December 2015 Review

It has been a whirlwind year, so I'm trying to summarize the months with pictures.

Brent

Brent turned 40 this month. He is not quite happy about it. I still have a couple years to go before I turn 40, so I'm not feeling as sympathetic as I should. We gifted him with an electric hedge trimmer. He loves getting tools for birthdays and holidays. For his birthday, we visited The Aladdin Cafe in Hopewell Junction. It is a restaurant we have been wanting to try because it features middle-eastern food. The people who own and operate it are Jordanian, so the food had a different spin on it. The food tasted homemade and very, very fresh. We all enjoyed it!

In other news, work continues to move forward for him. He submitted a couple of patent disclosures. I'm hoping that he will able to transition to a new group soon. 

Tiffany

This was an intense month for me with church work. We planned a wonderful Christmas music celebration which went very well. The music and performances were absolutely beautiful. I put together a Christmas dinner for 225 missionaries. It absolutely exhausted me! I also worked to help 12 families who are struggling financially to receive a special Christmas. 

The highlight of this month has to be singing Christmas music. I was able to sing in two trios. In one group, we sang, "What Sweeter Music" by John Rutter. In the other group, we sang, "My Gift, My Offering" by Sally Deford. Both pieces were so beautiful. I also sang with our ward choir and with a couple of small groups. Singing Christmas music brings me tremendous joy and happiness. During this frenetically busy and intense season, music celebrating the Savior's birth helped me focus on the essential things and allowed me to feel the Spirit.

Walter

Walter continues to work really hard on his Science Research Class. He has identified a potential mentor. He is working really hard to refine his verbal presentation. I'm so proud of his effort and hard work. He is working to improve natural language processing for a robot. He also received his patriarchal blessing on December 14th, which was really special.

Trent

Trent started wrestling again. It is a sport that he really enjoys and takes into account size and adjusts for that. I think he could be more diligent at school, but my current policy of letting it be, means I'm not worrying or nagging about it. 

Josef

Josef is playing basketball for a town league. He practices once a week and then plays on Saturday. His team has won every game so far. He is a good player, focused and skilled at handling the ball. He needs more practice shooting and making baskets. He is an asset to his team and they use and appreciate him. In this picture, Josef is the one with the ball making his way down the court.

Josef plays bass clarinet in his band. They had a concert this month. It was short and sweet. Brent had to go to the church so I was the only one who attended the concert. After he played, I took him out for frozen yogurt at Peachwave, where we had a fun time chatting about the music and basketball.

Brooke

Brooke's big news for the month is that she auditioned and was cast in the role of Annie in her elementary school musical. All the leads are shared between two and three kids. Brooke will share her part with two other girls. She will sing "Tomorrow" as a solo though. She has been practicing religiously and will do great in March!

Jonathan

Jonathan had his First Grade Christmas Singalong performance this month. All the first graders sang several holiday songs, recited poems, and then led a singalong with favorite Christmas songs. Jonathan also played a special role as a snowman in one of the songs. The children were so darling as they sang with energy and enthusiasm. 

Jonathan's teacher organized a family ice skating party. Brent took some of the kids and they all had a great time.

Winter

Winter is my sweet girl and constant companion. She is growing so quickly. Now she is starting to say more words. She definitely understands almost everything I say to her. She likes to keep things tidy and organized and is happiest when helping me. She can dress herself and will often tell me she needs her diaper changed. I will start potty training her soon. 

Lussekatter

I taught the younger kids how to shape lussekatter, the yummy Lucia buns we ate in Sweden. I used this recipe, which is excellent and worth trying.

LuciaDagen

In honor of Lucia Day, I brought lussekatter to Brooke's and Jonathan's classrooms. I had so much fun sharing my favorite Swedish holiday with the children. Brooke and Jonathan loved it!

December Weather

Usually in New York, December weather is blustery, cold, and snowy. We've enjoyed an unseasonably warm December. Guess what, a green Christmas in New York is actually green! (As opposed to a "brown" Green Christmas in Wyoming!) My rose plants still have leaves, but I'm sure that will change soon as colder weather is on the horizon.

Christmas

We had a lovely Christmas this year. Believe it or not, even with all my extra responsibilities, we managed to keep things under control and on schedule. The kids enjoyed their gifts and we reveled in the peace and quiet of the day. 

Camping

Christmas afternoon, Brent took all the kids except Winter to a friend's house to camp. Our friend lives close to the Appalachian trail. The weather was perfect for a campout. Winter and I stayed home to relax. I cleaned up the house and then took a long bath and read a novel. It was mostly blissful, except Winter wouldn't go down very well to bed. I was also up quite a few times checking on Maia, the dog, and worrying that she would have an accident. She didn't, but I sure wasted a lot of time stressing about her. The next morning they took turns riding the zipline.

Dog Sitting

We are dog sitting Maia for our friends. Maia is a sweet, calm dog who seems to enjoy our family. She doesn't make much trouble and likes to be cuddled. Our cat, Eris, is very upset about this guest. She sometimes holds Maia hostage in one part of the house until we rescue her. 

Temple Sealing

We were invited to attend the sealing of a little boy to his family. He was a foster baby who has lived with his family for three years. They were finally able to adopt him in November. It was a lovely ceremony--with all of his siblings attending. I recommend going to the temple before Christmas. It was just what I needed to keep the Spirit of the season in my heart.

Gratitude

My heart has been so full of gratitude and joy this month as I have reflected on the Savior's birth and what that has meant to me personally. I feel overwhelmed with happiness at the good things in my life. I have a loving, kind, and good husband who brings me joy. My children are healthy and capable. My needs and many of wants are fulfilled. I'm grateful for a warm and comfortable home, for the ability to prepare and eat delicious food. I'm grateful for the comfort and peace found in the scriptures. I'm grateful for the joy I feel in my life.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Filling His Bucket and Dealing With Anger

A few funny anecdotes from my youngest son, Bubba J.

Yesterday, I took my youngest son with me on some after school errands because he gets awfully cranky and I wanted to make it easier for my oldest son to watch the other kids. Bubba J asked why he was going with me and I said that he was often cranky after school and it would be easier for everyone. He said, in a very serious tone, "I have a lot of anger inside me." When I asked why, he said, "My sister makes annoying sounds and they make me very angry." I chuckled and left it at that. The next morning, my daughter was whining/crying because she wasn't feeling well. I asked her to calm down and stop crying so she could eat. She stopped and Bubba J said to her in a very kind voice, " Thank you for stopping. You were starting to fill me up with anger."


After Bubba J helped me with my errands yesterday, he said, "I was a good helper today. I filled up your bucket." I thought he was talking about a literal bucket and asked him what he meant. He explained to me that at school they talk about filling their invisible buckets with good deeds and kindness. Since then, we have talked about how we fill up each other's buckets. I love that he is so aware of how he feels and also wants to feel good. He is also aware of what helps him feel good. He is so self-aware.


The last incident made me a little grumpy but later made me laugh. One morning, my older son, T, was having a hard time getting out the door. He frequently gets distracted and constantly needs to be redirected. I lost my temper and shouted at him to leave. After he walked out the door, Bubba J turned to me and said, in a gentle voice, "Mommy, if you would speak to T in a gentle, soft voice, he would listen better." I guess he missed the part where I had talked to his brother that way. However, he was right. My five year old is very wise and many of his gentle ways make a big difference in our family.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Mothering Happy Moments

I've read a few articles here and there about how the rewards of parenting are vague and are long-term. The other surprise is that parenting makes you less happy than your childless peers. I suppose this can be true. There are times when I feel profoundly unhappy being a parent--when the demands of six kids are overwhelming and my house feels like a cesspit of disgusting crap. That is usually temporary. I disagree that most of the rewards of parenting don't come until later. Here are some of the rewards and happy moments I experienced in the the last few days.

My baby woke up with a howl but as soon as I picked her up, she quieted. She patted my shoulder and snuggled me for a good 10 minutes. I don't know about you, but snuggles from a baby are probably better than the best dark chocolate around for calming my stress and making me feel happier.

My 13-year old son raced frantically through the house trying to find his track shirt this morning. The frantic rush made me mad because I hate the last minute dash. It's stressful. However, my son's commitment and effort in track make me very proud. My son is a little guy who isn't super athletic. He also has some serious struggles with ADHD. He is the slowest kid on the race track, but he doesn't give up. He doesn't think he is a failure because he is always last- he just keeps trying. I couldn't be prouder of his effort and dedication. He doesn't have to win--because I think he has already won the real race.

My oldest son is probably one of the most interesting people to talk to that I know. He and his little brother argue a lot, which is challenging. However, the other night as we drove home from a church activity, he told me how protective he feels of his little brother. He said that some kids were making rude remarks about his brother on the track the other day. Then he said, "but don't worry, Mom. I got them back." He discovered they were cheating on some assignments and tipped off a teacher. I'm not sure how to feel about the business of revenge, but I do appreciate that he cares about his brother and found a way to defend him.

My third son makes me happy frequently. He is really good with his hands and loves knitting. It is calming for him. At church he knits away during sacrament meeting which is great and a lot more peaceful that his earlier antics. This week he received the Student of the Week award in his class. This is a big deal because my son has a reputation for being a smart alec and was on the no-waffle list for several weeks because of his antics. Not my proudest mom moment. The reason this is so awesome is that he recognized that he needed to do better and he worked on it himself--without my interference.

My daughter made me a card and song telling me how much she loves me. I am so proud of who she is and is becoming.

My youngest son is always ready to give me hugs and kisses. He is plucky and hardworking. He is loving and kind.

















Look, I'm the first one to tell you that mothering isn't all roses. It's messy, complicated, and difficult. However, I've lived long enough to know that the happiest and most joyful moments aren't the ones without struggle. I've learned to count the daily moments of sweetness and hold them high above the negative. I treasure the snuggles, the words of love, the laughs, the talks, and the moments of accomplishment. They overshadow the yucky bodily fluids, the messy bedrooms, the mounds of laundry, the endless meals, and the bickering. Maybe I sound like a Pollyanna, but I'll take it any day over the negative.


© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Gaining Respect for Your Work as a Mother

When moms get together, especially stay-at-home-moms and moms with large families, they often talk about how little respect they receive from people in the community or the culture at large. While this is true to some extent, I think many people do respect and value the work mothers do. I think we mothers have the power to change opinions in our interactions with others.

Have you ever met an experienced professional who likes their job?  I bet you've noticed that they tend to dress well, speak about their job with passion, and are confident about their value and worth. Contrast that with the stereotypical image of a mom with many children or one who stays at home. The image of  a mother in yoga pants, hair in a loose ponytail, and chaos unfortunately comes to mind. It's hard to have respect for someone who doesn't appear as if she respects herself.

I think the most important any mother can do for herself is to actually value and respect herself. If you truly believe that what you are doing as a mother matters and is important, then that self-respect and sense of self-worth will come out. I was in the store a few weeks ago with my baby. We were having a great time talking back and forth and a few people noticed our interaction. One older man stopped and chatted with me briefly. During our conversation I told him that I have six children. He was totally surprised by this revelation. He gave me the standard response, "Wow, you must be so busy." To which I replied, "I am busy doing such important work. I am so happy and proud to be a mother to six wonderful kids. I know what I am doing is valuable and meaningful". The entire tone of the conversation changed. His attitude went from pitying to respectful. When I shared how important I considered my work, he could see the value of what I was doing and consequently walked away re-considering the worth of motherhood.

Dress as if you respect and value yourself. You don't have to go all diva on anyone, but if I have learned anything from "What Not to Wear", it's hard to take someone seriously in sweat pants-or even yoga pants. I don't have anything against yoga or sweat pants and I wear them, especially when it is really cold outside and heating the house is super expensive. Try to put something on a little nicer when you go out for errands. Invest a little money in buying a couple pairs of good jeans that fit you properly (please don't buy mom jeans because as Tina Fey says, "nothing says you've given on being a woman like mom jeans) and a few nice tops. Make sure you have some nice flats that are comfortable. Wear an accessory or two. Make sure you have a haircut that isn't too high maintenance but looks nice even on time-crunch. Invest in a few makeup basics that make you look more polished and put together. Get a free make-over at a makeup counter if you need help with makeup or check out youtube's extensive library of tutorials. If you don't know how to put together something, have a style-savvy friend help you shop. If your budget is tight take a friend to the thrift store. Several years ago as I was grappling with a major lupus flare, my hair fell out in big clumps and I lost 20 pounds. I have a small frame, so I looked really, really bad. I felt bad and I looked bad. I started wearing makeup and I got a good haircut. It didn't take away my physical pain but I felt better and more able to cope with everything I was experiencing. I know we live in a super-shallow world which does put great stock in appearances. I hate the pressure too, but I'm already fighting a battle for respect when I walk out the door with six children. I choose to alleviate some of that pressure with a more put-together appearance.

In social gatherings, like work parties or school events, it is easy to feel the pressure of talking to people about your work. Small talk is never easy and some people are just better at it than others. I admit that I have a strength for being able to talk to people in many different situations. It may help to practice with friends to work on how to positively present your work as a mother around others. Here are some things I do in these situations: I ask people questions about their lives and listen. I try to relate to their experiences through my own experiences or what I have read. I read and study a lot. I listen to educational podcasts all the time, so I always feel like I have I something to contribute about a variety of topics. (I listen to podcasts while cleaning and I use my library extensively.) When I talk about my work, I smile and speak positively about my experiences. I'm not ashamed to share that I have six children and have been married for 17 years. People who are proud of their work share it openly and discuss it in positive terms. I don't brag about my kids, but I do talk about the people they are becoming and how proud I am of them. If people ask about what it is like to parent six children, I try to relate my experiences to their own parenting experiences. When one friend asked me how I could clothe all my kids on a budget, I shared what I do and how that works for our family.

Finally, work with your children on appropriate public behavior. Practice appropriate behavior in restaurants and work diligently on manners. My family is frequently complimented on their behavior when we go out in public because my husband and I have worked very hard on manners and appropriate behavior. If we notice they are mis-behaving, we address the problem then and there--we don't ignore it. I have noticed that people notice and appreciate it. When you are at a restaurant, do your best to keep your area clean and give an extra tip to the server and the person bussing the table. While living in Sweden I learned that if I wanted to explore and enjoy myself, my kids were going to have to come along. So we made it work. My kids have been to museums and historical sites all over the world because I didn't want to miss out on those things.

While it may seem like an impossible job, we mothers can change the way others view us and our work as mothers by respecting ourselves, dressing in a more professional manner, talk to others in positive ways in social settings, and teach your kids how to behave in public. I'm sure there are others ways to positively promote yourself and the work you do. What have you found that works? I would love to read your stories and experiences.


© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED



Wacaser Wanderings: January 2015 Edition

I'm attempting to return to a more regular accounting of our lives. Life has amped up for our family and I'm hoping that this will give me a good way to keep track of the events that happen.

Winter Rose

We celebrated Winter Rose's first birthday at the end of January. She has been walking for three months now. I've never seen a child so adept and natural at walking in those first few days. She just took a couple of steps and it never seemed to dawn on her that it might be difficult to do. She walks with confidence and ease. Winter also climbs everything which scares me to death! She goes up the stairs and I'm working on teaching her to go down the stairs because the way our stairs our set up, a gate doesn't work very well. She has 8 little teeth, along with four molars coming in at the same time. The last few days have been hard as she cried and fussed a lot. Even though she is teething, she is still remarkably calm and patient, and while she does cry a bit, she never screams. We had a fun birthday for her. I think her siblings were more excited than she was about the big day. She was very dainty in eating her birthday cake.

Jonathan

Jonathan started kindergarten in the fall and has enjoyed every minute of it. Brent and I debated for months about sending him to kindergarten as he is very young--his birthday is at the end of October. We took a leap of faith, knowing that he is very socially adept and behaves very well. Our gamble has paid off so far as he loves kindergarten. His teachers inform me that he is keeping pace with his peers and that he is an outstanding citizen in his classroom. This month I have watched him really develop with his reading. As always, he is my cuddle bug. He is one of my most responsible children in getting ready in the morning for school without a lot of prompting from me.

Brooke

Brooke is now in third grade and has a teacher that she loves. She is a member of the Kids of Character Club which meets every Friday after school and works on activities that incorporate character values and activities for the whole school. Brooke already has a lot of character and so this is a natural fit for her. She also auditioned for a part in Aladdin, the school musical, and was given a speaking/singing part--quite a feat for a little third-grader. She is definitely a natural performer. She also auditioned for a special recorder ensemble and got a perfect score. She has a lot of activities going on, which can be kind of overwhelming for her. At this point, I'm letting it play out to see if she wants to continue all her activities. She loves them all so it may be hard for her to give up one. She is bright and has really adapted quickly to the challenging Common Core Math Curriculum. I think the explanations and methods really appeal to her brain. Her teacher tells me she has a math brain--which totally came from her father and Wacaser grandparents! She also took a very challenging language arts test and scored 17/18, which was the best score in the class. When she isn't doing school or activities, she is usually making up songs, recording her songs, drawing, or reading.

Josef

Josef is one of my quieter kids--at least he is quiet around me. I know he has a mischievous side that gets his siblings in trouble. The problem is that I can't always catch him in the act. He is in fifth grade and has started middle school. So far, he seems to be doing well. I don't hear from the teachers, which is usually good news. He doesn't seem himself as a great student, even though he has great spatial intelligence and really grasps math concepts easily. He still loves sports more than anything and goes to an intermural sports club every Wednesday morning before school. He surprised me by joining the newspaper club. I have yet to see any of his work from the club, but he is happy and enjoys it. He plays the clarinet and has a beautiful tone--which is a feat coming from a young player. Josef expressed an interest in knitting, was given a short introductory lesson from a friend, and has taught himself much using youtube video tutorials. He finds knitting very relaxing and has really started to create at a much greater level. I have to say that it is refreshing to be asked to purchase yarn instead of video games!

Trent

Trent had a remarkable turn around in the past few months. For years, I've been battling homework with him on a daily basis. After intense conferences with his teachers in September, something changed and he started to take ownership in his work. He joined wrestling and practices until 5:30 every school night. Then he comes home and without complaint gets to work on his homework. He made the High Honor Roll last term and I expect that he will at least make the Honor Roll this term. He was allowed to join the advanced math class and is doing quite well. He loves wrestling, even though he is the smallest, skinniest wrestler on the team--and in the area. There aren't always many kids to wrestle in his weight class, but he doesn't seem to mind. He just does his best. I am so proud of how hard he is working at school and at home.

Walter

If you haven't seen Walter in a while, you might not recognize him. He is now a lanky 15-year old who is a freshman in high school. He is taking four honors classes: Biology, Global History, English, and Math. He had to take choir as one of his electives because he refuses to play an instrument. He has steadily complained about choir for the last few months and I have teased him about his excellent lip synching skills. Brent and I got a huge surprise at his choir concert this month. He begged us not to attend, but we ignored his request. Imagine our surprise when he sang a great solo. He and his friend basically carried the tenor section. I guess Walter really didn't want us to know how well he sings. Now that his secret is out, he is stubbornly determined to deny his talent, despite requests from teachers at school that he try out for the musical. He joined the school newspaper as well and likes talking to me about things he is writing. When he isn't working on homework, helping me, or playing on the computer, he likes to write code. In the spring, he plans to join the track team--a perfect fit for him as he can't handle team sports. It just makes him mad for days when his teammates don't do what he thinks they should.

No one told me how much fun teenagers can be. Walter and I spend a lot of time laughing when we aren't busy. He has a really great sense of humor and we both like to find funny things on the internet to share with one another.

Tiffany

This month really threw a bombshell at me. I was asked to be the Ward Relief Society President at church. For those of you who don't know what this is, it is a church responsibility that is a LOT of work. I am in charge of overseeing the spiritual and physical welfare of 100 women and their families. I assess needs and provide food for families in need. I oversee the Sunday instruction for women, and administer a visiting teaching program where women in our congregation go over to one another's homes monthly to ensure contact, friendship, and well-being. Since I was put in, I have put together a funeral and dinner, counseled with some young women who have been in limbo trying to find their direction in life, put together food orders for two struggling families, arranged babysitting for a single mom who is trying to get her college education, and put together an action plan to help a single mom who just had rotator cuff surgery. It's hard work! But I'm finding that as I do it, I feel grateful for what I have--a great family, skills and talents that are being utilized to help people, and happiness to be able to give back. I work with some great people who work hard to help me and are teaching me about delegation.

Brent

Brent has been busy chopping wood for our wood stove we installed this summer. He finds it relaxing and nice to do some physical labor after all the brain work he does at IBM. He is still working on solar cells at IBM. For awhile, since his return to New York after being in Saudi Arabia he was more in the background with his team. But now he is trying to be more "in view" by presenting more and showing his contributions. He filed another patent disclosure this month, which brings his total to about 12. He has already had seven patents filed since working at IBM six years ago. It is kind of fun to Google his name because all kinds of cool things crop up when you do. When he isn't chopping wood, filing patents, or working at IBM, he is usually playing board games with the kids, or relaxing with me.

Brent and I joined a chorale group and we are singing an original oratorio, "Daniel", composed by a friend of ours. We will perform it in May and practice twice a week. At first, I was concerned about the time commitment, but singing brings me so much joy that it is worth the time and effort. My voice has started to come back which makes me so happy.

Random January Events

We have had a few snow storms, which always makes our schools close. They are kind of wimps about it. This past week we were supposed to get a doozy of a storm that promised at least two feet of snow. School was canceled for two days straight. The reality was that we got about five inches of light snow.

Brent and I enjoyed a fun evening of dancing at a dance school in our area. Of course, we were bombarded with requests to join the school--which we would love to do but we are spending our time and money on other things right now. It was so fun though to be together and dance.

Well, I have probably bored you all to tears, so I will let you go now. I love you all!

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

A New Adventure

As my baby gets older, I have been thinking about the next steps in my life. As I pondered possible goals at the end of 2014, I decided that 2015 would be the year I would figure out what was next. I have felt an excess of energy, a desire to do some good in the world, a deep desire to develop my skills and talents and move toward my future. I had no idea these thoughts and feelings I was having were building toward something exciting and new.

A few weeks ago, my Bishop called and asked to meet with me. In my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have a lay ministry, which means most people in the congregation serve and help out running meetings, activities, service efforts, etc. All without being paid. Our Bishop is like a minister or pastor in that he oversees our congregation, counsels and works with members, and manages the administration. It is a demanding job which often requires many extra hours. Most Bishops will tell you that while it requires a great deal of time, it is spiritually and emotionally rewarding. Bishops serve for a period of 5-7 years and then a new Bishop is asked to serve. Anyhow, when my Bishop met with me, he asked me to serve as our congregation's, or ward's Relief Society President for about 2 years or so. (He didn't give me a time limit, but that seems to be about the term for Relief Society Presidents in our ward.)

I was shocked because this is a calling that also requires a great deal of time and service. After talking with my husband, I accepted the responsibility. Last Sunday the Bishop officially announced my service to our ward, and my tenure began.

What is a Relief Society President? A Relief Society president oversees the adult women, ages 18 and up, in her congregation. Her responsibility is to help women increase their faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and help those in need. One program we have in place to reach out to all the women in our ward is the Visiting Teaching Program, where each woman is asked to visit at least one other woman in our ward one a regular basis, making sure that the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of women in our ward are being met. In particular, I have a very important responsibility to assess the physical needs of families in our congregation. I am to make sure that families have enough food, that they have adequate shelter, that they receive help with job training, and other things that are needed. This is one responsibility that I have that I cannot share with my counselors as we want people to be able to retain their dignity as they receive assistance.

 Fortunately, I'm not alone in this service. I have three counselors and a secretary to help manage and oversee the work. One of my counselors will plan and prepare meaningful activities, one counselor will oversee the Sunday instruction, and the third counselor will help reach out to the many Spanish-speaking women in our ward. The secretary helps keep me on track by managing details, agendas, budgets, etc.

In the week since I was officially put in, I have met with a young woman who has been struggling to find her path in life and I counseled and encouraged her. I've reached out to women who have been doing their visiting teaching to see to needs of specific women. I've helped organize a Linger Longer following church meetings, and learned about the welfare program of the church.

In our ward, people are really anxiously involved in trying to help one another. Several women take turns babysitting for a single mother who is going to college. Through fast offerings, people in our ward who are struggling and do not have food or need help with rent, receive food and rent assistance. Several couples take turns giving rides to church to two deaf women who are unable to drive. In church, translation is provided for Spanish-speaking men and women so they can participate and understand the services.

Our theme this year is to build Zion. In our scriptures, we have a passage about Zion, that the people of Zion were of one heart, one mind, and there was no poor among them.  We have been charged to make our outreach broader and more community based. My activities counselor and I have been discussing exciting and long-term projects that could address needs within our community, but also interesting projects that could potentially benefit girls in Africa.

As much work as this calling promises to be, I am excited about it because I will be able to be engaged in something really meaningful. I am hoping that this will positively impact my children as they help me and we work together. My husband has already been a huge support in taking over some of my regular household duties so that I have the additional time I need. Reaching out to serve and help others is a wonderful thing and to be intimately involved is a privilege. 

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The Best Books I Read in 2014

Here are a few of the best books I read in 2014.

Global Mom: Eight Countries, Sixteen Addresses, Five Languages, One Family by Melissa Dalton-Bradford

Melissa Dalton-Bradford has a gift for distilling and analyzing nearly two decades worth of experiences as her family explored and lived in country after country. This isn't an ordinary travelogue turned memoir, but a weightier and more illuminating story of a family bound together through travel and grief. The last half of the book explores how the family has lived with their grief for their son and brother, Parker. If you want to know what it is like to live in a foreign country, learn a language, or struggle with loss, then this is the best book to read.

On Loss and Living Onward: Collected Voices for the Grieving and Those Who Would Mourn With Them by Melissa Dalton-Bradford

This primer on grief contains essays, quotes, poems, and songs about grieving, especially those who mourn children. After reading this book, I felt like I was better prepared to genuinely mourn with friends who have experienced devastating loss. I feel like every person on this planet should read this book because we will all experience death and loss and we will all be tasked with mourning with those who face death and loss. It is essential to the human experience.

The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan by Jenny Nordberg

Absolutely required reading for anyone who wants to understand the reality of being female in Afghanistan. The stories are true, riveting, and powerful. A sensitive and thoughtful reader will find much to ponder in the way gender roles are perceived, taught, and discussed in one's own culture and compare and contrast it to the function of gender in Afghanistan.

The Invisible History of the Human Race: How DNA and History Shape Our Identities and Future by Christine Kenneally

If you are remotely interested in genealogy or family history, you need to read this book to understand what DNA and history can tell you about your past and your present. The book is densely filled with stories, science, and connections. Be prepared to develop a burning desire to get your DNA tested--along with everyone in your family you can cajole into getting the testing done as well.

Made From Scratch: Reclaiming the Pleasures of the American Hearth by Jean Zimmerman

A fascinating book which discusses the role and value of homemaking both anciently and modernly. The author explores why homemaking is so demonized today and why it is making a comeback. I think this could qualify as a homemaker's manifesto in being able to explain why possessing skills of cooking, cleaning, sewing, etc. are valuable and meaningful in our modern world.

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic In Disguise by Ruth Reichl

Warning: Be prepared to be very hungry as you read. There is a reason Ruth Reichl was a restaurant critic for the New York Times and why she was the editor for Gourmet magazine. Her food prose is divine. A must for any foodie or person who just likes to eat, read about food, or think about food.

What were your favorite books you read in 2014?

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