Argh, Matey!

 Katelyn the Pirate

Earlier this week the Double B built me a beautiful two-tiered ballet barre. By himself. Out of his own mind. Yes, I supplied a few fabulous ideas and showed him a couple of pictures and then -- BOOM. He built it. Fifty dollars later (a gazillion dollars cheaper then any other option), I now have a beautiful 8-foot long barre for my classes. That's right. He's a hero. I told him we definitely should have documented it step by step so we could put it on Pinterest and become pin-famous. He just shrugged. Really, it's a loss for the whole world that we didn't. Sad. But oh well, because I have an awesome-sauce barre of my very own! Katelyn loved her time at Home Depot while we figured it out. That is pretty much her favorite store, because there is so much darn stuff to explore. I took her on a little walk (well, she took me on a little walk), and she tried out every door, every kitchen display, and every fridge and oven. I guess I can rest assured she'll be a very thorough and informed consumer when she comes of age!

Yesterday I was reading in Third Nephi where the Savior says in three different ways -- I have, I would, I will -- gather his people like a hen gathers her chicks. I have thought about that several times in my life, of course, but this time I was really trying to get a firm grasp on it. I knew the principle but have had no hen/chick experience, so I pulled out my phone and typed in "hen gathering chicks" on you tube. And it was awesome. I saw two little short videos that made it so much more clear for me, and I felt so protected and comforted. I love that image. I am glad to be a chick that has such a mighty protector, if I will just do my best.

Last night the Elders came over. They needed a dinner appointment and the Sisters told them to call us, and we were so glad they did! They are new to our ward -- we have Sister missionaries in our ward because we are so close to the Liberty Jail, but with so many new missionaries in the field, they were able to send a set of Elders, too. We really like to help the missionaries any way we can, and have gotten pretty close to the awesome Sisters, and our kids are wild about them. I've even gotten to go with them and help teach, which was the cooooollllest! Highlight in my life, for sure. So it was fun to get to know the Elders, too, they are great and I feel so happy that my kids are getting that example of both. That is one thing I am really learning to love, is the extra opportunity to push the work forward by helping the missionaries here. I've felt bad, because I am a stay-at-home Mom and my situation is different then my husband's in the work place, or my children in school, that I wasn't having that opportunity to really reach out... my social world is still very much my ward family, just like it was at home. But helping the missionaries is something I can do. They are great. We love it!