Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Well ain't that funny...
I wasn't quite sure what to put down for this week, and I guess that is a sign in itself that I have been incredibly blessed to have my life going somewhat normal right now haha This last week I had the opportunity to teach Elder's Quorum and so I guess I will give a short update on that. The lesson was on President Monson's talk from last conference of be strong and have courage, or something like that. Anyhows, so this was the first lesson that I prepared with the new teaching method in mind, being more discussion based. Well I spent most of Friday and Saturday going over the talk, and then thought of a lengthy series of questions to try and account for a number of different directions the discussion could go. Well I enjoyed preparing the lesson this way, but it made me pretty nervous to actually teach because I realized how much I depended on participation. Long story short, the beginning was a little rough and I felt like I was rambling because I was getting nervous, but things smoothed out and the lesson went very well, touched on a few things I had not anticipated and got quite a few insights from the elders. I got complimented on the lesson several times afterwards, and well needless to say I will have to teach again somewhat soon haha. Well that is what happened this last week :) till next time!
Monday, October 13, 2014
How much I love Mom
I love Mom enough to call almost twice a day? Mom has been great and has been going through a lot. I love how she is always there for me and always checks in to make sure I am doing ok. Mom also told me to post my talk that I wrote, so here its is. (no laughing or anything, I wrote it in one day cause thats the heads up I got)
Good Morning Brothers and Sisters. My name is Katie Lang and I am from Southern California. Brother Call called me Friday night to speak on this lovely morning. So to say the least, the bishopric owes me for this last minute talk. Today I am speaking on Hope.
I found a talk given by Elder John H. Groberg in 1984, titled “There is Always Hope”. This talk was given way before I was born, and at a BYU fireside my Dad attended. But it still relates to us. I am going to quote Elder Groberg a lot, because I like the way he phrases things.
We live in a very dismal world, however it is important to know that there is always hope. Hope is that thing that keeps us going. The words from “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” came to mind. When we sing, “When dark clouds of trouble hang o’er us And threaten our peace to destroy, There is HOPE smiling brightly before us, And we know that deliverance is nigh.” Do we believe what we sing? The 13th Article of faith states, “We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and HOPE to be able to endure all things.” Do we realize what we say? We say hope a lot. DO we mean it? I believe we do. Just some things we hope for more than others.
Franklin D Roosevelt once said, “We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.” Another definition of hope is given by Elder Groberg staying “Hope is Light. It is a light within us that pierces the darkness of doubt and discouragement and taps into the light (hope) of all creation-even the Savior... Hope in one word is the Savior. Hope is a part of the deity in us that attaches us to the savior. Don’t let that thread be cut. No matter how tenuous or thin it might be, There is always hope.” Personally I believe hope is both of these definitions combined.
Hope gives us something to live for, and to strive for. A person without hope, is as a person without a heart. Our hearts give life to our body, and hope gives life to our spirits. To emphasize this the Heart keeps the body alive, and hope keeps our spirit alive.
In Job 14:7 he says, “For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.” We all hope for different things, but we ALL hope. A baby might hope for a bottle, a kid might hope for a toy, a teenager may hope for a new phone, and adults might hope for their children to turn out ok.
Maybe you hope to loose weight, to get a good job, a good grade, or good health. I hope to go on a mission, to get a nursing degree, to work in the oncology center, to have a family. And We all hope for the greatest of all gifts, immortality and eternal life. Hope however isn’t always used personally or even in kind ways. When things go wrong, we often say, “I hope they get what coming”, “I hope Justice is done.” Or a personal favorite “I hope she trips and falls.” Most justice occurs in the after life, all things will be fair. Personally I struggle with this part. In May, a good friend of mine was killed in the UC Santa Barbara shootings. My friends and I used a variety of different kinds of Hope. We hoped the best for her, and her family. We hoped that he would be greatly punished. We hoped his parents would’ve said something sooner. We hoped to feel at peace. Hope is like a prayer. One you keep in your heart waiting for an answer. I did a lot of waiting and don’t have a complete answer yet. When I think about everything that happened I am able to feel at peace.
Each of us will go through really hard times. It will test our faith and strength. We have to stay hopeful. I believe if we have hope, we can endure all things.
Like everything that is good, Hope is not easy to obtain. It is going to take a lot of work to stay hopeful. People will try to get you down, But it is worth it.
In 2 Nephi 31: 20 its said “wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of god and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” We need a perfect brightness of hope. Hope is needed for our salvation.
President Dieter F Uchtdorf shared a story of having great hope, in the October general conference in 2008. It goes a little something like this. “Toward the end of World War II, my father was drafted into the German army and sent to the western front, leaving my mother alone to care for our family. Though I was only three years old, I can still remember this time of fear and hunger. We lived in Czechoslovakia, and with every passing day, the war came nearer and the danger grew greater.
Finally, during the cold winter of 1944, my mother decided to flee to Germany, where her parents were living. She bundled us up and somehow managed to get us on one of the last refugee trains heading west. Traveling during that time was dangerous. Everywhere we went, the sound of explosions, the stressed faces, and ever-present hunger reminded us that we were in a war zone.
Along the way the train stopped occasionally to get supplies. One night during one of these stops, my mother hurried out of the train to search for some food for her four children. When she returned, to her great horror, the train and her children were gone!
She was weighed down with worry; desperate prayers filled her heart. She frantically searched the large and dark train station, urgently crisscrossing the numerous tracks while hoping against hope that the train had not already departed.
Perhaps I will never know all that went through my mother’s heart and mind on that black night as she searched through a grim railroad station for her lost children. That she was terrified, I have no doubt. I am certain it crossed her mind that if she did not find this train, she might never see her children again. I know with certainty: her faith overcame her fear, and her hope overcame her despair. She was not a woman who would sit and bemoan tragedy. She moved. She put her faith and hope into action.
And so she ran from track to track and from train to train until she finally found our train. It had been moved to a remote area of the station. There, at last, she found her children again.”
I cannot imagine her strength. She is a true example of have a perfect brightness in hope. If we could all stay this hopeful, we would have much happier lives. Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. Proverbs 10:28 says, “The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.” We are supposed to be hopeful. Being too hopeful is not a bad thing. It is the hope of the righteous that will make us happy. If we are keeping the commandments ad being hopeful, we will be happy.
Each time hope is fulfilled; it creates confidence and leads to greater hope. When I was in high school, I hoped for good friends. However that hope was not expressed the first two years of high school. I bounced around different friend groups, trying to find the right ones. My junior year came and I finally found them. Psalms 130:5 says, “I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.” What we hope for, may not be given to us at the time we demand it, it may take some time.
I know the Lord blesses us for having hope. He will fulfill our hope, and give us greater hope.
I would like to finish my talk with a poem by Emily Dickinson.
BY EMILY DICKINSON
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
I loved this poem. It reminds me how hope is light and uplifting. Hope can be found anywhere. All we have to do is find it.
I know that I can be happy by having hope. I know that hope will bless the lives of many and brings us eternal salvation. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.
Good Morning Brothers and Sisters. My name is Katie Lang and I am from Southern California. Brother Call called me Friday night to speak on this lovely morning. So to say the least, the bishopric owes me for this last minute talk. Today I am speaking on Hope.
I found a talk given by Elder John H. Groberg in 1984, titled “There is Always Hope”. This talk was given way before I was born, and at a BYU fireside my Dad attended. But it still relates to us. I am going to quote Elder Groberg a lot, because I like the way he phrases things.
We live in a very dismal world, however it is important to know that there is always hope. Hope is that thing that keeps us going. The words from “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” came to mind. When we sing, “When dark clouds of trouble hang o’er us And threaten our peace to destroy, There is HOPE smiling brightly before us, And we know that deliverance is nigh.” Do we believe what we sing? The 13th Article of faith states, “We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and HOPE to be able to endure all things.” Do we realize what we say? We say hope a lot. DO we mean it? I believe we do. Just some things we hope for more than others.
Franklin D Roosevelt once said, “We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.” Another definition of hope is given by Elder Groberg staying “Hope is Light. It is a light within us that pierces the darkness of doubt and discouragement and taps into the light (hope) of all creation-even the Savior... Hope in one word is the Savior. Hope is a part of the deity in us that attaches us to the savior. Don’t let that thread be cut. No matter how tenuous or thin it might be, There is always hope.” Personally I believe hope is both of these definitions combined.
Hope gives us something to live for, and to strive for. A person without hope, is as a person without a heart. Our hearts give life to our body, and hope gives life to our spirits. To emphasize this the Heart keeps the body alive, and hope keeps our spirit alive.
In Job 14:7 he says, “For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.” We all hope for different things, but we ALL hope. A baby might hope for a bottle, a kid might hope for a toy, a teenager may hope for a new phone, and adults might hope for their children to turn out ok.
Maybe you hope to loose weight, to get a good job, a good grade, or good health. I hope to go on a mission, to get a nursing degree, to work in the oncology center, to have a family. And We all hope for the greatest of all gifts, immortality and eternal life. Hope however isn’t always used personally or even in kind ways. When things go wrong, we often say, “I hope they get what coming”, “I hope Justice is done.” Or a personal favorite “I hope she trips and falls.” Most justice occurs in the after life, all things will be fair. Personally I struggle with this part. In May, a good friend of mine was killed in the UC Santa Barbara shootings. My friends and I used a variety of different kinds of Hope. We hoped the best for her, and her family. We hoped that he would be greatly punished. We hoped his parents would’ve said something sooner. We hoped to feel at peace. Hope is like a prayer. One you keep in your heart waiting for an answer. I did a lot of waiting and don’t have a complete answer yet. When I think about everything that happened I am able to feel at peace.
Each of us will go through really hard times. It will test our faith and strength. We have to stay hopeful. I believe if we have hope, we can endure all things.
Like everything that is good, Hope is not easy to obtain. It is going to take a lot of work to stay hopeful. People will try to get you down, But it is worth it.
In 2 Nephi 31: 20 its said “wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of god and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” We need a perfect brightness of hope. Hope is needed for our salvation.
President Dieter F Uchtdorf shared a story of having great hope, in the October general conference in 2008. It goes a little something like this. “Toward the end of World War II, my father was drafted into the German army and sent to the western front, leaving my mother alone to care for our family. Though I was only three years old, I can still remember this time of fear and hunger. We lived in Czechoslovakia, and with every passing day, the war came nearer and the danger grew greater.
Finally, during the cold winter of 1944, my mother decided to flee to Germany, where her parents were living. She bundled us up and somehow managed to get us on one of the last refugee trains heading west. Traveling during that time was dangerous. Everywhere we went, the sound of explosions, the stressed faces, and ever-present hunger reminded us that we were in a war zone.
Along the way the train stopped occasionally to get supplies. One night during one of these stops, my mother hurried out of the train to search for some food for her four children. When she returned, to her great horror, the train and her children were gone!
She was weighed down with worry; desperate prayers filled her heart. She frantically searched the large and dark train station, urgently crisscrossing the numerous tracks while hoping against hope that the train had not already departed.
Perhaps I will never know all that went through my mother’s heart and mind on that black night as she searched through a grim railroad station for her lost children. That she was terrified, I have no doubt. I am certain it crossed her mind that if she did not find this train, she might never see her children again. I know with certainty: her faith overcame her fear, and her hope overcame her despair. She was not a woman who would sit and bemoan tragedy. She moved. She put her faith and hope into action.
And so she ran from track to track and from train to train until she finally found our train. It had been moved to a remote area of the station. There, at last, she found her children again.”
I cannot imagine her strength. She is a true example of have a perfect brightness in hope. If we could all stay this hopeful, we would have much happier lives. Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. Proverbs 10:28 says, “The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.” We are supposed to be hopeful. Being too hopeful is not a bad thing. It is the hope of the righteous that will make us happy. If we are keeping the commandments ad being hopeful, we will be happy.
Each time hope is fulfilled; it creates confidence and leads to greater hope. When I was in high school, I hoped for good friends. However that hope was not expressed the first two years of high school. I bounced around different friend groups, trying to find the right ones. My junior year came and I finally found them. Psalms 130:5 says, “I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.” What we hope for, may not be given to us at the time we demand it, it may take some time.
I know the Lord blesses us for having hope. He will fulfill our hope, and give us greater hope.
I would like to finish my talk with a poem by Emily Dickinson.
BY EMILY DICKINSON
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
I loved this poem. It reminds me how hope is light and uplifting. Hope can be found anywhere. All we have to do is find it.
I know that I can be happy by having hope. I know that hope will bless the lives of many and brings us eternal salvation. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.
Too busy!
So I haven't written the last 2 weeks. School has been almost too much. It's all enjoyable. I've been reading in Spanish the last 2 hours and am still not finished, but at least I feel like I have actually learned something from my reading. There have just been so many things. I felt like I didn't have time for scriptures or anything else but school.
Someone once told me that the trials that your investigators have are the ones that you need to teach for yourself. I think the biggest problem that frustrated me is people "never had time." I was reading the other day in Nephi and I was reading about Laman and Lemuel and how they had had such wonderful experiences, but how could they have forgotten? I kind of felt a little humbled in that moment. I felt like I was being like Laman and Lemuel? How could I have forgotten the things I had taught other people. You HAVE to put the Lord first. There is never enough time, but if you put the Lord first, it will all work out.
Today, I spent time working on homework and spent time on my homework. Took a break for myself. I found that as I was in the middle of my homework that I went out and talked with one of my roommates for just a minute. She asked what I did when I was stressed.... So great right? I'm always stressed! Haha Well not always, but it definitely can be a struggle for me. I just told her the things I did and then didn't think much of it.
I went back to my homework and then felt that I should write her a note. Really? I don't have time for that. I don't even have time to finish what I need to do. Well, I'm glad I did. I just wrote a simple note saying that she shouldn't forget that she is loved.
I didn't think much of it until about an hour later when she came in crying and just hugged me and said thanks. I have no clue how I am going to do things right now, but I do know that Lord loves me and is proud of what I can do. It may not be much, but it is worth it! And somehow, he is helping me to understand my homework even if I am super exhausted.
I am so grateful that the Lord teaches me to put Him first and that I can slowly learn what is most important in life.
Ps. The picture is irrelevant, but one of my favorites. Others will be posted soon! :)
Someone once told me that the trials that your investigators have are the ones that you need to teach for yourself. I think the biggest problem that frustrated me is people "never had time." I was reading the other day in Nephi and I was reading about Laman and Lemuel and how they had had such wonderful experiences, but how could they have forgotten? I kind of felt a little humbled in that moment. I felt like I was being like Laman and Lemuel? How could I have forgotten the things I had taught other people. You HAVE to put the Lord first. There is never enough time, but if you put the Lord first, it will all work out.
Today, I spent time working on homework and spent time on my homework. Took a break for myself. I found that as I was in the middle of my homework that I went out and talked with one of my roommates for just a minute. She asked what I did when I was stressed.... So great right? I'm always stressed! Haha Well not always, but it definitely can be a struggle for me. I just told her the things I did and then didn't think much of it.
I went back to my homework and then felt that I should write her a note. Really? I don't have time for that. I don't even have time to finish what I need to do. Well, I'm glad I did. I just wrote a simple note saying that she shouldn't forget that she is loved.
I didn't think much of it until about an hour later when she came in crying and just hugged me and said thanks. I have no clue how I am going to do things right now, but I do know that Lord loves me and is proud of what I can do. It may not be much, but it is worth it! And somehow, he is helping me to understand my homework even if I am super exhausted.
I am so grateful that the Lord teaches me to put Him first and that I can slowly learn what is most important in life.
Ps. The picture is irrelevant, but one of my favorites. Others will be posted soon! :)
Silver linings and blessings
So a lot has happened recently. George was born c-section and Grandpa Lang passed. George was head down, ready to come out for most of the pregnancy and decided to flip last minute as he got too big and last minute measures became complicated. Despite trying, George wouldn't flip back around and a c-section became necessary (a procedure I had hoped to avoid). But because we knew we
needed a c-section we were able to schedule one on his due date, the soonest my doctor likes to schedule them. And because of all these reasons we were able to make it to Grandpa's funeral. So even though I did not want a c-section, that was the very thing that enabled me to make it to California. So in a situation that was not ideal, there was a silver lining. Then with missing our flight on Friday, I won't go into the details of why they wouldn't let us on our flight (because we didn't have written permission from George's doctor giving permission for him to fly when he was a week old). Silver linings- we found out how awesome our doctors were and luckily Grandpa's funeral was Monday instead of Saturday like they originally wanted. (Changed to avoid any conflicts with General Conference). And George was awesome the whole time. Mom says he has Dad's ears.
With Grandpa dying, we will all miss him, but the last 9 years haven't been the same as before. I think we all know Grandpa is in a better place and free. Soon after his stroke I was visiting with him and I think reading scriptures to him (or maybe that was another time)and he said to me, "Jamo, I'm stuck." And I said, "how? I can get you in your chair if you want..." and he said, "No, I'm stuck because heaven won't take me and hell won't either". I know he is happier now that he isn't stuck but I'm grateful for the time he held on too, even if it wasn't the same.
And despite all the craziness moving is causing, we will soon be in a house and Jon has been working so hard to start moving over things we don't need in the next week. We will probably start living there next weekend and continue moving any small stuff left.
And the biggest news. We will soon be sealed as a family- Jon, George and I. We have waited a while for this and the time has finally come. We'll be calling the temple tomorrow to look at available times in December! This week has been good.
And now, some pictures of George.
Magnificence in Sunrises!
So much happened this week. A lot of good and a lot hard. But hey, that is life. Grandpa's funeral was such a tender mercy to me. I had a little anxiety to see how it all would turn out with all of us together after so many years of hurt, pain, and unasked for forgiveness. I cried mostly because this was the first time that we were all there, no glares, no awkward moments of tension. We were once again a united family. I have often wondered how I would like going to Heaven when I had so many scars by people that I was supposed to love, how was my wedding day going to be going to the temple and not sure if I wanted everyone there? This was the greatest farewell present we could have given Grandpa, the once again united family that he spent so much time trying to do. We will still have our differences, we have the past which if we dwell upon it will still hurt but there is no point in that. We have an incredible future to look forward to. Family was the most important thing to Grandpa and I am sad that it took his passing to bring us all back together but it gave me hope to see it. The miracle is that we are slowly healing, I can finally look at people and my first thoughts are no longer the pain they caused me. I thought I had truly forgiven; but, I am still learning that there is so much more than just letting it go; then, we must move forward giving them a clean slate and truly forgetting.
Little things helped me to realize that most friends will come and go in our lives but our family is the ones that we will always go back to. This weekend I hiked Mt. Timpanogos (it is a super hard hike! but worth it) I of course don't have the needed equipment but I knew Mikaela did so I asked to borrow her's and she said yes. Told me little hints to stay warm and shared all the knowledge she had about hiking with me, Brandon made sure that I had a warm jacket and gloves. Its been a long time but I felt loved and close to what we used to be. Eden, Dakota (her husband), Dorff (an elder from my mission that I have spend a good amount of time with) hiked and it was so beautiful. My favorite part was staring into the stars, and just wondering what Heavenly Father saw as he looked down His magnificent creations. Light came after we watched the sun rise and the colors trees came to full view of yellows, oranges, and reds. It was worth the soreness, lack of sleep, cold and blisters. Later that day, I returned Mikaela's stuff with Amy and she had us stay for dinner; no more awkward feelings, unsure of what I could or should say. I could be me again and that felt amazing. Sunday afternoon I went on a walk with Alisa and it was a favorite moment of my weekend. Simple but a lesson God is teaching me.
Sunday was what I needed, we had a great lesson, just the end stuck out to me of how to hear the Spirit. I have a lot of questions about where my life is going what I should be doing with my spare time, job, volunteer, or what? If I am at the right school? Should I be looking into grad programs and if so which ones. We talked about when Elijah asks the woman for some water and a morsel of bread. She replies, "As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die." (1 Kings 17) No I am not on the verge of death but sometimes I do feel like that I am running on empty. Then the Lord asks me to trust; just as Elijah asked this woman to trust him and then to watch carefully as the miracles proceeded. I am hiking in the dark right now, trusting that the sun will rise, knowing that great will follow as I put the Lord first and allow Him to direct me. My answer is not going to come in the commotions of life, but as I am still, as I read the scriptures, as I pray, as I attend church and the temple. I am doing what I need to be doing for now. I am beginning to see color in the sky, no sun quite yet but I know it will come and the sunrise He shows me will be magnificent!
Sunday was what I needed, we had a great lesson, just the end stuck out to me of how to hear the Spirit. I have a lot of questions about where my life is going what I should be doing with my spare time, job, volunteer, or what? If I am at the right school? Should I be looking into grad programs and if so which ones. We talked about when Elijah asks the woman for some water and a morsel of bread. She replies, "As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die." (1 Kings 17) No I am not on the verge of death but sometimes I do feel like that I am running on empty. Then the Lord asks me to trust; just as Elijah asked this woman to trust him and then to watch carefully as the miracles proceeded. I am hiking in the dark right now, trusting that the sun will rise, knowing that great will follow as I put the Lord first and allow Him to direct me. My answer is not going to come in the commotions of life, but as I am still, as I read the scriptures, as I pray, as I attend church and the temple. I am doing what I need to be doing for now. I am beginning to see color in the sky, no sun quite yet but I know it will come and the sunrise He shows me will be magnificent!Sunday, October 12, 2014
October 12, 2014 -
It seems like I'm always talking about FAMILY and what family is. My thoughts are all over the place lately. I've written something and then gone back and deleted it several times. What do I really want to say?
This past week was Grandpa Lang's funeral. Everyone here and now everyone gone. He was a good man. A man with conviction, dedication, a hard working man. He loved routine and was committed and strong. He cared. He loved. Providing for his family and making sure they were doing well were his priority. He brought people closer to Christ by sharing his personal relationship he had with the Savior. He knew that the Savior loved and cared by helping others and he went about his life doing what he thought the Savior would do.
The Lang family has been my greatest trials and my greatest joys. I am grateful for family and what that means to me. It means you love each other, even when you don't like each other. You forgive when you've been wronged. You do your part in bringing the family together and making the sacrifices necessary. Family is when you sacrifice the little things for the greater whole.
I am so grateful that differences were put aside the past couple weeks and we were able to come together as a family. It was nice.
Thank you for being a Lang and being special. I am so proud of each of you. Many people came up to me and complimented me on my children. You do stand out. You are different. You are special. It is hard sometimes and it does take sacrifice. Thank you for loving as the Savior loves. Thank you for being the example to me and giving me strength. Live as the Savior lived. Let Him be your guide. Follow Him.
I was so touched that my parents would drive over to be a part of this event. They are wonderful people and you come from two wonderful families!
I love all of you and you are my greatest treasures!!!
xo Mommy
It seems like I'm always talking about FAMILY and what family is. My thoughts are all over the place lately. I've written something and then gone back and deleted it several times. What do I really want to say?
This past week was Grandpa Lang's funeral. Everyone here and now everyone gone. He was a good man. A man with conviction, dedication, a hard working man. He loved routine and was committed and strong. He cared. He loved. Providing for his family and making sure they were doing well were his priority. He brought people closer to Christ by sharing his personal relationship he had with the Savior. He knew that the Savior loved and cared by helping others and he went about his life doing what he thought the Savior would do.
The Lang family has been my greatest trials and my greatest joys. I am grateful for family and what that means to me. It means you love each other, even when you don't like each other. You forgive when you've been wronged. You do your part in bringing the family together and making the sacrifices necessary. Family is when you sacrifice the little things for the greater whole.
I am so grateful that differences were put aside the past couple weeks and we were able to come together as a family. It was nice.
Thank you for being a Lang and being special. I am so proud of each of you. Many people came up to me and complimented me on my children. You do stand out. You are different. You are special. It is hard sometimes and it does take sacrifice. Thank you for loving as the Savior loves. Thank you for being the example to me and giving me strength. Live as the Savior lived. Let Him be your guide. Follow Him.
I was so touched that my parents would drive over to be a part of this event. They are wonderful people and you come from two wonderful families!
I love all of you and you are my greatest treasures!!!
xo Mommy
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Oct. 5, 2014 - It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of ...
It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of ...
Well that was all I got last week. It's been a week full of emotion. Last Sunday Rudy took a turn and we knew the end was close. Although Rudy dying is a good thing, it's never easy to go through that door. With such a large, strong family there are a lot of opinions and desires. He passed away Monday evening. Then the funeral plans began.
The Best of Times- well that's obvious, definitely being with George. To see the end of life and the beginning of life, family and what that means....
It's really about FAMILY. We have such an amazing family. I don't know of any other family like ours. We care, we sacrifice, we love. You all know that I would do anything for you, it is my life's goal. I think of how dad leads and works and provides. I think of every moment of everyday (and sometimes every night) that I spend building this family and keeping it connected. And I think of each of you kids, taking what you've been given with gratitude and learning and growing and sharing to make the world a better place, looking for opportunities to bring others closer to the Savior. I couldn't be more proud. Are we perfect? Are we wonderful? No, but we're pretty darn amazing! And part of that is because we ARE there for each other. We support each other and help each other.
It's the little things like this blog, or Jamie recording songs to surprise me. It's Carly playing the piano and singing in times when I could be comforted no other way. It is Danny lifting Norma out of the tub while letting her keep her dignity. It is Katie making me a birthday card and writing me a letter, it is Cassie being her unique self, to assure me that I'm not the only one in the world who thinks like I do. It's Julie being a big sister to Katie at times even though she is the little sister. It's dad who puts gas in my car cause he sees that it was low. It's Jon would plays games with Julie and Michelle caring about Danny's friends.
And it's big things too. It's Jamie being Katie's Mommy when I couldn't because I was serving Aunt Lisa. It's Danny who shows patience and forgiveness when I just can't and therefore softens my hard so I can change. It's Carly having to be the grown up when her Grandmother can't when she was 13 years old. It is Jon who continues to climb the mountains in his life showing strength and compassion. It is Cassie who has such a huge heart that she takes on the world when Norma dies, her mom has cancer, school and cousins have turned on her. It's Katie who is always teachable and loving and makes me laugh. It's Juju who all she wants is to be together as a family when she was little, who would have me carry her to kiss everyone goodnight and have sing everyone's lullabies. She doesn't express a lot of her emotions but we know how deeply she feels. It's Michelle who loves and marries Danny even though it wasn't ideal. Who cries when he's in so much pain because she loves him so much and she doesn't know how to help. It's Dad who gives his life and works so hard so I can give my life to you kids.
Maybe that's what life's about. Maybe that's what family's for. In families we give all we have because of the bonds of love we feel. We want to. We spend our time making life better for each other. This is the way we become like the Savior. He spent his life doing all he could to show us the way. He saved us so we could be together forever as a family.
We've almost made it home for the funeral. It's been quite the week. But because we have each other, because we have family, it is the "Best of Times!"
It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of ...
Well that was all I got last week. It's been a week full of emotion. Last Sunday Rudy took a turn and we knew the end was close. Although Rudy dying is a good thing, it's never easy to go through that door. With such a large, strong family there are a lot of opinions and desires. He passed away Monday evening. Then the funeral plans began.
The Best of Times- well that's obvious, definitely being with George. To see the end of life and the beginning of life, family and what that means....
It's really about FAMILY. We have such an amazing family. I don't know of any other family like ours. We care, we sacrifice, we love. You all know that I would do anything for you, it is my life's goal. I think of how dad leads and works and provides. I think of every moment of everyday (and sometimes every night) that I spend building this family and keeping it connected. And I think of each of you kids, taking what you've been given with gratitude and learning and growing and sharing to make the world a better place, looking for opportunities to bring others closer to the Savior. I couldn't be more proud. Are we perfect? Are we wonderful? No, but we're pretty darn amazing! And part of that is because we ARE there for each other. We support each other and help each other.
It's the little things like this blog, or Jamie recording songs to surprise me. It's Carly playing the piano and singing in times when I could be comforted no other way. It is Danny lifting Norma out of the tub while letting her keep her dignity. It is Katie making me a birthday card and writing me a letter, it is Cassie being her unique self, to assure me that I'm not the only one in the world who thinks like I do. It's Julie being a big sister to Katie at times even though she is the little sister. It's dad who puts gas in my car cause he sees that it was low. It's Jon would plays games with Julie and Michelle caring about Danny's friends.
And it's big things too. It's Jamie being Katie's Mommy when I couldn't because I was serving Aunt Lisa. It's Danny who shows patience and forgiveness when I just can't and therefore softens my hard so I can change. It's Carly having to be the grown up when her Grandmother can't when she was 13 years old. It is Jon who continues to climb the mountains in his life showing strength and compassion. It is Cassie who has such a huge heart that she takes on the world when Norma dies, her mom has cancer, school and cousins have turned on her. It's Katie who is always teachable and loving and makes me laugh. It's Juju who all she wants is to be together as a family when she was little, who would have me carry her to kiss everyone goodnight and have sing everyone's lullabies. She doesn't express a lot of her emotions but we know how deeply she feels. It's Michelle who loves and marries Danny even though it wasn't ideal. Who cries when he's in so much pain because she loves him so much and she doesn't know how to help. It's Dad who gives his life and works so hard so I can give my life to you kids.
Maybe that's what life's about. Maybe that's what family's for. In families we give all we have because of the bonds of love we feel. We want to. We spend our time making life better for each other. This is the way we become like the Savior. He spent his life doing all he could to show us the way. He saved us so we could be together forever as a family.
We've almost made it home for the funeral. It's been quite the week. But because we have each other, because we have family, it is the "Best of Times!"
Monday, September 29, 2014
Presenting George!
So this past week was very emotional for me. It started out Monday with an acupuncture/moxibustion appointment to try and get george to turn in the womb. (Moxibustion is close to burning your toes). Well we prayed he was turning. I had my appointment on Wednesday and the Dr said it appeared he was still breech. So he sent me over to his wife (the other side of the office) to do an ultrasound to confirm whether or not he was breech. He told me that if he was still breech I should consider a c-section. Delivering naturally when breech is possible and he had done it before but he says that 1 in 3 breech babies delivered naturally come out injured or die. So I had the ultrasound and he was still breech. I didnt see my Dr before leaving the office so I went home and we scheduled a Priesthood blessing for that evening. I still did not want a c-section so I wanted to see if the Priesthood blessing gave any hint of a possibility that he would turn on his own (not likely anymore but still possible). Well the blessing happened and we were reminded that modern medicine IS a miracle and to trust our doctors. So we felt that meant George was not going to turn. As much as I was not looking forward to labor and pains I didnt want a c-section. When I had my mole removed they numbed things but I could still feel the cutting, tugging and sewing, just without pain. I was not looking forward to being a human quilt again. And with gall bladder surgery they tore 4 holes through my abs and the c-section would be a large slice. I had a hard time lifting my purse after the smaller surgery and after a c-section i'd have a baby that I'd want to hold but not be able to pick up. I cried but I knew I cared more about getting George here safely than whether or not I could fully take care of him at first. We also decided we should schedule a c-section. Why wait to go through labor pains when we knew we'd need a c-section anyways? So Thursday I called to see when I could schedule it and the Dr said he could do the next day. I said ok, because I didnt want any more time worrying about the c-section than needed. Then the hospital was available at 8 am. Mom would not be able to make it, which did make me a little sad, but only one person would be allowed with me for the c-section. We went in at 5 am on the baby's due date and started going through paperwork and getting prepped. I withdrew and 'zoned out' to cope with the pain leading up to the procedure. Jon came in and surgery began. I focused on listening to george cry as soon as he started to avoid what was happening to my stomach. He was amazing. Of course, almost as soon as the procedure was over I started getting tired and wanting to sleep. But having George was a miracle. I loved him. When Jon left me by myself to go get Mom from the airport I was holding him and I realized that george was worth it. All that pain, for just one precious little boy, was worth it. He was so big- 9 lbs 14 ounces and so precious. Jon at one point said he looked like Grandpa Lang and I feel that's kinda appropriate. As one precious life is leaving, one precious new one has started. Recovery is going well. It hurts and I cant stand up with George but I can hold him in certain positions and I can sit down while holding him. I cant get things from the ground but I can do some things. And at least I can hold him and snuggle with him. :)
Side note: I cried tonight when I told Jon that george got his very first mosquito bite tonight while I was watching him. :( It landed on his forehead and I went to hit it and realized I cant hit my baby... so I slowed down and touched the mosquito, but the mosquito had been there for a little bit. The mosquito did land on me shortly after and I had no problem slapping it and killing it on me. Serves that mosquito right for hurting my new baby!
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