Kyle's Blessing

Kyle Brandt Adams was blessed by his dad on Sunday, November 13, 2011.  Grandma Penny, Granddaddy Larry, Calley and Cody came down on Friday afternoon as well as Uncle Chris, Aunt Anne, Lexi and Cameron.  Aunt Suzanna, Uncle Ryan, Abby and Owie came down Saturday afternoon.  We had taco salads Friday night when everyone got here.  Don was in Portland most of  the week but got home on Friday evening as well.  On Saturday we just hung around the house.  We made pancakes and bacon for breakfast and then watched football most of the day,  For dinner we picked up Rik's BBQ from Overton and went to the store for some last minute items.  Sunday morning we made muffins with the little kids-they wanted to help and then we had sausage and waffles. We made it to church on time with everyone ready believe it or not.  In the circle was Don, Cody, Grandpa Don, Granddaddy Larry, Uncle Chris Gessel, Uncle Chris Zundel, Uncle Ryan Pitts, cousin DJ Schwatrz-Ashley's husband and the Bishop.  After Sacrament meeting we hurried home to get lunch out for everyone.  Uncle Chris and Aunt Anne had to leave as did Aunt Suzanna and Uncle Ryan.  My amazing friend Serena came to the blessing and then over to the house for lunch and she just jumped right in to the kitchen and started cutting and chopping and then she did lots of dishes too.  She was my super angel that afternoon!  Of course we had help from Grandma's too.  We had Hawaiian Haystacks and spinach salad and our traditional white I am a Child of God cake.  Kyle wore a white sweater outfit and the white crocheted baby blanket from Mawmaw. I think the outfit was Cody's but I would have to look at the pictures to be sure. After everyone left and we got the kitchen cleaned up we watched football again.  Go figure. 

Stake Conference

Sunday, August 14 was our Stake Conference.  Caleb got to go and do baptisms for the dead on Saturday with the youth in our ward as a way to help the youth get ready for Stake Conference.  They had Stake Temple Week that whole week prior to but we did not want to leave Cayden home not knowing the full impact of the diabetes on him since he had just been in the hospital on Monday.  They always have an adult session on Saturday night.  I wanted to go but decided that I should probably choose the Sunday session when we could go as a family since I would have a hard time sitting through both.  It was hot and uncomfortable during the Sunday session but I made it.  We had Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the 12 as one of the speakers.  I usually write down what the speakers say but was trying really hard to just make it through the meeting let alone write anything down.  I do remember he said at the very end of his talk that the atonement covers all unfairness.  That was something I needed to hear because of Cayden's diabetes diagnoses just the week before and all our stress and struggle with Connor and even the fact that someone who shall not be named was put into a prominent leadership position in our stake and I only found out right then in stake conference when they did all the sustainings.  I am glad that I went to Stake Conference and got to hear from our leaders and feel the spirit.

Broken Things to Mend

In Nazareth, the narrow road, That tires the feet and steals the breath,  
Passes the place where once abode The Carpenter of Nazareth.

And up and down the dusty way The village folk would often wend;  

And on the bench, beside Him, lay Their broken things for Him to mend.

The maiden with the doll she broke, The woman with the broken chair,  

The man with broken plough, or yoke, Said, “Can you mend it, Carpenter?”

And each received the thing he sought, In yoke, or plough, or chair, or doll; 

The broken thing which each had brought Returned again a perfect whole.

So, up the hill the long years through, With heavy step and wistful eye,  

The burdened souls their way pursue, Uttering each the plaintive cry:

“O Carpenter of Nazareth, This heart, that’s broken past repair, 

This life, that’s shattered nigh to death, Oh, can You mend them, Carpenter?”

And by His kind and ready hand, His own sweet life is woven through  

Our broken lives, until they stand A New Creation—“all things new.”

“The shattered substance of the heart, Desire, ambition, hope, and faith,  

Mould Thou into the perfect part, O, Carpenter of Nazareth!”

--George Blair