stopping to smell the roses

Scot hosted a 2/12 hour planning meeting with all the youth presidencies and leaders at our home this morning around 8 a.m. (breakfast included). Jess was not excited to get up for this on his one morning to sleep in. The smell of bacon cooking got him going though. Much planning took place and they are headed off for the next year.

We were at the temple most of yesterday with our stake. We are preparing to hear the words of two general authorities (Elder Costa, and Webb) for our Stake Conference tonight and tomorrow.
Pretty exciting!
Our Stake Presidents wife called on Thursday to see if we would like to join them in doing sealings. What an awesome experience! We have done them before, but the brother who did the officiating would stop every so often and tell these great stories and insights. So interesting to get his perspective. We both mentioned after the day in the temple how much we enjoyed just being calm and in the moment. It is so easy to be so busy that we forget to just sit and PONDER. If i took anything away from my experience yesterday it was that I need to stop and do this more. I really see this being the greatest struggle we are faced with, in relation to where we are in our lives right now. Extremely busy! It always comes back to finding the balance. This balance finding concept constantly changes as our lives do. You think you got it down and then whamo you don't. Always regrouping. Always trying to gain better perspective.

We really needed to get some Christmas lights up on our house today. But, Scot said that Jack really needed some one on one time more. Sounds like a GOOD, BETTER, BEST. And we are shooting for BEST. So that is where he was for the next few hours before he heads of to a 4:00 training meeting with the stake. Scot called me around lunch time and mentioned how cute our little man is. Scot said he had the whole day planned out. Toys R US.....then lunch.....then home to play with the spoils. About an hour later I could hear some commotion from the other end of the house and came out to see what was going on. This is what I saw. Dad fully engaged in combat acting like a 7 year old. Jack had the biggest grin on his face. And so I rushed to get the camera and document life happening as we speak. Life that isn't perfect. Life that comes at you fast. Life that requires stopping to smell the roses. And yes I am happy. Happy because we are focusing on doing what is BEST.
Christmas decor can wait till next year!