Why it didn’t just go away

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I ran from the car to the front door with my arms full of slipping blankets and jackets, a bag of prescriptions, a baby on my hip and my four year old trailing behind. “I’m gunna pee my pants. I’m gunna pee my pants.” WHERE ARE MY KEYS?!

In we go. run run run!

I had a uti this morning and once I got in the bathroom I didn’t want to come out. Know the feeling?

Today I’m feeling grateful for good health. And medicine and doctors and cars and available doctor’s appointments.

I know this is such a small thing, but sometimes it’s nice to have these little experiences to remind me that I am so blessed and life is going well and we are so fortunate to have our good health when so many do not.

This morning when the symptoms were in the minor stages and I really hoped I could just flush everything away with water and not have to pack up my kids and go to the doctor and pay all that money and then go to the pharmacy—all the while going crazy because I was feeling so uncomfortable–I asked Ava if she would say the prayer on our breakfast and bless me too that I might feel better.

She did, and I was hopeful, for 30 minutes or so.

And then I started feeling worse. It quickly progressed and knowing how this goes I wasted no time making a doctor’s appointment, and then rush rush rush out the door to make it in time.

Ava seemed a little confused when I told her we were going to the doctor so I could feel better. Every time we prayed to find the remote or my keys or her toy, we would find it. Why didn’t this prayer work?

These are times when I am grateful for faith. Faith reassures us that when we pray to God, He listens and He cares. And then He answers them in His own way, in His own timing, all for our greater good.

But why did I have to go to the doctor and spend that time and money and discomfort when He could just make it go away?

Why is life so hard?

I know I would be a far more lazy, entitled, unsympathetic person if life was easy and my prayers were always answered the way I wanted them too. I wouldn’t learn patience and humility and I certainly wouldn’t have much compassion for others in trying circumstances. I wouldn’t know how to really love. I wouldn’t learn how to endure, to commit. I would throw my hands up and jump ship if things didn’t go my way. I would be self obsessed and anything but enjoyable to be around. And I know for certain that motherhood would be pretty much impossible.

Regardless of circumstances, I trust God because I have learned time and time again that He knows what He’s doing. Things always turn out better when I let Him work things out and I let go. And wow, I’m really glad He didn’t answer this prayer or that one the way I wanted because things would have been a whole lot different if we got that job and ended up there, or bought that house that went upside down. Many times the things we wish with our whole hearts, the really good things, don’t work out like we hoped and prayed and prayed that they would. I don’t mean to trivialize the really hard things–the traumatic, heart breaking, real test of endurance kinds of experiences, those often require lengthy time for grief or understanding. Sometimes understanding doesn’t ever come in this life. But faith can still be there, and it will always lift us up when we are ready.

So I am grateful that we have a God who understands life a lot better than we do, who knows what will ultimately bring us growth and happiness–what will ultimately bring us back to Him.

We are often reminded in the scriptures that “all these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good.” And then the comforting, faith inspiring promise, “Therefore, hold on thy way…for God shall be with you forever and ever.”

I love this comforting reassurance Linda Reeves gave in General Conference last year– She reminded us from the scriptures that “this life is the time to prepare to meet God,” not the time to receive all our blessings. She said, “I do not know why we have the many trials that we have, but it is my personal feeling that the reward is so great, so eternal and everlasting, so joyful and beyond our understanding that in that day of reward, we may feel to say to our merciful, loving Father, ‘Was that all that was required?’ What will it matter, dear sisters, what we suffered here if, in the end, those trials are the very things which qualify us for eternal life and exaltation in the kingdom of God with our Father and Savior?”

I believe that’s true.

So while we drove to the doctor I told Ava that I know that Heavenly Father heard our prayer. He wants me to get better too, but sometimes getting better right away isn’t always the best thing for us. Sometimes we need to experience hard or uncomfortable things so that we can become better and stronger than we were before, so that we can help other people, and so we can become who we need to be to return to our heavenly home. And that makes it all worth it.

I don’t know that she really understood, but someday she will, I hope she will. My faith has carried me through my trials and I know it will for her too. #mamanotes

(We played on the frozen lake up here in North Dakota. Winter’s quite fun this way.)

You can find the talks I quoted here:

“Worthy of Our Promised Blessings,” by Linda S. Reeves

“Living the Gospel Joyful,” by Dieter F. Uctdorf

February 14th

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Today we laughed with Hyrum as Ava threw snowballs at our window, read each other’s love letters, and sat on the couch after the kids were in bed, planning our future together and really looking forward to it. I’d count it a lovely day. #mamanotes

My Life as a Professional Photographer

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I have rearranged some things in my life to make everything fit a little better, to make everything feel better.

I still got a little teary-eyed looking at my photography website today, I’ll be taking it down in a few days. I decided a few months ago to close this chapter of working as a professional photographer at this time in my life. It’s hard to describe the feeling, but it’s a good one. As I sat alone in the basement of our home watching these slideshows on my website, I felt this peaceful sense of accomplishment, that I did this really challenging, wonderful thing that I’ve always wanted to do, and I actually made something of it.

When I was in fourth grade I drew a picture of a camera and said that I wanted to be a professional photographer when I grew up. I was drawn to cameras. My mom often gave us disposable cameras when we were kids, and I’d quickly fill them up with photoshoots of my friends and my pets. Developing them at Costco was like Christmas for me. Then the digital camera came out and my friend had one. I remember spending hours at her house just playing with it. It was the coolest thing to me.

When I was in middle school I spent my weekends making random videos with my friends and editing them in my free time. I still laugh when I think about them. Then high school came, and I took real photography classes. I discovered my love for photographing people and worked in a dark room developing my own film. When I was sixteen, a family friend asked me to work for him as a wedding videographer and I was introduced into the Southern California wedding world. I learned so much from that.

The summer after I graduated, my photography teacher asked me to photograph her wedding. I borrowed lenses I had never used before and felt so official and so nervous at the same time. We kept in touch through email for a number of years. I still count her a dear friend of mine.

In college I met a photography student that encouraged me to shoot what I love and to learn by practicing and designing my own shoots. In my pieces of free time I planned styled shoots for my friends and their friends, and soon word spread that I liked to take pictures. I started booking engagements, bridals, families, and others, and my passion grew along with my portfolio.

styled shoots | thatwemighthavejoy.com — We had so much fun doing these. And I laugh when I see this because we bought those suitcases at the thrift store for this shoot and Jake and I still use them!

I remember sitting uncomfortably at my laptop, sketching out price lists and logos. I had never started a business before. I enlisted the help of my husband for an assistant, and took him to Las Vegas with me to learn from top professionals at a week long convention. I came home with a notebook full of ideas and took every photography opportunity that came my way. I was pushed and challenged with each one.

JJ_r_125 — We had a lot of fun photographing weddings together when we could. We were even able to travel to a few places together, which was pretty cool.

Then I officially established my business and quickly learned that there was so much more to running a business than just pricing and advertising. I hated all the taxes and paperwork but I learned A LOT in the process.

photographers | thatwemighthavejoy.com — I think this just might be our only picture of us together with our cameras at a wedding! I just think that’s crazy. Anyways, glad for this one (and grateful for him. I really loved having him shoot with me.)

In January of 2012, I received a stack of bridal magazines that featured my image on the cover and a few spreads inside. It was so exciting for me. I felt like I was really doing this professional thing, and maybe I was doing alright.

Utah Valley Bride Magazine — This bride also happens to be one of my dearest friends. It was one of those weddings where I was the photographer and a bridesmaid at the same time. And it wasn’t the only time. 😂

In February my first child was born. I sat hours in front of my laptop as I nursed my baby, watching online photography workshops and editing for hours on end. By then I had a wedding every weekend and a few shoots in-between. Word was starting to spread.

thatwemighthavejoy.com — Temple Square in Salt Lake City was a frequent place for me. I loved it! It’s such a special place. Also, a fun little thing I found a little while back…I’m in this video about temple square and I didn’t even know it. You can see me at 5:12. (click on the picture to link to the video.) I thought that was pretty cool.

Six months after the release of the bridal magazine, we moved to Texas for my husband’s job. Utah wedding inquires soaked my inbox, but my travel was limited. I flew back to Utah and California a few times a year for weddings and other shoots, and I liked the opportunity it gave me to visit my family.

Flying with Kids | thatwemighthavejoy.com — Ava often came with me on my quick trips for photography work (if they were in UT or CA.) She loved to see all her grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. She loved the airplanes and was quite the frequent flier.

Little by little word spread through our new friends in Texas. I photographed more families than weddings, and I got all the work I could handle. Motherhood alone was enough to keep me busy.

Three years later, we moved to a tiny town in North Dakota and I wanted to slow things down even more, maybe even take a little break from photography. Mothering two little ones was becoming more of my passion, and it never felt quite right trying to keep them busy so many hours a day while I edited and worked on my business.

The more I embraced this idea, the more it felt right for me. It felt good.

I feel like I have been gently guided in this direction for a while now, feeling inspired to pursue a few endeavors that seem to me to be weightier than others at this time in my life.

On December 29, 2015, I photographed my last wedding. It couldn’t have been a more perfect closure capturing my dear friend’s son as he sat on her lap during dinner, playing with her veil and giving her kisses. We were all so happy that day.

Someday I will probably return to doing this thing that I love, but for now I am thrilled with the privilege of full time motherhood and capturing my own loved ones full time. I have realized there are more precious things in life that I’m not able to return to.

So with teary eyes, I watched the slideshows from my website play memories of this profession that has captured my heart for so many years. I have worked so hard and learned so much, and I have made so many dear friends. It’s been a real blessing.

After I decided to take this route a few months back, I was listening to a talk by President Dieter F. Uctdorf that made me feel so good about this direction (for me.) I was thinking, “Yes! This is totally how I feel.” (Happens a lot with his talks.) So needless to say, I feel like this has been some good life rearranging for me. 🙂

He said…

“Elder Dallin H. Oaks, in a recent general conference, taught, ‘We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.’ ²

…My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. Let us be mindful of the foundational precepts our Heavenly Father has given to His children that will establish the basis of a rich and fruitful mortal life with promises of eternal happiness. They will teach us to do ‘all these things … in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that [we] should run faster than [we have] strength. [But] it is expedient that [we] should be diligent, [and] thereby … win the prize.’ ⁷

…Brothers and sisters, diligently doing the things that matter most will lead us to the Savior of the world.

…The heavens are open again. The gospel of Jesus Christ is on earth once more, and its simple truths are a plentiful source of joy!

Indeed we have great reason to rejoice. If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.”

Frozen Lake fhe

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We drove out to one of our favorite places today. It was so strange to see this massive lake completely frozen over. It was beautiful though, and we had so much fun sliding all over it! Jake is determined to find some ice skates at a thrift store for us.

On the way home we had family home evening in the car. Sometimes I think we should always do it this way because we have Ava’s complete attention and she seems to like it too. We talked about this amazing Earth that we live on and the animals and people and how God created it all for us because He loves us so much.

We shared some of our favorite creations. Ava said she loves the butterflies and sunsets. Jake loves the mountains and I love the rivers and lakes. We all said we love the ocean.

Then Ava exclaimed, “I love blossoms! You know, in the summertime all the trees will have blossoms! That’s my favorite.”

That’s my favorite too. In the meantime, I’m grateful for Jake because he has so much good to say about winter and it rubs off on the rest of us.

Ava finished with a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for the Earth and the tigers and all the people, and we were all feeling pretty grateful right about then. #mamanotes

Please Keep Singing

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You woke to the sound of your little brother humming and your daddy’s feet on the creaky floor. And while daddy got ready for work, you climbed up on my bed and into my lap as I sat there trying to wake up. With snowfall and darkness still outside our doors, we tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen where we shared homemade bread and bananas and laughed as your brother ate them faster than we could put them on his tray. Your little voice beamed in anticipation as I pulled the little tupperware from the top shelf of the fridge at your request. You had leftover macaroni and cheese for breakfast, and you couldn’t have been happier.

As I stood at the sink washing last night’s dishes, I watched as you carefully poured rainbow sprinkles into your little brother’s hands. He placed his palm to his mouth, then squealed in delight. He looked at you with his eyes wide and his eyebrows raised and the two of you exchanged baby noises and giggles as you repeated the things he tried to say to you. I’m sure he would tell you how much he loves playing with you and eating sprinkles with you, if he could.

You are four today, sweet Ava. You’ve been counting down each day this week until you could decorate your hello kitty cake and officially be big and brave enough to do everything you couldn’t do last year. Because being four means you can swim and so many good things. And I agree with you, because every year with you means so many good things.

Today as I watched you dance and twirl in your bright blue nightgown, waiting so patiently for your cake to cool, I smiled and thought how lucky we are to have you. That happens a lot when I watch you be you. With your sweetness and your bright spirit, you inspire joy and fun in all of us.

And you inspire goodness. Today you went skipping around the family room singing “I am a child of God,” and if there’s one thing I hope you really come to know, it’s that. Please keep singing. Know how precious you are and how much we love you!

Happy Birthday my dear Ava!

#mamanotes

our thoughts, our joys, our everyday | thatwemighthavejoy.com

Last year we let Ava pick out sprinkles and marshmallows and other little goodies to decorate her cake, and I honestly think that decorating her own cake was the highlight of her birthday. We decided to do that this year too (using all the leftover sprinkles from last year ) and clearly she had so much fun with it.

I had all the thoughts of “that’s too many sprinkles over there,” and “just stop there, that looks good” and “ok that’s enough artificial coloring and sugar and…,” but then I stepped back and let her do her thing because that’s what she’ll remember when it’s all over–that she decorated her cake all by herself and did it just the way she wanted it.

When she finished she exclaimed, “Oh I love my cake so much!”

So I think we’ll continue with this tradition. It’s good for all of us. 😉

You Are My Sunshine from Tamara Schellenberg on Vimeo.

I made this video for her when she was two and a half and we always love watching it. Can you see the joy this girl brings!?