Thornton Mom

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...

Our first day in Disney started in Hollywood Studios.  We began on Rocking Roller coaster and then immediately went to Tower of Terror.  Maddie and Michael waited patiently for all of us to ride those rides and were quite delighted by the reward of Disney Jr. Live!  Everyone did great on Rocking Roller coaster but Samantha did not like the Tower of Terror and when I went on with Elizabeth I was terrified.  I kept grabbing her leg as we would go up and down.  I was really wondering why I even got on this ride.  I was grateful when it was over.  Elizabeth loved it, it was by far her favorite ride. Because my feet are not yet back to normal I ended up being in a wheel chair for the trip.  It defiantly had it's advantages.  One was that we got to sit right up front for many of the shows.  Here Maddie and Samantha wait for Beauty and the Beast to begin.  That was stunningly beautiful and fun. Michael wanted nothing more than t...

The Black Dog is back.  After 3 months of hardly any sign of him he came back.  He started showing up a little last week and by yesterday and today he has taken over.  Man it has been hard.  I do have to say he isn't as strong as he was 6 months ago but he is trying.  This morning I curled up in my closet and cried (that's how I know he is here in full force.)  My kids are trying not to let it bother them but he's not very nice.  I am not sure what to do but wait until he has passed.  I know he will and that is comforting. I had felt prompted Tuesday to get a blessing but didn't so tonight I asked for one.  In the blessing I was told to serve, to seek the Spirit, to eat good foods, and that I could find ways to exercise.  I have been eating everything in sight and nothing good, and exercise has not existed since I broke my foot.  I think the foot and the black dog are making it hard this time.  My sweet mom sent me a huge...

We celebrated John Derek and Aunt Angela's birthdays this past week.  It was a delight.  Aunt KoKo pulled out her amazing skills and made John Derek a football cake.  It was amazing and delicious.  She also made Angela her famous Chocolate Moose Cake.  She truly is an amazing cook!! We love being around family.  We wish we could have them all around us all the time but it is a delight that we have some.  It is nice to have that love continually around us.  We are very blessed. Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 9:14 "14  Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me." Christ makes it so easy. We just have to turn from our natural man and turn to Him. Sometimes this can be hard but as we continue to try and do it over and over again we will...

  This weekend we went with our good friends up to the Lake House.  It was such a joy to be there with them.  I loved watching the excitement of their children at all the options for entertainment.  I think my kids are becoming ungrateful for the Lake House.  They take it for granted.  But I think that is to be expected, they are only human.   Saturday Derek had to get gas to mow the lawn.  When he tried to start the car it would not turn on.  So he and our friend drove to Roanoke Rapids and got a new battery, came back and installed it.  The car started.  I felt so blessed that this happened on Saturday.  If Derek had not needed to get gas then he would have left Sunday morning for his meetings and our friends would have tried driving me home but the car would have been dead.  What a blessing that we were all able to make it home safely and in time for church.   New Testament, Act...

 Elizabeth was honored again this year at her school.  She received High Honors for her grades as well as "Outstanding Student" in Chorus.  She was honored before all the track 4 students and parents.  Derek and I are so proud of her.  She works so hard and does such an amazing job.  She is self motivated and finds joy in excelling.  I am proud to call her my daughter. Elizabeth with her friends. "The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us to love and treat all people with kindness and civility—even when we disagree. We affirm that those who avail themselves of laws or court rulings authorizing same‐sex marriage should not be treated disrespectfully. Indeed, the Church has advocated for rights of same‐sex couples in matters of hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment, and probate, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family or the constitutional rights of churches . . . Our ind...

Okay you ask, "Why do you have a picture of your sink?"  Let me tell you.  About 2 weeks ago I started a program called the Flylady .  It is a cleaning program but goes so much deeper than that.  It helps with my protectionism, shows me why I have been living like I do, fills in a lot of questions about myself, teaches me to accept me for who I am, to enjoy life, to not get angry at the little things . . . in other words, I really do like the program.  I feel like it is helping me to be a better person for me and my family. Well the Flylady's signature 1st step is to clean your sink, to make it shinny.  This you are supposed to do every night before you go to bed so that in the morning you are greeted with a clean sink.  And so for the past 2 weeks before I go to bed I have shined my sink.  Last night I was tired,  I had not slept well the night before, was not myself all day, had the kids help me clean up before dinner because they we...

 At the beach I had the kids run through a flock of seagulls so I could take pictures.  Michael loved this idea and after everyone else finished he continued to run at every seagull he could find chasing them into flight.  Sometimes he would have a face of confusion when he would turn around and see the gulls back on the beach.  But he didn't give up and ran again.   Book of Mormon, Alma 17:3 "3  But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God." Things were not easy for Ammon and his brethren. They didn't just repent and change and then sit back and do nothing. They had to grow, they had to change, they had to work, they had to repent and they succeeded and w...

Family Home Evening was on keeping the Sabbath Day Holy.  We started talking about what toppings we like on steaks.  I then pulled out a bowl of ice cream and tried to convince them to put the stake sauce on the ice cream.  Then explained that there are some things we like on a Sundae and some things we don't.  Just like there are some things we do on Sunday and some things we don't.  We then labled each of the Sundae toppings with things we can do on Sunday.  Daddy ended by giving everyone a whip cream nose.  Book of Mormon, Alma 13:4-9 "And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great privilege as their brethren. 5  Or in fine, in the first place they we...

I woke my kids up for scripture study and 3 min. later the phone rings.  School has been canceled because of snow.  Derek is out of town until late tonight and we are stuck at home again. I ended up taking Michael in for a shot of antibiotics because he has had an ear infection for about 4 weeks.  The roads are snowy but we made it home safe.  Dreams of playing in the snow with my kids are shattered when my stomach starts to hurt and I have to lay down.  Oh how I wish Derek were home.  I take a nap and Elizabeth takes charge.  She cleans the kitchen and keeps everyone happy.  I get a notification that Derek's plane is delayed.  He sends me a text that he will try to get an earlier flight if they get out of meetings early and will call me once his phone is charged.  Oh, how I wish he were home. We turn on a movie and Derek calls.  The plane is delayed an hour and a half.  It is nice to hear his voice.  He asks if he c...