My posts are getting fewer and farther between, and they are certainly not examples of literary greatness. Life is hectic and overwhelming right now. It's not a bad thing. All the things I've got going on are good. But they are definitely intense. I have no energy for anything other than taking care of my baby and homeschooling. I cannot believe there are only 2.5 months left in our school year! After we are finished with our current block on King Arthur, we have only two more lesson blocks left. That's it! And then I can say that I did it, I survived our first year of homeschooling!
The past few weeks have been really hard. I don't know if it's spring fever, cabin fever, the cumulative effects of constant work and no sleep, or what... but we've had a rough time of it lately. I'm finding myself staying up later and later at night trying to cram in some longed-for "me time". And pulling mid-nighters just doesn't jive well with homeschooling. At all. We're sleeping in, getting going late, waking up cranky. Switching to daylight savings time has only exacerbated it all. Dallin and I have had more than a few rough days with harsh words exchanged on both ends. He's testing things a little. OK, alot. I guess we've had a pretty smooth, easy ride this year so far, and now he's trying to see what Mom's really made of, and whether or not he can get away with stuff. What we really need is a spring break, but unfortunately, our school district isn't taking theirs until the week before Easter. That's a good four weeks or more away! Of course, we can take spring break whenever we want to, but I know that when Dallin's friends are home on break, he's not going to be wanting to sit around doing school. And I know that we can't afford to take two spring breaks unless I want to be doing school in the summer, which I don't. So we're going to blaze through.
But what I really wanted to post about is positive! Last Saturday I got to go hear my former organ student, who is now at BYU, play in a competition. He did a fabulous job and earned second place. It was such a thrill and so gratifying to see how much he's improved. His professor is my old teacher, and it was so fun to sit down and talk to him and hear him rave and rave about T. I knew T had potential, but it's validating to hear someone else confirm what I knew. I've been on a high ever since! Here's a kid who has it in him to really go places, and I got to be part of that. I got to help nurture and build the foundation for that.
So T's been on my mind alot lately. And I've especially thought a lot about T's mother, who is an amazing woman. She's the woman who, when she stands up to bear her testimony on Fast Sunday, the whole congregation is on the edge of their seats waiting to hear what profound insights she's going to share. She's one of those very "real" people who is willing to open their innermost selves to people through the sharing of the deepest stories from her personal life. See, T's mother has been guided all along to make sure T was provide with the experiences he would need to get him where he is now. T's mother came to me six years ago and told me that she felt very impressed that T should study the organ. She came to me three years ago and said that she was having some strong impressions about certain music opportunities T needed that summer, opportunities that I knew would be available but hadn't yet spoken to his parents about. She is very in tune! What if we hadn't moved into this ward? What if T's mom had never acted on those promptings to get her son into organ lessons? What if I, too, hadn't seen his potential? I knew from the get-go that the BYU music program was what we were aiming for. I knew that six years ago, when I was dealing with a little 13-year-old kid who'd barely touched the organ but couldn't wait to learn. I just knew it. I tried to tell myself to back off, that it wasn't my business to push anybody into any career or course of study, and that what I was envisioning was only my own dream. But it wasn't. It is so amazing to see that now, all these years later, exactly what I pictured happening is what is now happening! I believe I was guided, and T's mother was guided.
It's been such a testimony to me, as a parent, that Heavenly Father is acutely aware of each of my children. He knows what their missions in life are to be, and He will guide me in the choices that will prepare them for those missions, if I am listening. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed at the thought of guiding a child back to Heavenly Father--even of just guiding them into healthy and productive adulthood here on earth! There are so many decisions to make, so many behaviors to try to guide in the right direction. It is hugely comforting to know that Dallin was God's child before he was mine, and that I may not know just what Dallin needs, but God does. And God will tell me!
I went to a stake Primary board meeting last night, and for our handbook training, we read the first few sections of the new handbook. They were all about expounding Church doctrine on the family. I felt the Spirit so strongly as we read those pages! There are so many confusing and contentious voices in the world (and even, unfortunately, in the Church sometimes) when it comes to right and wrong, especially where the family is concerned. I felt such a peace flow through me as the Spirit testified of the truth of the doctrine I was reading. Here begin the sections we read: http://lds.org/handbook/handbook-2-administering-the-church/families-and-the-church-in-gods-plan?lang=eng#11 . Also, in our homeschool lately, we have been reading the book Boys Who Became Prophets, which is about the boyhood of our modern day prophets. When we finished that, we started reading some of the early chapters of President Thomas S. Monson's biography, To the Rescue. It has been an amazing experience to read that with my kids! My testimony of President Monson as exactly the right person to be our current prophet has grown immensely! Then, on Sunday, I got to visit a Primary for their ward conference, and be taught once again, in a powerful way, about President Monson and his role. I am so grateful for those testimony-strengthening experiences! I and my stake primary colleagues were then moved literally to tears to hear those sweet Primary children singing A Child's Prayer.
I don't normally post sacred and spiritual things on this blog. But these I could not let time go by without sharing.
The past few weeks have been really hard. I don't know if it's spring fever, cabin fever, the cumulative effects of constant work and no sleep, or what... but we've had a rough time of it lately. I'm finding myself staying up later and later at night trying to cram in some longed-for "me time". And pulling mid-nighters just doesn't jive well with homeschooling. At all. We're sleeping in, getting going late, waking up cranky. Switching to daylight savings time has only exacerbated it all. Dallin and I have had more than a few rough days with harsh words exchanged on both ends. He's testing things a little. OK, alot. I guess we've had a pretty smooth, easy ride this year so far, and now he's trying to see what Mom's really made of, and whether or not he can get away with stuff. What we really need is a spring break, but unfortunately, our school district isn't taking theirs until the week before Easter. That's a good four weeks or more away! Of course, we can take spring break whenever we want to, but I know that when Dallin's friends are home on break, he's not going to be wanting to sit around doing school. And I know that we can't afford to take two spring breaks unless I want to be doing school in the summer, which I don't. So we're going to blaze through.
But what I really wanted to post about is positive! Last Saturday I got to go hear my former organ student, who is now at BYU, play in a competition. He did a fabulous job and earned second place. It was such a thrill and so gratifying to see how much he's improved. His professor is my old teacher, and it was so fun to sit down and talk to him and hear him rave and rave about T. I knew T had potential, but it's validating to hear someone else confirm what I knew. I've been on a high ever since! Here's a kid who has it in him to really go places, and I got to be part of that. I got to help nurture and build the foundation for that.
So T's been on my mind alot lately. And I've especially thought a lot about T's mother, who is an amazing woman. She's the woman who, when she stands up to bear her testimony on Fast Sunday, the whole congregation is on the edge of their seats waiting to hear what profound insights she's going to share. She's one of those very "real" people who is willing to open their innermost selves to people through the sharing of the deepest stories from her personal life. See, T's mother has been guided all along to make sure T was provide with the experiences he would need to get him where he is now. T's mother came to me six years ago and told me that she felt very impressed that T should study the organ. She came to me three years ago and said that she was having some strong impressions about certain music opportunities T needed that summer, opportunities that I knew would be available but hadn't yet spoken to his parents about. She is very in tune! What if we hadn't moved into this ward? What if T's mom had never acted on those promptings to get her son into organ lessons? What if I, too, hadn't seen his potential? I knew from the get-go that the BYU music program was what we were aiming for. I knew that six years ago, when I was dealing with a little 13-year-old kid who'd barely touched the organ but couldn't wait to learn. I just knew it. I tried to tell myself to back off, that it wasn't my business to push anybody into any career or course of study, and that what I was envisioning was only my own dream. But it wasn't. It is so amazing to see that now, all these years later, exactly what I pictured happening is what is now happening! I believe I was guided, and T's mother was guided.
It's been such a testimony to me, as a parent, that Heavenly Father is acutely aware of each of my children. He knows what their missions in life are to be, and He will guide me in the choices that will prepare them for those missions, if I am listening. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed at the thought of guiding a child back to Heavenly Father--even of just guiding them into healthy and productive adulthood here on earth! There are so many decisions to make, so many behaviors to try to guide in the right direction. It is hugely comforting to know that Dallin was God's child before he was mine, and that I may not know just what Dallin needs, but God does. And God will tell me!
I went to a stake Primary board meeting last night, and for our handbook training, we read the first few sections of the new handbook. They were all about expounding Church doctrine on the family. I felt the Spirit so strongly as we read those pages! There are so many confusing and contentious voices in the world (and even, unfortunately, in the Church sometimes) when it comes to right and wrong, especially where the family is concerned. I felt such a peace flow through me as the Spirit testified of the truth of the doctrine I was reading. Here begin the sections we read: http://lds.org/handbook/handbook-2-administering-the-church/families-and-the-church-in-gods-plan?lang=eng#11 . Also, in our homeschool lately, we have been reading the book Boys Who Became Prophets, which is about the boyhood of our modern day prophets. When we finished that, we started reading some of the early chapters of President Thomas S. Monson's biography, To the Rescue. It has been an amazing experience to read that with my kids! My testimony of President Monson as exactly the right person to be our current prophet has grown immensely! Then, on Sunday, I got to visit a Primary for their ward conference, and be taught once again, in a powerful way, about President Monson and his role. I am so grateful for those testimony-strengthening experiences! I and my stake primary colleagues were then moved literally to tears to hear those sweet Primary children singing A Child's Prayer.
I don't normally post sacred and spiritual things on this blog. But these I could not let time go by without sharing.
Comments
What a neat experience with your student! :) Thank you for sharing that as well.
You just said to me, recently, that these months are the hardest. We'll be okay and we'll get it done. Next year we'll both have a bit more experience under our belts, and hopefully that will make things easier. :)