Beauty

"The soul would have no rainbow, had the eyes no tears." - John Vance Cheney

Did you know...

After going to Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School simultaneously, Mitt Romney passed the Michigan bar, but never practiced law as an attorney.

As a venture-capitalist, Romney's first major business deal involved investing in a start-up office supply company with one store in Massachusetts that sold office supplies. That company, called Staples, now has over 2,000 stores and employs over 90,000 people. Romney or his company Bain Capital (using what became known as the (Bain Way) would go on to perform the same kinds of business miracles again and again, with companies like Domino's, Sealy, Brookstone, Weather Channel, Burger King, Warner Music Group, Dollarama, Home Depot Supply, and many others.

Look at his volunteer work:
Campaign worker for his dads Gubernatorial campaign 1 year.
Unpaid intern in Governors Office 8 years.
Mormon missionary in Paris 2 years.
Unpaid bishop and stake president for his church 10 years.
No salary as president of the Olympics 3 years.
No salary as Massachusetts governor 4 years.
That is a grand total of 28 years of unpaid service to his country, his community and his church.

Compare this to Newt who sit with Nancy Pelosi agreeing with global warming. He took $1.6 Million in lobbyist money from FreddyMac and FannyMae. He is on wife number 4, and is a known fillanderer.

Have you noticed that political opponents have been pressing Mitt to release his tax information for weeks, and when he finally did (he was reluctant, knowing his money would become politicized), we find out that Mitt contributed 10% of his gross income to the LDS Church. Newt donated 2.6%. Vice President Joe Biden? A whopping $369.00, or .3%. And, Mitt gave an additional $3 million to other charities in addition to the 10% tithing he paid.

How can one not be moved by Mitt Romney's years of volunteer work to his country, community and church, as well as his commitment to God by paying a full tithe? And the irony that one of the GOP frontrunners has plural wives. And it ain't Mitt...

"Newt blames Mitt for following tax code Newt helped write, but criticizes Obama for wanting to change tax code to make Mitt pay more." - Jacob Rawlins

Who has stalwart character and integrity? Who believes in the sanctity of marriage and family? Who has the credentials and abilities to turn the fiscal devastation around? It ain't Newt...

"To the Mother of One Child"

Read here.

Thought for the Day

When you are going through something hard and wonder where God is,
remember the teacher is always quiet during the test.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.

Gum Wrappers

Our Sunday night scripture study ended something like this:

"Hey! My Topical Guide smells like fruit!", said the 12-year old son.

"Excuse me?", said the tired mother.

"I've been collecting gum wrappers for a few months and I put them in my scriptures to keep us entertained in Sunday School." (--deacon says matter-of-factly)

"Joshua Joseph Kelly! What in thee heck are you talking about?" (-- disgruntled mama)

"Jared collects gum wrappers at home to bring to me, and Mitchell and I iron them out and place them by color in the "P" pages of my Topical Guide. Some green, some gold, one pink, two purple, and 27 silver."

Random, I know.

Random Musings

Caleb looked up from his homework this evening and said, "Mom, make sure and fulfill your destiny."
I started to chuckle.

"What is my destiny?"

"To love."

For reals. This kid has my heart wrapped around his tiny little energetic finger.

I'm a bit nervous for Sunday-- a member of the high council asked me to speak with him in another ward in our stake. I haven't done that since I got home from my mission. The topic is wonderful, and I am enjoying pondering the principle, "The Power of Scripture." (Any ideas?!)

This 'no-snow' thing in January is hard on my psyche...

I love bartering with students. I have a few families that clean and/or cook in trade for lessons. I relish not having to cook Tuesdays or Thursdays and have my bathrooms cleaned weekly. Now if only I didn't feel shy about having someone fold my laundry whites, I'd be rocking. (Just kidding.)

I play in the Teton Chamber Orchestra for Richard Marx next month. Also, he will be recording our performance with him for a new cd/dvd. I bought his new album, and I really like some of his newer songs-- very ballad-like. (And without the mullet.) And soulful. My musical aspiration for February is to have him autograph my violin case next to David Archuleta. Hmph. Somehow I think his security might be a bit tighter than Archie's.

I love my new little Primary class. And I have a really awesome co-teacher.

I'm hooked on a new series called "Drop Dead Diva". Pretty funny-- in a Legally Blonde sort of way.

The Mister sent me a sexy *but chaste* text today. It made the corners of my mouth turn up.

I caught my almost-5-year-old unabashedly wearing my bra a few days ago. She stuffed socks into it to... uh, give it some dimension. At least it wasn't a nursing bra. I still can't figure out how she tied knots in the back to get rid of the slack.

As much as I hate winter, I do wish it would snow. I feel like I'm in a time warp-- winter in southeast Idaho is having an identity crisis.

I'm sad the Idaho Falls Cannery (wet-pack) will be closing soon:(

Mitt took New Hampshire. This makes me glad. Santorum has some strong points, too. Jon Huntsman is merely a vote splitter. The next several months will be politically interesting indeed.

Time for some white laundry folding. What good are New Year's Resolutions if you aren't consistent?

A Fresh Perspective

Love this article and blogger...

Life Lessons from a Hamster

Tragedy struck the Kelly household last week when Emma's hamster got out in the night and fell. We took Jacques to the small animal vet who told us the hamster had broken two legs. He gave us two options: Treatment/repair for $200-$300 or euthanize for $12.

I looked at Emma and said, "Do you understand what our choices are?" She shook her head. I could tell I was going to have to pull out the big guns.

"Hamsters life expectancies are only a few years, and I don't think we can spend this much money on making him better right now. But the vet can give him a special medicine that will put him to sleep so he won't be in anymore pain. Would that be okay with you?"

She paused for a few moments while the concept sunk in. And then the flood gates opened. For both of us. She cried because she was so attached to her pet. I cried not because I loved a $15 rodent deeply, but because the Mama Bear in me was so distraught at her reaction. And up until this point in her tiny 9-year old life span, Mom and Dad have been able to help her find solutions to all of her problems. But not this time...

She bowed her head and sobbed. I said, "Honey, do you want to hold him one last time and mommy can take a picture of you with Jacques?" (Above is the pathetic picture I took as she struggled to regain composure in the vet's examination room.)

And this is what we learned that night...

Lesson #1: Emma internalized this parenting principle-- Mommy cares about things that are important to me.

"Emma, who created Jacques?" I asked gently on the car ride home.
"Jesus," she responded between sobbing breaths.
"The scriptures tell us that we return to that same God who gave us life. And all living things with spirits will be resurrected. So guess what? You will see Jacques again someday, and he will have four perfect legs."
Lesson #2: Emma learns more deeply about the Plan of Salvation, from a pet-lovers perspective (you know, the Cliffs Notes version).

Lesson #3: Emma will see that she can do hard things. The Holy Ghost strengthens and comforts us. And we keep on moving. It never gets easy saying goodbye to a pet. And maybe that's a good thing.