Manners, respect, and compassion - where are they?

Sometimes I wonder where manners, respect and compassion have gone....but thankfully they are still around and right here in Ft. Worth, TX, and I have had an awesome week of witnessing them in action!

The 12 and 13 yr old young women from our Church came to our home and serenaded me and presented our family with a warm plate of chocolate chip cookies! But believe it or not what I loved was that they sang two wonderful songs - "I Am a Child of God" and "As I have Loved You". It was on a day that I was so very exhausted and was in my nightgown by 7:00 pm at night. But I gladly opened the door and let the sweet music and spirit of the gift wash over me. I was not as exhausted after that. And was able to go on and complete my "mother duties" that night.

I also witnessed a loving act of compassion on Tuesday night at a meeting for our RS Meeting Committee and it was beautiful to watch and renewed my outlook on a lot of things. I would really love to share this experience but it is too personal but know that it changed me and my feelings.

Last Sunday, I watched as a mother was gathering up her baby and all the paraphernalia that goes along with leaving a meeting, get up to leave, and a man in the room got up and opened her door. Her husband was not in the room to help her and there were many other men in the room, but this man got up, held the door for her and helped her to be able to leave with more ease! And I thought, what a tribute that was to his wife and his parents, his respect for women. Of course this was not the only time I have seen him perform the role of gentleman, but it hit a chord with me this day.

I'm not sure why I was privileged to see these things and that these simple acts would strike me so, but I feel blessed to be reminded that simple things can make such a difference in someones life. That 1 person can make a difference. That Heavenly Father is always watching over us but that more times then not, his help and love comes from others around us who listen to the spirit and act upon it!

John's Birthday!!!!

O.k., so its after midnight, and technically Wednesday.....but I haven't gone to bed yet so in my book that means it is still Tuesday, July 27th and my Son-in-law's Birthday!

What an amazing young man he is and I love him not only for the wonderful person that he is and he is really wonderful....but because of the way that he loves my daughter! All mothers should be so fortunate to be able to witness such love and caring for a daughter.

It is also wonderful to see my daughter so in love with someone who really deserves that love and devotion! They are a good team.

Just recently I heard one of my brother-in-law's say that they were really impressed with John and how he treats Aileen. That he treats her as if she really is his sister!

It doesn't get much better than that!

Happy Birthday John!!! We love you!!!! Mom & Dad Brown

Aileen rides MITS.....

Last week Aileen's Adult day care was closed down for 2 days because someone had stolen the copper out of the air conditioning units and the State closed them down until they could get the air conditioning fixed....which as you can imagine at this time of year is hard to get in line for the repair and getting parts!!! So Aileen had 4 days of staying home between the weekend and Monday and Tuesday....... so when Wednesday came around and MITS came at 6:3o am to pick her up - she was so excited! Not only because she was getting to go back to day care, which she was, and I try not to take that too personally lol, but she loves when they come to get her in an actual Bus and not just a Van or taxi! Oh, Wednesday last week was a happy day for Aileen!

Landon Eldridge turns 3!!!!!

One of the many wonderful things about Dad marrying Barbara is that I have new nieces and nephews, cousins, Aunts and brothers and sisters. Well, Landon Eldridge my new nephew who is just sooooo stinkin cute turned 3 and we had a birthday party for him....where else McDonalds!!! Aileen was lovin that! He is really into "Toy Story 3" right now so almost all his gifts were along that theme and we all got "Toy Story" rings which you will be able to see in the pics some were proudly displaying! I will Say David and Mandy, make really cute children! They are too fun to be around and love on! Happy Birthday Landon!

Fireman, Policeman, and more......

For our RS Activity for July we did a community service project in which we wanted to do something special for the Firefighters and Policemen in our area to thank them for all the service and protection they give to us. That's what we celebrate in July, is appreciation for our freedoms and for those who help to keep us safe!

We asked all the women who wanted to, to donate treats so that we could make gift baskets to deliver to 2 Fire stations and 2 police stations and as always everyone came through!!! We wanted to make them homemade treats but found out that you are asked not to give them homemade things only pre-packaged bought items (some people ruin it for everyone don't they?). At first I was a little bummed because it just didn't feel the same to not be able to make yummy goodies to take to them, but then it became really fun to come up with fun and cute ideas and it was fun to see all the different things everyone thought to bring!!!

That night we split up all the donated items and made gift baskets then went to one of the fire stations and one police station that night and then delivered the other fire station and police station later that week with a different set of women that didn't get to come Tuesday night so that made it kind of fun too, because then they got to be apart of the wonderful feeling you get when you get to give something unexpected to someone else.

I will say that the Firemen were really fun to deliver to, not only did we get a tour of their station but we got to see the fire trucks up close and personal and that was a blast. I will also say, that I'm sure everyone really appreciated their baskets....but it felt really appreciated from the firemen, whom we found out have to buy all their own food and everything that they use while they live at the fire station on their shifts, none of that is provided for them. It felt rewarding that we did do something that will really help them and that they can enjoy.....even if it is only fun treats and goodies!

Mom would be proud.....

We had a baptism Saturday morning and our Ward is one of those few Wards that really does not have very many pianists. And the two that everyone always asks and count on to do this for them were not available. Since I'm part of the Missionary Coordination meeting as part of my RS calling, I could not just sit by and not say anything. I did say I would have to know that day what the songs were so I could practice all week, but that I could do it. Mom would have been proud. And I survived! And the Baptism was beautiful, no matter how many mistakes I made! I really didn't do too bad, except the 1st song had 2 sharps and I hate sharps. But after that all was good!

Baby Shower on Saturday

Lindsey with her Mom and Mother-in-law

One of my seminary students is having her first baby! It was so fun to get invited to the baby shower, especially since I was at the wedding shower, at the Temple for the Wedding, and now they're having a baby! How fun! Even more amazing, she is in the Stake YW Presidency and had just gotten home from a week at girls camp the day before! What a trooper, because it was hot, hot, hot!!!!!

I love shopping for little girls.....

My niece, Laura, had a baby girl and we just got her announcement this last week. So, of course, I had to go shopping. It is just way too much fun to shop for girls, I hope when Allison gets ready to have children that they are all girls! This week the gift is getting shipped off! But I had to take a picture....because it was just too dang cute! I love Old Navy so much for little kiddos clothes!

Aileen going down the slide into the pool......

A couple of weeks ago we were swimming again for a birthday party of our new cousins with Barbara's family and Aileen really kept looking at the slide because everyone was going down it and when she would walk on her own she would walk towards the slide.....so, since Alan wasn't there to say "no way" like he did on the 4th of July I enlisted some help from Aunt Tootie, and cousin Diana's husband and this is how it went, I helped her up the ladder and helped her to get seated and her legs out from under her. Tootie, helped her feel secure and got her started going down the slide then Diana's husband Logan, caught her at the bottom of the pool! She loved it so much she got right out and walked right over to the slide again and climbed up to do it again! Too Fun for the Aileen Brown....she is a dare devil! She loves slides in the pool and Roller coasters at theme parks!

This is what it looks like when.....

This is what it looks like when.....

You break your toe Sunday night, stubbing your 2nd toe on the carpet cleaner you have in your master closet While your arms are full of folded clothes you are trying to put away!

This is what it looks like when one of your dear friends witnesses you being put down, attacked, humiliated, and embarrassed in a meeting on Sunday....... and unbelievably I was speechless, I know that is really hard to believe, because I didn't even know where to begin or how to respond.........

She comes on Monday and brings you a treat to enjoy just for yourself and tells you that she loves and appreciates you! Thanks my sweet friend M!

This is what it looks like when you have had a really hard year, frankly, but for sure the last several months, and it seems that no matter how hard you try to do and say the right thing, you are saying and doing exactly the wrong thing....so you are starting to doubt yourself and your talents and your abilities and maybe you should just never talk or try to help people again because...... even though others don't believe it, you do have feelings too........

You read the Words of Pres. Uchtdorf in a book about "The Remarkable Soul of a Woman" that your father gave you not so long ago.

And this is what it looks like when you remember what really is important in your life and the reason that you never give up and keep trying to be a better person, one that is less judging, one that is more compassionate, one that is more Christlike, and why you do try so hard to be a good example

And this is what it looks like when you remember that you are never alone......

that there is someone you can always turn to, that knows exactly what you are going through, and has made it possible for you to repent and progress and return to you Heavenly Father.

Oh, No! Really?

Well, I washed my cell phone in my jeans pocket in the washing machine! Really? I can't believe I did that! The funny thing is that is my 3rd phone in about as many weeks! First Aileen grabbed my blackberry and chewed and slobbered all over it before I notice and ruined that....the roller ball won't roll..... so I bought a cheap AT&T phone to use until I could decide what to do and I laid it down and once again Aileen grabbed it and chewed etc.... so then it didn't turn on...even after drying it out etc.... and NOW, I have been washing like crazy getting all the clothes done and folded and put away now that we are in the Master bedroom and have all this closet space. Monday we had moved some stuff out of the storage unit to our home and I was all hot and sweaty...so when I put the last load in I thought to myself....I'll just throw these clothes I have on really quick too and be all done! So I did and then an hour later Allison called me on the home phone and asked why I wasn't picking up my cell phone.....Wait, I never heard my cell phone....... Wait, where is my cell phone....... Oh, No! Don't tell me I washed it in the washing machine!!!!!! To which I went and emptied out all the clothes and sure enough....there it was in the bottom of the tub nice and clean and gone through 2 cycles of washing and rinsing......yeah, it doesn't work anymore! Yep, I have a 3rd cheap phone! And until I can be more responsible, I guess that is all I should get!!!! Yeesh!

Happy 4th of July!!!

I love our Country and am always so happy to celebrate the freedoms that we enjoy! We had great meetings at church and a great meeting in RS about our founding fathers etc... then we went to Barbara's family in Burleson to eat great BBQ, baked beans and potato salad the all- American meal, went swimming and then watch a great display of fireworks. We had left over sparklers from Allison's wedding so we took those and all the kids got to play with them including Aileen, which she grabbed right for them.....so we had to be careful that she didn't grab the wrong end!!! At some point over the holiday weekend we spoke several times to our kids in Utah to make sure that they were enjoying the holiday as well and that they knew that we missed them.

Friday night we went to Mansfield to celebrate Barbara's oldest son's 30th Birthday! Hey, wait a minute, I have a daughter turning 30, how does that work....oh, yeah, I started young having my family! We had a great time with lots of laughter and great food once again!

Great weekend!