Graduation...He DID IT!!!!



Jordan and his grandma and grandpa Jordan with the gold pocket watch they gave him.





The P.R.A.S
Kaden,  Jordan, Daniel, and Zack

                             

Jordan giving his speech.  It is blurry because my zoom doesn't work so well.

                                            

What a proud mama I was on Friday afternoon.   At approximately 4:02pm on Friday, May 27th,  the Canyon View High School Graduating class of 2011 started to walk into the SUU Centrum.  Jordan was the first one in followed by the Valedictorian and the rest of his classmates.  He stood up and asked everyone to rise for the singing of our National Anthem and then he spoke.   His  speech was magnificent!   He spoke of some great teachers, his dad included.  He spoke of going great places, he spoke of happiness, his mother :), and being proud to be an American.  (Getting ready for a really important political speech one day?)  The sky is the limit for Jordan!!!  We had a really nice dinner at the house with lots of family.  Both sets of grandparents were there along with David and Julie and family and Kate and Matt and family.  We had his favorite for dinner.  (Costa Vida sweet pork burritos)  Mom and Dad brought real Costa Vida tortillas, and enchilada sauce and ranch dressing.  Mark and I went to Grad Night with Jordan later that night.  Mark and I both decided we are far to old to be staying up all night.    But a great time was had by all at the party.  I did not even shed one tear at the Graduation.  I was all smiles, I was just beaming with pride for my boy. 

The Converting Power of Faith-Inspired Action

It is our Stake challenge this year.  It began in our ward about 2 years ago with our good Bishop, who is now our Stake President.  President Rau will always hold a very special place in my heart.   He was only our Bishop for a short time, and I did not know him at all before he became our Bishop.  He was only our bishop for less than a year but in that short time he put a stamp on almost every heart in my family.   He became a very special friend to Mark and now Mark serves with him on the High Council.  He is a mentor, example, and friend to Jordan.  All my girls KNOW he loves and cares for them.  And me, well I can hardly speak about him without shedding a tear or two.  He is an amazing person and leader.   P-Rau, as our family lovingly calls him taught our ward of the Faith-Inspired Actions a few years ago and they have been life changing for me.  I would like to share them with all my friends in the blogging world. 

Small and simple faith-inspired actions

that indicate my desire to receive the

companionship of the Holy Ghost:

Personal Faith- Inspired Actions

• Daily Prayer
• Daily personal scripture study
• Foster a reverent attitude
• Explain, share and testify
• Ponder, meditate and reflect
• Record revelation (or thoughts)
• Act on promptings
• Thoughtfully partake of the sacrament
• Regular temple attendance

Family Faith-Inspired Actions

• Daily family prayer
• Daily family scripture study
• Weekly family home evening
• "For Strength of Youth" discussions

There they are.  PRau challenged us to choose one the personal faith-inspired actions to work on for the year and choose a family action too.  Last year I choose to work on acting on promptings.  I did so many things that year that I would have normally talked myself out of.  You know how you feel like you should do something and you talk yourself out of it for some reason or another?  Well, I tried really hard to NOT talk myself out of things I felt prompted to do.  It literally changed my life in so many wonderful ways!   This year I am working on daily prayer and scripture study.  I felt like those two just went hand and in hand so working on both of them together would be a good idea.  I have developed such a testimony of prayer this year.  I love that I can talk to my Heavenly Father anytime I want to.  I also love that He is willing to listen to me anytime I want to talk to Him.  Do we sometimes tell others "hold on just a sec" when they are trying to talk to us?  Well Heavenly Father never does that.  He is ALWAYS willing and ready to listen.  That is such a comfort to me.  I would challenge all of you that read my little blog to pick a faith-inspired action and make it a part of your life.  I promise it will make all the difference!!

Do your eyes light up?

I have no pictures to go with this post simply because I have not slowed down long enough to take them.  Sometimes I worry we are doing to much and not taking enough time just BE with the family.  Time never stops and all the things we do sometimes make life a bit to crazy and don't leave us enough time to just enjoy each others company.  This is one reason I am thankful for Sundays.  Most Sundays we do have time to just BE together in the quiet of our home.  I saw Toni Morrison on Oprah the other day.  She said something that really hit me.  She said, "Do you eyes light up when your children come into the room?"  I would like to take it a step further and apply it to your spouse.  Do you stop what you are doing and let everyone of your family members know how happy you are to see them?  It is something I need to work on and it is a goal I am setting for myself. 

Lasts...

I have been spending alot of time in these past 6 months thinking of all the "LASTS" with Jordan.  His last Christmas at home for a while, his last New Years Eve at home , his last football game came in the fall, his last Easter just passed, his last soccer game was last week, and tomorrow will be his last school dance.  On Sunday he stood up and bore his testimony and said it was his last fast Sunday in our ward.  Well, the water works started and it was bad for me!  I had not thought of that yet.  I just sat there bawling thinking that surely it was just last week he was a little Sunbeam singing in the Primary Program.  He was standing there in the front row singing "Scripture Power" at the top of his lungs.  We could hear him singing above everyone else in the entire Primary.  And now he is standing up in church saying it is his last fast Sunday with us. 

What happened?!?!?!? 

He will graduate 3 weeks from today and I truly am not quite sure how I feel about it.  I am been so blessed to be Jordan's mother.  He is such a great young man and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for sending him to me.  The day he was born my dream to be a mother came true.  My goal to be a mother was finally realized when I held him for the first time. 

Thank you Jordan for being my son. 

I love you more than you will ever know, and am so proud of all of your accomplishments thus far.  I know you will do so many more great things in your life.