Prom Packaging

L is a Senior.  Last night her prom was held.  It was her first.  She looked like a slightly "punk" Cinderella.  Gorgeous.  She didn't leave school early to attend a spa or have her hair and nails done and her body scrubbed.  Many girls do that - I don't really get that, and she doesn't either.  "This isn't a wedding" was our mantra.  Thank Heavens - on multiple levels.   

We started prom dress shopping in March.  She has no problem keeping the standards of dress that our church follows.  Finding a dress on this side of the country that honors that is much more difficult.  While I could have sewn one for her myself, or ordered one online from some companies who support dressing modestly,  we decided to shop for a dress and see if it would be fairly simple to modify.  I have several friends who have done that, so I figured I could do that as well.

L is wonderful to shop with.  She knows what she wants and when she sees it, she's done.   When she was  younger, that bothered me - I wanted more of an  "experience" shopping with my daughter.  You know - "hmmmm.... well, let's see what the other 50 stores have before we get THAT one".  Nope - she wasn't having it.   I now appreciate that talent in her very much.  I wish I had it.  When we walked into the first store the first time shopping, she saw it, loved it, tried it on, and we bought it and were done!  Sweet.

Here is what it looked like before:

And here is the after.  I like the black satin sleeves - I think they "add" to the look, besides covering up my daughter:

They were pretty easy to slip-stitch in.  Because L is only 5'1", I had to also take up the length.  I did that by just folding up and matching seems and layers that were already in the dress, and tacking them in place.  The affect it had was to make it much more poofy and "cinderella-ish".  Worked for her!

She looked like a princess and had a wonderful evening.  Maybe we'll add a photo of her and the "boy".... and,  maybe not.  You'll have to WAIT and see.... :)

Trying to "Measure Success Properly"

I haven't blogged for about 6 weeks.  I haven't really read other people's blogs very much lately.  A lot has happened since my last post.  I was busy for two weeks getting ready to go out west to visit family and a few friends, and then to drive across America with my son.  I was gone on that trip for almost two weeks.  Then, I've taken almost two weeks of being home to try and catch up on what I missed for being GONE for almost two weeks.  You know the drill....

All of that craziness has brought on feelings of being quite overwhelmed.  My head knows that we women never really "catch up".  Yet, my heart is so frustrated that I can't.   With my new church calling and an increase in my work, I have been more tired and harried than I have been for years.  I count my new church calling AND the increase in work as huge blessings....yet, with them, comes more responsibility and demands on my time. 

As I sat down this morning to study scriptures, I decided to work my way through the talks from our last General Conference Broadcast from Salt Lake City.  Next one up for me was the one by Julie B. Beck, my current heroine.  Wouldn't you know that this talk is exactly what I needed to read today?

Here are a couple of highlights:

"A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment of a million things, most of which are important. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently.

 "Good women always have a desire to know if they are succeeding. In a world where the measures of success are often distorted, it is important to seek appreciation and affirmation from proper sources. To paraphrase a list found in Preach My Gospel, we are doing well when we develop attributes of Christ and strive to obey His gospel with exactness. We are doing well when we seek to improve ourselves and do our best. We are doing well when we increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. We know we are successful if we live so that we qualify for, receive, and know how to follow the Spirit. When we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we will not be disappointed in ourselves. We can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when we feel the Spirit working through us.

"Peace, joy, and hope are available to those who measure success properly.

I will search for some peace, joy, and hope today and try to not worry about the weeds, dust bunnies, and unfinished projects and laundry.    I am grateful for the Lord's inspiration today to read this wonderful message.

3 in 1

Today has been quite the day.  Three important events have occured, none of which have anything to do with the other.  Still, all three impact my life and my family's lives in crucial ways.

First, the Health Care bill passed in Congress.   I do not support this bill.  I do not want more government control of my life.  I do not want my future grandchildren to pay for this "great idea".  I do think health care has big issues and needs some fixing, but not like this.  I blog about all of that in another place.  So, keep reading....

Second, I was asked to serve in a new calling in my church.  For my readers of other faiths, women in my church are members of the Relief Society.   It is the oldest and largest women's organization in the world as far as records show.   Our church's members are divided up in congregations based on where people live, called wards.  Those wards are then organized together into what are called stakes - usually 6-9 congregations form a stake.   Well, I was asked to serve as the Relief Society President over our stake - which includes about 1,000 LDS women.  I accepted that request to serve.  I look forward to the many experiences that lie ahead of me and to meeting all the great women who live within these boundaries.  It is a big responsbility, but I have faith that the Lord will bless me and help me to rise to the occasion.

Third, and most importantly, today is L's Day.  My wonderful precious children (who are now of adult age) are adopted.  18 years ago today, my precious daughter joined our family.  We prayed for her for so many years to hurry up and come to us.   She was 8 weeks old when I finally got to hold her and kiss her and sing to her.

All I could see were her gorgeous dark eyes with dark eyebrows and long eyelashes. 

She was beautiful.  She still is.  

She blesses my life every day.  Our family tradition is that we celebrate our children's "Day" with cakes, carefully personalized meal choices, and discussion of the day they "came home".  We had to postpone the celebration for this year because....L is sick.

Fear not - the tradition will continue as long as my "babies" will allow.

(bottom photo by Kellie Nuss Photography)

Blog Slacker

What I've been up to:

~Obviously not blogging.
~Ordering family pictures and L's Senior pictures
~Trying to plan a trip to visit family in AZ
~Watching all the snow melt
~Trying to get my teeny business's paperwork organized for taxes as well as just for me
~Working hard at that business and watching it actually grow a little
~Worrying a lot about our country, feeling paralyzed about it daily
~Eating better and exercising more
~Counting my blessings
~Worrying about my husband working WAY too hard, yet knowing that for now, he has to
~Trying to learn Excel - ugh
~Wanting to paint my TEENY master bath, yet hesitating for countless reasons
~Dreading getting my garden boxes ready - yes, true
~Wishing I did not have a great big above-ground pool/over-sized bathtub in my backyard to deal with all summer when no one swims in it
~Surveying how many plants and bushes are destroyed because of heavy snow
~Wanting to move to a different house, yet no time to really get into that
~Working with college son B to figure out if he will be living here for the summer or living and working elsewhere
~Wondering how to get my 18 year old to WANT to learn drive and to get over the fear of it  - BOTH of  us
~Beginning the Young Women's Personal Progress - as my daughter finishes it (follow this and find out that all LDS women are encouraged to join in)
~Connecting with long lost cousins on Facebook
~Working with Hubby to get our Emergency Preparedness where it needs to be
~Needing a wife (see hard-working husband above)
~Feeling guilty for not doing more Family History work
~Wanting an Iphone but realizing I can't get one until August
~Working on the Family Photo Book for 2009 - wanting more time for that
~Realizing how blessed I am to have wonderful family and so many friends who also are family
~Grateful that daughter L is doing so well
~NOT worrying about L, which feels really, really good
~Wondering if I should be worrying about L, and thinking I might be missing something?
~Juggling two church callings, enjoying them both, but wishing I could dedicate more time to just one

Wow - making a list like that makes me feel better!  You should try it .

Bah Humbug

I am the Valentine's Scrooge- quite a bit different than when I wrote two years ago.    I think the blizzards just completely messed with my karma, my routine, my hitch-in-my-get-along.    I was a bad college mom because I didn't send my college boy a package - he has been dating someone, and I figured that he wouldn't want anything from MOM-ew.  Hubby is getting Valentine's shaped jello and some DeLISH fondue - he is easy to please, bless his dearest <3.  Our Valentine's plans got delayed because of the SNOW.   L got to pick out a DVD she has been wanting.  I didn't even make my heart cookies for those around me that I love.

Although, right now I am craving those tasty morsels....  Do you ever give yourself a Valentine's treat?

Probably not.   Dang.

The One About the Blizzards

I am not sure if anyone who reads this (besides Kate S :) ) isn't a friend of mine already on Facebook.  So these photos may be old news.  Sorry - please keep reading.

Marylanders (no offense) are often made fun of due to the possible over-reaction to snow coming.  After living in Utah for over 4 years, we witnessed this first-hand.  We were newlyweds and new apartment dwellers in MD back in 1980-SOMETHING and one night we got a ton of snow.  The parking lot of our apartment complex had not been plowed much.  We were shocked about that, but more shocked that Hubby did not have to go to work!  NO work? Are you serious?

Those who are offended, relax and keep reading...

I didn't have a job yet, so we were happy to have a free day together!  Awesome - let's go shopping!  We dug out the car.  We drove to the mall and it was....closed.  We went to the grocery store, and it was....closed.  Mind you, we did not own a t.v. at this point.  It's true - NO T.V.  We obviously were young and free and not attached to the Weather Channel - OH wait, it didn't exist yet....

After a semester of driving to Springville, Utah from BYU to student teach 5th graders, every early morning regardless of weather with ne'er a delay nor a closing,  I was in disbelief.  And yet....I thought, ,"hmm.  I could get used to this!!".

I have now been a Marylander longer than I ever was an Arizonan or a Utahn.  Weird.  I have adapted.  I do however stay stalked up on toilet paper and milk so as to not have to brave the storm, so to speak, to fight for those items in the store.  I do have my pride.

These storms beat them all - not an overreaction, however - Marylanders could generally just kinda plan ahead better, don't you think?  Seriously - the hoarding at the grocery stores need not be necessary.

No offense intended, again. Really - and I mean it.

L has been home from school for a week now.  Hubby has been off work for a week as well.  He will work Saturday and on President's Day.  All my work has been non-doable as well.  And I mean my work at home as well as my work-from-home- JOB.  No traveling with it either - everywhere I  needed to go was closed.  I tried to be productive and I enjoyed the "down time" as well.   This kind of weather will do that to ya. 

Now for a few photos - first of Blizzard #1:

And now, Blizzard #2 - a few short days later:

Pushing snow out the window off of the roof above the porch - amazing!

And, after it is all over.....more shoveling.

 

 

 

 Still, my heart beats for the desert sun.

Reacting to "Reactionary"

This morning L informed me that she joined a certain club at school.  Today would be the first meeting during 4th period.  She spoke it to  me calmly as if it was a meeting of a little quilting group or a group to discuss the scriptures or something.  I assure you it was not.

All the parenting skills I have worked SO very hard to attain went out the window.  While she was away at the school last year to help us all cope with her challenges, we had intensive parent training, which I have mentioned before.  My voice got louder, my breathing quickened, my emotions came to the surface.  I went back to the OLD me.  Ugh.  Hate that.

Rest assured -we worked through it.  We got back to "baseline" and became "regulated" once again.  She forgave me for over-reacting.  I mean, come on - it wasn't a club to blow up the world or anything.  It was, however, one that I would not choose for her.

Fortunately by the end of the conversation, she was saying, "hmm....maybe I won't go.  Maybe you are right".  Music to a mother's ears.  Either way, she is old enough to choose.  She has been taught.  She knows.  Now the ball is in her court.

After this episode, as I beat myself up for a few minutes, I thought, "AHHH.... I was SO REACTIONARY".   Reactionary?  Where have I heard that word before?  I thought I had heard it from former therapists who were teaching me to NOT overreact to things.  I decided to look it up at dictionary.com.

Here is the definition they give:

adjective

1.	of, pertaining to, marked by, or favoring reaction, esp. extreme conservatism or rightism in politics; opposing political or social change.

 

I then looked up several other dictionaries.  They all pretty much said the same things. 

So, because I am a political-thinking person, I had to then evaluate my politics!  Am I reactionary?  Hmm....

I am definitely opposed to some types of change.  I am against anything that takes our country down a socialist or radical road.  I am against things that take us away from God, believing that this country was founded upon God's principles.  So does that mean that reactionary is the opposite of radical?  I don't view myself as extreme.   

Maybe, just maybe, there is a radical left-wing conspiracy to change all the dictionaries in the world to make the word "reactionary" have an extremely negative political connotation.

Just teasing ya.

What is your personal definition to reactionary?  Do you see these definitions as correct, based on your background and experience?