October has been an eventful month! Between Halloween, being sick (both Dawson and I) and Dawson's primary program - we made it!

Dawson had a wonderful Halloween. We kicked off the holiday a week early at our ward potluck. Brother Eggenburger took the kids' picture and it turned out darling. Dawson's friends Joshua and Parker came with us to our trunk or treat and had a great time. Trunk or treat is similar to trick or treating, but everyone decorates the trunk of their car, the cars line up and the kids go trick or treating from car to car and get candy. It's a lot of fun!

Following that week, I became sick with cold/flu. It was a trying week between home and work duties, but Dawson was a Prince! Little children are such great care takers when we are ill. I appreciated Dawson's patience so much. I told Dawson it was a good thing he was a magician for Halloween - now if he could cast a spell to make me better - I'd love it! He not only said he'd do that, but he offered to get rid of my fat arms I complain about so much. So compassionate they are.

Dawson's primary program was a hit! It was my first experience watching him in a "performance" type program. I was very proud in how he handled himself and his confidence. He got right up there and did his part. He had to stand before the entire congregation and say "The mother's role is nurturing the family". We joked about how different it is to be on the stand and look out in the audience. But he thought it was great. He loved it! What a ham!

Dawson is recovering from a cold himself. Each day getting better. It's been a rocky start to Winter. He still can't wait for snow. It means Santa is coming!!

Eternal Families

My heart is full today. Church was inspiring and uplifting. It was testimony meeting and some of my favorite people in the ward bore their testimonies. It's always a great pleasure to listen to others with the same passions and fullness of the gospel that I share.

Dawson has a primary program coming up. He was asked to bring a family picture. I suppose on the onset, that's easy. Dawson and I just had our pictures taken together. But he has a whole family. His father, big brother, a grandmother. And now my heart is full with sorrow that Dawson's family photo is broken. There are no pictures, nor possibly will there ever be a "family" photo for him. It breaks my heart.

I suppose these are the things that happen when families are broken up. But I wish it had not happened to Dawson. He's so deserving of a family unity that he can claim an eternity too. Perhaps when he marries in the temple and has that eternal family he's bonded with forever, he will have that.

It's amazing how the picture changes when we take ourselves out of it. When we make and do things in an unselfish manner, it has a very different outcome than doing things out of selfishness.

It seemed to be the spoken theme throughout sacrament today. The gift of service. In as much as I love to serve my fellow man and I do so willingly on most occasions, I failed to serve those that I made a life commitment too. Some get a second chance some do not. I'll have to finish this another time - second chance or not.