Sling Fabrics

Here are the two fabrics side by side. I LOVE them! But you totally don't have to agree.

Who are you calling short??

I was at Walgreens looking at some make-up a few weeks ago. The 'beauty consultant' rushed over to help me. I was looking for nail polish and lipstick (I had some coupons and they had a sale). She grabbed a tube of mascara and said, "do NOT buy this, I've had lots of customers return it!".

Me; "okay thanks, what mascara do you recommend" (I was making polite small talk and engaging her about something she knew. BAD choice).

She squinted and looked right at my eyes. "Well I can tell you have really really REALLY short eyelashes, like me" (bats her eyes and blond microscopic lashes half painted black) "I'd recommend this one, it'll make you look like you have false eyelashes." I said, "thanks, I'll try that when my current tube runs out". And then bought what I came for and left quickly.

I've had experiences at make-up counters that would make most people drop their stuff where they stand and leave. I felt guilty (unnecessarily so) and bought the stuff anyway. But this day was different. I didn't buy her recommended mascara and my coupons made it so I actually made $$$ for buying the stuff, so it's different. Right?

Today, I put on mascara and noticed that my lashes were brushing against the insides ofmy sunglasses. And validated my thoughts that all those 'really's' were totally uncalled for.

Answered Prayers

I often feel silly praying to find something of a very temporal nature. Remember the stamp? I mean it isn't really a necessity for living and I haven't used it to fulfill a church duty, yet. But still it was important to me to find it. Partially because I wanted to use it and partly because I didn't like feeling so disorganized that I couldn't find it, or remember if I ever really bought it.

I have always been touched when the boys offer a simple, faith filled prayer to find a toy/shoe/game. The list could go on and on. And then their prayer seems to be answered almost instantly. We've never gone more than 30 minutes without finding something they've prayed to find.

I had nearly given up on finding that stamp. I was resolved that I'd dreamed of buying it and never really followed through. I told myself it wasn't important and that I couldn't really miss what I never had. A member of our ward bishopbric mentioned one night this week that he never really lost something, He just had put it in a very special spot and he'd find it when he had something of equal value to put in that very special safe spot.

I moved on.


Thanks to Julie who started this great Scripture Study group, We've been reading in Alma this week. It's the chapters they're covering in our Sunday School this coming Sunday. Since I'm in nursery every Sunday I love being able to have conversation and study to go with my reading. I love it.

Last night I was reading in chapter 7 verse 23 I got to the part where Alma says, ". .being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need , both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive." And my mind got called back to those stamps, only this time it was a prompting to look in a very specific place. One I hadn't thought of. It was a very logical place, it had been right under my nose and I had missed it. But God was mindful of me and my silly little stamp set.

This morning I was in my office/craftroom and it came again, the prompting to look. (I hadn't forgotten, but life has a way of distracting me at times). I knew when I heard myself ask, "why would it be there?" that it wasn't my own idea. I quickly ran to the spot, lifted out the drawer and there IT was, the package of stamps. I cheered and then quickly dropped to my knees to return thanks to my Father in Heaven.

I went outside to where the guys were. I told Lester the story of the stamps and then the experience I had while reading my scriptures. We talked. It was great, Gabe was there and was amazed at the way I'd received an answer to my prayers. I realized that I learned much more, than if I'd found it right after I had my prayer and had my testimony strengthened as to My Part. I thought turning the room upside down was enough to show I was willing to do and look and work. But it wasn't. I needed to make sure I was doing other things I was asked to do, to be prepared to hear the promptings. And I learned that things truly do happen in the Lord's time. Answers to prayer often require patience and quiet time and effort to improve other areas of our lives before we can be ready for the answers.


I realize that it is necessary for a child to get a quick answer, small experiences strengthen the testimony that Heavenly Father is mindful of them. I also realized that my own lack of preparation cannot hinder the answering of my children's prayers, but it does serve to eliminate me from the blessing of being a part of the answer or solution. There are so many things I do that I think are making me a better mother when in truth the simple and precious truths of the Gospel, scripture study and personal prayer can make me more than a better mother, they help me be the mother Heavenly Father knew I could be. And that is amazing.

I should be sleeping

But I can't. My mind is racing. I cleaned out a cupboard in our office and folded a bunch of fabric. And now I think I may be losing my mind. I could have sworn that I bought 2 yards of this really cute fabric and I cannot find it anywhere! Kind of like the cute stamps I am still looking for. I'm really not a disorganized person. But what is happening to all this stuff?

These shoes a metaphor for my life

*EDITOR's Note* Writer was very sleep deprived, you may need to be going on 4 hours of sleep to understand this post*


I bought these totally adorable and cheap shoes while out on a Mom Time Out trip the other night. My husband was not with me. I don't think I've bought a pair of shoes without him since we married. And if I have, there is a very good chance that they were cute and impractical and painful to 'break in'.

See he doesn't believe a pair of shoes should require blisters of the wearer. He's always been an advocate of good shoes. His Father was the same way. He'd often remind his children; you only have one pair of feet, take care of them. My late father-in-law may have been the ultimate penny pincher but when it came to shoes, he spared no expense for a good pair of shoes. My husband is the same way.

As I was walking tonight (wearing these shoes, because I bought them and blisters be danged I am going to wear them!) I started thinking about how my shoe choices have changed since the beginning of my marriage. I began to draw some interesting parallels.


These Shoes remind me a lot of my pre-marriage years. Cute, practical looking, comfortable looking and a little off the cuff as far as 'fitting in' with other things.

Under the surface they reveal more, they may look comfortable and easy going but there is a lot of work that goes into making it look that way. They heel is stiff (my stubbornness) and must be broken in, there is little to no arch support and walking in them is more work than the average walk in the park. Keeping them on my feet as I walked put a lot of stress on them.

I'll still keep them, wear them with caution and be ever ever ever so grateful for the shoes my husband has helped me pick out and my bare feet.

Just ask!

People say this, "if you need anything, JUST ask" like it should be an easy thing. Maybe it is for some or even most people. It isn't for me.

I don't know where it came from, but I'm afraid to 'just ask' for pretty much anything. From anyone. I've actually improved a lot since being married to Lester. He won't stand for me cowering in the corner when I should be asking a sales associate to get me a pair of shoes from the top shelf.

I have the most difficult time asking for things that seem to put another person out for my sake. I hate it. I really really really hate it. But I've felt this way for so long I don't know how to think, feel or act any other way. AND the anxiety involved with asking makes me reconsider the worth of the thing I am asking for. Lots of times, it just isn't worth it.

Take Deep Yoghurt Breaths

In. Out. In. Out. (A line my sweet Gabe used to say to remind himself to not get upset or scared).

The scouts are coming to my house. they're expecting a fun activity. I still have no clue how to do this. Please. Please. Please. Tell me I'll survive. And if I don't, bury the beads and jewelry with me. (that way I won't have to watch the fighting from heaven).