Thornton Mom

Be Still, My Soul 31243, Hymns, Be Still, My Soul, no. 124 1. Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side; With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In ev'ry change he faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end. 2. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake To guide the future as he has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below. 3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on When we shall be forever with the Lord, When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past, All safe and blessed we shall meet at last. While hiking outside of Ashville we came across this beautiful butterfly.  I really wanted

Sunday brought a flood of emotions and gratitude.  We had Stake Conference, (a meeting where several local congregations gather together to hear from our local leaders.)  This meeting was a little different because two of the counselors in the Stake Presidency were released.  Two new counselors were called one of which is my brother-in-law.  The rest of the meeting was given to testimonies from the former and new counselors and their wives.  Throughout the testimonies there was a constant theme of being raised by goodly parents .  I reflected on my own goodly parents and reflected on the blessing of my husband's goodly parents .  I listened to great women that are such an example to me and was given the incite that they are just like me.  Doing the best that they can one day at a time.  That they are goodly parents and so am I.  Growing up in Utah and living here in North Carolina I get a different perspective on things.  Here in NC the wards are so much bigger geographical

You can't see his rash well in this picture but he has little red dots all over his body.  Poor thing. Michael started fussing over the weekend, Elizabeth stayed home from school Monday and Tuesday with a headache, John Derek, Maddie, and Samantha started complaining of head aches and tummy aches Monday night along with mommy.  Tuesday Michael broke out into a terrible rash all over his body (it is still there.)  Tuesday night the rash showed up on Elizabeth but she went to school anyway Wednesday.  It is now Friday, Samantha, and John Derek are competing for who is sicker.  This is just a yucky bug.  I hope it leaves our home soon. One thing that I have learned from this experience is the faith my children have in a father's blessing.  Derek and I have not been able to sleep through the night since Sunday.  As each child shows signs of sickness and as they are in so much pain the all have requested a blessing.  Last night John Derek and Samantha did not want to go

Today is my grandmother's funeral.  I cannot be there today because of distance, but my thoughts are with my family.  I have been pondering my relationship with her over the past few years.  I remember when we got to spend the night at her home, we were given Kellogg's Corn Flakes sprinkled with sugar and white toast with melted butter.  This was a special treat for us as we never got cold cereal and we always had wheat bread.  She had the softest towels.  They always seem to have just come from the store and were fluffy and soft.  I commented to her one time about her towels and she told me that she had to give up other things because she wanted nice towels.  That taught me about how we can have nice things in this world but it will mean a sacrifice in other areas. Veda Carrie Lindsey Dew One of my memories of Grandma did not actually happen with my grandmother.  Our family was traveling the country visiting different historical sights.  One night all us children fell a

I love to see my hubby interacting with our kids.  On this day Elizabeth and I went to the library and chose books for everyone while Derek took the rest of the kids to the adjacent park.  As soon as Elizabeth and I arrived with the books the playing stopped and the reading began.  It was a beautiful fall day.  I love October. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, (2013), 262–72 "Seventy years later, he returned to England as President of the Church to preside over an area conference. By that time, the seeds he and others had planted had sprouted and flourished. He rejoiced to see so many British Saints come to the meetings.  He said, 'Several stakes of Zion, a temple dedicated to the Lord, a considerable number of ward and stake buildings, and some highly successful missionary work—all testify to the fact that the Church is coming of age in Great Britain.” And he said th

Samantha turned 10 last week.  She was so excited!!   Samantha wears her emotions on her sleeve so you always know what she is feeling.  It was a delight to see her skipping down the isles at the store as we looked for the perfect bike.  When our children have a birthday they get to go out to dinner with mom and dad, then go to the store to pick out their present.  When we went out to dinner she chose a Mexican restaurant because she knew they would sing to her.  She was so eager for that moment.  Then out came fried ice cream and a group of servers all singing "Happy Birthday" in Spanish.  She loved it. She is such a sweet girl and so good.  We had her in counseling about a year ago to help with some anxiety and negative thoughts.  At one point she had told the counselor that she heard voices telling her bad things to do and say.  The counselor encouraged her to tell the voices to go away.  We have not had the negativity with her for quite a while and I asked her whil

 It is a family tradition to go to the State Fair.  We had a blast!!  All the kids sitting in a giant lawn chair.  We decided we should take this chair and pull it out to Utah and then there would be enough room for everyone on the drive. Mom and Maddie being "licked" by giant neon ant eaters John Derek got a candy apple.  He loved the red "blood" all over his face. Our familie's favorite ride is the swings.  Maddie got to go on with all of us for the first time.  She was so happy, so excited and loved it so much.  Saturday I had some visitors come to my door asking if I had ever wondered "Why so many bad things are happening on this earth?"  My children were intrigued with these "missionaries" and we agreed to watch their short message.  In the message there was a statement made that "the Bible says Satan controlles the earth."  Afterward she asked me what I thought and I told her that I didn't agree with t

Michael is a lot of fun.  He walks around outside pointing at dead bugs and saying EWWWW!  Samantha was so sweet yesterday.  I had assigned her to clean the playroom and she spent well over half an hour reading books to Michael.  He was in heaven. The kids love to meet Daddy in the street and ride the back of the truck into the driveway. The Infinite Atonement, (illustrated Edition), by Tad R. Callister pg. 298--"Each week a feast is served at sacrament meeting.  Speakers, music, and prayers are integral parts of this meeting, but they are not the main course.  The music might be discordant, the speakers monotonous--and yet those who come to the sacrament table hungry still can be filled.  Any man or woman who comes to sacrament meeting hungering and thirsting for spiritual food will find refreshment and nourishment for his or her soul." I can always benefit from a spiritual feast but I know that when I go to church my soul needs to be spiritually fed but is no

Sunday as we walked into Church during the announcements Michael was being slow.  So I scooped him up and walked down the isle.  He began to scream and was reaching towards the back of the chapel.  After sitting down I looked back and there was my friend who usually sits with Michael so I can more easily help the older children.  I asked him if he wanted to go back.  He immediately settled down and toddled back into her arms.  I am so grateful for kind and loving people that help me out in so many ways.  I truly am blessed. Last night we went to see Meet the Mormons .  It was a great movie.  I highly recommend it.  It tells the stories of 6 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .  One of the stories was about a bishop and his wife.  I loved seeing the wife wrestle her 3 energetic boys during Church.  As she was picking up Cheerio's off the floor I smiled, knowing that I am not the only one. Michael got quite the goose egg yesterday.  Poor little baby. T

Elizabeth loves her little brother.  It is so fun to see them together. I just think the Lord is amazing.  He has a way of letting me know what I need to do and when I need to do it.  I went to the doctor yesterday and realized that I have gained about 40 lbs. in one year.  The doctor was FABULOUS!! He talked to me for a long time, even though I came in about a Ganglion Cyst on my wrist (which is nothing), we talked about many of the concerns I have with my health and my exercise routine.  It was just what I needed.  He got me thinking about training for a 5K.  Samantha is in Girls on the Run (which after just 3 meetings I am SO impressed) and will run a 5K in December.  Then this morning as I read my scriptures I read the words of Pres. Spencer W. Kimball as quoted in Drawing on the Powers of Heaven by Grant Von Harrison , he quotes: We do believe in setting goals.  We live by goals.  In athletics we always have a goal.  When we go to school, we have the goal of graduatio

Michael loves to say prayers.  When it is time to go to bed he folds his arms and says "ahr."  We say a prayer and he laughs and smiles.  When it is time to eat he always reminds us to bless the food and sometimes has so much fun praying that he wants us to do it again and again.  Our food is very blessed. He also loves daddy's truck.  Whenever he sees a bladk truck on the road he points to it and says "dayie tuk, bye, bye, dayie" then waves his hands good bye.  When daddy comes home he is the first to greet him and always wants a ride in the truck. Patience  Elder Neal A. Maxwell  "Moreover, patience will not be an obsolete attribute in the next world!" We will have to have patience in the next life which doesn't surprise me knowing

John Derek was "branded" into the Wolf Pack Elizabeth received 3 honors for first quarter. Chorus, Straight A's, and having Pride in her work. Root Beer!! When I was a little girl my family would make homemade root beer.  I loved watching the dry ice smoke and bubble.  It is fun to see my kids doing the same thing that I used to do.  (We did have to remind Michael to not each the container) Patience   Elder Neal A. Maxwell   "We define the veil as the border between mortality and eternity; it is also a film of forgetting which covers the memories of earlier experiences. This forgetfulness will be lifted one day, and on that day we will see forever—rather than “through a glass darkly” ( 1 Cor. 13:12 )." This is an answer to a question I have had. I have wondered if we will have our memories from before this