Thornton Mom

Maddie's family who came to the baptism.  Maddison was baptized on Saturday!! We are so proud of her and the choice that she made to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Her daddy baptized her.  The water was very cold but she was very brave.  After being put under the water she jumped back up and left the font.  She was so cold.  There were two other kids who also go baptized.  One of the speakers afterwards said that he truly saw the children of the latter days "springing" out of the water. Michael wanted to be part of the pictures.  He was a little/lot jealous of the attention Maddie was receiving. 4 kids of ours ahve been baptized.  We only have one to go in about 3 years.  Wow, am I really that old? Samantha is so happy for Maddie and wanted to make sure Maddie felt loved! Maddie and Daddy Our Family (notice that Samantha does not have her shoes on.  If ...

Yesterday I decided that we had had too many electronics on Saturday which had caused  lot of bad attitudes Saturday night and the attitudes were beginning again Sunday morning, so we would take a break for the Sabbath.  The kids complained but soon resorted to my wishes. I went to wake Elizabeth for Church and went a head and told her my idea.  She didn't take it well.  We talked, we fumed, and she would not budge.  Knowing that I had a choice between giving her the phone or having her go to church I decided church was more important.  So I relented and gave her the phone but she still refused to get ready for church.  I threatened consequences but nothing.  During this time I had been praying for help and kept being assured that I was doing fine.  I asked again if the consequences I was about to give her were correct, but instead received direction to praise her. I took a list of things I had written that I like about Elizabeth and ...

Visiting Samantha's Class for Lunch Visiting John Derek's Class for a Holiday Celebration Visiting Maddie's Class for her presentation on Christmas Cute kids who actually volunteered to help with the Christmas Cards.  They were amazing! As I began my prayer this morning I felt the need to pray for my depression.  I am learning to be specific in my prayers and so I felt guided to pray to know how to be prepared for when I fall into my depressive moods, to put things in place so that I won't struggle so much. The idea that came to me was menu planning.  That is a tedious task that I don't enjoy doing every two weeks but that I know really helps me.  I think I should menu plan for 6 months and make a weekly grocery list for that menu.  Then I can alter it if needed that week, but it will be in place and I don't have to stress about it. I also think I should only work on it for 15-30 min. a day so that I don't become frustrated with it....

 John Derek is a good big brother.  He loves being with Michael and he is so good with him.  They play outside, inside and love to sleep together.  Lately they have even been falling alseep in the top bunk together.  It is so sweet.  What great boys I have. Michael fell asleep watching tv on my bed.  He has his shoes on and a rolling pin.  So Cute!! I have been trying to work on keeping my thoughts directed towards the Savior and His gospel.  Yesterday instead of browsing on my phone while I ate lunch I opened the New Era.  I found a story entitled, Things I learned as a Young Convert .   He talks about wanting to remain worth of going on a mission while he was in the German Army.  So he decided to pray always.  "Walking from building to building, going up and down hills in the forests, lying in the foxholes, playing war games—wherever I was, I would engage with Heavenly Father in prayer whenever I could,...

This week was pack meeting.  John Derek got his Wolf so he had to "wolf" down a whipcream cake inorder to find his badge.  It was really cute.  He loved it. That evening the pack had a "hike" for the boys and their families.  We all walked around the park and towards the end got really spread out.  I ended up having to wait for Michael and took a shortcut to our meeting place.  I watched everyone come in and saw Maddie, and JD (Dad and Elizabeth were at other activites) but no Samantha.  I stood up and started looking for her and worried that she may have followed someone else down the wrong path.  As I looked at this huge park and all the possible places she could be I hoped that she had sat down and prayed to know where to look.  I felt that I should ask the group if anyone had seen her.  As I did many of the parents said they would start looking.  We all fanned out and within 5 min. she had been found at the bathrooms (whe...

 Annelise and I went off for a girls weekend.  Our first stop was Duke Gardens.  We both took pictures and limped around.  I have a broken foot and she has a foot constantly in pain.  It was a slow process and we only walked a little bit but it was fun. Our second stop was the Lemur Center at Duke.  So fun to see so many lemurs.  We really did enjoy it. This is the chapter when Christ comes to the Americas.  In our Book of Mormon it is chapter 11 but in this book it is chapter 5.  The chapters may be different but the words are the same.  We then went to the Duke Library that houses rare books.  We were able to view an original copy of the Book of Mormon.  There were times that I was almost in tears as we looked at this book.  The feelings I had really surprised me.  I felt a great reverence, a closeness to Joseph Smith.  At the beginning of the book he explains why he did not publish the 116 pages...

It was a delight to have my mom and sister here.  It was so fun when my mom walked in the door I heard her familiar, "Hellllooo" and the kids went running.  They ran into her arms with hugs hugs and more hugs.  Even little Michael was ecstatic.  Grandma instantly became Michael's best friend.  He would come in and look up at her with his big blue eyes and say "pay wif me?"  Grandma's heart would melt and the next moment she would be in the playroom being served cake or playing with cars.  She is so sweet.  It truly was delightful.         Book of Mormon, Helaman 11:9 "he cried again unto the Lord, saying:" This is not just a quick prayer. Even though this is a prophet that has been promised he could have control over the elements he still prays fervently to Father. He begs, pleads, asks for specifi...

Samantha was able to get a butterfly to land on her hand.  You can see it right on the tip of her fingers near her nose. The butterfly hung around.  It even came and visited daddy and Michael.  It was so fun as it allowed us to pick it up and allowed us to hold it.  This was on Friday.  It was a fabulous day.  Derek had returned from Ireland the night before and was able to just hang out at home on Friday.  We went to Elizabeth's drama class play that afternoon and then we all went to the pool that evening for swim team.  I don't think Derek got a break from the kids for the 4 hours we were there.  He is a wonderful husband and father. Book of Mormon, Alma 46:8 "8  Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one." I d...

Yesterday I had the privledge of giving a talk in my church meeting.  I spoke about what I have seen my husband do as bishop and how this ward has blessed my family.  I truly had felt the Spirit guide me in what I would say.  As I spoke I again felt the Spirit with me.  I was amazed at how my heart was touched, I cried through almost the whole thing.  I testified that my husband has the mantel of the Bishop and when he speaks as the Bishop his countanence changes and he no longer speaks as a man but as a servant of the Lord. Later I had to give a lesson in Relief Society.  As I did last time I prayed for the sisters of my ward individually, by name.  I was amazed that a sister I had prayed would be at church was there.  This is the second time I had prayed for my fellow sisters and she has come both times.  Vancouver, Canada 2013 My lesson was on Following the Living Prophet .  It was a simple lessons and I quickly was running o...

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.  ...

Here are a couple of cute pictures of Michael sleeping.  I came into his room to get him up and he had used his book as a blanket. While we were at swim team he walked over to an empty patch of cement and laid down.  I guess he was tired.   Book of Mormon, Alma 34:21 "21  Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening." I pray to Him daily. It is such a blessing and comfort for me to know that He is there and that He cares and that He loves me. Many times Satan will try to convince me that I pray too much, that my little tiny problems are not what the Lord has time for. But then I read scriptures like this and I feel that I am doing exactly what He wants me to do. My patriarchal blessing says, "He is interested in every facet of your life. No problem is too small for Him to take an intere...

Today testified of the power of scripture study.  In my lesson Sunday a sister mentioned that she gets up every morning at 5:30 and reads her scriptures, this is the only quiet time she has.  But this always makes her days go better.  Things run smoother and the unimportant things pass by the wayside.  I have tried to do this off and on for many years.  I had recently gotten back in the habit only to find myself nauseated and not able to get up last week.  So this week I resolved to begin again wondering if it would really make my day go better.  I did great until this morning when I realized that I had forgotten to turn on my alarm.  So I missed my opportunity.  I knew I would take the time later today and got my children up for scripture study.  Our friend comes over twice a week and watches the kids while I teach JD.  They love it!!  Yesterday Michael fell asleep on her lap.  So cute!! Well one thing after anot...

Michael and I were leaving the grocery store.  I asked him, "Should we go get in the car?"  He replied, "Aunt Annelise's car."  Confused I said that Aunt Annelise was not here.  Then we walked outside and he pointed to a red car in the parking lot (the same color as Annelise's) and said again, "Aunt Annelise's car."  As we walked by and I tried to explain that it was not her car he wouldn't agree.  As we were pulling out there was a grandmother putting groceries in the red car.  Michael looked at the car and said, "Aunt Annelise's car?"  I am so glad that he loves Aunt Annelise.  My beautiful niece attended the temple for the first time this past weekend.  It was wonderful to see her in the temple surrounded by family and friends.  I am so proud of her for making that decision.  She is a wonderful example to all her nieces and nephews.  In a few months she will be off on her mission to Peru.  We are so blessed...

What a great week we had.  Our family was able to go up to the Lake House and enjoy extended family.  I will be sharing more about that later. Today I want to share a story of my sweet Samantha.  Samantha is know for her long beautiful and often wild hair.  A few weeks ago I got a message from my sister asking if I had ever thought of cutting Samantha's hair short like hers.  This got me thinking and I pondered on the subject for a long time, asking others, and even talking about it with Samantha.    My sister came to the lake Friday evening and the two of us spent the evening looking at hair cuts for Samantha.  The next morning my sister talked with Samantha and showed her the pictures.  She liked one of them but was still a little uneasy abut it.  We all talked about it and then she said, "I'm going to go talk to Heavenly Father about it."  She went downstairs and returned a few minutes later.  She said...

Samantha has been struggling lately with finding her testimony.  She believes in God like she believed in Santa.  Finding out about Santa set her for a whirl and now she is doubting if God really does exist. On that same note I am amazed at her stamina and her desire to find the truth.  She really is putting a lot of thought and energy into finding out.  I am confident that she will discover Him and her testimony soon.  What a great age to decide if she believes in God.  She will decide when her parents are the most influential and before her friends gain their own opinions to sway her.  I am greatly thankful for this. A few weeks ago Samantha had lost a small stuffed animal.  She looked for it but could not find it.  She prayed and still no animal.  She was having a rough day one day and felt that God must not be real and if He is He does not love her because He had not helped her find this animal.  I prayed for strength and...

About a week ago we got snow.  John Derek was the first one up that morning, he skipped breakfast, got dressed and went outside to play.  And play he did.  The cul-de-sac/street behind our house turns into the neighborhood sledding hill.  They were all having a blast.  Just as I started to get ready to go out and join the family (after getting each one ready to go) John Derek came in.  He had gone down the hill on a saucer and got his foot caught in a drain and then yanked out as he continued to slide.  We iced it for a while but as soon as he heard his friends outside wanting to play he was off.  A few minutes later he came in complaining again. So we took him off his feet and into the doctor for an x-ray. No broken bones but a possible injured ligament.  He was put in a splint and on crutches for a week. With the possibility of a boot for a month and maybe even surgery. Needless to say he was not excited.  But he was so blessed....

Samantha has a love for Beanie Boo's.  Samantha loves to collect things and to get every single one.  We keep finding new places that sell them but she ususally owns all of them.  She carries them around wherever she goes.  They give her a sence of security and love. "Make your Father in Heaven your personal friend.  Love Him, pray to Him.  He is interested in every facet of your life.  No problem is too small for Him to take an interest in." These lines from my Patriarchal Blessing get me through some of my tough days.  The fact that Heavenly Father is interested in my life even the small things is so comforting.  Satan will try to tell me that I should not pray about certain things but then I am graciously reminded of these lines and I begin to pray.  How sweet that there is someone who listens to me no matter what I am concerned about.  I am so blessed to be part of this gospel and truth.