My incredible week...

Last week was a LONG one! It all started out on Monday when I woke up feeling sick. As a teacher, it's just a lot easier to go to school on your deathbed than it is to find a substitute and write sub plans just to take the day off. So, that's how the week began. Sick.

Sick or not, the show must go on because on Tuesday it was 

Groundhog Day!

A "must celebrate" day in the first grade world.

Face it... it should be a "must celebrate" day in every one's world. I vote for a government holiday. (government + holiday = no school)

Still feeling more than under the weather, more celebrating was necessary. It was the Hundredth Day of School. Yet another first grade reason to celebrate. Now we're all on the downhill slope to the end of the year. Yay!

And to top my sick week all off...

It was the week of parent/teacher conferences.

There went my Wednesday and Thursday nights.

Still sick and getting worse, I finally decided to see a doctor on Thursday. Hindsight is always 20/20 and  I should have gone to the doctor on Monday when it all began. Sure enough. My head was full of infection and it had gotten into my lungs. Nice. It's no surprise it happens to me since I teach in a real life size petri dish.

I took Friday off of work to sleep in, rest, and gear up for a weekend convention I was invited to with some of the lovely ladies of Ken's family. It's called Time Out For Women and it was fantastic!

I was invited by Ken's mom, Shari...

(I hate to say "mother-in-law"... it just sounds so mean)

his sisters Jaime and Cortnee...

his aunt Peggy...

cousin Maddie...

and cousin Makayla.

His sister, Alexa, was going to come too but was unable to make it. 

We thought about you and missed you, Alexa!

 The conference was held on the campus of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.

We went to the Friday night session and then we all stayed overnight at the Hilton in Layton, thanks to Shari! Saturday morning we went back for an all day session. We had some really inspirational speakers! Below are our speakers and a favorite thought of mine they shared...

Virginia Hinckley Pearce

Be yourself. Be your best self. When you're doing something for the Lord you don't need to worry about how you look. Just be yourself.

Macy Robison

Sometimes we just have to make choices or life will force us to choose. Even though we get to "write our own stories", we don't always get to choose what happens to us next. When we have trials, the Lord gets to know us better. When things are hard it's because we're being prepared for something we can't see.

Jason Wright

Be more of a service oriented person. Keep your eyes open to the needs of other people. Ask yourself "what can I do for someone else".

Dean Hughes

We're taught here on earth that life is a contest. A contest of who scores more "points" in life. Who makes more money, who has the bigger home, nicer clothes, etc. Jesus Christ never taught that. Our goal is to be more like Jesus when we leave this world.

DeAnne Flynn

Choose to become more aware of the small things that make a huge difference. Listen to the Spirit and do what it tells you to do. It sounds so easy! But of course, it's not. Try to speak less and hear more. Expect less of people and you'll find that they have more to give.

Matt Baldwin

We cannot go wrong if we base our lives on living correct principles. People may lead us away but those true principles won't. Teach children correct principles and let them govern themselves. There is refuge in living by obeying these principles.

Jericho Road

When a person is filled with the love of Christ, they aren't content to just bless the lives of their family. They want to bless the lives of the entire human race. (based on a quote from Joseph Smith Jr.)

John Hilton III

Be encouraged by the grace of the Lord and not discouraged by comparing ourselves to others. Nothing that the Lord gives us is impossible. And although some blessings won't come until the next life, nothing is impossible.

Kris Belcher

We all have the light that comes from our Savior to get us through darkness. We don't always receive the healing that we want but rather the healing that we need. Our bodies are simply a tool to help us become more like our Heavenly Father.

There is a reason to HOPE

There is a reason to LAUGH

There is a reason to LIVE

So now that my spiritual weekend is over, I get to compose my thoughts and write a talk because guess who gets to speak in Sacrament Meeting this upcoming Sunday...

we do!

Lucky, lucky us.