Life Lessons Learned

Today I was able to teach Autumn a great lesson about prayer.  We had both lost something, and were able to pray and ask Heavenly Father for help to find what was lost, and our prayers were answered.  I wasn’t able to find my camera (which I use every day) and the last place I remember having it was at Young Women’s on Wednesday night when I was taking pictures of the youth dancing w/ the BYU International Folk Dance team.  I emailed a couple leaders that had been sitting at the table w/ me to see if they had noticed it sitting there after I left, but none of them had.  So, I had a prayer in my heart that I would be able to find it when I went to church today.  I was going to go look in the lost and found, but had a feeling to go check the table where I had been sitting on Wednesday.  I almost dismissed that feeling b/c tables get moved around so much and I thought it surely couldn’t be there.  However, I decided to follow the original prompting and went over to the table.  There was a black sweatshirt sitting on the table, so I picked it up and my camera fell onto the table!  I was so thankful and immediately said a prayer of gratitude in my mind to thank my Heavenly Father for helping me find something that was important to me.

After church, we stopped by the Bishop’s office so I could give him my tithing.  He always has candy for the kids, so Autumn got 2 starbursts.  We got in the car and were heading home when Autumn said that she needed to say a prayer.  I asked her what for and she said she had lost one of her starbursts and had learned in church today that if you lose something you can pray for help to find it.  I told her that was true and a great idea.  So, she prayed for help to find her candy.  After her prayer, I explained to her that we also have to do our part and actually look for the things we have lost.  So, when we got home we started looking and found the candy had fallen between her seat and the door.  As soon as we got inside we said a prayer to thank Heavenly Father for helping Autumn find her candy and me to find my camera.  It was a great teaching moment.

I have to brag on my parents for just a little bit.  Mom is such an incredible example to me.  There is a family in their ward that is struggling b/c the Dad was diagnosed w/ brain cancer.  They passed around a sing up sheet to bring in meals for this family, and no one had signed up for today.  Mom knew she had a roast, carrots, potatoes, gravy, and manly jell-o at home waiting for us for dinner.  She decided to give that gorgeous meal to this family instead b/c they needed it more than we did.  That was so touching to me.  And not only that, but she just happened to “whip up” some ham bone soup to feed us.  She easily could have said we were just going to have cold cereal or mac & cheese for dinner (which would have been perfectly fine), but she went the extra mile beyond the extra mile and made an amazing 2nd meal for us.  She is WONDER WOMAN!

Dad had told a family at church to stop by today and get some zucchini from our garden, b/c we have more than enough to share.  They did and were so grateful.  My parents are so loving and generous.

A neighbor stopped by and dropped off this super good buttermilk pie she had just made to tell Dad thank you.  She had brought her daughter over earlier in the week for Dad to look at something medical.  I acknowledge and recognize that I have such wonderful, fabulous, amazing, incredible, etc. parents.  My Dad does so many things for others that most people don’t know about.  He never seeks credit or recognition for them, either.  I am blessed beyond belief to have been born of “goodly parents”.

After Autumn & I ate some yummy soup, we rushed home b/c our home teachers came to visit.  After they left, Autumn wanted to go outside and enjoy the nice weather.  We decided to make it fancy and have a picnic in the driveway.  We got out our fancy plastic cups and have root beer to drink.

We sat on blankets and clinked our glasses and spoke in British accents.  We were laughing so hard and having a blast.  I sat and read my Tiger’s Voyage book while keeping an eye on Autumn, and waving when neighbors drove past.

Autumn took her Barbie car and dolls to the edge of the yard and just talked and played and had a grand ol’ time.

We finally had to come inside once the mosquitoes started coming out.  We both get big welts if we get bit, and the mosquitoes love to bite us.  Autumn went in her room and changed into this dress and then sat and played w/ her dolls some more.  I thought the rays of the sun looked kind of cool on her hair.

After a while, she went into her room and came out wearing yet another outfit.  That girl loves to change her clothes every chance she gets.  She put on some music on my iPhone and we danced around.  She likes to flip her hair and I LOVE that I got this picture of her hair flying through the air.  She kind of looks like Sonic the Hedgehog.  LOL!  Today was a great Sunday full of life lessons.