Life is More Fun Today

Soooo, yesterday we picked up our new kittens. We let the older kids each pick and name one, hence the name Jasmine for one of the boys, but Isa insists it's name is that, so I figure we'll just call him Jazz (shaking my head and sighing). Consequently we now have added 3 new souls to our family: Nightia (She is the dark one with a few stripeys, the only girl, and the oldest by about 2 weeks; she was abandoned and passed on to us), Jasmine (a boy who looks like a grey Siamese cat), and Mew (who is orange and white with one green eye and one blue, and he lives up to his name: he is very mewey and clingy, but we figure he'll grow out of it at least a bit). They are little bundles of fun. It was a good choice to get 3, they all play well and it is nice that they are all a bit different, and they are good companions for each other. Today we took them out of their huge box and let them run around in Robert & I's bathroom with all the doors closed. They were climbing up my back and wrestling with each other and chasing Horatio's cars. We are teaching EJ and H not to play in the kitty litter (ugh). We have them in a box in our room for about a week based on sound advice from many different sites, that they should be introduced to a small part of the house for a short time. It makes sense for them to be acclimated to the smells and sounds before we let them loose with all the new sights and hiding places, which is scary since they are too little to come when called yet (and, hey, they're cats, they may never come when called except when they want to, right?!). So the pic of them is in the small box we brought them home in before we put them in their big box. 2 more things I must mention are last night Nightia was lonely while the other kits slept, so we took her out and she snuggled on my lap and played with her tail (so cute!)(remember I've never had big pets), and today after we left the kittens in the bathroom to rest & eat after our playtime, I went in to check on them and Mew purred for the first time. It's nice to know they feel at home already.

Have I mentioned what an amazing husband I have? We have been really poor our whole married lives, until maybe 2 years ago, when we finally caught up to our debts (we are now debt free, except our mortgage, thanks to some generous help from some loved ones who will remain anonymous, but you know we love you!), and started having money left over after bills were paid to buy things like groceries and start savings for all the kids. Robert and I had to do a lot of trial and error learning how to deal with money, but we finally have a system that is working well for us (it's -guess what- using Excel!). I have all my info on spreadsheets that I can balance, budget, cut and paste to my hearts content. I love order. If I weren't so creative I think I'd love to have been an accountant. Did you enjoy that tangent? The point is now Robert can finally just go out and buy me something nice every now and again. A couple of days ago he picked me up a box of See's candy (Butterchews, baby!). If you have never had it, I have no response to that, it is unfathomable to me. If you have, you know what a treat it was, especially as we had a See's at the local mall in Provo (and the Orem Costco sold gift certificates at a discount from the regular price!), but the closest one here is way out by Robert's work and too far to take an afternoon jaunt to. Then the day before yesterday, he surprised me with some beautiful roses (2 dozen!) from Costco. Have I mentioned yet that I love Costco!? And knowing that I do the money managing in the house and he only paid about 15$ for them is strangely romantic. Then today (all good stories have groups of 3, right?), just as I was getting ready to do my 15 minutes of Scripture study, he sent me this link to a great talk by Dallin H. Oaks, one of the 12 Apostles. (btw, here is the text to that talk) He touched on many great points about knowledge and knowing. I love the quote, "Anyone can disagree with our personal testimony, but no one can refute it." Also as Robert pointed out, "what is especially interesting to me is Dallin Oaks's profession as a lawyer, professor, (insert more titles here) where he has spent TONS of time evaluating witnesses and evidence as a profession. And here he is talking about spiritual witnesses and testimony." Elder Oaks explains also how we can be united as a church in following our leaders, yet still be independent in our knowing for ourselves the Doctrines of the Gospel. Our leaders, the Prophet himself even, have always encouraged us to be obedient when we have affirmed for ourselves that what they are teaching is true and what we are asked to do is good and right. To those who think we "Mormons" are sheep who are going on "blind faith", this is a great talk if you are open to an explanation. I know that the Prophet, his counselors, and the 12 Apostles are all led by the Spirit (The Holy Ghost, the 3rd member of the Godhead or "Trinity") and they follow Him. I trust and love them all. My faith is built on that trust and my personal witness of the reality of Gospel and universal truths. I do what they ask b/c I have personally been told directly to my heart/soul/mind that this is what Heavenly Father wants for me. And I have faith and trust in Him, b/c he has proven himself to me when I have taken the first step. See Alma 32-33 for some wonderful insights into this topic. In conclusion, I would like to point out that my sweet husband showed love to me by letting me feast my eyes, my tummy, and my spirit. Have I told you today how wonderful he is? I love you, Robear.

And now I have to go play Super Paper Mario or Isa will die! Thanks for sticking with me.