This quote (or big chunk of an article, really) was one of my favorites from the December Ensign. From the talk Fear Not.

"Sometimes [we] are confronted with a problem that seems like Mount Everest. [We] believe it is just too high and too tough to climb. Because [we] see no solution, [we] become discouraged—perhaps even negative and pessimistic—about [our] futures. But...[we] can learn that however unsolvable the problems of life may seem, God always has a solution."

"Because of the Savior’s birth, life, and Atonement, there are no unsolvable problems. There are temporary tragedies and difficulties, of course, but they need not be permanent or unconquerable. Can you imagine anyone having a problem God cannot solve? He always has a solution that will advance our eternal progress. That is both the reason for and essence of the Atonement."

And lastly:

"There is no question about the Atonement’s capacity to provide solutions for our problems. The scriptures are abundantly clear on this point. The real issues are these: Will we embrace those solutions? Will we choose the world’s answer or God’s answer? Will we repent or rationalize, seek God’s grace to overcome our weaknesses or “go it alone,” acknowledge God’s love in times of tragedy or spurn Him at every downturn in life?"

Cara Wisdom

I read some wisdom from Cara today, and oh my goodness.....it just chimes with my bittersweet achings over how fast time is going, especially since Savvy will be 3 in May....THREE!!

So here it is--

Sometimes I look at her and think, gosh, these are the last few months that I have you home, as my baby girl. You are going to go to school and learn bratty things, and want Barbies, and tacky jeans. You are going to start making friends other than me, and you'll make me leave the room on occasion. It's going to happen a lot quicker than I'm thinking it will.

Again, words that are not my own

I've been reading this book called If You Want to Write (because as you may know, I really, really love to write, and one day would love it if some of my words were made into a book and then published...). The whole thing is quotable, but I had to share one part in particular because it made me so happy (and I like to make you guys happy.)


"Everybody is original, if he tells the truth, if he speaks from himself. But it must be from his true self and not from the self he thinks he should be...no individual is exactly like any other individual...no two identical persons have ever existed. Consequently, if you speak or write from yourself you cannot help being original. So remember these two things: you are talented and you are original. Be sure of that."

A well-timed quote

Because who doesn't love a well-timed quote?

These words, from my brother-in-law Michael, composer, echo exactly how I want my photography (and really all my other creative endeavors) to grow.

"...I hope to be found writing songs that could be found on the radio, concertos that receive standing ovations in the concert halls, reverent works that invite the Holy Spirit to a religious service, or even rousing works that glorify the freedoms and principles on which America is founded. I want to make music for the people, music that is meant to be listened to by people who need music for specific and important functions in their lives. In each 'facet' of my work I want to apply the same artistic integrity, dedication to quality and wellspring of inspiration. "

Have I mentioned that he is brilliant?

Dinner Quotables

Me: "Jaxon, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Jax: "A teenager."
Reed: "But Jax....you can only be a teenager for your childhood. After that, you have to be something else."
(they settled on Jaxon being a video game player)

Me: "Reed, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Reed: "A cop who plays with his kids on his days off."

Quotables: It's been a while!

Yesterday, while I made dinner, the boys sat at the table asking each other What's Your Favorite questions. I listened quietly, not wanting to interrupt and make them shy or change their answers. I overheard:

Jaxon asks Reed, "What's your favorite birthday present?"
Reed answers, "Um, I really want a toot bag! Then I can make toot sounds." (It took me a second to realize that he was talking about a whoopie cushion, and then I was just trying not to let him see me laughing. I was facing away from him with the hugest smile on my face.

Reed asks Jaxon, "Who's your favorite dad?"
Jaxon answers, "Phillip."
Reed laughs and says to me, "Phillip! Hahahah...."
And then Jaxon says matter-of-factly, "Cuz that's the dad we're 'upposed to have!"

Reed asks Jaxon, "What's your favorite rock 'n roll guy?"
Jaxon answers, "Mmmmm.....Jimi Hendrix." Except he says Hendwix, which is so cute I can hardly stand it, and I go into the pantry to laugh quietly.

Savanna is constantly making up songs. Right now, she is at the table, eating cereal and singing, "One-ee-two....one-ee-two...."

words to live by

While my last post communicated that as stressed-out moms, we're not alone, secretly, I have lately been feeling rather lonely-ish in my various efforts as a mother. Not because I don't think anyone has gone through more difficult times as a mom, but because I'm just in the throes of it; I'm a little weary, and I am having a hard time seeing an end in sight. (Oh Jaxon, WHEN will you decide to go to the bathroom ONLY in the bathroom?) It's more than the potty-training stuff. It's the contention. I am trying--so hard, so hard--to teach my children to be kind to each other. Most days I feel like it's definitely going to be a very gradual process. As in, maybe in a few years they'll go more than an hour without fighting over something.

But I'm not actually posting to complain. I'm posting to say that I read something this morning that made me feel so much better. So hopeful, and so much lighter. I know that what is frustrating me right now is not so huge, especially compared to some bigger things I've been through, and of course compared to some enormous adversity suffered by those close to me. But I also know that the Lord is aware of even my smallest issues. And even those smallest issues matter to Him.

Here's a snippet of what I read in the September 2009 Ensign this morning:

From Lessons from Liberty Jail by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

"...we must not succumb to the fear that God has abandoned us or that He does not hear our prayers. He does hear us. He does see us. He does love us. When we are in dire circumstances and want to cry, 'Where art Thou?' it is imperative that we remember that He is right there with us--where He has always been! We must continue to believe, continue to have faith, continue to pray and plead with heaven, even if we feel for a time our prayers are not heard and that God has somehow gone away. He is there. Our prayers are heard. And when we weep He and the angels of heaven weep with us. When lonely, cold, hard times come, we have to endure, we have to continue, we have to persist...Keep knocking on that door. Keep pleading. In the meantime, know that God hears your cries and knows your distress. He is your Father, and you are His child."

Family Words II

I'll be posting my Thanksgiving dinner pictures (not terribly exciting, but informative) in a day or two, just in case any of you are waiting with baited breath....:) Hahhaha. Right.

In connection with Abby's recent post, I had to post some of our family words, most of which are courtesy of Reed:

amn't (also listed on Abby's blog, this is a contraction of "am" and "not", and I have to say I find it quite useful. Reed debuted this awesome concoction at age 3. He's 5, and we still use it all the time.)

benember (Reed's mispronunciation of "remember". He has pretty much outgrown it, but we just like it. It makes us happy. Do you benember?)

"Mom, your chest is chunky." (Figure out this one yourself. He says it lovingly, and to describe my womanly form, but I'm not so fond of it. And yet it sticks.)

And the last one that I can think of off the top of my head:
"Oh, chips!" (This one is the result of Phill finding Jaxon covered in dish soap--mostly in his eyes--and repeatedly saying oh-something-else in his panic. Reed was hiding guiltily, and the next morning, he said, "Mom. When something bad happens, Daddy says, 'Oh chips oh chips oh chips oh chips!!'" Of course we prefer this version of the memory.)

more quotables

We went on a family walk this morning and went to see some sheep in a little enclosure. The boys were really excited, but Reed just about hyperventilated when he saw that there was a little white goat in with the sheep. He's really fascinated with goats lately because he's learned that they'll eat really weird stuff, along with regular feed. Anyway, the sheep were bleating, and the boys were bleating back. Then the goat bleated, and it sounded a lot like the sheep. Reed said, "That goat speaks lamb."

We were swimming, and it was only me, Phill, Jax and Reed at our apartment complex pool. I guess that the time before last, there were lots more people and the water was moving a bit more, because Reed asked this time, "Why is the water so flat today?"

We walked past a man holding a little dog on our walk this morning. Reed called back as we passed, "I like your dog! It's clean!" :)

Cute Quotables From the Boys

I really ought to do this more often. The boys say so many cute things, and I try my best to write them all down for later journal entries. But I also love to email them to friends and family, so I think a blog is a perfect place for it!

REED

There was a man stocking shelves at the grocery store. He had a duster in his back pocket. Reed saw him and shouted, "Dad, that man has a chicken tail!"

In trying to convince me to let him have some more outside time one afternoon: "The kids might need me. They always need my help scooping sand."

Using logic to convince me to let him play at a playground near a huge gaping hole complete with a ten-feet mound of dirt (though fenced off with flimsy plastic): "Well, I know you don't want us to get muddy, but it gots a gate."

JAXON

When I said, "I love you" while putting him to bed: "I too."

When Reed accidentally bumped him and didn't notice: "Sorry. Okay? Yes."

After seeing how much my belly button pokes out when I took off my shirt: "Baby! Baby! Baby!" (while poking my belly button)

And every time we drive to Lily's house, he can't help but say her name in gleeful tones the entire way there: "Yee-yee! Yee-yee!"

Ajo

We were in Ajo, Arizona, recently. It's close to Mexico, and pure desert. The air is clear and the sky is clear. The Joshua trees grow anywhere and everywhere, twisting and curling their rough arms into shapes that make beautiful contrast against a pink sunset night. The wind smells clean. And the little boys are brave. They're at home in their harsh surrounds, eager to pick up a tiny scorpion for my macro lens. But they're not unaware of the risks. They know all about them. "Rachel, this is a cholla cactus. Their needles are curved at the tips so that they stick in you better." (This from a ten-year-old boy.)
And Reed: "Mom, I saw a turantula! And it was WHITE! [Then, dreamily] I love Arizona. I can throw rocks at nothing when Dad says it's okay."

apple beads

While I sliced an apple, Reed closely observed the seeds falling out.
"Mom, why do apples have beads?"
-"They're not beads, sweetie. They're seeds."
"What kind of seeds? Lemon seeds?"