Easter Thoughts

Touch Me Not by Minerva Teichert

This year William spent Easter morning alone, suffering. I know what you're thinking, that sounds quite symbolic of our Savior and His suffering for us. However, William's suffering was nothing like our Savior Jesus Christ, who atoned for all mankind and conquered death to rise on Easter morn. Instead, William's suffering was a back injury incurred the day before at the gym. So he spent Easter morning in bed while the kids and I went to church on the most beautiful day we've seen this year in Idaho.


A friend of mine mentioned today that she couldn't think of an Easter that wasn't a beautiful day. It seems like the earth and heavens all combine to rejoice on this day.

As a family we've spent the past while reading the Gospel of John together. Today, it just so happened that we read about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and I couldn't help but remember time spent sitting at the garden tomb in Israel. What a feeling of reverence and awe I always felt there. I love history and I love tangible things so for me being in a place of such historical significance and touching history made such a profound impact. When I think about my personal relationship with the Savior I often think back to what it felt like to sit in that beautiful garden and to be where Christ once was. But as I grow older I don't need those sort of tangible experiences quite as much. My tangible experiences are the smiles on my children's faces, the discussions about what they've learned about Jesus as we sit around the kitchen table, hearing them read about Christ from the scriptures, listening to them sing the songs they've learned at church all day long. I will always treasure my memories of my travels in the Holy Land, but not as much as I will treasure these moments with my family. I am truly indebted to my Savior for His love and sacrifice and for making it possible for me to have such joy in my life.



Happy Easter.

Heated Blankets and Pink Tinsel

I was thinking about Idaho tonight. I know, that's unusual right? I mean, since I live here why shouldn't I occasionally think about the state? Oh, the irony. No, I was thinking about Idaho and how its April and I'm still sitting in bed under my heated blanket because it is freezing here and the wind is blowing like crazy and I feel like the trees in my yard might be uprooted and blown to the nether lands and that makes it very hard to sleep.

But as I think about these things in Idaho that are a little bothersome I also am left thinking about the rest of it. I had a thought the other day that I will always look back on this time in my life as a really good time. And really it is. I never dreamed I would live in Idaho (I don't really know who in their right mind dreams of living in Idaho but I certainly never dreamed it) but really, there are some wonderful things about Idaho. And one of those wonderful things is indeed my heated blanket. Yes, it warms my constantly frozen feet but more importantly it warms Luke. Literally. Every night. In fact, it is what has lead to somewhat sleep filled nights because before the introduction of the heated blanket Luke climbed into bed with me, not with his dad, he left that side of the bed alone, but with me. And he spent lots of time talking to me and stroking my cheek and snuggling. And while it is very cute and sweet for my four- year-old to show his mommy just how much he loves me, I get very tired and snuggling every night leaves me wishing for one of two of uninterrupted sleep. Then came the blanket. Luke no longer needed his nightly snuggle with mom he apparently also just needed to be warm. So now, instead of nightly snuggles I am vaguely aware of a little presence that enters my room in the wee hours of the morning and gingerly slides the blanket off of me and drapes it across himself on the little bed of pillows he's made for himself on the floor right next to me...and then he usually wants to hold my hand, but just for a moment.

Another great thing about Idaho is that we're only four hours from Provo, Utah where we can go to visit my mom and my sister Cindy and Will's sister Debbie and nieces and nephews and Jimmer. Yes, you read it, Jimmer. We were a little obsessed with Jimmer Fredette and the BYU Cougars this basketball season and we were lucky enough to make it down to BYU for two games and Jane actually loved a sporting event. We may have struck a new chord in her life. Its not surprising that our boys, especially Mitchell who lived and breathed basketball all winter, where enamored by Jimmer and the Cougars but for Jane to actually attend two sporting events and then to say that she LOVED the experience was...priceless. Although, it might have been even more priceless if she had been with William when he flew on the Melaleuca jet to Denver to watch the Cougs play, and beat, Gonzaga. As for Mitchell, he now rarely walks anywhere without dribbling his basketball and its pretty much a daily thing for him to tell me he's heading outside to "shoot hoops." That is, until this week and now soccer has started and the dribbling has moved from the hands to the feet.

The past several months have been some of those super busy, crazy run-around times when I feel like I can't catch my breath. And yet, its been filled with good busy things like my cooking club (that is one of the best things about Idaho!), book club, PTO, teaching F.A.M.E (fine arts and music education) at the school, running my kids to and from tons of activities, trying to stay healthy and make it the gym once in a blue moon, and being the Young Women's President in our ward. Yes, my lucky Christmas present was to be put in charge of 54 twelve to eighteen year-old girls in our congregation and I don't get paid a penny for it. But, oh the blessings. Actually, there are a lot of blessings. They are great girls and I love hanging out with them and I have learned so much from them. Its really a very fulfilling part of life. And they are the reason that I came home tonight with pink tinsel in my hair. I know, I'm really breaking out of my shell.

So one last thought for tonight because the wind seems to be fading into the background and that might afford me the opportunity to drift off to sleep: being in Idaho has really brought our family closer together and that may be the best thing about being here. I couldn't have pictured what a difference William's work schedule could make on our entire family. This is a good community filled with good people and we have benefited from that. And we have benefited from a job that allows us to value family time. Aside from the weather, and maybe the politics, Idaho really is pretty good experience.