Merritt Memories

Grace asked me today, "Mom, how did you learn to be a mom?" My answer: "Trial and error, Grace." Then I added, "And the Spirit. The Spirit lets you know what you need to do." It got me thinking. How did I learn to be a mom? Could you really learn to be a mom? My answer: I learned to be a mom watching other moms. And mostly my mom. I do a lot of things like her. I do some things she probably wouldn't. But, I'm pretty sure my subconscious watched her like a hawk and took notes, frantically. There are days I wish I could be close enough to still observe. I know I'd learn a thing, or two...probably twenty! And wouldn't it be great if there really was a mom school?!!

I've been working out of my home for a little over a month now. Man I forgot how hard it is! Not the working part. The part where I have to keep up with housework! I'm ready to scream. My laundry has been sitting for a few days. It's sorted. That's a plus for me. Now, I just have to wash and then fold. Oh, how I hate the folding part. I swear I haven't dusted since I started working. It's driving me a little over the edge. I am a person who dusted at least once a week. I can officially write my name in the dust now. I'm pretty sure my house hasn't been vacuumed all week long. Yeah, my vacuum is right where I left it last week. Sitting next to the stairs in my family room- collecting dust along with everything else. GROSS! When you have a little family and no dog, that might be sufficient. I have a little house with 7 people and a dog! My goal was to vac every other day. My kitchen floor needs to be mopped, blinds need to be scrubbed, rugs are waiting to ...

This post has been on my mind lately. A few things have sparked it. I thought maybe I should write my feelings before I'm right smack in the middle of dating teenagers. It is SUPER long. Sorry. How many of us remember being fifteen? I know I do. I turned fifteen my 9th grade year. It was my favorite school year. I loved Jr. high. I had my first boyfriend. Joey. He was one of my best friends... until we became a couple. Then something happened and we never talked to each other until my senior year of high school. That still makes me sad. I turned sixteen my sophomore year. This was exciting because now I could "officially" go on a date. And I knew who I wanted that first date to be. I had seen him at Seminary registration. He was wearing a blue suit. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. I didn't know his name, I had never met him before, but I remember my heart stopping when I saw him. How lucky was I to walk into seminary on my first day and see that he was in my class. ...

I expressed my love for the Book of Mormon. I wanted to make sure the Bible was not neglected in my testimony. How I love the stories of the Bible! When I was little we had a children's version. I remember pooring over it all the time. I loved, and still do, the stories of Jesus. One of my favorites was the story of healing the blind man by putting "spittle" on his eyes. It means even more to me because my son is blind in one eye. We had many conversations when he was little about that story and how one day Ryan would be made whole again. I was a rare exception in high school, I loved studying the Old Testament. Many thought it was boring, but I love those stories!! It was one of my favorite years in Seminary. The other was, of course, the Book of Mormon. I hope my kids can understand the importance of studying the scriptures and the role they play in the Plan of Salvation. It is by reading them and studying them we will learn what we are to do and our purpose for being h...

For family home evening the other night, my lesson was on Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life. This is one of my MANY favorite stories in the Book of Mormon. I love how detailed his account is, so I can picture it in my head. That's what I had my kids do as we read it. They were to draw it as I described it word for word from the scriptures. I must say they did pretty well. I loved the drawings so much, I wanted to make sure they made it into our family journal. I love seeing each different interpretation. Each kid made it a point to have people drowning in the river. And where Aaron thought that people were actually clibimng the tree, that cracks me up!! All a little different, but pretty close. We talked abouth the four different groups of people described in the scripture account and took an inventory of our personal lives to see which catagory we all fall under. I believe we are the ones holding tight and "pressing forward," but I know sometimes we might be ones th...

I just realized I never posted a picture of Dustin's awesome Christmas outfit. How did I miss doing this?! He looks great, doesn't he? Oh, Dustin you are such a good sport to humor your wife in all her thinkings. I love you. And I love those pants! They are accented in all the right places!! :)

Can you find what is wrong with this picture? Take a closer look... Yeah. My daughter went to church in those shoes and socks. Yes. She even wore them like that. One is upside down for goodness sake (I won't mention how they TOTALLY don't match) We had Stake Conference on Sunday and I was going at it alone; Dustin was sick. We were in hurry and by the time I noticed, we were half way to the church. The perfectionist in me was screaming, "Oh my goodness! People are going to stare at my child. Then, they are going to judge me as a mom!" Total freak out... in my head of course. I had to take a deep breath and remind myself that it's okay if things don't go as planned. It's kind of funny. On somethings I relax and don't sweat them, but there are those things that I totally go nuts about. My children looking presentable, is one of them (please, if you have seen my other daughter roaming the neighborhood in her Harry Potter robe, I will explai...