Finding our own 'Happily Ever After'

Let love be your shelter.  The world is noisy and confusing at times, so make a home that is a haven, a peaceful place where you can listen to your hearts and savor the comfortable closeness you share.

No matter how busy your days may be, make time for yourselves.  Hold hands.  Unwind.  Surprise each other.  Find little chances every day to show you're grateful to be partners, to be friends, to be married.

Life is not perfect.  You will make mistakes.  But each time you meet life's challenges together, you will grow wiser, stronger, and surer of your love.

Cherish your yesterdays...they are irreplaceable souvenirs of your journey through life.  Make memories that will bring back smiles and sighs whenever you look back.  (Look back often!)

Look forward, too. 

Dream together.  Plan together

Make promises to keep.

Believe in your tomorrows,

Because tomorrows are what forever is made of.

(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

Falling behind

Currently I feel like my life has been tossed into a washing machine!  It's been a CRAZY filled month.
Our ward of 500+ members split.  The split was hard for me...I am not an individual who embraces change well, and I was worried about how the primary children in our ward would be affected by the change too.  I prayed for peace and comfort not only for me, but for them; I felt an overwhelming sense of the spirit as I asked my Heavenly Father to bless each of them with my love.
Less than a week later Shane and I were called to meet with the Bishop where I received a new calling in our newly split ward.  The spirit was felt so strongly in that little room as I was asked to serve as the new Primary President.  I knew that the feelings I had felt throughout the week for those cute children were from my Savior, and I felt so blessed to be able to serve them.  Since I was called, I have been overwhelmed at the way the spirit has guided my thoughts and actions to serve... my counselors and secretary are such amazing women who uplift and support me every day, and have already worked countless hours dealing with the changes that happened in Primary from the split.
If any of you have been in Primary before, you know that December is the BUSIEST month of the year!  So many changes need to be made and put into effect; theme boards need to be updated, new ideas for the upcoming year need to be planned, classrooms need to be decided, TEACHERS need to be decided (which was incredibly difficult...since I have become the President 14 new individuals have needed to be called), teacher training, nursery training, new binders, Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, etc etc etc.  It has not been easy.  Because of the ward split so many changes had to be made to primary...instead of 2 sharing times, now we only have one.  But because of that, we had to be sure we had enough classrooms, and how would the children react to being in one sharing time together?  They've never had to do that before... How would we do our opening exercises being combined?  Oh yes, and I forgot to add that my sweet husband was realeased as the Young Men's Secretary to be our new... SCOUTMASTER.  Yes - I cried when he received the calling, however, I couldn't think of anyone better for the job...I just need to prepare to see him even less than I already do!
The amazing part of all of this is that through all the hustle and bustle to get everything ready for 2012, I have felt my love for each of the children in our ward grow every day.  The Lord truly works in mysterious ways, and I feel so blessed that I have so many children to make my life feel a little more complete.  They bring SO much joy to my heart!  I pray that they will always know of my love for them, and that I can be an influence for the better in each of their lives.