A Day in the Life of a Super Hero!

Hi, James again... I just wanted to take a moment to tell my wife "THANK YOU!!!" Thank you for everything you do every day. If you ask Kristy what she accomplished today she would most likely say, "Not much." But let me just take a moment to brag about what she really did today... and tell her thanks along the way. I was at work today, so unfortunately I can't tell you ALL the wonderful things she accomplished today, I can only tell you what I saw or can see the results of. Kristy changed Mary's poopy diaper and didn't make me do it. Thank You Kristy. She made sure she took care of a ticket she got because I forgot to register her car. Thank you! Kristy did the laudry. Thank you. She folded the laundry. Thank you. She cleaned BOTH of the bathrooms and now they sparkle. Thank you, they look fantastic! She mopped the kitchen floor. Thank you. She did the dishes. She wiped down the counters. The kitchen is spotless! Thank you, Kristy! She made a blanket to give to a pregnant friend. Thanks! She organized the hand off of our children to the grandparents for a trip we are leaving on tomorrow. Thank you! She got the kids all packed and ready. Thank you. She prepared dinner, fed the kids dinner, AND cleaned up after them all by herself while I entertained a guest. Thank You! Now all this might sound like a big deal... but that's not even the most important part. She gave Mary that special one-on-one time she craves...several times. (That was so cute watching the two of you say prayers together!) Thank you. She didn't lose her temper with Mary when she woke up the baby, almost broke the baby's swing, almost broke Lindsay's bouncy chair, or drag out laundry Kristy had been folding. Thank you, Kristy. She made Ella feel special by letting ONLY her go with Kristy to the store to pick out some shoes. Thank you! Now, in contrast, while Kristy and Ella were at the store may I just tell you what I accomplished. Um, I held the baby. Watched some basketball on TV. Uh, I held the baby. I had Keller keep Mary busy. And boy was I tired and frazzled after all that! Whew, was I glad when Kristy made it home! She was gone a WHOLE HOUR! (Notice the sarcasm there.) As you can see I am married to a super hero of a woman. The things I've listed are only a small portion of what she did today... I was at work and so I missed lunch time, nap time, probably several kissed owies, comforting hugs, and many words of encouragement and affirmation. Thank you, Kristy. You are SO incredible with our children. You are such a wonderful mother to them. They adore you! There is a reason Mary has a melt down when you leave... you are great with the children. If I was two years old, I'd cry every time I had to be away from you too. Thank you for managing our home. You do a great job... much better than you give yourself credit for. I am so happy with everything you do and are. You are so appreciated, so loved, so adored, so admired and needed. Honestly Kristy, I don't know how you do it. You truly do amaze me. I love you so much. You really are a....


(I couldn't find a "Superwoman" logo... sorry.)

Classic Cashmere Sweater by Erika Knight

This is a sweater I knitted for Kate. The pattern is found in 'Simple Knits for Cherished Babies' . Things I learned with this project:
*Mattress stitch
*Casting on at the beginning of a row.
*Casting off in the middle of a row.
*When putting stitches on a stitch holder, make sure the right end is at the point of the needle when you slip them back on!

Thanks to my cute model Katie.

This is a close up of the mattress stitch. You use it when you sew pieces of knitting together. You can't see the seam, can you? It's magical.

Easter: A Celebration of the Greatest Moment in Eternity

So you’re sitting in Sunday School and the teacher asks you, “What’s special about Easter?” Class in unison: “It’s when Jesus was resurrected.” And that’s that. We know that. We believe that. But do we really understand the true weight of that answer? Have we given it much thought beyond that? Often the miracle of Easter is somewhat overlooked or under appreciated. The power and importance of the doctrine of the resurrection is made clear in the Bible Dictionary.

Bible Dictionary – Resurrection

To obtain a resurrection with a celestial, exalted body is the center point of hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus is the most glorious of all messages to mankind.

The center point of hope in the gospel. The most glorious of all messages. Those are powerful statements. Note that it is a resurrection with a celestial, exalted body... meaning not only salvation from physical death but salvation from spiritual death also.

Mormon also tells us that the resurrection is the center point of hope in the gospel.

Moroni 7:40 – 41

40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

The resurrection is such an important doctrine that God put reminders of it in our daily life. Baptism is a symbol of death and resurrection as we are buried in the water and arise new and clean. The seasons remind us of death in the winter and yet every spring, those very trees that had lost their leaves and appeared dead bud into lush, green life. The sun is buried in the horizon every evening leaving us in darkness, yet it rises again each day. And the closest, most intimate reminder we have is when we go to sleep at night. We bury ourselves under our covers. Our bodies appear they are dead. But each morning we rise… renewed and refreshed. Restored. I can think of no other symbolism that God has placed so blatantly and prevalently in our physical world as those reminders we have of the resurrection.

This Easter season may we all ponder a little deeper, and appreciate a little more what really happened on the glorious morning of Easter Sunday.

I leave you with President Hinckley’s final testimony of the resurrection and of Savior of the world. (“We Testify of Jesus Christ” by President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign Mar. 2008)

"He is the chief cornerstone of the Church that bears His name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is no other name given among men whereby we can be saved (see Acts 4:12). He is the Author of our salvation, the Giver of eternal life (see Hebrews 5:9). There is none to equal Him. There never has been. There never will be. Thanks be to God for the gift of His Beloved Son, who gave His life that we might live and who is the chief, immovable cornerstone of our faith and His Church.
We know not all that lies ahead of us. We live in a world of uncertainty. For some, there will be great accomplishment. For others, disappointment. For some, much of rejoicing and gladness, good health, and gracious living. For others, perhaps sickness and a measure of sorrow. We do not know. But one thing we do know. Like the Polar Star in the heavens, regardless of what the future holds, there stands the Redeemer of the world, the Son of God, certain and sure as the anchor of our immortal lives. He is the rock of our salvation, our strength, our comfort, the very focus of our faith. In sunshine and in shadow we look to Him, and He is there to assure and smile upon us.
He is the central focus of our worship. He is the Son of the living God, the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten in the flesh. He is “risen from the dead, … the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). He is the Lord who shall come again “to reign on the earth over his people” (D&C 76:63; see also Micah 4:7; Revelation 11:15). None so great has ever walked the earth. None other has made a comparable sacrifice or granted a comparable blessing. He is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world. I believe in Him. I declare His divinity without equivocation or compromise. I love Him. I speak the name of Jesus Christ in reverence and wonder. He is our King, our Lord, our Master, the living Christ, who stands on the right hand of His Father. He lives! He lives, resplendent and wonderful, the living Son of the living God."

-- Happy Easter everyone. Love, James.

My Whole Life Story

In an attempt to take everyone to new heights (or is it new lows) of boredom, I've decided to post my life story every week. The reason I'm really doing this is that I've been meaning to write my personal history on Sundays and now I'm going to do it. It seems like a pretty good Sabbath activity.

This post will be about a couple of my ancestors and what they mean to me. The photo above is George Wallace Armstrong, my Great Grandfather on my dad's mom's side. I love this photo. That was his football uniform at the University of Idaho in Moscow. It looks like the football pads were built right into his pants.

His mom gave birth to 16 children, 15 of whom lived past their youth. I can imagine her in her homestead on the farm sitting down probably for the first time that day to answer the questions of the census enumerator. Sixteen kids. And this is before all the housekeeping helpers we have now. Imagining her workload just scrambles my brain.

On my mom's side, there is a branch of the family whose last name is Lindsay. They were from Scotland. The father, William Lindsay, and the sons worked in the lead mines.

"Oft times in the winter time we scarcely ever saw the daylight except on Sunday. We were in the mine before daylight and didn't get out until after dark. In the spring of 1861 we moved into the town of Kilmarnock and were there only a few months when our dear and loving father was killed by a large stone falling on him. Brother James and I had left him all right and were gone about thirty minutes and returned to find him dead. We were two frightened little boys and in our haste to get help our light was knocked out to make it more terrible. This was a dreadful time for all of us especially our dear mother. Our home where peace and love had always reigned supreme was turned to one of sorrow. It seemed all our hopes of ever getting to Utah were blasted. Some of our friends, mostly LDS members, aided us at this time and our dear father was buried in St. Andrew's Churchyard in Kilmarnock....
(me at St. Andrew's where William was buried in Scotland)

for a time we were so grieved we were at a loss which way to turn. But mother did not give way to despair and said to us boys, 'Never mind, we will get to the Valley yet on the very first ship next spring.' ...The words came true...but it was the emigration fund of the Mormon Church that got us here. Then the word came giving us notice to sell everything not needed and to be in Liverpool by the 21st of April, 1862 to go on board the sailing ship John J. Boyd, where passage had been secured for our whole family of eight children and mother. Some people have quite a trial in leaving their friends and their relatives and native land but we were happy in having the privilege to do so."

When I have a difficult day and my spirits are low, sometimes I think of these women, my ancestors. Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, who cooked for, sewed for, cleaned for, taught, and raised 15 children on a farm. And Christina Howie Lindsay who had to bury her husband in Scotland and then take eight children by herself on a 39-day sea voyage to New York and then over the plains and mountains to Heber, Utah. When I think I'll never pull through my trials I sometimes remember them and think "Their blood runs into mine...I'm made of the same stuff that they were...I can get through this...this is nothing, don't make them ashamed to call me their posterity."

Gossip

Note: This post is taken from a journal of mine. It was written solely for my benefit. I thought it might help others, too. I just didn't want to sound like I was preaching a sermon, or like I was perfect.

Why is gossiping so harmful?
In a ward setting, it creates tension and destroys the feelings of love, acceptance, trust, and inclusion that should exist within a ward. It hurts people's feelings! It damages reputations of sometimes innocent people. It makes people feel uneasy: "What are they going to say about me when I walk away?"

How to stop yourself from gossiping:
Pray.
Beware of gossip's disguises: "I like Cindy a lot but..." Often it is done with a thin mask of concern: "Is something wrong with Lisa? She lets her kids run all over the neighborhood...I'm worried that she's depressed..." then the conversation takes off about poor Lisa. These women aren't "concerned". If they were, they would lovingly watch out for Lisa's kids, and drop them off at home if they wander too far or get into a dangerous situation.
Find other topics of conversation, read the newspaper, talk about your own life, various gospel topics, politics (!?), recent family vacations, etc.
Realize that when you gossip, you sound rude, critical, unfriendly, and unChristlike. Is this the vibe you really want to radiate to your neighbors and friends?
Along with gossiping, a close cousin, is backstabbing. Backstabbing (or backbiting) is unkind remarks made about another person who is not there. It's just as bad or worse than gossiping.
*BE HUMBLE*: What are your own weaknesses and failings? What excellent qualities does the person you are tempted to gossip about possess? The thing is, we are all different! The way I choose to raise my kids is different from the way my neighbor does. Why must we tear down another person to prove that the way we do things is the "right" way?
Look for the good in others instead of the bad. This can be hard at first if you're not used to it. In the beginning, you will probably have to make a conscious effort to shut out the negative thoughts that enter your head about people. A wonderful way to break this habit is to replace every bad thought with a thought about what makes that person good.

How to stop others from gossiping: We can't control what other people say or do...but we can make it harder for them to gossip (at least when we're around). Some things we can do:
Change the subject. It can be useful to keep a mental list of interesting topics of conversation that can used to gently steer the topic away from people.

Gossip is ugly. It's mean. It's a weakness that is an overwhelmingly female trait. Let's all try to do better. We are better. Let's be sisters.

Green Hour Pix

It took me long enough to get these pictures added. Life with a newborn...
Anyway...this is a cool rock we found on our nature walk. It had a shiny spot with shimmering rainbow like flakes of rock that would peel off...




This is one of the peelings from the rock.








Keller and Ella getting excited about some crocuses that were blooming.






A tiny little pine cone. Ella called it a baby pine cone.



A leaf Ella was excited about. I don't know if we'll keep doing this...I've got a lot going on already. The kids loved it though. And now... we're off to tour the State Capitol Building. By the way...do you love Keller's mismatched outfit? He looks pretty homeless.

Hotel Mother's Day

I'm opening a hotel, and only moms who have had really bad days can go there. It will have a massive hot tub in the lobby where moms can congregate, soak their feet, and share stories of their bad days. Also in the lobby there will be a gigantic dessert bar with an emphasis on chocolate. There will be a large staff of massage therapists, child psychology experts, and shrinks. There will be a mandatory lights out at 11pm to ensure that each guest gets a good nights sleep. Courtesy wake up calls will be available for those who need to get back home to get kids off to school the next morning. I will charge $5/night. See you there.

Green Hour

We've decided join the Green Hour Challenge! We're committed to spending an hour outside a week, just observing nature and learning more about it. I'm excited to get this going. I know the kids are gonna flip. They love this kind of thing, especially Keller. He's such an outdoor boy. We'll start tomorrow and I'll return and report.

From the Teacher's Desk

The lazy girl's guide to the library:

1. Go to your library's website.
2. Choose the books you want (you can browse around by author, subject, title, and more) and put them on hold using your library card number. It doesn't matter if the book you want is already at your regular library, put it on hold anyway.
3. Check your library account in a few days and make sure all items you've put on hold for the week are there.
4. Go to the library where you've chosen to have your books delivered.
5. Go to the hold shelf and locate the letter of your last name.
6. Pick up your books and check them out. Make it out of the library in five minutes flat, even with four kids in tow.
7. Go home and read.

I Have Something I Need to Get Off My Chest...

Okay. The self loathing and anxiety attacks every time thank-you notes are mentioned need to end. Here it is:

I DIDN'T SEND THANK YOU NOTES AFTER MY WEDDING!

How tacky. How ungrateful. How rude. How thoughtless. How lazy.

James and I were overwhelmed by the kindness of every one who attended our wedding and brought gifts. We were so appreciative of those gifts and the friendship of everybody who gave. Why then, didn't we take the time to send out thank-you cards? I have no good answer.

Despicable, isn't it?

Time

Yesterday, I wasted a lot of time. I dorked around on my blog, read other people's blogs, checked email, browsed through some catalogs, read a little, you know, that kind of day. At about four o' clock, I decided I better snap out of it and get some things done before James got home. In just an hour and a half, I made a serious dent in the laundry, cleaned the kitchen, cleaned the bathroom, made dinner, and cleaned the living room.

After I had done all that, it got me thinking. What could I have accomplished if I hadn't wasted the entire day? Hmmm.

Memory Lane

I'm gonna do something really dumb and post some of the things people wrote in my high school yearbook, senior year (1994). Yes, that's me in the photo. I used to get up at five in the morning to get my hair to look like that. Wow. I should have slept in.

"Kristy
Well it's been a long one huh? Word processing was killer. That's when I decided I had a crush on you, the first day. I can honestly say you are one of the coolest girls I know, I just can't believe that my #1 sexiest girl is leaving me without a date. Take care don't forget me. I know I won't forget you Mike Hansen P.S. Call me so I can ask you out."

"I don't know you but your name is most likely Kristy. That is a very beautiful name kind of like you. Have a good summer. Mike."

"Girl, I dream! sometimes i look at rocks. I like to drive. I like to be human. I hate boiled hot dogs and cotingslingers. Cory Lynn Jacobs"

"Kristy my little one I'm going to put you in my suitcase and take you to a foreign land. your bud Nate Richins"

"Kristy helpful hints:
When you get hungry this summer make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich they taste great.
And when you think about doing somethign bad think of the consequence of a naked man jumping a barbed wire fence. Call me and we'll go out Adam Hunt"

"Hey Kristy
Howdy little pretty woman. I hope you remember our saran wrap job on Mrs. Fewkes portable. You probably do that's something you don't forget. Have the funniest life. C.J."

"Hooker!
Your the hottest on 2nd and State! I (heart) ya tonz and keep in touch (heart) Lindsay Jensen"

"Kristy and the Shalimar. Wow. Well, have a super life. You are very beautiful. Someone thinks you are special, I do. Love Mandi Erekson"

"Kristy, or as Joe says fatty,
you are one crazy girl. I love to be around you when a cute boy walks by. It's the funnest. Have a good time graduating FINALLY can you believe it? Take care. Call me and we'll go party. Erin Martin"

"Kristy-
I didn't know you too well, but don't ever steal my markers or I'll break your leg. Have a great summer. Tyler Crayk"

This one is from the hottest guy in the whole school. Yes, he was my boyfriend's best friend and I had a huge crush on him:
"Kristy It's been fun. I'm glad I got to know you a little better. I hope everything works out for you and Andy. He is a great guy take care of him for me when I leave. Best of luck Matt Smo"

And now these from my best friends. I still get together with them every month. I'm seeing them tonight, in fact:

"Hi Tiny your my littlest bud and you will always share a place in my heart I know that we will never lose touch. Good luck with Andy and keep him happy Love Chelci"

"Kristy Hey chic! This is the saddest thing ever but I know we will always stay friends. This was the funnest year ever and we have to have a kick ass summer! You are the bestest friend in the whole world. I know I am the biggest cheezer but what in the hell am I supposed to write? BFAAA Love, Jaycee"

Kristy Killer Babe-
Hey girl, you rock my world! Well we made it! Thanks for being a totally great friend!! (Talk to me goose!) I hope everything is groovin' next year. We have to stay in touch forever! I love ya tons!! The Courtster you know the #"

"Kris-
Yo chic! What's up with you? The memories we've shared have been the best. I love you to death and I will miss you more than life itself. But you're the best. Good luck with Andy You better write me and keep me updated Call me too! I love you-this isn't the end! (heart) ya Kole P.S. never forget cutie and hotty-they're the highlight of our senior year!"

"Kristy "cute" Keller-
Hey you hanging? This yr. has royally rocked. "Como?" I know that's what you're thinking huh? No lie. too bad you and your soccer player boyfriend are so cute together. A match made in heaven. We can't have a lame summer and not call each other or hang together K? I can't believe we're finally out of here. It's sad but cool @ the same time! Rock On! Shana Ulrich"

What does your yearbook say? I love it how everyone wants you to call them so you can go "party". I always halfway wanted to call some of these people (that I barely knew) over the summer and say "Well you said you wanted to party, so let's party!"

Doing the Best You Can

A few months ago, James and I were talking and he asked me to come up with a way to track our scripture study and prayer over a period of years. He wanted something that would look good on our wall. The photo above is what I came up with. I gave him this calendar for Christmas and he loved it. We started using it at the beginning of January and we've had family prayer and scripture study every day since!
I wish I could say that reading and praying every day has made this huge miraculous difference in our lives. The truth is, I find myself just muddling through, putting one step in front of the other, and doing the best I can. We have a cabin on a river in northern Idaho. I love to swim upstream in the river. I swim like the wind, not even taking time to take a breath. Then, I stop, stand up and look around. I'm in the same exact place that I started.
That's how I feel about life sometimes.
You can run, and drive, and fix, and cook, and teach, and soothe, and improvise, and fold laundry like there's no tomorrow, and sometimes at the end of the day you're left wondering what all the effort is all about and what you've really accomplished.
Doing the best you can sounds so noble, doesn't it? It sounds like you would be zooming through the sky with fireworks shooting from your feet, astonishing the world with your abilities if you did the best you could. The cold hard truth is that a lot of the time, doing your best isn't much. Often, doing your best isn't very graceful. Or inspiring. At times it isn't elegant or polished. Usually, doing your best just means that you didn't do your worst. There are days when you're glad the world couldn't look through your window and see what your best was that day, because it definitely wouldn't astonish anyone.
However, I've come to appreciate the "just muddling through". I believe in the power of putting one step in front of the other. I've been reading about David in the Old Testament lately. I can't get the tragedy of his story from my mind. "There is a lesson there", I keep thinking. I've decided that the lesson, at least for me, is to be found doing the things you said you would be doing. What was David doing out of bed looking at his neighbors in the middle of the night? Why was Bathsheba bathing on the roof in the middle of the night? Why did David ask his servants who she was? The lesson is to be found doing the right things, at the right time, in the right place. These choices seem so small, but eventually they led to adultery and ultimately to murder. What does all this have to do with doing your best? If you're doing your best, even if it's a little tiny best, you can still be found on the path. You will still be making progress, even if it's an inch at a time.
So while my best doesn't impress, it doesn't awe, it doesn't sing and shout, I'm still on the path, putting one foot in front of the other, and I can be found right where I said I would be, doing (even in a small way) what I said I would be doing.

Tagged

A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B: Each player answers the questions about themselves.
C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 3 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Here's all you never wanted to know:

10 years ago:
I got engaged.

5 things on my to-do list today:
1. Clean House
2. Write more Thank-You's
3. Do what didn't get done yesterday.
4. Do school
5. Girls laundry

5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. Chocolate
2. See's Chocolate
3. Hot chocolate
4. Homemade chocolate pudding (warm)
5. Chocolate shakes

What I would do if I were suddenly made a billionaire:
Hire a cook, a maid, and a nanny!

3 of my bad habits:
1. Biting my nails
2. Procrastinating
3. Gossiping

5 places I have lived:
1. Montana
2.Utah
3.
4.
5.


5 jobs that I have had:
1. Chuck-A-Rama (!)
2. Shalimar Wedding Reception Center
3. Discover Card
4. Dos Serranos (waitress)
5. Mom

5 Things people don't know about me:
1. I almost got kidnapped once.
2. I've been thrown in jail!
3. I'm good at reading out loud.
4. Child stars irritate me.
5. I'm completely offended by commercials for tampons, personal lubricant, douches, and pills for E.D.!

I tag:
Wendy, Robin, and Brandy

Back to School

We started up school again today and I'm happy to report that it went much better than I anticipated. Also, I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would! I've been feeling so overwhelmed lately wondering how I was going to balance school with everything else. My patience has been really short too, so I was worried about that. I decided that instead of trying to keep doing our morning schedule (8am-noon), and struggle with trying to find something to keep Mary occupied during that time, we would try an afternoon schedule for school while the babies were taking their naps. This turned out to be a good plan. Less stress for everybody involved. It looks like the kids, in spite of our huge long break, haven't forgotten everything they've ever learned. Their math and reading skills appeared to be as sharp as ever. Yay.
Here's to small miracles.

A Funny

Just now I was fixing lunch for the herd. Mary was in her high chair crying for some spaghetti instead of soup. I was running around trying to fix soup for the girls, spaghetti for Kell, and a cup of herbal tea for myself. Meanwhile, Kate was crying at the top of her lungs in her swing. In other words, it was chaos. Keller, my ever sensitive Keller, who always knows my mood and what I'm feeling, said "Whoa. One mom versus four kids."
Amen.

Questions

Why does a new baby put the entire family into emotional free fall?
Why aren't babies born with stomachs that WORK?
Why can't we fit into our regular jeans the day after the baby is born?
In the Anne of Green Gables series of books, when Anne marries and has kids of her own, there is a woman who lives with them and does the cooking, cleaning, and occasional watching of the kids. Where did these women go? Why do only the ultra rich have "help" nowadays?
How can babies sense that they're not being held?
When will I feel normal again?
Why would we do it all over again?
Why does it have to be so physically traumatic to give birth?
Why am I ALWAYS low on iron?
Why can't kids just do what you ask?
Why do they have to drag out every toy and leave it where it drops?
How do I juggle it all?
Why do I want to eat nothing but chocolate?
Why does life have to be hard?

Our Baby Is Here!

Kate McKinlay Willhite arrived on Tuesday, January 15th at 5:43pm. She came into the world without a lot of fuss. She is sweet and we are glad to have her here! She also has three mothers! Me, Ella, and Mary. Mary thinks it is her baby. She screams "mine!" whenever anyone else tries to hold her. It's going to be a long couple of years.

Book

A few weeks ago I finished reading a book called "A Thomas Jefferson Education". Everybody in the whole country ought to read this book. In this book, the author, Oliver Demille tries to sell the reader on studying the classic works of literature.
To those who enjoy reading but don't spend a lot of time on the classics; I encourage you, read them. They may be difficult to read. Keep going. I've abandoned classics myself that were difficult. But when I persevere, it is always worth it.
There were a couple of paragraphs in "A Thomas Jefferson Education" that allude to "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte, and how it is a valuable book for studying moral courage. I suddenly remembered my favorite quote in the whole book. I kept thinking about it. Then it was shown on Masterpiece Theatre on Sunday and I thought about that quote again. I decided I'd better write it down on my blog just to get it out of my head. Here it is, for anyone who has struggled to do the right thing (everyone).
First some background: Jane Eyre is hired as a governess in a wealthy man's home. She falls in love with this man and he with her. They decide to get married. At the last possible moment it is revealed that Mr. Rochester is already married (to a madwoman). Jane has decided that she must leave Thornfield Hall. Mr. Rochester begs her to move away with him and become his mistress. He uses every possible argument.
"...for you have neither relatives nor acquaintances whom you need fear to offend by living with me."
"This was true: and while he spoke my very conscience and reason turned traitors against me , and charged me with crime in resisting him. They spoke almost as loud as Feeling: and that clamoured wildly. 'Oh comply!' it said, 'think of his misery; think of his danger-look at his state when left alone; remember his headlong nature; consider the recklessness following on despair-soothe him; save him; love him; tell him you love him and will be his. Who in the world cares for you? or who will be injured by what you do?"
"Still indomitable was the reply- 'I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man. I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane, and not mad-as I am now. Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation; they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth? They have a worth-so I have always believed; and if I cannot believe it now, it is because I am insane-quite insane; with my veins running fire, and my heart beating faster than I can count its throbs. Preconceived opinions, foregone determinations, are all I have at this hour to stand by: there I plant my foot.' "
"I did. Mr. Rochester, reading my countenance, saw I had done so."

I try to remember this quote when I'm tempted to do something bad. It has saved me more than once. Isn't this the best argument there is for reading good books?

A Really Wonderful Day

Keller was baptized today and it was such a happy event! I felt the Spirit several times during the day and was so touched by the love of our family and friends who were there to encourage Keller in his decision to be baptized. Not that he needed any encouragement. He has been so excited for this day to come. He kept saying to James and I (afterward) "I love being baptized! I'm just so excited!" James told him that the joyful excited feeling he felt was the Holy Ghost telling him that he'd made a good choice.
After the lunch at our house, James and I gave him his scriptures. He was thrilled! He had to take them to the restaurant that we went to for dinner. I don't think they've left his hands all afternoon/evening. He just now came into the room and showed me a scripture verse that he'd found in the Bible that he loved and I guess I'll end this post with it:

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Just a fantastic day, full of the love of God and the joy of what life is really about.