The Owens Family

The Atonement

2011-03-30T23:07:00.001-07:00

SO a friend posted a link on facebook abou this guy talking about the Atonement and i thought he described it in the best way I have ever heard.
I have read a few books on using the Atonement for spiritual purposes but how? How exactly do you use it...it almost just seem like such a big concept yet so simple really. And a lot of times I am pleading with the Lord for help I completely forget about using the Atonement to help me through so I thought that I would post what this guys says cause it makes so much sense, atleast to me it does:
(he's talking about his sturggle with cancer(but it applies to much much more!))
"After many days of this anxiety, I finally made a heartfelt appeal on my knees. I told God that I was fairly certain of the process for making His son’s atonement work for me in the expurgation of my sins, but that I was at a total loss as to how the atonement worked in the deliverance from the pain and sorrow and grief of every day heartaches and other illnesses of the soul that come, not because of sin or rebellion, but because of ... well, just because.

“I am unaware of any process to put into play here, Father. How is it accomplished? I’ve been taught that the atonement covers this sort of thing. But how? What do I do? What do I do?”

After a bit of consideration, I said, “Here’s what I think–I hope–will work. I’m going to take all this worry–this pain–this anxiety, all this fear and terror, and roll it all up into a ball and I’m going to toss it up to you. Will that work? Is that all I need to do? Because I don’t think I can get through another day like this. I’m kinda goin’ crazy here and I need to get rid of this stuff. So, here–here it is, take it. I’m tossing it as high as I can. Please catch it. It’s yours now.”

And I did it. I rolled it all up and threw it into the air. At least I pictured myself doing that. Then I took a deep breath and went to work.

And then it was as if a gentle rain followed me everywhere I went that day. The mud and muck of fear and uncertainty dissolved under that warm and friendly downpour slowly but persistently as the day went on. And by the time I went to bed that night my heart and my mind were calm and peaceful.

Turns out, Jesus is pretty good at a game of catch. But it’s a short game. He doesn’t toss the ball back."

Movie night 11/30/08...was just thinking about it today.

2010-04-01T18:48:00.000-07:00

Nate and I decided to go out tonight. We went to the dollar theater in Sandy, it cost a dollar seventy five to get in. I didn't feel like taking my purse to this particular event so I just grabbed my debit card and my drivers license and stuffed them in my back pocket.
So we are sitting in the movie theater waiting for it to start and then all the sudden I have to urge to go potty. I make my way into the restroom and pick the second stall on the left. I close the door and shimmy my pants off my hips just to hear a plop, plop... 2 plops! My cards!! the ones that I stuffed into my back pocket!!! What am I going to do with my cards floating around in a public toilet?! Lucky for me the toilet is not an automatic flusher.
My debit card happened to be floating on top and was a fairly easy recovery, but as for my license, it sunk straight to the dirty bottom! You know, nestled quite nicely right in the catcher. I make my way to the very top of the water several times to dive my way to the bottom but I just can't do it. I end up jumping back and shaking my hands as if I had actually touched the water, but I hadn't. So I start looking around the stall frantically looking for something to reach in there with or atleast to cover my hand up with something to retrieve my license. I look in the feminine hygiene box and see that it is chuck full but these dang females happened to miss the box liner completely. This is my luck day! A full box but an empty bag! Yes! I grab the bag and push my hand to the bottom of the infested, public throne and finally, with some coaxing,I retrieve my license. Whew! it's over, now I can go potty. So I do. Then, I grab my now infested cards and wash my hands and my cards and then make my way over to the air hand dryer and dry them all off and then make my way back to the theater room in quite a hurry so I can die laughing while telling Nate of my lovely escapades.
By the way, I seriously think this would be a halarious silent film! One day it wil be done...one day!

Blessings

2010-03-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

Before I get into what I've been thinking about lately I want to tell you that both Nathan and I auditioned for Pickleville Playhouse(in bear lake)! It's a fun western playhouse that you can also get a western cookout dinner before the show. They are performing 2 shows this summer. One is a mellow drama called El Bandito Rides Again which is written by a guy in our ward. He's young and talented and does a fantastic job writing the script and music for it! It is one HALARIOUS show! The other show they are doing is Crazy For You from broadway! It's a fun show and I hopwe get to be in it! Nathan and I both made call backs and went through a long callback process of dancing and acting. There was a lot of great talent there and I felt pretty cool acting and singing with such talented people! This is so on my bucket list to be in a play and even better that it could hopefully be in a playhouse that plays the whole summer long! We will find out by the end of next week if we got a part in the play or not.

O.K. so I was reading a friends blog today and came across this video. Well, actually it's a girl who Nate use to date and her and her hubby are struggling with infertility and I have other friends who suffer from infertility as well. Then I got to thinking that I have 3 beautiful, wonderful, gorgeous sons!!! Yes they came fast and close together but I LOVE it!! I don't have any problem with it they are my life! This all made me think about when I am talking to someone and tell them that I have three boys (in 4 and a half years) and they make comments about how I am a fertile mertile or how bold it was of me to do that or "what were you thinking?" I've decided from now on I will let them know that I am proud that I have 3 sons and I wouldn't have any other way instead of letting them make thier comments and wishing, later, that I would've said something. I am grateful everyday for my children and I ache and feel for the couples that aren't able to concieve...I can't imagine the aching, the longing, the dissapointment, the hurt, the challenges and much, much more that they go through.- Also I don't want to forget the girls and guys that make such a selfless decision to place thier babies for adoption!-

YOU PROMISED

So this week a young 16 year old boy passed away. I do not personally know him but my manager does and he and his brothers use to come in to Dollar Cuts and get thier hair cut and they also use to do something with flyers and Dollar Cuts(I'm not too sure). But this young boy had just gotten his license and on this particular night he got in a fight with his mom and took off in the family suburban. The mom called police concerned for her son and when the police man found a vehicle matching the descrption that the mom had given, the police man turned on his lights and attempted to pull him over. At that point the young boy sped up and tried to elude the officer and took a right turn going aroung 65-75 pmh causing the vehicle to roll 5-6 times and he was ejected halfway through the rolls (he later died in SLC). This young boy's father happened to be in Colorado at the time and couldn't fly home to see his dying son because of a snow storm so he rented a car and attempted to make this long and grueling trip home by car through stromy weather. He made it to Wyoming and was not able to go further due to road closures. This poor family is seperated in this time of grief and there is nothing they can do but wait for the weather to clear up. Well, the funeral was Saturday and my manager told me of a some things that were said and this next bit I about to tell you struck me so hard! (I will try to tell it to the best of my knowledge) About 2 years ago this couple had a premonition that they would lose a son...then about a week or so prior to this 16 your boy dying this father had another premonition that they would lose a son and it was going to be soon. This premonition was so strong that he collapsed to the floor and sobbed! He went on to say that everynight he and his wife pray to the Lord that they will do ANYTHING for the Lord's will to be done, they will do anything to do His work, that they are committed to him! And as this father was in colorado and heard the news of the accident and can't fly out to his family so he rents a car trying to get home... alone.... through threcherous blizzardy conditions aching for his son,his wife, his family, knowing that they are trying to keep his son on life support till he gets there.... this voice said to him, "you said anything!" I believe they had to let his son go before he got there. People have asked what they can do for the family and the only thing that he asks is that you find one thing to make better in your life...one thing to fix/ to work on and write them about it and so they can read it and help cope with the loss of thier son.
How many times do we say we will do anything for the Lord or 'make a deal' or whatever it may be and we don't hold our end of the bargain? What about our spiritual commitments that we have made with the Lord? Again, as I posted in an earlier post, may we have the courage to do what is right and may we be blessed with the courage to accept His will!

2010-03-10T20:50:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to announce that Nathan told me that I needed to finally plan a girls night! He told me to just drive to Idaho Falls and he would saty home and watch the boys! So I did! I planend a girls night and I will be there Friday for it. It will be a nice outing with the ladies and a sleepover. I never been to a more fun sleepover than wiht GROWN LADIES!! It so beets the younger days! I reccomend it!

I've also recently changed my hair so here's a pic. I do it all myself and we all know I change it all the time...so no surprise there- this will be fun for a while!

My babies

2010-03-10T13:01:00.000-08:00

I was just thinking today about my boys as babies and I wondered how much thier baby pictures look alike.

HYRUM

JESSE

HADYN

Boys! Boys! Boys!

2010-03-01T21:16:00.001-08:00

I just realized that the pics on my blog are pretty much consumed by boys!!! And that is the story of my life! Boys, boys, boys, boys BOYS!!! So many boys! It's a good thing I like them but I am craving a girls night out! Maybe I should plan on going to Idaho and have a girls night in the next couple of weeks. That would be cool! Anyone know of a good movie that is out or coming out that we can have a girls night to?

Nathans Barbershop Quartet

2010-03-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

Nathan started up a barbershop quartet this semester, the A-chords! They have done well, have done some gigs and got paid for them! They were able to purchase tux vests, ties, and shnazzy jackets and had money left over to purchase music!

This is a good picture of Nate! I love it!

From left to right: Nathan: tenor, James: lead, Max: bass, Jaron: baritone

They look so shnazzy!

PIANO

2010-03-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

We got a new used piano the other day!! Nathan wants to start up piano lessons in the fall. We've already had some people show interest. It will be good for him to do that.

2010-02-25T13:41:00.000-08:00

I'm ready to live not only survive

I'm ready to dance like no ones watching

Climb a mountain, kiss the sky, then do it all again!

I'm ready to love like I've never been hurt

Ready to sing like no ones listening

watch more sunsets, see the world

If not now...when?

This is a long post!

2010-02-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

This is our first real post since living in Logan! Nathan is doing well in school and we are just living a busy family life!
I have been looking for a job and have had no luck getting one. I am officially licensed in Utah as a cosmetologist and I can't find a salon that wants to hire me. So I started exploring other job options and found that the plasma center here is short staffed and are hiring right now! So I applied to four of the five positions posted and went in and hand delivered my cover letter and resume and they called me today to set up an interview for Monday! I don't think I have ever been so excited for an interview!! I usually interview so well and the past interviews I have had have gone terrible and I have been nervous and I've had really bad luck. With this job at the plasma center they will train me to be a phlebotomist, if I get the job! I contemplated phlebotomy at one point in the last year or so but just don't have the time or money for it but it would be perfect if they will train me on the job at the plasma center!! I hope I have an awesome interview! Wish me luck!
We are enjoying Logan and living away 'on our own'. (so to say) We've had a rough time since moving here but things seem to go well for us as long as we keep paying our tithing! Which reminds me.....I want talk about trials! This is something important that I have learned and I thank the Lord for it! The Lord allows trials for us to endure. I have reacted in different ways to certain trials. There have been trials where I regret to say that I have been ungrateful and angry with the Lord. Downright and unfair just mad at the Lord. I was WRONG!!!(OBVIOUSLY!) That was a humbling trial. I needed to be humbled! There are trials that we are supposed to learn something from and then I discovered a new trial.....at times I have thought about faith...do I have enough....what is faith really? I always knew I had faith and it is all I can muster but is it really enough? It made me think of the man that took his afflicted son to Jesus and Jesus asked the man if he had faith enough for his son to be healed and the father answered,"help thou my unbelief."
Well, back in November I awoke one day and my whole abdomen hurt. I know now that it was pancreatis and gallstones! Along with this extreme abdominal pain I had this painful pressure right where your ribs meet in the middle front of your chest. It hurt so bad just to breath and all I could do was take shallow breaths. I was also nauseous, like a painful nausea, it just hurt and then I had extreme pain just off to the right just under my ribs. I couldn't even hold Hadyn it was so bad. This condition came and went over a period of three or four days some times being more extreme than others. I had no idea what was wrong and thought it was weird and if it persisted then I would see the doctor. I had told mom of my symptoms and she said that she had had that breathing problem about 3 times in her whole life and that if it persisted then I should go get some anti-inflammatory medicine. Well, it went away and I soon forgot about it. Then exactly 3 weeks later on a Sunday I was hyper and happy and having fun with my boys and then all of the sudden I started to feel nauseous and withing 10 minutes I was in extreme pain and couldn't hardly breath! I took a high dose of pain meds and soaked in the tub till they kicked in. Nate just happened to be at work. Luckily this attack only lasted about 4 hours but I told Nate that I wasn't going through that again and told him I was going right to the doc the next day, Monday. I ended up just picking a doc out of the phone book, which I love! He is actually a nurse practitioner. I went to the appointment and he told me that I had all the classic symptoms of gallstones! he set me up for an ultrasound on Wednesday. i went to the ultra sound and when they showed me my gallbladder the stones looked all lined up like peas in a pea pod! I got positive results the next day and I also just so happened to have another severe attack that just wouldn't let up and this time I went to the ER for pain meds. The doctor in the ER said that he had called the surgeon and that I was to immediately go see him the next day, Thursday. So I called and was insistent that I got in to see the surgeon and I really think that it was by some small miracle that I got in. I went to the surgeon and got blood work done and set up an appointment to have surgery done the following Thursday. I went home and about 5:00pm that night I got a call from the surgeon saying that my bile levels were high and he thinks I had a gallstone blockage and that I needed to go to the ER and be admitted and have surgery by the next day. he called ER and I went as soon as I could. Nate dropped me off, took the boys back home and where he left the boys with a sweet sister in our ward. Nate came back to the hospital for a bit and then I believe Nate stayed the night at home and took the boys to Darin and Keturah's the next day where they were so willing to watch them till mom came and picked them up and took them to Idaho for a week. I just chuckle every time I think about anybody taking my boys for a week! It's physically exhausting with just with my boys being so big! Not to mention everything else! Poor mom and Eliza! Anyway, Friday came and they couldn't do surgery on me cause my bile levels and/or liver enzymes were still too high and it wouldn't be safe enough. So we wait another day. Saturday doc comes in and I tell him that my whole abdomen hurt and he said that that was pancreatitis and it was definitely not safe to do surgery on me and to wait another day! I asked him if I could go home till the pancreatitis went away and he smirked at me and No! NO! you stay right here as long as you have pancreatitis! Apparently it's a serious condition! ha! ha! So I received a blessing that day and I remember it said "may you be healed according to your faith". Up to that point I never had once questioned the Lord and I told myself that for whatever reason that I had this trial I was going to pass through it with flying colors and show the Lord that I HAD FAITH! Little did I know, I really think that the Lord was showing me that I had enough faith! I believe that the Lord gave me that trial in answer to my question, "Do I have enough faith?" So I lay in the hospital bed with pancreatitis and am expecting at least 2-3 days to heal from it and the surgeon walks in that hospital room the very next morning, Sunday, with his eyes wide open and with a shocked look on his face he said,"That is one of the fastest turn arounds I have ever seen from pancreatitis. You are all clear for surgery!" They prepped me and wheeled me in and did the surgery and I went home the next day!(Monday) I never questioned the Lord and I know that I do have enough faith. That almost sounds wierd to say ENOUGH faith. I'll change it to say that I have whole hearted faith in the Lord!
On a side note:
Nate and I are teachers for the 13 year olds at church and I just keep repeating myself all the time that I just truly hope and pray that they have the courage to do what is right! May we all have the COURAGE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT!!
Another thing I want to pass along from a friend of mine that has endured years of infertility is- TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACCEPT THY WILL!! Whatever life may dish out, may we all have the courage to accept Thy will!
May the Lord bless and lead you through this life and may his blessing especially flow in times of need, trial, comfort or whatever it may be!

Baby update

2009-06-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

Yeah, so I missed last weeks post. But I did go to the doctor and I have dilated to a 2 but I didn't ask him about effacement and he didn't tell me. We had talked a little, in a previous appt., about me being induced on the 15th but that is when Nate's family reunion is so I talked to him yesterday and told him that Thursday the 11 would be way convenient and doc would do it but he will be out of town. So, now we decided on Wed. the 17th to be induced, if he hasn't come before then. He even called in the set up the appt. right then with labor and delivery.
I have stopped taking or doing anything that will induce labor. I started 4 days ago walking on the treadmill for a half hour a day(15 min on an incline and 15 min flat) and I would like to keep doing that because it's so nice to just get exercise but I don't know if I will. I probably won't go into labor before then but you never know and with my luck I probably will go into labor while my doc is out of town.
We are excited for the baby to come and can't wait!

35 weeks

2009-05-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

So I got my cervix checked again and I am still the same but what the doctor didn't tell me last week was that I was 60% effaced. He said it was no bog deal, which he's right, but it's nice to know what's really going on with my cervix. I have dropped and he's head down he's not going anywhere and he's ready to go.
Doctor asked me when I wanted to have Hadyn and I said I would atleast like to have him a week early. And when he left the room he said," O.K. the 15th"(of June) SO I guess we're atleast planning on the 15th of June. Wierd!
It's been real great being pregnant with Hadyn. He is the calmest baby I have felt. He has yet to have a kicking spree just soft calm movements. It's so enjoyable! He has had the hiccups a few time simce aobut 34 weeks but because of the position that he is in I have to really try to pay attention because it is really soft. I think he just might be my most mellow baby yet! I just can't explain how calm he really is! Infact he so calm that if it wasn't normal for him to be this calm I would be worrying.
Anyway, I've got another appointment next Thursday at 2:00.

34 weeks

2009-05-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

So today I went to the doctor and just so you know every time I go I am almost to the next week so like today I am 34 almost 35 weeks (on Sunday). So it just helps move thing along a little faster with me being almost to the next week.
Anyway, Doc. did my Strep B culture and checked my cervix. I am dilated to a 1 but not effaced. My cervix is still pretty thick. Which things could stay this way till I am 40 weeks. It' just weird to think that if I go into labor in a week, they won't stop it. And in 2 weeks I am considered full term!
I am on weekly visits now so stay tuned.

2009-05-12T21:58:00.000-07:00

I had to add a few more pregnant pics that I liked better than the others.

2009-05-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

So lately we've just been living life. Nate got accepted to USU and we will move to Logan sometime after the baby is born and before the fall semester starts. We are excited!
Hyrum and Jesse seem to be going through a tantrum stage and it's kind of frustrating but they are doing well with learning about the new baby. Hyrum sometimes will randomly talk about Hadyn and when I ask Jesse where the baby is he says," Baybu" then lifts up my shirts pokes my belly button and gives it lots of kisses! It's way cute!
I am doing well in this pregnancy. I started out 20 lbs heavier but I will/should end at the same weight that I ended at in my previous 2 pregnancies which were the same as well. I gained 45 lbs in the other 2 and this one I will gain 25 to 30 lbs. And it's summer time so I should be able to get out more than I did in November with the other 2.
I am now 34 weeks, I have an appointment on thursday the 14th where I will be tested for strep B. I don't know if he will check my cervix then or not and from there he may schedule me for my last 2 week check up or I might be going in every weeks from there on out. I just can't remember. I am going to the same Doc that delivered Hyrum.
The only difference in this pregnancy is that I am having braxton hicks. I don't remember every having them with my other 2. At the moment I haven't felt any for about the last week or so but for a while there they seemed to come often and one day they were very frequent and hard and lasted all day long and when I went to bed they woke me up a few times out of my sleep. But it has settled down a lot, which is good. I am taking red rasberry and black cohosh pills to help soften my cervix. It's wierd to think that I could safely deliver in just less than 3 weeks when I will be 37 weeks and considered full term. I probably won't deliver but I could.
Hyrum is enjoying primary and Jesse will go to nursery in 2 Sundays! We are so excited for that!
I think it will be fun and will help me to get on more frequently if I copy my cousin Travis' wife Jenny and do a post after all my doc visits from here on out. So keep checking the blog now and I promise to post a lot more frequently.

Lately

2009-05-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

34 weeks pregnant

2009-03-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

So we were at Nathan's sister's wedding last night and they had some dancing. I recorded a video of one of the dances that I thought looked like so much fun. Well, Nathan's other sister, Sarah, has a fun little friend,Jaimie. I was sitting next to Jaimie and said that I would like to go dance but that would just look so funny with my being pregnant. I said that it would look like two pigs fighting under a blanket. Jamie laughed at my comment and said," No really, you sould go dance, it'll put you in labor!". I said," Jaimie! I'm not due till June." She said," Yeah, that's how good this song is!"

2009-03-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

Work in progress

2009-03-13T23:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the page, it's a work in prgress. I am still trying to figure out how to work this.

Am I really having a boy?

2009-03-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

So I came across the ultra sound pics and video of baby #3 and got to looking and thinking that he is very well endowed, if you know that I mean! Seriously, to me it looks like it's the size of the umbilical cord! So either he's WELL endowed or it's the umbilical cord that we are seeing and it might be a girl. But I'm not a doc. or trained in the art of ultra sounds so he's probably just a big boy!

Tax Return

2009-03-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

So it turns out our kids really are paying off! We are getting a nice tax return, atleast for us it's nice. We are getting $6,000.00 back. We are putting nearly all of it toward debt and bills but we are using a little for bunkbeds for the boys, glasses for Nate, and a digital camera! Well, a few other items we will get but those are the main ones. So sorry we don't have any pics up right now but in the next few weeks you should be seeing some.
I am headed up tp Rexburg next week to do a shower for my friends and I will also have an open house while I am there as well. Might as well milk it for all it's worth.
Nathan has applied for USU and we are just waiting on word whether or not he got in. It might be fun to live in Logan.
We went to TJ Maxx the yesterday to get me a purse and I found a matching purse and wallet/checkbook holder for about $33.00 when origonaly the set is just over $100! Nate chose it and I love it! Yes, I have to have my husband with my when I shop cause what I pick out is never quite as great as what he picks out for myself. He has good taste!

Our Blog

2009-03-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

So I've had this blog for a while and never told anyone but I want to do one now. I'm hopeing that I can get some help with the layout soon.
Anyhow, we are in Utah with my in-laws. They are letting us catch up financially with the third baby coming. We are grateful, the only thing is just missing our own place, but it will all be worth it in the end. It's been good.
I am just about 25 weeks along and all is well. Nothing has happened and I have carried nearly flawlessy. The only thing is I fell down the stairs and bruised my hip/bum pretty bad but all is well, I was just in a lot of pain for a few days. I still feel like I have quite a bit of energy! And I am so excited to deliver in June so that I have a few months that I can still get out and go walking, it's not that great when you have babies in November, then your confined to your house because of the weather.
Nathan has appled to USU and we are hoping to hear back from them in the next 2-3 weeks! Hopefully he gets in, he really wants to go through the music program up there.

Lovin' Life

2008-08-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a blog. We are just enjoying life. I get so excited to go home everyday after work to see my family. We have some new found time to spend together since I got switched over to days.
Nate and I both had Monday off the and so we went to Yellowstone Bear world and we took the boys to go and see the animals and afterwards we went and rode some kids amusements rides, which Hyrum rode every single one of them and loved it! Then we went to the petting zoo there and we saw even more animals one of which was a little goat that stood about half way up to Hyrum. So he was standing about 2 feet, at the most, away from the goat and the goat charged and headbutted him in the tummy! It was so funny! He just looked up at us bewildere at what had happened and then he started to cry, mostly in shock from what happened.
It was a lot of fun to take the boys out and watch them enjoy things. Going on all the kiddy rides there was good so that we could see how Hyrum would handle it and now we know that he would do just fine at Logoon next summer!