In the end of April, I was lucky enough to go to Women's Conference with all of Mark's sisters and mom at BYU. It was SO AWESOME. You must make this a priority for 2012. I felt the spirit a bunch (which just never happens anymore with kids) and took so many great notes and just enjoyed my time with my cute Cottle fam. These girls know how to have fun. We ate well, laughed hard, talked lots, walked a lot (esp me! I took a scenic tour mistakenly of BYU's campus) and I even fit a few tears in.
It was a great couple of days for sure.
Did I mention that we know how to have fun? It's true.
It was a great couple of days for sure.
Did I mention that we know how to have fun? It's true.
**Thanks Cal for letting me steal your pics!!
Here is a couple things I heard that I loved the most:
{Keep it small*Keep it Simple*Give it time}
{Prayer is an extension of agency. Expectations change when you pray fervently}
{All relationships change when you pray fervently}
{Simplify your life. Pray. Read the scriptures. Love-Laugh-Enjoy and Everything will work together for your good}
{Be thankful. The art of "Thanksgiving" is "Thanks living"}
It inspired me to make a little gratitude journal. I'm finding things each day that I love or that help me remember that we really aren't here alone. I notice the "little things" more. AND now when I think "Oh, I should really write her a note and thank her for that"...and then never do...I came home and wrote some letters!! YEAH!
Here is a cute quote: "If you only pay attention to all the rocks on the path, you'll miss the flowers and beauty all around you!"
And, I heard this over and over just for me...
"When your life feels insignificant, SERVE someone!"
Here is one more...
"We have a choice to "just get through" life and it's experiences or we can embrace it, we can pray to learn from the people and the experiences that our loving Heavenly Father has personally blessed our lives with"
So many times lately, I'm just not challenged. Let's face it, I do the same things every. single. day. I get boys dressed, wash dishes, put clothes away, make food, clean it up, read a story, put in more laundry, wipe a nose, change a diaper, clean up play dough, make some food, change the laundry, bath time, bed time, clean up toys time, kiss Mark goodnight. And then I repeat.
But if I look at it that way, then that's all I'm doing and that's all I can get out of it too.
I need to change my outlook. Life won't be like this very long...
I learned a lot at Women's Conference. I'm ready to change the world.
Okay, just my world, but that's enough for me.
p.s. my mom has a boyfriend! (she doesn't read this-or she would totally kill me that this news made it to cyber space) I haven't met him yet, but they date and it's just about more than my heart can handle! I don't know what will happen, but I couldn't be happier for her.
Here is a couple things I heard that I loved the most:
{Keep it small*Keep it Simple*Give it time}
{Prayer is an extension of agency. Expectations change when you pray fervently}
{All relationships change when you pray fervently}
{Simplify your life. Pray. Read the scriptures. Love-Laugh-Enjoy and Everything will work together for your good}
{Be thankful. The art of "Thanksgiving" is "Thanks living"}
It inspired me to make a little gratitude journal. I'm finding things each day that I love or that help me remember that we really aren't here alone. I notice the "little things" more. AND now when I think "Oh, I should really write her a note and thank her for that"...and then never do...I came home and wrote some letters!! YEAH!
Here is a cute quote: "If you only pay attention to all the rocks on the path, you'll miss the flowers and beauty all around you!"
And, I heard this over and over just for me...
"When your life feels insignificant, SERVE someone!"
Here is one more...
"We have a choice to "just get through" life and it's experiences or we can embrace it, we can pray to learn from the people and the experiences that our loving Heavenly Father has personally blessed our lives with"
So many times lately, I'm just not challenged. Let's face it, I do the same things every. single. day. I get boys dressed, wash dishes, put clothes away, make food, clean it up, read a story, put in more laundry, wipe a nose, change a diaper, clean up play dough, make some food, change the laundry, bath time, bed time, clean up toys time, kiss Mark goodnight. And then I repeat.
But if I look at it that way, then that's all I'm doing and that's all I can get out of it too.
I need to change my outlook. Life won't be like this very long...
I learned a lot at Women's Conference. I'm ready to change the world.
Okay, just my world, but that's enough for me.
p.s. my mom has a boyfriend! (she doesn't read this-or she would totally kill me that this news made it to cyber space) I haven't met him yet, but they date and it's just about more than my heart can handle! I don't know what will happen, but I couldn't be happier for her.
Great post Nat! I need to do a women"s conference post!! I loved reading your favorite quotes. Good luck to your mom too!! :)
ReplyDeleteLove it! I still need to post about this too. I've been... just a little busy. :) I'm so excited for your mom!
ReplyDeleteWhoa!!! Beverly is dating a fella!? Boy howdy, that's awesome! You'll have to tell me all about him.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, this makes my heart happy. I LOVED reading this post. Even though I didn't go to Women's Conference, this was such a great post to read. I know exactly how you feel when you wrote about the same thing every day. We are the only one's that can change our day, our week, our life! I love feeling inspiration from others... And you always seem to be inspiring me. I love you. YAY for Bev having a man in her life! That's just awesome. Does he have a brother for my mom? Ha ha!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a great time. I agree the Cottle family is amazing.
ReplyDeleteNatalie- Thanks for all the quotes you shared. I liked a lot of them and wanted to write them down so I would remember them. I've never been to women's conference, but it sounds a lot like EFY that I went to when I was a teenager.. lots of good talks, lots of inspirational messages. I always left there feeling like I wanted to change my life for the better in so many ways. I think my favorite quote that you put up was, 'When your life feels insignificant, serve someone." Your life is never insignificant, but serving someone else helps remind us just how important we are to others and to our Heavenly Father.
ReplyDelete