Each Year for the new Years I like to pick words to focus on to help me improve and be better. The words I picked this year are movement and joy. I need to always/ continually be moving towards improving and being a better person. I need to continually be moving and working and finding joy in all situations I am found in. Other concepts I like was by president monsoon reflecting on the ABC's of an abundant life.
A= Attitidue
B= belive in self and those around you and eternal principles
C= courage and determination to live decently
Monday, January 5, 2015
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Paddle to make a difference (Laura )
Today my sister, Aimee Maughan and I got our kids on the bus and headed out paddle boarding. Lisa and I had gone a few weeks prior and couldn't have asked for better conditions. It was so calm, relaxing and amazing. I jumped on the kids yellow paddle board and we headed out. It was a bit choppy heading out but we loved it. We went to a certain point and turned around. As we headed back the winds had picked up and we were paddling against the wind and into some pretty hard waved. There were points that we felt we were going backwards more than we were even moving forward. Seemed like we were just staying in one spot and basically going now were at all. At some points I couldn't even look around and enjoy the beauty due to my fear of falling into the freezing cold water.
It finally hit me that I needed to paddle to make a difference. I couldn't be idle or take a paddle and than stand still. I need to keep moving as well as work hard to make a difference with me and the water. It made me think of life and of our challenges of kinds not listening, feeling defeated, huge trials etc...We often feel like this, like we are exerting a lot of effort and getting no where. As we got close to the edges of Willard our journey seemed to go a lot better and smoother. I did feel fatigue and tiredness as we do in our life today and realized we just need to always keep paddling in like to make a difference!
It finally hit me that I needed to paddle to make a difference. I couldn't be idle or take a paddle and than stand still. I need to keep moving as well as work hard to make a difference with me and the water. It made me think of life and of our challenges of kinds not listening, feeling defeated, huge trials etc...We often feel like this, like we are exerting a lot of effort and getting no where. As we got close to the edges of Willard our journey seemed to go a lot better and smoother. I did feel fatigue and tiredness as we do in our life today and realized we just need to always keep paddling in like to make a difference!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
New Year Goals- Laura
Like I have mentioned before each year for New Years I like to pick words to live by for the year. The words I picked for 2014 are DEDICATION, PERSERVERANCE & SELF DISCIPLINE.
Richard Maynes- October 2013 conference talked about how he had to get in physical shape for college basketball. It took him dedication, perseverance, and self discipline get where he wanted to be. We don't just need this physically. We have to have these three characteristics spiritually as well. We must have spiritual strength and stamina, strength to endure. Let us run with strength the endurance race placed before us with dedication, perseverance and self discipline.
Richard Maynes- October 2013 conference talked about how he had to get in physical shape for college basketball. It took him dedication, perseverance, and self discipline get where he wanted to be. We don't just need this physically. We have to have these three characteristics spiritually as well. We must have spiritual strength and stamina, strength to endure. Let us run with strength the endurance race placed before us with dedication, perseverance and self discipline.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Our adoption Story
I have never sat down and documented our families adoption story, and it is something I need to do. Asher was 6 and Nelson was serving as the bishop in our ward at the time. We had kept saying that we needed to decide if we were going to have another kid since he was getting so old. Nothing seemed to happen for us and we could never make a decision of what needed to happen for our family. I was still struggling with my pain that went from my neck to my lower back and we were daily trying to figure that out.
A family in our ward, the Hyers, had adopted their grand daughter who was 4 months old. Nelson had asked me to help watch her while the parents taught their primary class each sunday. I did this for a few weeks and would try to hold the baby during the meetings. I would come home each week, just sobbing. Holding the baby put my body in so much pain and I couldn't handle it. After doing this for a few weeks I told Nelson that I really didn't think I could have a baby. I didn't think my body could handle it, as I could not even hold a baby without pain.
We didn't say anything for awhile and went about doing our thing. One day I was driving to work in Layton after I got my kids on the bus for school. The thought had hit me (the spirit) to start looking into adoption. Nelson came home that night and without me saying anything said "I started looking into adoption today." What ???? the spirit had spoke to us and guided us the same day. This is a direction we never imagined we would head down. We decided we had better fast and pray and see if this is what we needed to do. We got that confirmation yes it was.
We were very clueless and had no idea what we were doing, the only thing we could think to do was just move. We decided if we started doing our part heavenly father would direct us where we needed to go. We looked into LDS services, adoption agencies etc.. None of this was the right direction. We ended up looking into Foster Care but was still leary about it. I remember we had our first meeting and I told the lady we would have one placement and we would adopt that one placement. Now knowing what we know I am sure she thought we were the dumbest people alive. That is not how the process normally works.
We started our classes and all the certification we needed to get done. This took a while but we could the lords hand in it all. Nelson missed church meetings on Weds for a whole month and never had to make them up, this is not normal.
It took us about 6 months to do the classes and get our certification finalized. The classes started in March of 2011 and in Nov of 2011 we got a call asking if we would take in 2 girls. The only advice I was given by a co worker was to pray and listen to the spirit and you will know what to do. We did that and asked them to give us a day to figure out what our decision was. We ended up saying yes. We were scared, terrified and had no idea what we were doing.
We started in the process of meeting them and having them come to our house for a few hours over Thanksgiving break. We meet Liliana (4) and Passion (7) and loved them instantly. Passion was very street smart and knew her way around. She was a very hungry kid and ate everything. Lily clung to Passion a lot and was shy at first.
They were adorable girls and we were excited to get them started in school and normal life at our house. When they first came they didn't know much, nothing about the gospel and basic principles that our family was so familiar with.
It was such a learning curve and was hard to get used to. It was definitely a challenge getting used to two girls in our home when we were not used to girls. We did have our struggles but felt the whole experience was with it.
We had the girls for 13 months and then it was determined they would go back to their birth dad Brandon. This was hard because they started slowly transitioning the girls home and their emotions were all over the place. They went home 2 days before Christmas in 2012. We kept contact with them and talked to them when we could. In April of 2013we got a call that we were getting them back. Once we got them back we had to go to endless court visits. By the way I hate court, my stomach just would get so sick as it was not my favorite place to be. We went to mediation trying to get the parents to sign over their rights. None of this worked. July 2013 Tasha's rights were relinquished. We then started to see what would happen with Brandon. In September his rights were relinquished and then we were able to move forward with Adoption.
It has been such a roller coaster but something that we definitely know we were suppose to do. We could feel Heavenly Fathers hand in the whole experience. It taught me to love unconditionally to all people. An amazing and humbling experience for me.
A family in our ward, the Hyers, had adopted their grand daughter who was 4 months old. Nelson had asked me to help watch her while the parents taught their primary class each sunday. I did this for a few weeks and would try to hold the baby during the meetings. I would come home each week, just sobbing. Holding the baby put my body in so much pain and I couldn't handle it. After doing this for a few weeks I told Nelson that I really didn't think I could have a baby. I didn't think my body could handle it, as I could not even hold a baby without pain.
We didn't say anything for awhile and went about doing our thing. One day I was driving to work in Layton after I got my kids on the bus for school. The thought had hit me (the spirit) to start looking into adoption. Nelson came home that night and without me saying anything said "I started looking into adoption today." What ???? the spirit had spoke to us and guided us the same day. This is a direction we never imagined we would head down. We decided we had better fast and pray and see if this is what we needed to do. We got that confirmation yes it was.
We were very clueless and had no idea what we were doing, the only thing we could think to do was just move. We decided if we started doing our part heavenly father would direct us where we needed to go. We looked into LDS services, adoption agencies etc.. None of this was the right direction. We ended up looking into Foster Care but was still leary about it. I remember we had our first meeting and I told the lady we would have one placement and we would adopt that one placement. Now knowing what we know I am sure she thought we were the dumbest people alive. That is not how the process normally works.
We started our classes and all the certification we needed to get done. This took a while but we could the lords hand in it all. Nelson missed church meetings on Weds for a whole month and never had to make them up, this is not normal.
It took us about 6 months to do the classes and get our certification finalized. The classes started in March of 2011 and in Nov of 2011 we got a call asking if we would take in 2 girls. The only advice I was given by a co worker was to pray and listen to the spirit and you will know what to do. We did that and asked them to give us a day to figure out what our decision was. We ended up saying yes. We were scared, terrified and had no idea what we were doing.
We started in the process of meeting them and having them come to our house for a few hours over Thanksgiving break. We meet Liliana (4) and Passion (7) and loved them instantly. Passion was very street smart and knew her way around. She was a very hungry kid and ate everything. Lily clung to Passion a lot and was shy at first.
They were adorable girls and we were excited to get them started in school and normal life at our house. When they first came they didn't know much, nothing about the gospel and basic principles that our family was so familiar with.
It was such a learning curve and was hard to get used to. It was definitely a challenge getting used to two girls in our home when we were not used to girls. We did have our struggles but felt the whole experience was with it.
We had the girls for 13 months and then it was determined they would go back to their birth dad Brandon. This was hard because they started slowly transitioning the girls home and their emotions were all over the place. They went home 2 days before Christmas in 2012. We kept contact with them and talked to them when we could. In April of 2013we got a call that we were getting them back. Once we got them back we had to go to endless court visits. By the way I hate court, my stomach just would get so sick as it was not my favorite place to be. We went to mediation trying to get the parents to sign over their rights. None of this worked. July 2013 Tasha's rights were relinquished. We then started to see what would happen with Brandon. In September his rights were relinquished and then we were able to move forward with Adoption.
It has been such a roller coaster but something that we definitely know we were suppose to do. We could feel Heavenly Fathers hand in the whole experience. It taught me to love unconditionally to all people. An amazing and humbling experience for me.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Asher's concussion
Today while we were fall cleaning Asher was jumping over the arm of e couch into the bean bag. Not sure what went wrong but he ended up on the floor screaming. Ten minutes later he couldn't remember anything and couldn't talk. We ended up running him to the emergency room. The whole way I was driving he kept crying saying he wanted his mom. I told him I was his mom and he cried harder saying I wasn't. He told the workers he was 4 years old and honestly couldn't remember anything. He ended up barfing all over in the hospital and was eventually released. He came home and slept about 15 hours and then was back to normal.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Final Adoption (Novemener 11-16)
This week has been a crazy, exciting roller coaster week. We both started out with saddened emotions thinking of he girls biological parents. We were sad about their loss while we were celebrating a gain,
11/13/13- we went to the court for the adoption. It was fine, just lots of legal questions and then the legal changing of the girls names. There was really no feeling of the spirit but it was great to be at the stage in the process. They also let the kids adopt a stuffed animal for themselves. They thought that was the coolest thing ever.
-11/16/16- we were able to celebrate passions baptism and our sealing in the Brigham temple. We had he baptism at the stake center and then went in the gym with everyone for lunch. We left straight from their for the sealing. A little busy but totally worth it since we were already together.
After passion was baptized and was Chaz gong she said I don't feel the Holy Ghost. She was almost waiting for something miracoulas. We later talked about her feeling of wanting to smile all day and that was the Holy host. It was great to have that teaching experience with her.
This was an experience we will never forget. We loved being able to be in the temple with all four of our kids.
The crazy thing about the day of the sealing is that was the exact day (two years prior) the girls were removed from their house and put into the Christmas box house. (That was not planned at all)
- we will be forever grateful for family who supported us through this super hard process. To a heaven.y Father who knew what we were capable of and needed and guided us. For an amazing case worker Sherrin and grandma Rosa. We truly don't think we would be where we are for the adoption without these people. They all played a key, crucial part in the process.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Goodbye visit
Today we had the final visit through the state with the girls mom. The state offers one last visit and then the rest is up to us if we will let the birth parents be involved in their life. I honestly don't think the visit could have gone any better. Right before we left our house I felt prompted to grab the small camera and gave it to passion. I told her she was in charge and could take pictures of whatever she wanted. This let her be in control.
The girls visited with the mom, grandma, aunt and cousins. It went perfect. There was little sadness displayed and a great time spent together. Nelson and I were there to tell all the family good bye. I was saddened as I walked away with these little girls. Sad she had to walk away and not have custody of her four kids she had. I was at peace and am grateful for the experience.
The girls visited with the mom, grandma, aunt and cousins. It went perfect. There was little sadness displayed and a great time spent together. Nelson and I were there to tell all the family good bye. I was saddened as I walked away with these little girls. Sad she had to walk away and not have custody of her four kids she had. I was at peace and am grateful for the experience.
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