For the past 10 years we have had the privilege of living acroosbte street from he old wahlquist jr high. They just recently decided to tear it down and build a new Jr High. Max went to the old school for 7th grade and then was able to go to the new one.
One day when the old school was closed max was out hanging out with his friends. They had the brilliant idea to ride their bikes over to the old school. While they were there they found a window unlocked and decided to climb through. They thought it was super cool to walk the halls and see their old territory. Lucky for us he told me about it. Little did he know that they had a video camera that was recording everything that happened as well as a system to alert the police. The police showed up 2 minutes after they got out.
Max learned this day a lesson on trespassing and how important it is to stay out of places that are not ours. He was truly blessed and watched over as the experience could have ended so differently
Friday, May 1, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
More than I can handle (laura)
Wow this week has been tough. I struggled with pain, felt like I wanted to throw up and just ached all over the place. I tried all I could to figure out what I needed to do for the pain. I even caught myself on my run thinking I need a blessing and I need it now. Dawned on me that this was not the case. I needed to always to have a prayer asking for help as Heavenly Father truly knows what is going on and Christ Suffered more than I ever ever will.
On this particular day I wondered how in the heck I would do this and I was quietly taught by the spirit- " I won't be given more than I can handle" so what I need is faith to move on and go as I can cope with what Heavenly Father gives me.
Although it gets challenging and my whole body aches and throbs in pain I know with God and Christ I can do this. What would I do without the gospel?
On this particular day I wondered how in the heck I would do this and I was quietly taught by the spirit- " I won't be given more than I can handle" so what I need is faith to move on and go as I can cope with what Heavenly Father gives me.
Although it gets challenging and my whole body aches and throbs in pain I know with God and Christ I can do this. What would I do without the gospel?
Sunday, March 1, 2015
What influence would we have if we turned from self to Savior?? (Laura)
Man the last few weeks I have really struggled with comparing or something of those sorts. We live in a time where social media is very prevelant. People post everything out there. I think Satan has known how to get at me and make me feel down with these modern day tools. The one instance I remember is my friend saying she wants to run a marathon. It made me instantly flash back and think I wasn't doing enough physically to be where I should be. Many thoughts that made me feel down and grumpy about myself.
We went to Stake conference that night and Sister Polly Petersen said the following- "What kind of influence could we have if we turned self to Savior?". That hike me like a ton of bricks. That is why I am struggling so much. I have focused my thoughts so much on myself with daily activities, exercise, etc that I am forgetting to turn to my Savior and to truly understand what it is I should be doing that day to help my Savior and those around.
I am so grateful to a lady who prayed for guidance to know what to say to impact those the night she spoke. I needed that to help refocus me and help me realize that I am good where I am at and that I have so much. Such a simple impactful lesson I needed that night.
We went to Stake conference that night and Sister Polly Petersen said the following- "What kind of influence could we have if we turned self to Savior?". That hike me like a ton of bricks. That is why I am struggling so much. I have focused my thoughts so much on myself with daily activities, exercise, etc that I am forgetting to turn to my Savior and to truly understand what it is I should be doing that day to help my Savior and those around.
I am so grateful to a lady who prayed for guidance to know what to say to impact those the night she spoke. I needed that to help refocus me and help me realize that I am good where I am at and that I have so much. Such a simple impactful lesson I needed that night.
Monday, January 5, 2015
New Years Resolution (Laura)
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
A= Attitidue
B= belive in self and those around you and eternal principles
C= courage and determination to live decently
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.
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