Venting/talking through listening or helping

           Lately there have been a few people in my life that are having a hard time with one thing or another. I wish I could help, but I know I can't. I have noticed that when I listen to someone would like to think that I'm helping them. Does just listening really help?
            I have friends that I talk to that just listen to me and its nice to have that. I don't know if I just haven't noticed it before; but I have been personalizing things. I try to put myself in their shoes to see what I would do if I were in that situation. The last little while I haven't been able to successfully do that and come up with a constructive solution. I know there are some problems that their really isn't an answer to. I think my issue is that it makes me second guess what it is that I want to do.
           For the longest time I have wanted to be a councilor for middle school/high school age kids. With what I have seen in the last 6 months with kids in that age range I don't know if I could do it. I don't know what to do. I like to help. It's just who I am. I would like to think that my efforts have some positive results.
          I have wanted to be a councilor since middle school. I detoured from that for a while, but I have decided that I really want to be a councilor. I haven't taken any psychology classes and maybe that is why I feel this way. My minor is in Marriage and Family Studies. I really enjoyed those classes. I would like to continue with that focus. I just wonder if I would really be able to do that job well. Again maybe that is just because I haven't taken any classes to really prepare me for that job. I guess I just don't know what to do. Do I take a couple classes in that field to see if I still want to do that? But then at the same time I don't want to waste money on classes that I wont need. I guess there isn't any way around that.
        I have my bachelors degree and I'm proud to have accomplished that. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to earn it. Its in University Studies with a minor in Marriage and Family Studies and clusters in Child Studies, and English. What do I do with that degree? To become a councilor I would need to go back to school and get my Masters Degree. I think I'm just feeling a little lost and unsure. I have been thinking about what I'm going to do after Aron is in school. I know its 5 years away, but watching Myla turn 6 and Savannah is almost 5 I know how fast those years can go by.
        I have been asked if Logan is going to start school, and he's not for another 2 years. That question just gets me thinking of what I'm going to do when that time comes. I know I still have a lot of time to think about it. I guess I'm just trying to get my thoughts down and figure out where to go from here. 

Teeth, Tears, and Testimonies

Myla and her tooth box

 Today at school Myla pulled out her second loose tooth! She now has a gap on her bottom teeth. She has been so excited about losing teeth and being able to get 'surprises' from the tooth fairy.

I'm posting about Myla's teeth tonight because I wanted to share an experience that happened tonight. I don't know how it happened, but Myla lost her tooth. Not just out of her mouth but from the little blue box it was in when she came home from school. The box was on her bed, but the tooth had fallen or been taken out. She was so sad!! I mean complete meltdown, crocodile tears and everything.

I sat down on her bed and gave her a big hug and told her that if we said a prayer that Heavenly Father would help us look for it and we would be able to find it and then I asked her if she wanted to say a prayer. She said yes. I then asked if she wanted to say it or if she wanted me to say it. She wanted me to say it. 

I said a prayer that we would be able to find her tooth. After I finished the prayer I asked her "Where do you think we should look?" She answered
"Under my bed" I told her ok and we pulled everything out from under her bed and we didn't find it. I asked her if she wanted to look in my room and she said yes.

While we were looking in my room for her tooth Dave was pulling her bed apart. Mattress and everything! I was nursing Aron in the glider in our room and all I can hear is excited squeals from Savannah. 

They had found Myla's tooth; under her bed. It was by the toy chest next to her bed is why I didn't see it when I was helping her look. She was so happy to have found it. I told her that we needed to say another prayer now to tell Heavenly Father "Thank you" for helping us find her tooth. We did and I was very happy to see how happy and grateful she was for finding her tooth.

It strengthened my testimony and I hope it will help her gain one of her own that prayers work and our Heavenly Father loves us. I'm so grateful that I could use this experience as a teaching opportunity for my kids. Even something as small as a tooth is a big deal to our Heavenly Father when its important to us.

       This isn't going to be the most interesting post, but I figured I needed to post something. I haven't taken any cute pictures worth posting since christmas so this wont have any pictures either. We are getting over the end of the stomach crud again at our place. Savannah and Logan had it this last week and Aron is starting to get congested. I will be glad when this season is over it seems like this year we have been getting  more sick. Different place different germs I guess. With me baby sitting I'm sure there is more circulation of germs that way too. One thing that was really amazing and reaffirmed what I already knew was when Logan was sick he was holding his ear and saying "ouchy" I thought he had an ear infection. It was after the clinics had closed so I just gave him some medicine and I was going to take him to the Dr. in the morning. Dave gave him a blessing that night before putting him to bed and Logan slept the whole night and didn't complain about his ear anymore. The best part was a couple days later Logan found Dave's oil vial on his keys and found Dave then started patting his head with the vial. :) It melted Dave's heart. Its so great that he was able to recognize that the blessing helped him feel better. I love the Priesthood!

        Well with Logan getting sick he wasn't eating much, I thought once he starts to feel better he would start eating again. NOPE!! I guess I will just have to figure out how to deal with a picky eater now. Usually even when Logan is sick there are a few foods that he will still eat. This last time he wouldn't even eat those and forget introducing new foods. I feel bad that he is hungry sometimes, but I want him to eat when we do and not snack all day. His terrible two stage has started as well. So when he is in a good mood it's really good, but heaven forbid he doesn't get his way. I almost forgot what it was like to have a 2 yr old. At least he is doing really well with potty training. When he isn't wearing underwear or a diaper he does really well, but when I put pants on him again that is when he 'forgets' to go in the bathroom. For just turning 2 he is still doing really well so I guess I shouldn't be worried about it.

        Savannah and Myla are still up to their regular routine. Getting back into the swing of it wasn't as bad as I was thinking it would be after Christmas break. Myla was excited to go back to school and so was Savannah. With a new semester I have a new schedule for babysitting as well. Its not too different, but its more consistent with the time that the mom is done for the day.

      Aron is rolling over regularly now and is starting to become a little chatter box. I forget how much a simple smile from a baby can make everything better. I like to lay on the floor with Aron and we will 'talk' for a while and it will just brighten my day no matter how stressed I feel. There are some days where I just look at my kids and am in awe at how much I love them. I didn't know there was enough room in my heart for all the love I have for them.