HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY~

I can hardly believe we are halfway through March and looking forward to the official first day of Spring later this week. 

It is also a great week to celebrate Kim.  Her birthday is on Thursday the 21st.  

She is a wonderful daughter, wife, mother, sister, and aunt and brings sunlight into any room she enters.  We are so thankful for Kim and grateful she grew up to be such a special person in spite of our 1st time parenting efforts.  We love you, Kim!  Have a wonderful Birthday!🎂

IF YOUR HOME IS SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN COLORADO THIS WEEK, BE THANKUL 😀

What a week with so much snow, and 2 snow days off from school ~  It started snowing Wednesday evening, and continued through the night and the next morning, until we had just about a foot. I was trying to complete some school work, when I could hear shoveling outside, and peeked out to see our neighbors shoveling our sidewalks and driveway.  It was so heavy and there was so much of it, I don't think Dad nor I would have lasted very long.  It started snowing again Thursday afternoon and snowed through the night. until about 11:00 Friday morning.  We had another foot of heavy snow but decided to be brave and went out to shovel.  Our neighbor came out to help, and a little girl from across the street, Maddie, came over with her shovel.  It only took about an hour and we survived it (although I did need the Tiger Balm that night.  Here is what it looked like from our house ↓

Thank You Maddie

Hollie and Ben built snowmen

At this point I think I could just move past Spring -   I am ready for Summer! 

Fun happenings in our family this week ~

Angella said that Ben was so happy she was home on Snow Day Friday that all he wanted to do all day was sit on her lap.  He has got the best manners and when I ask him to do something for me that he doesn't want to do, he'll say "no thank-you".

By-the-way, his birthday is coming up on Sunday. 

Also,  Angella was recognized in her recent employee appraisal as an outstanding manager and they couldn't imagine the company without her.  Way to go Angella!

MOVING EASTWARD - 

Guess who got to go to 

this week?  COME ON DOWN, MS. KATE!

Apparently, there is a traveling Price is Right Live show that is going around the country and had a stop in Cedar Rapids.  I think this would be so fun!  Love this show but haven't watched it in ages.  Kate went with some friends and said they had a blast!  

No dates for Colorado but I am going to keep checking on it 😁

ALSO, Kate and Jonathan were the only ones who sent a Sunday Selfie to me, and I love this photo of Sayre who changed his clothes after Church all by himself. ( I love the belt).  I'll send out a reminder next week for a Sunday Selfie from everyone -

 MOVING FURTHER EAST ~

Every year in Chicago the river that runs through downtown is dyed green and you-know-who was in the middle of it this year - Blythe and her friends!  

Also, to note, Blythe is on the school badminton team again this year.  With her height, I am sure she is a star player! ☆☆☆

This past week in my class we learned about the Family Systems Theory with a special emphasis on addictions.  I know when we hear that word we automatically think of substance abuse, but there are so many different kinds of addictions. The sad part is that Satan can lure us into an addiction, and then if we don't feel bad enough already, he fills us with shame, guilt, self-loathing, and feelings of worthlessness.  I love the story that Brad Wilcox shared in his talk a couple of years ago, Worthiness is not Flawlessness, in which he said, "One young man I’ll call Damon wrote: “Growing up, I struggled with pornography. I always felt so ashamed that I could not get things right.”  Each time Damon slipped, the pain of regret became so intense, that he harshly judged himself to be unworthy of any kind of grace, forgiveness, or additional chances from God.

 He said: “I decided I just deserved to feel terrible all the time. I figured God probably hated me because I wasn’t willing to work harder and get on top of this once and for all. I would go a week and sometimes even a month, but then I would relapse and think, ‘I’ll never be good enough, so what’s the use of even trying? At one such low moment, Damon said to his priesthood leader: “Maybe I should just stop coming to church. I’m sick of being a hypocrite.” 

His leader responded: “You’re not a hypocrite because you have a bad habit you are trying to break. You are a hypocrite if you hide it, lie about it, or try to convince yourself the Church has the problem for maintaining such high standards. Being honest about your actions and taking steps to move forward is not being a hypocrite. It is being a disciple.” 

This leader quoted Elder Richard G. Scott, who taught: “The Lord sees weaknesses differently than He does rebellion. … When the Lord speaks of weaknesses, it is always with mercy.”

I think sometimes we forget how much the Savior loves us, and how His atonement can create comfort, peace, and hope in our lives.