for the beauty of the earth

it takes a lot effort for me to just write what im feeling. i erase and re-write over and over until i finally feel like i've said what i wanted. in fact i just erased that last sentence five times. and even then i dont feel like its exactly how i want to say it.....but simply... what i want to say is i had an absolutely wonderful sabbath...and weekend.

yesterday i was so happy to make josh help me sweep all the yellow leaves off my driveway. this is the first time ive had to 'take care' of a 'yard'/driveway. and oh boy was i so excited yesterday. this may be the landscape manager in me or just the dunn in me but i miss yard work! so i was very excited to get out and work up a little sweat. while i did this a tree down the street caught my eye so afterwards i went and took a few pictures. i met a little old lady who decided to do the same thing and we stood next to each other marveling at this gorgeous tree. i tried to enjoy it as much as i could since the weather called for a storm and chances were it wouldnt be as beautiful the next day.

maybe i liked it so much cuz it matched my mustard sweater...

robert d. hales taught me today in stake conference that, 'its mortality, deal with it. you chose to do this.' haha in addition to that i dont even know how many times he repeated i am a child of god and he loves me. even after the closing song and prayer he got up to apologize for not being able to shake hands with everyone because of his health but that he loves us and wants us to know that we are children of god. what a sweet man. i hear the song 'i am a child of god' so often but do i really know it? do i really know i am a child of god? he said its the beginning of everything. he taught to look yourself in the mirror and say 'it is good enough to be lucy' so grow and cultivate what you have. what a great message! i left with such a high spirit today. i am so grateful for the mercy of the lord and the opportunity that he gives me to start over and to progress. i have hope for the future. i walked home today from visiting teaching enjoying the weather and playing with grasshoppers just thanking heavenly father for everything he has done for me. i cant even begin to express how blessed i feel.

today marks six years since i got my patriarchal blessing (yes i got it on halloween) and i have learned from it to enjoy the beauty the earth. today i took about 150 pictures of just stuff because i thought it was pretty.

i took a nap in the park and woke up to this

and this

and then i went for a drive and stopped to look at this little guy

and for some reason he did this

only after taking a bite of my skirt getting snot all over me.

then drove down to the lake to marvel at this

and this

and this

i feel so happy and so blessed. what a wonderful wonderful weekend!