Busy Day--If you don't want to read this entire post, at least read the last paragraph.

Just got out of the bath.  Sitting here eating fresh pineapple.  Ahhh!  What a way to end a day.

I woke at 3:45 this morning thinking it must be close to 6.  I even held a conversation with the Warden, I was so sure it must be morning.  When I looked at the clock, I was so embarrassed that I'd wakened him.  Not sure if he knew the time or not, but he was a good sport about it all.  I apologized, and he rolled over and went back to sleep.  I tried, but no way.

I got up and got some things done for Primary.

At 7am, the women I work with in Primary, and I had breakfast together.  We had a training at the church at 8am.  It, as usual, was wonderful.  I took pages and pages of notes.  One of the scriptures that was shared was particularly significant to me right now.  It was Doctrine & Covenants 84:85, "Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man."

This was important because I've been asked to speak in church tomorrow.  Thoughts have been flowing through my mind all week.  I've even had experiences with the topic this week as well and know exactly what route I'm supposed to take with this one.  Tender mercies all over the place.  It's now just a matter of getting an outline made up, so I can be organized as I share what I need to.  I was impressed that this scripture was just an extra dose of encouragement from Heavenly Father to go with what the Spirit teaches.

Another thing that was shared during the training was that the new church handbook is to be used to fortify families.  This idea has me intrigued.  When we received these new manuals, and I had a chance to read through it, the idea to run family council more like how a ward council is held kept coming back to me.  All we really use our family council for at this time is calendaring.  I know it can be used for so much more to help our family run smoother.  We just need to break tradition.  I'll probably blog more about this topic later as I start to get it figured out.  This, I'm sure, is another one of those line upon line lessons that I have yet to learn. 

Immediately following the training, we had family pictures.  I have a number of good friends who are talented photographers.  Two, that I thought of asking to do these photos actually live about an hour away.  While I thought the decision was going to be super tough, I read in the blog of one of these women that she had decided to close her business.  I was sad to hear she was done.  She has a number of health issues and homeschools her kids, so she's got a lot on her plate, but I know photography brought her a lot of happiness. 

My photographer friend was kind enough to drive up, and we went up to Jenkins Estate to take the photos.  It was so great to see her!  I have to say, I learn a lot from this woman

I've been learning a lot about confidence lately.  I'm afraid that sometimes life's lessons are learned from making mistakes, changing and learning from the contrast between failure and success. 

Right now, in so many areas in my life, I feel like a fish out of water.  Being in a leadership role and being on the front lines, so to speak, is a new experience for me.  This "young mother of the year" thing is also different.  That, thankfully, hasn't been much of an issue, but it does make me analyze the way I do things quite a bit these days.  Back to the post from a few days ago. 

Anyway, I'm learning about being confident and cutting myself slack and being okay with me being me.  I'm learning not to limit the Lord in what He can do with me.  I'm particularly bad at putting myself down in front of others.

Today's photo shoot was a BLAST!  This friend is truly talented in many, many ways.  I was feeling unsure in my abilities to choose appropriate clothing for the pictures, so I emailed her a few days ago.  I have very little experience in this area, and to choose something that all nine of us will look good together in is daunting to me.  Before going to bed last night, I had all the kids come in our room.  I had them each bring in a pair of jeans.  Nope--all different shades; not good.   I asked what they thought we should wear--blue, green and yellow (the high school colors).  Nope--the Warden was NOT going to wear that bright yellow sweatshirt the girls were picking off his shelves.  I may not know much about these things, but THAT I knew.

It's a lot like this, but cuter.

Then, like magic, I looked through Inmate #7's clothes and came across a plaid jumper--red, black, white, and khaki.  This was it!  I sent the kids to find things that matched these colors.  It was GREAT!  We matched enough to look like we belonged together, yet we were each our own individuals contributing to the group.

I have to share, though, that the one thing that made the whole picture taking thing wonderful was our photographer.  She is upbeat and happy.  When it was just me and her taking my pictures, it hit me that we're both just little girls trying to be grown ups.  It was a funny thought.  The idea hit me that neither of us are perfect; both of us make mistakes and have our insecurities, but the way she conducts herself, you'd never know it.  She finds the best in everything that happens--even if it's a baby eating Cheerios out of the dirt.

I learned a lot from her today.  Just another step on the ladder to another lesson I need to learn. 

Here's the portion I learned today.  Even if you make mistakes, keep it to yourself.  Most likely, no one else noticed.  If it was glaring and everyone noticed, make the best of it.  Find the silver lining.  Find the fun or joy or whatever good there is from it.  Trudge forward with a smile on your face--just walk in such a way that no one else will know that internally you're trudging.  Be confident--it's a choice.  Make that choice everyday.  Assume that everyone thinks you're pretty darned great because darn it, you are.  There!  That's what I learned today from one very lovely friend that I love a whole bunch and think she was one of my special tender mercies today.  Shouldn't it be that everyone we have the joy of interacting with each day is a tender mercy to our lives?  I'm pretty sure they are.