Family History with a Growing Marriage

I failed in doing my own post last week. I had a lot of thoughts and commented on a few other posts, but here's this week's early post.

First, I struggle just like most of y'all with writing in my journal. My goal is once a week and every time I actually pick up my journal and look at my last entry it's been a month. Consistently. So, the goal is still once a week...and hopefully I'll get better! I do write a blog, but for me it's not so much a record. I'll probably print it..some day. A few other ways I keep records are 1) baby books . Caleb's was much more detailed than Mackenzie's is, but I have them. I also LOVE photo albums. Justin started them for me when I was gone for a few weeks at a family reunion. I came home and he'd put together an "adventure book" for me (like from UP). I loved it! I love looking back and seeing pictures and remembering those days, those events, seeing my children get bigger, seeing Justin and I grow closer and all the fun things we've done together. I just love it! On that same sort of note, I also put together annual video/slide shows. 2011 is almost finished! They take a while, but they are so wonderful when they are finished.

So, my record keeping goals: Finish my 2011 video! Get my photo albums up to date! Write in my journal every week. I really liked the idea of giving a journal to my parents filled with questions for them to answer. LOVE that idea. I just might do that.

Now I loved Angela's post about marriage. I feel like there's so many things I want in my marriage, and I married a good man, too. Reading the lesson reminded me of a BYU devotional talk given by Jeffrey R. Holland in 2009. He talks about loving, forgiving, and forgetting. He refers to the "splat" that so many people use during arguments: bringing up past errors in an effort to put oneself ahead of the other. There have only been a few times that we have been caught in that cycle, and I'm so grateful for when we recognize it and get out of it.

I know I'm not perfect, but I'm certainly trying. I really like how the lesson reinforces that to improve our marriage, we can't change our spouse, but we change ourselves. It reminds me of a few things my Patriarchal Blessing says about supporting my husband. And I tell that to my son all the time, "You can't control her [Mackenzie], you can only control you." So, I can control me. I can control how I act, how I feel, and what mood I cast on the home and on my marriage.

I have to say, living with my in-laws for 2 years was so trying on our marriage. It was so hard to find good times to just be US, and to read or talk or do anything together. It was hard. Having our own space, where any room can be a "private" conversation room; any time can be a time for us to talk about a problem or something that's bothering us. It has strengthened our marriage so much. I am so grateful for that!! I am grateful for a loving husband who works hard and wants our marriage to work no matter what.

Oh, and on a side note, I highly recommend the film "Fireproof." If you've never heard of it, watch it! It's a great little film about growing closer to our Savior and thus changing ourselves and strengthening our marriages.

So, my goals:
1) Be more compassionate, patient, and LOOK for ways to serve my husband. Not just the normal ones.
2) Plan a stay-at-home date for this week and an outing for next week (we have baby sitting trade offs).
3) LOVE my husband. Make him feel loved, special, and needed.