Dream (Repeat from FB)

I had a strangely bizarre, vivid, and gruesome dream last night. I walked out my backdoor come morning, and saw there was an owl nest by my chimney (I don't have a chimney, it was also above the laundry and my daughter's room which is a bad place for it.) There were two parent owls, and a baby, I could see them all very clearly. It was quite exciting. The massive amount of owl poop on my roof was not exciting. (A week ago we saw a baby owl, in the garden center of Home Depot, they've nested there for two years.) Then I noticed a different large bird nest on my hill. Not sure what it was, but it was a very large bird of prey. There were two parents and some babies. All very majestic. Just then the owl parents swooped down took one of the babies, shredding the outside, and saving the inside for their baby. This infuriated the large bird of prey and they came to attack the owls, just as they were giving their baby the other baby. Next thing I know they were in this massive gruesome aerial fight, that some how ended up swooping into my kitchen. Some flew back out, so I shut the door. Then realizing they weren't all out, I opened the door, the ones that were out flew back in, I couldn't get them out, and I woke up, during the vicious fight of large birds.

Shorts

A friend of mine wears skirts all summer long.  She says its because she looks weird in shorts, I tell her no, its because you spent years living in Europe. I on the other hand, spent 10 years growing up in Texas.  I proudly wear shorts all summer long.  The minute it is warm enough to wear shorts you'll find me at the park with my children wearing shorts, even if it requires a jacket. I have twice as many pairs of shorts and long pants. I know other cultures think Americans are ridiculous in their fascination with shorts. But its not just United States Americans, its the whole western hemisphere as far as I can tell. In Costa Rica everyone wore shorts.  Why because its hot, and when it hot why not wear shorts?! I personally think my 7 year old should still be able to wear shorts to church, but my husband says he's too old.  He's probably right because I almost typed my 5 year old should wear shorts, but he's not 5, he's 7.  And probably 8 is too old for shorts at church, so....
I personally would put him in shorts, a white shirt and tie, yeah, I might be a little too obsessed with shorts.

No Happiness Without Service

Recently heard a quote from Joseph F. Smith, 

There can be no genuine happiness separate and apart from the home, and every effort made to sanctify and preserve its influence is uplifting to those who toil and sacrifice for its establishment. Men and women often seek to substitute some other life for that of the home; they would make themselves believe that the home means restraint; that the highest liberty is the fullest opportunity to move about at will. There is no happiness without service, and there is no service greater than that which converts the home into a divine institution, and which promotes and preserves family life.
Those who shirk home responsibilities are wanting in an important element of social well-being. They may indulge themselves in social pleasures, but their pleasures are superficial and result in disappointment later in life. The occupations of men sometimes call them from their homes; but the thought of home-coming is always an inspiration to well doing and devotion.

Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 300.

I like those paragraphs, I need to hear them. The world teaches the exact opposite.  One more time,

" ..they would make themselves believe that the home means restraint; that the highest liberty is the fullest opportunity to move about at will. There is no happiness without service, and there is no service greater than that which converts the home into a divine institution..."

As you may recall a few months ago I mentioned feeling like I had postpartum depression. Its been a long spring, in so many ways. In one or two of the ways, my husband had a lot of responsibilities out of the house, it was rough.  I wondered how much the world, the church, my family would ask for me.  Life was being too demanding.  I felt pity for a while, but then I volunteered to be a nursery worker (18 mo-3 years) at church.  I have another calling, and my husband has a demanding calling, but I realized if I was feeling pained about my service I wasn't serving enough.  I'm only in nursery for an hour, because of other responsibilities. Most Sundays I walk in to nursery I wonder what was I thinking? But its what I need to be doing.

Early Father's Day

Two years ago my husband moved into our house with us after we had lived here for two months. In an effort to save money since he wasn't here, I didn't buy him a front porch chair. 

Finally after two years, I bought him a chair. A grand gesture so he knows I've   made space for him in our lives. 

Happy Father's Day. Now you can sit on the front porch with me. I love that I have a front porch it makes life seem to quaint. Too bad it's not twice as big. But life goes on. The kids have a bench to the left of the door. 

Pinterest and Pregnancy is a Bad Mix

On pinterest someone had pinned, "Creative Ways to Tell Your Husband You're Pregnant (For Future Reference).  I thought really?  There is something wrong with laying on the couch, complaining how sick I feel until days later he convinces me to take a pregnancy test? I had no idea I was doing it so wrong.
This all be said, I am not pregnant, I'm not announcing anything.