Thornton Mom

I wanted to share this experience to help me remember who is in charge and that it will all work out. Yesterday Derek and I went out while Elizabeth took some friends to a Church dance.  As we talked Derek again voiced his concern about Elizabeth and her testimony.  I championed Elizabeth and reminded him about how she knows the right answers, how nice she is becoming, and how when she was younger and we were worried about her testimony I played a song for her, Blessings , and how we both were in tears by the end of the song.  (As the song finished I felt that I should stop worrying about Elizabeth gaining a testimony.  That Heavenly Father knows her heart, that He has a plan and that someday she will know the truth for herself.)  With this reminder Derek was somewhat pacified and we went on with the evening. After getting home Derek went to bed and I waited for Elizabeth's friends to be picked up.  I began to clean the kitchen and wanted to turn on ...

Yesterday was hard.  I have been riding an emotional roller coaster the past little while and yesterday it was very apparent. There is a movie that my children have wanted to watch for a long time.  It is one of those that I don't feel comfortable seeing or having my children see but most people find it wonderful and enjoyable.  It has one part that I don't like and because of it I have not allowed my children to watch this show, much to their dismay. Yesterday the show ended up at my home, I knew that in the near future we were going to have to watch the show because of other circumstances and I felt that it was inevitable.  Never the less I struggled to know if it was the right thing to do.  Then I remembered that I have ClearPlay and that it will delete anything inappropriate so I allowed my children to watch the show.  I disappeared upstairs so that I wouldn't have to deal with it. But of course I came down right at that scene and ClearPlay wa...

   We went for a walk the other day.  I was proud of the kids and how well they did.  Once it was time to turn around John Derek wanted to run ahead a play on the toys.  I said that was fine but as he started to run little Michael called out to him in desperation running as fast as his little legs could carry him.  The sweet brother that John Derek is, stopped, walked back, took his hand and went together with him to the park.  At one point I almost caught up with him ans JD was placing Michael on his back as Michael was getting tired of walking.  JD is such a good kid.  He has a heart of gold and I love seeing that heart shine through. For Family Home Evening we watched a message from Elder Nelson about making the Sabbath a Delight.   As I watched this video I reflected on the numerous articles I have read concerning the Sabbath Day.  Any of them that were written after this last general conference mention Elder Nelson's tal...

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...

Yesterday John Derek was so excited to go to church.  Several weeks ago he had written down his testimony and was eager to share it.  He had waited patinely for it to be Fast Sunday.  Finally it was here.  He pulled his little scrap of paper out of his scriptures and waited for the right time.  When I finally nodded that he could go up, he stood at the pulpit and bore his sweet testimony.  He is a good young man.  I look forward to seeing who he will become. "I bear my testimony that I know Jesus can help us and I know Jesus is alive and I know if you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ you can follow the path in the name of Jesus Christ amen." Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 11:32-33 "32  And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God wa...

Daddy, Michael and Maddie Maddie as Elsa, she threw her cape like that at every house we went to.  She wanted to make sure they knew who she was. John Derek as a bat who plays soccer. Michael as a little monster, but with that smile you would never think that.  So Cute!! Elizabeth as our beautiful Cookie Monster (I have never seen Cookie Monster look so good.) Samantha as a TY inc. Angel Bear Ready to take the neighborhood by storm. We had so much fun trick or treating.  Michael would go to a house collect his candy (usually about 10 feet behind his sisters) then get to the end of the driveway and shout "Go."  Then he would run as fast as his little legs could carry him to the next home.  It was the cutest thing.   I have really been trying to follow the Spirit and as I look back on this Halloween I am amazed at how involved the Lord was in getting the costumes and for the right price. Elizabeth really wanted to b...

We went to New Beginnings, a meeting where the girls that will be turning 12 in the coming year are introduced into the Young Women program.  Kind of an official step into young womanhood.  Elizabeth was being introduced as she will be turning 12 in April.  She is such a beautiful young woman.  I am so proud of her and the decisions she is making.  What a joy she is. Since Derek, Elizabeth, and I all had to attend and Samantha also had an activity at church we got a babysitter for John Derek, Maddie, and Michael.  When I returned home I found out that Michael had not gone to sleep as he should have.  He had cried and fussed.  The babysitter had texted me but I didn't get it.  Then she told me how good John Derek had been.  How he had rubbed Michael's back trying to get him to go to sleep.  How he really helped out.  After she left and I was putting Michael down John Derek came in and told me where to rub on his back to help...