Sunday Sentiments - Encounters

I always appreciate an Uchtdorf talk. In April's General Conference, he gave an address titled, "Encounter at the Empty Tomb."

After Christ's death, a small group of women came to His tomb and found Him missing. President Uchtdorf stated:

I have tried to imagine the depth of their grief. 

I can't. 

I have tried to imagine their heartache, helplessness, and hopelessness. 

I can't.

I've been taught my whole life about Christ's death and why it happened. I haven't fully understood the depth or magnitude of the sacrifice, but I've always had the knowledge of its occurrence and its outcome. For me, Christ's death has always been part of a story I've known the ending to. I never had to experience His death without knowing He was resurrected.

The women who found the tomb empty - Mary, Mary, Salome, and Joanna - had to experience Christ's death without knowing what would happen next. Fortunately that time of not knowing was short, and they were able to witness the beautiful miracle of Christ's resurrection. 

But still, there was a space of time where they had to face the unknown. I'm sure that in addition to immense grief, they had questions - deep, hard questions. I'm sure they felt overwhelming fear. 

But then, the miracle. 

President Uchtdorf said, "Early on that Sunday morning... a small group of friends who, despite grief, fear, and unanswered questions, encountered the empty tomb and learned for themselves the glorious truth of His Resurrection... these few women became the world's first witnesses of the single greatest event in the history of this world. "

I try to imagine how it would feel to witness Christ's death followed by His resurrection. 

Tremendous relief. 

Unfathomable awe. 

President Uchtdorf notes that, although we were not there on that Easter morning, we can still figuratively “encounter the tomb.” He asks, “What have we seen, felt, or experienced?” He encourages us to become witnesses of Jesus Christ and let our testimonies of Him make a difference in our lives. 

I hope to experience tremendous relief and unfathomable awe someday when I see my Savior face to face. In the meantime, I look for traces of Him everywhere, and I try to recognize my own “encounters” with Jesus. I haven’t yet seen, but I have felt. 

Conversations While Hiking (and such)

“This is boring. I’d rather be on a hike.”

-Daisy regarding the Human History Museum

—————

Daisy: I wonder how these rocks were formed.

Scotty: Read the placard, and it will tell you.

Daisy: It’s summer break. I don’t read.

—————

“Don’t fall! I can’t afford another mom!”

-Zoe

—————

“I just saved you 8 days of walking!”

-Daisy to a beetle after she carried it down the trail and placed it on a rock

—————

“You don’t need no fish to play fishing. Animal Crossing taught me that.”

-Daisy

—————

Me: Did you know that you should never carve in trees?

Eva: Yes.

Me: Okay, good. I wasn’t sure if Dad and I had ever taught you that.

Eva: You didn’t teach me that. I just know it from looking at trees.

—————

“When I’m tired, I get lots of energy.”

-Daisy, who always contradicts herself 

—————

Daisy: YOLO, Dad!

Scotty: I forgot what that means.

Eva: You forgot what FROYO means?

Scotty: No, not FROYO, FROMO!

Daisy: Dad, you’re mixing up YOLO and FOMO.

Scotty: What the heck is FOMO?

—————

“If I can catch men with my hands, I can catch fish with my hands.”

-Daisy

—————

“Eva, do a nice face, please.”

“EVA! Please do a nice face.”

“A nice face!”

“EVA!!”

Things The Kids Say: Episode 41

 “It takes a really long time to get someone pregnant.”

-Eva

—————

“I live with a man with big nostrils.”

-Zoe

Zoe and Daisy playing in the rain last weekend

—————

“I really want an orange, but I’m too lazy to peel one, so I’m just going to look at one and think about what it tastes like.”

-Eva

—————

Me: This breakfast sandwich is killer.

Zoe: Is that even a word anymore?

—————

“Did you know that Frankenstein isn’t really named Frankenstein? Frankenstein is the guy that looks like Albert Einstein that made Frankenstein.”

-Eva

Eva wrapped in a Christmas quilt on the first day of summer break (we had a storm and it was pretty cold)

—————

“Would you like me to yodel you to sleep?”

-Eva

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“I haven’t seen a tater tot in almost a year!”

-Nicky

Nicky’s last day in Antigua

Welcome Summer

Things we’ve done since school got out: 

Had a root beer float party

Had a weenie roast

Went to church

Went to a birthday party

Did sidewalk chalk (multiple times)

Rode bikes (multiple times)

Went to the park (multiple times)

Went to a movie

Played board games (multiple times)

Went to Hobby Lobby

Did crafts (with supplies from Hobby Lobby)

Played in sprinklers

Watched lots and lots of TV

Ate pizza

Went to Grandmas’ houses (multiple times)

Played on an inflatable slide

Played hands up stands up

Went to work

Talked to Nicky on the phone

Started tumbling classes

Did chores (multiple times)

Went to the garden center

Went grocery shopping

Went thrift shopping (Daisy found a prom dress)

—————

I feel like I’ve lived 1,000 lives since Friday.

Only 70 days left.

Currently (June 2026 Edition)

Reading:

I have an actual hard copy of this book from the library, and I have to admit, it's difficult to pick it up and read it. I used to be so anti-e-reader, and now that's the only way I like to read because my book is always in my pocket. 

Singing: “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye

Buying: new life jackets for the fam.

Eating: Honey Nut Cheerios and chips & salsa (I do not recommend this combination based on the afterburps).

Watching:

I haven't started watching this yet, but it's next on my list. 

Dreading: sleeping. I don't like sleeping because every night is a gamble - will I actually get any sleep, or will I wake up in a perimenopausal episode (or from neuropathy pain or from a child with a bloody nose...) and fall back asleep twenty minutes before I have to get up for the day?

Annoyed by: sounds I'm not in control of. 

Listening to:

As with my latest TV show, I haven't yet started this one, but it's next on the list.

Procrastinating: weeding. I was doing so good keeping up on the weeds in the garden, and then I went outside the other day and BAM! A bazillion tiny weeds had surfaced! And I think if I let them grow a wee bit they will be easier to grip and pull out of the ground. But those could be famous last words.

Playing:

Sad about: social situations I've observed with my children. The friendships that have crumbled lately, the parties they weren't invited to, the moments they seem lost or depressed, the interactions they are left out of. 

Eating: hot dogs. We had a weenie roast over the weekend, and we have a few leftover hot dogs that need to be eaten. 

Craving: a binge-worthy TV show on a cold, rainy day. 

Suffering from: weird hair. The front sections of my hair are shorter than the rest of my hair, and the right side is an inch shorter than the left. 

Feeling: neutral. I'm not particularly happy nor unhappy. I'm just neutral. 

Looking forward to: watching our garden grow this summer. What successes will we have? (And what failures... insert sad face). We should be picking peas soon!

Buying: 

I added the Simpsons to my Little People collection.

Laughing about: a poor, little child using our bathroom the other day and bumping the bidet and getting a terrible surprise! It was sad and hilarious. And she was quite soaked.

Grateful for: our recent rainstorm.

Sunday Sentiments - Looking for Lagniappes

Last week I was able to listen to one of Nicky's former companions report on his mission from Oregon (what a fun perk of technology!) The program included a talk from a young woman who was leaving on her mission to Louisiana. Ironically, she lived in Louisiana as a child, so she would be returning to her former home to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ... but in Spanish!

I loved this sister's talk! I learned something kind of fun from her. In Louisiana (and nearby regions) there is a commonly used creole word - lagniappe (LAN-yap) - which means "a little something extra." It is used to describe a small gift or bonus, usually given at a time of purchase.

As we strive to obey the commandments and follow our Savior, I believe we are frequently sprinkled with "a little something extra." Lagniappes from the Lord, if you will. A lagniappe is offered by the vendor - it isn't usually requested. Likewise, there are blessings we pray for and desperately need, but then there are the ones we don't ask for. They are delightful, little surprises we don't expect! Indeed, "a little something extra." 

I've written before about my testimony of tithing. I can't explain it logically, but tithing just... works. Somehow it brings forth the lagniappes. I've also had similar experiences with some Church assignments. As I have given my best efforts to various Church callings, I've received lagniappes like multiplied talents and sacred experiences. 

Now that I have a word for it, I'll be looking for more lagniappes from the Lord - those little surprise blessings. something extra I didn’t even know I needed! I only hope I don't have to continue trying to spell it. 

Actual footage of me discovering another lagniappe

90’s Summer

The 90’s have been trending for a while, and I’ve been seeing a lot of social media discussion about having a 90’s summer. Since I was in peak childhood during the 90’s, I’ve been trying to remember what my summers were like. I don’t have memories of fun, amazing summers. I remember being bored all the time and having to do really weird things to entertain myself. Ya, I rode my bike everywhere just like the kids on TV, and we didn’t have cell phones and all the addiction problems that come with them, but it wasn’t all magical. Here are the things I did to stay busy when I wasn’t at school:

Rearranged my bedroom

Hung upside down from my knees on the swing set

Sat on the front porch and counted how many cars drove by 

Stared at the neighbor girl through the fence slats and tried to creep her out (I would intentionally position my face so she could see one eyeball looking at her)

Watched The Box (for hours everyday)

Watched all the talk shows like Jenny Jones, Ricki Lake, and Maury

Played in the irrigation ditch

Hit golf balls across the street

Walked to stores or gas station

Talked on the phone

Played Super Nintendo 

Climbed on the roof of my house

Put grapes from the yard in my mouth and spit them as far as I could

Sat in a tree and watched people at the park behind my house

Organized my Jonathan Taylor Thomas posters

Worked on my novel on our DOS computer

Played Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Mah Jongg on the DOS computer

Read the phone book

…and the encyclopedia, but we only had "E"

Memorized song lyrics from my CD booklets (if you want to hear “Might as Well Be Walking on the Sun” or “Wannabe,” just send me word)

Did cross stitch

Some of these things might sound nostalgic and wonderful, but did you catch the part where I used to count cars and read the phonebook? Do you think I can convince my kids to do that when they’re bored next week?

90’s Britt