1/21/24

What a topsy-turvy week! I woke up with a miserable cold Monday, so was glad for the day off to sleep in, and then make homemade chicken noodle soup.  Felt enough better by Tuesday to start getting things done, and then we had a snow day on Wednesday! I thought I'd have all day to read, but I didn't pick up my book once just getting little things done here and there, making sourdough, and homemade seed crackers Stacey exposed us to, and then having to fix the wiring in the vacuum after it sucked up a rug!  We had basketball games Tues and Thurs, and Anne dressed for JV (& played a bit!) after her sophomore games.  I just had quick RS visits Tues night, fun book group Wed night, and then! spent Friday so mad at what I thought was our dumb "smart" thermostat not getting our house warm!  that I decided to switch it out with a traditional one, only to have THAT also not work! Took a quick break for library story time, then tried everything else I could think of or find before finally calling HVAC help before we got stuck in a cold weekend! Though I was mad I didn't conquer it like the victorious vacuum, it all turned out for the good.  Grandma had just mentioned the day before that they have a contract for getting their heating/a/c serviced every year, & I thought, "Which other class on being an adult did I skip, not to know about that?!" And when I called to have someone check on our furnace, they were going to charge so much just to drive here, but when we looked at other options, it turned out cheaper to just call it a service call, which included the drive in the price, and if we agreed to 2 visits for the year (one heat, one a/c) it was even cheaper! So we got the furnace taken care of AND I grew up! Turns out I had just blown a fuse, which was no charge, plus they cleaned everything out (which may have been causing the problem in the first place), the smart thermostat got a 2nd chance, and they even solved the fireplace switch not working before they left--Hooray!  Dad & I just drove to Logan for date night dinner, and have been loving "All Creatures Great and Small" (well, I love it, and he doesn't mind it).  After some really freezing days starting in the negatives, it's warmed up enough yesterday that we've had rain! I ran yesterday before taking the girls to orchestra and got in the temple for a bit, came home for Anne's driving test, had a break, then took Anne & Lucy to Lucy's Ogden indoor soccer game right before Anne's SLC tennis tournament until 10 PM.  Long night, but low-stress when Dad is at home to get Seth to bed.  Dad & I had fun subbing Jane's primary class today.  I have a really horrible time seeing my strengths sometimes, and I was particularly down today feeling so inept and discouraged, BUT I also know this is a weakness of mine, and not an accurate view.  As I was working through that, the kids were learning the Primary song about Nephi's courage, and the last verse when it said, "Sometimes I am tempted to choose another way--when I'm discouraged and think I cannot try, I will be courageous, and I will reply: I will go, I will do..." I have really had to learn that getting down on myself is my worst version of temptation, and hearing those words like that was like a message to God from me that HE sees my strengths and goodness, and that He wants to (& will) help me get through those discouraged feelings.  It's not automatic, but it's easier knowing it's my emotions that are out of whack than a whole list of failings I need to work on! Emily seems to be settling into sweaty Santiago! They saw a Chilean ballet in the park, visited a century old fortress, helped in hospitals, English classes, and FSY meetings, made some friends at Institute, and had fun swimming and eating great food.  Brent's starting to get more job interviews lined up, and Jane & I are halfway through reading Harry Potter together! Hope your week is as at least as good as last week! Love you so much! Love, Mom