6/16/19

Trek & Temple were the highlights of the week! So great to take Maddie to the Temple Friday night!-Grandpa Duncan took work off to come join us at the last minute, as well as Brian & his mom.  Spencer & Emily both had a blast on Trek, and I was happy to at least be able to give rides there and back so I could sneak a little peek on everything.  The little girls finished up swim lessons, and we stayed busy sprucing up the house for family coming for the wedding.  Maddie & Brian stayed here for a couple of days--for temple, and then to take pictures Saturday night--cut short though, by Maddie's FAINTING!!! (I guess Emily & I laced up her dress to tight!!)--there happened to be a newly certified EMT student coming out of the temple just at that time though, and he made sure she was okay.  They came home from that event just as I was exhaustingly cutting EVERYone's hair/cleaning up the kitchen, and realizing that after 2 major attempts to clean out the long dryer exhaust, it WAS STILL CLOGGED & getting dark--with the only access to really finish fixing things on the roof.  It was funny enough getting my pregnant belly behind a big appliance to reconnect hoses, etc., so Dad & Spencer borrowed the neighbor's ladder at 9:30 PM after I called her, and Spencer climbed up to finish cleaning out lint--which had actually become good & jammed--making things worse instead of better.  Relief to get that solved, and Maddie to bed, but I went to bed w/ a headache I thought I'd gotten rid of on my run that morning.  

I've loved Paul's message in 2 Cor 12:9 where he glories in his infirmities so that Christ's strength can rest up on him.  It is a good reminder that this life is a great effort in practice, and making everything perfect is not what we're supposed to look like.  I still hate the patience & repetitiveness it requires, but I'm trying to appreciate it, since I have a lot of opportunity w/ so much infirmity!

 I heard this quote this week too, from an author, Bryan Stephenson, that I really liked about how our imperfections are what bind us together:

But our shared brokenness connected us. … Sometimes we’re fractured by the choices we make; sometimes we’re shattered by things we would never have chosen. But our brokenness is also the source of our common humanity, the basis for our shared search for comfort, meaning, and healing. Our shared vulnerability and imperfection nurtures and sustains our capacity for compassion.

We have a choice. We can embrace our humanness, which means embracing our broken natures and the compassion that remains our best hope for healing. Or we can deny our brokenness, forswear compassion, and, as a result, deny our own humanity

I posted last week about how overwhelming it can be when Dad is still so exhausted & not sleeping well, and Anne's eczema flares up EVERY time she goes outside, despite being vigilant w/ wet wraps & moisturizers, (not to mention her saying she has never felt the Spirit as we studied "Come Follow Me" last week!), but reading the joy(even with adversity) in your letters, and getting excited for Maddie's wedding when they are SO HAPPY overwhelms me too, only with joy.  There's SUCH a range of hopelessness and joyfulness, but I really am grateful for the joy--AND that the hard moments help me rely more on the Savior, and I loved that we studied last week about how HE knows suffering, heaviness, and pain in a very personal way, and most of all that He has overcome ALL things, so that we can always have hope.  I felt this way week again--feeling SO much joy over Maddie in the temple & the strength of youth, and people I have so much love for--& then feeling completely unable to take care of my responsibilities, let alone, do so cheerfully!, but good to get so much practice! I'm so excited to have family together this week! Aunt Kristen is actually in town, and will stay with us tonight, then Grandma tomorrow, and Uncles Robert, Briant, & TJ on Wed.  So even though I could barely sit through church with that headache today, I loved thinking of having so much family being with us next week--& to hear Savannah speak for her mission! 

Hope Sis Peterson was able to get you a bit of help w/ those allergies!--Love you tons! Love, Mom