thursday thoughts and homemade valentines.

hi.
today is quite a day so i'm going to be fast.
seriously-- you would just laugh if you saw what my days are like...

here are a few thoughts that i've loved lately.
 buddha taught me to not get stressed thinking that everything depends on me.
rather, he suggests, thinking of ourselves as a part of a greater whole.
like the mitochondria in a cell.
we're all working together for the greater good.
instead of a cell, i like to think of my part in the kingdom of God...
i'm just a part of a great work.
this is the "it takes a village to raise a child" concept and it brings me peace and perspective.

This is one of my FAVORITE quotes ever....

Martin Luther, the inspired Reformer, once wrote:

"The kingdom of God is like a besieged city surrounded on all sides by death. Each man (and woman) has his place on the wall to defend, and no one can stand where another stands, but nothing prevents us from calling encouragement to one another."

i also have thought about this quote a lot lately... especially as i feel the pain of some of my friends who have children who wander.
From “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus”, April 2010 General Conference, Elder Neil L. Anderson said,
“Although there may be times when a child does not listen with a believing heart, your testimony of Jesus will remain in his or her mind and soul. If a child is not listening, don’t despair. Time and truth are on your side. At the right moment, your words will return as if from heaven itself. Your testimony will never leave your children.”
and, that's all i got for you.

i'm doing a preschool at a nursing home this morning-- it's my first time.

wish me luck.
and, jakob is having his 13 birthday party tonight-- we invited 20 kiddos.
wish me luck.
and, todd is taking drew salmon fishing-- for the first time.
wish him luck.
and, i think lily has a bladder infection-- she was up all night saying "i'm still hurting, i think i'm going to die."

wish her luck.

and, my sweet baby is into EVERYTHING.  she is one of those lovely destructo children who empties every shelf, throws every toy, unrolls every toilet paper roll, splashes in the toilet (did i tell you leah is afraid to flush?  yeah, not a good combo)... and that's just during the day!
at night she is still a BEASTLY baby.
i am certain she has never slept 3 hours straight in her life...
wish her luck.
tomorrow the boys are going igloo camping
and i'm having ellie's half birthday with a house full of nine year olds...
on saturday--
i'm taking a NAP.
today i could use a cup of coffee.  :)

ps.  i'm making homemade valentines this year...
here are a couple--
on anna's i bought gummie hamburgers at the dollar store that i'm stapling to them.

on jakob's i bought little swedish fish packs.

i'll show you the rest when we finish them up!
these were easy to do on picnik and i can print out 20 for $3.00 at rite aid.

cheap, fun, and easy-- (i'm returning to my days of a craft slut.)
have a great day!