Each Day Is a Gift

GRANDBABY #7, Skylar Lynn, was born tonight!  She is a tiny beautiful thing, weighing 5 lbs 14 oz, 18.5" with lots of hair! So glad I made it there for the delivery! :)

Ran 4 easy with Karen and Wendy, first warm up mile with hubby.  AP: 10:36, HR: 147.

Swim lesson #6: 

1.  Drills to prepare for backstroke: flutter kick on my back with arms by sides/hips, one arm up by ear, two arms up by ears (like a football-touch-down signal).  Backstroke 4 laps, 1 out of 4 was good.

2.  Flutter kick with kick board face above water and below water 4 laps each.  Got progressively tired and winded.  Need to pace and breath better.  At around lap 6, I was wondering why the water was so mirky today, then realized I had the goggles on my forehead.  Silly me! 

3.  Freestyle 5 laps, need to practice breathing, still swallow water....yuck!

I think my sweet little 15 yo instructor must be trying real hard not to bust out laughing!  She's so patient and kind! :)

Ed Week classes: 

1st Class:  Achieving Happiness:  Cultivating Optimism, Weeding Out Pessimism.  The 3 Ps of Pessimistic Porcupine vs the 3 Os of Optimistic Otter.  The 3 Ps are: pessimistic people interpret bad events as permanent (it's going to last a long time), pervasive (undermine everything they do) and personal.  The 3 Os:  A bad event is Occasional (temporary) instead of permanent.  Other factors (impersonal) considered instead of gaming all the name.  It is Only One of the important areas of my life (specific or limited in scope, not pervasive). 

2nd Class:  7 steps to being more purified through adversity:

1) The "Refining" experience.  Ask what am I to learn from this?  It is ok to pull a turtle, just don't stay in the shell too long.  At some point must pull out and move on.

2)  Overcoming fear with faith.  The future is as bright as your faith.  Ask:  Does the Lord know all things?  Does the Lord have power over all things?  Does He love you and know who you are?  Knowing the answer to these questions then give you the faith that HE can handle it.

3)  Coming to acceptance.  Overcome anger and bargain.  How do we get acceptance: 1. realize it will take time. 2. strengthen your love of the Lord. 3. Realize that we may never find the answer.

4)  Submission to His will without reservation.  Overcoming depression and sadness.  Thy will is my will.  Turning lives over to God will help us discover that Jesus can make a lot more out of our lives than we alone can.  He will deepen our joys, expand our vision, quicken our minds, strengthen our muscles, lift our sights, multiply our blessings, increase our opportunities, comfort our souls, raise up friends and pour out peace.

5)  Embrace the change that has come.  It's useless to sit around waiting for the old normal to come back, instead accept the new normal.  1. Accept that things have changed. 2. Look forward with hope. 3. Cut yourself some slack, some days are harder than others. 4. Be open to new ways of living.  Stand up tall and breath deeply, open minds to a new future filled with hope and love. 5. Invite joy.

6)  Incorporating spiritual growth.  Reconstruction - as we rebuild our lives, we must incorporate these spiritual growth - what have I learned from this adversity? maybe it's humility, empathy for others, more prayerful etc. This will give us power and strength for what may come.

7)  Moving forward with HOPE and LOVE.  Most fundamental lesson we learn and move forward.  It is all about love.  Love is at the core of Heavenly Father and the Savior.  they have designed my life to teach me to love myself, love my family, and love others.  That must be at the CORE of who I am and what I do.  Even the suffering has been given to me as a gift to teach me to LOVE EVEN MORE DEEPLY.

3rd Class: What women see as "continuous encouragement" (aka nagging) can be taken by men as "perpetual dissatisfaction."  A problem identified is a problem 80% solved.  Men talk for information.  Women talk for interaction.  For example, a divorced friend of a couple (Kirk) was thought to start dating.  The husband went golfing with this friend.  Upon returning home after 4 hours of golfing, the wife asked:  "So how was golfing?"  The husband went on describing the day playing golf.  Then she asked:  " So, is Kirk seeing someone?"  "I don't know?"  You were golfing with him all morning and you didn't know if he's dating?"  Funny how men and women communicate differently.  Women sometimes just need their husbands to listen instead of a need to "fix a problem".  In a study done where a group of people went to a lecture and then come back 2 weeks later to attend in another location.  A question survey was asked of the participant if they remember the location of the clock and exits were of the room from the first lecture.  80% of the men in attendance correctly identified the exits vs only 10% of the women did.  Conclusion:  men look for the exits.  So, if you give your honey a "honey do" list, be sure you give him an "exit".  For example if a wife wants her husband to help with FHE, or lead in family prayer, etc, instead of saying:  "Will you take the lead in all family spiritual responsibilities for the rest of your natural life?"  Ask:  "Honey, I need your help for 45 minutes tonight starting at 6:30."  :)

After Ed week classes, we went to help Bryan move some of his things out of his apartment in Provo.  On the way home, we got news that Jen is ready to have the baby.  With heavy traffic and all, we made it to the Riverton Hospital at 6pm, just in time for the delivery.  Skylar Lynn Lew was born at 6:11pm.  There is something about a baby's first cry that makes one's heart flutter with joy and the sight of a new addition to the family that brings happy tears!  :) :) :) :)