A mother should give her children a superabundance of enthusiasm,that after they have lost all they are sure to lose in mixing with the world, enough may still remain to prompt and support them through great actions.

-- Julius C. Hare (1795-1855) English Cleric

 

A Hansen Missionary returns today...

I love this picture of Robbie hugging his mom!!!! This is the son of Royce's cousin Mark. He just got home today from serving his mission in Brazil. 

 

Every problem has in it
the seeds of its own solution.If you don't have any problems,
you don't get any seeds.

-Norman Vincent Peale

We've all eaten a lot of cake this week in our family...time to give our "sweet tooths" a rest! (That shows how bad it's been around here...ME? RESTING MY SWEET TOOTH???)

Grant's 1st Birthday!

We celebrated another birthday today...and we had a hard time getting little Grant to open his presents. He turned his back on all the brightly wrapped gifts in exchange for some giggle time with Sean. Very sweet....he's a kid...and has his priorities in the right place. Who needs presents when one has a friend!!!?

Unexplained "goings on" in my backyard when "they" think I'm not watching...

I love that babies are so easily amused....

And, I just so happen to love this little guy more each day! It's wonderful being Grammie Kimmie. 

Happy Birthday To You......

We had a fun birthday party last Sunday for 2 of my favorite men...and, as you can see, we had quite a bit of great cake to celebrate with that night. Ryan and my father have been fishing buddies since Ryan was just a little 6 or 7 year old. It has been a wonderful thing watching their relationship grow through the years. Happy Birthday Ryan and Dad!!! 

A beautiful scripture explanation from Robin Groff's website today...

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot;then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it" If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green.

-- Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish Writer

 

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart....

...and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths.....

Leslie and her friend Trisha at the Open House of the new Sacramento Temple yesterday....

The Big Day Arrives!!! (This past Monday)

6 years ago I was sent another little angel to love and care for...he has blessed my life more than any words I could ever write would express adequately. Still a "baby" to me, but looking much older each moment...he was anxious to get going that day and begin his new life as a Kindergarten Student. 

Sean (middle) right before he began to sob....

Poor little guy. He just started realizing what this whole school thing entailed I suppose - you know, leaving mom for half a day...EVERY day....and though I was a tad bit irritated, I was also happy to know that at least one of my children still feels like crying at the idea of being separated from me......sweet little boy! 

Character cannot be developed
in ease and quiet. Only through experience of
trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened,
ambition inspired, and success achieved.

-Helen Keller