Thornton Mom

Yesterday we had youth activities at church.  The day began with Elizabeth refusing to go because she didn't like what the young women were doing.  I did entertain the idea of letting her stay home but it just didn't sit right with me. John Derek also had a pack meeting, which meant that the whole family was invited.  Samantha did not have activities and was more than willing to stay home and babysit.  That was so tempting.  To be able to go without having to wrestle with the little ones. But then I was reminded that going to activities is just what we do.  That we need to spend more time together as a family.  Even though it would not be perfect it was the right thing to do. I prayed and then took a firm stand.  I kept having doubts about Elizabeth getting in the car and Michael crying to stay home.  John Derek even started to complain that he did not want anyone to go because they embarrassed him.  Again I prayed for strength and...

We had a very good Family Home Evening tonight.  I was not expecting anything much at all.  We had swim team practice and daddy's out of town, everyone was cold and tired so I was thinking FHE treat and Mormon Messages.  However Maddison really wanted to have a testimony meeting.  JD wanted to watch Meet the Mormons so we compromised with Maddie's testimony and the movie while we at the treat.   Maddie began telling about how even though things don't always go the way you want Jesus still cares about you.  I then asked her to tell the story about when she had a bad dream.  So she told us that one night she kept waking up over and over because of a bad dream but that Jesus helped her get through the night.  She had told me this story a few days ago.  It was sweet to hear her testimony growing.   I have a gardenia bush outside my house and it is in full bloom.  It is so fun!!  I always think of my grandmother when I see t...

I have been feeling the need to help our children know that their Father in Heaven loves them.  That if they can have this knowledge in their lives they will be able to believe the gospel, the prophet, understand the priesthood, the temple, the trials, etc. As I have pondered this feeling I have had some of the following thoughts: Pray that Elizabeth will have an experience this summer that will help her KNOW her Father in Heaven loves her.  That this knowledge will be the spark that ignites her testimony and keeps burning strong throughout her life.  Something for her to build upon. In my patriarchal blessing I am counseled, "forgive before the offence is complete."  I need to pray for the strength to forgive my children when my children do something that bother's or annoys me. Pray to see the times in my children's lives that the Lord is showing His love for them and point it out to them. Today I had a good experience setting up an outing with one of El...

Yesterday I had Bunion Surgery on my foot.  My feet have been bothering me for years.  They got pretty bad last year and then I broke my right foot in July.  After the break healed my bunion really started to act up and I had a very difficult time walking and doing daily activities.  It was also causing more problems with my feet and I truly feel it was the reason I broke my foot in the first place, I was not walking right. Frustrated I asked Derek for a blessing in March.  In the blessing he said that I needed to head the words of my doctor.  I had been feeling for a while that I should have this bunion surgery done but just didn't want to do it.  My doctor had told me that bunion  surgery was an option if I wanted it.  I knew it would be at least 2 weeks of not driving so I called my sweet mom and asked if she could come out the end of March and help me out.  She reminded me that Christina was having a baby at the end of March...

Elizabeth spent the weekend with her cousins.  Such beautiful and silly girls!!  Beautiful girls at church. Handsome  men in matching grey suits. “My Days” of Temples and Technology Elder Anderson "You are not the first to wonder about the time and place of your life. A prophet living in the Americas asked the same questions. His name was Nephi—not the Nephi in the beginning of the Book of Mormon but Nephi the son of Helaman the second and the great-grandson of the prophet Alma the Younger. In the world in which Nephi lived, money, power, and popularity were more important than what was right. Many of the people openly disregarded the commandments. They lied, took what was not theirs, and ignored the law of chastity. Those who kept the commandments were ridiculed and mistreated (see Helaman 7:4–5, 21; 8:2, 5, 7–8 ). “When Nephi saw [these things], his heart was swollen with sorrow … and he [exclaimed] in the agony of his soul: “Oh, that I co...