I loved this poem!

My sister posted a poem on facebook today that I absolutely loved. My husband and I have been fasting and praying to know what our next step will be. Just in life in general. We'd really like to build a house. So we laid out a plan to follow so that hopefully, if things go well, we can do that in a year or so. Of course that means all our extra money goes into savings and not one dime gets spent frivolously. Which is fine. But boy all those seven children cost a fortune! Each one with their own needs and desires. So this poem really was touching. Thanks Leslie for helping me see just exactly what it is I want in life. Not only this one, but in the eternities as well. Lands and gold will be nice, but only if I have the people who mean the most by my side to share them with!

Which

Which shall it be? Which shall it be?

I looked at John - John looked at me;

Dear, patient John, who loves me yet

As well as though my locks were jet.

And when I found that I must speak,

My voice seemed strangely low and weak:

"Tell me again what Robert said!"

And then I, listening, bent my head.

"This is his letter:"



"'I will give

A house and land while you shall live,

If, in return, from out your seven,

One child to me for aye is given.'"

I looked at John's old garments worn,

I thought of all that John had borne

Of poverty, and work, and care,

Which I, though willing, could not share;

I thought of seven mouths to feed,

Of seven little children's need,

And then of this.



"Come, John," said I,

"We'll choose among them as they lie

Asleep;" so, walking hand in hand

Dear John and I surveyed our band.

First to the cradle light we stepped,

Where Lilian the baby slept,

A glory 'gainst the pillow white.

Softly the father stooped to lay

His rough hand down in loving way,

When dream or whisper made her stir,

And huskily he said: "Not her!"



We stooped beside the trundle-bed,

And one long ray of lamplight shed

Athwart the boyish faces there,

In sleep so pitiful and fair;

I saw on Jamie's rough, red cheek

A tear undried. Ere John could speak,

"He's but a baby, too," said I,

And kissed him as we hurried by.



Pale, patient Robbie's angel face

Still in his sleep bore suffering's trace:

"No, for a thousand crowns, not him,"

He whispered, while our eyes were dim.



Poor Dick! Bad Dick! Our wayward son,

Turbulent, reckless, idle one-

Could he be spared? "Nay, He who gave,

Bade us befriend him to the grave;

Only a mother's heart can be

Patient enough for such as he;

And so," said John, "I would not dare

To send him from her bedside prayer."



Then stole we softly up above

And knelt by Mary, child of love,

"Perhaps for her 't would better be,"

I said to John. Quite silently

He lifted up a curl that lay

Across her cheek in willful way,

And shook his head. "Nay, love, not thee,"

The while my heart beat audibly.



Only one more, our eldest lad,

Trusty and truthful, good and glad -

So, like his father. "No, John, no -

I can not, will not let him go."



And so we wrote in courteous way,

We could not drive one child away.

And afterward, toil lighter seemed,

Thinking of that of which we dreamed;

Happy, in truth, that not one face

We missed from it's accustomed place;

Thankful to work for all the seven,

Trusting the rest to One in heaven!



by: Mrs. E. L. Beers

Great Quote!

Do not trust your memory, it is a net full of holes. The most beautiful prizes slip through it. -Author Unknown

New look!

I've been playing around with my blog all day and think I've finally found a look I like. It had to be simple (I'm a simple gal!) but fun. I'll probably keep messing around with it because I have no idea how to get all the cute things on it I see on my friends pages. So if you have any suggestions for me, let me have it! I'm tired of being boring!

LDS Media

I got sent a letter the other day asking me to take part in an LDS Media survey. It was really about the benefits of the different media outlets and how I use them as a missionary tool. Wow folks, I want you to know I absolutely need to do more. There was a list of about 10 ways where I was asked to check all that apply about how I share the gospel. I could only check 3. I guess I get so caught up in my own little world that I don't branch out enough. I know we all have that issue but right now that doesn't make me feel any better. When I think about all the ways my life has been blessed because of my membership in The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I wonder how I can not share the gospel. And yet, somehow I manage to keep it myself so often. Not because I don't to share my testimony or because I don't have one, but mostly because I don't often put myself in positions to share. And so I will start here. The following paragraph will contain just a portion of my testimony. I will be happy to share more with anyone willing to listen.

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that He came to earth as an infant to his mother Mary and his earthly father Joseph. I know that the things He taught are relevant still today. Most importantly I know that He atoned for our sins, that he willingly gave His life for us in the most unselfish act all mankind will ever witness. He had the power to stop His crucifixtion and chose to follow through because He loves us. I love Him and want to be with Him and my Father again one day. I'm so thankful to know that I can be. I know that Joseph Smith is the prophet of this dispensation. He was a great, though imperfect man. He was chosen as a boy to lead this church and did so with integrity, courage and strength. If I could have just a portion of his courage I should never fear. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know because I read it and then got on my knees and asked my Heavenly Father if the things contained therein were true and beneficial to my life. My prayers were answered with an undeniable "YES"! I know that all who read it with pure intent, seeking to know for themselves, will recieve the same answer. I love my Savior and my Father in Heaven with all my heart and am learning to put Them first in my life. I know I'll never prefect it, but I can sure try! I give you these things humbly, openly, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Shooting Sports!

Haley has joined a 4h club where they will learn to safely handle and shoot guns. She is so excited! I tried to convince Jenna to join as well, but no go. She's not interested. Oh well, to each their own. But at tonights meeting they chose officers and Haley was chosen as President. I'm not sure she knew what the job would entail when she volunteered but she was so cute up there leading the meeting. Haha! Already she has assignments and is all about doing it correctly. The parents got sent to the other room though to talk out some other issues so I only got to watch her for a few minutes. The club leader is making them be very formal so they have to use proper terms like "Madame President", "make a motion", "2nd the motion", "table the motion", and the like. The kids were too cute trying to remember all the right things to say and all the right ways to have a proper meeting. I loved it!

The parents were another story. Let me just tell you, I found out just exactly how much I do NOT know about proper gun care, safety, and shooting. We were charged with listing all the things needed for the range. Half of the things on the list were things I never heard of! Other things I wouldn't have thought of in a million years! Lol! You know who needs to join this club? Me!

Politics!

Politics these days seem like a never ending battle. When will the people in our country come to their senses and pull ourselves out of this incredible recession? Ever? Not as long as Obama is office, of that I'm certain. We seem to be following the trends of the rest of the world. Loss of freedoms, higher taxes, higher spending, more entitlements meant to keep us in submission (who fights against the one who feeds them?), higher expenses. At the grocery store this morning spent more money than usual by almost half! Holy cow people! To fill my tank with gas I have to make two purchases. I drive a Suburban with a 26 gallon tank. Most stores set their pumps to accept a maximum of $75. My truck takes $90! And that was last week! This week it's sure to cost me $100! I think I'll go on stike. Well, I would if I could. How do go on strike against the cost of essentials? Stop eating? Hmmm, maybe I should try that. I just might lose a few pounds!

Good times...

Tonight Freddie took both boys and the 3 oldest girls to watch a horse show in Jacksonville. So here I sit with just my 2 babies! Two of the sweetest girls on earth. I never get the opportunity to spend time with them like this so tonight we drank chocolate milk and had toast (Gracie's idea!) and watched nick jr til I thought my heart would explode. Ella followed me around the house and Gracie chatted endlessly. It reminded me of two other of the sweetest girls on earth. They think they're all grown up now, but I know better. One of them chatted nonstop and the other stuck to me like static cling. Then came another of the sweetest girls on earth. Thank goodness Faith knows she's still a kid! That girl is endless happiness all bundled up in one little person. Next were two boys who rival the greatest men the world has ever known. These two captured my heart in exactly the same way the girls did. Totally and completely. And now I'm back to my last two little darlings. So precious and growing up way too fast. I wonder if Heavenly Father wanted us to have moments like this. Where you are overjoyed at your blessings and yet somehow sad that it can't last forever. I think maybe that's the joy of eternal families. Even though these are moments that we can't get back we have all eternity to spend making new moments, enjoying them and wishing they could last forever. But I'm glad they can't. Because if they did, my little miracles could never have miracles of their own. And that is a joy I would never deny them. So I take the moments when I can. And right now....I can!

Lazy Day!

Such fun plans we had for today....and then it rained and it poured all day long :( Oh, well. Sometimes that's not a bad thing. Everyone stayed inside and played the wii, played with toys, read books, and layed on the couch. Turned out not so bad after all. The house though is the one that's suffers the most. It really looks like a tornado of 7 kids ran through it all day. I've never been so thankful not to have company in all my life! Usually, it's on days like these when my visiting teachers will just happen to drop by. Thank goodness they've both raised large families and can feel my pain! I have always wondered though, why no one ever just "drops by" when the house is clean? Murphy's Law I guess. Anyway, I finally decided to lay down a few minutes since I've had a headache all day, when Freddie came home. He was just gonna finish up a few things he needed to do for work on his computer. And then his phone rang.....and then again, and again, and again. Oh boy, there goes my few minutes to myself. But I love it. I wouldn't change it for the world! Maybe it doesn't sound like such fun to anyone else, but to me, this is heaven. I have a gorgeous husband, gorgeous kids, and a place to call home. Rich? Yes, I am!