Our Week

This week seemed pretty unproductive since I was just getting over my 3 week sickness and Mike was just beginning his. Being sick makes you realize how important your health is. Despite the sickness, here are somethings we got to enjoy this past week (from last Friday on).

We tried a new restaurant last Friday for date night: Barrio Cantina and Grill. Although the food wasn't as good as other restaurants we have been to, nothing to "rave" about persae, the decor did not disappoint. Check out some of the art and modern designs.

Big comfy couches

Huge fan

I love the beams that were left unpainted and the rawness about the restaurant

Monday: My awesome visiting teachers came over. It was so nice to visit with them and not only discuss the gospel but both sisters are educators in the area and they were able to give me such good advice about the different school districts around Glendale. Mike and I rented such an interesting documentary "Waiting for Superman" that looks at the problems of the education system in America. Boy were our eyes opened about the lack of equally high education each child is exposed to in our school system. It is such a concern for most parents who desire their child to have an equal chance in attaining the highest level of success in school. As a parent you want to do whatever it takes to help your child succeed in this life. It left Mike and I discussing which type of school system (public, charter, private, etc.) will be best for Beckahm one day. One bit of advice my VT gave me was to be an active parent by making sure I demand that my child's teacher(s) are adequately trained and doing the best job they can in helping my child learn. Also, it is so important to remember that education begins in the home. From 0-3 a child's brain is significantly developed. It is important to expose your child to as many words as possible that way by the time they reach school age they will have a much better foundation and be 5x more successful in school than those children who are not exposed to as many words. I have always believed that children are so impressionable at such a young age and are often underestimated for the amount and varying different ways they can learn. I am so grateful for my love of literature and education. I am so excited to teach Beckahm all that I can, and do activities with him each day that help him grow intellectually. Yesterday I went to our library and rented about 16 children's books for Beckahm. Mike and I read an adorable book called "Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs."

What a great book, it totally made me laugh, and the illustrations were incredible! We plan to read him a book each night before bed and continue to do so after his birth. It is so adorable how much he enjoys hearing our voices. He loves hearing us sing in church and he loves hearing us talk to each other and read the scriptures or the novel we are reading together reach night before we go to bed. One night we did an experiment, because he was kicking me like crazy while Mike was reading the scriptures, we stopped reading for a while and right when we did he stopped moving. Then as soon as we resumed reading he started kicking me like crazy. My VT, who has a PHD in children's brain development/psychology didn't seem all that shocked when I told her about our little experiment. She told me how much information, such as the sound of our voice, he can absorb, even at such a young age in the womb. It's truly incredible. She encouraged us to try another experiment when he is delivered: when he is the doctors care after delivery talk to him and see how his head will turn away from the Dr. and hone in on our voices, knowing we are his parents. Incredible!

Tuesday: We were happy to feed the missionaries again this week: Breakfast for dinner; who doesn't LOVE such a meal??? After dinner the missionaries were able to help administer a blessing to both Mike and I. We talked about how much we take the priesthood for granted as members in the church. Why, for example, do we feel we have to wait until we are on our death beds before we ask our husbands, or those in our ward, to offer their power and give us a blessing? Hopefully we can pass on a different teaching to our children and encourage them to have faith that the priesthood has the ability to help and heal any and all types of situations from what we might consider the most minor to the most pertinent. Wednesday morning I started to feel the sickness leave my body—what a miracle that blessing was in helping my body heal.

Thursday: My visiting teaching companion and I were able to visit teach for the first time since being called as each others companions. Although we were only able to see one of our girls this month, it was nice to share a spiritual message and be able to chat about our pregnancies (go figure all three of us are pregnant). I am grateful for the experiences of others and the information I can take from those who have paved the way before me. What an inspiring program VT is!

Friday: Mike was still feeling really sick and was unable to come with me to the service project we signed up for this month—to feed the homeless in our local community—but fortunately I was able to go. The Mission in Phoenix that provides this service is truly inspiring; what a blessing for these people who have no homes and food to be able to come and have three hearty meals each day. I nearly broke down in tears as I saw the most adorable ragga muffin children come in with their parents, eyes wide with hunger. I wanted to take them under my arm, give them a big hug, and let them know how much hope I had for them and their future and how much they were loved by their Divine maker. The spirit manifested to me as I watched lines and lines of people coming through the lunch room, waiting to be served by the volunteers—all ragged and worn down by whatever life had thrown at them/whatever choices they had made—how much love God had for each of them and that he to would be serving them if he were here today. As I loaded desserts on their stacked plates of food, it was incredible to hear how grateful they were for me deciding to come today and not only volunteer my time but give them a warm smile. "God bless you," many would say. What an example they were to me, those who had so little yet so grateful for the little they had. I will never forget their faces, smiles, or the feeling of their spirits as they sat eating together in that room. What a wonderful feeling/blessing it is to serve those around us who are in so much greater need than we are. How blessed we are to have running water, a heated home, a bed to sleep in, shelter from the rain, food in our cupboards, money in our bank account . . . we have SO much to be grateful for!

I made two new accessories this past week:

Matching Nantucket snap button cuff and hair accessory

Finished product: Beckahm's special plate!

This is our first 3 D picture of Beckahm! He was moving so much that we didn't get that many great pictures; hopefully this wednesday we can get some better ones. It is precious to see his big lips and cute little nose though!

Taking a Sunday afternoon nap; Nika is so cute, she loves snuggling with us.

This weekend we had stake conference which was so edifying and inspiring! I am so grateful to be a member of this church and to have so many wonderful opportunities to be uplifted. Mike and I were just talking about how sad it is to see so much evil in the world, and then to go and participate in such a powerful, beautiful, inspired organization is so rejuvenating to your spirit. We were so grateful to be able to attend the Saturday session; we learned/received so much inspiration about parenthood from the area authority. Thought I would pass on the wonderful advice for all to benefit:

1-Have the Holy Ghost in your home; make sure your home is a place He feels comfortable living in. The Holy Ghost needs to be something our children learn to trust and rely on because it will guide them through their life. No other influence can compensate for the influence of the Holy Ghost in their life.

2-If our children exhibit a weakness don't point it out to them or reprimand them. The best thing we can do as parents is to help them learn how to help themselves overcome their weaknesses. For example, if our child has a problem with selfishness we could have THEM prepare and teach a FHE lesson on charity. Through their own self-learning they will be taught how to overcome their weaknesses.

3-We can't always tell our children what to do as far as making decisions. They don't automatically leave our home at 19 being able to make decisions for themselves. We must teach them free agency from 0-19. We must make them feel they are confident, responsible children that we respect and trust to make the right decision. When they ask for permission to do something, for example, Elder Lesaure, told us about his boy asking if he could go snowboarding with his friends over the weekend, instead of telling them "yes" or "no", pose inspiring questions to them to help them figure out the answer. For example, Elder Lesaure posed questions to his son like "what will we do without you to help bail the hay?" "who will pass the sacrament on Sunday?" "who will conduct your early morning meeting on Sunday?"After posing all of these questions to his son, and his son providing his dad with answers, he asked his dad once more if he had his blessing to go. Elder Lesaure didn't give in to his son, rather he left him to ponder more on these questions and let him make his own decision. I have always thought this to be a powerful lesson to remember and teach our children. They come to this earth seeking the agency we all came down to seek and they DO have the ability to make decisions; it is but our responsibility to be teachers and HELP guide them in the right way.

4- He mentioned how it is a lot harder to look for the good than the bad in our kids, and that we MUST reward, compliment, and praise them whenever they do good things. That way when they are faced with REAL temptation they will know that their parents love, respect, and trust them. They will want to continue to make good decisions if they know they are recognized at home for making good decisions.

5- The importance of unity and "persuasion" between husband and wife. Our kids need to be brought up in a unified home, not one where one spouse rules with a heavy fist. Each view point needs to be listened to and respected . Remember that most arguments are what he termed ".25 arguments." Rarely do we encounter "$1mill arguments" in marriage. Mike and I LOVED this concept and have decided to implement it in our home, not only between us but with our kids. Whenever we have an argument we need to stop and ask "is this really worth the fight? Is it a ".25 argument" or a "million dollar argument?" Same with our kids when they encounter problems in life, "is this a .25 problem or a million dollar problem?" Perspective changes everything.

All in all, despite the sicknesses we've faced, our bodies are healing and we look forward to another great week.