Good, good memories with our "Bad, Bad Babies"

Karl as Vizzini, Kiana as Buttercup,
Ben as Wesley in our "Princess Bride"

In the month before Michaela left on her mission, she had a mission of her own...to fill every day creating fun memories with her family. One of the things she insisted on was that we make a music video. At first, we had a hard time getting motivated. Then we had a hard time finding an open day when we were all home. It was also hard to find a good song to use in our video. We LOVE Sandra Boynton's CD's and have almost all of them. She writes such fun and clever music. We finally decided on "Bad, Bad Babies." No, we don't think that our babies are bad, but it's just a cute song from the perspective of a 5 year old who is fed up with babies and toddlers who are always being naughty. 

Fezzik (Dallin) climbs the
"Cliffs of Insanity" with Inigo
Montoya (Kandra), Vizzini and
Buttercup.

So, we FINALLY got around to filming our little music video on Michaela's very last day at home and we created some very fun memories in the process. The little ones had fun being "bad babies" and we had fun doing something goofy together as a family.
We always have fun making our "movies". We filmed a "Princess Bride" spoof the week before Ben left on his mission (as you can see in the photos), however, I'm not posting that one, even though it's hilarious (at least it is for us). We also made a "Finding Nemo" video earlier this year, where we all swam around like fish...just goofy stuff, but good memories. Sometimes good memories are spontaneous and sometimes you really have to do a lot of planning to make them happen. But either way, they are priceless and  make up the strong foundation stones in our family structure. Each family has those funny goofy moments that tie them together and make them stronger. It's so important to celebrate those moments and to record them for our children and our posterity, because those moments are the foundation on which our children will build their future families.

Musings on Missions, Memories and Mortar

It's been a whirlwind week as we've been preparing for Michaela to leave on her mission. Michaela is our second child to choose to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Our oldest child, Benjamin, who is 21 years old, is currently serving a mission in Wisconsin. We spent these past few weeks packing in as many fun-filled, family memories as possible. It's during these times (when you know that you're about to send off a child into the world) that you really start pondering the importance and beauty of family. I was surprised that I wasn't more sad about Michaela leaving. It seems that when Ben left home, I felt much more panicky and upset about his departure. I saw it as an end of an era...an end of our family's "golden years." I just knew that the best years of my life (being a mother with all my children living at home) were over and that now I was entering a new and depressing era of goodbyes and separations. I felt like my purpose and joy in life was coming to an end. I felt panicky about all the wonderful experiences ending and becoming mere memories...and only fleeting memories
at that.

Kiana and Dallin

But over the past year, I've started realizing that while these precious moments seem to be fleeting and gone forever, that they aren't gone at all. They are a part of us. In fact, our precious family moments are the most lasting, permanent things in the world. They are lasting because they are the building blocks of our family. Each wonderful memory is like a solid brick in our foundation. All of our family traditions, special routines, family prayers, fun trips, games, family projects around the house, each cushion fort built in the family room and each family home evening, each funny family story, each smile, each family rule, each act of service, and each hug make up the bricks that are building our family. And the mortar that holds these bricks in place and makes our family truly strong is the love that we feel for each other. 

Dallin and Grandma Krey

So, what are we building with all these bricks and mortar? We're building a strong family--our family castle or fortress--an enduring structure that will protect, nurture and be a place of refuge for its inhabitants.  Each beautiful moment is like a brick that is permanently mortared into place. These memories aren't fleeting, they are solid, lasting and real. They are what define us, they are our foundation, our walls...all of these precious moments we have created, and that we continue to create, make our family what it is...and the most wonderful and hopeful thought is that we're nowhere near done building this family castle. We get to continue to build and build and build. Just because my children are moving out, doesn't mean that my castle is finished and that it will now become an old ruin.  It is forever a work in progress...and it will continue even after I'm not even around (what an awesome thought!!). In fact, as I look below all of our precious bricks and mortar, I see that we have built our castle on the foundation that our parents built for us and their foundation is built upon their parents' foundation and it goes on and on. In some cases, we have made changes in the foundation and structure. Now and then a weak, crumbing, self-centered brick (or even an entire wall) gets placed in the structure and we have to go through the repair process of removing it and replacing it with solid bricks. This always takes a lot of extra loving mortar, but in the end, we are stronger when the repair is done right. The repairs are difficult and sometimes painful, but because we are unified in creating the most beautiful and lasting family fortress, we know that it's worth it to do it right.

Grandma & Grandpa Krey with their
1+twins (the 1 is my mom)

Simon and big brother, Ben

So, as I've been pondering this very real family structure that we're building, I've been filled with hope. This morning, as Michaela boarded her plane, my panicky, sad feelings were replaced with anticipation to see what kind of beautiful additions she will create as her growth and experiences strengthen and build our family structure. And it's not just my missionaries that get me excited. I am JUST as excited for my beautiful Kiana to leave for college with all of her hopes and dreams for the future. I see her strength and resolve and I get excited about how her amazing example continues to affect her siblings in such positive and nurturing ways. We will all miss her so much when she leaves, but, even while she is living away from home, her loving influence is creating strong building blocks that continue to beautify and strengthen our family--brick by brick. And that is something to be excited about.

Me and Karl with our 1+ twins

It brings me comfort to think of these beautiful family memories as permanent bricks that will last for eternity, rather than as fleeting moments that are here today, but gone tomorrow. I can see that each interaction, each routine, each tradition that we are experiencing today has been built upon the good solid building block memories of the past. And together, they create strong, protective walls that radiate warmth and joy.

Christmas morning tradition of gathering
in mom and dad's bed before going down
to see tree.

And as I bask in the warmth and joy of each of these precious bricks that make up our unique, yet beautiful family structure, I am filled with gratitude for my Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the master brick layer and architect of this fortress, which we call family. He is the only one who can remove the crumbling, unfit, self-centered bricks and replace them with solid, strong and healthy bricks. He is the one who infuses the mortar with the love and strength that holds everything permanently together. Without His guidance, His example, His correction, His forgiveness and His perfect love, our family castle would be a faulty, weak, and ugly shack which would be destroyed by the slightest breeze. It's His master touch that creates all beauty and makes the brick walls of our castle radiate with warmth, strength and love. He is the master builder and architect of our lives and all he asks of us for compensation is that we put our trust in Him and follow His example. So, today, rather than feeling sad, distraught and panicky about the changes happening in our family, I feel hope, excitement and peace because I trust the Master Builder and I know that His designs never end or fail and that He is constantly helping us to build a brighter and more glorious future...brick by brick.

My Mommy Prayer for my Children

First of all, it is my prayer that you realize who you are and how precious you are. You are special. You’re a child of God. Do you realize what that means? Your father is the God of the universe. He has all power. He has all intelligence. He is the literal father of your spirit…and he knows you. He knows what you are thinking and what you are feeling. He knows what is best for you.

By President Spencer W. Kimball
God, our Heavenly Father—Elohim—lives. That is an absolute truth. All of the children of men on earth might be ignorant of him and his attributes and his powers, but he still lives. All the people on earth might deny him and disbelieve, but he lives in spite of them. They may have their own opinions, but he still lives, and his form, his powers, and attributes do not change according to men’s opinions. In short, opinion alone has no power in the matter of absolute truth. He still lives. And Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Almighty, the Creator, the Master of the only true way of life—the gospel of Jesus Christ. The intellectuals may rationalize him out of existence and the unbeliever may scoff, but Christ still lives and guides the destinies of his people. That is an absolute truth; there is no gainsaying.

Think about this story:

There once was a watchmaker in Switzerland, who made a beautiful watch. This watch was later found in the sand of a California desert. The people who found the watch had never been to Switzerland, nor seen the watchmaker, nor seen the watch made. But even though these people didn’t know anything about the watchmaker, he still existed, no matter the extent of their ignorance or experience. Even if the watch had a tongue, and lied and said, “There is no watchmaker.” That would not alter the truth. The watchmaker still existed and he did make the watch.

The truth is that Heavenly Father lives and he loves you! No matter what you might think sometimes and no matter  what others might say.

It is also my prayer that you realize that YOU can have a personal relationship with your Heavenly Father. You can pray to him any time, anywhere. He is ALWAYS aware of you and your needs.

It’s my prayer that you realize that you can trust your Heavenly Father completely. He ALWAYS wants what is best for you. He knows how to help you to become like him. He will NEVER lead you the wrong way. His greatest desire is for you to be really happy. He wants you to be all that you can be.

I want you to realize that if you obey his commandments, you will be blessed and you be happy. But most importantly, you will be SAFE. If you are trying your hardest to choose the right, you will always be OK. It doesn’t matter what else happens. Sometimes really sad things happen. Sometimes, you might have rotten day or even a whole rotten year. People get hurt. People even die. Sometimes, life is really hard… But you will always be OK if are choosing the right. As long as you are keeping the commandments, Heavenly Father can guide you. And you can know that there is a purpose or a reason for what is happening and that will give you a feeling of peace. And you can be sure that eventually everything will work out, and you will be happier than you ever could have imagined.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 255-56).

Your Heavenly Father wants you to be happy. He has shown you the way. We just need to do what he says. There is no other way to find happiness and safety.

But, if you decide ignore the commandments, you will not be safe and your Heavenly Father won’t be able to guide you or help you. If you decide make bad choices, you will loose the companionship of the Holy Ghost. You will forget who you are. You’ll feel dark and yucky inside AND you’ll have to suffer the consequences of sin.

It is my prayer that you will be smart! Look around you. You can learn a lot from the people around you. Learn to recognize true joy and happiness. Having fun isn’t always the same as real joy. Be observant! Look for the consequences of righteous living and for the consequences of sinful living. You don’t have to do something really bad to learn that it won’t make you happy. There are lots of other people in the world who already made that mistake. They already messed up their lives.  Don’t mess up your life, because you only have one life. Learn from their mistakes. Trust in the Lord, keep the commandments, and experience the good consequences. These experiences will help your faith to grow. After enough good experiences, you will be able to trust the Lord completely, even when you don’t understand why something is happening—you’ll know that everything will be ok.

You are still young and you have most of your life ahead of you. In all of eternity, you only get one childhood. So make the most of it. Establish good habits. One of the most important habits each of you can get into is to daily personal prayer and daily scripture study. That means that you need to get on your knees every morning and every night and talk with your Heavenly Father. And you need to be reading your scriptures every single day. If you do this, you’ll always remember who you are and what’s really important. You won’t make so many mistakes. You’ll be wiser than most of your friends. You’ll understand things better. You’ll especially know how and where to find happiness. You’ll be a shining example to your family and friends. You’ll be on the right path that will lead you back to your loving Father in Heaven.

It is my prayer that you will understand and live these truths. Your daddy and I love you so much and we want you to have a wonderful life. We want you to be happy.  I know that Father in Heaven lives and that His son, Jesus Christ has atoned for our sins and made it possible for us to return to our Heavenly Father. I know that we can find peace and joy in this life and in the life to come if we strive to be righteous and to keep the commandments. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen