Happy Big 20!

Happy Birthday Kido!  Jordan is 20 years old today!  We can't believe it.  We are now officially the parents of two young adults.  Yikes!!!  And after we pick ourselves up off the floor we will help you celebrate your big day!!!

Hope it's one of the best birthdays yet!!!  We love you!!!!

Finding the Balance

I never ever thought I'd be saying this, and I'll probably never say it again, but I  kind of miss teaching Gospel Doctrine.  LOL...that took a lot to say!    But I am growing to love my new calling as nursery leader.  Let me share what I've learned these last couple months.  I have to admit when I was first called I really thought it was one of those callings made by 95% desperation and very little inspiration.  The first thing I learned about nursery was they really need to have some sort of basic training course first!  Raising 5 kids just isn't enough! Had I not learned any patience in the last 22 years?  Was this why I was called?  I came home in tears the first two weeks of nursery.  I thought to myself, "there has to be something more to this than babysitting for two hours."  I think I had been on such a learning high when I was teaching Gospel Doctrine that I just missed what I personally was gaining.  Selfish...I know.  The next week I had this thought, "Okay, so some callings you receive, and some callings you give." I thought this new call to nursery was definitely a calling where I gave much more than I received...and that was totally okay.  I could do that.  Although I was still feeling a little "bummed", with a new attitude I knew I could do better.  We attended a youth fireside that evening where we watched the amazing adventure the kids in the stake had at their Moroni's Quest youth conference where they got to re-enact the Book of Mormon for 4 days out in the wilderness.  As I was sitting there listening to this amazing presentation and still feeling a little overwhelmed with nursery, one of my little nursery "friends" came up with her mom and wanted to say hello....Audrey.  Adorable, shy, quiet little Audrey.  Talk about an attitude adjustment on the spot.  I noticed over the next couple weeks following this that every where I went, no matter where, whether it was the store, miniature golfing, the library....EVERYWHERE I went little children, most of whom I'd never met or seen before,  would come up to me and want to talk or just smile or just say hi.  I thought it was really funny but didn't put a whole lot of thought into it.  Then we had the opportunity to attend the Saturday evening session of Stake Conference (always my favorite meeting) where Pres. Spjute spoke on service (Pres. Spjute is one of my all time favorite people!)  One of the things that stood out to me was a comment he made on service.  He said that in every calling we serve in...every act of service we offer...there is ALWAYS a balance of giving and receiving.  He said that we need to look for that balance.  That was like lightening from above!!!!  I had been viewing this entirely all wrong!  The next morning we were sitting in conference and as I looked around the auditorium, no matter which way I turned there was a small child either waving, smiling, or even holding out their arms to me to come hold them (one of them was hilarious..she absolutely wanted away from her Grandma).  Again, children I didn't even know and had never seen before.  Dennis even leaned over to me and said, "This is kind of like that Santa Clause movie where the kids all know he's Santa.  They must KNOW your nursery leader!"  Humbling.....There is no greater call than teaching those most tender in the Gospel.  And who could be more tender than these little ones.  There is NOTHING more precious than the love and trust of a small child, which is exactly what I was receiving.  And I found my balance.

Just a few of my favorite friends

Future Missionary

Jesus loves me soooooo much!

For Missionary Moms

In The Wink of an Eye
~Michael McClean~

With the wink of an eye I'll be home,

Just you wait..it won't take all that long.

Though I'm not really sure what's behind this new door,

I'll cling to your love while I'm gone.

With the wink of an eye  I'll be home,

And I'll show you the treasures I've found.

And I hope that you'll see that these changes in me,

Are ones that will make you proud.

As am I'm leaving I feel sure,

We've all gone through leaving home before.

 With the wink of an eye I'll be home,
And we'll laugh, and we'll hold, and we'll cry.
For this veil of tears isn't measured in years,
It's all with the wink of an eye.
The wink of a heavenly eye.

Elder Ririe Hits His 18 Month Mark!!!

***********B R E A K I N G    N E W S***********

September 4th marked Elder "Bud's" 18 months.  Only 6 more months to go!  And we had a surprise Sunday morning.  We woke up to an email from Sis. Lewis and family (the family that he's staying with this transfer) AND a video!!!  It was a video of Elder "Bud" burning a pair of pants to mark his momentous 18 months out in the mission field!  It was great to see him.  They were having a great time!  I can't tell you how wonderful it was to see his smile and hear his laugh.  How I miss that laugh!!!  Sis. Lewis also sent me a second email this morning to assure me that the blazing pants actually belonged to an elder that had left them behind.  She didn't want me to be in the dark and think that they actually belonged to Elder "Bud".  Thanks Sis. Lewis!!!  LOL...it must be a mom thing.  How did she know I was worried he was burning one of his suits!

So, only 6 more months to go!  I have mixed feelings, as I'm sure Lance does as well.  It's been such a fantastic experience to have a missionary out in the field and I hate to see it end, but there's days like today that I'm just ready for him to be home.  I'm sure it has something to do with seeing that smile and hearing that laugh. 

Keep up the good work Bud!  And as always....
Be Safe....Be Good....Be Strong!!!!  We love you!

His awesome apron from the 18th Ward Primary!