Betsy Learns Some Lessons in Parenting

Without going into details-- that aren't really my place to share anyway-- may I just say that we are a big, hot, beautiful mess at our house.  We've got a lot of teenaged girls and a lot of emotions.  We are living life and learning from our experience. Picture, if you will, Abe recently bringing his collection of handkerchiefs into a room where we all sat crying.  Yes, it happened.  We're trying to understand each other.  Growing up is challenging and parenting is humbling.  I'm learning.  

This was a much needed, light-hearted moment of the girls (and George) making music videos. 

Lesson #1 

When you come upon a marvelous scene, enjoy it.  Don't find the one tiny thing you wish was different and dwell there.  Focus on and appreciate the beauty before you.  

Lesson #2

You don't need to fix them or control them.  It's not your job to perfect them.  You an enjoy them and accept them and love them.

Lesson #3

Abe and I are in the "messy middle" of parenting.  We aren't at the beginning of the story where we are establishing the setting and the characters.  We aren't to the resolution, the happy ending.  We're in the part where the audience in the theater is nervous watching us bumbling around and making mistakes while we try to do the right things. We are at the part where we don't know how it's going to end.  Except that we kind of do.  Because of Christ, this is going to end well.  Markedly better than any of us deserve.  So relax.  Have Faith.  So you can enjoy the exciting story and trust the author.

Lesson #4

You win some, you lose some.  Sometimes you're up and sometimes you're down.  And the transitions can come quickly and unexpectedly.  It's not supposed to be happy all the time.  Just because we are uncomfortable doesn't mean something is wrong.  We don't need to live in worry and fear that things may go wrong--- Because we know for sure they will.  And we also know tomorrow will come and we will be happy again. Trust that God knows all and He will make all things work together for our good.  That leaves us free to enjoy the good times and even find peace in the hard times.

Lesson #5

Remember who matters.  Remember the relationships come first.  Thomas S. Monson said, "Never let a problem to be solved become more important that a person to be loved."

Lesson #6

And now to quote Taylor Swift.  " You need to calm down... You need to just stop."  And when I say stop, I mean STOP TALKING.  Seriously, just shut up and listen.  They are much more likely to talk if you just calm down and stop talking at them.