Answer to prayers

Lately, I have been blessed to have my prayers answered.  I've been thinking a lot about the power of prayer.  A few months ago, I had the chance to go to my grandma's birthday celebration.  We also celebrated my great uncle's birthday at the same time.  Uncle Bill told us the story of when he was a young man in the navy stationed on a ship during the war.  The ship was attacked and began to sink.  He was lucky enough to get onto a life raft.  After a long time, the raft began drifting too far out, and the seas became very dangerous.  One of the men on the ship said "I think it's time we all start to pray".  Uncle Bill said that as soon as they all started to pray together, the seas calmed and they were soon rescued.  He bore his testimony that Heavenly Father loves us and will answer our prayers.  Not long after hearing his story, I was feeling depressed and upset.  It seems that whenever Mike and I save enough money to get a project around the house fixed, something comes up and our project gets put on the back burner.  Well, we've been talking about putting new flooring in for years, and finally had the money to do it.  A few days before I actually ordered the flooring, we found out that we needed the money for something else.  I was feeling fed up and frustrated.  I prayed that I could get over it and not fight with Mike about it.  Later that day I was reading in my scriptures and came across this passage:  3 Ne. 13: 25, 31, 34
  25 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked upon the twelve whom he had chosen, and said unto them: Remember the words which I have spoken. For behold, ye are they whom I have chosen to minister unto this people. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
  31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
  34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.
I felt that this was an answer to my prayer, that I need to take no thought of material things, and take more thought of spiritual things and the things that really matter the most.  
I had two more experiences this week.  After a long trip home from Utah, I was feeling exhausted.  I don't even remember half the drive home from Phoenix!  We got home, and I took an instant nap.  After I got up, I went to get us some dinner, but couldn't find my wallet.  I searched every where.  I got angry, and searched every where again.  Then I made all the kids help me look for my wallet.  It was no where to be found.  I asked Levi to say a prayer that we could find my wallet (I was too upset to do it).  He was so sweet, and I was instantly relieved and the stress started to fade away.  Hours later, after I put Levi and Tristan to bed and sat down to relax, Jordan says, "mom, Jaxson found your wallet."  I don't know where he got it from, but there he was, sitting in the floor playing with my wallet!  Levi came out for a drink of water and I told him that his prayer worked.  He was pretty pleased with himself.  

Two days later, I took the boys to Tucson.  We were in Costco shopping, and just as we got in the checkout to pay, I reached in my pocket for my Costco/Amex card.  It wasn't there.  I searched all through my purse and pockets, and knew it had fallen out somewhere in the massive store.  I asked Levi to say another prayer real quick while I searched again.  In the middle of the crowded store, Levi bows his head and folds his arms,  and prays that we will find my card.  We re-traced our steps, to no avail.  Then we went to customer service where someone had turned it in.  Levi said he knew his prayer would be answered, and so did I.  I'm grateful that the Lord has given me a chance to teach my sons that prayer works, and that my testimony about it could be strengthened.  

Christmas time is here!

This has been a hectic holiday season so far.  I am about done decorating for Christmas, but what normally takes me 1 day has taken me 4 so far and I'm not completely finished.  It's not that I have a lot more decorations, it's that I'm also trying to get the house ready for some visitors next week.  Mike's old mission companion from Australia is coming next week with his two daughters.  So, we are trying to get everything decorated and cleaned up before next Wednesday!
               Tris loves putting ornaments on the tree.

                                 Jax really loves un-decorating.

Levi just loves doing things together as a family.

Jax will keep me on my toes through out the Christmas season.  He tried to unwrap the presents under the tree today.

Vacation!

So, this was an interesting Thanksgiving.  Taylor's high school band planned a trip to Hawaii for six days, and we thought it would be great if Mike went along as a chaperone.  Since I didn't want to leave all the other kids with someone else during the holidays, I decided to stay with them and head out to Utah to visit my sisters and brother.  We knew it was going to be an interesting trip when Tristan threw up the whole way to Utah.
This was the kids after we landed in Salt Lake  Utah was cold and covered in snow.  I loved it!  So did Tristan.  He just wanted to play in it all day.

After a delicious turkey dinner, we played a game of family soccer.  My brother and nephew schooled us all.  It was fun.  My dad challenged all the little kids to a race.  Levi was certain he would win.  Papa was the winner though, with Lauren coming in second and Levi third.  Levi consoled himself by saying that Lauren is older, and he just decided not to finish fast because he didn't really want to win anyway.  We were all worried that Papa would keel over, but after a short rest, he joined in on the soccer game.

The next day, we went Black Friday Shopping!  I've never done it before, and I had so much fun laughing at all the crazy women shoppers.  I did find some good deals too, but I don't know if it was worth getting up at 4:00 in the morning and waiting to get into Target in the 20 degree weather.  But, spending time with my sisters and niece made up for the sheer exhaustion.  I love them so much!

The next day we took all the kids to the discovery museum for kids.  They had a ball.

Jaxson loved all the attention he was getting from his cousins, and to be honest, SO DID I!!

After that we went to the temple square to let everyone see the temple lights and take a tour of the conference center.


Me and my siblings finally found time to get a picture together.  They are fun to be around.


Although I missed Mike and Taylor so much, I loved visiting my family.  And I know that Hawaii was a fun trip for them too.  I will post pics when I get them loaded.  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday as well!