The Family We Choose

I am sure Angela hates this picture, but it is one of my all time favorites!

Jonathan is my boy that has a hard time reading between the lines and understanding inferences.  A sweet friend gave me a little plaque for my birthday that says "Friends are family that we choose."  Obviously confused, Jonathan asked what that meant.  So, I asked him what he calls our friend, Angela Garstka.  He replied with Aunt Angel.  I then asked him if he she was really his aunt.  He summed it up perfectly with, "No, but I see her more than I see a lot of my own family."  I explained to him that while the Garstka's aren't technically our family. We "chose" for them to be our family.  He completely understood and I came away wishing every concept was so easy to explain to that child!

We are so blessed to have such wonderful family members - both the ones we that came to us by birth and the ones we chose.

P.S.

This is not our first post about Aunt Angel. Go here to read how much Jonathan loves his Aunt Angel!

The Diet Coke Saga

Oh, how sweet the Coke is at the Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta!

If you know me well, then you know that I used to have a serious Coke habit (as in Coca-Cola not Cocaine).  I've been off the sauce since May 8, 2005.  That was Mother's Day and I quit cold turkey.  I didn't touch the stuff again until April of 2009 at the Coke Museum in Atlanta.  I was on a business trip and figured it was okay to enjoy that sweet goodness in the confines of the Coke Museum. I can't tell you how delicious it was.

I love to watch my co-workers make their trips to the Coke machine every day.  I love to hear them pop the top on their Coke.  I always drank straight from the can, but I love to hear that fizzy sound when they pour their Coke into a cup.  All this brings back happy memories for me.  That being said, I am one of those people that just can't hold my Coke.  From sun up to sun down, all I can think about is where my next drink is coming from.

Fast forward to January, I was about to have surgery and they told me that I couldn't take aspirin products.  I had a bad migraine the day before my surgery which would not allow me to take an Excedrin.  I had taken everything else and nothing would knock it, so I decided to make my own Excedrin-like combo.  I mixed Coke and Tylenol.  All that was missing was the aspirin.  I only drank a small amount of the Coke, because it was so sweet.  It just didn't taste the way I remembered.  It left a horrible after-taste.

Several weeks later, we were at the movies and Fred bought a drink for us to "share."  He bought Diet Coke.  He knows that I don't drink Diet Coke.  He kept offering it to me and I kept refusing it.  Finally, I was so thirsty that I had no other choice, but to drink it.  I thought it didn't taste too bad.  There was one problem.  I hadn't had carbonated drinks in so long that I felt like I was going to burp for the rest of the movie.  Not a good feeling!

About a week later, we were at a restaurant and Fred's drink kept getting pushed towards me.  I accidentally drank some of his Diet Coke.  It was really good.  I made the mistake of telling him that I enjoyed it.  This week he was on grocery duty and he must of had that on his mind.  Fred keeps Diet Mountain Dew stocked for himself, but drinks Diet Coke when he is out and about at restaurants.  He proudly let me know that he had stocked us up on Diet Coke.  For some reason, it has always bothered Fred that I only drink water.  Fred is always the pleaser and really wants to me drink Diet Coke with him!  I guess he thinks that can be "our" drink and we can bond over Diet Coke.

Clearly, he has forgotten all the heartache caffeine has caused us both.  All the emergency runs to 7-Eleven when we weren't stocked or I thought it was too flat.  All the times I thought we needed to pull over NOW on trips to feed my habit.  Worst of all, he has forgotten all the migraines, because I didn't get my Coke fix when needed.  All that aside, a Coke sure does sound good, right now!

Testimony

One of our girls from church is working on a project for Personal Progress.  She is compiling "testimonies" and asked the leaders and youth to send her our testimonies.  I wasn't sure if I was going to post mine, but since this is my online journal, here it is:

I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and for His Atoning sacrifice.  I am so thankful that he atoned for my sins. He took upon himself the pains and sicknesses of His people.  Every pain and sadness that I have felt, He felt it before me.  That brings such comfort to me.

I know that I am a daughter of God and that He placed me with a loving family.  And, the sweet children that I have are sons and daughters of God.  They have been entrusted to my husband and me for a short time.  They are His children that we have stewardship over to love, teach, lead and raise in the gospel.

I have a testimony of the Holy Ghost.  He leads me and guides me and brings peace to my life.  I know that if I listen to that still small voice it will bring me comfort.

I believe that we are given trials to test us and strengthen us so that we can progress through this life.  I am so thankful for the trials that I have been given.  They have made me a stronger and better person.  They have increased my faith and taught me that prayer works.  They’ve taught me that my Heavenly Father loves me and listens to me.  He answers my prayers – not necessarily in the way that I expect or when I want Him to.

I believe that faith can move mountains.  Just a couple of years ago, having faith brought my husband back to church.  Now, he holds Melchizedek Priesthood and we have been sealed in the temple.  I know that families can be together forever.  It is my hope that my entire family can be together forever.  I have such a testimony of the temple and the sacred ordinances that take place there.  It is a beautiful and sacred place where the spirit may be felt.

I have testimony of the Book of Mormon.  I know that it is another witness of Jesus Christ.  It is the keystone of our religion and the most correct book on earth.  I am thankful for the lessons contained in The Book of Mormon.

I am thankful for the missionaries.  Without the missionaries, I wouldn’t have been baptized.  They leave their homes at such a tender young age and they spread the gospel.  How blessed we are that they make this righteous choice.  I am thankful for the missionaries that serve in our ward and for the missionaries from our ward that are out in the field serving.

I am thankful for the Young Women’s program and for the callings that I have had in Young Women’s.  It is truly an inspired program.  The Youth in our church are wonderful examples to those around them and it is because of what they have been taught at home and in the Young Men’s and Young Women’s programs.  I have a testimony that Scouting and Personal Progress programs teach them and strengthen them and help them to become exemplary Young Men and Young Women.

I am thankful for my sweet family.  They strengthen me and teach me so much about love.  They make me want to be a better person, so that I can make sure that I spend eternity with them.  I am thankful for righteous friends that are a good example to me.

I am thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

-Donna Fortenberry, 2/24/14 

Thankful Thursday

Things to be thankful for:

Jessie and I were out and about on Sunday dropping off goodies to sweet friends.  I wasn’t paying attention to my speed and was clearly speeding.  I was pulled over and knew I deserved speeding ticket, but was sent on my way with a warning. 

I ordered some items for Young Women’s from Deseret Books.  I ordered a CD-Rom to help with Personal Progress and they accidentally sent me a book to help with Nursery kids.  I called to see how I should return the Nursery book and get the item I actually ordered.  They told me to keep the nursery book and they would reship my item.  Now, I have a book to pass along those wonderful leaders in Nursery. 

We had the missionaries over for dinner.  They shared a fun object lesson.  Fred had already seen the object lesson, so he sat and watched us struggle.  I’m thankful for a super smart son that figured it out pretty quickly, because I was clueless.  I loved that one of the missionaries was a great eater.  He went back for seconds on everything and he shared all of his mom’s recipes with us.

 I have several things that need my attention on Thursday.  Thankfully, everything is coming together and allowing me to get everything done and be everywhere that I need to be.  Now, that is something to be thankful for!

I am so grateful for a wild and crazy dog that needs way too much attention.  She makes us laugh and gives us so much love.  She drives me insane and needs to be bathed and groomed much more than any other Shihtzu, but we love her!

I love thin mints way too much.  I am thankful for thin mints!  Oh so thankful for thin mints.  I am thankful for the friend who asked my daughter what I liked and I’m thankful for the daughter who told my secret.

I am thankful for my busy schedule.  It keeps me hopping, but means that I am needed.  Sometimes, it means that I have to ask my mom to help me out.  Tomorrow, she is chauffeuring my daughter around so I can get my hair done.  I told her that I needed help really bad.  I have roots down to my ears and it is going to be March before I can find another day to schedule an appointment!

I am grateful for a husband and sweet children that love me!  Life wouldn’t be the same without them.

Campfire Fun

We had a great time this weekend hanging around the campfire with great friends. First of all, I have to say it is a very small world.  Gracie introduced me to Alisara who is a very sweet lady.  She started coming to our girls' dinners.  After talking with her one night, we realized that she was in Fred's Boy Scout training  group called Wood Badge.  She was nice enough to invite us all to her farm in Van Alstyne on Saturday night.  

The kids had a blast playing in the wide open spaces in the dark.  Somehow they played hide-and-go-seek and managed to utilize their phones in the game.  Kids today!!!  (I sound like an old person.)  The adults just sat around the campfire laughing and talking until way too late.

By the way, you would think I was from the city!  I wore suede boots and my good coat!  Both smell like a campfire now.  Lesson learned, when someone invites you to their farm, don't wear your good clothes!

Little Freddy Fortenberry

Fred's mom sent us some pictures of Fred as a little boy.  I had only seen a couple of pictures of Fred as a child, so it was pretty exciting!

This was my favorite picture, because you can see Jessie shining through in his eyes and smile!

How adorable are these little suits?  They look like little men.

Fred was such a little cutie!  Couldn't you just pinch his cheeks?