My church talk :)

My church talk:

Hi, friends! I was asked to give a talk in church today about baptism. I know most of you aren't members of the same church that I am, but I thought I'd share it with you anyway because you're my friends and I thought you may enjoy it. :) Love you all! :) Sarah :)

Good morning, brothers and sisters. Today I am talking to you about baptism. What an important topic this is. I hope that the spirit whispers to you the things you need to hear, and I hope that you walk away with a greater knowledge about baptism. What I learned by writing this talk is that baptism isn’t something we do once and are done with, but it’s a covenant that should act as a changing agent in our lives forever. Each and every day. 

I want you to close your eyes and remember the day of your baptism. Remember getting dressed in white. Remember the loving eyes that watched you and the many friends that were there for you. Remember the warm feelings you had as you entered the water, as the prayer was said, the songs were sung, and the hugs of congratulations were given. Remember the quiet whisper in your heart that said you were doing the right thing, the hugs from angels around you who were welcoming you into God’s kingdom on earth.

I remember my baptism like it was yesterday. I was so excited to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that I requested to be baptized on my eighth birthday, which for those who may not know is the soonest you can be baptized in the church, for age eight is what the Lord has revealed is “the age of accountablility,” where a child can knowingly make the choice to be baptized. I remember singing “I’m trying to be like Jesus” in my little white dress for everyone who came, the love everyone showed that day, the joy everyone felt. The famous quote in my family from my baptism was what I said to my mother after getting confirmed with the gift of the Holy Ghost. “Mom, I feel so warm inside,” I said, “like I just got out of the dryer.” I cherish that feeling that I was able to recognize back then, and even now I feel that same feeling when I recognize the Holy Ghost touching my heart.

Why is it so important to be baptized?

Elder Bednar, of the quorum of the 12 apostles, said this:

“The purpose of our mortal journey is not merely to see the sights on earth or expand our allotment of time on self-centered pursuits; rather, we are to “walk in newness of life,” to become sanctified by yielding our hearts unto God, and to obtain “the mind of Christ.” We are commanded and instructed to so live that our fallen nature is changed through the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost.”

We are here to become more like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I love how he says we are to obtain “the mind of Christ.” We want to think like Christ, talk like Christ, act like Christ, love like Christ. We are here to learn and grow so that we can become more like Him and someday live with Him again with our families.

Baptism is the gate by which that happens.

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” John 3:5

Jesus and Nicodemus had this neat conversation about what it means to be born again, and this scripture I just read is Christ’s answer. Baptism is how we are born again. We make a promise from that point forward to obey God’s commandments and take upon ourselves the name of Christ. This is an every day commitment; the start of a new life.

Elder Hales, of the quorum of the 12 apostles, said,

Entering into the kingdom of God is so important that Jesus was baptized to show us “the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which [we] should enter” (2 Ne. 31:9). “Notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments” (2 Ne. 31:7).

Wow. Can you imagine how John the Baptist must have felt, when Jesus asked him to baptize him? This perfect, Holy person, being baptized? What? Why? Jesus didn’t need a remission of sins! But he did it anyway. He did it to be obedient to the Father and to be an example to us.

Elder Hales goes on: “Jesus was baptized to fulfill His Father’s commandment that sons and daughters of God should be baptized. He set the example for all of us to humble ourselves before our Heavenly Father. We are all welcome to come into the waters of baptism. He was baptized to witness to His Father that He would be obedient in keeping His commandments. He was baptized to show us that we should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (see 2 Ne. 31:4–9).

 “He was baptized to show us that we should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost….” Interesting…  So that tells me that baptism is not the means to an end, rather it is a beginning that should affect us every day of our lives! It is the gate by which we receive the Holy Ghost, the gate by which we enter into the Kingdom of God on the earth.

Elder Hales calls this becoming “citizens in the Kingdom of God.”

We talk about being citizens of our nation. That means following laws, being responsible, taking care of the earth, each other, reading the constitution, voting, etc. What does it mean to be a citizen in the Kingdom of God? What covenants do we make when we are baptized? What do we need to do?

In Mosiah chapter 18, Alma is preparing his people to be baptized and explains in a beautiful way the covenants that we make and some blessings that come from it:

 8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

 10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

It makes it so simple, doesn’t it? I can almost hear him saying- hey- if you want to serve the Lord, and be more like Christ, then why not get baptized? You can have eternal life, and His Spirit will be with you all the time? I’m not seeing any downsides to this one. All he asks of us is to try to be like Him, to stand as a witness of Him. He asks us to take upon ourselves his name and serve each other. Be there for each other. “Mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort. Stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places.” He wants us to do our best to obey Him and be more like Him. Then, he will give us this marvelous gift of having His spirit to be our constant companion, to help us through the journey of eternal life, back to Him, with our families. Isn’t that amazing?

The other amazing thing about baptism is that it gives us a remission of sins. No one except Christ is perfect. No one stands as a witness at ALL times, in ALL things, and in ALL places. Sometimes, we make mistakes, and the Lord has provided a way for that, too!! He’s given us a way, through the atonement, that we can have our slates wiped clean. One of my favorite gospel resources, True to the faith, says: Immersion is symbolic of the death of a person’s sinful life and the rebirth into a spiritual life, dedicated to the service of God and His children. It is also symbolic of death and resurrection. (See Romans 6:3–6.)

I absolutely love this. When we go down in the water, it symbolizes our sins dying. And when we come up, we are made clean. “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow,” as Isaiah says.

Another thing I remember about my baptism is how worried I was that I would make a single mistake after I was made clean. I tried so hard not to make a single mistake, because gosh darnit, my little eight year old self was determined I would not make another mistake again for the rest of my life. What I didn’t understand back then, was the beauty of repentance, the mercy of God, and the sacrament, and the renewal of these covenants.

I’m going to read the sacrament prayers to you. As you listen, I want you to think about these prayers in the context of baptism, and what you have covenanted to do, and what blessings we will have in return. It’s just beautiful. Listen:

 77 O God, theThe Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

 79 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

We promise each week, in renewal of our baptism covenants, to take upon ourselves His name. To always remember Him and keep his commandments. In return, He will have His spirit to be with us. Also, each week when we renew our baptismal covenant, we can, if we take it serisouly, repent and be completely clean again!

One of my favorite primary songs puts it so simply: “I know when I am baptized, my wrongs are washed away. And I can be forgiven and improve myself each day. I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain. I want to be the best I can. And live with God again.

It is my prayer that we will think often not only of the blessings of baptism, but realize the call to obedience that we have all been given because of it. Remember this beautiful covenant that can change our lives forever.

I am thankful to be baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am thankful to have the knowledge that I am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father. I’m thankful for scriptures and prophets. I’m thankful that I can repent of my sins and be forgiven because of the loving sacrifice of our prefect Savior, Jesus Christ. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for the opportunity, through the gospel, to be forever families in heaven. I am thankful to have this wonderful community of people on whom I can rely and be friends with, you guys mean the world to me. And I know I have all of you in my life because of Him. I’m thankful that I can teach my daughter that she is a beautiful daughter of God. I’m thankful that I get to teach her about Christ, and how to be a good person. I’m thankful that she gets to sing primary songs and learn beautiful principles of the gospel throughout her life. She won’t have to wonder her purpose in life, why she’s here, where she’s going, because of the Gospel. She won’t have to live in fear of sin because she can have faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Because of His atonement. Because of His Gospel. Because of Him. Every blessing I have in my life is because of Him. I know that. And I will try to spend every day of my life thanking Him, trying to be more like Him, and teaching my children the same. I testify of that, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

A smiling quote

Sometimes we just need to hear this. :) in case today is that day for you is today, here it is! Love, me :)

My new motto

Hello friends!!! It's been too long. But for my New Years resolution, I'm going to post more happy thoughts to share with all of you!! My first one was based on a sign I saw in St. Michaels, MD. This is a very special place for me, because its where my husband and I had our honeymoon one year ago. :) Yesterday Josh and I took a visit there because my parents live close to the area, and it was so wonderful. I'll post some pictures of the wonderful views, the shops, and our honeymoon spot as well as the sign with my newfound motto. :) "Too blessed to be stressed" it says. We have so much in this life to be thankful for, so my New Years resolution is to remember that a little more, and spread a little more sunshine. Happy New Year!



“The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.

The more we say thanks, the more we find to be thankful for.

And the more we find to be thankful for, the happier we become.

We don't give thanks because we're happy.

We are happy because we give thanks.”
― Douglas Wood, The Secret of Saying Thanks

Never Give Up!

The best motivational video ever! Enjoy! Love, me! :)

Love is the essence of life

“Love is the very essence of life. It is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Yet it is not found only at the end of the rainbow. Love is at the beginning also, and from it springs the beauty that arched across the sky on a stormy day. Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, and the lubricant that prevents devastating friction in the home; it is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death. How rich are those who enjoy it in their associations with family, friends, and neighbors! Love, like faith, is a gift of God. It is also the most enduring and most powerful virtue.” 

 Gordon B. Hinckley Standing for Something: Ten Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes 

Just a little thought about love. I want my husband and family and friends to know I love you with all my heart! Enjoy your Sunday, everybody! Love, me! :)

Celebrating Life :)

Seeing death as the end of life
is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean.
-David Searls

The bitterest tears shed over graves
are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.
-Harriet Beecher Stowe

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.
Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
-George S. Patton, Jr. 


Today we discovered our first-grade class pet, "Spikers," had passed on. He was a carnivorous plant, and whenever we would try to feed him worms, he would not eat. I told the students the moral of the story is that if you don't eat your food you are in TROUBLE! haha. This is what he looked like when he was alive:

The kids decided that we should have a funeral for Spikers. So, we went out to the field of the school, and found a little place by the fence to place him. We didn't even really have to dig a hole, because he just kind of "blends in" -- he's a plant. :) So I just kinda stuck him somewhere, put some grass on him, and some dandelions so he would have "flowers." We sang him "You are my sunshine," said goodbye, and then played on the playground for 5 min. Before they played on the playground I told the kids: "We need to celebrate that Spikers has had a great life instead of being sad that he died. So go play!" They loved it. :)

So there's our fun moment for the day. Moral of the story: enjoy life, every minute, don't have regrets, and celebrate. :) Have an AMAZING day! Love, me! :)

Home :)

I love being home. I love being with family. It's the best thing ever. Although the word "home" is beginning to have a new meaning. "Home" used to be in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. where I grew up. Now "home" is wherever my sweetheart is. So, according to that definition, I'm actually away from home, missing my sweetheart, back in the place where I grew up. My husband is finishing final exams, therefore he could not come with me on my spring break adventure.

 

So if we need to go somewhere new, I will be ready. Even if it's scary or unfamiliar, it will still be "home," because it's where we are together. I love you, Josh. :) Thanks for being my "home." :)

"Where thou art - that - is Home."  ~Emily Dickinson

He Lives!

He lives! I know that My Redeemer Lives! I feel so blessed to have this knowledge that He loves us and He sacrificed everything for us. I want to become more like Him every day in my word and deed. I am thankful for all that He has given us. I am thankful for our prophet that leads and guides us to become more like Him. Jesus Christ Lives. I know that He lives. I am so thankful today. Happy Easter everyone!

Courage :)

I love this scene from The Princess Diaries. In the movie, the princess is about to give up her royalty and go somewhere else because the change is too hard. Aren't there times in our lives where we fear that change is too hard?

I love the part where he mentions that courage is the judgment that something else is more important than fear. To me that means that you are most courageous when you choose to do something DESPITE the fact that you are afraid. I love that.

My husband and I are at a point in our lives where we are making a lot of important decisions: i.e. where we will go to law school, work, live, start our new life. It's scary to think of any change from where we already are, because I LOVE where we are. Who knows, we may not need to leave this place at all. But I need to prepare my heart to be ok with leaving all my loved ones here: my friends, my students, my co-workers, in case that is what we need to do. I need to be prepared to support my sweet husband. That way, even if we do stay here, he knows that I was ready and willing to make that change because sometimes the change will be the best thing to do.

 People of the world, LET'S BE COURAGEOUS! Let's do the impossible! Let's be our best selves. We can do it! :) Have a BEAUTIFUL Saturday. Love, me! :)

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all. From now on you'll be traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be. The key is to allow yourself to make the journey."

You are "super," by being WHO YOU ARE! :)

"The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony. All of Heavenly Father's children are different in some degree, yet each has his own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole."-- Joseph B. Wurthlin, Apostle, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

 I saw this quote today and it really inspired me. It inspired me to be my best SARAH, not to just look at someone else and think "Oh, she's perfect! I need to be just like her." I think that too often us women will compare ourselves to others, expecting to be amazing at everything. I had a teacher once that really made me think by creating this diagram, explaining what happens when we compare ourselves to others:

She started with examples such as "Sally has the perfect body, I need to look like her" or "Amy's so great at the piano, I need to be like her" or "what a perfect organizer Jane is, I need to be a better organizer" or "look at how much fun Anna is, why don't I have fun like that?" or "wow, Lizzy's awesome at basketball, I need to get out there and shoot some hoops!" All of these seem fine, except when we expect ourselves to be this "super woman" we've created out of everyone's strengths that doesn't exist. All of us have our special talents, our special strengths. And no one can be perfect at everything! That's what helps us work together. If you're a piccolo, be a piccolo! If you're a violin, be one, and be proud of it! It takes a whole bunch of people to make a symphony, not just one. So be who you are and LOVE it! YOU are super! Have a great day! Love, me! :)

Thoughts for Sunday

This video made me cry! I'm such a crier. I thought it was just amazing how this girl didn't focus on her challenges, but rather focused on how she could help others with challenges and how in turn that helps her feel better. It makes me want to be better. It makes me want to serve others and help others and lift others up rather than focus on challenges I face. Wow. Have a wonderful Sunday. Love, me! :)

                               The Joy of Service

                                


"As we look heavenward, we inevitably learn of our responsibility to reach outward. To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man. Service to others is akin to duty, the fulfillment of which brings true joy. We do not live alone—in our city, our nation, or our world. There is no dividing line between our prosperity and our neighbor's wretchedness. 'Love thy neighbor' is more than a divine truth. It is a pattern for perfection."- Thomas S. Monson, Prophet, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

St. Patty's Day :)

Irish Toast
It is better to spend money like there's no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there's no money!

Irish Saying
There are only two kinds of people in the world, The Irish and those who wish they were.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! :) I have to share the fun things my class and I did yesterday to celebrate. It's SO fun to make a fun day for kids. They get so into it. Definitely, if you want to have an awesome day, spend it making it a fun day for children. :)

When the kids came in the morning, the classroom was destroyed. A total mess. Our candy was "stolen," and everything green in our room was "gone" because of the leprechaun. BUT... he left behind his hat. So we had leverage. We made a class leprechaun trap to catch him and get our candy back. In the end, he got away, but we ended up trading the hat to get all our stuff back.

I also was worried that not everyone would wear green, because it wasn't "officially" St. Patrick's Day. SO... I cut out some shamrocks and stapled them to stickers and let everyone make up their own "leprechaun name." We had some crazy ones like "Green Ninja" (#'s 1, 2, and 3 because so many boys liked the name) and "Lucky Billy" (Lucky Billy was a girl). Mine was "Crazy Green Lady" because I was wearing the brightest lime green jacket ever!!!

The best part of the day was the scavenger hunt. After lunch, there was a "clue" inside the leprechaun trap telling us where we might find him. We went to the cafeteria, the library, sang songs in the office, it was a blast. My other favorite part of the day was when the kids told me I could not eat lunch with them (cause I usually eat with my students on Fridays) because they wanted me to guard the leprechaun trap. They were hilarious yesterday. :)

I also added pictures from the art project we did. We wrote what makes us feel lucky and what we would do with a pot of gold. It was fun!!! Hope you guys are having a fabulous St. Patrick's Day!! Love, me!!! :)

God Bless America

AUTHOR:

Benjamin Franklin (1706–90)

QUOTATION:

“Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?”   “A Republic, if you can keep it.” I love this quote. So true. It makes me not only want to vote, but also do everything ever to support the country we are so blessed to live in. If we are going to have a government "by the people and for the people," then we (the people), need to vote and be involved in supporting our nation in any way we can. I love to teach my first graders about America. I teach them the National Anthem and we sing it every single day as part of our morning routine. (In fact, my class last year got to perform the National Anthem as an intro to a concert!!! So cool!!!) They LOVE it. They love being Americans. It makes me all mushy inside. Whenever I talk to my first graders about America, they tell me about family members and friends they have that are in the military. I love to see the support they have for our troops. I can just see it now, those little 6 year olds saying their prayers and blessing the soldiers... and what a great example those kids are. What a blessing it is to live in such a great nation. I'm so thankful to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. God Bless America, and God Bless all of YOU! Have an incredibly wonderful evening! :) Love, me! :) God Bless the USA

My class family :)

HILARIOUS QUOTES: :)

Kids say the darndest things, quotes :)

My students are some of my favorite people in the entire world!! :) Obviously I can't post a picture of them (because that would be illegal) but... just imagine 28 of the cutest little six-year-olds ever... and that's my first grade class. :)

I feel like they are my own. We call ourselves a class family because I want to create some closeness and unity in the class. I also want to encourage them to treat each other with love and kindness, like family. Thus, we call ourselves a "class family." 

I love watching my kids learn. I love watching them help one another, lift each-other up, create smiles and laughter... I just LOVE these kids SO MUCH!!

Today we made the cutest St. Patrick's day projects. They told me what makes them feel "lucky" and what they would do if they had a pot of gold. Then they wrote it all on pretty paper and made artsy designs to decorate it. I'll post a picture tomorrow. :) My favorite post was when one of the kids said he would invest his pot of gold into a business and get even more rich. Smart little 6-year old I'd say!

They really are just hilarious. My friends say it's because I have a first-grade-level humor... and yes, that might be true. Here's my fav knock knock joke right now. Ready? Ok!

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Owl's say
Owl's say who?
That's right!!!


BAHAHA. Ok. Looks like teacher needs to get some sleep before she goes coo-coo. She's already telling crazy knock-knock jokes. Goodnight, world! Have a STUPENDOUS evening! Love, me!

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to is." - Vince Lombardi

"And just when you thought you were the coolest person in the room, I walked in." - -unknown,  LOL!

If you really want a fun time, make a boat out of newspaper and have a race!!!
Here's my boat..... canoe style...I know, totally cool right?

And.... here's Josh's. Not sure of the design. Definitely not as cool as mine. :)

We had three rounds. He won the first one, I'm a big enough person to admit... but I'm also glad to say that I KICKED BUTT in the other two races!!!! :) :) 

The start up race video is not uploading (it's ok cause you don't want to see the part where JOSH's boat is winning!!)... but you get to see the AMAZING finish of MY boat.... ending also by Josh tickling me which is why the camera moves a lot. :) I'm not the slightest bit competitive....

Anyway, lesson learned that slow and steady wins the race. His boat sank WAYYY before mine. My boat went almost the distance of a football field. A little proud? Maybe. :) All in good fun. You know I love you, Honey!!!! :) :) :)

And yes, at this very moment Josh is watching a video online on how to make oragami boats. Legit. I'm impressed. His new boat looks pretty cool. Well, it did look cool until he destroyed it because he doesn't want me to know how he did it.... 

Have a MARVELOUS day! Love, Me! :)

Sickness and Prayers :)

Having a sick tummy is no fun, but having an awesome husband to take care of you makes everything better. :) I love you, Josh!!! I came home from school today with a sick tummy. It's still not better yet, but I'm saying lots of prayers. I believe that will help, too. :)

"It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our solicitation can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer." - Elder Richard G. Scott, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer," Ensign, May 2007, 8

Also, here are some fun pictures from our pizza night. Don't we love the heart-shaped pizza?!

P.S. Great food idea for a sensitive stomach: baked potato with cottage cheese. Sounds weird? It's delicious. Very comforting. :) Have an AMAZING day! Love, me! :)

Double Dates and Happy Movies :)

“The whole of life is just like watching a film. Only it's as though you always get in ten minutes after the big picture has started, and no-one will tell you the plot, so you have to work it out all yourself from the clues.” ― Terry Pratchett, Moving Pictures

I LOVE HAPPY MOVIES. They take my mind off of anything stressful and just put me in a completely different world. I guess that's the point of movies, isn't it? So... if you're stressed... HAVE SOME FUN!!! Watch a happy movie. Get together with some people (or someone) that you really enjoy being with and just forget about the stress for a while! :) Tonight we did a double date with Emma (my sis-in-law) and Jacob (her date/super cute friend)... and do we sure love being with them. It was SO FUN!!!! We made pizzas and mine was heart shaped. It didn't taste as good as it looked (too dough-y), but that's ok. :) We set the table all pretty and listened to Frank Sinatra eating by candle-light. Quite the romantic pizza dinner. I'd recommend it to anyone! Then we watched a girly movie...and that, like I said, is always happy! :) Have a wonderfully FUN Saturday! Love, me! :)

"I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun." - Thomas A. Edison

This one's for you :)

"Lovely,

Never ever change.

Keep that breathless charm.

Won't you please arrange it?

Cause I love you

Just the way you look tonight."

-Fred Astaire

I was listening to this song on my way home, and you know? It made me cry!! Like a BABY I cried! I just couldn't stop thinking about how much I love and adore my husband. I couldn't stop thinking about how incredibly blessed I am that he is in my life... so darling, this one's for you. :)

My Darling Joshua

Your loving smile,

Your bright blue eyes,

Your gentle loving hands,

Your snuggle and your sweet carress

are making my heart prance!

I feel so happy with you around

knowing that you are mine

that it brings tears to my eyes

just thinking about our life

Together I know we have it all

and why so lucky am I?

I ask myself every day

but does it matter?

I'm dominated by

the thought of you and I forever

and all that we will do

for I know that it is paradise

Just knowing that I'm with you. 

I LOVE YOU, Joshua!!! :)

To my fellow bloggers and friends, thought you might enjoy a listen of the song I sang to Josh on our wedding day... "I Believe in You and Me" by Whitney Houston.  Have an AMAZING day! :) Love, me! :)

"Give Said the Little Stream" :)

 “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

- Winston S. Churchill

My day was completely brightened by a mom of one of my students. She had purchased a jacket that didn't fit her right, and rather than taking it back to the store, she gave it to me and it fits me PERFECTLY. :) Thank you, my friend!!!! :) :)

So I've decided to pay it forward. Not by giving the jacket of course, but by finding a gift and making someone else's day with it. Maybe I'll do something special for my students. Or my husband. Or a girl-friend. Hopefully I can figure out who just "needs it." Who needs a special gift I wonder? If it's you, let me know! :) Have a SPECTACULAR day!!! Love, me! :)

Service and Songs

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up" -- Mark Twain. 

You know when you have those days that cheer you up, and you didn't even know you needed it, but once it happened, you totally realized you needed it? Yeah. That happened to me today. I went to my cousin Audrey's house to help her clean up a party mess from her brand new 1-yr-old's birthday party and it was awesome. Isn't he the cutest?!?!? I love you so much, Parker!! :)

Also, I listened to the BEST song on my way home from her house. "Don't stop believing" by Journey. It is a no-fail, every time I hear it I sing at the top of my lungs and start dancing in the car song. I LOVE THAT SONG. So here you go. No official music video, but you get to at least hear the song and have a good jam session! Have a fabulous day! Love, me! :)

Don't Stop Believing!!! :)