Thornton Mom

Decorating the tree John Derek's Creation Grandmommy and Michael John Derek had a Christmas concert at school.  He had practiced hard for it.  Even staying aftershool once a week to rehurse.  He was so excited for this performance and talked about it all the time.  He wanted everything to be just perfect.  He got the "part" of Donner (he got to put on raindeer antlers and stand in front of the group with the other raindeer.)  I had to leave to take kids somewhere and Derek was going to pick him up and go to the concert.  On his own JD took a shower, got dressed and did his hair.  It was fun to see him excited and he did a good job.  What a good boy. Grandmommy and John Derek at his Christmas Concert The Sacrament—a Renewal for the Soul ...

So great to have wonderful inlaws.  My inlaws came over on Halloween.  Mom T. had made these cute little spider cupcakes.  Dad T. had melanoma in his hand.  He had it removed but it was a difficult procedure and is taking a long time to recover.  I love to hear the kids pray for him. Potty Training is going very very slow . . . . The Pleasing Word of God Francisco J. Viñas, October 2015 General Conference "Some examples include arriving late for sacrament meeting without a valid reason; arriving, without previously having examined ourselves, to eat the bread and drink from the cup unworthily (see 1 Corinthians 11:28 ); and arriving without first having confessed our sins and having asked God for forgiveness for them." Some ...

I am so blessed.  Not only do I have the best husband in the world, I also have the best in-laws.  I remember that I didn't always feel that way.  When Derek and I first married I moved across the country away from my family and my culture.  I had a lot of growing up and a lot of things to get used to.  I remember not feeling comfortable around my in-laws.  Not understanding their "Southern" ways.  They were different from my family.  Neither of us had gotten to know the other before my marriage.  But we both had something in common, we loved Derek. Grandmommy and Michael looking at the pond. I remember one day deciding that I didn't like this.  That this relationship I had with my in-laws was strained and I wanted to change that, but I didn't know how.  So I turned to my Heavenly Father in prayer and asked for help.  Prayed that our relationship would improve, that we could love each other and enjoy each other.  ...

Maddie was feeling very alone and frustrated.  She is my girl who will keep everything below the surface.  She is usually very obedient and easy going.  Of late things have been hard.  I feel like she is at the bottom of the pile and everything else comes before her.  We decided to let her go up to Lake Gaston a day early with her grandparents.  She was so excited. I wish I had taken a picture but just picture this in your mind . . .  She ran down the stairs grabbed her pink bag ran outside and sat on the edge of the driveway waiting for her grandparents.  I brought out her pink car seat and she sat in it with her pink bag and waited for them to arrive.  She was so eager to go it was delightful.  I am grateful my Father in Heaven gave me that idea. The Brother in my ward who talked about "Turning Weaknesses into Strengths," said this, " In preparation for this talk I looked up Perfect on Wikipedia it had definitions you would expe...

Maddie received a Principal Pal award for being such a hard worker. Grandpa Dew played a My Little Pony game with the kids.  It was a joy to observe. Grandmommy, Eli, Elizabeth, and Grandma Grandma took us to sights here in North Carolina where my ancestors lived. Chapter 17: Sealing Power and Temple Blessings Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, (2013), 215–27 "These labors of love shall not go for naught, for all those who have worked in this goodly cause shall find their treasure and riches in the celestial kingdom of God. Great shall be their reward, yea, even beyond the power of mortals to understand." As I look at the lives of my parents who have over and over again put the...

I love to see my children interacting with their grandparents.  These are pictures of our sweet Michael with each of his grandparents.  What a delight it is to have airplanes that allow me and my parents to visit so easily.  What a delight it is to have in-laws that are so warm and kind and can even get Michael to fall asleep. Doctrine and Covenants, D&C 128:15 "15  And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect." I think I am still learning about the import...

Samantha at a Swim Meet  We went to the kids swim meet (Elizabeth was still at camp.)  Samantha got to help sing the national anthem.  She was so excited. Michael with Grandmommy  Michael loves to be a the Lake, he especially loves to sit on his Grandmommy's lap and eat the treats that she brings out. We were happy to spend time with Tyler before he leaves for college John Derek idealizes Tyler.  Tyler is a great young man who is always happy and never seems troubled.  He plays with John Derek and the other children.  Everyone loves Tyler.  He couldn't be a better role model for this little ones. The Atonement  Elder Russell M. Nelson Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles   "The ordeal of the Atonement centered about the city of Jerusalem. There the greatest single act of lov...

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.

Our cousins are in town staying with Grandmommy while their parents are away serving in Honduras for a week.  We have been getting together to play and keep both families entertained.  Grandmommy made bread with the kids today.  They had so much fun.  It is such a blessing to be part of such a great family.  I really married into the best family ever. Enduring Well By Elder J. Christopher Lansing Area Seventy, North America Northeast Area From a devotional address, “That’s Life,” given at Brigham Young University–Hawaii on October 30, 2012. For the full address, visit devotional.byuh.edu/archive . "One night my father came to me in a dream. I began to chide him for not helping me know what to do [in my family business that he founded]. He said he was aware of my situation but he was busy where he was and his former business was not...