreciate all that I am blessed with in my life and I love these students that I have the privilege of teaching. They amaze me and they give me hope for the future. After all, the Lord blesses them for their diligence and sacrifice in attending this early morning class, and I know that He is strengthening them so that they can be the great leaders of tomorrow (even if this strengthening has to be done really, really, really early in the morning!).

How awesome is it that I get to be part of that amazing experience (even so early in the morning)!

Online links about the seminary program of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

http://seminary.lds.org/

http://seminary.lds.org/mastery/

The Love of My Life

The love of my life is...

• kind



• patient



• concerned about others



• hard-working



• dependable



• strong



• handy



• dedicated



• funny



• loving



• righteous



• encouraging



• well-liked



• talented



• smart



• a good example



• accepting



• incredible



• fun



• amazing



• HOT!!!!

The love of my life...

• cooks (so much better than I!)



• cleans



• keeps the yard looking good



• works



• rubs my back



• rubs my feet



• listens



• understands me (even when I don't understand myself)



• pays bills and tracks our finances



• hangs out with my family



• loves his mom



• calls me during the day just to say hi



• watches chic flicks with me



• has beaten me at Scrabble more times than I want to admit



• loves Baker City as much as I do (and that is HUGE in my life)



• knows that I love spending time with my seester



• goes to the bookstore with me as part of date night



• laughs at the irony of my library fines



• enjoys good Tex-Mex as much as I do



• loves children, is an AWESOME uncle, and I know that someday, when we are finally blessed to have children, he will be an AWESOME dad!

The love of my life is...

• my rock



• my confidante



• my best friend



• my partner in grime (and crime!)



• my eternal companion



• my happiness

The love of my life is B and he is EVERYTHING to me!

I Am...

I am a girl who likes to stay up late, sleep in late, and unfortunately sometimes arrives late (but I'm working on it!).

I am a girl who likes to have my toes painted but hates to actually do it!

I am a girl who carries tension in her shoulders and appreciates a good neck massage to help loosen up those muscles.

I am a girl who works hard, plays hard, and loves hard.

I am a girl who recognizes that I need some self-improvement - losing weight, having healthier habits, and not procrastinating so much top that long list!

I am a girl who over-analyzes, is known to be a little anal-retentive, and has perfectionistic tendencies which completely contradict the creative side of my brain!

I am a girl who can be silly, serious, grouchy (once in awhile!), and a tad bit dramatic (really... just a "tad" bit!).

I am a girl who loves to decorate her house, host fun get-togethers, and dress up now and then!

I am a girl who has lived through trying times, medical scares, and unexpected loss.

I am a girl who likes the snow from a distance (a very far distance!), appreciates warm weather, and enjoys the beauty of nature (but I sure don't camp!).

I am a girl who loves to read, watches reruns of "Bewitched" and "The Munsters", and loves Friday night movies at home with B (we live a WILD life, eh!)

I am a girl who really has a soft-heart (despite a hard-shell), can't stand to see others in pain, and believes in equality and fairness.

I am a girl who is tolerated by many, appreciated by some, and deeply loved by a few.

I am a girl lucky enough to find Prince Charming at a young age, luckier to still have Prince Charming by my side now, and luckiest to know that Prince Charming and I have eternity together!

I am a girl who comes from a big family where love is loud, hugs are plentiful, and singing on the back porch in Baker is part of who we are (even if you can't carry a tune!).

I am a girl who is a wife, a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a niece, and an aunt (a job I love!).

I am a girl who is a teacher, a librarian, and an educator for life.

I am a girl who tries to be a good friend and who is blessed to have good friends.

I am a girl who faces new challenges (even when they are unwanted and unsolicited) and does my best to rise to the top of those challenges.

I am a girl who knows that I am a Child of God, that Heavenly Father loves me, and that Jesus Christ is my Savior.

Actually, I am a girl who knows that each and every person on this earth is a Child of God, who is loved by Heavenly Father, and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all mankind.

I am a girl who knows that the hand of the Lord is in all things, that He hears our prayers (no matter how small we may feel), and that no matter what, He is there for me, I just have to seek Him.

I am a girl who knows that when the road seems uncertain, the Lord really does lead the way.

I am a girl who was sent to live at this time, in this part of the history of the world, to do good in whatever ways I can (and there are many ways I can).

I am a girl who has been given talents and gifts to use and develop in my lifetime.

I am a girl who is trying to live in the moment, and for the moment, so that I make each moment count.

I am a girl who has a divine nature, individual worth, and who seeks to live with integrity.

I am a girl who has been given many opportunities.

I am a girl who is blessed - tremendously!

And for all of these blessings that I receive each day, I am a girl who humbly gives thanks to my Heavenly Father.

I am K and I am living my best life everyday!

Living Thanksgiving Daily

It's Thanksgiving and I am blessed! Not just because I had a yummy lunch of turkey, potatoes, dressing, and pumpkin pie but because blessings come into my life every day from my Heavenly Father. He loves each of us enough to bless us daily in big and small ways regardless of how well we behaved (or didn't behave!) on that day.

Although I realize how blessed I am, I also realize that I am not always good about taking time to be thankful or to show gratitude for my blessings.

So, I have been trying to be more purposeful in being aware and being grateful for my blessings- not just today on our nationally deemed holiday of Thanksgiving - but on each and every day.

Therefore, in trying to be more grateful each day I have been keeping a gratitude journal in which I write at least 3 specific things at the end of each day for which I am grateful. The funny thing is that once I start writing, I usually surpass my self-imposed requirement of "just 3 things." I am pretty sure that the reason this happens is because once I sit down to specifically think of a few things I have been blessed with that day, my heart and my mind are opened to seeing so many more of the blessings I have been given, and so I usually have a longer list than what I started out to create.

It's also interesting how close I feel to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ when I take time to express my thanks and gratitude daily. I think that I draw closer to Them as I recognize all that I have been given. I have also noticed how much happier I am and how much more love I feel for my family, friends, and fellow man when I am purposefully focused on being grateful.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin once gave a talk titled, "Living in Thanksgiving Daily", where he said that "Those who live in thanksgiving daily are usually among the world's happiest people." I want to be one of those people!

There are a million reasons not to be happy in this life - hey, the world is tough! But, Elder Wirthlin said that "living in thanksgiving daily is a habit that will enrich our lives and the lives of those we love" and that sounds so much better than being miserable!

So, how can we live in thanksgiving daily even after the turkey and the rolls and the pie are put away this year? Elder Wirthlin suggests three things that we can implement into our lives to be the happiest people who live in thanksgiving daily:

1. Open our eyes. See the wonders and the beauties of the world around us each day.
2. Open our hearts. Let go of negative emotions and fill our hearts with love.
3. Open our arms. Bless the lives of those around us.

Today I had the chance to open my eyes and see the beauty of the small town of Nauvoo, Illinois which has incredible significance to those of my faith. And although it was incredibly cold (I mean, there was ice on the Mississippi already!), as B and I explored and learned about this incredible place, the beauty of this area that was once a swampland, was impressed upon me.

I also had the chance while in Nauvoo to open my heart and feel incredible love for people I have never met. It is amazing to me that the early members of The Church of Latter-Day Saints who lived in the 19th century set out in great faith not only to be servants of God but to build an incredible community founded on faith, kindness, compassion, and great sacrifice.

Finally, I had the chance to open my arms and found a small, but very worthwhile way to try and bless the lives of others. One of the great things about exploring Historical Nauvoo is that at each of the sites you visit there are awesome Senior Missionaries who have given time from their lives to serve and teach visitors about these incredible sites. We were so blessed to have great tours and information shared with us by these incredible missionaries and so I put together candy treats to give to them today as they served on this Thanksgiving day. As I extended my arms to drop off this bag of treats, I was overwhelmed by their gratitude and thanks for my small gesture of appreciation and my heart was full!

What an incredible Thanksgiving! I was with B, who I love more than anything, in a beautiful place where the Spirit of the Lord is incredibly strong, and I was given the chance to show my appreciation to others. The blessings in my life are amazing!

The Lawn Fairy

I pulled into the driveway at 5 pm after a LOOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGG day at work filled with:

• running the book fair,
• working on a school-wide reading event for next Tuesday,
• talking with parents on conference day,
• meeting with a teacher about a unit we are kicking off tomorrow,
• and planning for an upcoming visiting author,

when what do I see?

...my lawn nicely mowed and manicured.

Now, there are people in the world who are regularly greeted by a beautifully maintained front lawn courtesy of a great lawn service. Great idea and I would love to have that service, but right now we aren't those people.

We are the people who tend to the lawn on the weekend (and by we, I mean B!) after a week of work and other commitments. We work really hard (okay, B works really hard) on Saturday morning, or sometimes even after work in the evening, to mow and edge and water so that our lawn isn't the neighborhood sore spot.

So we (meaning B) either do it ourselves OR we have started to have one of the young men from church come and tend to our lawn for us (also usually on the weekends) so that B can work on other things.

Funny thing was that this morning when I left for work, I thought to myself... "Self, you need to call [young man from church] and see if he can come mow the lawn - especially since we had all that rain last week." To which I replied and said, "Self, I'll do that tonight after I watch the premiere of Survivor." And myself said, "Great - get 'r dun." (I didn't really have a conversation in dialogue, this is just to add to the effect of the story. Just saying. Don't think I'm crazy. Even though I might be. A little. Here and there. Anyway...

I went to work (see the looooong note above!) and then I came home.

As soon as I pulled into the driveway, I knew that someone had been to my house and had mowed, trimmed, edged the lawn and it all looked so purty that I thought, "Did B get home from work early and decide to mow the lawn?" Then I realized that no, it couldn't have been B, it was way too early for him to be here.

I was on the phone with my seester sharing my shock and awe at what I was seeing, when a light came on in my head (this one was a bright one, too!) and I realized my lawn had probably been tended to by my awesome next door neighbor.

So, needing to know the truth for myself, I went over and knocked on the door, As soon as he opened up, I knew that I was right and started to cry ('cuz I do that!) when I asked, "Did you mow my [insert cracking voice] lawn?"

Then I cried a little bit more when he said, "I just thought I'd help you guys out."

And then his sweet wife interjected, "We'll call him The Lawn Fairy!"

So, I gave him a hug, cried some more ('cuz that's what I do!), and walked back across my beautiful lawn with a heart full of thanks that we have such great neighbors and that my life was blessed today with such a generous gift.

And now as I cry again while I write this ('cuz that's what I do), I realize that there are still good, kind, charitable, thoughtful people in a world that is more often than not filled with selfishness and greed, and my heart is happier.

All because The Lawn Fairy is one heck of a guy!

Family and friends make life better

Life gets hectic for all us, right?!?

Fortunately the chaos seems to rolls in waves so that when your life is hectic (aka: me... right now), you have friends who rush in to help you with your madness because their life is "less hectic" (face it, "less" is probably the best we get 'cuz nobody I know ever feels completely hectic-free!).

Then, your crazy, hectic sprint in life slows down a bit (P.S. I'm looking forward to that!) so that you can step up and help your friends who are now experiencing their own crazy world.

Tonight I realize how blessed I am to have good family and good friends and I feel fortunate to KNOW I am cared about by so many different people!

The list of amazing people that I have cheering for me and supporting me right now in a crazy transition time could go on and on, but tonight before I go to bed (I know, Mary, I should already be there!), I would like to say a special thanks to these people specifically:

• My sister for being my project manager!
  
  
• My mom for saving the day when printer issues threatened to sink me!
  
  
• My dad for bringing me the paper delivery I needed so desperately.
  
  
• My friend Laura for checking on me.
  
  
• My friend (and blog stalker!), Mary for being my "go-to-sleep-earlier" phone call as well as my "'time-to-wake-up-earlier" phone call (GOTTA start that routine!).
  
  
• My friend Rachel for patroling my Facebook status to make sure I'm not on there instead of sleeping so that I can actually get up when Mary calls!
  
  
• My awesome hubby whose love and support for me has no limit!

I'm serious when I say that this list could go on and on - I know I am blessed that so many people care about me and are watching my back so that I can be successful.

I LOVE YOU ALL and thank you all for caring about me and for helping me to KNOW that whatever I am called to do, I can succeed. After all, I am blessed with good friends, a great family, and a Savior who truly gave His life for me so that I could live mine.

Life may be crazy - but it is good!

(and now I'm going to bed.... really, Mary... I promise! Well, after I update Facebook... but I won't be on there for long, Rachel... cross my heart!)

Keeping It Real

I don't know about anyone else, but my life is not nearly as neat and organized as the amazing sites I see when I am suffering from BIC Syndrome and spend too much time visiting the awesome sites over on "My Daily Drop-ins" list. But, I'm okay with my homemaker imperfections (most of the time!).

Sure, I want my house to be so put-together that if someone just dropped by, I wouldn't have to throw things into the front bedroom and slam the door before I let them in.

I would definitely love my kitchen and my bathroom and my sunroom and my master bedroom to be featured in some kind of "House Crashers" episode that leaves me speechless during the final reveal (anyone know how I can get on THAT list!).

While I'm thinking about it, I would love to highlight well-planned weekly menus that feature nutritious homemade meals made with food items already found in my pantry (anyone want to be my personal pantry-stocker and chef?).

And I can't forget that I would absolutely love to have the talent and time to magically transform thrift store finds into gorgeous works of art or repurposed masterpieces.

But, since I'm KEEPING IT REAL today, I acknowledge that I...

• have to throw things into the front bedroom and slam the door before letting friends in
• am as close to being featured on a "House Crashers" episode as I am to going to the moon
• don't really cook (but I'm working on that)
• lack the time (and usually the energy) to do anything with those thrift store finds but shove them into my garage

Now that I'm KEEPING IT REAL I guess I'll head back to the piles of laundry that have grown through the week, the kitchen table that collects all kinds of stuff until Saturday, and the blinds that I accidentally pulled out of the window frame in our bedroom when I was trying to open them to see the sun (B is going to love a reason to head to Lowe's!).

And you know what, as I head back to my homemaker tasks for today, I'm going to be thankful that I have a washer and dryer to clean my clothes, a kitchen table to stack things on, and a great husband who can put up new blinds because these are some of the things that help me to KEEP IT REAL!

Wordless Wednesday (but on Thankful Thursday!)

Today, like each day, is a day to be thankful for the blessings in life.

A few of the many things for which I am thankful include: my amazing husband, my family, my friends, my job, the opportunities I have, my home, my cat, my freedom, my health, my faith, and the love I feel each day from my Savior, Jesus Christ.

What a week! (and it's ONLY Tuesday!)

Busy... busy... busy... the only word that really fits this week already. The interesting thing to me is that no matter how busy things are, life still happens - literally!

Our family has a new little niece to love, Adelaide Kai, born this morning at 4:30 am (way too bright and early!) at 7 lbs, 4 oz, 20 inches long, and in my brother's words: "beautiful!"

The miracles that happen on an ordinary day in an ordinary week astound me and make me feel a greater sense of love for the blessings God sends into our lives to make those ordinary days something extraordinary!

Congrats to my brother, my sister-in-law, and their precious little ones! I love you all.

Now... what could top that this week?!?

Hip Hip Hooray, it's time for a vacay!

'Tis the season of thanks, and as I have mentioned before how grateful I am for my fantastic career. Well, today I am also really grateful that I get the entire week of Thanksgiving off from that wonderful job!

I appreciate the time to enjoy the beauty of the season, to get things done around my house, to visit with friends and family, to relax, to do whatever I want!

It's day #1 of our Thanksgiving break and today I: helped a friend rearrange her classroom, had lunch with B, cleaned my house, and done laundry. Productivity feels great!

And although this is a week away from school, I am committed to spending some time on a large work-related project that is never really complete... you know, READING!

Ah, the bliss of time off in the fall!

Sunrise, Sunset (NOT the song!)

Can anyone explain why the month of November seems to fly by so quickly?

For a month that is centered on gratitude, family, things that matter most, and giving thanks, it sure doesn't seem to stick around very long!

Maybe that's the answer... maybe because we spend November focusing on so many good things, time really flies!

Well, before the sun sets completely on the month of November, I wanted to take a minute to jot down some things that have filled my heart with gratitude and mattered most to me this year:

1. SERVICE. As I have had different opportunities to serve others, I have learned the truth behind the statement, "it is better to give than to receive" and have seen how incredibly blessed my life can be as I strive to be there for others.
   



2. BRIAN. There is not enough I can say to accurately describe my love and appreciation for my husband. He gets me (and loves me anyway!). He supports me. He encourages me. He listens to me. He loves me. He is my rock.
   



3. FAMILY. It is an interesting thing to be a grown-up in your family - roles change, responsibilities shift, relationships stretch - and yet we all still cherish, support, and look out for each other.
   



4. FRIENDS. I have really come to see how blessed I am to have incredible friends in my life. People who build me up, value my standards, encourage me to excel, make me laugh, boost me spiritually, care for me when I am down... this list of good that I see in my friends could go on and on and I recognize just how lucky I am.
   



5. CAREER. I have been blessed to have a career where I really, truly get to make a difference. I get to help children (of all ages!) learn and discover and that is an incredible feeling of happiness in my life. Plus I am blessed to work in a great school where I have tremendous opportunities.
   



6. HEALTH. I appreciate being healthy. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual - all forms of health that must be maintained and nurtured, and although I am not perfect at it, I am working to take better care of myself in all these areas.
   



7. HOME. It may not always be 100% organized (okay, it's never 100% organized!) and my shoes may not be put away (ever!), but I am so grateful for the home that we have and for the Spirit of peace and love that resides here. Even though I am still trying to purge, sort, minimize, simplify the things that are found in our home (I have a "creative collecting" problem - you know, I get a "creative" idea so I "collect" what I need to get it done - someday!), our home feels warm, inviting, peaceful, and comfortable and I love it!
   



8. EDUCATION. I am always learning and I am grateful for the opportunities that come my way to make this happen. Education comes through formal school experiences, but also through daily life experiences, and from interacting with others. I am grateful for the things that I learn in all these educational forums.
   



9. TESTIMONY. I am so grateful to know that I am a child of God, that He loves me, and that Jesus Christ is my Savior. Daily life can be hard, trials can be overwhelming, things don't go as planned, and because of this I am so grateful that I know God has a plan for me. This knowledge brings me peace, even in the most difficult times.
   



10. THE LORD. He loves each of us. He sees the best we can be. He is there for us no matter what. He paved the way for us to return to live forever with our Heavenly Father. He is our brother, our friend, our exemplar, our Savior, and for His love I give my thanks.

I am so glad that I sat down and thought about this list and that I took time to reflect and record some of the things that matter most to me.

The sun may be setting on November, but for just a few minutes tonight time has slowed down a bit for me and I feel a sense of peace and happiness that comes from taking time to just be thankful.

Happy Birthday, B!

October 20... many moons ago (37 to be exact)... in a cold land far north (aka: Plattsburgh, NY)... a baby boy came into the world (weighing 7 lbs. 11 and 1/2 oz and measuring 20 and 3/4 inches).... and his parents were pleased (the jury is still out on how his older siblings felt about his arrival!).

Of course, when this boy arrived into the world, times were different than they are now. Children could play in the front yard until dark, bikes could be left on the porch, and according to the boy's mother, a 3-day hospital stay for having baby #5 only cost them $7.00 (that's right, the price of lunch in our world today!).

Now back to the story of this boy (a happy, go-lucky kind of kid), who would change the world forever (sometimes for good and sometimes... well, not for good... but always with a smile!).

He was a curious young fellow (with scars to prove it)... always exploring small places (and getting his head stuck)... trying new tricks on the skateboard (and bashing open his head)... rough-housing with his brothers (and bashing open his head)... biking around with friends (and bashing open his head). In truth, it's amazing how well his head has held up!

As he grew up, this boy learned many important characteristics from his parents, his family, and his faith, such as being kind, polite, generous, loving, compassionate, friendly, helpful, determined, diligent... and the list goes on.

What he learned from his friends were important life lessons as well, such as: how to squeeze a milk container to get the greatest mess... the importance of manuevering your way into the Denny's parking lot ... games to play on golf courses... and many other such important lessons.

As time went on, this boy graduated from high school, began college, got a job at a local grocery store (all hail Food Lion!), and there he met a girl... whose life he changed FOREVER!

Movies, dinners, George Strait concerts, shopping, surprise gifts, phone conversations lasting late into the night, hanging out at one house or another (always with someone's siblings around!), the relationship of this boy (now a young man) and this girl (who had grown into her own young adult self!) grew and strengthened until after 3 years of dating, the boy proposed marriage and the girl said yes.

14 years after that wedding, the girl (now a grown woman) sits at the computer writing about the boy who has become the most incredible and amazing man she could ever know, and thanks her lucky stars for the opportunity to spend this day with him, celebrating who he is and who he continues to "B!"


Happy Birthday, B! I love you more than you can possibly know!

Love - K

What causes emotion?

For the last couple of weeks my feelings and emotions have been sitting right on my shoulders and have been tossed around a time or two, causing me to feel a plethora of emotions: happiness, sadness, frustration, disbelief, anger, humility, sorrow, joy, concern, hope...

So, what is it that actually causes us to feel such a wide variety of emotion?

I know that situations and experiences cause the emotional response, but how in the world do we know (without thinking) the response to have to these situations and experiences?

I know, this post should really be titled: "Deep thoughts with K!"

While I have no idea what kind of neurons fire to cause us to feel specific emotions (it's got to be a brain thing, right), I do know that regardless of the emotions that we experience, the feelings we have, the trials we face, we are never alone.

I am so grateful for family and friends who support me, love me, accept me, and strengthen me in ALL my emotions!

And I am truly grateful for my Savior, who knows better than anyone else exactly where I am, how I feel, and what I am going through. I am also grateful that He always loves me, is there to strengthen me, and He NEVER doubts me - despite how often I doubt myself. His love is amazing!

14 Years!

Today we celebrated our 14th anniversary with an evening out together, and just like it did 14 years ago (as well as several, if not most, of our anniversaries since then)... it RAINED!

We were totally oblivious to the rain because we were watching "Angels & Demons" starring Tom Hanks.

Out of 5 possible B&K stars, here are our ratings (and since we are such big movie goers, we know you were wondering!)...

B = 3 stars

K = 3.5 stars (mostly because I'm a fan of Ewan McGregor!)

It was when we came out of the theater that we became aware of the rain (and laughed that once again, on June 10th, "raindrops keep falling from the sky.").

Thank goodness that Palace 9 has a great next door neighbor where we could spend some time avoiding those raindrops...

Barnes & Noble... definitely a stop on our anniversary and yes...books were purchased!

Actually, I just finished one of the books I bought last night and it was FANTASTIC! The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society has been added to my list of favorite "grown-up" books. Thanks for the rec, Lalalaleesa!

When there were just a "few" raindrops falling from the sky, we walked a couple of blocks to eat some Mexican food at...

By the time we finished dinner, the rain had stopped (for a moment) and we were able to get back to the car.

We had a great time! But then again, we always have a great time when we're together!

B&K = Building a great marriage to last for all eternity!

Brian Graduates!

WAHOO!!! This past Saturday Brian graduated with his BA in Criminal Justice from UTA!!!!

After 2 and 1/2 years of juggling work and family with school, he did it... and did it well!!!!

I can't even begin to express how proud I am of all his hard work and diligence, even when life got tough and threw some unexpected curve balls into our playing field.

Congratulations, B! I love you more than I can tell you!
K

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Gratitude

At this time of year we often stop and think of the blessings that we are grateful to have in our lives. My life is filled with blessings everyday (stay tuned for that list!), but today I want to focus on the gratitude I have for my friends Jennifer and Mary.

We have been working together as the presidency of the Relief Society in our ward for the last 19 months and what an experience that has been! I am so thankful for all of their support, their willingness to serve others, their kindness, their compassion, their patience (they have been working with me, ya know!) and their friendship.

Changes have happened in our organization (funny how the Lord moves you to something else when you are finally getting comfortable!) and Jennifer has been asked to work with the Young Women, while Mary has been asked to work with the Primary. I know that they will be AWESOME where they serve.

Meanwhile I have the chance to work with two more awesome women: Sarah and Becky - and I can't wait to get to know them better!

Although Mary, Jennifer, and I won't be in class together on Sunday (or meeting together on Wednesday), I now understand that Relief Society is the organization for all the women of the church, set apart by the Lord to strengthen us all, no matter where we serve.

Thank you Jennifer and Mary for walking with me so diligently these last 19 months. We have done a lot of good things and I know we will continue to do good things.

I love ya both and I know how much YOU ROCK (especially in pink camo!).

A Different Kind of Tag

Joy received this tag and then passed it on to anyone brave enough to do some self-reflection.

Well, I'm pretty brave so I thought I'd try it myself and then issue the same challenge for anyone who stops by here to complete this challenge.

After you complete the challenge, leave me a comment so I can visit you and read what 3 things you have listed about yourself.

Here goes... 3 things that make me a beautiful woman:

1. I can make others laugh
2. I am comfortable talking to anyone I meet
3. I have the ability to come up with an idea and pull it off at the last minute

So, what about you? Go ahead, give yourself some credit and share a few things that show how much YOU ROCK! I can't wait to visit you~