YW Leaders from Heaven

School is getting absolutely INSANE! Seriously I am being humbled. When I'm out of school for a break I think I forget how much I need others. I need God, first and foremost. I need my Hub and I most certainly need teachers and everyone else to help me succeed.

So I recently was called to YW. Heavenly Father is very good at reminding me that he knows JUST what I need. The lessons that  I desperately needed as a young women are just as necessary today. I'm loving my girls and I can't wait to see what this calling will bring. I saw this quote on pinterest today and thought I should do a blog post, because this quote hit some of my thoughts lately about being a YW leader. 

   Being called to YW I couldn't help but think back on the wonderful YW leaders I had. I know if you were in YW you probably are thinking, "No way, mine were the best." But, seriously.... I've grown older and still find that some of my Young Women leaders were and are of the best people I know.

Let me tell you why some of my young women leaders were the BEST.

1. Sure they did their job to teach me on Sunday and tell me that living right makes you happy... blah blah blah... BUT guess what? THEY LIVED IT. My young women leaders were and still are the happiest people I know. AND they were living the way they preached to us to live.
    I would jump into their vehicles when they would give me a ride, to find an uplifting CD playing. I would see their family videos when I tended their kids, and remember thinking, "Wow they really don't have those movies they teach us not to watch." They dressed beautiful and modest. No, they NEVER looked for an excuse to dress immodest. I would catch them talking about their personal lives to each other and knew that they actually lived what they taught us.

2. My young women leaders taught me about being a mom, and not while giving a lesson. Nope I can't quote lessons they gave me about having kids, but I can tell you how I saw them treat and talk about their kids. I knew they loved their kids with a love greater than I can express.
I saw things like: - holding their challenging child in a calming reassuring way while the child had a tantrum
                          - follow through with consequences they told the child they would give.
                          - Get up early and stay up late for them
                          - selflessly put themselves on the back burner. They always were thinking about their children and what they needed or wanted.
                          - Give up loftly careers and "social lives" to make sure they don't lose that critical 15 minutes when a child gets home from school when they talk the most (yep I learned that tidbit of info from a YW leader)        - consistently teach their children to pray. They knelt and whispered to them. They had no idea that they made me want to be a mom so bad.
                         - Go to bat for their kids. Yep I even saw mama bear come out of a few of em!
                      

3. Loved their children's father to eternity and back. These YW of mine honored their roles as mothers and wives. They all had different kinds of husbands but they found the good and doubted the bad. They saw their husbands how the Lord saw them. Being around them and their husbands was a HUGE reason why I was motivated to wait till I found the right one and to never settle. I saw what they had and knew that any amount of sacrifice would be worth a marriage like that. They motivated me to change for the better so that I could be the kind of wife they were. Their marriages were their safe havens. I knew it was possible.

4. None of them came from perfect families, but they did their best to move forward happy. I loved hearing them joke about their crazy families. It helped me feel more normal. I loved how good they were despite childhood experiences. They turned hard trials into stepping stones and they were grateful for the opportunity to grow.

5. They only saw the good in me. They always assumed I was good with good intentions. No they weren't always right, but after a while... I started believing I was as good as they thought I was.

6. They trusted me to make the best decisions for my life. When ever I was overcome with fear about the future or some decision, I never got any thing less than 100% confidence. I would tell them I didn't know what to do, they'd say, "Yes you do." I'd tell them I was worried about not being a good mom. They'd say, "for that reason you'll be the best mom" or "Yes, you really will, I know it". I'd tell them I hoped that I never would get a divorce. They'd tell me I never will. They helped me learn Faith instead of fear. I can't thank them enough.

Right before I stepped into the sealing room on my wedding day I was overwhelmed with emotion (as you can imagine) I knew that several of my YW leaders were there. My heart swelled and I prayed to Heavenly Father that one day they might know the difference they made in my life.

My YW leaders weren't perfect (or so i'm told ha ha) but they did their best and they lived like they believed!  I am so grateful for them and hope that I can live like I believe.

My little sweeties

These little munchkins are getting sealed today to my sister Breann and her husband Josh. Josh was able to officially adopt them last Monday. This picture was taken from bre and Josh's sealing earlier this year. I love these two so so much. They always make me so happy. They are always so excited to see me. It makes my day. They do the cutest things all the time. I love that they always want to come to my house. I sure love little feet and giggles around...

Caleb and I have a wedding, rs session, and tons of homework this weekend. Happy Friday!

Conference is COMING

So General Conference is just around the corner. I cannot wait! I seriously think I get more excited for General Conference than for Christmas. Let me share why. Almost two hundred years ago, a boy named Joseph Smith went into a grove of trees to ask God which of all the churches were true. He received his answer. If you would like to read his story, click here https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng
Joseph Smith was and is a Prophet of God. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored like in ancient times. The Heavens are open and God is speaking. Just like when Christ established His church when he came, he has established it again. There are prophets and apostles on the earth who are here to help us get back to our Father in Heaven.
    One Apostle, Elder Holland, said, “I have wondered if any have joined our conference hoping to find the answer to a deeply personal problem or to have some light cast on the most serious questions of their heart. … It is to those who so hunger that I wish to speak. … In spite of life’s tribulations and as fearful as some of our prospects are, I testify that there is help for the journey. There is the Bread of Eternal Life and the Well of Living Water. Christ has overcome the world—our world—and His gift to us is peace now and exaltation in the world to come. (See D&C 59:23.)”
     With Conference less than two weeks away, my challenge to each of you is to begin praying for the speakers and yourself. Pour out your heart to our Father in Heaven. I promise that your prayers WILL be answered during conference. I was challenged to do this several years ago and I have never been disappointed. The Lord here's and answers our prayers.

To stay updated on conference coming and to read talks afterwords feel free to follow this link: https://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng

Fastest trip ever

      So my cute younger sister, Taylor, is a freshman at Denver University. Several weeks ago we started texting and we causally mentioned me going to see her new home and watch a game. I don't think she thought I would actually do it, but I did. :) I haven't done anything that spontaneous in a while. It felt good to just go see her and spend time with her... Its been way too long. She is an amazing soccer player and I am grateful she is such a great person. She is strong, brave, and excited for her furture- as she should be.
      I flew there Friday morning and returned Saturday morning. I missed Caleb. I felt so pathetic that I missed him. He's such a good husband. Going to Denver was good for me. I use to be so independent. I didn't depend on anyone. If I wanted to go to St. George for the weekend, i packed and went.  Caleb does so much for me. Having to figure out where to go and what to do without Caleb, was rather strange.Our good byes at the airport were so romantic-movie like that strangers probably thought I was leaving for a long time... not just 24 hours.

Anyway here's some pics. Taylor's roommates were so cute and fun. I'm excited for her. Her team was welcoming and kind. Good fast trip. She's #19 (ps I'm an amateur with the camera so please excuse the bad quality)

Yep... Good Job DU for the win. 2-1 in overtime. :D

Weekend breaks

This week has been absolutely INSANE. I am SO excited for the weekend. Today I was walking around on weber and realized that I have officially gone to school there longer than I went to Clearfield. Wow... that means I need to get a move on it and graduate!

Look at this cute picture of my husband with our nephew Kayson. Caleb looks good with a baby... hopefully one of these days we'll have our own baby. Poor Caleb. He came home one night and I said, "Guess what? I've named all of our kids!" When we were NOT dating in the fall of 2010 Caleb came to where I was living. We were dating other people at this time and we had stopped dating previously because he was a strange RM. ha ha. Anyway he said randomly,"You can name all of our kids if you marry me." I was thinking, "um did he just nonchalantly propose to me?" ha ha So I tease him that I'm going to hold him to it.

Oh and today is my sweet sister Taylor's birthday. She's 19. Wow... I remember when she was carrying around a bottle. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAY!!! She's playing college soccer and everything. She's third from the Left. :D

 

 

Remembering

I feel like my life has changed so much over the last little while. My sweet sister Charlie let me barrow her camera for our Lake Powell trip and I was super excited to find pictures from our engagement on there. I miss those days sometimes. Now we have to talk about grown up stuff and life gets so crazy with school and work.

We decided we need to get back into the habit of Friday night dates. Its so easy to just stay home and do homework, but I miss my boyfriend and I need more date time. (soon after we got married I was still accidentally calling him my boyfriend when a patient said, "he will always be your boyfriend!")

Charlie also had this adorable picture of my mom and grandma with me at my reception. I just had "Mama's song" by Carrie Underwood played for her. I love this picture. 

Grandma Bette is so darn cute. 

I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost. When I feel overwhelmed about school and family responsibilities, the Holy Ghost whispers to me that I already received my answer that I was doing what was right for me and that Heavenly Father was going to help me accomplish the thing which He asked me to do. 

A year ago when we got married, we soon got weighed down by the decision of when to have children and what to do about my schooling. If we had no plans of me finishing, then I needed to not go anymore, because its expensive! And if I was going to go, I needed to finish!

When deciding what to do, I thought back to my very first day in Rexburg. I looked out the window at the Subway I was eating at and had an undeniable feeling that I was exactly where I was suppose to be. I knew Heavenly Father wanted me to be getting my education and he was proud of me. Then, a year later, at WSU I got off work to head to my Microbiology night class. I was hungry, tired, and overwhelmed by my lack of time for studying and learning. I was living on my own in Layton. After work I was going to go home to a messy apartment, no food, no clean clothes, and a million things to do. Then I had to wake up early the next morning to do it all over again. I just wanted to cry. I then felt the Holy Ghost comfort me. He reminded me that my Heavenly Father knows all these things. Heavenly Father knows everything about microbiology and that He is my Father. Because of that, I could learn those things too. I knew that I was his literal offspring and I could be like Him in this way if I trusted Him. I cracked down and worked hard. I got three A's that semester in some VERY hard classes (including Micro). I have no doubt that Heavenly Father helped me.

A year ago Caleb and I went to the Logan temple with these decisions on our mind. We felt strongly to just trust Heavenly Father and that my education still was very important. Now, a year later, we aren't pregnant and I am still going to school and doing well. I am on track to apply to PA school next fall. Heavenly Father knew that I would not get pregnant and that I would be able to do more school. All my worrying didn't change what He knew was going to happen. I sure love Him.

Anways, like i said we went to Lake Powell with the Knights. It was fun and seems like forever ago, but here are some pictures. (I was wondering out in the water, just floating and pondering, when I found this lady bug. I thought she was dead but when I picked her up she was alive. I hung out with her for a few hours. ha ha... Obviously I am easily amused, but seriously, it was SO interesting. )

We're in the middle now!

Yeah, I've been really bad. I would like to make more time for blogging. Its so fun to read back on things. I've realized how fast I forget things that have happened. 

Well life is good. We've been so so blessed. We have a pretty sweet garden (thanks to Caleb's master  gardener skills and his cute grandparents). He is seriously a dream boy. He works so hard in school and is getting all A's. He cooks when I need him to (and sometimes just because). He makes sure our garden is getting everything it needs to be a success. He even sews my clothes that rip! ha ha. I know you're thinking, "So Paige, what do you do!?" ha ha. We're sort of in an awkward time right now. Caleb is no longer working at SDL so I'm working full time and enjoying a short break from school while Caleb is going to school and trying to find a job. He is going into physical therapy for any of you who didn't know. His original plan was engineering, but that changed last year. He never really loved it and seemed to feel that he found his niche when  he discovered his interest in medical stuff. I just want him to LOVE his job and be excited about it. He never was that way about engineering.

Lately the theme to my life has shifted a little. I feel so blessed for everything that I have, but there is so much that I want and look forward to. All the sudden when I got married people say to me when I am adoring a child, "you're baby hungry huh?" Um... Yes, but not because I'm married. I've been this crazy about kids since I was one! ha ha. I know I need to slow down and enjoy this journey, but I'm so excited to be a mom!  Caleb and I read a talk the other night,  Always in the middle by President Uchtdorf. Here is the link if you'd like to go read it:   https://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/07/always-in-the-middle?lang=eng&query=middle

As we read it I realized something. I always pictured marriage as the middle of marriage; not the newly wed stage and not the empty-nesters. I pictured marriage as the part when Caleb works hard at a job he loves while I'm home with our adorable children. I pictured Caleb coming home at night with children happy and clean, dinner hot and ready, and home decorated and spotless. I pictured a lovely family meal together, scripture reading time, play time, then putting the children to bed together. This was my happily ever after. Heavenly Father knows I have much to learn.

First of all, the bearing and raising children stage is usually less than half of our lives. I am learning to be happy in every stage of my life. Secondly, even when I am in that ideal stage of being in the middle of marriage - things will NOT be perfect (and may I add nor were they intended to be!) 

This talk was so good because I need to see myself always in the middle. I'm not too inexperienced at marriage to know how to strengthen it. Caleb and I can be setting family traditions with or without children. I can be the best mom now. I don't have to have children in my home to be a mom. Also, I can be the best wife now.Thank goodness for the gospel! 

On another note: I never pictured myself actually going and finishing college. I just have kept at it and listened to the Holy Ghost for guidance. Right now I am set to graduate from Weber State next year and my plan is to go to PA school after that ( which is two years). Caleb and I both feel it is important for me to finish my education. I know many women inside and out of my family who had to work 40+ hours a week to provide for their children. If anything every happened to Caleb, I need to be prepared. I think its much harder for children to have to raise each other because mom is working to put food on the table than for a women to just finish her education so that she's not begging for low paying jobs. I watched my  mom quit school when I was young so she could finish raising us. When she was left a single mom less than 10 years later she had to work hard physical labor to provide. She is a good women and I'm so grateful for her sacrifice. Too many women are left in this situation and too often the children suffer the most.

 I know that as we trust Heavenly Father, things will work out.