Our Family Follows the Prophet

General Conference Fall 2013

Twice a year we have General Conference.  Apostles, General Authorities and other Church Leaders speak to us.  It is amazing.  Really.  I look forward to it and read the messages over and over again.  However, when you have children ranging in age from 2 - 15, getting them excited to sit for two hours at a time to listen to "old people" speak can be challenging.  Very.

Each night before we have family prayer we repeat the same thing, basically our family motto:
Our Family Sticks Together
Our Family Follows the Prophet
Our Family is Hard Workers
Our Family is Honest
Our Family is Kind

I love that we do this and repeat it together.  Often as challenges arise in our children's lives and our own we can easily refer to this and it falls under one of these things we believe.  The answers are easier to explain and we remind ourselves who and what we are.

So... if we follow the prophet, then we listen to General Conference.  I challenged our family to pray about something we need an answer to and try to listen for the answer during conference.  I posted Elder Uchtdorfs quote on preparing for conference a few places in our home to remind us.  We talked about conference in Family Home Evening and really tried to prepare the children and ourselves to learn and listen.  It was interesting as the kids and us as parents recognized our questions being answered during the messages being given.

I made a basket that the children could see but not touch until Conference began (torture much?).  It had activities, treats (of course) and envelopes (with activities) we opened along the way.  We started with the sign:  Our Family Loves Conference and each person had a piece of paper with BECAUSE...  I loved the responses.  We posted them by the TV so we could remember we love this.  Right?  Right?  

The best activity was Conference Bingo.  The kids each made their own and cut out pictures of apostles, key words and gospel terms.  When they got a bingo... Voila... a treat.  Dad spoiled them, for each and every bingo they got a treat, by Sunday afternoon the sugar intake was definitely high and they were getting restless and hyper.

Each child also had a quote or printable they could pick and put on the wall.  I loved how each one fit their personality.  

It was a great time to be together, to relax, have yummy breakfast and dinners.  The boys went to Priesthood session together and home for milk shakes after.  I love my family.  I love conference.  It was as great as it always is.  It gave me the boost I need to carry on.

SAHM

I often hear the term SAHM - Stay At Home Mom.  Often when you hear it people roll their eyes like it is a luxury or super easy.  Seriously?  

I personally love being a mom.  It is the greatest and hardest thing I have ever done.  But I love it.  Over five years ago I was at home and realized I wasn't going to be able to be the mom I wanted to.  I had to go to work and quick.  I took many jobs, many not-glamorous jobs but I would do anything for my family because that is what a Mom does.  Anything for her family.

When I started telling people I was getting married their first question was, "Do you get to stay home?"  Well yes and no.  I will be at home, but I am constantly on the go.  We have eight kids!  I can honestly tell you that going to work is in some ways easier.  I get to have a lunch.  I can run a couple errands in silence.  While at work I could get some things done on my break on the computer.  There were not sticky letters on my keyboard AND all the letters were on the keyboard (not picked off by little fingers). 

Am I a SAHM?  I am going to answer no.  I love being home, but I am not there enough.  I often refer to it as my four walls.  When I am home I am happy and I work so very hard.  When I leave and especially my children I worry, I am a mom, it is what we do, we worry and we love.  I still have my vinyl lettering business that I work hard at, I am continuing my schooling for my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, I am teaching children to read, work and be responsible, I help my husband with all sorts of interesting projects and I solve all the worlds problems on a daily basis with chaos all around me.  (Latest project... installing a four row of seats in the Suburban, yes we can seat all ten now with seat belts)

I had a lot of people give me interesting looks and questions when they found out I was getting married again.  You are going to have how many kids?  What about work?  Are you sure you want to give everything up?  He (my husband) is going to support you all?  

Well, here is what I know.  I have eight kids and I wouldn't trade it for anything, at moments I might, but overall, never.  What a privilege to learn and grow and help them develop and learn and grow.   I was at Costco yesterday and an older man came up to us as we were having pizza together.  He said, "I count seven kids, that is a lot!  Is that all of them?"  We replied, "No, there is one more."  He almost had a twinkle in his eye and smiled.  He had eight kids and missed them all dearly.  He commented how much he missed the years we were in and advised us not to wish them away.  "Poof!  One day they are all gone," he said.  Have you ever heard someone say, "I wish we hadn't had all the kids we do."

Work?  What about it?  I am just a number when I go to work, I am replaceable.  I have had many jobs and I tried hard at all of them.  They were challenging in different ways and rewarding as well, both intellectually and financially.  But when my daughter was in a horrible accident you realize how quickly work doesn't matter.  You are replaceable in days.  But never at home.  A job is a means to an end, motherhood and family is forever.  No success can compensate for failure in the home.  I haven't given anything up, I have only been more blessed.  

My husband?  Yes, he supports us all and we all support him.  It goes both ways.  We are a team.  

Stay At Home Mom... toughest job ever.