Thornton Mom

On October 29th we took Samantha to the temple for the first time.  It was so good for all of us.  Elizabeth did a great job directing Samantha and making sure she knew where to go.  Samantha was nervous, we had talked about it a lot so she would know what to expect.  Once we got there and got dressed Derek was asked to be their first one in the font.  Samantha pushed Elizabeth forward not wanting to be the first to be baptized.  But then when Elizabeth got out and it was Samantha's turn she jumped out of her seat and rushed to the font.  She was so excited! The girls did about 6 family names each and Derek did 12.  Samantha had helped me with several of the names and was excited to choose which girls she would get to do.   It was such a blessing to have family names to do.    Sunday Samantha got up and bore her testimony about faith.  She told about the YW having a night to do Personal Progress and Samantha was...

For my parent's 40th Wedding Anniversary they invited us all to a beach house in San Diego.  They have been planning this trip for about a year.  I had also decided to have all my kids change their schools to traditional schedule which allowed us the opportunity to go to Utah in August for Aspen Grove.  In March my parents were asked to go to the Church Office Building and meet with the Middle East Africa North Area (MEAN Desk.)  There they were asked to serve another mission in the Middle East.  I love that my parents always put the Lord first and said that they were willing to go.  They explained the plans that had been made this summer and it was agreed that they could finish their plans and leave the beginning of September.  I was so grateful that the Lord had made so many plans for us to be able to spend so much time with them before they leave. On the plane to San Diego.  Samantha and Maddie were buddies throughout the trip. We were...

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...

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...

Usually when I don't post for a while it is because things just aren't going well.  But this time things really have been going great! A couple of weeks ago I waited for my emotions to take a dive, but they haven't.  Sometimes I wonder if I am speaking too soon, but it is true.  I really have been good.  I don't know if it is the acupuncture that I am doing or if it's the Vitex herb I am taking.  Maybe a combination of the two.  But nevertheless I am doing good!! It has been so nice to not get easily overwhelmed by all that need to be done.  To be able to focus, to not make little things into a big deal, to not get agitated by the disorganization around the house, to not have the little things my kids do irritate me.  In fact I have felt an outpouring of love for them.  I am more patient, more willing to snuggle, more willing to listen and to be around them.  Overall things seem sweeter. I have been seeing a therapist along with Sa...

Friday we got a copy of Samantha's blood work.  The doctor has not called me but from what Derek and I can tell she is positive for celiac disease.  Celiac is  An immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.  This would mean that our family would have to become gluten free.   I know the depth of this has not completely sunk in.  But there is a large part of me that was hopeful she may have celiac.  Celiac answers so many problems.   As I study more and more I am amazed at how not only do I think she has celiac but I think I have it too.  IBS can often be a miss diagnosis for celiac.  When I was diagnosed 25 years ago I don't think people really even knew what celiac was.  I also learned that 90% of your serotonin (the hormone that regulates, mood, appetite, and sleep) is produced in your GI tract.  This could be the cause of depression and anxiety.   I have pondered a lot the past few ...

Sometimes on Sunday we invite families over for dessert.  This particular Sunday Michael and Samantha decided to welcome the families to our homes with chalk art. Michael was very proud of his rainbow and thought it looked just like big sisters. Samantha made a beautiful rainbow that Michael wanted to emulate. The Atonement by Elder Russell M. Nelson "But  mortal  life,  glorious  as  it  is,  was  never  the  ultimate  objective  of  God’s  plan.  Life  and  death  here  on  planet  Earth  were  merely  means  to  an  end—not  the  end  for  which  we  were  sent." Sometimes it is hard to remember--that there is more--that this truly in not the end all. "That  brings  us  to  the  Atonement.  Paul  said,  “As  in  Adam  all  die, ...