Do it!

So, did you watch Conference?!  I LOVE, love, LOVE Conference!  I will most definitely be watching and reading it over and over again.

There were some wonderful talks and some that I felt were just for me.  During those talks it seemed like that's when my kids were extra vocal..."did they say prayer?!, no they said "dare"...yeah, they said prayer....sweet!, BINGO!".  Oh I don't know, it was just hard to listen.

Even still, I did feel the Spirit and I did feel a renewed motivation to be better.  The talk by Elder Maynes I think, said,  "we can't get our bodies in physical shape by watching sports on T.V., we also can't gain a testimony by watching General Conference on T.V."

So, it's time to decide what I will DO and DO IT!

It was kind of funny to get on Facebook and Instagram after conference and see how quickly some quotes were made into cuteness and circulating.  Awesome too, though.  There was one quote that was super catchy that I liked along with everyone else.

"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your Faith" -President Uchtdorf

This can be angled to anything or anyone you have faith in, Jesus Christ or other people too.  Like your spouse.

Have you ever doubted your spouse?

Doubt your doubts and give them the benefit!  Believe they are truly trying and they are doing the best they can.  Encourage them.  Love them.  Try to understand.  Try to help.  Be kind.  Remember who instills doubt.  Satan does not want us to give our spouse the benefit of the doubt.  He wants us to get mad, stay mad and thereby fuel the fire and never let it go.  Dumb.  Lame.  Remember the source of the negative.  Cast those thoughts out!  Insert every good intention you can think of.  Build your spouse up in your mind and to their face.  With so much, negative, be a builder.  Be a lover.  Be a friend- one who always looks for the good.

Here are some specific apples I'm going to be doing this week.

* mailing a note to his office....an encouraging, nice one.

* shaving my legs and doing my hair (in the same day! ha ha)

* then texting him and telling him what I did and that I can't wait for him to come home.

* then having dinner ready when he gets there. (boy, all in one day! I better ship off the kids! :))

* arrange a sitter for Temple night

* not saying one negative thing.  (i've been kind of a whiner lately.  it's hunting season. :))

* share funny things.  even if it has been a crazy day, take a deep breath, kiss him good and enjoy the time he's home.

What apples are you going to do this week?  Did you have a favorite talk from Conference?  What stuck out to you?  Have a great week!!!

what will we say?

I LOVE this talk!  Since it is Pioneer day this week i decided to post this one.  Our pioneer ancestors went through so very much.  we would do well to ponder on their faith and courage more often.  when faced with difficult times what if they had turned back?  their determination is above admirable and is most definitely worthy of emulation.  our marriages and many other aspects of our lives would be better for it.

Besides, unless we are filled with resolve, what will we say to the heroes and heroines of Martin’s Cove and the Sweet water? That “we admire you, but we are reluctant to wade through our own rivers of chilling adversity”?

Brothers and sisters, by divine appointment, “these are [our] days” (Hel. 7:9), since “all things must come to pass in their time” (D&C 64:32). Moreover, though we live in a failing world, we have not been sent here to fail.

Regarding trials, including of our faith and patience, there are no exemptions—only variations (see Mosiah 23:21). These calisthenics are designed to increase our capacity for happiness and service.

no, this is not a marriage talk.  but i feel like anything that strengthens my faith and my resolve is healthy for my marriage.  when i think about hard times in my marriage and how we've come through them, i know we are happier after...and stronger too.  have you experienced that?  do you know what i mean?  

well, happy reading!

the little things

What if something your spouse did was an offering? They had thought, "I am going to do this "thing" to show them I love them" and then...you didn't say anything? No, "thank you", no, "wow, that was nice". Do you think it would be very easy to make an offering again?

I know for me, I am going to do a better job at saying thank you. A lot of times I do see what Zach does and I forget to mention it. Besides, when I feel grateful for him and the things he does, it is easier for me to pull my load.

I am the Queen of Notebooks. I have so many of them. I love to write. I am going to write about Zach and the things he does. Then i won't forget and I'll be able to tell him when I see him. Let's face it, I don't see him as much as I want to!
And, you bet I want him to keep doing them! He is the best!

yeehaw!

This is me being excited for another day of living! Is it rubbing off on you? :)

It is Monday. Lots to do. Glad I can do it.

My apple for today was: send a note of encouragement in Zach's lunch.

Now, this man knows what he wants to do and does it. This in no way means it is easy for him.
The quote for the day in his lunch was: "The world moves aside for the man that knows where he is going." -President David O. Mckay

...it moves aside for the women too! whoot!

when i encourage him, it really rubs off on me. interesting how that happens.

Deep breath.

"your future is as bright as your faith" -President Thomas S. Monson

Watching THIS clip is a wonderful reminder to me of what is most important.

I am grateful for a New Year, a new day to start again. Starting over with a fresh attitude is like taking a deep breath, looking around me and feeling grateful for the many opportunities I have to do good.

My apple for the day is: sit down with Zach, discuss his goals and how I can help him to reach them. Then talk about mine and how he can help me. I think we'll do a puzzle while we talk. We have one that's started down stairs. The longer it waits...the sooner we'll have missing pieces.

Having each other is so great!

Happy New Year!

keep contact...

Does your spouse travel?, work long hours?, work for days at a time and then come home?, have school and work, etc?

How do you do it? How do you support them? How do they support you?

I know when Zach is gone hunting or on a business trip I kind of go crazy...or want to...or need to. Sometimes it is just hard, especially with young kids or if it is a stressful, busy time for some reason.

I remember when Ben was a baby, not even a year old yet, Zach left for a 10 day training in Chicago. I tried to do some fun things. I stayed with my parents, his parents and visited friends. But I missed him like crazy. We talked on the phone on his lunch breaks, he called at the end of the day to say goodnight to Ben. After Ben was in bed Zach and I would talk for a while until he had to go study. This training took place in October when the World Series was in Chicago. This was way fun because we watched the game together. We just talked on our phones and watched the game. We both had to charge our phones while talking and our phones were hot- we had been on them so long. I believe this game went into like triple overtime. I might be being dramatic. :)-I get that way sometimes. :) But still, this is a sweet memory for me.

The reason why this is on my mind is because it seems we go through times when things are particularly crazy. We don't see each other very much and when we do there is tension because our needs aren't being met. I know time is a big thing for me. I am a quality time person. Zach and I can do anything-we can walk to the corner and back and I'm happy. I just love his undivided attention. So, what do we do when there isn't any time?

Well, referring to the above story. We weren't sitting next to each other watching the game but we were there together.

If you don't have a lot of time in one block then make the little contacts here and there matter. When I am gone with my mom and sisters to womens conference, Zach keeps the kids and I go. If he were to make me feel guilty about it I don't think I would think of him very fondly when I was gone.

When your spouse is away, find ways to be positive, grateful and encouraging. Show love. Be their friend. All day when I'm at womens conference I think about how lucky I am because he is so supportive. Does this mean keeping the kids is very easy for him? Does he put on a face? No. Sometimes he will call and ask what he should do about something but then he asks if I'm having a good time and tells me not to worry about anything.

When he goes hunting for a few days I send him away with notes hidden in his bag.

Probably one of the best things to figure out is what kind of love language they are. Then do your best to love them that way when they are gone so much.

"A Walk to Remember"

Have you seen this movie? This is one of those I watch every now and again when I am folding laundry.

I watched it the other night. They got married. Sorry if I just ruined it. :) Then she dies. Oh man! Sorry. It is still worth watching!

He says something like "we shared more love in that one summer than most people do in a lifetime."

This got me thinking. Why was it so wonderful? Well if you've seen the movie it is totally teenage love, but kind of mature in a teenage sort of way.

What I like about it is they are all about the other person. She has her list of dreams and he helps her fulfill them-even before he knows she has cancer.

She encourages him to think beyond the here and now and decide where he wants to be. She believes in him.

Yeah I know, it's a movie. But seriously, we can have an anxious concern for our spouse and believe in them and help them reach their goals. Because their success is totally ours too. We can work hard and celebrate right a long with them!

The apple: make a list of things you want to do with your life. encourage your spouse to write one too. read them to each other. then see what you can do to start checkin' em' off!

delightful and enduring. sounds good to me!

"We have a great responsibility to our husbands. I know it is hard to believe, but almost before you can turn around the children will be gone and you will be alone with him. You had better be sure that you are developing the kind of love and friendship that will be delightful and enduring. Let the children learn from your attitude that he is important. Encourage him. Be kind. It is a rough world, and he, like everyone else, is fighting to survive. Be cheerful. Don't be a whiner." -Marjorie Pay Hinckley

I love this woman! There are a few apples all of us can draw from this great quote! Happy Friday!

Healthy indeed

Wednesday morning I was planning to run after I nursed our baby. I planned on the baby being my alarm clock. Naturally, he slept in!

Zach had to be to work so I didn't get to go.

That afternoon Zach came home from work early so I could get my run in before it got dark.

I had a fabulous run! On my way home I was thinking about how most moms, like myself have a hard time doing things for themselves. We don't want to be a burden or selfish.

I came home feeling refreshed and happy. Zach was glad I was able to go and really I loved him more for supporting me.

I concluded that unselfishly supporting each other in our interests is absolutely healthy for a marriage.

The apple for today is this: think about what interest or hobby is refreshing for you and your spouse. Ask them to help you to do this thing more often. AND ask them how you can support them in their interest as well.

The impossible?

I don't know sometimes I hear sad stories about marriages gone wrong and it can be discouraging.

Well, I was thinking about this the other day and my thoughts turned to Nephi.

He was given an "impossible" task too, from the Lord. Our task to "cleave to husbands/wifes" is a commandment from the Lord.

In 1 Nephi chapter 3 it tells his story of being commanded to return to Jerusalem to get the brass plates. Well, his "brothers murmur[ed], saying it is a hard thing which [has been] required of them". Nephi's classic response should also be ours in regards to marriage: "I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

I was encouraged with this thought because THE LORD WILL PREPARE A WAY FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH THE THINGS HE COMMANDS US TO DO!

Marriage might be hard sometimes but, like Nephi "thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast ^anot ^bmurmured." Having a happy marriage is what the Lord wants for us. He will help us to do it!