Dearden Days

I am going to try out something new, I regularly read this blog-The White House. BTW, this is the first time I have put in a link, so I have already done something new! Anyway, she is going to give a writing prompt each Thursday and I thought it would be fun to join and add more depth to our blog. As an added bonus you can check out her blog; I like to feel sophisticated by association. Plus, Suzi is willing to write many of the things that I think, but have never said or written.

Prompt 1: Write about the major changes you feel you need to make in your life right now.

Glad that is says major changES, since it would be hard to narrow down the many things that I need to tackle! When I was getting my undergraduate degree my friend (and boss), used to joke that I would accomplish a whole days worth of things before most people got out of bed. How I miss those days of motivation and achievement and energy.

I had a handwritten sign, this was before the days of vinyl, that said "Discipline is: Doing What Has To Be Done, When It Has To Be Done, The Very Best It Can Be Done and Doing It That Way All The Time." This quote has been on my mind a lot the last few months. Many of the things I want to change boil down to me needing to be more disciplined.

To list a few: my weight, I am tired of being fat. I realized that since we have lived in our current home, four years, I have always been fat. We moved in when I was pregnant with Aleeya, I still had 10-15 lbs. to lose when I got pregnant with Spencer, now I have 20-25 lbs. to lose. Won't my neighbors be amazed to see Diana at a healthy weight. To accomplish this I have started running and I am sure if I could apply some of that magic discipline to my eating that would also be helpful.

Next, my spiritual progression, I am currently serving in the Stake Young Women Presidency as the First Counselor and so I am trying to get my Young Women's Medallion. I got this when I went through the Young Women's program, but it is a totally different program now. One of the goals is to have daily prayer and scripture study for two weeks. Simple, right? I have been a member of the church since I was eight, (note: I am not saying how many years that has been), but I still don't have those habits ingrained in me. Let's just say, that in the last six months, I have not been able to go two weeks without missing one of those things!

Next, the raising of my children. If our words and actions are recorded in heaven then the words I most often say are "get off the counter" and "get in the van." Despite the fact that I say these phrases millions of times, there are still children on the counter and I am still yelling to get everyone into the van and on our way. I so want to have children that listen! I know many things that I can improve on that will help them be better listeners, but it takes discipline and consistency on my part to see results.

If I start listing all of the other things I want my children to be better at I will get so depressed that I will finish off the brownies left over from the Scout Pack Meeting, so I will just state that I realize I have much work to do to be able to "train my children up in the way that they should go."

Finally, I want to feel passionate and excited again about my life. I drag through each day and feel proud of myself if I shower. That is a major change that I think will come if I can tackle the other things that I listed.

So, there you have it I have "written it out." I hope this will not be edited for substance or proper grammar etc. Hmmm, maybe I should have clarified that first. :)