Jenna's Stake Conference Drawings

 Here are some little drawings that Jenna (11) drew during our Stake Conference (before the world shut down!)

Jenna's Complicated Teeth

Saturday 6:  This morning Rick and I went to an interpreting workshop at the Deaf Center from 9:00 to 1:00.  I LOVE being able to go to things like this together!  The workshop was good.  The Williams brought Jenna with them to the library movie this afternoon “Hotel Transylvania 2.”  Tonight was Stake Conference.  Jaiden babysat the Conovers while they went and Janelle babysat for us.  We were upset with Janelle when we got home because she and the kids were just watching TV (and probably had been the whole time we were gone).  The food was still out, the kitchen a mess, and Josh and Jenna were not bathed or put to bed.  Rick told her that he and I were going to Smiths to get some ice cream and that she had thirty minutes to get it all done before we got back – and she did!!    

Sunday 7:  This morning we all went to Stake Conference and sat in the back up on the stage.  In the middle of his talk President Wagner (member of the Stake Presidency) said something to the effect of how difficult it can be to stay awake during this two hour meeting and motioned clear back to the stage where our family was seated on the front row and said, “I see Jase Jensen, who is currently in our missionary preparation class, sitting there on the stage.  Please don’t fall asleep, Jase – we wouldn’t want you to fall off the stage!”  So everyone was turned around looking at us.  Jase wasn’t falling asleep and so I am not sure why he was picking on him (perhaps our family was being a little distracting from their vantage point, I don’t know).  Jase just smiled and gave him a big “thumbs up” sign! 

The girls and I fixed a nice dinner of ham and cheesy potatoes tonight with salad and asparagus. Then the girls had a fun time video chatting with their cousins and Shane gave us a video tour of their house!  It has been a nice relaxing weekend and Rick and I got to spend a lot of time together.  I feel so blessed and grateful for such a great husband and happy marriage and awesome (most of the time) kids!!  

Monday 8:  I normally don’t interpret on Mondays but had been called for a freelance appointment this morning for three hours – it was at a school and super easy.  I came home and and started reading Janika’s missionary e-mails and then got a call asking if I could go interpret at the hospital right then and so I went and did that.  It was an early out day for school and so the kids were already home when I got back. Janika got her package already – that was fast -- I just sent it Saturday morning! I wonder why packages get there so much faster than letters? Maybe because I used one of the priority boxes from the Post Office?

Tuesday 9:  Josh wasn’t feeling well this morning and ended up staying home from school.  I had to leave him alone so that I could go interpret for my class.  I came home and ate lunch and then got called in for a medical appointment.  I left Josh again knowing that the girls would be home before too long. I had another appointment with DSU (with Rick) after that and so it was a busy day for interpreting and I had to make arrangements for rides for Josh (scouts) and Jaiden (activity days and tumbling). 

Wednesday 10:  So, Rick is sick – again.  He ended up staying home from work today and I ended up covering his interpreting job at 7:00 a.m. Ugh!  It was fine though – I am already up for scripture reading at 6:00 am anyway.  After the appointment and getting Jenna off to school (Josh stayed home again) I helped in Jenna’s Chinese class today.  I go in for an hour every other Wednesday). 

I soon found out that one of the girls had had a very smelly “accident.” I pulled the teacher out in the hallway to tell her (because no English is allowed in the classroom).  I ended up bringing the little girl to the office and they had me bring her to the nurse’s office while they tried getting a hold of her parents.  Meanwhile a little girl skipped out of the nurse’s office saying “I just threw up again!”  I thought, “Get me out of here!”  But my house is no better – with Rick and Josh sick (and stinky).  There is no escape!

I had been asked to sub interpret for a class this afternoon.  It was easy and I enjoyed it.  I left a few minutes early to check Jenna out of school and pick up Josh from home to go to the Orthodontist.   Josh was coming in for a recall (second evaluation – first evaluation was a year ago).  He was in and out.  The Orthodontist said, “get these two baby teeth pulled and we will see him in another year.”  Jenna’s evaluation, however, was a lot more complicated. We were there for two long hours with Josh whining the whole time because he wasn’t feeling well. 

When we went to the dentist a couple of weeks ago he pointed out that Jenna has a severe under-bite and that she should see the Orthodontist as soon as possible to get her jaw corrected while it is still developing.  I had never paid attention or noticed it until the dentist pointed it out to me. He said that his wife had the same thing and since it wasn’t corrected until later they had to go in and actually break her jaw to correct her bite. Yikes!  So apparently it is recommended to try and get intervention before the suture that separates the top jaw matures fully and becomes fused. 

The Orthodontist said that she has an under bite and also a cross bite and that her work is going to be "complicated."  She is going to need an expander, head gear, and the whole works -- all while in the first grade, poor thing!  At least she won't be required to wear the head gear at school.  Although she is sassy enough that she could probably get away with it – and cause the other kids to wish that they were lucky enough to have one too, ha ha!  Jared had an expander but he was old enough to turn it himself (with a little key). With Jenna we will have to do it.

When Jenna was laying there and the Orthodontist was explaining all of this to me Jenna said, “I do NOT like what I am hearing!” After the appointment we ran to the scout store to get some scout pants for Josh since he has grown out of his scout shorts (our Cub Masters are really emphasizing FULL uniforms and rewarding the boys each month for wearing it).  Then we ran to Staples to get some ink so that our printer will actually start printing again. 

The kids were tired and whiney and so I was glad that Rick had made dinner (Chinese food – yum!)  Jase, Jared, Janelle, and Jaiden all had their young men/young women activities.  Jaiden is not in Young Women yet but went to this one.  The Young Women were babysitting from 6:00 to 8:00 so that couples in the ward with young kids could go out for a nice Valentines Date.  Rick and I had been planning to go too but with he and Josh both sick, we had to 

   

Stake Conference

My husband and I have always been a little conflicted about the Saturday night session of Stake Conference. Apparently many members feel the same way since the Saturday session is always only half as full as the Sunday session, which is truly unfortunate.

My husband has a tendency to grumble under his breath about going to yet another church meeting when he has just been to two hours of Priesthood Leadership meeting, teaches religion every day of the week, has meetings throughout the week, and is gone the entire day on Sundays with church responsibilities.  So whenever the Saturday night Stake Conference meeting comes around with no responsibilities on his part, he always half jokingly asks, "So are we going tonight?"  "Of course we are going," I always answer back and he sighs and puts his suit back on.

I always explain that I particularly LOVE the Saturday night session of Stake Conference.  It is pretty much the ONLY time I can enjoy a church meeting without any distractions from the kids.  On Sundays my husband sits on the stand while I am wrestling kids who are fighting to sit on my lap while trying to keep my baby from crawling away, my three year old from dumping the cereal all over the floor and the older kids from laying down on the bench.  At the Saturday Stake Conference session I can pay attention and actually get something out of the meeting other than cheerios squished on my dress and scribbled, crinkly drawings from my kids.   As an added bonus -- I can sit next to my husband instead of just looking at him on the stand.  We can tickle each others backs and hold hands.  Yes, I love Stake Conference.  

Tonight's meeting was especially good.  I wished I had brought along a notebook so that I could have jotted down a few notes.  I particularly enjoyed Brother Homer and Sister Riding's remarks.  Brother Homer, a young father, shared an experience from his mission where he and his companion received inspiration about how to teach the plan of salvation in their area.  They bought a bucket of sidewalk chalk and went to a local park where there was a huge area devoted to sidewalk drawings.  They proceeded to draw the plan of salvation complete with circles representing the pre-earth, earth, spirit world, and three kingdoms.  They had about a dozen children join them and ask if they could help.  The children became busy coloring away.  Then they asked what the pictures meant and the missionaries were of course happy to explain.  Then the kids brought their parents over and the missionaries explained the plan of salvation to all of the parents.   They had some incredible spiritual experiences that happened as a result of this activity.

Another experience he shared was about his seven year old daughter who has Down Syndrome.  We know her because she attended The Learning Center with Janelle when they were both two years old.   He was married shortly after his mission and this was their first child and so he and his wife were very young.  He said that he lovingly held his baby in his arms the night before she was be blessed and wondered, "How do you bless a perfect spirit?"  He said that the thought came into his mind, "She is here for all of you -- not for herself."  He realized what a precious gift she was for his family.  He said that she is a "spiritual thermometer" for their home.  If there is any contention in the home she will sit behind the couch and fold her arms until the conflict is resolved.  When she was very young, they went to a temple wedding at the Salt Lake temple.  Later on this sweet pure little girl told her parents, "I can't wait until Jesus comes again so that I can be married in the temple and have a baby."  He was amazed since she clearly understood certain doctrines that she had not yet been taught in the home or in primary. Of course I was wiping my eyes throughout the entire talk. 

Several things impressed me from Sister Riding's (a young mother) talk, but I will just share one.  She recently learned of a sad experience and asked if she could share it with us.  A certain mother had worked diligently with her children through the years to teach them the gospel and the importance of marrying in the temple.  As time went on, however, the mother ended up straying from the church.  Her daughter did get married in the temple, but the mother was not worthy to attend.  The mother tearfully expressed her sorrow to her daughter with these words, "I always wanted you to marry in the temple, but I never dreamed that I would let my own guard down and not be able to go..."   What a tragedy!  That story really stuck with me.  We are never immune to the temptations of the world and we can never "let our own guard down."  We need to teach our children but we also need to be diligent in our own lives.  I had many things come to my mind during this conference -- ways in which I can improve both as a mother, and in my own path of progression.   

There were other excellent talks as well, and I thoroughly enjoyed having my spiritual bucket filled.  I also enjoyed being able to cuddle with my sweetie.  Tomorrow I get him for most of the day, and that makes me happy.  I have to admit that Sundays are difficult in this stage of life.  But every once in a while amidst all of the chaos of husband gone and kids running around -- teasing and picking on each other, I can still pluck out a piece of revelation that our family needs here and there.  Now if we can just follow through with it, then we will be doing okay.