My "Dirty Thirty" was not so dirty AND I LOVED every second of it.

What is a Dirty Thirty anyway? A plan to get drunk and forget what it feels like to close a decade of you life. Now I am not judging those who have enthusiastically celebrated their 30th birthday (that is my disclaimer)!

All I know is I am so HAPPY with the way my 30th birthday was spent. First off I haven't slept in days, that whole sick kiddo (includes hubby) thing is really cramping my style. So, the one thing I asked for was sleep.... lol! Yes, sleep! I was able to take a nap in the morning and in the afternoon. It rocks I know. First of all I was blessed to get up to three crazy little girls who are recovering from the stomach flu and be greeted by cinnamon rolls (my favorite) with 29 candles and a lovely little card. The only one who refused to pretend I wasn't 30 is my dear Julia, she is just way to honest for her own good. She won't even lie about my age to help me!!! what a little cutie pie. Today was pajama day at my house so there will be no pictures of me celebrating with my naps but they were fabulous.

My Birthday Card

Now its only taken four-years and nearly three years of marriage but Hubby finally got it right in the gift department. Yes ladies and gentleman I get to shop for my birthday, I knew he was going to give me X amount of dollars to spend for my birthday but this darling little card had some extra cash in it too. He gets better and better each day! He actually had it all planned out with the girls and it was so cute. While I got to be snuggled up in my RH fur blanket (I carry this thing around like a blankie) I was sung Happy Birthday, shared delicious bakery cinnamon rolls and opened up my card. Madalyn reassured me I wasn't old. Olivia just jumped on me and Julia told me the candles were wrong that I am indeed 30! We all sat wrapped up together with my happy birthday plates and shared our sugar packed delicious breakfast. All the while Hubby made sure the girls knew mommy needed to sleep today and that's what she wants for her birthday. They even cleaned up the mess....

Love notes from my family. 

So on top of naps today God brought me birthday blessings too. As I shared with all of you in a previous post an old friend reached out to me to start studying the Gospel. I have not been able to send her a Book of Mormon to her because of sick kiddos so I directed her to the app I love so much with all our scriptures and tools. I also let her know in on a little secret, you can listen to it too. She asked if I could tell her where to start and in fact I had to ask myself the same question, where did I start? I did it backwards and read the whole Book before I ever spoke to someone. So I asked God to help direct me to direct her. My prayers were answered and he first directed me to our Thirteen Articles of faith. I felt it would be good for her to know the basic principles of the Faith. She responded by saying it really helped clarify it all for her. She then asked what was next and I felt compelled to start with the book, Gospel Principles. Since I like doing things in chronological order (silly I know since it does not work that way with the Bible at all)! It seemed the best to me because Chapter One starts with the foundation of it all, our Heavenly Father. After all what is religion or faith without a good solid foundation. So I assigned Alma Chapter 7, Alma Chapter 34, 3 Nephi Chapter 9 and Mormon Chapter 3. Gospel Principles only refers to verses but I felt when I studied I really grasped what I was reading when I just read the whole chapter. I applied the same principle to my very first pupil. What a blessing to get share this all with her on this day. I am opening a new decade of my life and she is opening her hear to a new faith. I was able to help her receive a testimony that there is a God and he is in all things of our lives.

My second gift from God of the day was speaking to another old friend. We shared our experiences past and current. I shared with him my struggle with PTSD in the hopes that he could help understand what someone in his life is suffering throug. He is a religious man of a different faith but I was able to share scriptures with him in relation to building a great foundation for your faith, life and relationship. I let him know about my favorite scripture (just in case you forgot Ether 4:15) He asked  me to share it with him as he happened to have a Book of Mormon at home. We were able to talk further and share a few more scriptures. He said it helped and I know that it was such a blessing for me to be able to share my faith and love with these people. They made my day feel meaningful. Now for the rest of my life I have a great story to write and share about my 30th birthday.

Now the icing on the cake was this evening when I received a text message from my girlfriend who is studying at 10:51pm and it said, "Reading what you gave me really sunk in and put me at peace with God. Thank you for the readings and the study. Its an un-explainable feeling I felt." WOW! I want to thank her for that. I want to thank her for reaching out to me. I want to thank her for allowing me to be blessed in helping her in her search to find God and our Savior. But most of all for sharing such a deep and intimate personal experience. What a powerful moment for her and what a wonderful gift for my birthday that she shared it with me.

I certainly don't feel like I am missing out by not experiencing the stereotypical 30th birthday. I am so blessed and pleased with my simple day it could not have been more perfect. I want to thank all of you who shared in the day with me and made it such an amazing and powerful birthday.

Love -N

My journey to becoming a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints......

Note: This is my religious testimony and not meant to offend anyone. 

I feel like my journey started years ago. As a child there was always an idea of of religion in my life and when I say that I mean a very lose translation of it. I went to different churches here and there with different people. My Grandmother was Catholic and most services I attended with Catholic weddings and Funerals.

Three years ago I married my darling husband who grew up in a very religious family and was no longer practicing. Watching the strong base for morals that he had really inspired me to want to have a better relationship with God and for the past three years in an unintentional way I have definitely been searching what is right for me.

Now I'm not sure what to really call fate but I do know that in my case finding my new church was fate. I was interested in the Mormon faith back when I was in College but never pursued it father then spending time with some Mormon friends. It's when we were relocated to Colorado and my Hubby found me a friend (this was before I had ever been in our home except to make an offer). He was very persistent that I meet her on my first visit to Colorado to see him. I agreed to knock on her door and I have met who I would consider someone who helped save me. I was dealing with many personal struggles and what seemed like a never ending battle with my first husband over our daughters. My spirits where low and dark. I knew I needed something in my life I just wasnt sure what it was until I met this wonderful woman.

As we got to know each other I discovered she was Mormon and I expressed to her my interest I had in her faith since my early twenties. She was surprised, happy and interested and said she would get a copy of the Book of Mormom. On a trip to New Mexico while all my children were away I decided to take a trip to the book store and buy my very first Bible (King James Version). I also found the LDS.org App in the App Store and started reading and listening to the Book of Mormon. That was one of the most powerful books I have ever had the pleasure of reading from a literary stand point. It was even more powerful for me (and I emphasize ME) spiritually. As I was driving northbound on I-25 to travel to Denver a verse came over on the radio that was so powerful it brought complete peace over my mind and body, it was so powerful I pulled over and listened to it a few more times.

Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel. 

Ether 4:15

My heart was so hardened from so many past experiences and my situation at the time that I felt empty and darkness. Once I read this it was like something had breathed life back into my heart. I was so uplifted. By the end of that evening I had finished the Book of Mormon and was so inspired I wanted to know more. I wanted to feed my soul that had just been awoken by these powerful words. 

Again enters my dear friend. She brought over my first copy of the Book of Mormon and asked if we wanted to go to church with her and her beautiful family. Hubby agreed and we decided to make a date. Once we were there I was home. I loved it all, everything about it. We were kind enough to be introduced to the missionaries and scheduled our first meeting. In our first lesson it ran so long because I had read so much and had so much to say. That was the beginning of my journey. We have met several times through the past month and I think I have nearly re-read the Book of Mormon and found so many more passages that have made me feel closer to God and given me piece. 

From a mood perspective it has turned a total 180 degres. I am so happy with my life.  I am so happy being a mother to my children (even more then before). I am happy with God and I have faith. Not only religious faith just faith in general. Faith that things will work out. Faith I am protected. Faith in myself. My stress levels has reduced significantly because I am not worried about the small things and cannot control. The faith has brought me so much closer to my children, my family and more importantly to myself. 

I have made the special and conscious decision to make it official and become a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints. This weekend I am taking my first official step into my religious journey and I could not be more excited about it. I am being baptized. This process has been so special to me. The people of my Ward so powerful that I cant wait to continue to grow and learn in my faith, my community and my family. 

Today I had my final study and I was so excited to get to share it with my daughters. One of them participated and even said the closing prayer. It brightened my heart even more. 

I am so excited to share this experience with you, my family and my friends. I will add a tab in the blog that says "My Faith" if you would like to follow me through this journey. 

I hope my testimony encourages you to look inside and maybe say a prayer. 

God Bless and Love Naomi .