Thornton Mom

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...

The other night I was laying in bed having difficulty going to sleep.  I was thinking about my kids, about exercise, about spending more time with them.  I have been listening to a book and the author said that "if your family is fighting it is because you are not spending enough time together."  So I have been wondering how we can spend more time together. I thought about how every day when I go to pick up Elizabeth I leave the 4 younger ones at home to watch TV while I am gone.  By the time I get home there is contention and frustration.  I haven't felt like this is a good practice for our family but was not sure how to change it. I was reminded that in the spring we are able to go to swim practice for 3 hours and still get homework and things done.  Then I was reminded that almost next door to Elizabeth's school is a wonderful park with a play ground, trails, paths, etc., that we have never explored.  So I decided that I would take the ...

John Derek came home from school happy.  But within minutes was getting frustrated.  Nothing was going right and he was mad.  I finally sent him to his room.  A little while later he came down much more calm and said that he needed to talk to me.  He remembered that if he gets mad afterschool it is because something went wrong and school and he needs to talk about it.  So we went and got ice cream and picked Elizabet up from practice.  I was so proud of him for remembering to come talk to me.  I had even forgotten that.  But we talked, he got it out and then we had good discussions while we drove.   That evening I gave John Derek a hair cut.  In the middle of the cut he said, "I want to marry a wife that can cut hair, or maybe I can cut the hair, but one of us can cut hair."  We then discussed what he wanted in a wife, "Someone who reads her scriptures, is strong in the church, is good."  I was so impressed with ...

You got to love it when your kids give the baby cream cheese and a rice cake in the car.  Got a wipe anyone? Last night I had the privilege of going to a Bishop's Youth Discussion. (A meeting with the youth in our ward ages 12-18)  My husband (the Bishop or leader of our congregation) asked me to tell the youth about how we met and married.  What a delight to remember how the Lord shaped my life.  How I didn't get to fulfill the dreams I had wanted of going to BYU and fulfilling a mission but instead was given the perfect husband for me.  The man who excelled my dreams.  Now as I look at my life and the things that are not working the way that I desire I am reminded that I am still in the palm of my Heavenly Father's hands.  He has a plan greater than I can even imagine.  I know that if I don't question His plan and follow Him with all my heart the blessings will be greater than my greatest dreams.  I am grateful to the Lord for this remi...

We need a rug for our family room.  I have scowered the internet with little luck and finally went out with Maddie and Michael all over Raleigh to look for a rug.  I finally found one that has the right colors and will work in our space.  After purchasing it we were driving home and things got very quiet.  I looked back to find Maddie fast asleep, and Michael quite comfortable, holding his ear, blanket, and passy.  Aren't they cute? To me Maddie is expressing her gratitude and being done with shopping.  They are troopers. Book of Mormon, Mosiah 12:15 "15  And behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage, or be taken captive by our enemies; yea, and thou hast prospered in the land, and thou shalt also prosper." I feel like this is the pride that is growing here in America. I hope that there are enough good people to keep u...

Samantha has become quite the gardener.  She was so excited this year about planting and gardening.  It has been fun to work side by side with her.  She has pulled weeds, watered, sprayed, planted, and worked hard.  It has been a joy to be with her. The last little while I have been thinking a lot about my children and what to expect of them.  Recently I was reading a book called The Slow-Ripening: Fruits of Mothering, by Emily Watts.   She talks about the scripture found in Matthew 7:17, "By their fruits ye shall know them." and then says  "children are the slowest-ripening fruit there is."  She explains that we can't take a bite of a strawberry when it is green and expect it to be juicy and sweet.  Just as we can't expect our children to behave  the way we want when they are still in their green state.  I was then listening to " Alexander's Amazing Adventures ," CD's by Linda and Richard Eyres, the value Self-Relianc...