September Happenings

Posted by Chandra September 17, 2021

September Happenings

Our days have been filled with Disney trips, gymnastics, dance, Bunco, temple trips (date night and Parker baptisms), preschool, MCO, Fitness 19, seminary, school, yard work, Book Club, birthday breakfasts, Mutual, and church. Rayleigh and Jack are super excited about the Book Fair and even won some cool prizes for their fundraiser. I spent wayyyy too much money at the butcher next to the dance studio and splurged on some delicious steaks for Tanner and myself.

It's been super fun taking Ella to Disneyland and California Adventure. Parker comes with us but he goes off on his own while the 2 of us play together. It's something I truly treasure and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to go with her this year one on one. But I wanted to take the kids at night (which is my favorite) so we enjoyed a few hours on Thursday before MCO started. I thought the kids would crash on the way home but they didn't! We all had a blast! Disneyland during Halloween, especially at night, is so fun!

I've also been able to spend a little one on one time with Ella in the mornings before school. We have about a half an hour between the time we drop off Rayleigh and Jack and when she needs to be at school so we play at the park. It's a great way to start the day. She loves her little school friends and her amazing teacher!

I got to get together with my friends at Cowgirl Cafe for Jill's birthday! There are a lot of hot topics weighing us down: recalling our Governor, the unrest in the Middle East and at the border, stress about school, kids' mental health, and the new family who is now assigned to our ward because their son molested a few kids in his own ward... that's a sticky situation. And my sweet friends are all carrying such heavy loads. It's good to be together and to minister to each other.

This year marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11. I sat down to watch a documentary and cried my eyes out. Jack watched with me and had lots of questions. Those first responders.... I have no words. Heroes.

On Sunday, Josi frantically texted me that she was bleeding. She just recently found out that she was pregnant after soooo many years and a painful and expensive procedure to untie her tubes. But after having her come over for a scan and going to Alyse for another scan, she was in fact having a miscarriage.

The world is heavy and we all need to figure out what brings us light and joy and JUST DO IT. No holding back. No waiting for tomorrow. Start right now. Start with a prayer. Roll up your sleeves. Have fun in the way that inspires YOU. Help and serve those around you- even if all you can do is gently minister to yourself. Show yourself and others grace. We are all walking blindly right now- not to be cliche, but these ARE unprecedented times.

All the rules are out the window. We only need to keep 2 in mind: Love God and Love your neighbor.

Everything else will work out.

And if you're having a hard time with either of those, pray for love. God can't stop the world from spinning and make our temporal problems disappear (I'm looking at you, COVID), but he will deliver love in bucket loads if you only ask.