My farewell to our beloved prophet

Shawn and I were sitting in bed talking about our ward conference talks on faith and circumstances in our own life. It had been a very very long and tiring day. We got a text phone message sent to us by Dean telling us of President Hinckley's passing. I felt sadness at first, but then rejoiced with him as I knew that he was now with his beloved Marjorie and his own family (parents/siblings, etc.) and that he perhaps was also welcomed by all the preceding prophets! What a glorious and wonderful reunion they were having!

But as I think about it still, I can't help but get emotional and have to swallow the knot and blink back the tears. Oh, how I loved our dear prophet! I loved his optimism and his undying perseverance and humor and wit and courage and his endless energy! He truly forgot himself and went to work his whole entire life! What would our lives be like if we all did the same and followed him in just that one example? Truly, it would be a different world. He had such incredible vision and goals - the increase of temples around the world will always stand as a great tribute to his vision. I am so grateful for having had the experience of seeing him in person, although I never did shake his hand. But I didn't ever need to feel his handshake to know in my heart and have a deep testimony that he was God's prophet.

I love his "Nine Be's" and many other key remarks that he gave. I really enjoyed this quote I read from the Meridian Magazine's tribute: “We have every reason to be optimistic in this world,” President Hinckley insisted. “Tragedy is around, yes, Problems everywhere, yes. But look at Nauvoo. Look at what they built here in seven years and then left. But what did they do? Did they lie down and die? No! They went to work! They moved halfway across this continent and turned the soil of a desert and made it blossom as the rose. On that foundation this church has grown into a great worldwide organization affecting for good the lives of people in more than 140 nations. You can’t, you don’t, build out of pessimism or cynicism. You look with optimism, work with faith, and things happen!”

I am so grateful for his example and his enduring love and all he gave to this church. He definitely fought the good fight and won honor and glory of heaven and the respect and reverence of every member of this church.

Farewell, my dear President Hinckley. I love you!

Until we meet again....

Deanna

Following is a photo essay of Pres. Hinckley that I enjoyed from the Meridian Magazine.

http://www.ldsmag.com/photoessay/060331Hinckley.html


Here is a link to his testimony given in General Conference, April 1, 2006 just a few days before his wife Marjorie passed away:

http://meridianmagazine.com/churchupdate/080128presidenthinckleypassesaway2.html

Crib casulties - who's responsible?

Well, the picture doesn't show the true nature of the damage, but this is what greeted me in the boys room on Sunday morning. They woke up around 5:30 a.m. (they are usually up by 6:00 a.m.) and I just couldn't pull my pregnant tired body out of the bed yet. So....I turned off the monitor and drifted back to sleep. At 7:00, I woke up, and took a shower (church is at 9:00 and if I don't get one in first thing, it means we are late) and said my prayer and then braced myself for what I might find out in the living room. The usual sight is some yogurt on the floor, all over the couch and various other items strewn about. Well, what did I see? Nothing! The coast was clear and clean! I could hear the boys in their room playing so I just did a few things to enjoy the peace for a bit. Well, I got breakfast ready and went to go get the boys and opened the door to this site (actually this is a bit cleaner than what I saw...lots more diapers around with some dirty clothes on the floor.) My heart sank! The crib was totally busted on the gate side and they were using the slats to bang on the other part of the crib! I lost it....even though I had just prayed to handle whatever my eyes greeted once I walked out the door. I knew that if I was going to be willing to let two young boys - one of them a two-year-old no less, be on their own for an hour and a half and unsupervised, then who would hold the ultimate responsibility for whatever goes on while I'm sleeping? Well...me. But I was certainly not ready to handle this site! I started to cry and left the room and Ethan followed behind saying "I'm sorry! I'm sorry Mommy!" "******SIGH******"

Well, I had to get Shawn's help to face the situation. There were consequences meted out and a lot of serious faces and talking. But I still can't help but feel that I am the ultimate one who is responsible for it all happening. But....I'm doing my best and I just can't get up that early and function for a full day (complete with 3 hours of church, 2 visiting teaching appts., ward choir, home teachers coming and trying to make a crock pot dinner which didn't even end until 8:00!)

Anyway...we hope it is fixed now with a little wood glue. It has to last at least for one more baby at this point!

Future Olympic Gold Medalist for Figure Skating 2026

This outing (Saturday, Jan 20, 2008) is definitely blog-worthy as it was our family's first attempt at ice skating! (Well, everyone except pregnant mommy Deanna...who was very sad she couldn't skate - I love it!) We took the boys to Arcadia Ice Arena in Phoenix for their first experience on ice! The first challenge was just getting the right size skates that would actually fit their feet...then forcing them on. That process probably took at least 20 to 30 minutes! Finally, they were ready to make their marks on the ice. (I have included some videos as well.) Once we got hold of a nifty PVC pipe "brace-like" thing for Ethan, he did pretty good! McKay just enjoyed hanging on Daddy's hands and being "pushed" along. Needless to say, it was a workout for Shawn. But a great memory maker! So, who knows??? Maybe Ethan will be a contender for the Gold in 2026! :)

Being still......

Some people know and others don't, but we currently own five homes in Detroit, MI which we bought in the Fall of 2006 thinking that they would become great investments for us. Well, if you know anything about Detroit, or the nation as a whole for that matter, then you know that the market is horrible there. We couldn't have bought at a worse time.

The past year was full of a lot of stress as a result of many things, but seemingly endless repairs and problems were the norm. We had to sell a great investment in Orem, Utah to help us pay for the repairs in Detroit. Ouch!

We put them all up for sale back in August/September 2007, with no interest at all thus far. We thought we'd try to see if there was any chance of refinancing them to start escrow on taxes and insurance - no we didn't do that to begin with - we were counseled to follow a different strategy - mistake. Unfortunately, we received word today that it's not really possible. We could...for a 3 yr. ARM at 10% and spend thousands in closing costs. NO thanks!

Well, I have a history of being pretty uptight and anxious when it comes to finances. I have often leaned more towards thinking the worst of things rather than hoping for the best - something that I am striving to change. Over the last several months I have finally come to a place in my mind and heart where I realized that stressing and worrying will not change anything, nor accomplish anything but hurt me and my family. I have no control over the market there, or the repairs that occur, etc. All I have control over is my faith and trust in Jesus Christ and a loving Heavenly Father.

"Be still, and know that I am God." More than ever in my life, now is the time for me to cling to this scripture and live with full faith in its truth. Despite all that is happening that is undesirable, I know there is purpose in it - even if it is to teach me how to be still in the face of adversity; to place my trust in an all-knowing and all-powerful God who loves me and who will be there, by my side, through whatever experiences He sees fit to send me. I picture myself lying peacefully still in His loving hands, being carried through whatever comes my way. My heart is calm, my stomach relaxed and not tied in knots from stress. I am completely at peace and feel the loving care of my Heavenly Father.

I do not believe that it is time to "give up" or just drift and see what happens. We will continue to do our part as far as we can. But if things don't turn out the way we hope, I still know that we will make it through and that whatever does happen, it won't be the end of life. We'll bounce back, and be the better for it somehow.

Unexpected pleasures

Today I took Ethan to his Gilbert Community "Active Kids Time" class which he loves and played with McKay at a nearby park while Ethan was in his class. After that, I asked Ethan if he would like to go to the library and look for some digger books. Of course, the answer was yes, so we headed over.

How unexpected and wonderful to find that the Gilbert Fire Dept. was there for a health fair and had one of their engines there for children to see and learn about! Since Ethan was a fireman for Halloween, this was a very welcome interest! We got to hear about all the controls and hoses, and axes and pumps and we all got to even sit inside the front of the engine! Cool! Ethan even wore a real honest-to-goodness fireman's hat! (Boy! Was it heavy!) McKay was quite content to just climb aboard and sit right down for a while and take it all in. The fireman even invited us to their station anytime we would like - with forewarning of course. I think we will definitely take him up on that!

I was so sad that I hadn't listened to the little (seemingly insignificant) prompting that I had before we left to take the camera with me! There would have been some great pictures!

I also realize it is past time to teach Ethan about 911 and help him learn our address and phone number! Get on it Mommy!

"Mommy, did you take a nap?"

K, I had to write this one right away. I just finished posting my first entry on our new blog. Well, while I was working on it, Ethan woke up from his nap and wanted to watch a movie. I obliged him because I was working on this, but I also felt very tired. I told him I was going to take a nap. I put the movie on for him (Thumbelina) and then went to my computer to "wrap up" for later....but as usual, it sucked me back in!

Well, Ethan just came up to me and asked me "Mommy, did you take a nap?"

I laughed and said, "No, I didn't! I guess I needed you to put me in my bed and make sure I fell asleep huh!"

To which he replied, (as he stretches out his arms as far as they will go up and down,) "I can’t put you to bed because you are heavy! You are big…like this!"

I had to laugh! Ah….the honesty of a child. ;) So, maybe something like this will help me to catch moments like this. :)

All About Us

I am Deanna Householder, the writer, editor, historian, creative mind and critic of this blog. I have no idea how long this will last or how many posts you will get out of me, but I am going to give it a good effort!

I have always loved journaling...used to be a faithful weekly journal writer (with somewhere around 12 volumes of journals). Now with four, and soon to be five, lives to keep track of, I'm hoping this will be a little easier and even funner to keep a current history of our lives for friends and family. I love the idea of having photos available too. Sometimes I am just blown away by technology!

Anyway, more about me and my family. At the time of this post, I am 38 years old. I am blessed to be the wife of Shawn Paul Householder and I am a mother of our two very active, handsome little boys, Ethan Shawn (4) and McKay Samuel (2). Currently, I am 14 weeks pregnant with our third child (hopefully a girl this time) and I am due July 4th!

I always make myself too busy and I'm trying to model my husband's more laid-back personality more often. I am blessed to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We live in Mesa, AZ, although I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. We have lived in Orem, Utah, as well as two years in Northridge, CA where we made many friends and lasting memories (but driving in traffic there is not a fond one!)

I love to sing (solo or in choirs) and use my creative talents. This last year, I built and started a personal concierge business, North Star Concierge, LLC. It was very exciting to see my ideas become a reality, but the reality was really that it was taking way too much time away from my family and too much money to continue on with it. Although I know that it could have been a very successful business, I chose to stick with my first roles and responsibility of mother and wife. Heaven knows, that is enough to keep any woman busy! I have been known to play and really enjoy softball, basketball, go walking, hiking, camping (I LOVE the mountains!) as well as water ski and ride wave runners. I hope that in the future my family will enjoy an active recreational life.

Shawn Householder is my dear husband of 7 years now. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple on December 5, 2000 (the same anniversary day as my parents). Don't even ask me how he has managed to put up with me for that long. He is a blessing in my life, with his patience, his acceptance of me and tolerance for my overzealous productive nature. It is true we are so opposite in many ways, but we share the things that matter most to each of us and know that we were meant to be together to help us become all that we need to be and to learn all that we need to learn while we are here. For those of you who may not know, our "claim to fame" is being engaged after only 12 days of meeting each other, and making it to the alter without kissing first! (Long story.....)

Shawn works currently as a Compliance Analyst for Capitolbancorp, Ltd., a bank holding company out of Lansing, MI. He travels about once a month. We miss him a lot when he is gone but we are so grateful for his hard work for our family.

Shawn has a talent for building computers, enjoys video games (Guild Wars is his current interest) and is a champion chocolate chip cookie maker! He is famous for his cookies! He loves his "Z" (a '90 Nissan 300 ZX) but I admire him so much for being willing to drive the little '87 Celica GTS to work every day that we bought in CA 6 years ago that isn't the most beautiful car to drive anymore. But it sure has been a great car for us.

Ethan is our oldest child (4). He is most like his mom in so many ways, and as a result, we sometimes clash. He loves to play with his digger and dump truck, but also enjoys Thomas the Train, going to the zoo (he loves animals) and watching movies. He is tall for his age, and was finally successful at mastering the potty this last summer! Hurray! He loves to eat yogurt, apples, pineapple pizza, pop, and any kind of candy, oh and of course, ice cream! He is also very very strong and energetic and we hope to enroll him in gymnastics some day. It has truly been an amazing experience to watch and hear him grow and pass through all the stages from newborn to a young little boy. His favorite word right now seems to be "why?"

McKay, our second son is now two. How the time flies! He is our cuddle bug and sensitive one (which makes him more like Shawn). From the beginning he has been what I called "My little light bulb" because he is usually always happy and smiling. McKay's favorite pastime would have anything to do with water! He enjoys sipping some and then spitting it out...on the table, in a cup, on himself...it doesn't matter! Ugh. He also just can't resist playing with his food. It just has to become a part of him somehow! He too likes yogurt, pineapple, corn, peas, Bush's country beans, pop and ice cream...and whatever cereal you happen to be eating.

As I said before, we will be welcoming Baby #3 in July or maybe late June. I will be grateful for a healthy baby no matter what the gender, but I must admit that I have strong hopes for a girl this time.

Well, that is just a bit, or maybe too much about us. I'm sure from this point, you will learn much more! Enjoy!

Here is a slideshow of our favorite photo moments of 2007 (at least July through December).