Worms and quilts

Worms and quilts do not go together. But they do make for some pretty amazing photos.

Ava's school class has a worm farm. It is estimated they have about 10,000 worms. So naturally Ava is obsessed with worms and goes out in the back on a regular basis and digs for worms. This was even a homework assignment. Daddy was home and they got to digging in the compost pile. And stumbled upon a huge, big, fatty worm. Ava just picked it right up like it was no big deal. Then she started collecting some and counting how many they got.










And I finished my first quilt with actual squares for our friend Scott who is in remission from brain cancer. It turned out so beautiful. Never underestimate the power of a good old fashioned patchwork quilt! He should get it on Tuesday. I mailed it off as quickly as I could so it wouldn't get wrecked here by some loving children.









All the fabric was donated and my grandma (who is turning 95 in a couple months) and aunt guided me through the process. It will be a fabulous memory that I cherish.

Last Sunday I also got called on spontaneously to bear my testimony of service during ward conference. Service is something I never thought I was very good at. It is SO easy for me to just stick close to home and think of a million excuses why I could not do something. But over the course of the past few years I have learned to love service. Here are some reasons why:
-You meet really nice people
-You build friendships that have an activity associated with them - something you can always talk about like "that time I dumped your casserole all over my floor" yeah, that'd be me dropping the casserole someone made for me after I had North right in front of their face.
-If you insist, people will always let you do nice things for them
-Because you serve, let others serve and bless your life
-Service is a lifestyle. Almost never say no to an opportunity to serve.
-The moment when you make a dinner then drop it off and tell your girls why you are doing this, and let them help you in the process is priceless. Although they are young, they will always remember how it feels to drop off something, or go to the store for someone else.

Here are some of the things I enjoy doing as of late:
-cleaning a friends house till midnight when she was in the hospital
-making a freezer dinner
-driving people places (even though the A/C is out in our van - the ride from hell! haha)
-scheduling drivers for a friend who has epilepsy
-going to the store for people

I don't say these things to brag, just from a very humble place in my heart. Tyler's family really inspired me as to how to serve and the attitude one should have about service. You just do it. And it is awesome.

When we first moved into the Rochester Ward in August it was hard. Although we had lived here before, virtually none of our old friends remained. It was so isolating, and one of the things I wished dearly I could do was help throw a baby shower, or make a meal for someone, or know how to help people so I could make friends. Pretty selfish, huh? Wanting to serve so I could feel wanted and make friends. But it's finally happened. I know the needs. I know kids' shoe sizes and who would like some frozen meals or extra fruit that may go bad. I only wish I had more to give.