Lessons Learned

 I was working on a video for the Primary and the house was quiet.  I guess I don't do quiet well because I am so used to noise so I turned the TV on.  I am all caught up on my DVR episodes of Glenn Beck so I didn't have anything to watch.  I turned it to live TV and it ended up on a 48 Hours mystery about a serial killer.  I watched for about 5 minutes but was so disturbed that I turned it off.  I had such a dark feeling that I needed to get rid of it immediately.  I went right to www.lds.org because I knew I would find something uplifting there.  Sure enough I found this video.  This story really touched me.   It was just what I needed to get that "we live in a terrible world" feeling to go away.  Then it made me reflect on how often Kaden is the "older boy" in the story.  Or how often each of my other kids could take that role no matter how small or how big they are.  I thought of an example for each of them when they do a little better or set a better example for the ones smaller than them. 

It made me realize the power of example.  Not only if you are older but only if you know better and do better.  I reflected on my day with my kids and how much they teach me in the little tiny moments that make each day although routine and busy miraculous in it's own right.

 ~ October 23, 2010

TAYLOR -  called me today from her grandma's to ask me if it was OK to go on the Internet because we have a rule to not be on the Internet alone and everyone else was downstairs.  I told her she could just check e-mail.  As I hung up I marvelled that she would call when really, no one would know.  That just isn't good enough for Taylor because she would know if she broke the rule and so would God.  KADEN - got to play at a friends house today after his game and saw some funny videos.  He made sure he showed them to his brother tonight so Tanner wouldn't feel left out.  TANNER - stayed home from renting a movie and getting a treat tonight to set up a club penguin account for his little sister.  After working really hard and typing in each letter (including that tricky @) she got home and told him that she didn't even want the account.  He took it all in stride being the good big brother he is.  ALEXIS - when we were driving home from Taylor's play today Kaleb was screaming in the car.  Nothing was settling him down when all of the sudden he stopped crying.  I turned around to see what caused this miracle and Lexie said "Mom, I said a prayer that he would stop crying because is make me sad and he stopped."  She then wrote a note to Kaleb at home saying she would try to help him when he cries because is makes her cry.  I can just see her looking out for him as the big sister in the years to come.  CALLEN - makes sure that he shares one of his precious monkeys or cars with his baby brother.  That may not seem like a lot but we know that it shows an enormous amount of love for this little baby that has come into our home.  KALEB - we are a little better and a little nearer to God for just having this precious gift in our home.

No we didn't change a Man's life today in our small and simple good deeds but my life is profoundly changed by participating in the lessons my children teach me each day.