It's May!

Definitely, the highlight of my week was going to BYU Women's Conference. It was nice to be relieved of the stress, work, worry, energy, etc. of the kids for a few days and just concentrate on filling my "reservoir". I flew out Wednesday night with my sweet friend Janell Lambert. I had to arrange all sorts of child-care for the kids for Thursday, but Friday, Tim was able to hold down the fort. I'm so grateful for the great profession he chose that gives him that flexibility.

Anyway, Thursday and Friday were spent in classes. Seriously, Thursday, I figured, I sat in the Marriott Center for like 9 hours (I went a couple of hours early to participate in the "Instant Choir" which was led by a friend from my BYU days. It was so fun to sing under her again.) Then, there was a couple hour break where we went down to the Smith Field House and put together hygiene kits, etc. Altogether, I think the Women's Conference assembled something like 13,000 hygiene kits. I might have been more, though. I'm not sure. It was awesome. I just kept on thinking as I folded two white towels together over and over again that these towels could be going to a hurricane victim in the Dominican Republic or an earthquake survivor in China. It was amazing.

Then, we came back for a Concert in the Marriott Center. I thought I wouldn't be into it. I'm not really one for the whole Mormon "Pop" stuff, but it turned out to be a pretty good concert. Jenny Oaks Baker played a few numbers on her violin that were seriously incredible. Then, there were a few other people who were more "pop" ish, but they were still enjoyable. I have to admit that Hillary Weeks was great. She was as much a stand-up comic as she was a singer-songwriter, and it was so nice that all of her jokes were clean and not vulgar. It was great.

I'd say the main thing I gained from the conference was a renewed committment to the basics: daily scripture study and personal prayer, regular temple worship, daily family prayer and scripture study. Nothing new and exciting, just the same thing they say to us over and over again. I'm glad for the renewed committment. It's something that has sort of been building in my life over the past month. It started with General Conference. Then, that very evening I got to sing Handel's "Messiah" with my community choir out here in Fort Collins: The Larimer Chorale. It was so enriching. Then, we had Easter which is always inspiring. Then, I was asked to speak in Stake Conference. It's been a great month for me spiritually. I've really appreciated and felt the growth that can come from fervent prayer and scripture study.

One cute, memorable story. Ann M. (as in Monson) Dibb spoke one morning. She seems to really resemble her father. She's a really natural, enthusiastic speaker with lots of great stories. Anyway, she spoke right after Sister Andersen (the wife of the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles). She got up and said, "It's so exciting to hear about what your family is going through with your new calling. I remember when that happened in our family. I was 9 years old when my Dad was called to be an Apostle. At that age, it's so exciting. The photographers come to the house, and you get extra attention. But then, we've just had a life-time of sharing our Dad with the world, and it's been wonderful. As he's gone out and been magnified through his service, he's come home and shared all that wonderfulness with us." Can you even imagine how much they've had to share their dad/husband? Wow. Anyway, I obviously paraphrased what she said, but that was basically her sentiment. It was just so cute, I thought.

I don't think I took any pictures the whole weekend. I didn't even bring my camera. Oh well. Who wants to see a picture of the boring Mom anyway. :):)

Here's a funny recent picture of a time when I thought I had finished bath-time for Julia, but she, apparently, had other ideas. Here she is after I'd already gotten her out and lotioned and dressed in her jammies. I looked away for one second, and there she was: right back in the bath with "Wabby", as she calls Wesley.