In Memory--Cheiko Okazaki

“Only you know your circumstances, your energy level, the needs of your children, and the emotional demands of your other obligations. Be wise during intensive seasons of your life. Cherish your agency, and don’t give it away casually. Don’t compare yourself to others — nearly always this will make you despondent. Don’t accept somebody else’s interpretation of how you should be spending your time. Make the best decision you can and then evaluate it to see how it works.”

~Chieko N. Okazaki

Before You...

Before you act, listen.

Before you react, think.

Before you spend, earn.

Before you criticize, wait.

Before you pray, forgive.

Before you quit, try.

~Ernest Hemingway

My Heroine, Elizabeth Smart, Said

"Nobody is trial-free,
but we have a choice,
we can choose to allow
our experiences to hold us back,
and to not allow us to become great
or achieve greatness in this life.
Or we can allow our experiences
to push us forward,
to make us grateful
for every day we have and to be
all the more thankful for those who are around us."
--Elizabeth Smart, April 2012

Joy in the Resurrection

Today was a bitter sweet day for us. We had a lovely, big holiday breakfast with festively dyed hard boiled eggs, fresh strawberries, blueberry waffles (thanks to Eggo), and cream and all the children gathered around us--we are rich, indeed. While we ate we listened to "He is the Resurrection and the Life" and talked about an Easter Traditions that started when Joe and I were dating. We loved to get up early and see the sun rise over the temple and wander through the gardens listening to the quails sing. We would find a soft, grassy place upon the hill above the temple and read about Christ in the Bible and Book of Mormon and about how after his death he visited the Nephites in America who were gathered around the temple and taught and blessed them too. After, we would wind up back at his house, my house, or later "Ours" for waffles, fresh berries, and cream--our Easter Morn Tradition. After breakfast this morning though, I miscarried our very little baby. We had only a little while to plan, dream, and hope for this one. The timing was not ideal, like the miscarriage on New Year's Day 2006. I whispered to Joe. Susie was running a slight fever and so Joe took the older children to church and meetings, and I stayed home with the younger girls. In the afternoon, Joe, Hannah, Rebekah, and I got the hams in the oven and began peeling and slicing potatoes for the two large pans for the Easter Family Dinner we were hosting for extended family. We listened to Troy Dunn's "Free Samples" talk to the youth where he tells them about how "free samples--like Whippy Cake, instill a "need" for something. Let's make sure that we watch what "free samples" we take and that we avoid temptation. Family Dinner was a success! Delicious food, egg hunting fun, games, and conversation. We missed Aunt Melissa and hope that she and little four day old baby Jonas slept together. Perhaps, Jesus would have me remember specifically on a day like today His promise in John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: I know Heavenly Father is aware of Joe and I and our family. I must believe that He has other things in store for our family and that He knows best when he calls one of his tiny babies home early.