71* Dec. 27, 2008

It's been an interesting few weeks...

I was making goals, I should have stopped there.  I really need to become better at receiving answers to prayer.  I was pleading with the Lord to teach me.  I should know better by now!  I don't know why I am SUCH a SLOW learner!  Every time I ask for things, I get experiences that "teach" me what I have asked for.  I'm not enjoying this teaching method. 

RS Fabulous Friday... I can think of a few other F words that would describe that Friday better.  Let's try facinorous, factious, festering, fickle, forked, farting, fantigue, fantod or fatuous!  The day started at 5AM & didn't end until 3AM.  I ran from 1 thing to the next the entire day.  That evening I was in charge of the family menu craft.  I double checked the laptop before I left.  Surprise, surprise... in the few seconds after double checking it and leaving I must have done something because when I got to church there were no words on my computer, ANYWHERE!  Just blank boxes!  I still don't know what happened.  I also forgot the cords to hook my printer up! Long story short, I drove back home in tears and brought the big computer back with me along with the appropriate cords to my printer.  Ah, it's going to be just fine.  But NO, my printer won't take the card stock & Christy's won't print the entire menu.  At this point I am ready to EXPLODE!!  I hate these craft nights.  If I wasn't part of the RS presidency I would boycott them.  There are so many other things I'd rather be doing.  Like spending the evening with my husband that I rarely see these days.  I am a craft Scrooge!  BA HUMBUG!  An hour and a half later everything was working as planned.  I forgot to mention I was suppose to get to the bank to get money for a car I was planning to go look at Saturday morning.  I didn't make it, to the bank or to look at the car the next morning.  I came home, Ryan was in bed sleeping.  He had a youth temple trip the next morning & all day.  I slumped onto the couch & watched TV until 3AM.  

Not only did I purchase a car off craigslist, but returned it!  I knew when I drove the car I probably shouldn't buy it.  As I drove it home I REALLY knew I shouldn't have bought it.  But they were such nice people!  That night the worst feeling in my gut would NOT go away.  At one point I knelt and pleaded that the Lord would send a moment of peace so I could fall asleep and deal with it in the morning.  The peace came quickly and surprisingly, so did sleep.  The next day I processed it through with Jeanie and made the dreaded call... "Will you please take your car back?"  Tender mercies abound in my life.  I see them daily.  I couldn't have bought the car from nicer people.  I couldn't face them.  I sent the car back with Jeanie & Kasey... you can't ask for better family!  

I decided to go look at the original car... the one I was suppose to drive up to Omaha with Ryan that Saturday morning.  Ryan and I got busy and decided to go the next day.  My hair appointment was changed and messed with our plans.  Jeanie volunteered to drive up with me that evening.  Half way there we came up on a huge accident.  Jeanie joked we should call and let them know we were coming.  I got this very tiny uneasy feeling.  I ignored it and kept going.  I had called the dealership before leaving KC and they still had the car.  We pulled in 3 hours later... they sold the car 5 minutes before we arrived.  The people were driving it off the lot as we drove in!!!  The tears started.  I did NOT understand.  I kept asking myself, what am I suppose to be learning?  My head was pounding as we drove the 3 hours back home.  Tears turned to laughter and I SLOWLY began to learn to listen to those very quiet, easily ignorable promptings.  I have HORRIBLE hearing!  Ask the kids, they'll tell you I will have hearing aids at 50.  I need spiritual hearing aids... the most powerful ones available.  Can I order those from Deseret Book?  

The next day I am at my hair appointment.  There is a car dealership across the street.  I get this tiny thought to walk across and check it out.  I don't want to.  They are all really expensive, fancy cars.  This time, I listen.  There wasn't anything there in my price range but learned a few things about a car I didn't know about.  It started me on another search.  Which led to another car, that was gone and then to another and another & now I have a whole lot of information I didn't have!  Like Suburbans from 05-07 are a consumer reports worse used car!  HMMM, who knew!?  I'm not sure if I will ever buy a "new" car.  I'm happy with my 01 Suburban, just wish it had 4-wheel drive!  

Victoria needed her Reindeer shirt this morning.  The problem was, she wore it the past two days and I forgot to wash it last night.  I threw a load of laundry in this morning so it would be dry before school.  Unfortunately, the reindeer shirt didn't make it into the washer!  I placed it on top of the washer as I collected the other clothes and forgot to put it in!  We only had 15 minutes before leaving for school.  I wash it out by hand and wring it in a towel.  Throw it in the dryer on high in hopes it will be ready.  We are already late and the shirt isn't quite dry.  Victoria is a sport and wears a 1/2 wet shirt to school!  

Last night we had a few friendly visitors... at 12AM.  Our smoke/fire alarms start going off at 11:30PM.  They wake Sam and Izy.  I can't figure out how to get then off, they are hardwired to the house.  We have this alarm system we've never armed since moving in.  I really need to learn how to use it.  Somehow I arm it then open the side door.... lots of even louder sirens start blaring!  We get them off but still smell something burning in our bedroom.  After 30 minutes of looking, smelling, climbing, etc. we call the fire dept.  We reach a recording telling us to call 911.  911 dispatches a few firemen to our house.  They smell the burning but can't find anything.  They use their little gadgets and still can't figure it out.  They leave after 30 minutes and we all head back to bed.  Ryan comments on the firemen's stature.  I chime in, "They are the epitome of a fireman's stereotype!"  Ryan responds, "They are definitely ones you'd want pulling you out of a burning building."  They were HUGE!  The minute they walked in the door I couldn't help but stare at them.  The one that was Ryan's height was dwarfed by the other two.  They were guys that could pull a 300# person out of a building without breaking a sweat!  AMAZING!  

Victoria gets in trouble and can't stay home.  She has to ride with Sam and I as we run a few errands.  We are driving out of a parking lot and Victoria won't sit down or buckle.  Our conversation...

J Sit down and buckle up.

V NO!

J Sit down and buckle up!

V NO! You aren't in charge of me.

J If the police see you they will stop me and take you away.  They will say that if I am not in charge of you they will be in charge of you.

V I won't buckle in their car.  I will stand up!

J They will make you

V No they won't.  I will tell them they are not in charge of me!

J You'll get in trouble and be taken away.

V I will stand up anyway(pause) and poke them in the eye (pause) with a knife (pause) and kill them!

J (quietly to Sam) Then she'll go away for a long time!

Sam and I couldn't help but laugh.  What to do with our little Victoria?

So... I revisit yet again a favorite quote,

“Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His. We can grow in faith only if we are willing to wait patiently for God's purposes and patterns to unfold in our lives, on His timetable.”
― Neal A. Maxwell

And I wait and trust that I will learn and grow from all these experiences.  All the while acquiring but a tiny morsel of patience... another "thing" I've pleaded with the Lord to bless me with!