Blessings in Disguise

On the heels of our Spring teasing last week, it snowed on Saturday and Sunday.  It has been such a strange Winter!  One day, I am tempted to prune the rosebushes that I never got to in the Fall and the next I am cringing at the thought of walking to the mailbox (though that doesn't take much; anything below 70 degrees is quite convincing :)

I have been studying Stephen Covey's "5th Habit" with my morning scripture study this week and trying to get outside of this brick wall head of mine; it's hard and frustrating, and I find myself falling back into "self" continually, but at least it's a tangible guide to a small part of a large problem, which makes the "cure" seem a bit less ethereal.  I haven't been very successful with changing my initial judgmental thoughts, but I have been "catching myself" much more frequently (at quite an alarming rate).  It is a discouraging process, because the more aware I become the worse I feel and then I have to work hard at realizing the "progress" in the pain.  My desire to change fills my prayers and I know they are being heard; I was just propelled into a service relationship with a family that I had  pre-judged in my head and which I am now seeing as an opportunity to change my heart.  The Savior knows the best way to "heal" us and the methods differ drastically depending on the "disease".  The vulnerability and sensitivity and pain that I was feeling about my experiences in the last few weeks with Lily, he just lifted and took away with the asking.  He won't do that this time.  He is providing knowledge and opportunities and awareness, but he's going to make me work  this one out, one slow step at a time, before he steps in and finishes the lifting.

We are STILL waiting for insurance red tape for Jordan and it feels like it is taking forever, but we have one final step, which we are hoping will be finalized this week and then he can schedule his final mission interviews with the Bishop and Stake President.  He finishes his final temple prep.  class this Wednesday and our Bishop has just assigned him to a Mission Prep. class during Sunday school, which is one on one and he is excited about that.  He still has no permanent work, though he is scrapping a couple times a week.  He goes out every day, talking to managers and trying to find leads, which is frustrating, but good missionary prep, in and of itself, so we are trying to look at it as a blessing in disguise.

My big plans this week are to start repainting some walls with Jordan.  Fred has done some fixing and since I didn't save the original paint can and can't get a perfect match (I've had Lowe's try twice), we've decided to do some faux painting so we can blend the original color in with some complementary shades.  I'll be glad to have Jordan's help, as prepping in always daunting to me, and I think he'll be glad to have "an occupation" so he doesn't go "mad".

Looking forward to the whole happy prospect of celebrating Valentines Day this month and doing my taxes; really! So far, in our almost 20 years of marriage, they have both been cheerful anticipations.  Keeping my fingers crossed for this year. ;)

Getting excited for Mom and Dad to come home from their mission, though I was disappointed to find out that it was the day after Spring Break ended for our family.  We'll have to skip school or something on Tuesday so we can stay up on Monday night and then party on Tuesday! :)

It's Monday, and it's after noon, so I better get on deck and start swabbing.