with inspiration + a wall socket analogy + a new driver

we had the most inspiring weekend as a family. twice a year, april and november, we gather in the basement on saturday and sunday to watch general conference. it's a family tradition i know we all look forward to with varying degrees on anticipation (changes as they get older)... we get to hear the prophet speak and hear wonderful talks on things such as:

*we're getting a temple in fort collins!
*our heavenly father gives us children to help us become like Him
*pain is a gauge of the healing process, and through it, we obtain the education we came her to gain
*the most important job on earth is in the family and the pay isn't monetary
*fears should not displace faith
*your future is as bright as your faith
*families are like ropes, they are stronger when everyone works together
*you are strengthened by doing the daily little things
*desires drive choices. desire righteous things.
*are you too busy looking for the nuggets to miss the multitude of flakes?
*don't just stand there waiting on the road to damascus
*challenges build who we are
*living the gospel is not a cafeteria plan
*turning on the light is rare, there are many more sunrises
*walk in confidence that the Lord will direct your path
*temples and marriage are vital pillars of God's plan of happiness
*to be & to do are inseparable; be begats do
*turn negatives into positives
*God still loves us and speaks to us today
*at the last moment, the Savior could have turned back, but He didn't
*parents have a responsibility to keep their children from putting their fingers in wall sockets

ok, that last bit wasn't really mentioned word for word, but it's been something kelly and i have been thinking about a lot lately. you see your baby crawling toward the wall socket, you pull her back. she may not be happy with you, but you as the parent know that's not a safe thing to be doing. she may want to keep trying to get that little finger into the little outlet, but you've got to be consistent in your watchfulness. after a while, or after a shock, the baby gets more experience and knows on her own not to try that again. being parents is a hard job, you have to protect your kids, but they have to learn by doing too. it's a fine balance. discussions on correct behavior don't end after the kids are old enough to drive. so far, we all manage to right ourselves when we begin tipping, i'm just hoping that keeps happening. i'm just grateful to have the gospel to help us find solutions that work for our family. and i'm grateful that our family has fostered an atmosphere of honest and open communication. it's really interesting to see how investments we'd made years ago pay off in our interactions today. i love that my kids are feisty enough to push back. and i love to see the bond between them grow as they face these strict new parents. it's a hard time, but a very precious one as well. wish us luck.

speaking of driving, guess who got her learner's permit?

and her response to being asked this morning how she liked it so far? "it's not as bad as i thought it would be."