happy things.

young women frenzy.

First of all, a couple of days ago (Tues.) I was in my craft room gathering supplies to go to Kerry's to scrapbook. I looked out the window and see all of the Young Women in our ward walking up our steps! I was a little confused! They were doing a service scavenger hunt and ours was the first house they came to! They had to do a list of things....they vacuumed and dusted our living room, read Tessa a story, folded some towels, scoured our bathroom sink, sweep in front of the door, cleaned our sliding mirror in the front hall, etc. It was so great! I was so thankful to them and it was fun to help them get it done as fast as they could because it was a contest with the boys! It was a little crazy, but it was fun! I am so thankful for the young women's and their examples they are to so many!

piano.

The Hoxies came over for dinner on Sunday. As Amanda is walking in the door, she tells me of a piano that is sitting in front of our neighbors house in their driveway. I asked Jay if he knew anything about it, and he said that they were getting rid of it! We asked Nick (our neighbor) if that was so, and sure enough it in our house an hour later! It's a Wurlitzer and it's in really good condition...granted, it's needs to be refinished. But the insides are lookin' good! I have always wanted a piano and have looked longingly at piano stores dreaming that someday I would own one...and now I have one! I feel so blessed and thankful to our neighbors. It just needs to be tuned and sanded and we're good to go! I LOVE music and know that it will always be apart of our family. Jason has already asked that I teach him to play. That night after his family left, he and I sang As Sisters in Zion/Army of Heleman song! It was cute! I love that we can do that kind of stuff together!

The flip side to getting a piano is one more piece of furniture in our tiny house. So it's been somewhat of a dilemma finding a spot for everything without it looking crowded. It's time to get rid of something! Shan-o-Han came over for 3 hours yesterday trying to help me figure our what we are going to do! CRAZINESS...but I think I have a solution that will help greatly! Thank goodness for friends.

journals.

I have always been a big believer in journal writing. I know that certain prophets really admonished it and I know that it's great family history, not to mention a great outlet! My first journal entries were in 1991 when I was only 7 years old. Once I was in middle school I was hooked. Most of high school I wrote most days. And I know one of my high school years it was my goal to write in my journal every single day of the year and I did! I was such an accomplishment for me and I'm so thankful I did that. I think about that often. I pulled all of them out last night and I was a little surprised at how much I have recorded! This picture is all of them, minus the one I have right now, and most of them are full! I am so thankful for journaling. It brought so many memories back and someday when my kids ask me what happened during a particular time, I can just look it up! I still have a journal, but the purpose of this blog has really been for just that. I know that keeping a journal is a true principle to follow and I'm sure somewhere down the line, my children will benefit and relate to something I went through that will maybe help them. Here's to blog/journaling!