Women's Confrence Thoughts

     Sitting with my sisters and my mother, among strangers, wishing there was more love between us as a family, I resolved to serve them more.  Then our Relief Society leaders confirmed my resolve.  They spoke of faith, hope, and charity and how charity is the most important.   Charity is serving.  I asked myself why I wasn't serving more in callings.  It is because I have had many moments in my life where I doubted myself and the Lord.  I did not have faith and hope when I should have.  Instead of standing against the evil one and saying, "I can do this!",  I believed when he said, "It's too hard, give up." I percieve that most of the world is making the same mistakes, for everywhere I go, there are sad faces and a sad feeling in the air.  People, the secret to happiness is faith, hope, and charity! If I had done this earlier in my life, we would have never moved from our first home.  We would have become a strenth to that ward.  The ward that had no one as weak as I(I felt like a nobody), where all were strong and had already served as R.S. Presidents and Bishops. We would have had financial blessings as well, such as our house paid off. 
    We don't need to wait for a calling to serve people! (The golden ticket that Pres. Uckdorf talked about).   I could have done so much more for those I visit taught, for my siblings, for my parents, for my children.  Actually, it IS our calling to serve our families and those we visit teach. My lack of faith and hope have stoped me from serving/having charity.  The most joy and happiness that I have ever had in my life was when I was serving others as an Institute Choir President, when I was single.  I have felt down ever since just because I haven't been called to anything 'wonderful'. Except the year I was the Primary Chorister.  I was happy that year too, because I was bearing my testimony to children and making a difference in their lives.
       During the Women's Confrence, the Spirit of God helped me to see the things that I can start doing to repent and begin to be happy.  I could play with Brigham who will be 3 in 5 days and Jaynie will be 4 in October, more during school. I need to have more fun one on one time with my older kids after school  and more often.   I could watch my sibling's children a few hours a week to give them a break and us a joy.    My preschoolers would love to have cousin friends come over and play with them.  They would also love to have the experience of a baby at our house a couple hours a week.  I would enjoy it, for I yearn for a baby and Curtis says no more.  I could lend parenting books to those I visit teach.  One of them would love to paint her house but is scared she'll mess it up.  I could help her.  I've painted so many houses and learned so many tricks.  I could bring Irisisis to grandma and help her plant them.  I could help my parents organize and unpack their house.  I could clean my sisters' houses.  Bethany's because the mess depresses and overwhelms her, and Sarah's so that I can spend time with her and catch up with her.   
     Charity is serving.  Happiness is serving.  I have much happiness ahead of me!  I will be a forget-me-not, like Pres. Uckdorf talked about.  I won't be a vibrant tulip shining in a great calling, but I will still be beautiful.  And with these deeds and attitude, it will not be long before I will be called to some "great calling".  Happiness and love lead to more happiness and love.  The opposite is also true. Most of the world is caught in a downward spiral, such as the one I experienced.   Especially my siblings who  struggle with low self esteem.  This is the way out! Read it again and again! I love you and want your pain to stop and your happiness to begin!

I don't do everything

When I first came up with this IdoEverythingMom name, It described me very well and I thought it was funny.  At the time, I was trying to be a realtor and a mom, and all the roles that come with being a mom like a cook, shoffer, a maid, a nurse, a decorator; you know the list.  I was trying to go too many ways, which means I was going nowhere.  Now I am just a mom.  I want to do family history, scrapbooking, sew a new bedspread, be a missionary, plant a garden, landscape our yard, fix our van, etc. but then it's choosing not to be a mom.  I can't do both at the same time, and a mom is the most important.  There will be a time and a season for me to do those other things, but that is not now.  I can't believe my baby is turning 3 this month, and Curtis says there is no way he is ever going to let me have another one.  So I've got to enjoy them, because before I know it, he'll be 23 and gone.

I am SO blessed that I don't HAVE to work for money!  Help me take advantage of this time I have!

Vera's Baptism

September 3, 2011.  It was very special, because she got her very own baptism and didn't have to share the day with anyone else in our stake.  The month before, there were 12 or 15 eight year olds that got baptized on the same day.   Her brothers, Caleb and Elijah gave the prayers and they were very thoughtful of Vera on her special day.  Curtis and I gave the talks, then the Bishop told Vera, how she has been born of goodly parents.  That he has heard from many in the ward that are amazed at how well the Cannon children have been taught.  Even the Primary President said that she looked up to Curtis and Tricia for that reason.  This meant a lot to me, because we've had something between us for about a year, and at that moment, it finally disipated.  I have no more hard feelings at all for her.  What a blessing and a feeling of joy!   

I told Vera how happy I was that she was in our family.  I explained to everyone how I had to wait for my girl baby until my 4th baby, and how she was still one of my best babysitters and helpers.  She plays with Brigham and Jaynie more than any of the boys, and she is so kind to them, sharing all her special things, making the rewards for their "good job" at "school".  I told of how she loves to suprise me by doing extra chores around the house and making "I love you" reminders for me.  She is one of my best friends and I'm so glad I have her!

Grandma Kay shared her testimony.  She remembers getting baptized in the tabernacle, which is really special, cause they don't allow people to do that any more.  And she remembers the feeling of the holy ghost that told her how happy Heavenly Father was.  And she said that she was very grateful that she still has the holy ghost to help her, that he has helped her many times in her life.  Then Curtis blessed Vera to receive the Holy Ghost.  He blessed her to always be a good example to others and to share the gospel and her happiness with them.  Vera is a very sharing, loving person, and I have no doubt that she will do those things that Heavenly Father wants her to do!

Our Summer 2011

We didn't plan anything, and we still had a fun summer!  We had a school's out party with all-you-can-eat scones and an airsoft war.  The boys had so much fun, they wanted to repeat it every week, which happened for a couple weeks, until Elijah got an infection and landed in the hospital again.  Grandma Kay took our kids on a fun trip through the middle of Utah on Memorial Day.  They ate a yummy picnic at Johnston's Army Encampment, put on war uniforms, played games, drove down the pony express route, ect.  They stopped in Hinckley to see where Grandpa Hinckley was born and the canal he was baptized in, then they drove west to dig for ancient trilobites.  They had to hit the rock just right, so that they could uncover a trilobite without breaking it.  It's a art and the kids loved it!  We looked online and found that some of the trilobites they uncovered were selling for $40-60 each!

Vera enjoyed playing school with Brigham and Jaynie, so I gave her an early b-day present of 2 school desks, that she enjoyed all summer.  All the kids got a new or used bike to ride around, and play with friends. 

We went to Herriman  Beach a couple times until they were re-doing the parking lot, then we went to the splash park a couple times, and iceskating a couple times.  Hyrum enjoyed his birthday at Classic Skating with Sanders and the whole family minus Caleb who didn't do his chore that day. 

Elijah invited the Lowry twins to the outdoor Olympic pool in Kearns with the really high diving boards for his birthday.  All of our kids got to experience those waterslides and the huge bucket dumping on them.  Elijah got $60 from his Birthday and gave it all to the hospital when he got a leg infection again because I can't afford to keep paying for him to not take care of himself.  Elijah also got big money for taking care of Mathew's chickens for 10 days while the neighbors were on vacation.

Hyrum and Vera got early birthday pet hampsters that got lost by Brigham and Jaynie several times throughout the summer.  So far, we keep finding them still alive a day, even a week later!  Caleb and Elijah and I volunteered helping at the animal shelter in Murray twice a week for a month.  We had fun walking dogs, playing with cats, and Elijah was able to buy a Cockatil the first day he was brought in.  His name is Chipper and he's 9 years old which is about 75 to us.  He's elderly and has gone through alot with Brigham and Jaynie.  He came to us able to say his name over and over, and whistling the tune to the Andy Griffith show.  He says, "Pretty Bird" and whistles the "wow!" whistle.



For pioneer day, we went to the Ranch and had a sleepover with Dallin and Gabriell, Quinn and Barbara, Katie and Jared, Grandma and Grandpa Cannon.  We played crocket, went on a big long hike, swung on a long rope, and played games like Risk and Cork and Beans.  Vera helped get algae out of the pond in her bathing suit.  We left at 8am Sat. morning to Roosevelt for the Eddington Family Reunion and Keith and Diana's house.  We had so much fun there too!  They have a huge yard with volleyball and a long tire swing, and they fed us such wonderful food the whole time!  The kids had water fights, arm wrestling, leg wrestling, played tennis with my cousin Dann, the PRO, rode 4 wheelers in the yard behind the yard, slept in tent city, which was in cousin Angie's backyard(they live next door to their parents)...We went on a pioneer trek with our bonnets on, we had a wonderful time singing around the piano on Sunday, and then had a very spiritual fireside.

Grandma Vera finally shared with her grandchildren stories of her life.  How she lived on a farm where there was so much work to do, and since her mother had to work, she had to be the mother and take care of her four younger brothers and do all the farm work by her self starting at age 12.  By the time she fell in love with Grandpa, she was set on having no children, but Grandpa's patriarchial blessing said that he would have many and he wanted to have 12!  So either his blessing was wrong, or she was wrong and she had to pray about it, to make sure that she was marrying the right guy!  She was told that he was the right one, that she would have sons and daughters and a posterity that would bring her much joy, so she married him and had 12 kids!  My grandma did what she didn't want to do, because she knew it was right.  And what an amazing job she did!  All sons and even daughters served missions, and all have been married in the temple, and many have already served as bishops and releif society presidents in their wards.  I want my Vera to have that kind of faithfulness and dedication to doing the Lord's will.  That's why I named her after Grandma.  I'm still struggling to be her example.

Anyway, what a summer, huh? We also got a swim pass to the new Herriman Rec Center for the last month of summer.  We didn't use it as much as I had hoped, but we still had a blast.  Brigham and Jaynie learned to swim and race me accross the pool with their life jackets on.  They learned to float peacefully down the lazy river, had a blast on the waterslides and liked to "get stuck" in the whirlpool.  The older kids enjoyed the diving boards, the bigger water slide, and the lily pads that they tried to walk across without falling in the pool. 

We ended our summer by taking our first Elliott camping trip to Echo Camperworld, where the Carvers got us in free and provided all the meals for us.  We enjoyed swimming in the camp swimming pools, playing on the playground next to the Carver's Camper, roasting marshmellows with starbursts and the choc. stripped cookies, and playing games with my siblings, and their cousins.  They played hands up stands up and statues, frisbee, uno, apples to apples, caught frogs, etc.

Vera wanted to take a friend to Classic Skating for her birthday, like Hyrum did, but friend after friend coudn't go.  Hailey and her mom helped me throw a last minute party that turned out great!  They decorated, while I called and invited the neighbor girls.  The Gundstrups not only let us borrow their bounce house, but they brought it over, set it up, and took it down after!  The girls also had fun with our home made water slide, and a water fight. Lexi stayed all day.  They did creative dancing, and glitter fairies, etc. 

My personal feelings of 9/11 are voiced by God's living prophet today!

9/11 destruction allowed us to spiritually rebuild

By Thomas S. Monson

Badge from fire helmet discovered in the debris post 9/11/01. (Ira Block)   

The calamity of September 11th, 2001 has cast a long shadow. Ten years later, many of us are still haunted by its terrible tragedy of lost lives and broken hearts. It is an episode of anguish that has become a defining moment in the history of the American nation and the world. This week, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, along with Tom Brokaw, will pay its own homage to the unforgettable events of September 11, 2001.
There was, as many have noted, a remarkable surge of faith following the tragedy. People across the United States rediscovered the need for God and turned to Him for solace and understanding. Comfortable times were shattered. We felt the great unsteadiness of life and reached for the great steadiness of our Father in Heaven. And, as ever, we found it. Americans of all faiths came together in a remarkable way.
Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful. When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our minds and hearts as well.
Our Father’s commitment to us, His children, is unwavering. Indeed He softens the winters of our lives, but He also brightens our summers. Whether it is the best of times or the worst, He is with us. He has promised us that this will never change.
But we are less faithful than He is. By nature we are vain, frail, and foolish. We sometimes neglect God. Sometimes we fail to keep the commandments that He gives us to make us happy. Sometimes we fail to commune with Him in prayer. Sometimes we forget to succor the poor and the downtrodden who are also His children. And our forgetfulness is very much to our detriment.
If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season.
The way to be with God in every season is to strive to be near Him every week and each day. We truly “need Him every hour,” not just in hours of devastation. We must speak to Him, listen to Him, and serve Him. If we wish to serve Him, we should serve our fellow men. We will mourn the lives we lose, but we should also fix the lives that can be mended and heal the hearts that may yet be healed.
It is constancy that God would have from us. Tragedies are not merely opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than we were. We can make Him the center of our thoughts and His Son, Jesus Christ, the pattern for our behavior. We may not only find faith in God in our sorrow. We may also become faithful to Him in times of calm.

Experiment of Faith

I began my 'Having Faith' experiment about a month ago.  I haven't done any real estate during this time.  My idea was that if I loved the kids and focused on them, then God would bless my husband with more income.  Well, every time I make a huge effort to just be the best mom I can be, I get overwhelmed and cry out for Curtis to help me.  So, the last month, Curtis has been doing all he can to help me, cleaning the house, mudding holes in the walls, doing yard work, cleaning out the garage, planting gardens, staying up really late with toddlers who took late naps and don't want to go to bed, etc.  So, of course, he has not been successful at getting a 2nd job yet, and both of us have settled into a depression.  We've been missing mortgage payments since January or February.

Today I went to an LDS temple alone.  I received great inspiration.  1) That Jesus Christ has saved our souls from an eternal hell, so we should be beaming happy!  2) Being depressed is not seeing all the beautiful flowers God has blessed me with, it's complaining that I don't have enough flowers!  3) I haven't shown enough faith for the miracle to happen yet.  I must have faith that with God I can do ALL things, even take care of 6 kids without any help from my husband. 4) I need to use my creative talents in helping my children understand how their actions hurt or benefit themselves.How dull and depressed I was in those other posts.  I want to be upbeat and positive now.  And just so you know, I stopped worrying about the money, and Curtis get a better job position!  I put my children first, and we were blessed!  Curtis still works for the post office, but he switched from being a carrier altogether.  He is now a mail handler working graves, indoors away from the dogs and the extreme weather conditions! He is getting twice as many hours, which is the main reason he switched. 
Between that and getting our loan modified, we are able to stay in our home and enjoy the school, teachers, neighbors and peers that we love so much!  Our interest rate was dropped to 3.75! 

So, if you keep pluggin along, doing the things that you know you're supposed to do, then everthing will work together for your good.  God loves us so much!  He's been wanting to bless us with such blessings for 3 years now, but we were keeping ourselves from the blessings.

Another Temptation: Creating Something Bigger and Better than Everyone Else

 Another voice in the world said, "Since you already spent time and money on becoming a realtor, you might as well become the best realtor you can."  Actually if you burn your meal, no matter what you add to try and make it better, it is still going to taste burned.   I should have threw it out and started over on parenting, but instead, I spent hours and hours making the perfect ads and presentations to attract business online. After 2 months of working on it 8-12 hours a day, I wondered why I was doing that.  Then I realized that we are born with a desire to create, that it is our end purpose, to create things as Gods. No wonder I was so addicted to creating, even to the point of neglecting my children. I have done that as a scrap booker as well. Of course I could be a great realtor, or a great any thing I want to be.  I just need to put it off until my children are older and don't need me as much.  People deserve a FULL-TIME realtor that is totally devoted to them and that is imposible for me with my 6 children. Also, children are only young once.