Anniversary update - finally

One of the many beautiful bays around St. John Island in the US Virgin Islands. A great way to celebrate twenty years of weddedness.

These guys just twaddled around everywhere. It was such a surprise to see them touring the neighborhood. Not your neighbor's dog, that's for sure.

I realized two of my life goals when we traveled to the British Virgin Isle of Tortola. 1.) I got my passport stamped. 2.) I swam with the dolpins. They were named Atlas and Zeus. When's the last time you spent time with two guys named that?

Friday Night Lights

I watched Carston for the umpteenth time play with the band, but I always come away thinking he is SO cool. The link below should show you "Tactical". He's one mean marimba!!

http://www.motionbox.com/video/player/1c9fdab01d1be692/0fd7f9d60716db94

Shoeless Landon and the Power of Prayer

Each morning I get up at 4:50 to get ready for Seminary. In the past, throwing on a sweatsuit and dropping the boys off did not require such dedication, but now that it takes a little more time to put on a dress and the face to match. It's been very rewarding and challenging so far to meet with the youth each day and try to somehow give them a glimpse of the Spirit and inspire in them a love for the scriptures.

Sometimes it is even more challenging to arrive back home AFTER seminary and be greeted by three half-dressed children, or in Lauren's case, a fully dressed child wearing Batman pajama shorts and a stained "shark" shirt which are for some reason her favorite. Anyway, this morning Landon had only one shoe. We have a shoe rack by the door, but apparently the shoes did not make it there. So, he proceeded to wander aimlessly throughout the house looking for this shoe as I instructed Bowen to change the shirt he wore yesterday and Lauren to lose the shark shirt and the Batman pants, AGAIN.

In my head I'm praying, "Dear God, Please help me.." because I lack patience, of course. Landon dug through the pile of dirty clothes in his room for the umpteenth time and I finally said, "I think it's time for you to pray" and I continued making lunches and messing with Lauren's hair. Landon disappeared briefly and then I saw him limp around the house with his one shoe one more time. I asked him had he prayed? Yes. Well, what are you going to do? His reply - I don't know. So, I ask, would you like some suggestions? He answered - No. OH. This is where I usually offer them anyway, but today...was different. I let him be. A few minutes later he beelined for his room and proclaimed, "I found it!!" What had happened? The Spirit had prompted him to remember where he had last seen the shoe and that it had fallen behind the dresser.

A recent seminary lesson taught that Moses "calling upon God, he received strength". He of course was facing a much more dire situation than an impatient Mom and a lost shoe. But what a testimony that Heavenly Father loves us enough to answer even those smallest prayers! I asked Landon what he had learned about prayer. His answer - That when we pray the Holy Ghost will help us. The perfect seminary lesson.

The First and the Last

The first day of school for the last of our children. Not only has our first child left the nest for an extended period of time, but our last has left for the vast world that school provides for 5 year olds! I think I'm growing up!

What's so funny is that by Thursday, Lauren was thoroughly exhausted by her new experiences and begged me (in between sobs) to let her stay home - it was too long and she didn't want to go. How guilty I felt taking her to school that day. But when Grandma called later and asked Lauren how she liked school THEN she loved it! I'm so glad they forget the traumatic things of life so easily and recover so quickly. How easy it is for children to remain positive and what a great example for me!!

He's official

Well, Dalon is officially a missionary. We had a great send off dinner - thanks to all who came or sent their best wishes. Wednesday we piled all the kids in the car at 5AM and took him to the airport. My folks met him in Salt Lake and transported him to the MTC. Below is his address at the MTC. He will be there until mid-November. I'll be posting this on the family blog and the Work family site as well. If you want the latest on our family in particular we will continue to post at www.workhouse7.blogspot.com
Thanks to all who have visited the site and commented to us! It's been fun to hear from you.

All our love,
Arlen and Kari

Elder Dalon Grant Work
MTC Mailbox # 235
CHN-HK 1114
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Just call me Hannah

"Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord." (1 Sam. 1:28) Today I am Hannah. From the day Dalon was born, my focus has been to teach him to love and serve the Lord and today he enters the MTC. He actually made my job easy because he naturally leans toward the light of Christ. He innately does good, desires and seeks good in this world and shuns the rest. What have I done to be so blessed? The truth is that he is lent to me and now I am, in a sense, giving him back.

Last night Dalon was set apart as a full time missionary by our Stake President. The blessing was awesome and so personal, so specific for Dalon's needs. The Lord loves him so much and has so much in store for him. Isn't that knowledge what keeps us all striving? Arlen also gave him a father's blessing and many more promises and much more insight was imparted. It was a wonderful night-even amidst the last minute packing that needed to be attended to.

I'm so grateful for all those who helped guide Dalon. Most of his life so far has been spent in Robinson/Waco area so all those who influenced him there are now part of this exciting time for us. The growth and learning he attained while living there has made him the wonderful person that he is. And so, with tears of joy for him and tears of selfish sadness for me, I eagerly await his first letter from the MTC and his first phone call at Christmas and I wonder if he made his connecting flight in Dallas.... I may be Hannah, but I'm also still Kari.

To the temple

Friday the 10th we took Dalon to the Lubbock Temple where he received his endowments. I think when I saw him walk into the room looking SO young and handsome, it became a surreal moment. I couldn't wrap my brain around the fact that my child was there-with me- in the temple. He looked a little lost but later he remarked the he could have stayed there forever! Good sign! My thoughts, "He gets it!" The next day he turned 19.

Today Arlen and I celebrate 20 years of marriage. We'll be going to St. Johns in the Virgin Islands to celebrate. I'm so excited to go someplace different and beautiful and will post all the pics when we get back. I even got a passport. Does that mean I'm somebody now?:-) A passport makes a person want to get up and go, so I'm hoping to have many other trips to various and asundry places!!

Lastly, I'm now an official real estate salesperson. Who'da thunk it? I guess all that moving, remodeling, building of property, staging of property, etc. led me in this direction. I never thought this is a place I'd go. The Lord provided this opportunity when we needed a little extra to help with Dalon's mission. He knows best, so we'll see where this takes us and I'll keep ya posted.