Nauvoo in February

Yesterday Kim and I got up early and headed to the temple. I was surprised that it had snowed over night and that it was so cold. The weather here has been back and forth with the temperature one day being really beautiful (in the 40s) and the next day in the teens. So, we drove and talked and planned sharing time for March. As we got closer the roads got worse and less traveled and so much more snowy. I was very grateful for the new tires I got in December. We finally got to the temple and found a place to park (the normal parking lot had about 2 or 3 inches of unpaved snow on it and was closed). As we were walking through the very cold wind and snow we talked about how this is the exact time that the saints left Nauvoo for the Salt Lake Valley, but it was much colder then because the Mississippi was frozen over and it was running just fine yesterday. What a sacrifice to leave their warm homes, beautiful temple and travel by foot somewhere - with the knowledge that when they got where ever they were going nothing was waiting them there - no warm fires or homes, no beautiful temple. It made walking into the warmth and beauty of the temple that much more special yesterday. I love that temple and place.
There was a young man taking out his endowment for his mission there yesterday and it was sweet to watch the parents of this young man - the father was very moved several times and in tears. Of course, the young man seems obvious because he was concentrating so hard to understand and be precise, it was a sweet sight and reminded me of almost 13 years ago when I went with Mama and Daddy to the Dallas temple. I am so grateful for that day and the days and years that have followed - that have allowed me to attend any temple in the world, if I just stay worthy.
As we came home the roads were so much better, the weather warmer - just as if Satan knew that he had lost and was going about trying to miss up someone elses day instead.

Nathan and Mandy

When I was at home for Christmas I took a bunch of pictures of Nathan and Mandy. Andrew wanted to be a part so that is why he is in there - besides that he is really cute! We had fun thaking them, even though the kids thought they were freezing! Nathan and Mandy wanted to give Mama themselves for Christmas so we took these pictures, chose one and picked out a frame. They were so excited to give it to Mama. It was really sweet!

A Christmas Collage

I know that Christmas was a while ago but I was playing with the pictures and thought I would post this collage. It is the day we went to see Santa and played in the mall play area. It seems that the kids had a great time.

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Hello all those that I love I hope you have a great Valentines Day!

I usually have time to send everyone cards but my life is crazy and I didn't get around to it so consider this your personal Valentine.

I love you.
I hope you are well.
Be Happy and tell people you love that you love them everyday.
Treat people with kindness and bring joy to others.

Love,
Kathie

My Great Date with Zebadee

Last night I went on a date, with a 2 year old.  It is the best date I have been on in a long time! LOL

I am going to tell the story mainly with pictures.

This is Zebadee, she is 2.  I love this picture because it captures her personality pretty well.

I picked her up at her house and she was so excited to be going on a date with me.  When we got to my house (about 5 minutes) she declared that was the best date ever!  What a great kid!  When we got home we ate yummy food, she loves my jello for some reason.

  

We played with blocks and read from the Friend and books.

We went to a gymnastics/wrestling match at the college.

Then we went back to her house for some yummy Valentines dessert that she had made with her mommy!  What a great date!  I love you Zebadee!

Time

I think it would be safe to say that for most people if they were offered more time would take it willingly - thinking I can catch up on housework, reading, work, actually enjoy an activity, etc. Some people naturally have more time or seem to be able to manage their time better. So I was thinking of this recently because of things in my world - of course. I need more time in my day and I could have it if I had more energy. I have lots of things going on right now. I am working full time, taking three graduate classes (of which I am unfamiliar with the topics), trying to write my proposal (thanks everyone that has been asking me about it), trying to do my callings, VT, go to the temple, read my scriptures, get my food storage, etc, etc,etc. The list seems to go on and on - just like each one of you.
Then there are more pressing matters away from things that I have created to make my life full and there is a family that has always made my life seem full and wonderful. For those of you who are unaware my little niece (3 months) Arabella Michelle Hope Turpin is in the ICU at Texas Children's in Houston. She went back to the hospital after a 11 day stent at home after her arrival from CA. She is not doing well. WE NEED MORE TIME. We need her to get well enough and have enough time to pass that she can have surgery to fix her heart and begin to fix her lungs. We need time to pass quickly so that she is old enough and strong enough. Shelly is having success in getting them to move up the date of the surgery, but each day she gets sicker or so it seems. As I say each and every prayer during my day I think of our little Bella, her fighting spirit, and her poor parents who love her so much. I wish I could do it for them, be there to help with the other kiddos, comfort the other kiddos, but that is hard from here and so hard not to be able to do.

The hard part of time is the waiting of course - waiting to see if Bella is strong enough to have surgery, waiting to see what the doctor says, etc. Bella puts life into sperpective for me - I am not as worried about deadlines and difficult tests and much more concerned about real things and real life experience.

Motivation to finish

I usually don't have trouble feeling motivated to finish things - when I have a deadline that is. My proposal has no deadline and the way it is going back and forth between me and my adviser who know if I can even give myself one. I have worked on it and plan on sending it back to her tomorrow by the end of the work day (it is nice that I can work on things at work) but who knows what she will say when she gets it. I am having a hard time even liking it right this second. I told my boss that if there was a degree to quit it would be this one. The whole process has taken way too long and is so frustrating in nature that I often want to scream and have to settle for complaining about it to anyone that will listen. So, here you are you poor reader listening to me grip. A favor please, if you read this and then talk to me soon (the next few weeks) please ask me how it is going and if I have worked on it. I am hoping enough people asking will put some fire under my bum and I will just do it.

Some good news to go along with my rant. I talked to the woman in charge of research at the local health department and I will be able to do an internship there! Yeah for me! I will get to work on two different projects. I will know more on Monday after I meet with her so I will update you then. I was nervous about calling and put it off for some time, I know very silly, but I am shy still and just force myself to be outgoing. Anyway, the last three years here have introduced me to a variety of people and they all seem to be involved in things at the health department so I have some really big "ins". That is really nice - it helps to know the right people and I am being very very blessed that it will be work that I can start and do slowly, work from home, my office and the health department, it is working with both nutrition and low-income rural moms - how much more perfect can you ask for? I love when a plan comes together (liked it better when I got to watch the A Team perform the plan and not me but still) it is great to see hard work pay off and the Lords hand in my life.

A Day of Service?

Yesterday was a full day. Kim came and got me about 7am and we traveled to St. Louis. There we got to babysit 39 children, with Denise and Jason Black. We had mainly toddlers and on down (I think about 20 of them). We had a lot of fun and just watched the kids played, held babies, rocked babies, changed babies, feed babies, etc. for about 3.5 hours. The parents came back so happy and thanked us over and over for watching their children. During the time the parents were gone there were no fights just playing and having fun, then the parents came back and toddlers started "acting" for their parents. What fun - but then it wasn't my problem any longer. I have definitely decided not to have that many children in 3 years! Shouldn't be much of a problem.
After everyone left with their kids Kim, Denise and I went to a session. It was hard to stay awake at first, but when the lights came on that was helpful. It was a good session and I felt the Spirit as I prayed and pondered.
Then Kim and I went to find something to eat (at that point, 4pm, I had only eaten a English muffin and a few grapes so I was rather hungry). We found a Indian place that Marcie had told me about, but it didn't serve dinner until 5pm so we settled on a Vietnamese bistro that had really yummy food - or was it that I was starving? Anyway we made our way back to Columbia and I was in bed by nine.
They say that serve should stretch you - well my arms are very tired today - is that what they meant? Holding two or three babies at once for about 3 hours gets tiring.
Today I got to church and starting arranging the chairs and getting ready for primary and as I was putting up the door signs for the classes people kept stopping me in the hall and telling me what a great service I had done. I told the RS president that it was ridiculous to talk about us like that - she didn't agree.
I am so grateful that we got to watch the kids for so many couples that hadn't been to the temple together in a long time. I would do it every quarter and maybe by the end of the year I will have bigger muscles, both literal ones and a more service oriented mind.