Day 2

Porter was next on the list and I sort of combined his with Lincoln.  The boys room is usually clean, but lately it's been messier and just seems like there isn't enough room.  So today I cleaned their room, vacuumed it, organized their clothes and shelves, moved the bed onto a different wall, and moved the other furniture.  Maybe it's just me, but it seems to make a room feel cleaner and more open when it's rearranged.  I didn't have a chance to re-make Porter's bed because I had to wash bedding, but he liked that it was clean.  It was fun watching him, because I moved some of the stuff he hasn't seen in a long time onto his headboard, so he was curiously looking through it.  Lincoln often doesn't like change so there was fear that he was going to complain.  He asked why I moved his room around, and I told him I thought he'd like it.  He didn't complain after that so I'll take it as a win.  Again, it makes a difference doing something with the intent of making someone else happy.  It becomes less of a chore and turns into an enjoyable activity.

Day 1

I wanted to do something for Richy on my first day.  Well, he loves to cook and therefore he loves homemade stuff.  I went kind of crazy today and ended up making bread, frittata(my first attempt, not the best) and with the help of Paige and Eden made peanut butter cookies.  He was very grateful for the effort I put in and it made me feel good to have the intent of doing it for him, out of love rather than feeling like I have to do it, out of guilt.  I also took a few minutes to sit down and cuddle with Paige.  She wasn't feeling well and seemed like she needed some attention.  Usually I would tell her to go rest and I would return to whatever I was doing, but I felt that sitting with her was most important.  So I can count today as a success.

365 Days

This is something that I know will be a challenge to me.  That is: doing something on a regular day to day basis and wanting to do it long term.  Lately, I have had a hard time committing to most anything for fear of not accomplishing the goal.  It's rather silly because I'll sit their thinking of all the great things I want to do, some easy some challenging, some requiring little time and some requiring much effort and commitment.  Regardless of the difficulty, I stop myself before I start.  It might be fear of disappointment(that of my own, my husbands or my kids), the fear of telling someone my goal and then not achieving it.  Bottom line is: it's hard.  It's so much easier to go through life the easy route.  It's so much easier to not try, but the influence of the Holy Ghost(conscience) is such a great motivator that I can't sit content and complacent for very long or else I start to feel crummy, lazy and unfulfilled.

So regardless of how well I do, how many days I end up accomplishing what I am setting out to do, I am starting something new.  I read today of a man that decided to do 366 days of service and document them.  Yesterday in Young Women's the teacher said when something stands out to you(like this article I read) it's for a reason.  God is telling you through others what is best for you and what he would have you do.  

So, I read this article and felt that it would improve my life greatly if I consciously tried to serve someone every day and I also know that documenting it will help me to focus and appreciate all that I have.

In the beginning my goal is to do an act of service every day for a different member of my family.  As I do this I will document it regardless of how small and simple the act may be or how small and simple the post may be.  Eventually I'd like to reach out beyond my husband and children and find the joy in serving those around me.

Just a Start

I think throughout life we all want to improve ourselves and do things that bring more joy and fullness to our lives.  I am on such a quest.  I love my life.  I love my husband, my kids, the gospel.  I fill richly blessed and have much gratitude to the life I've been given.  I couldn't ask for much change in my life.  I am healthy, my husband and kids are also.  We have a wonderful house, a great neighborhood, family that cares for us and a strong foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  So, though it might seem when I say I want a "change" is that I want something different than what I have now, that's not true.  I love what I have and couldn't ask for anything greater, but I do want to improve upon what I have and increase the love, harmony and sense of worth and fulfillment in my life.

I was reading something today and it talked about happiness and how happiness comes when we aren't thinking about ourselves, but are reaching out to others.  I know that is why marriage and children are so fulfilling and bring so much joy, because we are looking out for the best interest of someone else.  I know as a mother I naturally give, it's just part of the job.  I cook, I clean, I wash faces and clothes, I kiss ouchies, I mend broken hearts, I listen time and time again.  My husband fulfills these rolls right along side me.  Our kids also give as they play with one another, share their things, say they're sorry, and help out around the house.

When I think of giving I often think of doing something for someone outside of our family and we always seem to fall short.  But then I have to stop and remember that my family and their well being is one of my greatest callings here on earth.  For if I can teach them to be good people, ones that will honor their baptismal covenants, ones that will look out for others well beings, then I can say that I've done my part.  So as I go through this my hope is to continue to establish a tight bond within my own family (my husband and children) and then incorporate times of reaching beyond the comfort of ourselves and look for the needs of others and with my family help those around us.