Monday, December 12, 2011

Finally!

I have never decorated my house before. Mostly because decorating your whole house at one time is TOO expensive. So, I decided that I would just do one room at a time. And I started with my bedroom. :) It is so nice to have one room in the house that is always the way I want it to be! Anyway, I told my sisters, and my Mom about it and they all really wanted to see it. So...here it is! Oh, and the first pictures are of some wall hangings that I made. :) I LOVE them!!










Tuesday, December 6, 2011

EDUCATION

As a teenager, I never took education seriously. I wish I had. I'm certain I am not alone in feeling this way. Lately I have been thinking a great deal about education. I sometimes wish that I had held off on getting married and having children, and attended college instead. But, now looking back, I know that everything has happened for a reason. And I am SO glad that I did things the way that I did. I know the person that I was right after high school. If I had gone to school right away, I would have continued to make the same efforts that I had always made. And that would have ended up in very expensive bad grades. haha. I was not mature enough for college. I did not value education, or my mind.
Since then, I have become a wife and a Mother. Which is a type of education all by it self. One that I am no where near "mastering", but am continually trying to improve. I love my life. I love my family. But as much as I love it, I do not feel 100 % fulfilled. It has taken me some time to figure out what was wrong. I figured out that my brain has been left dormant for too long. Long enough that I have come to value and appreciate it. I now have a hunger for knowledge. I crave the feeling of learning something new. The last time I felt this way was probably when I was in Kindergarten. I don't really remember. But I feel it now. So, I will begin to feed my brain. Build it back up, the way you would an atrophied muscle. It will probably hurt a bit at times but it will feel good as well I'm sure.
We are advised by prophets to get an education. We are told that an education is vital to our future, not only in this life, but in the next. Our knowledge is all that we take with us when we die. We cannot take any worldly posessions with us. So, in an eternal perspective, our brains are the most valuable things we own. And we should focus on them. Academically, and spiritually. They are all connected. I believe this with all of my heart. Because I know that there is a living prophet on the earth today. And if he is real, then God is real. Heaven is real. So, I plan to pack my little brain with all that it can carry, to the eternities.
Deciding where to start can be daunting. When I hear the phrase, "get an education", I automatically think of the word, Bachelor or Master. Very frightening words to me. I sometimes think, I am not smart enough to ever achieve either of those. Or, I don't have time for it. But, really, I AM smart enough. And I DO have time. I have a life time. I may not be able to go to school full time, or be able to afford to commit to a four year degree or more. School is EXPENSIVE. But I will do what I can. You don't have to go to a university to learn about something. There are thousands of books in library's. And they are FREE! So, if you are wanting to start out slow, go to your local library, pick a subject, find a book, and educate yourself. I don't believe that it is nesecary to have a "degree" in order to truly learn something. You can be your own educator. And you take all knowledge with you. Not only the knowledge accompanied with a certificate. Heavenly Father requires no papers. :)
I believe that the most important knowledge is that of the gospel. The scriptures. Our savior. Our Heavenly Father and his plan for us. I am currently half way through reading The Book of Mormon. I have read it before. But never like this time. I am truly reading it. I love it! I have always wished that I had a testimony of The Book of Mormon. And now, I can. And I am not yet finished with it. If you have never read it, I hope that you will. With an open heart and mind.

Ok, so this has been a bit intense and long. These are just some of the many thoughts that have been constantly going through my mind as of late. Oh, and guess what!! I just found out, that I will be able to get an associates degree through The University of Phoenix. For free! Because of Pell Grants and tuition assistance through the military. I am SO excited!! But I am having the hardest time deciding what to study! Ahh!!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Shelby- Mom, why did you give me this cookie?

Me- Because I love you.

Shelby- You can't love me with cookies, Mom.

Me- Oh. Well, what can I love you with then?

Shelby- Toys. :)

to Barbie or not to Barbie

Having a daughter has changed the way I look at the world...in so many ways. I worry about so many things and how they will affect her and the rest of her life. I want her to be a confident woman. So many women struggle with low self esteem. I think that a large part of the cause is the image of the "perfect woman" all over magazines. And when I look at Barbies, with their perfect bodies, it makes me wonder if they are the right kind of "roll models" for my daughter. They are so skimpily dressed. And Shelby really likes the way they dress. She wants to be just like the barbies. So, a while back I( very secretly) disposed of all the barbies. I'm trying to get her interested in other things. We got her an "Our Generation" doll form target. She likes it ok. She plays with it when I encourage her. But when we talk about Christmas, and Santa, she still talks about how much she loves barbies and all she wants is barbies. I feel so bad! I feel like such a mean Mom. Did I do the wrong thing? But if I let her have barbies, and she wants to dress like them, how can I tell her that she can't. It will seem quite hypocritical to her I think.

Another thought is...will it even make a difference? I could keep barbies out of the house, but she will be around them at friends houses. She will see them in stores. And she may still end up wanting to dress like them, or maybe even dress immodestly behind my back anyway. Something I am guilty of myself. Sorry Mom. OR... I could allow her all the barbies she wants, and she could end up just the way I hope she will. I am so frustrated!! I don't know what to do!! Well, actually, now after having written this all down...I think I do. But I would love to hear your thoughts...