Beginning of a Testimony

Tonight while laying down with Jacob and Bryson Jr. for our bedtime routine, I sang some of the songs they had performed in the Primary Program yesterday. I finished with the hymn, 'I Stand All Amazed' - and right as I finished, Jacob asked - "Mom, do you cry when you hear that song?"

My mind flashed back to the program yesterday - the children were singing that hymn for the closing song, and I noticed that Jacob had started to wipe his eyes - palm open, trying to wipe "something" out of his eyes. I remember wondering 'was he was crying'? My heart wanted to know if he might be feeling the spirit, or I reasoned that perhaps his cold was bothering his eyes. I didn't follow through & ask him - the program finished and after the prayer, the children came into the congregation and we were wrapped up in telling them how much we had loved the program & then we were whisked into the gym where cookies were laid out, and in the commotion and chocolate overdose I didn't take a moment to recognize the spirit at that time. However tonight - it all zoomed in and I realized - he HAD felt the spirit.

I finally replied, "Sometimes I cry when I hear that song & sometimes I just feel the spirit really strong in my heart. Do you cry when you hear it?"

"I don't cry the tears out, but my eyes fill up when I hear it and sing it," Jacob sweetly said.  

My eyes definitely filled up with tears at that moment. We then had a sweet talk about how the song is a testimony of how much Jesus loves us, and a way we share our knowledge of Jesus as we sing the hymn. We talked through many of the lines of the song and what it means to us - how we know that Jesus loves us. I reminded him that if he were the only boy on the entire earth, our Savior would have come to save him. He would have died just for him. He would have done the same for any of us. And in fact - He did die for each and every single one of us. It was such a simple and sweet moment with both boys - particularly Jacob. That boy has a spirit as large as a giant. I definitely marvel at the love my Savior and my Father in Heaven have for me - that this boy was sent to me to be my son, to have me for his mother. What a blessing. Jacob definitely teaches me, amazes me and enlarges my heart on a very regular basis.

I Stand All Amazed at the love Jesus offers me. 
Confused at the grace that so fully he profers me. 
I tremble to know that for me, He was crucified. 
That for me a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died. 
Oh, it is wonderful, that He should care for me, enough to die for me. 
Oh, it is wonderful! Wonderful to me.

Conference Weekend

The first weekend in October is one of my favorite weekends of the year - it usually starts feeling a little more like fall, or at least the colors start to look like fall!  It's also an incredibly spiritual weekend where we hear from our prophets and leaders in the church.  We still are watching Conference on a little laptop - we try to remember to hook speakers up so we can hear better than we might be able to see, and we spend a lot of time snuggling up while listening, kiddos playing Conference Bingo & learning and growing in ways that will bless our lives.

This was Emilia's first time where she is very, very mobile and she was everywhere during both Saturday and Sunday morning sessions - however, she also must have felt something in her little spirit, as she stopped to listen to this speaker & gave him a big smile....
                                     

 ....and then tried to get in closer to watch and listen to him...

 ...and finally gave him a kiss to show her love.  We all love General Conference - Emilia just took it very literally!

Daddy and Emilia had a little cheer practice in between Conference sessions on Saturday and before Emilia's nap.  It was a beautiful, fall day --- hooray!

 {how fitting that her shirt say's Daddy's Little Butterfly'!}

Between the Saturday sessions and when the Afternoon Session was finished, we went outside to work - Dad and the boys took all the wood that had been taken down from around the door frames, and leftover from the new walls that had been put in, and took out the nails (smart thinking...our carpenter Dave already put a nail through his finger!).  There were nails left all over the driveway and we needed to get them cleaned up - Bryson Jr. went way beyond my suggestion of a broom and dustpan, and while he pushed Emilia on her bike around the driveway - he tied a rope around his waist and hung our large magnet from it.  He went up and down the driveway and had dozens and dozens of nails hanging from the magnet by the end of his "sweep!"  I love his creativity and ingenius mind to think of that idea!

On Sunday, the boys worked on their Conference Bingo....we had the alphabet cookies from Trader Joe's to help sweeten (ha ha) the game :)

Between Conference Sessions we decided to go up to walk around Silver Lake up at Brighton.  The day was gorgeous!  The aspen leaves were golden amber and sending out a beautiful glow!  We walked around the lake which is an easy walk for everyone & realized that we live too close to the mountains to not go up there more frequently.  I think a break/mountain retreat between sessions each Conference time is a perfect tradition to start :)

Emilia found the pockets in her jacket after watching Madeleine put her hands in her pockets.  Emilia is at the perfect stage of imitation and that she is still doing so many firsts & exploring what is around her.  It is so wonderfully fun & precious to have her young spirit and life in our family!

 

It was a great weekend and while there was a lot of time sitting and listening/watching the messages (therefore sometimes antsy little children) - we felt the spirit many times in our home from the truly inspired messages.  We feel uplifted and know that by using the messages in our own lives, home & family we'll be blessed.  There are times when I wonder if anyone in the family likes one another - we get frustrated and snippy & short of temper....however, during and after Conference we pull together and make necessary changes to improve our family & I realize there are times where it might be hard to like one another - but there is always the deeper family love that binds us together.  It's great to have a 6-month boost of spiritual messages delivered that we can apply and feel the difference with immediately.  Conference always impresses and works in it's divine ways to help our family improve.  We are the best family that we have - we need work like most families - and that is why we work to build together from the messages that have been given.  What a blessing Conference weekend is!