Big Reader Boy

As Vincent approached his 3rd birthday, he began showing signs of readiness to learn how to read. He was doing an online preschool and had already begun blending sounds together. For his birthday we gave him a book of 100 reading lessons. Theoretically, we should have done all of the lessons in just over three months. That would have been awesome. BUT even though Vince was mentally ready to learn, his little body hated sitting still for our lessons. It was battle. I began dreading Kate's naps because I didn't want to do lessons any more.

Then something miraculous happened. One day Vince figured out that the less he complained, the faster the lesson went. He began flying through lessons and sometimes requested to do two in one day! In the end, it took us six months to complete all of the lessons. Now that he's done he absolutely loves reading! In fact, he's sitting on my lap right now reading what I'm typing.

To celebrate we went to the Grand Rapids Children Museum. Since day one we told him that he would get a BIG prize once he got to lesson 100. He was so ecstatic to finally earn his trip! His favorite things were playing with the trains, digging in the sand, and playing at the "fire station".

Teaching him how to read was rough stuff, but definitely worth it. It brings a smile to my face every time I overhear him reading to Kate while I'm cooking dinner. Reading has shaped my life and influenced it in so many ways. I'm grateful that I was able to share the gift of reading with my boy.

Fall in Michigan

I forgot just how beautiful Autumn is in the Midwest. The folks around here say that this has been the most beautiful Fall they've seen in a long time. This time last year, there was snow all over. Last week we were playing at the park in 70 degree weather! We have been soaking up all of the outdoor playtime we can.

First, we went to Schawllier's Country Basket to go apple picking. We thought they had a tiny selection and did all of our picking... then we discovered row upon row of apple trees that we had totally missed. Next year we'll get it right! To make our mistake less painful, we bought some apple and pumpkin donuts, played with hyper baby goats, pet the kittens and floppy eared bunnies, played in the corn pit, and raced rubber duckies on the water slides. It was a total hit!

We also enjoyed Grandville's Fall Fest. I have been impressed with the sense of community in our little city. Almost every month there is some gathering put on to bring us all together. They had blueberry days in late Summer, the Fall Fest, a silent parade of firetrucks to commemorate those who serve our county, and soon we'll have a Christmas tree lighting. Vince loved the makeshift slides and Kate couldn't get enough of the corn pit.

And let's not forget the simple joys of fallen leaves. Our neighborhood has a mature population of trees. They are EVERYWHERE. This being our first Fall here, we have been surprised with the amount of raking we've had to do. The leaves just keep coming! While this poses a problem in the adult world, the leaves are pure heaven for the kiddies. Kate watched Vincent for half a second before she caught on and dove into the pile. I will admit, their playfulness makes is quite difficult to actually get the leaves rounded up and bagged for removal.

Fall has always been my favorite.

Heather got Baptized!!

I never served a mission for the LDS church. Five of Seven Griffioen kids served missions. You better believe I sighed a huge breath of relief when one of my sisters didn't serve a mission. I was nervous about feeling pressured into serving just because all of my siblings had vs. doing what God wanted me to do. As I was nearing 21 I prayed about it. I still remember going into the quiet guest room and kneeling at the bedside. I was dreading getting a "yes" but  I was prepared to serve a mission if that's what God wanted for me. As I prayed I distinctly felt that I was supposed to stay home and prepare to become and wife and mother. 18 months later I was married and had a baby.

Fast forward to December 2014. Paul was looking for jobs all over the country. We seriously considered a job in Ohio but in the end we didn't feel right about it. Then Paul applied for Plasan Carbon Composites. Once again, I found myself kneeling at the bedside. This time I felt different. When I received my confirmation about moving to West Michigan I knew that as we left Utah God expected us to do to missionary work.

This was daunting to me. Going to a place where I didn't know a soul, yet was expected to share my deepest beliefs. We accepted the job and made the move. We were greeted with acts of service so great I couldn't believe how blessed we were. It was a very difficult time for us but once we got settled it was clear to me that Heavenly Father was serious about our family getting involved in missionary work.

The reminder came when I was assigned with a talk about missionary work. As I studied and prepared for my talk I stumbled upon so many easy ways to make missionary work a habit. I also had personal revelation that inspired me made me anxious to share the beautiful message of the Gospel. Following my talk I stepped up my game a bit. We started feeding the missionaries more, I felt a greater sense of courage as I shared with people I met at the park, garage sales, the store, that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints. I felt a sense of progress just letting other Christians know that Mormons are Christians too!

The next reminder came as I was called to serve in the Young Women organization at my church. As I was given a blessing and set apart to teach, the Bishop gave me unique counsel and emphasis on missionary work-- during a blessing that has nothing to do with missionary work. I began looking at which YW were missing from church and I'm still interest in helping them find their way back to church, but something else happened in the meanwhile.

Paul came home from work, completely flabbergasted. His intern, Heather, gave him a list of questions and told him she had questions about Nephi.

Say What?!

Without being invited to, Heather started reading the Book of Mormon. Isn't that the coolest thing ever? I believe that there are a lot of people whose hearts are ready but they just need the exposure/opportunity to hear about the Gospel. Heather was most definitely spiritually prepared. The first time she came over she said, "If this is true, it will change everything." And boy, was she right! She began asking thought provoking questions. She was seeking and finding answers. The process of seeing her investigate the church has made a huge impact in my life. Her knowledge of the Bible was inspiring too. It renewed my love of the scriptures and I loved searching for answers with her.

I learned a lot throughout her conversion:

1. I don't have all of the answers-- and that's okay.

This taught me that in a discussion it's totally appropriate to say "I don't know, but I'll find out". Most of the "work" that went into helping Heather was searching for answers.

2. I wasn't me and Paul doing the converting-- it was God

I've never felt like such a tool (but in a good way of course). I felt prompted to share things that seemed irrelevant but then had a big impact on Heather. I had no idea what I was doing but I was there and God used me as He needed.

3. It doesn't take a long time to recognize Truth

I was surprised by how quickly Heather read the Book of Mormon, prayed, and knew that it was true. My personal conversion has been over a lifetime. Heather knew in a matter of weeks. I was hesitant because getting baptized is part of making sacred covenants. This shouldn't be taken lightly. But I could tell that Heather knew. Her faith was sure and she was ready much faster than I anticipated. But once you know, you know. And I think that's amazing.

4. Doing what's right is more important than making other people happy -- even your own family

I am a people pleaser so I understood Heather's dilemma when she was trying to decide to either make her family happy or do what she knew was correct. Her example of integrity and faith have been outstanding. If she can go against the grain and do what's right then I can be even better in my daily choices too.

5. You need to do your Home & Visiting Teaching... and just be friends with everyone at church, okay?

Just a week after we began working with Heather, she moved back to Indiana for college! I was extremely nervous about her support group there since we were over two hours away. It dawned on me that we never know where people are in life and we getting a call from God to visit them that not only are we answering God's call, but we're answering the prayers of that person's loved ones. I have been so appreciative of the people who stepped up and befriended Heather at church. They most certainly answered my prayers.

What the heck, this was supposed to be a short post and I'm not even done yet. Let's move on to Heather's baptism day so we can wrap this up.

Heather was baptized on October 24. From now on that will be a very special day. Afterward someone asked Heather if she felt different. She said, "Not really," but as the day continued it was obvious that she couldn't stop smiling. Heather was literally glowing. Over the last few months I have watched Heather become more confident and happy. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I know that our Savior paid the price for our sins and that through His Grace we can be saved. I also know that because of Christ, death is not the end. We can be sealed with our families and live with them forever. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I am so thankful that Heather has these truths too. I am so proud of her and I'm grateful for all she has taught me during her journey to find the church.

All of us can share the Gospel. Please pray for opportunities to share your testimony. It will bless both you and those who get to hear your inspired words. Heavenly Father will help you know what to do. Just ask.

The Grandparent Post

I blogged about Utah but purposefully left out Ron & Kathryn. I did so because I felt like they deserved a post of their own. Let me start by shedding light on the fact that our trip was completely unplanned. We found dirt cheap tickets ($65 round trip) and decided we were going to make it work no matter what. Kathryn had a week full of teaching beginner flute lessons and Ron was busy with his calling and other matters. And even though they still had their busy lives to attend to, every spare moment was spent loving on their two grand kiddos.

Kate adores Grandpa. She loves him to pieces. They have some sort of special bond and I love seeing them together. Vince is smitten with both of them. He couldn't get enough of the swing Grandpa built and he loved playing the recorder and reading with Grandma.

God knew what He was doing when He made grandparents. They teach kids how to have fun without all of the fuss that us parents put up. They remind us of little things like playing marbles, throwing rocks, and climbing up trees instead of turning to electronics. Grandparents have been so good because they teach me a completely different way to be a parent. We love them so much and are incredibly thankful that they let us come and stay with them. We miss you guys and we miss Utah!

Utah Potpourri

The bulk of our trip wasn't spent out doing stuff but spending time with our favorite people. Kait Kunz and I had a play date. We tried to get a picture of our kids together... the struggle is real. But at least we documented them together. That's better than Kait and I can say (and that's the theme of this trip-- Not Enough Pictures)! Hanging out with Kait is great because even though we've been apart for months it's like I never left. I love that girl! She's definitely the friend I relate to best since we've managed to stay in the same phase of life.

"Party in the Brittany" from my Sophomore year of college got together. It's always a hoot getting together with Ashley, Hilary, and Marlee. When we get together it's like a breath of fresh air where I can be "Libby" instead of "Mommy". We played dinner roulette, in which everyone brings a random dish for dinner, and it turned out quite well! (No pictures, again. Ugh!)

Brynna, Jordan, and their sweet babe Charlie joined us a few times through the week for meals and walks. It's sad that we just barely missed living in Provo at the same time but it's great that when we come out to visit we get to see them too.

While Kathryn and I were at the Bean Museum with the kids we bumped into Reesa Cornwall and it made my heart so happy! She's one of those perfect, inspiring individuals who embodies everything you want to be. She is a real gem and I was so excited that our paths crossed during my visit.

The Burt's were so good to us. We came and went, partied, and maybe cried a little bit-- and they kept inviting us back for more! Family truly is wonderful. Dan played hooky from work (being self-employed has its perks!) and we drove to The Devil's Kitchen and made a pit stop on our way back to chow down on delicious ice cream at the Red Barn in Payson. Delish! We also went to Malawi Pizza and enjoyed the drawings at Chalk the Block at the River Woods (No pictures- face palm). Ruth and I even went for a dip at the Provo Rec while the big kids were at school. We had so much fun going around and enjoy little bits of the city. And let's not forget dinner at Cafe Rio! But I think one of my favorite parts about visiting the Burts is seeing how they interact with their children. Dan is an amazingly fun father. It makes me want to be more lighthearted with my children. And then there's Ruth. Mother Ruth, if you will. She is extremely patient and I love watching how to she nurtures and teachers her children. They're great examples of how to be an awesome parent.

I also think I went to The BYU Creamery three times. Whoops! But it was so darn good. While there, Kate learned how to dip her fries in ketchup. Life skills, people.

The flight home was a nightmare. We departed around bedtime. I prayed and prayed that Kate would sleep in my arms. She chose to scream in my arms instead. Thankfully, the people on the flight we helpful and kind. There were so many people offering to carry bags, hold kids, share toys, and the like. This was the first flight where MY kid was the kid everyone hates on the plane. Normally they are little angels. But I suppose I was pushing the envelop by selecting such a late flight. Kate proceeded to cry for 2 of the 3 hours on our drive home from Chicago. Needless to say, I was ready for the trip to be over.

The Payson Temple

I know I'm not the only one who regrets not going to the Temple more when I lived in Utah. Now that we're in Michigan we plan to leave three hours before our session. Then there's the two hour session and the return trip... you get the idea. It's no where near as easy as our five minute drive to the Provo Temple!

Since we were back in the Land of Temples we made it a high priority to go (especially with Grandparents baby-sitting for free!). Although we could have stuck around in Provo, we made a trip of it and drove to the new Temple in Payson, UT.

It was gorgeous. Like, awe inspiring. The kind of beauty where you could sit there and take it in all day long. Quite fitting, right? Paul particularly enjoyed the marble floors and I loved all of the pretty windows.

After we picked our jaws up from the floor, we did indeed do some Temple work. It was a very satisfying trip because we were sealing all of the families we have been working on for the last two years. If that's not work, I don't know what is. It has been a labor of love making time to find the names, drive, go to the Temple, pump, drive back, repeat. But sitting there in the sealing room there was a special spirit. I could feel the love and gratitude of our ancestors.

Family History takes a lot of time and it's frustrating when you hit dead ends over and over again, but it is worth every second. Once you start it's sort of addicting. You can feel them encouraging you and it helps you press forward. I love connecting families and giving them the choice to be together forever.

Timpanogos Falls Hike

On the top of our to-do list for our trip to Utah was to go hiking. Back before Paul and I even started dating we made it up most of the way to Timp Falls but decided to head back down because I was wearing flats instead of the recommended hiking footwear (in college I was more worried about looking cute than being prepared). Ruth deserves all the praise for making this hike happen though. It was forecast to rain but she rallied up the troops and we went anyway. As a result, we had the trail practically to ourselves and the clouds gave us the perfect cover from the hot sun. Luckily, the rain held off and we were able to enjoy the Fall colors that were underway up in the mountains.

Vince and Ian led the way. Toward the end of the hike Vince asked to be picked up. Maybe we're mean, or maybe we're awesome, but we told him to finish the hike on his own. And he did! The little trooper made it all the way to the falls on his own two feet. I was surprised that he made it down on his own too. I thought he'd be tuckered out but he owned that mountainside!

Kate took the easy route and napped for over half of the hike.