Can you find the egg? hehe
Sarah, Emma and Morgan (on Gene's lap) anxiously awaiting the word "go".
Morgan in awe of her loot.
Emma smelling the chocolate inside (since I said they had to wait until after lunch).
Sarah and Emma playing in their sandbox.
President Boyd K. Packer
The story of Jesus Christ walking on the water and bidding Peter to come to him is often one used to illustrate faith, or the lack thereof, fear & doubt. To me now it is a story of patience.
In Matthew chapter 14 Jesus had just performed the miracle of feeding 5,000 with a few loaves and fishes. It was just past supper time, approximately 6pm, and he told his disciples to go ahead of him, to the other side of the Sea of Galilee where he would meet them later. Being fishermen they loaded into a boat to set sail across the sea and because of the threat of Greeks and Romans they took turns being on military "watch" through out the night. These watches were divided up into four 3-hour segments. At some point during the first watch a storm arose and the ship was in the middle of the sea "tossed with waves because the wind was contrary." Imagine, these fishermen struggling, "toiling" to keep their boat afloat. Being beaten with driving rain and gushing wind--I dare think their adrenaline was running high and that possibly, at times, they were afraid. Imagine them struggling like this for six to nine hours, exhausted. I think it's plausible that they cried out to their Lord. They knew him, served him, loved him. Why then did Christ not come to them until the "fourth watch of the night" (sometime between 3-6am)?
To teach them patience.
We've all heard "Patience is a virtue". It indeed plays a refining role in preparing us for future weight and responsibility. It humbles us. Take Job for example--he was blessed with great wealth and abundant riches then stripped of those riches, his health and his family and encouraged to curse God. He did not. Patience teaches us obedience; it tries us and proves us to Heavenly Father. Joseph Smith had to wait three years, being ridiculed for his beliefs, before he could start his work. The key to patience is faith. Faith in Heavenly Father, faith in Jesus Christ, faith in yourself. God said to Isaiah "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.....my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9) So, I don't know, maybe the story is about faith after all.
The lesson to learn from this story is NOT that we struggle (sometimes with no end in sight) but that Christ comes to us. How often do we, myself included especially, give up faith, give up an opportunity to learn and grow because we're tired or scared or just plain lazy? We stop crying out to Him early on, we stop keeping "watch" during those early hours in our trials and give into the temptation to lose faith. We need to have patience. We need to remember that He comes, most often in the "fourth watch" of our trials, but He comes! My favorite part is at the end of the scripture when Christ walks on the water toward his disciples and said:
"Be of good cheer; it is I, be not afraid."
The model T-Rex that Sarah got for Christmas she put together bone by bone, decoding marks just like a paleontologist would. It is to scale and quite large sitting on top my piano.
This certificate came as a surprise in the mail the other day. When we got her test results last fall we knew she did well, but the *top 10% NATIONALLY* in two areas?! Wow!
Not pictured is the 6 page story that Sarah wrote last week called "The Mystery of the Dog". It's adorable--even with all the spelling errors--and is demonstrative of the shear volume of books that she reads. She loves reading, especially the Box Car Children series and burns through one book in a day! I'm so proud of her and so happy that I just had to share. Thanks for listening. ;)
reaction to the Puppy-in-my-pocket gift.
Emma's friends helping her open gifts (all these girls were in my primary class last year including Emma--they are adorable!)
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Sarah and Emma showing Morgan how to properly set up a castle.
Morgan getting the hang of it--walking the prince up the stairs.
"Happy birthday to you..." What a cutie pie!!!
Hello blogsphere, we are alive and well! It has been far too long since I've posted on this poor neglected blog. Usually it means that we've been really, really busy but the good news is that it also means pictures will follow.
February flew by--seriously, where'd it go? We had parties and birthdays and lots and lots of schooling and stimulating the economy with shopping and spending our tax return. February was fun, cold, but fun. And for the first time in YEARS I made it through the month without laryngitis or nary a cold! Yay! So enjoy the pics of the K12 Valentine party (which also happened to be on Emma's birthday--more of that to come).
Sarah & Morgan sliding down train style. Morgan wanted to go again and again and wore her sister out! They slept sooo well that night!
Little miss Morgan bouncing and giggling.
...on the Oscar's last night:
Kate Winslet--Yay!!! 
Sean Penn--Boo!!!
You remind me of a Proboscis monkey, but the monkey would have more class than you!
Emma Rose with Daddy and Sarah Jo
Sarah (in the red) dancing with her friends and playing a hoola-hoop game
Emma and Sarah watching the magician and balloon artist.
This is Emma's late night post smiley-face-pancake glazed look.
Obama
Pepsi
NFL
I made these football cupcakes myself. My hubby thought I was going overboard, but I reminded him that if I'm going to support this sport then I'm going to have fun with it my way!
One of our many games--the questionnaire. It makes watching the game so much more fun!
The quarter prizes for the lucky winner that has their name in the square ending with the same numbers as the quarter score.
It was a very good play--longest touchdown run in Superbowl history.
Little miss Morgan fell asleep on the way home holding the football balloon.
