It's cold again. I was surprised by the snow outside yesterday morning. I guess I don't know what's coming when I don't check it to see biking temperatures. Owen still gets up early on Saturdays, and Peter has started to get up with him. They were out shoveling the driveway at 8am when I went out there to clear it behind the van, so that Abi could leave for GMS. She ended up having her class on Zoom, so yay that saved us some gas money and we got the driveway cleared first thing in the morning anyway. It was really heavy sticky snow. The kids all went out and played in it. I didn't get any pictures of that, but I did get this one from inside. Natalie found snow clothes for Katharine to wear, suited her up, and took her sledding.
KATHARINE YOU'RE SO CUTE! I'm glad she was ok wearing a blue coat and not wearing pink.
She would have been very cold if Natalie had not prepared her. Thank you Natalie. And even being prepared, it is still cold. That goes along with some thoughts I had at church today... more on that in a minute. So little kids played in the snow, the rest of us (teenagers and older) us hunkered down inside. Abi went to go answer a date to a school dance (Winters) this evening. Lily helped her with the poster.
We stayed almost until the end, aaaand they lost their winning streak. A few really unfortunate plays, like after stopping Kansas, they punted it to us, it hit a BYU player then another player slid to get it but was sliding too fast and didn't grab it but actually pushed it out in the open closer to the endzone and then Kansas recovered at the BYU 3 yard line. It was sad. Next play they had a touchdown. And there was also an interception on a first down in the endzone. Corey and Owen watched it while I cleaned and came and checked in a bit now and then. I cleaned Wayne's bathrooms and toilets for him. I enjoyed helping and serving him. After about an hour Natalie was complaining to go home and that she actually didn't want to come and "there's nothing to do" you can help me clean "you just like to clean cause you're a mom!" until I told her I'm just going to tune her out, and 20 min after that I did give her my phone so she could watch instagram reels. We probably won't watch future games, esp if they start at 8:15 pm! We can't stay up that late. Owen, I'm sorry BYU lost!
I felt like I could go with Corey to his dad's cause I didn't have a ton of things I still wanted to do at home. I had had such a good and productive day, I felt like I had some freetime to go watch the game and serve. Corey and I were both fasting for the neighbor's baby and I'm sure that helped with my mental ability to focus and stay on task. We fasted most of today too. Corey ended around 5, I kinda ended, meaning I ended my dry fast and I did drink some lemon water at 7pm and am going to keep going until tomorrow without food. At church, the baby's grandpa, who is also in our ward, said they are hoping to know in the next 48 hours what the outcome will be (whether he will have a heart transplant or surgery or live or be taken back to heaven). We are praying for him!
This evening we watched "The Book Thief" with the kids. I watched it while Corey ate then cleaned in the kitchen. He takes good care of us. It was a good choice for a Sunday movie, even though people died that the kids were mad about. Then killing time tonight watching some clips about football, dinosaur, and the Megalodon shark, you know, just teaching his boys about boy stuff.
The lesson today at church was so great. The baby's grandma taught the lesson, and I read the lesson again last night with them and the baby on my mind, and wow it just all applies. We read Ether 2:24-25 together in the Sunday school class:
24 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.
25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come. Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?
We all have great deeps to cross, but we can trust that God is with us! He will prepare me to cross my great deep. He has prepared baby Joseph's parents and family. We will find answers and comfort in the scriptures and in prayer. We can trust in God's plan for us. We are in his hands! The fact that baby Joseph was even born at all is a MIRACLE! Like every person who is successfully alive and breathing at this moment WON THE LOTTERY! Cause there are a million things that could go wrong at every stage of fetal development, not to mention conception, birth, and every stage of growth after we are alive and breathing. But here we are. God has given us life. We can't do it ourselves. We cannot make our eyes see or our ears hear or our tongues to taste or our stomachs digest or ANY OF THE OTHER Million of things going on RIGHT NOW in our cells and in each biological system of our bodies. As much as we and doctors try to save and preserve life and understand, ultimately God is the one doing it all. We can trust him. Even in death, that is not the end. This little baby's spirit knew exactly what he was coming to, and he was ok with it. And if he is taken home now, then he learned what he needed to through his short life experience. As Joseph Smith taught (who lost several of his own children in their infancy):
“I have meditated upon the subject, and asked the question, why it is that infants, innocent children, are taken away from us. … The Lord takes many away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of mourning we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again.”
Ok, so those have been some of the thoughts in my mind this weekend. We are praying for a miracle, and it already IS a miracle.
Also, today was the final day of the Come Follow Me study of Ether 3, so before we said our prayer tonight and sent the kids to bed, I went downstairs and got out a year 2000 scrapbook where I had kept an important yellow paper that is important to me because of the miracle it represents and because of something that happened as I read Ether 3.
It is a substitution/waiver form that I have saved from when I was getting ready to graduate from college. Summer at BYU, my graduation advisor was helping me make sure everything was ready for my Aug graduation with Corey, and I got a note in the Spring that I still needed one more Spanish class to fulfill the Advanced Language/Math GE requirement. I had just taken Spanish 321 during the winter semester, that Corey signed me up for when he was helping me with my schedule (I was still on my mission in Arizona when I applied). So, then I learn that that one didn't count for whatever reason. I needed Spanish 302. I talked to my advisor, I thought it was silly, he said that's just what the requirements are, but said to go ahead and try to appeal "but they like never approve substitutions..." He was nice to me and helpful, but also very doubtful and trying to be realistic for me. I took the form home so I could fill it out. Oh, and at this time, we had just moved away from BYU up to Sandy in the Pink house on 8181 S. 1000 E. (Not there anymore). So I was all worked up about ALL THE REASONS why this was way bad and inconvenient and unnecessary:
- I already took a Spanish Class
- We moved away and I had all my other classes online but I'd have to do this one in person
- We didn't want to spend the $300-$400 on books for this class
- I'd have to drive down a few times a week
- I'd have to find a babysitter for baby Joseph (who was a few months old at the time, I was preg with Mel)
- Money for gas
I was just overcome with frustration over this. But they probably aren't going to approve my appeal. The waiver had to be typed, not handwritten. I had to find a typewriter. I went to the library to rent one. I ended up not working. I cried in defeat. My parents ended up having a typewriter so I borrowed theirs. My spirits and faith were low, but as I looked to the scriptures for help, comfort, and answers, I read Ether 3. I felt that God was on my side, understood our situation, and could help me. I read Ether 3:2-5 outloud and substituted myself and my situation into the prayer.
2 O Lord, BYU hast said that I must take Spanish 302. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of her weakness before thee; for I know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that I am unworthy before thee; because of the fall my nature has become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires.
3 Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten me because of my iniquity, and hast driven us forth through college, and for these many years we have been taking our classes; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from me, and suffer not that I shall have to take Spanish 302; but behold these waiver which I have typed up.
4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch the dean's heart, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare him that he may approve my petition; and I shall stay with my baby and take care of him and be able to graduate without having to go to BYU for this class.
5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. I know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men.
So that is how I likened it. From verse 2, God had commanded me to pray so that I could get what I desired in a situation like this!! I prayed, I fasted, and I waited. I knew God had the power to make this substitution happen. GOD COULD DO THIS (kinda silly giving God a pep talk, lol, as if God's like "I don't know, this one seems like a long shot, but if you, little mortal Tiffanie, think I can, then maybe I'll give it a go..." Ha!) Summer classes started while I was still waiting to hear back, so I went to buy the books at the BYU Bookstore and went to the first day of class. I remember driving home on the freeway and crying and listening to Hillary Weeks sing "Be Still and Know that I am God." It was time for me to wait and be still. I remember when my graduation advisor called. He sounded so happy for me AND so surprised. He told me they had approved my appeal! I was so so so grateful, I hung up the phone and fell to my knees and thanked the Lord. It was a miracle to me, and I was so grateful.
I always remember this experience of God working this miracle for me in the summer of 2000 when I read Ether 3:2-5. I'm glad I have this little paper to remember it by. I'm glad I've finally typed up this story. It's one that would have been on my "small plates" (like Nephi's Bow, Ball, and Boat experiences). I'm glad I was able to share it with my kids tonight, to tell them that answers can be found in the scriptures, and that sometimes God gives us what we desire! Still praying for sweet baby Joseph, for what we desire, according to God's will and plan for Joseph and his parent's family. (And dear Lord please bless Corey with his project at work!)
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