Trouble At the Inn

       So we have a little story advent we do at Christmas time. I love it. We sing a Christmas Hymn, read a scripture about the coming of the Savior and then we read a Christmas story each night. I love them all but my favorite every year is December 8th. Each year we read my favorite Christmas story of all time. I wanted to share it for anyone who may not have heard it before.

Trouble At the Inn

~By Dina Donahue~

For years now whenever Christmas pageants are talked about in a certain little town in the Midwest, someone is sure to mention the name of Wallace Purling. Wally’s performance in one annual production of the Nativity play has slipped into the realm of legend. But the old timers who were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly what happened.

Wally was nine that year and in the second grade, though he should have been in the fourth. Most people in town knew that he had difficulty in keeping up. He was big and clumsy, slow in movement and mind. Still, Wally was well liked by the other children in his class, all of whom were smaller than he, though the boys had trouble hiding their irritation if the uncoordinated Wally asked to play ball with them.

Most often they’d find a way to keep him off the field, but Wally would hang around anyway—not sulking, just hoping. He was always a helpful boy, a willing and smiling one, and the natural protector, paradoxically, of the underdog. Sometimes if the older boys chased the younger ones away, it would always be Wally who’d say, “Can’t they stay? They’re no bother.”

Wally fancied the idea of being a shepherd with a flute in the Christmas pageant that year, but the play’s director, Miss Lumbard, assigned him to a more important role. After all, she reasoned, the Innkeeper did not have too many lines, and Wally’s size would make his refusal of lodging to Joseph more forceful.

And so it happened that the usual large, partisan audience gathered for the town’s Yuletide extravaganza of the staffs and creches, of beards, crowns, halos and a whole stageful of squeaky voices. No one on stage or off was more caught up in the magic of the night than Wallace Purling. They said later that he stood in the wings and watched the performance with such fascination that from time to time Miss Lumbard had to make sure he didn’t wander onstage before his cue.

Then the time came when Joseph appeared, slowly, tenderly guiding Mary to the door of the inn. Joseph knocked hard on the wooden door set into the painted backdrop. Wally the Innkeeper was there, waiting. “What do you want?” Wally said, swinging the door open with a brusque gesture.

“We seek lodging.”

“Seek it elsewhere.” Wally looked straight ahead but spoke vigorously. “The inn is filled.”

“Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled far and are very weary.”

“There is no room in this inn for you.” Wally looked properly stern.

“Please, good innkeeper, this is my wife, Mary. She is heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her. She is so tired.”

Now, for the first time, the Innkeeper relaxed his stiff stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense with embarrassment.

“No! Begone!” the prompter whispered from the wings.

“No!” Wally repeated automatically. “Begone!”

Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary, and Mary laid her head upon his shoulder, and the two of them started to move away. The Innkeeper did not return inside his inn, however. Wally stood there in the doorway, watching the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears.

“Don’t go, Joseph,” Wally called out. “Bring Mary back.” And Wallace Purling’s face grew into a bright smile. “You can have my room.”

Some people in town thought that the pageant had been ruined. Yet there were others—many others—who considered it the most Christmas of all Christmas pageants they had ever seen.

Every time I read the words you can have my room I tear up. This year this story came right at the same time I taught a lesson on time management to the Mia Maids. As I thought of priorities in our lives and the inn keeper not having room, it made me think of myself as the inn keeper and the Savior not asking for a room but for my time. Do I let him in the way I should or do I say no room each day.

It's a ...

So we found out some big news today....It's a girl! Yeah there was a part of me that wanted a friend for Nelson but then at the same time I think me and Travis are in heaven being surrounded all day by these sweet tender little girls. I mean what did I expect being married to Travis I don't think there's a guy out there who knows how to treat a girl better and that includes his 3 now four daughters. He's a total girl dad and I don't mean to toot my own horn but we make some beautiful sweet girls and I can't wait for May to get here to meet her!

I think the only one who was disappointed was Nelson and watch below for the proof.

Here's the link if the above video doesn't work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVXEB3I-gI8&feature=youtu.be

18 months

My firend and neighbor Danna is possibly the most talented person I have met in my life. I mean the girls can do anything. Well the other day she got a new fancy camera lens and wanted to try it out so we went an took 18 month pictures of Emilyne. I thought Danna had met her hardest subject yet. If there is one thing about Emilyne she will do what she wants when she wants and only then. She will be born when she wants even though it was 6 weeks early. She will only cuddle if she’s in the mood (if Travis is around the chances of that mood being there increase by a ton). And she will smile and be happy only when she wants. We tried everything at first and nothing. Just a blank stare like are you joking me…you can act as goofy as you want but I’m just going to sit here and stare at you.

And then Emilyne decided that maybe she wanted to smile and it was the perfect reminder of life with Emilyne. She has by far been my grumpiest baby yet but oh when she smiles all those grumpy moments are beyond worth it.

Ginger Bread Houses

So what do Nelson and the gingerbread man have in common? They both share a mantra. Run run as fast as you can you can't catch me. Although I’m pretty sure no matter how fast the gingerbread man ran Nelson would catch him. Not only is the kid a mile a minute but he loves candy and we learned in making gingerbread houses this last week that he will not let a single piece go to waste and at times he considered candy on the house instead of his mouth a waste. His mentality was more of a one for you and two for me. He licked any excess frosting off the table and his hands. He and Travis were in charge of one house and Grace and Anna took the other. I remained a floater just going wherever I was needed. 

 So Grace and Anna went to a cat birthday party hence the ears.

 Do you think that waste not want not includes frosting?

Six Sweet Years of Anna

 Happy 6th Birthday to Anna! It's hard to believe that for 6 years she has been gracing us with her sweetness. She is truly one of the most kind hearted, funny little 6 year old divas alive. She's always telling us how she loves everyone including the bad guys and her actions show it. I don't think it's anywhere in her to not like another soul. She loves to be around people and she's a major fashionista (no clue where that came from). I have gotten out of the shower many a times to find a dress and fancy shoes laying on the bed for me to wear. She hates my moms jeans style and comes home all the time with a play by play of what her kindergarden teacher was wearing that day. Were going on almost 4 years of her changing he outfits 4 times a day.
The girls a little genius at an almost 2nd grade reading level and she want to be mom and teacher when she grows up. Her sense of humor is way beyond her years sometimes and she has the most contagious laugh to go along with it. She can change like Jekyll and Hyde like you wouldn't believe when she's being teased by her sister and can go from sweet to kicking the walls in a flash.
I would have to say the thing I love about Anna are her facial expressions. I got home from the park a few weeks ago and below are some of the pictures that I thought captured Anna perfectly. She keeps us laughing and more than anything she keeps us humble as me and Travis are in awe that such a tender hearted loving spirit has been sent to us. We love you Anna!

For her birthday party we had a princess party and my friend Lauren who has a princess party buisness came as snow white and surprised Anna. It was adorable!

12 on Thursday

1. We had the greatest Thanksgiving with Tyler and Kristy, then we did it again on Friday night because we had so much food. I LOVE having them live by me.
2.We went black Friday shopping with all 4 kids and no stroller for 3 hours and laughed about the craziness the whole time.
3.We went to our new branch and LOVED it. Travis said for one of the first times ever he shared my level of giddiness.
4. I got called as Mia Maid adviser and have not stopped smiling. I mean come on it is the greatest calling in the church. Just the sweetest, easy to please group of girls. AS RS president I had to deal with a couple of guys who told me some really mean things about myself. It kind of shook my testimony of the treatment of women in the church. I prayed for a calling that would help rebuild my testimony of women in the church and that I could have an easy to please group to work with. I know my prayers were heard and I'm so excited to rebuild as I testify to these girls of their worth and build their confidence without having to worry about others seeking to tear mine down. While in our lives as women in the church we may deal with some mean guys, I hope to always remember that is not the attitude of the Savior towards women. In his eyes women are cherished, loved, repected,honored and every other good word out there.
5.We decorated for Christmas and Nelson has asked me everyday if it's Christmas.
6.I took a stab at teaching my kids piano while Karissa is gone for 2 months. It went pretty well I think for being clueless.
7.We went bowling and Nelson was hilarious. I've never seen someone get so excited to get one pin knocked down.
8. Nelson threw an entire bottle of nail polish all over the carpet. It was not as cute as bowling but a little nail polish remover and hair spray goes along way.
9. I had my 14 week checkup and all is well! Cute little thing is the size of a lemon.
10. We had the most amazing asian meal with Tyler, Kristy and the Stu Zoo. Did I mention I love where I live?
11. Travis got all his rotations figured out for next year. Bitter Sweet for sure he got all the programs he wanted for the exact month he wanted them and he is equally excited for each one. We feel so blessed. It was like a giant geography lesson as we studied cost of living, school, economy etc. I learned so much about the country and it was so fun but it will be hard when he's gone for so long.
12. We went to the Omaha Temple and the children museum. Emilyne was so cute with the balls there she couldn't get enough of them.

It's Always the Season

Just a little tidbit about me. I have 3 big pet peeves in life. 1- the word pet peeve 2- people who have something negative to say about everything and everyone and 3-when people talk about the over commercialization of Christmas.
While I think I would have to fight it out with millions of others I'm pretty sure nobody love Christmas more than me except maybe my mom. I LOVE everything about it the lights, trees, music, smells, the joy it brings, the relationships it builds, and at the very top the fact that even if it's just a drop more almost everyone is thinking of the Savior a little more.
Today on the radio there was a stream of  Christmas songs at about a 5 to 1 ratio of religious songs. Compared to the rest of the year on that same station I think we're doing pretty good. I mean here in todays world a song about the birth of our Savior just playing on the radio. While yes some may complain that 30 years ago that ratio would have been alot better. Who cares, we are talking about the world today 2012 and to have 20% of the songs singing about the Saviors birth was pretty incredible to me.
As most of us know Christmas originated as a pagan holiday celebrating the Roman sun God Saturnia or something like that. During that time they would decorate their house in greenery,lights and give gifts to the poor and each other. Since Christianity was illegal then they found that they could disguise celebrating the birth of the Savior by celebrating during this holiday. Instead of celebrating the sun they would be doing the same things as their pagan neighbors only they were celebrating The Son. Through that tradition Christians found lots of ways to take a pagan tradition and use it to turn their hearts to God.
That is what is so beautiful about Christians. We can take anything in life and somehow use it to increase our love of God.
I don't see Christmas as a holiday that God himself instituted (meaning doctrinally) but I think anything that can turn our hearts a little more toward him makes him happy. We receive blessings that accompany our actions. Christmas time provides so many opportunities for God to bless his children no matter where they are on their religious journey. Whether it be just spending a little more time with family, giving to someone in need, or just thinking about a loved one and secretly finding out more about them to pick out the perfect gift. Even for those who are not religious Christmas time is helping them to develop Christlike attributes. And for those of us who do believe, the opportunity to help teach our children about the incredible miracles that accompanied the birth of the Savior and to allow his love to fill our hearts a little more. It's something that the hustle and bustle, shopping, or even Santa can't get in the way of. Because as Christians that's what life is. It's taking place in our hearts all day everyday through the craziness of life.
Because it's what is in our hearts it's not possible to say the true meaning of Christmas is lost. The true meaning is what is happening daily as we try to turn ourselves to God and no one can measure that.
So do I think the corporate world has taken the "spirit of giving" as an opportunity to increase profits in an ofttimes ridiculous way...of course I do. At the same time I think the Christian world has done a much more impressive job at capitalizing on a once pagan holiday and using it to turn so many hearts a little more to the knowledge of the birth of our Savior and Redeemer.

The Fifth Element Reprise

So I wrote this post like 2 weeks ago but it was deleted so I will somewhat write it again. I announced that I had googled creative ways to announce your preggers with number 5 and there were a total of 0 matched to my search showing just how crazy we are. Crazy or not it's true I'm pregnant with number 5!

 While pintrest doesn't have a section for 5th child announcments I did find this (http://www.ncregister.com/blog/simcha-fisher/snappy-answers-for-stupid-questions-about-your-big-family) HILARIOUS blog post that I had to share and quote a little bit.

"Guess what? I’m having a baby. Yes, another baby. Why? Because once you find something you’re good at, you stick with it.

Congratulations are welcome! Comments of “Die now, mindless breeder” will be dealt with appropriately...

Nothing, one would think, could be more personal than the choice to conceive and bear a child. And yet, as grand multiparas well know, simply leaving the house with more than two or three children is perceived as a challenge, a circus, a rebuke, a plea for help, a flag of insanity. Really all you want to do is mail a letter, buy some milk or a couple of pregnancy tests, or pay the librarian for this week’s crop of ruined books— but the world at large is sure that what you need right now, in the middle of the produce aisle, is to get into a conversation with a gawking stranger about these kids, these kids, allll these kids!

Faced with such social awkwardness, you may be at a loss for words. Some of us are able to use our conspicuous presence in public as a chance to witness to the joy of this lifestyle. Still others see it as an opportunity to ditch one or two of the slower kids in the gathering crowd."

But seriously I am even more excited about number 5 than I was about number s 1-4 why because daily I'm learning to love in ways I didn't know I could and motherhood gets more fun, spiritual, and fulfilling each day. I know the love that is coming with this baby. I'm 4 for 4 crazy about each of these kids and I don't picture that changing.

I mentioned in my original post that for me it's a little overwhelming because Travis and I were raised by seriously the two most perfect mothers. My goal is to just have a drop of them in me to offer my kids. My sweet mom, well there is not a kinder soul on the planet. Seriously she is the epitome of love and charity. I don't think she has it in her to dislike anyone. No one escapes her presence without a hug. But above all my mom LOVES being a mom. 

Young motherhood was a blast for her. Life with her was one big party. 

I talked to my childhood BFF the other day and was telling her how much fun I was having with Grace and Anna. She just laughed and said "I can imagine, I saw you and Dorthy all those years."

So mom as I begin round 5 thank you. Thank you for teaching me to love, respect and enjoy the most important adventure I will take part in my life and possibly eternity. If there is one tradition I hope to pass on to the next generation that will be it.

Beggars Night

So here in Iowa we celebrate Halloween on Halloween Eve. See the community is super family friendly and super alcohol friendly. So to keep the kids safe and let the adults have their fun they call it beggars night. It was adorable. We started the night off by trick or treating at the senior community across the street. They went crazy for the kids as they all sat in the lobby passing out treats. Then we went out to get some real trick or treating in.
Oh man Nelson was adorable. It seriously never got old to him. he would come yelling out of each house "I got one" and then he would have to show us what he got. I have seriously never seen a kid get so excited about every piece of candy.
So the official costumes were:
Grace: An ice skater (she got white snow boots last year and has talked about this Halloween constume since)
Anna: A fairy
Nelson: Giraffe (he decided last minute that since he's Super Why everyday he would spice it up a bit for Halloween
Emilyne: Lady bug
Travis: Elmo for trick or treating as always and for a Halloween party Sean Spencer season 4
Me: A roller derby girl "The Piecemaker" to be exact. I both lived and crushed my dreams of being  a Roller Derby girl as I realized I can't skate worth beans.

 So after trick or treating we went to our neighbors house for a little extravaganza and can I just say I love these people. Seriously we have something great going on here in Iowa with some of the funnest people you could ever meet. It was great to laugh until I was sick with some of my favorite couple ever.

Happily Ever After

 I don't think I stand alone in saying am so sick of campaign ads I could vomit. . I've seen some pretty dumb stuff from both sides but the one that took the cake was when Mitt Romney's and Ann Romney's marriage was attacked for being "too good'. I just remember thinking what the heck is wrong with the world to think that without anger and fighting a relationship can't run deep. The only thing I didn't like about the response Ann Romney gave attack was she said it's almost embarrassing that they've never had an argument. I guess this is what happens with a culture views happiness and contentedness as naivety so the urge can be there to feel a little embarrassed of being head over heals in love for your spouse. Well there should be absolutely no shame in having a relationship that can work through things without fighting.

  This topic has been on my mind lately because on a way smaller scale I received the same criticism recently about my marriage to Travis. It was implied to me that this incredible marriage must not be "real" almost like either we're living in a dream world or it can't be this good. When I told Travis this we both laughed pretty hard about it and then we got teary eyed and he squeezed my hand and assured me there is nothing more "real" and it is this good.

  We celebrated our 8th anniversary last week and let me tell you I AM CRAZY ABOUT TRAVIS TIDWELL! My heart still thumps when he walks in the door, I get giddy to see he's calling me, I still get chills when he holds my hand. Even more than that he is my best friend, it doesn't matter how tired I am at night I hate going to bed because I just want to talk and be with him a little longer. We can seriously sit and talk for hours about anything but I live for the nights we just talk a little more about our little family and how we can make it better, or as some of the greatest gospel discussions I have ever been a part of have taken place and of course the nights when we can't talk because we have so many tears in our eyes from laughing so hard together.

I remember a few weeks before we were married we went to the conference center and President Hinckley gave the talk "The Women in our Lives". I cried through the entire thing because I knew I was about to marry someone who would treat me just as the Prophet of God was instructing him to, and he has.

   For 8 years he has treated me like glass  yet at the same time he has pushed me to constantly grow and develop talents, constantly expand my mind and cares so much about my opinion. Even with him in med school he asks regularly when I'm going to get my masters. He constantly builds me up as a woman as he reverences the role of motherhood. 

  I've laughed as throughout our marriage feminist friends seem to think I'm mindlessly submissive, male chauvinists think I'm ruling him with an iron fist but in reality we've both learned an incredible lesson of trust. If were are both working our hardest to make the other one happy somehow all of our individual wants and needs are being taken care of because our greatest want and need is for the other one to be happy. I've learned from him that the role of a spouse is never to "change" the other one. If we love each other for exactly who we are, life will take care of making us better and we will always have the safety and love of each other as it does.

  So in long I am beyond giddy about Travis Tidwell and while my wedding day was awesome it was in no way the best day of my life because he has made countless days even better almost every day since. And to have something this amazing and this real is not something I will ever be embarrassed of.

Primary Program

So today was my favorite Sunday of the year...the primary program. I remember one year as a troubled teen I had gotten mad at my parents one morning and promised myself this time I was going to stay mad for the entire day. Well that was a total bust because when I got to church I found out it was the primary program and well let's face it if you don't leave sacrament meeting after the children sing their hearts out, eat the microphone and tell you the sweetest most simple testimonies you can hear, well then you are a sick human being.

The program was perfect. The only advice I would give for future program planners is when possible put siblings together. I'm pretty sure as Anna sung her heart out she did not take her eyes off me and Travis one time. And I'm not joking when I say sung her heart out. This did however make it hard to ever look over at Grace who was on the opposite side singing her heart out but following the chorister not noticing where we were looking. It was like Travis and I had this secret plan where we were aware when the other was focused on Anna so we could take a turn looking at Grace. It was so stinking cute.

Their lines where sweet as could be.

Anna:  My favorite prophet from the Book of Mormon was Mormon because he put the Book of Mormon together so we can learn more about Jesus.

Grace:  At the beginning of the school year we were asked to bring something to school that told about us. I brought the Book of Mormon because it shows I believe in Jesus. I told my class it's a true book. One of the kids in my class asked if it was like the Bible I said yes and we read that too. I learned it's never hard to do what Jesus wants us to do.

The simple lessons of kindness, love, trying to be like Jesus, Choosing the Right and I think the part that got me the most was when they sang. I look for the day of gladness when Jesus will come again. I was reminded that of all the lessons we teach our children that message of hope that the Savior will return is so essential but kind of ironic because once again instead of me being the one who was teaching that lesson to them they taught it to me. 

Isaiah 54:13 says "All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. I witnessed this today and have to add that seeing that peace with them brings me and even greater sense of peace. How wonderful to have the gospel of Jesus Christ and know that children truly are a heritage unto the Lord.

First Day of School

So it happened 2 months ago but I think I'm finally ready to blog about it. (sniff sniff) Grace and Anne started school again. And two months into it it's as bad as I thought. I saw a friend at the park yesterday who said...wow I'm not used to seeing you with just two. I bet your enjoying school being in. Nope not at all. When I say Grace and Anna are my best friends I'm being totally serious. I kind of laugh to myself when their teacher talk about how shy they are because the side I get to see of them is hilarious.

But here are a couple of picture of the first day.

 So this is the group of kinder gardeners just from our neighborhood.

 I felt the picture below deserved to be bigger because just look at their faces. I took this while we were having a little neighborhood kindergarden photo shoot. Nelson looks like he's about to die and Dillan looks like he's going at least 80mph. I loose it every time I see this picture. If you could just see these two neighbors on a daily basis.

So far school has been great. Anna has a little rough time sometimes but whenever she does they call Grace out of her class to come cheer her up. Now that is one incredible school It's just on occasion. She absolutely loves school though. One day she was having a hard time and I asked her if she wanted to be home schooled. (knowing exactly what her answer would be) she didn't even take 10 seconds to say no. So I know she loves it we just miss each other. She comes home everyday though and says that she started to feel sad and then said a prayer. It's so comforting to know that even at the age of 5 if we teach our children the truth then they will know where to turn for guidance when lifes storms come.

How Meet the Robinsons Saved my Soul

    So I'm not one to really open up about life when I'm having a hard time and rarely even after. However, I feel that the Lord has taught me some lessons over the last couple of months that I hope whatever posterity I have some day can learn from. Today in Relief Society I shared an experience that I had when Grace was a baby. I was super nervous about raising a little girl in this crazy society that is so obsessed with tearing others down. I prayed hard one night to know what I could do to help her to grow with confidence. The answer came so clearly a couple of days later I felt one of the strongest impressions I have ever felt. "Don't ever let her hear you tearing others down". From that moment I decided I was going to do my best to see the best in others. And I have to tell you while I am not a girl of many talents I have seen this mini mission of mine change the outlook of the world and people at times. Having a positive attitude has come easy along with seeing the good in others has up to this point been virtually a drama free life. However, lately I slowly found myself slacking.

  A couple of months ago I did something I would almost come to regret and didn't understand until this week the reasons behind it all. I prayed for trials to help me draw closer to the Savior. Oh man has it been a rough go for me. I have felt on a daily basis an opportunity for a new or old flaw to be presented basically put myself on display for the judging of anyone whoso felt so inclined. And as most of us know, in this society there are plenty who do feel so inclined. I was given more opportunities than I have had since I returned from my mission to open my mouth about the gospel. Some were easy and some were hard. I had opportunities to stand up for beliefs in settings I didn't think I should have to, deal with some difficult people,  and best of all I had countless opportunities to stick my foot far into my mouth saying plenty of things I shouldn't have said to plenty of people I shouldn't have said them to. The worse of all was I found more anger in my heart than I have ever experienced. I mean it was bad and I was in a dark place, a very dark place. Then on the lowest of low mornings I was reminded of Goob. You know the villain from Meet the Robinsons, well I realized I was basically him. I know I'm sounding psychotic. So I decided to google Goob and just watch a clip about him and compare how we were pretty much the same person. If you would like to watch push play on the below clip and fast forward to the 2:09 mark. 

While the above clip is what I was looking for it is not what I found. Instead I found the answer to my 2 month trial. Of course it was still in Meet the Robinson Form. It was the movie theme song Little Wonders (see clip below). Now don't laugh but as soon as I hit play I felt the most overwhelming peace. I seriously listened to the song about 20 times that day as I realized what was truly important. Every time the song would say "Our lives are made by these small hours" I was reminded that who I become depends on the choices I am making in every small moment of the day and if I'm allowing outside forces, frustrations etc. into my life it will affect those precious moments. Strengthening myself, my family and the church are the only things that matter. In the words of Elder Wirthlin "if you're criticizing others, your weakening the church." In that same note I 100% believe if I am criticizing others whether it be in my head or out loud I am weakening myself and my home.

This is where the little revelation about Grace comes in. Through this experience part 2 of it came. Something I wasn't ready for until now. Grace, Anna and Emilyne need not only an example of a mother who doesn't tear others down but doesn't allow herself to be torn down.  I want to be an example of a woman who has flaws, oodles of them, who's working daily to be a little better who is not tearing herself to bits and is not concerned about the precepts of men as she side by side with the Savior learns all the lessons life has to teach her. As I mentioned above I am raising 3 daughters in a society that sits like vultures waiting for anyone to mess up so they can sound the criticizing alarm, make a sarcastic comment or paste their mistakes on youtube. 

To me this is a scary reality, and while these last couple of months have been a little rough for me, how wonderful to have had so many opportunities to make sooo many mistakes and learn one of the greatest lessons of all; to have confidence in our mistakes and weaknesses. The best of all was through these daily trials I have felt the love of the Lord stronger than ever before. I realized how when I am feel so weak I can turn to him for strength. I need Jesus Christ in my life. Faith in him is the only place we will ever find true confidence. And that faith happens usually doesn't come in one big event it happens in these small hours.

Gladys

  So last night was amazing! I got to spend it with the Empress of Soul that's right friends Gladys Knight came to town for a night of song and testimony. It was beautiful. The music was soul moving and her boldness in sharing the gospel was inspiring. For me the thing that was the greatest was how it was nothing like anything I'd experienced before. The chapel was rockin as the choir swayed and hearing some of our traditional hymns put to a gospel beat was really touching to me.
   My favorite part of all was watching how what was going on affected so many people in so many different ways. A few had there hands in the air, some let out an occasional mm..hmm.. or amen, some couldn't help but move with the music. And then of course there were all the white folks who sat there quietly reverently enjoying the show with moments of discomfort from her boldness in sharing the gospel and abililty to just say whatever she felt.
   As my day has gone on today I can't stop thinking about some of the things she shared as she bore her testimony. She said she knew she was a member of the true church and that everyone there last night who wasn't a member needed to try it out. At the same time she said that in the church we have so much to learn from different cultures and their ways of worshiping  I couldn't agree more. As I read in 1 Nephi 4 today the praiseful language of Nephi by far mirrored the words and ways of a culture I took part in last night over that of my own.
    I hope to have learned from the people I was surrounded by in fearlessly praising the Lord and being more open to learn from all people who desire in their own way to praise, glorify, worship and above all follow the example of Jesus Christ.

Iowa State Fair...check

   So after 3 years we finally made it to the Iowa State Fair this year. I was so excited because we've been trying to make it for the last two years but it just never worked out. So last year I said we would go all out this year. We would ride the rides, eat the food and have an absolute blast. Well that was the case until we got in the gates and I saw the prices. $6 for a corn dog! So even though I tried my hardest not to be the incredibly cheap person I failed. I didn't fail on the absolute blast aspet though. We had so much fun.

 While we didn't eat everything we did share 1 corn dog and a delicious ice cream sandwich.

 Saw the first place heffers

 And one that was made completely out of butter (one of the biggest attractions of the fair)

 And what better sidekick to a gigantic butter cow than the seven butter dwarfs?

Then the kids were able to play on the little hands on the farm activity which was a blast.

 I think my favorite part of it all was seeing the baby animals. They have a bunch of animals who give birth during the fair. There were day old calfs, goats, pigs and we even were there when a baby chick hatched.

  

 It was by far the most amazing state fair ever and while we were finally able to check it off one list it made it to my list of all the reasons I love Iowa!