Thornton Mom

Samantha has become quite the gardener.  She was so excited this year about planting and gardening.  It has been fun to work side by side with her.  She has pulled weeds, watered, sprayed, planted, and worked hard.  It has been a joy to be with her. The last little while I have been thinking a lot about my children and what to expect of them.  Recently I was reading a book called The Slow-Ripening: Fruits of Mothering, by Emily Watts.   She talks about the scripture found in Matthew 7:17, "By their fruits ye shall know them." and then says  "children are the slowest-ripening fruit there is."  She explains that we can't take a bite of a strawberry when it is green and expect it to be juicy and sweet.  Just as we can't expect our children to behave  the way we want when they are still in their green state.  I was then listening to " Alexander's Amazing Adventures ," CD's by Linda and Richard Eyres, the value Self-Relianc...

Memorial Day at Lake Gaston was so much fun.  We also enjoyed Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream.  Yummmmmmm . . . . . . . I am really enjoying the book The Infinite Atonement (Illustrated Edition) by Tad R. Callistar.  I am especially enjoying the chapter entitled: The Blessing of Exaltation: Overcoming Weakness, Inadequacies, and Shortcomings.  It is to good to see that my weaknesses can become my strengths through the power of the atonement. One of the examples used was Enoch who was slow to speech and was able to turn this weaknesses into a strength through the power of the Lord.  This brought me comfort as I struggle to help Maddison in her speech.  To know that she is in the hands of the Lord and that he made man's mouth and can thus help her with her weakness of speech.

Maddie came running into the kitchen saying that John Derek had caught a lizard.   One fun thing about where we live is that there are lizards running all over the outside of the house.  But they are so fast and little it is almost impossible to catch one.  But John Derek had caught it.  We kept it in a cage for about an hour.  John Derek got to hold it and it finally stopped trying to run away.  He finally let it go.  It was a lot of fun for all of us. The Infinite Atonement (Illustrated Edition) by Tad R. Callistar Pg. 243-244--C.S. Lewis, "It is a serous thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which . . . you would be strongly tempted to worship or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.  All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these de...

I love Strawberries.  In North Carolina they grow strawberries.  Oh my goodness are they good.  As I take a bite my mouth is awakened as the juice as it drips down.  It is sweet, juicy, and perfect.  Every year we go picking for strawberries.  They are just right there in front of you.  We pick many, eat some and take the rest home for freezer jam.  We can't ever get enough.  I took Maddie and Michael with me one day to pick.  Maddie picked all the "baby ones."  Michael who has always spit out strawberries before did the same with these.  Took a bite and threw it on the ground.  We still need to work on him.  Ahh Strawberries. The Infinite Atonement (Illustrated Edition) by Tad R. Callistar pg. 241-"Note the measuring rod--not man, not some form of mini-Christ or quasi-God, but rather "the fulness of Christ." The standard of perfection was not other men, nor angles, but Christ himself." We can be...

Today I had a sweet experience with my little Maddie.  I was determined to clean out the garage today.  After putting Michael to sleep I began the work.  Maddie soon joined me outside.  She was quite determined to build something with our scraps of wood.  I would help her here and there and we would hammer in between my organizing.  Then she came to me with nail that was partially embedded in a piece of wood and asked me to take the nail out.  I began the process but was having little success.  Then my little Maddie said, "We should say a prayer.  Dear Heavenly Father please help mommy get the nail out of the wood. Amen." I smiled tried one more time and the nail was out.  She was ecstatic.  We said a prayer of thanks and off she went to build to her hearts content.  It is true that our children follow our example.  She has seen me pray countless times.  In fact I had prayed about how to organize the garage....

 Maddie graduated from preschool.  She was so excited.  Now she keeps telling me that "tomorrow I'm going to kindergarten."  I tell her that we have to wait until after swim team then we can go to kindergarten.  She replies with all the drama a 5 year old can muster, "that's too long away, I want to go right now." Derek and I went out the other night.  Elizabeth was a darling and put the kids to bed.  Samantha called to tell me that Elizabeth had gotten Michael to fall asleep while holding him (something I cannot manage to do.)  When we got home around 10:00 p.m. we found Michael sitting at the table playing with Maddison's princesses.  He was so excited he kept laughing and squealing to show his delight in being able to play with his sister's toys. Chapter 8: The Church and Kingdom of God ...

You got to love Muffins for Mom.  This is a time that I get to go into the class room and be honored by my children.  Maddie had hers two weeks ago we played "guess the mom" and I found out that my favorite food is pancakes (later I learned it was German Pancakes) and that my job is to take care of my family.  It was sweet. John Derek had his last Friday.  John Derek's class sang the song "Because You Loved Me," by Celine Dion.  I was brought to tears when he sang "you were my voice when I couldn't speak," I thought of how hard I have worked to have his teachers help him with his reading, realizing that I was the voice that they would listen to.  I was also saddened to see my son growing up and knowing that this would probably be the last time he would let his mom hang on him in public.

I love early summer evenings when the air is cool, the mosquitos are not out yet and the family plays outside.  Today was one of those evenings: One of my never ending battles seems to be not eating healthy and not exercising.  I am again back in this struggle and know that it is part of life . . . but today I had a ray of hope sparkle as I read these words: "I give unto men weaknesses that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27) Today as I began my scripture study I started with prayer and prayed for help, this was the first thing I read.  A direct answer to my cry for help.  What a blessing that if I am humble and turn to the Lord for help He can make my weakness become my strength.  I put my trust in Him and will have faith that He can help me overcome this weak...

Friday evening Derek and John Derek were at a camp out for the Father's and Son's.  I had been busily running people and things all over and was ready to settle down.  Michael had been in the car with me and needed to get out some energy.  I gave Maddie and Michael a ride in the wagon and then we went in the back yard to play.  We have an awesome play set that my husband built when we moved in.  It is right off the deck and has swings and a twisty slide and a rock wall and more.  I got distracted by the weeds growing in my garden and just allowed the two to play.  Then I heard a eery cry and then silence.  I turned around to find Michael and he was no where to be seen.   I ran and found him at the bottom of the 7 foot climbing wall face down in the dirt but crying.  He was okay.  A little scratch on his nose but miraculously fine.  After texting Derek we decided it would be best to take him to the ER just in case....

Elizabeth has been after her dad to give her a temple recommend interview.  (In order to enter one of our temples a person must be a baptized member of our church and must keep the commandments.  When our youth are 12 years old they are allowed to enter the temple and do vicarious baptisms for the dead.)  Her dad gave her an interview and she received her recommend.  She was ecstatic and danced all over the house showing everyone.  She was so excited that she made this collage and posted it on Instagram.  I am so happy that this was a goal of hers.  What a blessing she is to our family. The Infinite Atonement (Illustrated Edition) Tad R. Callistar Pg. 231--"The Atonement is both redemptive and exalting in its nature.  C.S. Lewis understood this principle: 'For God is not merely mending, not simply resorting a status quo.  Redeemed humanity is to be something more glorious than unfallen humanity would have been , more glorio...