Mondays

I think I like Mondays because it is not the start of the work week for me (usually). I only work one Monday a month. This way I get to do some fun things and make sure I am still relaxed when I start work on Tuesdays. It also helps me to get prepared for Young Womens.

I can tell you all about what happened on the weekend, too. Gary and I went to the Deseret Industries between conference sessions on Saturday. He was looking for some business books for his Columbia classes. I have been reading more because I love reading. (I had stopped reading for a while, but am now back into it and am glad I am.) Anyway, we found a lot of books. In fact we got $450 worth of books for only $36.50. Don't you just love the D.I.? I do! What great finds!!

My favorite talk for conference this year was probably Elder D. Todd Christofferson's talk about God's expectations for us. He wants us to be perfect and experience ultimate joy. He said that the Lord chastens those whom he loves. He said the Lord chastens us because He knows waht He wants us to do and be. He has special plans for us and we must be willing to listen to that chastening and then act on it so that we can become who the Lord knows we can be and do what He knows we can do.

Chastening pursuades us to repent, refines us and redirects our course and our lives. He chastens us through our prayers, through the remembrance of our deficiencies, through our leaders, family, friends and neighbors. We should be willing to listen and to take a look at the things they say to see if there is any truth to it. If there is, we should make the change (repent) and redirect our lives.

Elder Christofferson also said that we should be self-correcting. If we notice that something is amiss in us, we should change. Like the scriptures say about removing the beam from our own eye before we try to remove the mote from someone else. We must start with ourselves.

Sometimes I know we wish we would not be chastened, but I am grateful for the times He has done this. I have always ended up being a better person for it and come closer to Him. Conference is always a great time and I am glad on this Monday that I can reflect on the words of the Lord through His Apostles.

Thankful Thursday

Today is Thursday and I have not posted my Thankful Thursday for a long time, so I thought I should do it today.

1. I am thankful for Gary. He is such a wonderful person. He is my best friend and my favorite person to be with.

2. I am thankful for our new bishopric. Our old bishopric was great and we will miss them, but I know the new men will do a great job.

3. I am thankful for the flexibility in my job. I love that I am able to call Shellie and change schedules if something comes up.

4. I am thankful for our beautiful home. I am so glad that we live here. I am thankful for the ability to turn this house into a home.

5. I am thankful for my love of reading. There are so many good books and I am so glad that I love to spend hours reading.

6. I am thankful for my big chair in the bay window where I get to sit and read while enjoying the view of the mountains.

7. I am thankful for the scriptures. They are the word of God and they help me to know what to do in my life.

8. I am thankful we are going to Hawaii with Lizzie and Luke soon. We all need a vacation.

9. I am thankful Sara is having fun with her friends camping, but will be thankful when she comes home.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. I am so grateful for everything I have. I needed to say it today because it has not been such a good day for me. Now I can look and see what great things I have in my life.

Personal History

I completed my personal history for my Individual Worth Value Project. I was so excited when I was done and I am so glad I did it. It took me about 60 hours or more, so it was a long project. It was well worth it though. I was able to see how I have changed and remember many fun times I had as a child. It also helped me to remember how important keeping a journal is. Without my journals, I would have had a much harder time completing this.

I know this personal history will never be completed until I am no longer here, so I will be adding to the already 120 pages that I have periodically.

I recommend to everyone to start their personal history now. Hopefully, you will have as much fun as I did.

Happy Birthday!!!

Today is my birthday! I am 45 years old. Wow! I can't believe I am that old. I still feel like I am about 30, only it doesn't match because Doug is almost 25. It has been a great day so far. I got a new church bag for my birthday. My old one was too small.

This one is huge. I love it. It holds everything and has so many pockets on the outside and the inside. I can keep track of things without having to take everything out of it. I was going to make myself one, but then I saw this one at Target and had to have it. Thanks to Gary who bought it for me.

Lizzie woke me up this morning at around 12:10 am, so she could be the first one to wish me a Happy Birthday. She is so funny and I love her to death. She is one of my best friends. Sara is going to make me dinner (either her or Tasha, Jared and the kids may bring over something) and she bought me a ice cream cake for a surprise dessert. Can't wait to eat it later today.

Lizzie and Luke sent me a present. It got here last week. Lizzie wanted to make sure it got to me before my birthday.

This is so cute. I love Willow Tree statues. The flowers and the vines on the dresses intertwine. they go from one dress to the other. It's called "Close to Me" Apart or together, always close to me. It truly symbolizes my relationship to Lizzie.

Gary and I are not sick anymore, so that is one of the best birthday presents I could ask for. I was able to go to church and feel good. The best present I am getting is a trip to Hawaii. Gary and I are going to go with Lizzie and Luke to Hawaii from April 30 to May 5, 2011. I am so excited. That's why we are not doing much for my birthday. The big present comes later.

A thanks to all those who have sent their birthday wishes to me. Love you all!

Nice Valentines Present

So yesterday was Valentines Day. It is supposed to be a good day with love and laughter and presents. The Wilson 2011 Valentines Day did not turn out like we had hoped. Gary's present to me was to get me sick. I love my hubby and I know he loves me because he is willing to share everything with me. However, he could have kept his sickness to himself. So Valentine's Day was pretty sad. My birthday is coming up on Sunday, so hopefully we will both feel good enough to celebrate then.

We went to the doctors this morning. Gary was not getting any better, so we made the trip. Two hours later (they forgot the doctor wanted a chest x-ray, so we sat in the room for forever) we found out that Gary has Pneumonia and I have the onset of Bronchitis. Yeah for us! Then I dropped Gary off and went to the base to get our prescriptions filled. There was something going on and I had to drive about a mile out of my way to get to the hospital. So another 2 hours later and I was finally home.

Now I am just resting after having gotten Gary his lunch and made sure he took his antibiotic. It's going to be a long few days but this too will pass and we will be well again. It also allows me to work on my personal history because I can do that while I rest or watch TV.

I hope no one that has come in contact with us gets sick. Lizzie make sure you wipe your phone down so it doesn't come through to you. Can't have you getting sick when you have recruits coming.

Happy Valentine's Day

Just wishing everyone a Happy Valetine's Day especially to Gary!

To Lizzie and Luke: I hope you have a wonderful fondue dinner at home tonight. Can't wait for Hawaii! I am glad you have each other.

Sweethearts Dinner

On Saturday, we had our annual Sweethearts Dinner and Dessert Auction in the Adamswood Ward to raise funds for girls camp. It turned out to be a great success. We netted about $2300 with about $450 in expenses, so we should have about $1800 or so for girls camp. Everything went so well and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for helping everything go smoothly and for all of the Young Women leaders and our wonderful young women who helped.

The gym was decorated with hearts all around. We had 19 table set up with 8 place settings at each table. The centerpieces were plastic water bottles covered with beautiful valentine paper. We put beans in them topped with red hots and then put some suckers in each one. Linzy Fletcher had cut out heart chains from napkins to put around the bottles and then we had conversational hearts and mints scattered around. Linzy had put up lights that went from the basketball hoops to the sides of the gym. With the lights low, it was beautiful.

We made penne pasta topped with either chicken alfredo or meatball marinara. Last year we had not had some things heated enough, but this year it went well. The plates that were bought were white and square. They were very elegant. Everything was hot and delicious. Kelsey Zollinger again made homemade breadsticks. They were delicious. I don't ever want her to move because no one makes them like she does.

Sheri Knapp made a delicious salad with red onions, strawberries and candied pecans on it with a poppy seed dressing. Yum! We got many compliments on everything and most people said they had fun.

The girls were on top of taking care of their tables. They worked really hard and I was proud of them.

When dinner was almost complete, we started the dessert auction. Tammie Rees had placed all the goodies the girls and young women leaders had brought out so everyone could look at them before hand. Then Brother Leavitt began the auction. He is a great auctioneer. He got people to bid high, so we made about $1100 just on desserts. He made it so fun. He is hilarious. Gary and Steve Lemburg helped take the money.

What a great time for all. I feel so blessed to have the leaders I have working with me. Once someone is given a task, they complete it without me having to bug them all the time. What a blessing from the Lord!!

Sara was Gary's date and she had a good time too.

We are making sure to keep detailed notes for next year so that we do not have to reinvent the wheel again. It will make next year all the more easy. What a great start to Valentine's Day.