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In Which You'll Learn My True Nature

Years ago my husband gave me a jewelry box for my birthday. It was wooden with little frosted glass panes. I was livid. At the time my jewelry collection comprised of a watch, my engagement ring and my wedding ring. I very ungraciously received the gift, criticizing that it looked like something he would pick out for his mother, which I absolutely did not appreciate.

Jeremiah bore my rudeness with grace and then explained that although I didn't have much jewelry at the time, over the years I would probably collect more and he wanted me to have a safe place to keep it. I softened a bit at his thoughtfulness, but still returned the jewelry box and got a much smaller and, if I'm being totally honest, far less-practical jewelry box.

A few months later he gave me a diamond necklace for our anniversary. A necklace that is now lost.

Over the last couple of years I've decided that I like wearing earrings and sometimes you'll even catch me in a necklace. I have more than one watch and even a bracelet or two. In short, I have a jewelry collection. Although I have the cheap jewelry box that I bought as a replacement for the offending box, I haven't used it. My jewelry has found a home in a bathroom drawer.

The other day I was looking for the second of a pair of earrings. I was digging through the little container inside the drawer, pulling out tangled masses of necklaces with earring dangling from them, when I said to myself, "I need a jewelry box."

At those words a surge of guilt ran through my body. Jeremiah's forethought had come to fruition. And all I could think of was how childish and selfish I had behaved when he had given me that thoughtful gift several years ago. And then I remembered how kind he had been to me, even when I was behaving so poorly. How he bore the criticism with patience and didn't respond with anger. It made me think of this story:

A story contained in the family lore of Brigham Young’s descendants illustrates the submissive nature of humility. It recounts that in a public meeting the Prophet Joseph, possibly as a test, sternly rebuked Brigham Young for something he had done or something he was supposed to have done but hadn’t—the detail is unclear. When Joseph finished the rebuke, everyone in the room waited for Brigham Young’s response. This powerful man, later known as the Lion of the Lord, in a voice everyone could tell was sincere, said simply and humbly, “Joseph, what do you want me to do?” (Marlin K. Jensen, “‘To Walk Humbly with Thy God’,” Liahona, Jul 2001, 9–12)

I love my husband. I can honestly say that I knew from our first date that he was my eternal companion. I obviously don't deserve him sometimes, but I'm so thankful for him and his example. He makes me want to be a better person and is so understanding and uncritical of my imperfections. I pray, and hopefully live, so that in time I can prove to be as worthy a companion to him as he is to me.

I love you, Miah!

Spring Swap

I've been a little slow getting to this post. April is a crazy month at our house and my package came on my 7-year old's birthday. I opened it, oohed and aahed at it, then put it in my room so it was out of the way for birthday activities. I almost forgot about it!


Anyway, thank you Mamamonki for the awesome package! Here's what she sent me:
1. Adorable butterfly luminary.
2. 3 yummy candles (1 is already half gone in the luminary.)
3. A little book of hugs.
4. Super awesome garden toolbelt with zinnia seeds. I'm excited about this one because I am notorious for losing things even while stationary so having a belt to keep all my gardening tools handy should be uber helpful,
5. Lovely daisy picture frame. Perfect for our new family pictures!
6. Trendy note pads and pen. I so needed these! I am so forgetful lately I need to write things down all the time.
7. Lilac lotion. Our last home was bordered in by lilacs. I so miss the smell!
8. Lilac hand soap. Mmm!

And then of course there was a sweet note to go with it all. Also, not pictured is a bird figure that I forgot to get down. It's already up on my kitchen shelf. I wasn't sure I would like it at first - I'm not much of an animal person - but I absolutely love it on my shelf!

I really enjoyed the swap. Thanks Shortmama!

(Click here to see my package to Mamamonki.)

Giveaways Galore

So, I like to enter contests and giveaways. I've actually won quite a few things over the years, from cash to concert tickets, ice cream to Italian food, cd's and dip. Now I'd like to win something every hour! That's why I'm entering Tip Junkie's Spring Fling, you should too!

How Sweet are Their Feet?

We had family pictures taken during Spring Break. Maybe we should have called it "Technically-Spring-But-Still-Flipping-Freezing Break." Yeah, that would have been very accurate. Our neighbor did a great job taking photos of her shivering subjects. In their individual shots you can see their little faces turning blue. Oh what we won't subject our children to in the name of preserving memories.

As cute as they are, the photographer and I both decided we'd like to go out on a warmer day (although we may have to travel to someplace tropical if we'd like to do it anytime soon) and retake some of the pics. The wind was blowing our hair in our faces and apparently Jeremiah is unable to keep his eyes open outdoors, I should have remembered that from our squinty-eyed wedding photos.

Sleep on That One

As we came home from dance class this morning Kenley was paying attention to the billboards as we passed. There was a jewelry ad with a happy couple: "There's a boy and a girl!...they're gone." There was a realty ad: "Here comes a girl!...she's gone." And there was a Serta ad with the sheep standing on a pile of mattresses. Maybe the concept of sheep and mattresses was lost on her, or maybe the sun was in her eyes, but as we approached the final billboard she was completely perplexed. "A popcorn trophy?"