Harperly Everly After

This week I had the BEST date with my husband that we've had since we've been married.  The best date in almost 10 years!  Sounds pretty special huh?  We probably went to one of the fanciest steakhouses in Las Vegas, where the lighting was dimmed just right and one perfectly twinkling candle was right in between us.  We were probably set at the coveted table right by the window looking over the lights of Las Vegas, as a violin trio serenaded us from the corner of the room.  The food was probably perfectly cooked and savory, and we probably indulged in a decadent chocolate dessert while we chatted about the kids.  We must have gotten home late, paid the babysitter and then sent her on her way. Nope. We had our regular homemade dinner with the kids, and then put them to bed.  We got dressed in our comfy pajamas and came down to the kitchen together.  We then put away our phones, and started to make brownies together.  Once they were in t...

God knows that what we obtain too easily we esteem too lightly. In His own words,  " All those who will not  endure  chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified"  (D&C  101:5). To become heavenly, we must endure earthly challenges-including the unexpected ones in marriage.   When Jesus visited America, He told the people that he no longer accepted  their sacrifices and  burnt offerings. He  wanted  a new kind  of  sacrifice. ''And ye  shall offer  for a  sacrifice unto me a  broken heart  and a  contrite  spirit  "  (3 Nephi 9:20, emphasis added).                                                                                             ...

When I was little, my younger brother made me SO MAD!  He was 3 years younger than I was, and he knew just how to push every single one of my buttons.  To be fair, I pushed every single one of his as well, we argued, we fought over the T.V.,  we were constantly tattle-taling on each other to our mom.  I remember my mom would constantly tell me "You better learn how to get along with your brother.  One day you're going to have a husband who makes you mad too, and you can't go tattling on him to me..." In the book Drawing Heaven into Your Marriage , H. Wallace Goddard talks a little bit about the qualities we learn as children that maybe aren't so innocent.  Think back to your younger days and see if you remember doing any of the following with a sibling, cousin, or close friend... Putting your own needs first. "Go for the biggest piece of cake" Defending yourself. "Don't show weakness. Return fire for fire." View others as the g...