{What I Learned}

Last week, I spent 3 days in Phoenix with my parents, as my dad had a heart procedure done. {I left the kids home with Dean} In that short amount of time, I learned a few things. Perhaps they aren't so much new things learned, but rather new things remembered.

1. I Was Meant To Be A Mom! I really missed my babies! I almost started crying as we were driving away and I had not even been away from them for 5 minutes! I felt guilty and unfortunately I didn't feel any better when I talked to Dean the next morning. He informed me Lauren cried/screamed for me for about 2 hours straight, before finally falling asleep! Only to have Kylee wake up and cry the rest of the night due to teething. I was so happy to see my babies faces through the window as we pulled up the driveway when we got home. I understand there will be times when I will go away for a day or two, times when I will need to go away but I know I will always miss my babies and I will always be happy to return home!

2. The Lord Knows What He Is Doing. Not that I didn't already know that, but it was definitely confirmed to me. Last month, my Dad had a TIA {a mini stroke}. I remember the doctors saying it was a warning that something was wrong in his body and it needed to be fixed. During this time, they determined that the hole {a PFO} in my dad's heart needed to be patched. The procedure would take approximately an hour, barring no complications. However, 2 hours later, the doctor found us in the waiting room bringing good news and bad news. He informed us that when checking my dad's arteries, they found that his "Widow Maker" {or left main coronary artery of the heart} was 90% blocked! If this artery gets completely blocked, the doctor informed us, the next step "is heaven," hence the nickname. The doctors decided that unclogging the artery and inserting a stint took priority over the hole patch, leaving it to be done at a later time. We were amazed! Oh how I saw the Lord's hand in it all! Had he never hat the TIA, they would have never found the hole, they would have never decided to patch it, they would have never found the clogged artery and he would have most likely died of a massive heart attack. Things could have been so much worse. Instead, Heavenly Father was watching over him; gave him a warning. A second chance.

"Our Father in Heaven has given us, His children, much more than any mortal mind can comprehend. God the Father watches over us, fills our hearts with breathtaking joy, brightens our darkest hours with blessed peace, distills upon our minds precious truths, shepherds us through times of distress, rejoices when we rejoice, and answers our righteous petitions. God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He doesn’t care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely. He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our résumé but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God’s love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked. What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us." ---Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Love of God,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 21–24



3. We Are Not Normal & Laughter Is The Best Medicine. There is a standing rule in my family that nothing will ever happen the "normal" or "as planned" way. It seems like any time we plan or organize something, we manage to only be able to accomplish it the "hard way." We just expect everything to have some sort of snag and laugh when it does happen.

Case in point: My mom got a phone call from the car rental place one hour from our scheduled departure time informing her that they did not have a car ready for her. She quickly called around and was able to find a car from another company. Not a big deal, but why can't things just happen as planned?? We're cursed!

Example #2: Later at the hotel, we were somehow checked-in improperly. On day 2 as we went to our room, we found that our keys no longer worked! When my mom went to the front desk to find out why, it became clear that the lady had checked us in wrong, put us in the wrong room and thought we had already checked out! After the lady refused to take responsibility for the mistake and claimed she "confused us with someone else" my mom got new keys and shared the elevator up with a young couple. As my mom mentioned the problem to the couple, they informed her that earlier that day the same lady had given them keys to our room to see if they wanted to stay there! The guy said as soon as he saw all our stuff they walked out and returned the key to the front desk! When my mom called to ask the lady why this had happened and confirm no one else would be getting keys to our room, her only response was: "They were just playing a practical joke on you. I have never heard of that happening in this hotel"!! We were baffled! How stupid did she think we were? Why would someone make that up? Even after the stress from the day, we were eventually laughing so hard about it! We were all crying and my mom was spewing her water all over the floor! Again: It could have been worse, but why can't things just be normal! At least we know how to laugh about it all and move on!



4. It's All Worth It. We don't know what the future holds. What blessings the Lord will give us or what challenges we will have to endure.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." {Isaiah 55-8-9}

"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." {D&C 122:7}

In the end, it is all worth it. It may not make sense now, it may be hard now, but someday we will understand and we will be grateful.