Ask in Faith

 Kayla and I traveled to Palmyra, New York on Sunday after sacrament meeting.  We stayed two night in Upstate New York to visit the site of the Restoration.

 In a cabin, much like this one a 14 year old took to heart James 1:5, knowing he lacked wisdom on which church to join, he asked in faith, Heavenly Father, which church was the right one to join.

 Young Joesph pondered and prayed over this decision for awhile.  One morning, walking out into these woods to try and figure out, which church he should join.  Going in with a complete trust in the Lord that he would receive an answer.

He received an answer that spring morning.

 He learned that he should join none of them.

 

He learned that Heavenly Father knows us by name.  That God and Jesus Christ are two separate beings, and that we have a purpose on this earth.

 We walked in those footsteps this week.  Learning about the history of the church.  Finding answers to prayers that we in our hearts.

 Finding peace that only Heavenly Father can bring. 

 On this trip I learned a lot of history I did not know.  I did not have a faith defining moment, I just felt at peace.

Sometimes, just knowing you are on the right path is enough.

A little of this and that

 I get the opportunity at being a youth leader again.  Sometimes that is a good thing, sometimes I am pretty busy at work and don't want to be bothered.  The night of this cake decorating activity was one of those nights.  I had a work meeting until 5 pm, it takes about 30 minutes to get home.  So I decided to stop at the Hayesville Subway to get dinner as I did not want to be rushed before leaving for the activity at 6:30, still having to pick up frosting at Buehler's because 3 girls decided they were coming after I had already made my frosting and I knew I didn't have time to make more.  I waited in line for 25 minutes and had to leave as it was 10 minutes til 6 and he had 2 more subs to make.  Mind you it took 20 minutes to make 3 subs.  So I ran home changed clothes, grabbed the supplies and Kayla and headed to McDonalds instead.  Then to Buehlers, then to church with 3 minutes to spare.  Phew!  I was stressed and grumpy and really cursing the fact that I am in YW now, when my daughter is not!  I said a quick prayer to get over myself and let the activity go smoothly and to be able to find some joy in it.  These girls made beautiful cakes, the laughed and joked and worked, and my mood melted into contentment.  Isn't interesting how Heavenly Father knows what we need more than we do ourselves?  I am busy, always will be, but I have time to sacrifice for Him, and he knows that sometimes I need a responsibility to rise to my potential.  So much more fulfilling than watching TV.

 Kyle has the opportunity this past weekend to baptize our nephew Koltin.  That picture sums up those two.  Ornery boys, that like to laugh and joke.

 Coming to church with family support is the best.  I'm glad Kim and the kids are making a go of it again.  So many blessing from trying, giving, serving the Lord.  I realized that I might not have had the opportunity to be in YW with Kayla, but I do have the opportunity to be in YW with my niece, Kamryn.  Koltin, leaned over to Kyle later that night when we were at Grandma Benninghof's visiting with Robin and Toby, Uncle Kyle, I'm baptized.  Yes, you are, he said.  Such a simple phrase, with so much meaning.

Kayla learned to knit from my class.  She is much better than I am, natural raw talent.  So we found a pattern on pinterest, if you knit squares you can make them into bunnies.  Kayla went to town making squares and has decorated my mantle for Easter.  I have a bunny parade.

Happy Spring!

50 is Nifty

So our friend Matt, planned a surprise party for his wife Connie, who turned 50 last Saturday.

 She was surprised!  It was a lot of fun to go.  We got to catch up with some old and dear friends.

 What a great day.  Tuesday we had a snow day Tuesday at the district that I was working at on Tuesday.  Administrators report even though the weather is not okay for the buses, but this day I was told to stay home and man the computer from the home front.  I did that and a little bit of organizing when I didn't have enough work at home to do.

 You have to love pinterest.  I learned to fold clothes a little differently to make a lot more space.

Vertically placing things instead of horizontally.  Hmm, noticeably different.

I love it when I'm organized.
So, Kota has been gone about a month.  I went into his empty (dirty) room on this organizing day.  I couldn't do it.  I miss him.  Being true to his normal personality he doesn't talk much.  I asked him before he left to call home weekly and let us know how things are going.  He has yet to call.  We text on occasion, we have called a few times when details of bills need worked out.  But, yet has he called to just let us know how things are going.  Why?  We've given him the world...I try not to take it personally, but I just want a glimpse into his life.  I care.

Not As Expected

 I went to bed last night wondering if we would get the 3-5 inches of called for snow.  Hoping that we wouldn't.  We had a busy day scheduled at Mid-Ohio with 4 children coming in to have a play-based assessment.  They are hard to schedule.  So when I  could hear the traffic driving by my bedroom window at 6:15 this morning.  I knew it was not what I expected, that we had less snow.

 Mind you, we had enough that I had to brush off the car before I could make the trek to Ashland.

 As I drove down the beautifully snow covered back roads on my way to Hawkins Market before work.  I could not stop smiling and thinking just how beautiful the snow was.  The thick, heavy flakes coated the trees and were just beautiful.

It was not all that I expected.  I made my way across the backroads to Hawkins Market to pick up cake donuts to celebrate Lillie's 70th birthday at work.  Lillie and I have a spunky relationship at work.  She is our school psychologist and she comes on play-base assessment days to help in the assessment of the children.  Every time we meet she tells me how old and tired she is.  We laugh and joke.  She was so happy with her cake donuts to celebrate.   A lot of things in life aren't as I expected, and most times they are much better.

MN the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes and 1 Moose

 Some where in Crawford family history they gave each other nicknames.  Toby my father-in-law wanted to keep that tradition going, so he nicknamed all his kids and grandkids.  They wear their nickname with a badge of honor.  Kyle nicknamed our kids too.  Kota, is lovingly known as the moose.  He was always big for his age when he was little.  He even is an inch or so taller than his dad.  Anyhow the Moose stuck.

We did a major cannonball run with his last weekend.  A long exhausting trip.  We left for MN after my parent teacher conferences 2/23.  We headed northwest trying to beat a major snow storm that was going to hit the upper peninsula of Michigan.  At 7:30 pm we began our 19 hour quest in two vehicles bogged down with 22 years of accumulation and one canoe strapped to the top of Kota's car.

Our night owl son only made it until about 10:30 when mom had to take over driving.  (He thought he'd be able to drive until about 4 am. Ha!)  We took one whole family snooze at about 5 am for 30 minutes.  When we left at about 5:30 the sunrise was just coming up.  So running on less than an hours of sleep we resumed the quest to Klayton and Trisha's house where Kota is going to be living.

 

We made it at 2:00 Ohio time on Friday.  Kyle and I helped him unload with the help of Tricia and Kaleb.  Even little Kenzie and Kooper helped carry things upstairs to his new room.  We visited awhile then went to Robin and Toby's house to crash.  We were dog tired.  We took a couple hours snooze and enjoyed dinner and conversation with "the old people" and Kota.

 The plan was to get back to Klayton and Trisha's house to help Kota organize his room before half of the family came to visit Kyle.  When we got there to organize we were told no.  He didn't want help.  He'd do it himself when he felt like it.

 So, I swallowed my frustration and just said ok.  What do you do, he is 22?

 So we visited with Trisha and the kids while we waited on everyone to show up for a lasagna lunch.

 They trickled in, we had half of the family here to make it easier on one host.  We visited the other half that evening.

 It is great to see the nieces and nephews.  Brothers- and Sisters-in-law all came and chatted.

 So many Crawfords, all with a nickname...I can't ask for a more loving family to leave my first born with.

Mabel is the youngest at just 1 years old.  She won't be the youngest for long, two of the sisters-in-law are expecting, one boy in April and a surprise due in May.  That will put Robin's grandkids totaling in at 25.

I was so tired that I forgot to take pictures that evening at the other 1/2 party.  Such a big family, so
much love shown.  I feel like I left a piece of my heart in Minnesota this time.  I thought I was an old pro at this, but I guess I am not.  I left my Moose in Minnesota to become a man.  At least I don't have to wait until Mother's Day to talk to him.

Ponderize

We downloaded the ponderize app a few weeks ago.  It is a free app to my frugal friends, but it reminds me 3 times a day to read my selected scripture of the week.

So what is ponderize might you ask? 

We have been taking turns at our house choosing a scripture of the week.  This has become our adult FHE for the week.  It has been good for me because my phone buzzes during the work day everytime I get an email.  Sometimes it is a reminder to ponderize.  Often I take the minute to read that family chosen scripture and it makes a difference in my day.

Our family has chosen to ponderize these scripture references over the last several weeks:

Ezekiel 37:15-17

Alma 37:35-37

Luke 2: 7-14

Luke 18:15-17

3Nephi 11:3-11

D&C 109:7-9

Moses 1: 1-42

Matthew 22:37-39

Moses 6:53-62

D&C 42:61

They come from lessons we felt the Spirit in or personal study, but it has been fun reading together and learning what each other find important in the scriptures.  We can see the lines each other have gained and enrich our own study.  I've enjoyed this in our lives.  More than that I enjoy when the kids come with a scripture when it isn't their turn, when they say I have one to share tomorrow, without being asked.  It took a long time to get people in the family want to study together. 

Birthday Boy in Training

 I had the opportunity to go to BGSU to do some special education coordinator training.  It happened to be the day after Kyle's 45th b-day.  So I talked the old guy into going with me and getting a hotel room the night of his birthday.

 It was fun getting away for a night.  We went out to dinner and just relaxed without kids and animals.  It was nice to just hang out and talk for awhile.  Kyle dropped me at BGSU the next day for my training.  This one was not the best I've been to, but not the worst either.

 So I got picked up by Kyle and had a nice lunch and we went home.  What a great way to spend sometime, trapping him in a car with me for a couple of hours.

Before heading home we stopped in Bass Pro Shops and did a little shopping.  I told Kyle to pick out somethings for his birthday, but he waited for me to actually purchase them.  He ended up getting some things for the camper he is building for us.  I can't wait to see it finished.