Kathryn August 23rd, 2011

I love how just an ordinary day can be so wonderful.
Nothing exciting or out of the ordinary happened today, but it WAS a wonderful day, full of wonderful moments of gratitude, clarity and learning. I want to share my wonderfully ordinary day with you!

It started with the wonderful weather! It was truly wonderful to the outside in the sun!

This morning I took Joshua to his weekly swimming lesson, which is always a high-light! Joshua loves his swimming lessons and today he did particularly well. I love seeing his confidence grow, and seeing the look of achievement, satisfaction and joy when he realises he’s done a good job – it’s really priceless! I am often overwhelmed and almost surprised at how proud of him I can be when he learns or does something new.

After swimming Josh fell asleep which gave me the opportunity to do some housework. I am so grateful that I could have the doors and windows open to enjoy the weather while I worked! Housework it is not something that I ALWAYS enjoy doing but I am learning to feel a great sense of satisfaction and achievement in the work that I do. I feel good knowing that I am working, to the best of my ability, to look after my family and to make our home a happy, peaceful and clean place. I am learning to appreciate work in the home and value it.

I teach a few piano students on a Tuesday afternoon. I am grateful that Joshua spending time with his Grammy and Papi, which allows me to teach for a couple of hours, and that they are willing to give their time and energy to not only help me but also bless Joshua’s life as they help him learn and grow also.

I love watching my students learn, and seeing their accomplishments. It is wonderful to see how proud and happy they are when they realise they have done something good, and achieved what they set out to achieve.

This evening I will have a quiet couple of hours at home studying for an upcoming theory exam, feeling secure in the fact that I have a wonderful husband who is out serving in his calling, a beautiful boy who is sleeping peacefully just metres away, and that as I study I will be able to do well in my exam.

I am truly blessed to be able to enjoy many aspects of life. I can enjoy my life with my husband and son, I have been blessed to be able to continue to seek education and also to continue a small amount of work. I am blessed with the time and ability to serve others and hopefully bring a bit of comfort and joy into their lives.

Today was a wonderful and beautiful day for me. I hope that yours was too

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Kathryn June 3rd, 2011

Ever wanted to make a difference? Have you wanted to do something that you know is helping someone else but feel you don’t have the time or money?

I’m sure many of us have felt like that. I know I have at times, but lately I’ve been looking for ways to contribute to good causes that don’t cost me any extra money and little, if any extra time or effort. There are a couple of quick and simple ways that I have found lately that allow you to do this.

The first is through Fly Buys. Lets face it, most of us that have Fly Buys cards take so long to accumulate points and when you have enough points to get SOMETHING it’s not usually anything all that exciting! We were at the point a few months ago where we needed to use some of our Fly Buys points or they were going to expire. So we made the decision that instead of getting something for ourselves we would take the option to make a donation to charity. It was easy, and didn’t cost me anything but it was nice to know that instead of getting something I didn’t really need or want I was able to do something (very) small for someone else. I haven’t looked specifically but I’m sure that you can do the same thing using QANTAS frequent flyer points and other reward programs.

The next is through a website like www.schoolbuy.com.au which allows you to shop on-line and purchase something you would be purchasing anyway, but know that your purchase is helping support a local school.

On a more personal level, I have found that if I am making a meal that I know produces twice as much as my family would eat, I can bundle the other half up and take it to someone else. I know that the food won’t go to waste, people appreciate it and I have just made someones day a tiny bit easier for no more effort than getting in the car and dropping it off to them.

I love doing these tiny things! I’m not at a stage in life where I have hours to contribute to volunteer service, or hundreds of dollars to donate to a good cause, but these are things I can do. By being aware of these opportunities it helps me keep a bit more perspective in my life. If I think ‘why not!?’ rather than ‘why bother!?’ I feel like I’m making a contribution to society and making the life of those around me a tiny bit easier.

Does anyone else have ways that they can give service or contribute to a good cause that takes little to no effort? I would love you to share them!

Make a difference today…. it can cost you nothing!

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Kathryn May 8th, 2011

I am a mother, and as such, I am a home maker and a wife. I am a sister, a daughter and daughter in-law, an aunt, a teacher, a carer, an example and a friend. This is my work. It’s what I love and it’s who I am. I try to take pride and care in each of these things.

Dallin and I were having a discussion recently about how we define our self, and our self worth. During our discussion we discussed that what is most important is defining ourselves by things that are eternal and unchanging. Not all women in the world can define themselves as mothers, but they can define themselves as women. We have a divine nature to love, care for and nurture others…not just our children. That is eternal and it is unchanging.

I am grateful that I have the divine nature and call that is womanhood. I am blessed to know that I can bless and enrich the lives of those around me. I can constantly strive to be better and hopefully also help others to be better. I am grateful to know I can do and be all of those things independent of anyone or anything else.

It is true that there is no calling in this world that will ever be equal to motherhood in ANY way. There is nothing that ever will be as fun, painful, rewarding, challenging, tiring, enlightening, empowering, terrifying, precious, heartbreaking, joyful or all-encompassing as motherhood. My heart breaks to think of those who would be truly amazing mothers but have not been blessed at this time to be so. My heart breaks even more for those who have somewhere lost their divine desire to want to be mothers… it’s a true tragedy to see those women living below their privilege….

I have had many women in my life who I will be forever grateful for. Their examples have taught me all I want to be as a woman and a mother, whether they themselves are mothers or not. Thank you to my mother, mother in-law, my ‘other’ mum, my grandmothers, aunts, my precious sisters and my dear friends for being those examples. I would love to share with you what they have taught me, but that would have to be a topic for another day.

Womanhood is an honor and a privilege.

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Kathryn March 12th, 2011

I don’t miss high school… Not one bit! If there was anything I would say that I miss it would be that when I was in school, I saw and talked with one of my best friends everyday… But even then, I still have that friendship and although I don’t see and talk to her every day like I did then we are still good friends, we’ve just grown up a little and have our own lives to live!

Now if I could tell you what I DON’T miss about high school… the list is LONG! But at the top of the list would have to be the drama….

I remember a girl at school being SO upset that her best friend had a boyfriend and that, as she put it, ‘he has changed her.’ Because of this issue that she had (or that she created, depending on which way you look at it) she lost her best friend – and in the long run it probably cost her a lot of friends… Thinking about it now I remember that she had the same issue with at least one of her other friends. At the time I had never been in a relationship, and yet I could still see that this was an over reaction. Now, probably 9 or 10 years on I think about that situation and have learnt an important lesson.

The view of teenagers, and perhaps the view of the world, is that you should never allow another person to change who you are. There is some merit to that. You should never allow another person to lower your standards, or tell you that you are less than what you are. When that start to happen and you start to believe it, that’s when trouble starts and you can end up in a very dark place. You can’t see the way out and looking at it to the extreme it can destroy your life…. BUT… You SHOULD allow other people to help you raise your standards and help you feel important, loved, and like the child of God that you are. When that happens then you reach new heights, achieve goals greater than what you thought you would ever be able to achieve and what is most beautiful about that is that you can then lift those around you.

I’ve never been, and probably never will be, a big fan of change…. my husband and my mum will testify to that…. But I have come to know how necessary and beautiful it is. It’s change that allows us to become and be better than we were yesterday, I’m sure that any one who has suffered from an addiction will testify to that. It’s change that allows us to make new friends, ask anyone who’s had to move interstate or overseas and met a friend who they will be forever grateful for! It’s change that allows us to gain knowledge and experience, ask someone who has lost their job and taken the opportunity to go back to uni and start a new career! But the biggest thing I’ve learned is this – It is change that allows a couple to create a happy and successful marriage. I love my husband and my son, and because I love them I am continually wanting to be a better wife and mother. I can’t do that if I don’t change…. it’s impossible. If I chose to not let my husband change me and he chose not to let me change him then we would be heading in different directions, but as partners we are continually making the changes necessary to reach our goals.

By asking someone not to change we are ultimately asking them to stop growing and learning…. and why would we want that for a friend? I am not in touch with my friend from high school anymore but I’m sure that she has changed, and I hope that somewhere she has learnt that allowing someone to change isn’t such a bad thing!

I hope that I never have and never will try to stop anyone making positive changes in their life. If someone ceases to change then they also cease to grow, and to me that is one of the saddest things of all.

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Kathryn March 3rd, 2011

Today I am grateful for the small, seemingly coincidental things in life that brighten our day. After I put Josh to bed this evening I had to go out and pick up something I had left at Grammy and Papi’s. On the way home I made a spur of the moment decision to stop at the chapel and print something off that I needed for my calling… I thought about just doing it the next day or on Sunday but in an effort to stop procrastinating I decided to stop on my way home. As a result I was able to see a dear friend who I haven’t seen for a couple of months. It was totally unexpected for both of us… we both had things to be doing and literally only stopped for about 2 minutes… about long enough to say ‘It’s so good to see you’ ‘What are you doing here!?’ and ‘Anyway, I have to go’ – but it made my day, and I’m glad I made the decision to stop when I did. On the way home I was thinking about how glad I was to see her and how I could have just as easily not seen her.

I have been one who through the years may not have followed an impression that could have blessed someone else’s life…. Do you know the kind I’m talking about? The kind where you have the impression to call someone and you ignore it, for any number of reasons, only to find out later they really needed to talk…. Or maybe you felt impressed to offer someone a lift to a meeting, you explain the prompting away because they have a car or someone else usually picks them up, then you find out they didn’t come because they didn’t have a lift…. We all regret those situations and regret not being able to be a blessing to someone else.

I had never considered before, the possibility that our Heavenly Father may give us an impression, for seemingly no other reason, than to bring a smile to our face…. I had never thought about his love in that way …. He loves us enough to suffer for us, to comfort us in our distress, to give us counsel and guidance, create a wonderful plan for us…. AND to create a situation, allowing for a chance encounter between two friends just because he wants to see you enjoy life and be happy.

To some it may have been pure coincidence…. and perhaps it was, but if nothing else it has given me a new perspective on our Father’s love.

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Kathryn March 2nd, 2011

I tried to write a blog last night… and it just wasn’t working…. I had ‘writers block’ and just couldn’t seem to figure out where I was heading. So today I decided that instead of writing my own blog I would share someone else’s blog with you!

There is a blog that I visit regularly called ‘The Pioneer Woman‘ she blogs about many different things including cooking (…mmmm the food – So good!), homeschooling (brave woman!) and life on the ranch…plus she’s always good for a little humour. Anyway I came across a blog that she wrote called ‘Ten Important Things I’ve Learnt About Blogging’ I had already written a couple of blogs when I read this, but it inspired me to keep going and strengthened my resolve to blog regularly, and about anything.

The way her blog seems to have grown is incredible. I’m sure that when she started she didn’t imagine she would reach the heights she has. She holds all sorts of competitions, and has been on several morning talk shows. When she holds a competition she will receive atleast 20,000 – 30,000 entries…A far cry from the 70 odd people that visit this blog!

I would love to be able to create a blog, even half as good as hers… it’s just a matter of finding something that I can write about – and then knowing how to show it to the world!!! – any ideas!?

To me she seems a wonderful example of dedication and not being afraid to succeed. I know I have missed opportunities to succeed, because I was afraid… afraid of what others may think, afraid of the unknown, afraid of the heard work it’s going to take to get there, or being afraid of what what I would do if I actually did succeed… the list of fears that prevent us from doing things goes on and on. But perhaps one of the biggest fears that has stopped me, is the fear of putting my heart and soul into something – because if I fail, then it seems to be so much more devastating and painful. I’m slowly learning that it’s ok to take a risk – put your energy and heart into it – and if it doesn’t work out then you pick your head up and push forward. It’s an opportunity you have created to learn something, so take that lesson and move forward. In the end I know I won’t regret the lessons that I learnt…but I will regret the opportunities I missed.

You can't always control the wind, but you can control your sails.

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Kathryn February 23rd, 2011

So I had turned off the computer, was getting ready for bed and suddenly I realised… I have a load of washing that I planned to do today, and I never did it! I also checked the draws and confirmed the fact that it can not wait until tomorrow…. I turned to my husband and he looked at me and said ‘Well you better get it on then….’
Well, there goes my early night! I now have to wait up for another hour for my washing to finish!
So I find my self with a spare hour and I’m thinking…. What to do?……Blog of course….housework will wait! And just to warn all those who can’t handle completely biased mothers who rave about their children….. stop reading NOW!

On Feb 14 my beautiful boy was 18 months old….. where has the time gone!? In some ways it feels like it was only yesterday he was born, and at the same time it feels like he has been part of our lives forever! It seems like he has always been walking, chatting to me as we drive along, standing at my feet saying UPEEEEEEE (Up please) and completely destroying my kitchen every time I cook a meal! – But I wouldn’t have it any other way!

I love watching him learn! Josh started swimming lessons in Term 4 last year, and has continued this year. I wondered how he would go getting back into the swing of things and it took a total of about… 15 mins, and suddenly he was doing twice as well as he did last term. He now kicks (something I hadn’t been able to get him to do before) and he loves blowing bubbles in the water. He now plunges his head in face first and blows bubbles. It’s even a struggle to hold him now! He just loves going under the water, and when he comes up he always has the BIGGEST smile on his face! It is such a joy to see him so happy and growing so well.

Joshua at his swimming lesson.... loving it!

Most children, and adults these days, upon picking up a camera would hold it out in front of them and expect to look at the screen to take a picture. However, as most of you know, Dallin has a digital SLR camera which requires you to look through a view finder (remember those!) to be able to see your ‘shot’ – Joshua now knows what a camera is, no matter what it looks like! He was outside one day with his Grammy’s compact digital camera, holding it up to his eyes just like his Daddy does…. how he made the connection we don’t know, but I sure think he’s a clever cookie!

Joshua having his first photography lesson...We're getting there!

He loves reading books, making animal noises, running around outside, riding his bike, blowing bubbles, running around with things over his head… He just loves life, in a way that only a child can. I often struggle to keep up with him and find things to interest him, and that’s before I even think about what I should be teaching him!
It’s no wonder he can sleep 12 hours at night, and have a nap in the middle of the day…. If I put as much energy into absorbing and living life as he does then I’m sure I would need it too!

Children are such a joy, whether they are your children or not…. I love my nieces and nephews like they’re my own and am (almost) as proud of their accomplishments as their parents are! If you have the opportunity to be a part of a childs life, grab it with both hands and use it for good. You may be a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, friend, teacher….. but whoever you are you can guarantee there is a child watching you, so be careful what you do! Yes, they’re hard work but the love you receive in return it more than worth it…. Let alone the joy you receive from watching them grow and learn. Love a child – the rewards are priceless.

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Kathryn January 27th, 2011

Isn’t it wonderful how on an ordinary day, doing an ordinary thing you can have an experience that defines you, molds you and solidifies who you are. I had one such experience today, it is something I hope stays with me forever and also something I’m sure will happen over and over again.
A friend asked for advice (on Facebook!!), and I debated whether or not to give it….. I decided it was something I felt strongly about and so began to respond to her, part of my response reflected how I feel about the divine design of families, in particular the fact that children need both a mother AND a father. I also wrote about how restricting, tiresome, and all-consuming it is to hold a grudge and then I shared with her some wonderful examples I have had in my life.
After I wrote and was thinking about the conversation, I realised how strongly I felt about these things, and then suddenly, and almost shockingly, I realised that I didn’t always feel this strongly, and that somewhere in the past 10 or so years I changed and am now a completely different person. I became overwhelmed with gratitude for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the person it allows me to be. I am grateful for the many people who helped me change and who have made me a better person by their example.
As I’ve grown older, I have heard, and probably said, many times how I don’t really feel any different to when I was 17 or 18. Well today, that has never been farther from the truth. I feel that if that girl were before me today, I wouldn’t recognise her.
Today I have become so grateful for the fact that as human beings we are in control of our lives. If we want to change, we can. We have the ability to master our selves. We can decide who we want to become and through work, effort, and patience, we can become that person. How amazingly grateful I am that I am not the same person I was. If I was then I have no doubt that I wouldn’t have the amazing husband and son that I have today. I would not be secure in my knowledge of families and their role in our eternal existence.
Right now I am more grateful than ever to know who I am, where I am going and what this life is all about. I know what matters most, and I will treasure that for now and into eternity.

Somewhere in those years I decided who I wanted to be and I made the change. Today I woke up and realised that I AM that person – what an amazing experience that has been. I have much more growing and changing to do, but if I make those changes I will grow.

This may not make sense to many (or any of you) but for me it has been one of those feelings and experiences that is hard to put in to words, and will stay with me forever.

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Kathryn January 6th, 2011

For a few weeks now I have been receiving emails daily from a couple of wonderful people expressing daily gratitude. As I have thought about their gratitude and the example they are setting for all those who receive it, I have reflected on the many examples I have had in my life. Some of which I would like to share with you. Each one is for a specific person although I have chosen not to name them, but you never know, it could be you!

An Example of strength and Faith

No matter what challenges life throws at you, you never give up. You keep moving forward with faith although you know the road ahead is difficult and some times very lonely. You move forward and make the decisions that you do not want to make, but you do, because they’re right.

An Example of knowledge

You are constantly seeking to learn, and you never think that there is anything that you can’t learn! You are willing to give everything and anything ago. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t but you always try… often over and over again! You may never know the profound impact this has had in my life.

An example of action and service

If ever something needs to be done you never wait for someone else to do it, or put off doing it your self. You get straight to work and get the job done! Even more than that you are so often doing that ‘something’ for someone else. An example I hope not only I but also my children can follow.

An example of quiet strength and humility

Words can not describe how I feel when I think about how our friendship has blessed my life. You never complain. There have been times when I have come to you in the hopes that I can offer you some comfort, when I know you are going through a hard time, and yet I come away sure that you have just lifted me much more than I could have done for you. You are constantly serving, and such a beautiful example to so many people… Yet I think you often don’t see just how beautiful you are inside and out!

An example of charity

What else can be said!? You are always doing something for someone else, and always so mindful of others… if only there were more people in this world as mindful and considerate as you.

An example of motherhood

This one applies to many more than one, but with one in particular in mind, you are an example of complete devotion to motherhood. Not much more can be said but that you are an amazing mother, and I strive to have as much devotion to motherhood as you do.

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dallin December 7th, 2008

We went to Hungry Jack’s for dinner last night, which isn’t very common for us, but we were hoping to meet some friends there. Unfortunately we had to leave before they got there.

From where we were sitting, we had a good view of the playground and the entrance to it. It has quite a high fence around it, with a gate at the entrance, which has a magnetic latch which you have to lift, in order to open the gate. This is not unlike the sort of gate you might find around a pool or at the entrance to a Kindergarten, to stop children from being able to get through. We sat there considering a few reasons why the would have such a system to keep children in or out of the playground.

As we sat there, we saw a boy who was determined to get into the playground. We watched as he slowly pulled a chair from a near-by table towards the gate. We watched as he crawled up onto the chair and stood up. We watched as he lifted the magnetic latch. And we watched as he tried to open the gate. In vain. The problem was the the chair, the very tool he was using to aid his entrance (or perhaps escape) into the playground was blocking his progress.

We considered this scene for a moment, and thought how sometimes the very actions that we perform while trying to get ahead, can often impede our progress. Hastily organised and poorly thought out plans can put us in a worse position than where we began. But a little more fore-thought, and perhaps some input from someone a little older, wiser or more experienced than ourselves, can simplify the process and help us achieve our goal. And our Father in Heaven is of course the ultimate source of that guidance and assistance.

Fortunately the boy did end up reaching his goal. Two other children came to his aid – one pushed his chair back slightly, and the other held the gate open while he climbed down so that they could move the chair away and open the gate.

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