My Popcorn is not currently Popping

Ew - I really need to do a less Darth Vader type Blog post ... why are they sooooo gloom and doom?  Whateva....sometimes you just have to type what's in the brain...

It's dark outside - not because it's night, but because a huge storm is coming in.  Yes, another one, it's Utard remember?  My popcorn popping on my flowering pear tree is blowing back and forth and the blossoms are snowing off.  It's a Monday, and it's the end of a 10 hour day.  Ug.  But how grateful I am to have work.  Yesterday - I was able to see all of my kids that live here - and missed those that don't so very much.  Sitting around our Easter table were Del and I, Mandy, Ryan and Big J (the star of the day), Ryan (and his every so handsome smile), and Ashley.... and wait - one... more... MIKE - yes MIKE was there too!  Exhausted but handsome as ever, he's home.  Ashley didn't have to text a million times - she just reached out and touched him on the arm any time she wanted.  Ok - for those that know Ashley and Mike - it wasn't always his arm - sometimes it was his, um, leg.  Never the less - dinner was average, but the company was beautiful, and needed so much in my life yesterday.  I missed Matt, Bethany and the kiddos from WA.  I dreamed them there the best I could.  We ate the eyes out of the peeps - orange peeps.  (Orange you glad you're not an orange peep?)  I carried in my heart an unfortunate experience from church.  (yep - you read that right) Yesterday, a lady in our 'new assigned ward' lashed out about the church during Relief Society.  It was as if Satan came in and sat down.  She shocked and hurt many women in the room.  I decided to raise my hand and ask to talk to her in front of everyone.  I'm not one of great words - but I do trust that when I open my mouth - God will put something in there he needs to have said.  I did express my love for her - I reminded her that the church is not an easy thing to be involved in - but that it was worth it.  She said that she thought we were prideful - and worshiped the temple, the building, and not God.  I reminded her that the temple is the House of God - and that one day her and I would walk in there together and she could feel that.  I reminded her that being in this church required her efforts in gaining a personal testimony - not one that you can buy or borrow.  She would need to turn her thoughts to prayer - and ask the ONLY one that can answer the frustrations and questions she had.  It was pretty quiet in the room - she got up and left.  It was difficult.  I do know that God died for me, and yes - I am a sinner, as I was called - but each day I get up and thank him that he's given me yet another day to try harder, to beg for forgiveness, and to accept his love into my life.  I also told her that if she loved that son like she said she did - she might want to keep him forever, and to do that - she would have to get past the outside of the temple and find the blessings inside.  It would require her to step up and pull her bootstraps up and DO something about obtaining that testimony.  Yesterday - I went from a meeting full of hurtful feelings, and came home to a place where one by one - those children that are sealed to me, and are sealed to their spouses and children, walked into the house, and I could feel of each of their spirits.  Has life been easy for them?  No, not for a long shot. Have they trusted in the Lord? Yes, every second of every day.  As I finish my latest blog ranting... the storm has begun, the rain is turning into hail, and the blossoms are being beat to a pulp.  But never the less - after the storm, the sun will come out.  It just reminds me that during the storms, I'm going to need to hang on just a little tighter to the rod until it ends.  Or unless I can't reach those extra Orange Peeps with my toes.... Orange you glad I'm not sharing them?