Diligence

I thought there would be more time for blogging once school started, but it turns out this is not the case!  Our kids don't even do tons of activities but it is still nonstop busy around here.  For me this school year a big challenge has been how to keep a few priorities in the midst of all the to-do lists.  I've tried getting up early and doing all my first-things-firsts (exercise, scriptures, prayer) but it has to be pretty early, because it takes a while to do the make lunches/make breafast/school morning routine, which currently includes practicing music with Anna and Dallin.  And the older kids are up later than ever at night because of their full schedules.  So, I run into trouble if I have too many late nights/early mornings and I lose steam.  And I'm not asking much -- half hour for exercise and not even that for study and prayer.  But if I don't do those things first off, I sometimes forget during the day to get back to them.  Most days we have quiet afternoons during Grant's nap, but not always . . . most days I have a little down time, but not always . . . It's just trickier than I thought to be consistent and diligent about those few important things.  But I am really trying to be diligent.  Alma talks about diligence in the scriptures, to his sons (Alma 38:10).

A few weeks ago Dallin was baptized.  It was a great day.  He beamed all day at the attention and focus (and I hope he felt the Spirit of the day too -- I think he did!) He looked handsome and grown-up in the suit Grandma took him shopping for.  I love baptism days.  I love the emphasis on a sacred ordinance; I love the support of family for the child; I love that the focus is on the baptismal service and the child and not on gifts.  We had family over afterward.  It was a very special day.

One week before Dallin's baptism we went to his cousin Analisa's baptism.  It was a rough day with Grant, who is at a hard age for sitting of any kind.  I spent most of the time in the hall, relieved periodically by Matt or one of the kids.  Afterward we joined family for dinner and Grant was just as hard and demanding.  No eating or visiting for me! I was feeling tired and discouraged, and trying to have a good conversation with Matt's wonderful Aunt Susan, when Matt's sister Melanie took Grant without saying a word and found some cousins to watch him outside.  I went on to have the conversation I needed that day with Aunt Susan.  Susan has eight grown children (all great people), and is one of the most positive, caring, spiritual, down-to-earth people I know.  She is hard to corner at family gatherings because we all want to glean from her wisdom!  That day, she must have known I needed her advice, because she started up a conversation and gave me some advice I hope I never forget.  Some of the pearls were:

-- ease up on trying so hard to get things done.  Enjoy your kids.
-- make scripture study and prayer non-negotiable.  Rely on Heavenly Father, and pray constantly.
-- remember, things will be crazy sometimes.  You have to be a little crazy to have a big family.
-- have monthly interviews with your kids.  (She and her husband alternated every month -- she'd have the girls one month, the boys the next.  She made the interviews similar to temple recommend interviews and really tried to get a feel for how their souls were doing.)
-- (following my complaint that I don't get enough sleep) get up early to do the non-negotiables, stay up late to help those older kids, and accept being tired!
-- also accept that there will not be much time for yourself in this season (she told me as long as she got her scripture reading and prayer in, she didn't mind if she had no other time for herself the rest of the day -- wow -- I'm working on that one)
-- she used to pray that she would stay healthy, even if she didn't have time to exercise!

I came away with a better perspective and a strong desire to be more committed to being diligent in those important things.  I feel certain that will help me more than anything else.  I'm so grateful she took the time to talk to me that day, and knew just what I needed to hear.