A Fresh Start

After 3 1/2 years of being taught at home - The Professor headed back to public school today.  This is HUGE!!!  He is very excited!

For me (the mom) I was home... a complete mess of emotions (excited, happy, proud, nervous).  But I want to do what is best for The Professor, the things that will help him be happy, the things that will help him accomplish what he came to this earth to do.

Two favorite quotes right now:

"God bless you goodly mothers and fathers in Zion.  He has entrusted to your care His eternal children.  As parents we partner, even join, with God in bringing to pass His work and glory among His children.  It is our sacred duty to do our very best."  -Elder L. Tom Perry (LDS General Conference October 2012)

" All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  ... all things that are unfair in this life can and will be made right - even the deepest sorrows." - Sister Linda K Burton (LDS General Relief Society Meeting September 2012)

As a mother I am humbled, I'm not alone and the unfair will be made right.  Sometimes when I think of The Professor's life I am amazed at all he is willing to do.  Every day he tries his hardest to interact with the world in ways that don't come naturally at all.  He has to change everything about himself - to meet the expectations of the rest of our world.  It must be absolutely exhausting.  I cannot imagine having those same expectations placed on me - I don't think I could do it.  My son is amazing!

The Storms

Sometimes I start to get overwhelmed with life. Handsome Hubby is working on his MBA. OTG Boy has started junior high. The Professor is in his second year of virtual schooling. Bubba has plenty of homework and reading to keep us more than busy. We recently learned that Junior has peanut, tree nut, and egg allergies and I had my first experience with anaphylactic shock - scary! And as if these personal life circumstances weren't enough we discovered water damage and mold in the back bedroom and had to rip out a wall and closet, it's soccer season, and we've been in Primary Program preparation mode... aaaaahhhhh!

But,

as I was reading the Summer 2010 edition of BYU Magazine I came across a thought I absolutely love!

(In fact the entire article is worth a read, "Family Focus: Money Management Myths," by M. Sue Bergin, she shares the ideas she learned from an associate teaching professor Bryan L. Sudweeks.)

Here's the basic idea:

He points out that in the Book of Mormon the Jaredites had two problems when they built their boats... one, they had no light and two, no way to navigate. Sudweeks points out that the first problem was solved when the Brother of Jared prayed and the Lord touched the stones, which could now provide the light.

And now for the part I love!

The second problem was solved by, "sending storms that blew the vessels toward the promised land."

When I find myself in the middle of all of this craziness... I just need to sit back and remember what I already know... The Lord knows who I am and he knows what I need to make me into the best that I can become. I just need to remember that "the storms" will get me to the place that I really want to be.