June 2025

 June was a month of a so many fun activities that I totally forgot to snap pictures of in the moment and I am so sad about it.  June has SO many celebretory days.  We have four birthdays, three anniversaries, father's day and don't forget Juneteenth.....

As I write this, we are already 35 days into the 120 day horrible hot weather stretch that we have to endure every year.  And in as many years as I can remember, this was the easiest June.  And that made me so happy.  

We were able to go one Friday night....  in the middle of the night...  to clean the Red Cliffs Temple.  The instructions that they sent us said to wear our Sunday clothes and tennis shoes and when we arrive, scrubs will be provided.  We obeyed and showed up in our very UN-Sunday best, ready to work. 

 I am usually sawing logs, mouth wide open by 9:30 every night.  But this night, our Fun Friday Activities started at 9:30, so I downed a Kickstart and took a couple of Tylenol, so that I could be energetic and wide-eyed while I vacuumed the night away.

I freaking LOVED my white scrubs.

We had the best time.  It was so quiet in that huge building you could have heard a pin drop....  It felt a little "Night at the Museum" in there at that time.  And then 15 vacuums reved up.  

Everyone knew what their jobs were and they just quietly got to it.  

It was really quite fun to see rooms and corners that you don't typically see.  

I have to say, we made a difference.  Who says you can't feel the spirit while you are swiffering staircases?

Rals and I tackled the vacuuming of the chapel at first.  We didn't speak, but we were completly in sync.  I dare say we were the best vacuumers that chapel has ever seen.  

I was alone with my thoughts in that beautiful space and even though I was working up a sweat, I felt very peaceful and untroubled.

I have a closet where I keep all of the decor that I use for my work projects.  

It is chaos in there and every time I have a new project and I have to get props ready,

I open that closet and at least 50 pillows fall on my head. 

It doesn't matter how organized I try to make it, messy closet elves come in the night

and mess it all up and make it disorganized and jumbled.

I try every once in a while to take inventory and make things clean.

I have 115 pillows

20 bedroom sets

37 baskets

7 artwork pieces and at least 8 pieces of furniture that I can use.

And I don't know what I will do with all of this stuff if I stop doing this

job.  No one needs this much decor?  

I now have several closets that look like this and will for 3-4 days 

We celebrate our anniversary in June. 

One of the happiest days of the year for me no matter the year.

And each year the happiness has grown bigger and deeper and more solid.

This year our anniversary fell on a Sunday, 

so on the Saturday before, we enjoyed a delicious Texas Roadhouse half 

rack of ribs and 17 rolls.

SO DELICIOUS

I also forced my lover to purchase 2 darling little locks.

Then we wrote words of affirmation on them.

Then we locked them together.

Then we drove over to Lovers Gate and added our locks to all of the others. 

He was a willing participant, even though he thinks things like this are silly. 

But, I didn't feel too bad for making him do it.

I know that in 10, 20, 30 years from now when we go back and visit, 

he will LOVE seeing our locks there, professing our love.

It was a great way to celebrate 17 years of complete and total wedded bliss.

18 years ago at the encouragement of a kind bishop, I was encouraged to keep a daily gratitude journal. 

His hope was that I would find 5 things each day that I could be greatful for so that I didn't focus on things that weren't going very great in my life during that time.

He also hoped that I would begin to notice how much my Heavenly Father loved me, saw me and was helping me every day. 

It was such a great thing for me and I have FAITHFULLY written every single day.  Not missing one day.

In the middle of the month, I had a very strong impression that I was to change my daily entries to mention a daily miracle.

Some of the days, the miracles would be blantant and in my face and some days they would be subtle and if I needed help seeing them, I could ask for help.

But the reason behind this is so that I would know on a daily basis that my Heavenly Father is in the daily details of my life and cares about the things I do. 

This way I will know for sure that I am seen and loved and cared for and I am receiving help and support and strength.

I was so excited to change my writings.  This means I can and will receive a daily miracle.  And if I am watching for them, I will be able to see them.  I can not imagine being that blessed.  

But in 17 days so far, I have not been let down.  A couple of days, the miracle came in the form of helping me at work.  He even cares and helps me with my stupid job.  I can't express how thrilling that is.  

I am wanting desperately to tell everyone who will listen to me to try this too.  What better way is there to help strengthen your confidence and relationship with your Savior?  

President Holland said once, "surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don't expect it and ofter feel they don't deserve it".

I sincerely believe this is true.  I think he loves watching us see his hand in our daily lives as well.  It's the littlest act of gratitude to look for and notice and then record how many times He extends his mercy to us.

So fun. 

On the 15th I was grateful for the miracle of my marriage

on the 15th, I was also grateful for the miracle of my Dad.

On the 17th, I was grateful for the miracle of my Mom.

On the 26th, I was grateful for the miracle of my amazing husband. 

On the 29th, I was grateful for the miracle of my Allie.  

And so much more in the days in between.

A very good month.