I don't usually get to the seriousess of life here...i leave it up to the imagination to get people thinking i'm not ALWAYS having fun times, and always taking my kids on outings, being such a "fun mom."wink wink.

I AM NOT, a great mom.

Many times, I find myself wondering who on earth ever got the "OK" to trust me with 3 of these little people, and most times I find myself wondering how I can help them more, and hurt them less.

Please don't get me wrong, I love these sweet, innocent, loving, hilarious little spirits more than words can express, almost more than this heart of mine can handle; and I don't want to trade them or sell them EVER! But, like we all know,

Motherhood=HARD.

(and please, I'm not here requesting your "Lis, you're a great mom because...."comments here, I'm just getting down to the nitty gritty)

Cue Conference.

I've been especially down in the dumps about my mothering skills- or lack thereof- for a while now, and it doesn't surprise me in the least, that He, who knows ME, and loves ME,and listens to ME, and helps ME, had some very inspired, worthy, angelic messages sent my way this weekend.

I have never, in my whole, long 30 years on earth, ever,EVER, EVER been so touched by conference as I was this past weekend! They had me at hello, and I couldn't get enough. Of course it helped that my sweet baby girl slept through most of it,and that the other two sweetnesses of mine stayed in their designated areas for 8 hours!But really. Every.Single.Spoken.Word. was whispered to my little soul.

I am SO grateful for a living prophet in these latter days. He has SUCH a powerful testimony and such willing hands. I have always loved his stories- I'm a stories kind of gal, and I get him, and I'm grateful that he is our prophet today.

I am grateful to a Savior who somehow, beyond my grasp, is able to think of me personally and help me individually; and that he ALWAYS has. Let's just say that I've chosen to take some very windy paths in my day, and they've looked more like the dark, spooky, creepy road that Belle's dad had to choose from, you know, when he's in the forest, and ends up horseless, chased by ravenous wolves, at the gates of a very scary castle?????? get the picture????

He N-E-V-E-R left my side. EVER. I knew it then, but I was not willing to "open he door" when he came a'knockin'. How I ever ended up in Salt Lake City, Utah, in love with a honkin' tall boy from high school, named Brent Ramey, I'll NEVER know, but this I do know.

It was all a part of HIS plan.

I am grateful for his unfailing atonement and his undying love for me and all of those I love. My heart aches for family members on a daily basis, but the hope and faith I have in this gospel, brings me peace and the knowledge that I just have to hold my head up high and keep trudging along in this waist high muck. He is holding their hands just as he has and is holding mine, every single day. And we all just need to put our trust in Him and life will be ok.

Not to be too crazy personal....but I had to say something about Conference weekend or I would have felt amiss.

*Something cute that happened while watching Sunday afternoon-*

I wasn't about to try to get my kidlets to sit and "pay attention" to the speakers, but I did require them to listen to our prophet speak at least once. Well, they weren't feeling the urge, and conference was winding down. Out of time, I called them into the living room to listen. Of course, Max had to have a hernia right then! I looked at him and I whispered- Do you know who doesn't want you to listen to conference? He said-ME? And I chuckled, and said, "No, Satan. He doesn't want you to feel the spirit and have a testimony of the prophet. But Heavenly Father does. Why don't you decide if you want to follow Satan or Heavenly Father and get back to me?" He walked over to the table and I thought- DOH, not gonna work! But then, he walked back over to me with his journal in hand, a fresh smile on his face. He said, "mom, I want to feel the spirit. Will you write in my journal like you're writing in yours about what President Monson is saying?"

AHHHHHH.....it was heavenly.

and so it can be!

let us all endure well whatever comes our way in this life of trials.

I love this gospel, I love my Savior and my Father in Heaven, I LOVE conference, and I just had to get this down in print somewhere and thought, why not here??!!

And I hope you know that I am here. As a friend, a listener, a shoulder to cry on, should anyone I love ever need it, ever, any time, any place.

stay tuned for some fab pictures of the last week at the Ramey Household....it's been fun!

phew---- that was different eh? no pictures or nothin?!