Blessings

We had our first week of school.

First day of school: ice cream celebration at Cowlicks

Seminary got off to a rough start.  But it's going now, and Hannah is enjoying it.  The teacher is experiencing Seminary for her first time, EVER, and I think she's having a ball.  Aside from that early morning thing.  ;-)

Brynne did, oh, 4 weeks of school work in 4 days.  Quite by accident.  I accidentally assigned her ALL of her science to do that week (which she did in two days).  And she read her science schedule instead of her history schedule and therefore did all of her history for the month on two other days.  I was wondering why school seemed to be taking SO long for her.  We figured it out on Friday when I reviewed her assignments.  Whoops!  The good news is that now she has three weeks to really enjoy the topics - art project, science experiments, etc.

I gave Logan an easy week.  We mostly concentrated on spelling and math.  I just barely bought a new writing curriculum with which I'm slowly acquainting myself, so I won't be ready for that quite yet.

And I've been putting off PreK until after our guests leave.  For right now, with Kenna and Nat, we're focusing on routines.  Our guests are gone to preschool themselves on MWF, so that's when we really get into our little routines.  Things like singing primary songs in the morning, which Kenna refuses to participate in.

I've had a rough week.  Among many other things, I'm tired of worrying about and thinking about things I can't fix.  It's been emotionally draining.

I was reading from a book by Elder Dallin H. Oaks that Josh put on our Kindles: "Life's Lessons Learned".  In it, Elder Oaks briefly points out that the Savior asked the Lord to remove the challenge he was facing:  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and ^aprayed, saying, O my ^bFather, if it be possible, let this ^ccup pass from me: nevertheless not as I ^dwill, but as ^ethou ^fwilt.  ( Matthew 26:39)  

The Savior finishes his prayer by saying that he will do as the Lord asks him.  Elder Oaks points out that even the Savior's prayer to have his trials removed was not answered.  Sometimes the hard things have to happen.

I was thinking about that today.  I've faced some challenges this week/month/summer that I've wished could be removed.  I knew that they might not be taken away, and therefore I could ask for strength from the Lord to bear them.   Funny how even when you know things in your head, sometimes that knowledge isn't communicated as well to your heart.
During Fast and Testimony meeting today, Hannah gave a short, simple, yet powerful testimony about that well-known scripture in Nephi 3:7 "...I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

It was humbling and wonderful to have the answer to my prayer today be answered through the testimony of my 14 year old daughter.  As she spoke, the Spirit confirmed that the Lord is with me and he will help me to bear my burdens.  My burdens might not seem heavy to anyone else, but they are heavy to me.  And the Lord loves me enough to help me through the difficulties I face with them.  I'm so grateful for his endless patience with my whining, struggles, complaints, and impatience!



OK.  So enough sermonizing.

I've been eagerly awaiting fall's weather.  We've been finishing the summer with foggy days (luckily, a bit of sun has peaked through pretty much every day).  

Yesterday we got invited to dinner at the Bishop's house.  His 15 year old daughter made the main dish.  I'm writing about it because it was so yummy, and I thought you all might like to try it.  She made meatball subs, which I have never in my life had a desire to eat.  BUT they were FANTASTIC!  I'm a fan of tomato sauce and cheese...thus my love of all things that resemble pizza...and these meatball subs fit the bill.

She cooked meatballs in marinara/spaghetti sauce.
The french rolls were prepared with a spread of cream cheese and a sprinkling of grated mozzerella cheese.  The meatballs were laid over the cheese layer, with a little more mozzerella on top, and the second piece of bread on top.  They were then broiled lightly just to melt the cheese, and served!  It looked so simple but tasted divine and were super filling.  We had homemade french fries and yummy green salad with it.  

(not to mention homemade strawberry pie from the pie sale this weekend and vanilla ice cream - yes we were definitely spoiled!!)

I'm off to enjoy our traditional sunday dinner of breakfast (waffles with fruit and whipped cream today!).