Mesa Temple Lights

On Saturday, we went to the Mesa temple lights as a family. Maddie LOVED it! She was fascinated by all of the lights and especially by the big nativity on the lawn.

Thanksgiving and Carlsbad Visit

This is a long and picture heavy post. :)

We headed over to the ranch to celebrate Thanksgiving. It was so much fun to be out there with everyone! Maddie got to meet all her Saunders aunts, uncles, and cousins, as well as all the McCutcheons. She loved all the attention, that's for sure!

For Thanksgiving, I dressed up my little doll in the cutest Thanksgiving tutu and bow! I just couldn't pass it up when I saw it online. We spent Thanksgiving day in the best way - with family! We cooked, ate until we were about to burst, and cleaned up and hung out. It was really a wonderful holiday!

The day after Thanksgiving, we took some Saunders family pictures, because we realized that all the pictures we had were from everyone's weddings, and it was time for new pictures with three new additions to the family this year! It was a lot of fun trying to wrangle all the babies, haha. But we ended up with a few good ones so we are happy. On Friday, we also had a little "girls day" where Jen, Aubrey, and I went to town, did a little shopping and went to lunch. It was SO nice to get away and leave all the babies at home with their daddies. I know that I DEFINITELY needed to do that, and enjoyed spending time with my sisters. :)

Dad and Michala drove in on Friday night, because we had planned to bless Maddie on that Sunday. So, Saturday we spent all day at the Carlsbad Caverns - Michala and Maddie went for the first time! Dad and Michala ended up getting lost and running through the Big Room in order to make it to the King's Palace Tour on time. They did it - the Big Room normally takes about 45 minutes to an hour to walk through, and they did it in about 15! They were running fast! Maddie did really well... James wore her and she pretty much slept the entire time, except when I fed her down in the underground lunch room.

Sunday was a beautiful day. Madelynn got to wear the blessing dress made from my mom's wedding dress, and she looked so pretty and precious. James gave her a beautiful blessing, filled with wonderful promises for her to look forward to in this life and the next. Maddie was so good too - she didn't make a peep during the whole blessing! I feel so grateful that we were able to have so much of our family there, although we greatly missed those that couldn't make it!

After church on Sunday we decided to take some "ranch pictures," as it was Madelynn's first trip to the ranch! She loved being outside there and seeing all of the animals. 

Obligatory family Thanksgiving picture

But seriously, how cute is this outfit??

Maddie and her cousin, Olivia. They aren't much different in size although Olivia is 7 months older! :)

Sittin' on a tractor, no big deal.

 

Family

Today, during AM recess, my morning aide and I had a deep discussion about the world today.

(apparently we were both desperately in need of good, adult conversation ;))

We talked about how atrocious the divorce rate is. The single mother rate is. That the percentage of married peoples in the US is at an all time low - in fact, more couples are cohabiting and having families than getting married. How many children are raised in daycares instead of by their mothers and fathers. How many people see family as an "incovenience" or something that stands in the way of what they really want. Our culture of instant gratification and selfishness and busy-ness.

And then we talked about the Family Proclamation to the World (I know, I know, only in Utah could I have this conversation at school!).

"Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets."

 This is SOOOO coming true in today's world. I found myself thinking about this all day. Really pondering it. 

So many people today do not see the importance of family. Many women are choosing to have babies on their own, either through adoption or sperm banks because they don't "need a man to raise a child." While I in no way am trying to insult those mothers who are single by no fault of their own, women, come on! Men are just as important as we are in raising a child. They give their children things that we cannot, because they are men. They are different from us; they think differently and act differently and that is a GOOD thing!

Another thing that saddens me about the world today is the percentage of families with two working parents. I know that in some circumstances there is no choice, but in many, many situations there is a choice. People have chosen money, luxury, and amenities over their children. Their priorities are not where they need to be. Children are, therefore, not being taught morality, right and wrong, decision-making, problem-solving, conflict resolution, or any of these things at home. They are only being taught them in small doses at school, because teachers are being so overworked and pushed to teach to tests. They are not being taught these things at daycare. So where are they learning morality? Who is teaching them? 

I feel that we are seeing this prophecy come true in our lives. The family is disintegrating. I feel so outraged when I hear that "starter marriages" are becoming a new trend. Really folks?? A trial run before your "real" marriage comes along? That people are not even TRYING to keep their relationships and marriages together; they simply think that their problems can't be resolved so they should just divorce. (Again, I know divorce is appropriate in some circumstances. I'm on a rant here, though)

Because of this disintegration of the family unit, our culture and society is experiencing many problems. Look at the filth that is allowed on TV these days. The HUGE amount of money spent in the pornography business. Foreign relations issues. Droughts. Political scandals. Large numbers of children born to unwed mothers. The rise of certain diseases. The amount of people on anti-depressants and mind-altering medications, in comparison to 50 years ago. All of the LGBT communities that feel it necessary to whine and cry and scream. The drug use. The crime rate. I could go on and on. 

Our society is becoming more and more out of line with church teachings.  Things that are right and true are being mocked. Where are our core values as a country? As a society? Where do we draw the line between right and wrong? Our Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves right now, I can almost guarantee. This is not what they envisioned for this country - a society obsessed with sex and money. 

It's not what I envision for my children - I want them to grow up in a simpler life. Where blood is thicker than water. Where good, Southern, Christian values are important and expected. Where manners matter. Where you say please, thank you, yes ma'am, no sir. Where adults are respected. Where you go to church on Sunday, pray, and choose the right. Where there is a clear line as to what is right and what is wrong. Where people are not "plugged in" 24/7. 

The way that many people still live. I realize that there are a large number of good, wholesome families who are trying to do everything the best they can. Today, I was just shocked at how true that particular part of the Proclamation is becoming. 

I'll step off my soap box now. 

Faith

I've been thinking a lot about faith lately, and I've made some observations that I would like to share.

This Christmas, we had the opportunity to attend church again down here in the Southwest with James' mom. It's so funny how different things feel down here than in Utah. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of really good, faithful friends up in Utah that I admire and aspire to be like. But something about the faith down here is different.

It's simpler.

It's about living off the land; about putting everything you have into a ranch or a business.

It's about having to trust in God for your livelihood.

It's about learning to depend on your faith to make it through all the tough times.

It's about praying desperately for rain in a serious drought, and yet, still saying, "If it be thy will," and meaning it.

It's about knowing the names and lives of everyone around you...and being willing to step in at a moment's notice.

It's about simply...believing. Believing that Heavenly Father wants the best for you, and trusting him to do so.

I know that many of these things are universal, but it has been very refreshing to see the simple faith of the good folks who live down here. It's not limited to the Southwest, but I think the way of life down here helps to contribute to the faith and kindness of the people. I have never been so warmly welcomed into a ward than when I was in Texas or New Mexico. I have never felt so comfortable so quickly with a new group of people. I love this culture, this people. I love this land - the flatness, what some would call barren desert. It's not barren - there are pumpjacks and barbed wire fences and beautiful, uninterrupted sunsets. It's a land of hard work, of drought, of mud and sweat and tears.

It's beautiful.

See? Absolutely breathtaking.