Things Craig can count on

I suggested dearth and taxes. He said those and me hiding chocolate and Josh leaving dirty (already drank from) glasses around the house. 

Visiting with a friend

I have a dear friend who was baptized a year ago with her two boys. She came faithfully for several months. Her husband was resistant to her new faith. They had an unfortunate experience with a member of the ward and the boys lost their enthusiasm. To keep the peace in her home, my good friend has found herself in the frustrating position of choosing to go to church alone, or going to a different church with her family. 

We met today for a late breakfast and a visit. She explained some of her precious thoughts on religion and faith. I always find that facinating. She didn't want to say anything to offend me, and I was determined not to be offended. We had a lovely conversation. 

The reason I'm writing is because I thought of a scripture to share. I turned to where I thought it was and found a much better one than the one I was looking for. 

I took a screen shot and texted it to her. 

Verse two jumped out and demanded to be read. 

I love to receive (and understand when it is) revelation straight from the heavens in a timely and immediate manner. 

Visiting teaching miracle to brighten my day. 

Scripture - D&C 50

One of my favorite scriptures. This verse shows the patience and love God has for us, His children. 

He knows all things. He could command and demand to be obeyed. But in this verse he almost begs us to understand reason and logic. He slows down and offers us a discussion and elevates us in doing so. 

He tells us He will speak so we can understand. That takes away all excuses. He knows our mind and thoughts. He knows what makes sense to us. He speaks to our understanding level and encourages us to reach just a bit further, trust more deeply and grow more steady. 

Another reason I love Him. 

Josh's Eagle Quilt

Today the fabric pen came in the mail, and so I got to work and finished the quilt. I have taken pictures of the quilting process, and so I am going to show them.

I started quilting the background back in the middle of February.

I have spent the whole of last year practising on baby quilts to do free motion quilting on this monster. Quilting this big of a quilt is a big difference though, and I learned a lot. I still made puckers and the bobbin thread is tight in some of the curves. I will have to still work on that.

I started the actual eagle the end of March.

I decided how to quilt the feathers by starting with the tail.

Staying with the white thread, I then quilted the head. I had to switch to yellow for the beak and the eye.

Next I quilted the feet with orange thread, and the talons with black. 

Then I dove in on the wings.

I had to use a few different patterns for the different feathers, but I managed.

Then the body was one big piece of fabric. I pondered, but really had to sit down and figure it out as I went.

The second wing was the same process. I had to just start and see what I came up with. The last to be quilted was the black stop border. Next time I do this, I will make sure the quilt top is tighter when I pin it. There was too much extra fabric. Taking a bit more time, I could have lessened my problems with the fabric tucks if I had been more carful with the pin basting.

Here it is in the middle of binding. It took about two days to hand sew the binding down on the back.

The label. The new pen is fabulous. The ink glides over the texture of the fabric and gives a good line.

This is the fabulous pen.

And here it is on Josh's bed. I have ordered a black bed skirt. Still waiting on that to come, but soon his bed will be complete.

A sneak peak at the next project.

Spring Break

We have been enjoying a relaxing Spring Break. Not getting up for seminary and school has been delicious. This Spring Break is a bit different. Craig is in Hawaii for a work conference. He left a few days early to spend time with Thea. She has lived there since January.

She bought him the lei. He is so happy to spend time with her. I wish the whole family could have gone. Airfare is crazy. I can still hope for next time, maybe.

Beautiful day for a hike.

Josh has been sick. His tonsils are inflamed and his glands swollen. So Boaz and I left him home while we headed to the beach on Thursday. We met friends from school and church who knew about tide pools. The plan was to play at the beach until low tide and then wander the tide pools and look for what we could see.

Somehow I managed to get the boys with the sail boat as a background and not include the other beach goers. I'm rather impressed with myself. They had been playing with the boogie boards (a good idea for a birthday present for Boaz next month - finally an idea.) I brought a shovel, and they were busy building a water break. I sat on a beach chair and chatted while an inch and a half strip on my knee cap burned. I didn't get the sun screen all they way on my knees. So I have a very blotchy and striped sun pattern on my legs. One day I will know how to apply sun screen.

Friends came to meet us to explore the tide pools. I thought they were fabulous. There must have been over 1000 hermit crabs. I was delighted by shore crabs, tiny fish and anemones. Next time I will have to bring a stick to move aside sea weed and peek underneath its protection. Our friends have seen an octopus there and I was hopeful of a sighting, but unfortunately they were shy.

A view of low tide with the rocks and the little arch that hosted a flock of sea gulls.

Boaz climbing along the bluff.

A group picture before we all headed home.

We stopped for Chick-Fil-A to bring home to Josh. We missed him, but he needed the rest. No fun to be sick during a holiday. Craig has one more fun day before his all day meeting with his group. This trip to Hawaii has been about golf and getting to know Thea's boyfriend. Thea's boyfriend is a golf pro at Turtle Bay, so today Craig will get to play one of the premier courses and be with his daughter. I think he will enjoy it more that she does, but we are both proud of her for trying.

I have spent time quilting. I am just waiting on a fabric pen I ordered so I can make a quilt label and then Josh will get his eagle quilt. I will post when the label is finished. Finally after more than two years, he will get his quilt. I am cutting pieces for a baby quilt. Already there are three new family members on the way - two due in May.

Spring Break 2017 has been slow and full of time home, but still fun.

Craig's Conference is being held on Easter weekend, curtesy of a doctor who is not Christian and thinking that it would be cheaper to meet over Easter because nobody holds work meetings on Easter weekend. Hopefully the Christian doctors will veto that idea for next year. Easter will be a bit weird with him awa

Growing interest

When we moved in this house back in the end of August, we grandfathered into a punching bag. We have since replaced the bag and gotten some new equipment.

This is the latest.

He is hiding his face. Silly boy. The bright blue of the gloves contrasts nicely with his brilliant orange shirt.

Using the speed bag while listening to tunes.

Scripture - D&C 38

I have been thinking about weaknesses lately. They have seemed to jump out at me. In doing so, I have become more reliant on Christ to help me. I have tried to remember my goals, but still I am careless. 

This verse is comforting. 

He will be merciful in my weakness. But that is not all. Because he is merciful, I can become strong. This echoes Ether 12. 

Brothers

Boaz watching his brother. A life-long practice. 

Bread

We have a cinnamon roll tradition that the boys now demand. I make cinnamon rolls for General Conference. I have only missed when we were visiting and not at home. It is hard to make cinnamon rolls in someone else's kitchen - with out my recipe and pantry wth all my baking supplies. 

So yesterday I made cinnamon rolls. After the track meet. Quick side note - Josh broke into the 4:40s. He ran a 4:49 mile. Super excited. 

I am the first counselor in Relief Society. So I am in charge of the Sunday meetings. I make sure we have teachers - which means I find the substitutes when needed. I have failed to send thank you notes. It has weighed heavily on my mind, and so I have begun to bake bread. I take a months late thank you note accompanied by a loaf of fresh bread. I hopefully have a complete list. I apologize for my lateness in the note and thank them for sharing their  talents with us. 

Today, a day after I made a huge batch of cinnamon rolls, I started on he bread. I was thinking of two sisters who work. This means I can't drop it of in the middle of the day. So I thought Sunday might be a perfect day.

I didn't call before hand, because I was't sure of my timing. I didn't want to promise between session delivery if it didn't work out. 

As I got in my car to make my between session delivery run, I had the thought - who would be my alternate people? That thought was a clue that my intended recipients would be unavailable. No one was home at my first stop. I sent a text and received a surprisingly fast return text saying she was in Paris. My second stop, I had a hard time finding the apartment. I still have not received a reply, but obviously I needed to go to both alternates. 

The first alternate is perhaps the oldest sister in the ward. She has recently been in the hospital for a fall, and is still recuperating, but at least she is home. I walked in and said in a cheery voice, "Joyce, I've missed you." (Her daughter had let me in.) I gave her the warm loaf of bread and her face crumpled into tears. She has been worried that the ward thinks she has become inactive. I tried to assure her that we all knew she was still recuperating. She is an amazing and faithful woman. I was so happy that Heavenly Father had me make a bread delivery to my sweet friend Joyce - and her daughter. 

The second alternate is an inactive family that I have been trying to get to know and help. Two daughters live with their elderly mother who has cancer. I have taken soup over twice. The first time was not a great experience. I had a hard time feeling the love and joy of service. I had to wait about a half hour for someone to be there to recieve the soup, and then the daughter didn't even talk to me or let me in the house. I struggled to feel good about making soup, but knew the family needed to feel the support. So I scheduled another delivery a few weeks later. This time the mother was home and we had a nice conversation during the drop off. The daughter was more friendly, and I decided she might be shy and felt awkward the first time being late. I had a much better feeling accompanying this act of service. Today, it was just this same daughter home. She was much more friendly, and again I am glad that Heavenly Father sent me to her house today. 

I am humbled that He sent me on His errand today. I feel blessed by His request, and so grateful that I listened. 

And Conference has been wonderful. I do love these weekends.