keep on keepin on.

yesterday, i soaked up the rays, played with friends, and let my hair frizz with chlorine pool water conditioning.
life is good.

i also read this talk... Love of Father and Mother.
it's great.
this is my favorite part.

you can't force your boys, nor your girls into heaven.
you may force them to hell--
by using harsh means in the efforts to make them good,
when you yourself are not as good as you should be...

you can only correct your child in love, in kindness-by love unfeigned, by persuasion and reason.

along that note...
yesterday i threw leah into the pool.
she was being a stink to her little friend.
and i told her if she wasn't nice i would throw her into the pool.
i did it with a smile... does that make it right?
she was kind after that.
no.  i'm not a perfect mother either. 

note 2.
none of us can possibly correct in kindness every time.
it is impossible.
so, that's why i vote for letting things go.
if you can't correct kindly, ignore it.
put it on your list of "things to teach later"
remember- i hate consistency.
i'm not sayin' i'm right, i'm just sayin' when i'm loosin' it...
i work on fixing ME first and teaching THEM later.
i get quiet when i'm stressed or upset... very quiet.
this is a LEARNED behavior.
then later, when i'm under control, we talk it over.

and, i PROMISE this is not a blog where i tell you everything i've ever learned about parenting.
because truthfully, all i've learned about parenting is...
kids are great.  i have a long way to go.

remember my favorite scripture...

he maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children.  praise ye the Lord.  psalms 113:9

it's not about what i teach them.
they'll be ok.
their Father is God.
it's about becoming.  learning.  growing.
nothing shapes a soul better than being a parent.
it is truly a refiners fire and i am a better person because of the marathon i am running.  
the end.

oh, ok.  here are a couple more quotes that i love.

Our Heavenly Father, who loves us COMPLETELY and PERFECTLY, permits us to have experiences that will ALLOW us to develop the traits and attributes we NEED to become more and more Christlike.

Elder James B. Martino... read this it's pretty much my favorite talk on learning from our trials... so good!!! All Things Work Together for Good.

There is NO FAILURE except in giving up.

Elder Robert D. Hales... read this amazing talk, Our Duty to God

Never stop starting.

Shana Sylvester, one of my favorite mothers

Your child is Heavenly Father's child.

You are about His work.

He has promised to gather His children, and 

He is with you.

Elder Robert D. Hales... i told you this was an amazing talk, Our Duty to God

The greatest LOVE and the greatest TEACHINGS should be in our HOMES.

Elder Robert D. Hales... seriously,  read this again...  Our Duty to God.

The greatest FAITH we have will be within our homes as we REMAIN STRONG in the trials and tribulations of parenthood.

Elder Robert D. Hales, what did he say???  

Trials and Tribulations of parenthood....  YUP-- It's HARD!  it's REFINING.

oh how i love this scripture... print it out and hang it on your refrigerator.  read it when you're trying to get your kids to eat dinner and you're worried that they will be 21 and still surviving on vitamin-fortified Frosted Flakes.

...let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for His arm to be revealed. doctrine and covenants 123:15,17

love this.
i know God loves parents.
i know God loves little children.
i know that He helps us every day... even the days when He "permits us to have experience that will allow us to develop the traits and attributes we need to become more and more Christlike."
even then.
He love us.
Life is good.
Families are GREAT.
the end.
of another book.