She painted her eyebrows on using her thumbs and shoe polish, or at least that was what it looked like. Her clothing bordered on something a clown might wear, and her lipstick was the kind of red that could make a Mustang convertible jealous. I gasped the first time I saw her, which was at the pulpit.

Every so often I come across a worn, yellowed sheet of paper.

It just seems to magically turn up as I am sorting and filing paperwork.

It's a receipt.

From a small town jewelry store.

For the engagement and wedding ring set that Joe purchased the day he asked me to marry him.

On April 15, 2003.

Eight years ago this year.

That ring set cost all of 735 dollars.

Do you know what that price tag means to me?

It is a symbol of the humble and simple man my husband is. He doesn't need money or possessions or "bling" to illustrate how capable or manly or important he is. He didn't feel the need to go into thousands of dollars of debt just to prove something to me or the world. With that small ring he gave me his heart, his love, his loyalty, and his life.

I cannot claim to be so consistently pure of heart as he is.

Sometimes, I look at this ring I wear on my left hand and get a little wistful, maybe even slightly jealous when I see my sisters and friends with their big fat bands and diamonds.

Sometimes I want something fat and ferocious on my finger too.

Maybe someday I will.

But can I tell you something?

I think there is a reason that yellowed piece of paper keeps "magically" reappearing in my pile of paperwork.

I need a reminder.

Of the good heart my husband has.

Of how simple and precious life and love and marriage can be.

Of what is truly important.

Funny how one little $735 gold wedding band set can be worth more than a whole pile of diamonds.

-----

Evelyn never takes her wedding ring off, even when she is chasing after four littles, cleaning an eternally messy house, or arm wrestling with Joe. You can read more of her humor, heart, and haphazard at Hanging by a Silver Lining.

"Root hairs are cells. They take water to the main root.  Then the main root brings the water to the main plant. The roots also help hold the plant in the ground."

My fourth-grader was sharing her school-day with me
as we drove into town.
"Mom, do you know what a 'terrarium' is?"
I nodded, "Yes, I do."
"We were growing terrariums, but today, we emptied them to make aquariums.Mine had long white roots all tangled up inside on the bottom. It was kinda cool. I got to rip them out, and the roots were tight together.  But Emily's roots weren't.  She only had one long one! It's 'cuz she watered hers too much, Mrs. Rowe said."

That image really got my thinker thinking.

Roots.
The ones that didn't have to reach or search for water,
didn't grow.
The ones that did,
grew long and strong.

I talk about my "roots" all the time--
the place I was born and raised,
my family,
my education,
my spiritual beginnings
and on and on.

I have many roots in many different areas of life
and I am yet trying to grow more
in other areas.
I want my roots to be long and tangled
and reach to the bottom of my soul.
My roots anchor me.

I believe I have roots that have developed
because of the trials and challenges I've dealt with
through the course of my life.
Roots that grew deep and strong
because I had to dig deep in search for answers,
and water (comfort) was not always to be found on the surface.

Don't you think this could be the cause for deep roots?

We grow the strongest when we face our challenges--
it is in the process of dealing with them
that we grow, we mature, we lengthen and stretch,
we dig deep down and find ourselves mingling with others
who are doing the same thing...
and we become intertwined in purpose--
our family, our friends, our close associates.

I know people,
not many,
but some,
whose lives are quite easy--
they don't have much to worry about,
life is relatively predictable and secure.
Their parents or other family members
step in and save them from real consequences.
They're kinda fragile personalities really.

I even know people who have mastered the art of
"running away" from their problems...
even daily living causes them to duck and take cover.
They're often hot-headed,
claim life is unfair at every turn
and expectations are often unmet
because they're unrealistic.

Maybe their roots are watered too much.

But the people I most admire
are the ones who have a story to tell.
A challenge they've faced that defines
their character.
Truly,
I learn most from those with
long, tangled roots
and sweet abiding testimonies.

-----


Dawn aka Momza, is the Mother of 7, Gramza to the Ninja Baby,
Midwife Asst./Doula, Home Stager, Writer, and Convert to the LDS faith. She lives in the Colorado Rockies and blogs about it all at Momza's House.







*image from http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/labs/plantanatomy.htm

I know what you're thinking.

Looks pretty incriminating, doesn't it?

But you're wrong.

It was uh... *eh hem* I was the one who uh... *chewing lip* who... who *coumade the messgh*.

Huh? Sorry, what was that? Nope, I didn't hear anything. Not a thing. Nada.

.......... Okay fine! It was me! There, I admitted it! You happy now?

I was about to change a very vile diaper when, seeing her little bum was pretty sore, jumped up to grab the SAMS CLUB SIZE container of cornstarch. (cornstarch makes a great diaper rash remedy, cheap too)

The other kids had been playing with it earlier but I didn't think much of it until I was frolicking back... well of course I frolic! Don't you?

Pity.

Anyhow, where was I? Oh yes, I was frolicking back to Alayna when it slipped out of my hands and *POOF*, landed right next to her.

We both just stood there staring at each other in total shock. But the look on her face had me bursting into laughter. I couldn't help myself! The whole thing was undeniably funny.

Even after I was doubled over in uncontrollable laughter she just stared at me like I was insane.

Who knows? Maybe I am.




The bad part came later that night when I realized that I had left the container in the boys room.

Yea... they had made several small mounds of white powder that they proceeded to bang into the carpet while laughing hysterically.

Oddly enough, I didn't think it was all that funny.

-----


Serene is a mom of four with baby five on the way. She pretends that having her kids close together is super easy, but her secret stash of chocolate would convince you otherwise. She blogs over at Serene is my name, not my life! She is also a freelance artist so be sure to view her Portfolio Page!

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Elder Christofferson told us that we are held to high expectations, but that through the atonement and correction we can become perfect.  He said we don't always get what we want and often times, just as bushes, pruning back wild growth is necessary for our spiritual development.  He explained how correction is desirable even though it can hurt. 

Elder Christofferson instructed us to correct our children and teach them to accept correction as well.  He explained that only after learning how to be corrected, and why it is necessary, can a person get to a point where they constantly engage in self-correction, which leads them closer to perfection. 

This counsel is drastically needed in today's society.  Many parents have bought into the idea that children will somehow naturally see the right choice and go toward it.  And, that whatever a child chooses must be right.  I wish this easy parenting method were true, but it is wrong.  It seems organic, but in reality is not. 

True organic, from the beginning type, parenting requires nourishing and training.  Just like a small seed, a child needs nutrients and stability.  You give a seed the best nutrients for proper growth just as you give a child truth, virtues, and exposure to goodness in all of its forms to nourish their soul and inspire them to grow spiritually strong. 

Small seedling plants cannot weather large storms without stability and support.  Children are no different, and these are times of great storms.  Just as a gardener surrounds a small tree with sticks and line to keep it growing strong in a storm, our children must also be braced for the rough weather ahead by learning skills in a supportive, structured environment. 

Elder Christofferson mentioned the need to correct children.  He did not give specifics on how to do this for obvious reasons; each child and his needs are unique and need to always be considered.  However, as a mother who has taken a wide variety of troubled youth into my home I would like to offer a suggestion here. 

Correcting Someone

In my book Parenting A House United, I explain an effective way to correct another person: Make sure you are calm, describe what just happened, explain what was wrong about the choice, describe what the right choice would have been and why, explain consequences earned, and practice doing the situation the “right” way. 

Elder Christofferson also mentioned teaching our children to accept correction.  This is one of the Four Basic life skills all people should learn for relationship success and happiness.  Think for a moment about how many people you know who  can't accept the fact that they have done anything wrong.  This is a serious character flaw.  Unless a person can admit their wrong, they are not able to progress. 

It's one thing to give your child correction and a consequence when they have done something wrong, but it is another entirely to not even allow your child to have the opportunity to begin their consequence unless they have chosen to accept their consequence.  We noticed early on, with the difficult foster youth placed in our home, that consequences did no good unless the person's heart was in the right place and ready to accept the consequence and talk about what should have happened first. 

These are the steps to “Accepting a Consequence” which I talk about in Parenting A House United, and on my blog. 

1. Look at the person
2. Keep a calm voice, face, and body
3. Say “okay” or ask to disagree appropriately
4. Follow through with the earned consequence
5. Drop the subject

When a person learns these five steps and puts them into practice they are happier, have better relationships, and are on the path to self-correction, which is part of self-government.


-----


Nicholeen Peck is a popular public speaker, television personality, and author. Her blog is Teaching Self Government. The BBC show of her family can be found there, as well as answers to frequently asked parenting questions. To buy her book click here.

Tonight, I was thinking about the concept of holding on and how it applies to us in the gospel. No matter who we are or how our life is going at this time, there will come a time when we will have trials that will seem to be more than we can bear. Those trials will literally bring us to our knees. It will seem as if we will not make it. It will feel as if we can not take another step, have another hope, or believe in another person.

When this time comes for each of us, it will require great faith. Faith that was developed before that moment. Faith that will help us to take that much needed step. Faith that will give us the knowledge to continue on the path. It may be hard to see that at times, but hold on a little longer, for “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” and wait for Him". (1 Corinthians 2:9; see also D&C 76:10; 133:45).

I think we each come to a point in our lives when it feels like it is nearly impossible to hold on. I remember when I took my children rock climbing at Pinnacle Peak. The boys were pretty young and I had been climbing for awhile with other friends. I decided that it would be a good thing to do with the boys. It was a great way to introduce them to a sport that I loved doing.

So, we got the gear, drove nearly an hour, unloaded and went hiking. The cliff was a good half hour hike from the best parking place. I loaded the gear in the army rucksack and set out with the boys and one adult friend to the cliff. When we got there, the boys were fascinated by the gear and the cliffs. First, we had to explain all the gear and the knots and what different things were used for. We had to set the safety rules in place so that no one would be hurt. We had to drop the rope from the top so that the boys would be on belay. I did the first climb to check the gear and than it was their turn (finally).

They were so excited to be climbing! The two older boys did pretty well getting up to the top. There were a couple of places where they had to struggle, but it really was a relatively easy climb and not difficult for growing boys full of energy and a sense of adventure. Then it was my youngest son's turn.

Now, he might be the youngest, but he loves to do whatever the older brothers do. However, he doesn't always listen to the rules first. The first thing we told him was to hug the rock and don't look down. He got about three quarters of the way up the cliff and was exceedingly proud of his accomplishment. He was a natural climber and made it up like a monkey. Much faster and easier than any of the rest of us. He stopped and turned to look down and make fun of his brothers. I could see his face go white! He sucked himself right into the rock and was not going to move!

We tried coxing and talking. Finally, there was no hope for it, I knew I would need to climb up to him and get him down. There was only one small problem. The rope was on him! That meant that I would need to free climb. I was not fond of free climbing on any cliff. It can be dangerous and is usually unnecessary. However, we really could not get him down. He had his foot on a good outcropping of rock and he was not moving anywhere!

So, up the cliff I went, after my youngest son. I must admit that the climb was harder than I thought. He might have made it look easy, but it was difficult for me. It might have really been tough, or it might have been just because I had no rope and it was a long and painful way down if I fell. When I was nearly to him my foot slipped off the rock, took some skin off of one of my legs, and I ended up hanging onto the cliff by two fingers. My sweet little son called down to me, "you can hold on mama, just hold on". So, I uttered a prayer, took a deep breath, and found a toe hold that hadn't been there the moment before. I was pretty well rattled by the time I got up that cliff to my son. When I was able to clip on to his rope and take him down to safety, it is one of the most memorable moments in my life! We repelled down to the ground together (which he actually enjoyed much more than trying to climb UP the cliff, especially because he had me right next to him).

Life can be a lot like this cliff and my young son. Sometimes it seems as if things are not going the way we would like, and we can't see the way. Just follow the advice of my young son and "hold on, just hold on". The Lord is mindful of you and He will help you. He knows you are on that cliff and He knows what you need.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, has stated, "If ever you are tempted to become discouraged or to lose faith, hold on a little longer. You can do this! You are part of a special generation. You were prepared and preserved to live at this important time in the existence of our beautiful planet earth. You have a celestial pedigree and therefore have all the necessary talents to make your life an eternal success story.

The Lord has blessed you with a testimony of the truth. You have felt His influence and witnessed His power. And if you continue to seek Him, He will continue to grant you sacred experiences. With these and other spiritual gifts, you will be able not only to change your own life for the better but also to bless your homes, wards or branches, communities, cities, states, and nations with your goodness".


In essence, you WILL be able to climb that cliff. You will do that because He is the one right there beside you holding the rope. As long as you hold to Him and don't let go, all will be well

-----

Patty Ann is a busy mother, grandmother, and wife. She lives her life in the woods she loves up on the top of a beautiful mountain. She loves music, photography and writing. Most of all she loves her Heavenly Father and enjoys writing about his influence in her life. You can find her on her blog at Pitterle Postings

1.  When that brand new babe latches on to breastfeed for the first time, it hurts like crazy. For me, more than labor, but no worries, the pain goes away after awhile. (Pretty sure a four letter word beginning with 's' jumped out of my mouth the first time I experienced this.)

2.  Don't expect to have any kind of muscle control when it comes to using the toilet. It's totally embarrassing, but there just isn't any nicer way to put it.

3. Lansinoh cream and your washing machine are about to become your two new best friends.

4.  Don't plan on sleeping at all for the next 6 weeks of your life. That way when you are lucky enough to manage a grand total of 3.25 hours a day, you won't be disappointed.

5.  The fabulous parenting book that 97% of your friends and family swear by, probably won't work for you and your baby.

6.  You are going to feel fairly confident that you are losing your mind. You are. But no worries, because it will come back. Most of it.

7.  After a few months, your hair is going to start falling out at an alarming rate, but no worries, you won't actually go bald.

8.  Diapers are not created equal.

9.  Mentally prepare yourself for wearing those maternity clothes for the next several months. Also, avoid looking in mirrors, especially when you're naked. Also, just resist the urge to check the scale, you'll only be disappointed.

10.  Labor and Deliver is the easy part.

-----

Heather likes to think of herself as A Goddess in Progress, which is where she normally spills out the personal triumphs, failures, discoveries, and random details of her life as a new mom, and a military wife.

If you would like to have your photo be the Wordless Wednesday feature, send us an email with WORDLESS WEDNESDAY in the subject line to info@mormonmommyblogs.com Make sure you attach the photos, where they were taken and a link to your blog so we can all start stalking you!

Hubby was out of town that Sunday. This obviously meant I was getting the kids ready and taking them to church all by my lonesome. Eh, no biggie, right?

So, I got the kids bathed, with only about half a gallon of water splashed onto the floor. Miracles do happen. The other half ended up on the walls and bathroom door. But at least they were all clean, and so was the bathroom after I made them wipe it all up.

I got them dressed, and for once in the history of our home, no one complained about their church clothes; until I told Joseph he was not allowed to wear his Bob the Builder snow boots to church. That didn't go over too well.

I got them fed, with minimal cereal finding it's way to the floor. Although I couldn't say the same for the crackers the kids snuck into the living room. The enormous pile of crumbs over by the couch totally gave them away.

But, believe it or not, we were at church on time.

Things were going well, surprisingly well. My Alayna sat on my lap, with Jacob and Joseph next to me, and Savannah sat on the end. They were contently coloring and I just thought, Wow! This is going really well! 

Oh I was feeling so pleased.

Until about halfway through the meeting....

Alayna, getting quite restless as she always does, had started searching through the diaper bag for anything that would peak her interest.

She happen to find this little toy.



It's just a cheap-o toy that I think the kids got in their Halloween baskets. But here's the thing, when you squeeze the two sides in together, it shoots the little disk out.

Well, I was okay with her playing with it, anything to keep her calm and quiet, and she was happily squeezing the little disk into my hands.

But after a few moments, a small commotion to my right had me turning to see BOTH my boys, fists raised, teeth bared, as they just started laying into each other.

I'm talking, full out punching each other.

Yes, my boys actually got into a fist fight in the middle of Sacrament meeting.

Ah, the reverence.

I turned my attention to them and broke up the fight. Once I was assured they had stopped, I turned back to Alayna, just in time to see her shoot that little disk out several feet away.

I'm seriously starting to question our choice to always sit near the front of the chapel.

When someone picked it up for us and tried to get Alayna to come get it, she freaked out, assuming he was taking it. And the small, limited space where we sat didn't give her much space to throw a good tantrum, so she tripped over the diaper bag and fell backwards.

Can I just say that girl has a very good set of lungs.

It wasn't ten minutes later when I experienced some major de'ja vu.

I was keeping Alayna distracted when out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Joseph elbowing Jacob repeatedly and with force.

Seriously? What's with the violence all of a sudden! And in church of all places! Again, turning my attention to them to break up the fight, Alayna managed to get the disk to shoot off yet again, luckily missing any poor, unsuspecting listeners.

At least we had that much going for us.

I can only hope, oh so fervently hope, that someone out there can tell me that boys fist fighting in church is perfectly normal.

'Cause when I dream, I dream big.


-----



Serene is a mom of four with baby five on the way. She pretends that having her kids close together is super easy, but her secret stash of chocolate would convince you otherwise. She blogs over at Serene is my name, not my life! She is also a freelance artist so be sure to view her Portfolio Page!

The words “spring cleaning” often bring a shudder, no matter what season it is. Back in the olden days, there was good reason for the cringe. Spring cleaning was a completely exhausting, dirty job. A long winter of using kerosene, wood, gas, oil, and candles coated the house with dark sooty grime.

The thought of the work required to remove this layer makes the Damsel feel a bit lightheaded. A lie-down suddenly sounds appropriate. But that was just the beginning when it came to spring cleaning. For some, the tasks included changing out heavy linens, draperies and rugs for the lighter stuff. It’s no wonder these people were strong. Have you picked up a rug lately? Have you?

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being I can make dinner tonight and 10 being I could feed my family for a full year without setting foot inside a store, I am most definitely A ONE.  (Two? I did go grocery shopping…)

At any rate, when it comes to that whole “Be Prepared” thing, I am severely lacking.

I always have an excuse, and they range from, I don’t have room in my townhouse, to I don’t know where to start, to how much is that going to cost me anyways?

Which is why I was beyond thrilled to discover that there is a food storage solution that I CAN WORK WITH.

For starters, they are giving away food. Yes really. (You do have to pay $9.95 for shipping.) eFoods is offering 6 FREE meals to anyone that takes their “Food Freedom Tour.” This means that you watch a series of 5 short videos, that tell you why food storage is important.  (Watch the Tour Here) Why are they doing it? A) Because they want you partake of the deliciousness that is eFoods and B) Because it really IS that important.

The eFoods mantra is SERVE, SAVE, SHARE.

• SERVE it for dinner tonight.
• SAVE it for future times of need.
• SHARE it with others to help them get prepared.

ALSO: Their food is really storage friendly. Last week, I  got a package in the mail, and I had NO idea what is was. I  thought that it was a book, or something else relatively book-ish in size. I was completely floored when I opened it up, and inside was my food storage. It’s NOT in big bulky cans, it’s not too heavy for my wimpy pantry shelves. It’s a food storage solution that I can actually fit into my life.

Of course we have to talk about the taste. I am a sucker for a good soup, and the cheddar broccoli did not disappoint.

They also have breakfast items, soups, entrees, and breads to help fill your pantry. This is food storage that I am actually excited about (and trust me, that says a lot!)

So head over to eFoods and take their Food Freedom Tour to get your 6 FREE meals (plus $9.95 shipping) today!

- - - - -
This post is sponsored by eFoods Global, who sent us some of  their delicious food storage to try, just in case we might like it. (We did.)  And we think you should take the tour and try it too. 


It’s also part of a Broadcast Bloggers Campaign, which we told you to sign up for last week. WHY HAVEN’T YOU SIGNED UP YET?


As always, feel free to peruse our disclosure policy which we think you’ll find highly satisfactory, slightly amusing, and totally legit.

I love getting to the point in a friendship where you don't have that awkward silence thingy going on....

You know what I'm talking about people.

For example, when you're at home, watching a show or reading a book on the couch next to someone and not a word is being shared between the two of you.

Nada.

Nothing.

Zilch.

And it's totally okay.

In fact, it's perfectly perfect.

I can count on one hand how many people I could do that with in this very moment. 

And what is so amazingly amazing about these special friends, is that the road that got me to this "comfortable quiet contentment" between us wasn't at all comfortable.....or quiet.....or content.

Our journeys together were roller coasters of emotion.  And therein lies the joy.

The peace, the actual physical peace I share with these precious few are filled with more depth than a million spoken words could afford.

Secure, warm comfort, like a worn out childhood quilt your grandmother made, it wraps around my heart when I'm with them.

And I wonder for a millisecond, if it's a strange notion, this "unawkward silence" I enjoy.

But then it hits me.....this is how it'll feel to be in the presence of the Savior again one day.

No chatty cathy will I be.

I'll just embrace the simple fact that I am near him....feeling his eternal energy and love.....holding on to every ounce of it I can.

Yep.  That's how it'll be.

-----



Katy is a mother, wife, blogger and lover of everything "lovely, of good report or praiseworthy".  Her roller coaster of thoughts can be found at
Our Daisy Life.  Admission is always free.






*Photo Self Owned

We are so excited! Rodizio Grill is offering MMB readers an exclusive 4-course meal with dessert included for only $19.99/person  tonight May 23rd, 2011 7:00pm – 9:00pm (normally $24.99 per person WITHOUT dessert).

They wanted our readers to be able to experience the goodness that is Rodizio at a pretty sweet price, and that is a VERY sweet price!

We’ve got your Family Home Evening all planned for you. It’s a cultural FHE: Head downtown to partake of the Brazilian Food goodness that is Rodizio, and then stroll around Historic Trolley Square  for your FHE activity! How easy is that? Pretty easy. And tasty, too!

Rodizio is located inside of Salt Lake City’s Historic Trolley Square Shopping Mall at 600 South 700 East – 2nd Floor (Tel. 801-220-0500).  All you need to do is mention MMB or that you saw this on twitter @mmbcommunity. That’s it. Then enjoy the amazing flavors that are waiting to explode in your mouth. Make sure you take pictures and tweet us or Facebook us so we know you are there.

Or better yet: Come say Hi. We will be the ones in the corner stuffing our faces with the grilled pineapple. Seriously. TO. DIE. FOR.

We heart Rodizio Grill and we know that you will, too. They bring you so much food that you feel like you have to roll out of there.  The Parmesan Beef is the other thing that makes us salivate like puppies. We need it like we need air. It’s that good!  And, their salad bar is one of the best salad bars we’ve ever seen. You will think you have died and gone to good food heaven!

Besides. How can you resist hot looking men with accents serving you food on giant sticks? That’s right. You can’t. And neither can we. Join us tonight at the SLC Trolley Square Location to partake of an amazing feast at an even more amazing price $19.99 for 4 courses AND dessert.

See you tonight!

Disclaimer: We were offered a free meal to attend this event. However, we pink- sparkly-purple-heart-love  Rodizio Grill and would eat there anyway. The food is out of this world amazing!

The first part of this is based on something I wrote years ago about my older son when he was 10. Now my younger son is 10. Time happens.

It’s fun being the father of a 10-year-old. I’m reminded of this when he sings Beatles songs that were “classics” before he was born; when he explains to one of his friends how to complete a tricky part of his current video game; when he giggles at something in a book and then reads it out loud to the rest of us. His interests are starting to take an adult shape, and his sense of responsibility is keen. At the same time, he has an irrepressible streak of silliness. He’s quiet in new situations, sensitive to embarrassment, sulky when tired or hungry, stubbornly resistant to things he feels awkward doing. He hates to be less than competent at anything he does. Around people he feels comfortable with, he’s a clown and a performer. Friends are important to him, but he needs time to himself as well. He has a strong sense of privacy and is wary of adult attempts to pry into his thoughts and feelings, but genuinely seems to enjoy spending time with the rest of us.

I recall 10 clearly. Like my older son, I wanted at that age to be a scientist. He still might make it. (He’s a math major in college now.)

When I was 10, I’d get together with friends to create and deliver anonymous flower bouquets. Most of the flowers were ones that grew commonly in yards around our neighborhood: not weeds, precisely, but not roses either. I remember picking dandelions, splitting the stems, and placing them in water to curl them, then adding them to our bouquets . We used clear cellophane tape to wrap the stems together, then added a handwritten label that read, “The Mysterious Mongoose Strikes Again.” Then we would leave them on randomly chosen doorsteps, ring the bell, and run away.

We even set up a factory to make the bouquets at school. Robin had an old-fashioned wooden desk with a platform a few inches above the floor. We kept our supplies there, and hung opaque plastic grocery bags around the sides. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine that anyone was fooled. Somewhere in my mementos, I think I still have a letter of appreciation from one of our teachers, addressed to “Mysterious Mongoose, Address Unknown.”

Every age has its joys — and frustrations. Paul wrote, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11). I think, though, that much of what I see in my children is still part of me as well.

My wife was 20 and I was 25 when we were married, making me, perhaps, almost as mature as she was. I soon came to realize, though, that it wasn’t just our 20- and 25-year-old selves who were getting married. Ours is a partnership between individuals of diverse ages. My 49-year-old body conceals still that same 37-year-old first-time father of a 10-year-old, the 25-year-old who kneeled with my wife in the temple, the teenager who went off to college, the 12-year-old who served as a deacon, the 5-year-old starting kindergarten. My wife too encloses a variety of ages. My 4-year-old and her 4-year-old play together well, though all of her ages are easily exasperated by my 12-year-old’s sense of humor.

One of the secrets of survival in marriage is the ability, when adulthood is too overwhelming, to retreat to an earlier age, play a while, talk, even cry. We need all the different ages we have been, for the strengths and lessons they give us, the flexibility they encompass, the friendships they bring. We are much the richer for them.

The picture at the top of this page shows my oldest son and two of his friends in the branches of the large maple tree in our front yard: three maniacally grinning 10-year-olds, each standing on a different branch about a foot above my head.

Perspective is everything. On the ground, looking into the camera lens, there was I. Yet peering down at me from the branches I seemed to sense a fourth familiar presence: the 10-year-old of nearly 40 years ago, my own past tree-climbing self. From the top of my tree, the 10-year-old I was — and still am — waves at your 10-year old. Climb up and join us.

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Jonathan Langford (www.langfordwriter.com) is a freelance writer and editor who lives in western Wisconsin with his wife and two children (his oldest is currently serving a mission in western Washington state). His first novel, No Going Back, a 2009 Whitney Award finalist for best general fiction by an LDS author, describes a Mormon teenage boy’s struggle to remain faithful despite his homosexual feelings. Langford is also coauthor of the Latter-day Saint Family Encyclopedia, which was published by Thunder Bay Press in November 2010, and coordinates Dawning of a Brighter Day, the blog of the Association for Mormon Letters (word.mormonletters.org).

A few weeks ago, the builder (5), came to me after painting and explained, "Mom, this is for your art meeting."  I smiled.  Then he explained that it cost $4.  "Oh," I replied, "you want to start selling your artwork?  Then you want me to take it to an art show."  We talked a bit about the difference between the art meetings I attend and art shows in which we put on, and participate.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Taught us that we desire good things and bad things too.  And, no matter if we are going toward our good desires or our destructive desires the process is the same.  Desires lead to priorities, which lead to choices, which lead to actions.  We should “over-ride” our evil desires with our righteous desires.

As Latter Day Saints, we desire to be good parents and have eternal families.  This is a righteous desire which is worth working toward.  We can set our priorities in line with our desire.  Then each day we can make choices which lead us to the appropriate actions to accomplish our desire.

President Thomas S. Monson

President Monson said parents who have willful or spirited children are blessed. 

Even though every parent wants an obedient child, some parents are blessed with children who are more difficult.  These children have strengths and special gifts which will be the driving force for them to do good instead of bad if nurtured correctly.  I know, because I was one of these kinds of children.  I gave my parents many of their gray hairs.  But, they never gave up on me.  They kept loving and teaching me.  And now I use my strong spirit and energies to fight for the Lord and His plan and purposes.  Love your strong willed children.  Teach them how to channel their emotions and energies.  Teach them the communication skills they need for family and relationship success. 

Elder Cecil O. Samuelson

Elder Samuelson admonished us to teach our children to repent. 

How do children learn to repent?  They follow the example and counsel of their parents.  As we repent and improve our Spirits, so will our children.


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Nicholeen Peck is a popular public speaker, television personality, and author. Her blog is Teaching Self Government. The BBC show of her family can be found there, as well as answers to frequently asked parenting questions. To buy her book click here.

I was in the shower, thanking the heaven's that my husband was home to tend babies so Mama could get clean. What a rare thing indeed! Twenty minutes of hot steamy water and no one crying or banging on the door; a true luxury for a tired mommy. I did not rush.

Apparently, things haven't changed much in the last seventy-five years either. My grandmother was telling me that her mother used to say, "I'm going to take a bath, and I'm taking my book. I'll be back in twenty minutes, don't even think about knocking on that door!" to her children so many decades ago. My grandma made sure I understood, "You didn't dare make a sound near that door!"

The work of mothers is certainly universal, but it is also timeless. Selfless sacrifice to the point of exhaustion, then a quick pick-me-up, and we're back at it. I think of Hannah, who wove a coat each year for her sweet baby, Samuel, whom she didn't even get to raise, or the gentle mothers of the Stripling Warriors, who taught their children to "never doubt". What an incredible legacy our foremothers have left for us to try and live up to! And yet, I'm certain they had days of frustration and exhaustion. If a shower had been available, they would have jumped at the chance!

So, while we're working hard, let's remember that we're not alone. We are all moving forward together, as an army of mommies. Let's try and squeeze in a shower while we're fighting the good fight, all right? You'll feel better. My great grandma said so.

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Morgan showers as often as possible, but blogs more. Read more at The Ing Family.

My fourth child was born prematurely.

She came into the world 8 weeks early, and spent a few weeks in the NICU, learning to breathe and eat on her own.

And she did it all wearing itsy bitsy, teeny tiny, Pampers diapers.

So when Pampers told us that they were turning FIFTY this year, and they were celebrating by sharing random acts of kindness around the world, I said YES, I would LOVE to be involved.

Pampers sent me a $50 American Express Gift Card so that I could perform a random act of kindness for a new or expecting mom.

The months leading up to the birth of my daughter were stressful.  I had three kids at home, all under the age of three, and they required a lot of help. I was on full bed rest, taking a cocktail of prescription medications, trying to make it through each day.

Family and friends would come to my home, make my dinners, clean my bathrooms, wash my laundry… It was when I really began to appreciate the Relief Society for all that they did.

When we finally got to bring Taylor home from the hospital, a whole new set of problems cropped up. Mostly because, I had four children, who were 0, 1, 2, and 3 year olds, and I couldn’t find 2 minutes in the day to have a shower. I can’t tell you how many times my husband would get home from work, I would be exhausted, dinner wouldn’t even be started, and there we would be, in our pajamas, the house torn to pieces, and I KNEW that I had been busy all day, but I didn’t know WHAT exactly I had been doing. (And I have to admit, that I still have days like this)

So for my random act of kindness, this is what I did:

I have a neighbor that has just had her first baby. He is oh so cute, and oh so tiny, and I can see the exhaustion behind her smile. I can see it, because I have been there.

So I went to her house, knocked on the door, and said, “Would you like me to sit on your couch, and hold your baby, while you have a shower?”

And after she got over the shock of that statement, she said “YES. Thank you.”

And while she was in the shower, I held the baby with one hand, and straightened up the house with the other. I washed the bottles in the sink, and started a load in the dishwasher.

Thirty minutes later, when she came back downstairs, I asked her what her favorite dinner was, and I made sure that’s what she got to eat that night, WITH dessert.

Later, she asked me how I knew that she needed help. I told her it’s because I’ve been there.

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Pampers is giving one MMB reader a $50 American Express Gift Card and a challenge to Pay-It-Forward.

The Pampers Little Miracle Missions is a program that encourages people to help each other in FUN, UNEXPECTED ways. It can be as simple as letting a new mom take that shower she needs, or providing dinner for her. You can purchase diapers for a family, or make blankets for the babies in the NICU. It really is up to you how you choose to spread the love.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment and tell us how YOU would pay it forward.

Contest will end Tuesday, May 24th at midnight EST. One entry per person. Winner will be notified via email, so please include your contact information in your comment. Giveaway Terms and Conditions apply.

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Disclosure: MMB received a $50 American Express gift card, which was used to purchase dinner and dessert for a new mom and her family. thoughts and opinions and the decision to use the $50 in that way, are our own.