Ginny's 1st talk in sacrament

Ginny gave her first talk in sacrament on July 27, 2014 and did a great job. She invited Papaw up and he drove up from Jackson; in addition, Becky, Charity, and Michael all came to listen. She is a loved little girl and quite the talented speaker. She is a natural born speaker. Ginny’s First Talk Education 7-27-14 Hi my name is Ginny Farrell and for my first talk I have been asked to speak on education. That’s a pretty broad topic. So I looked on lds.org for talks on education and I found this pretty amazing quote by Elder Craig A. Cardon of the seventy. He states. “In this increasingly complex world, education is one of the most important acquisitions of life,” he writes. “And while it is true that more education will generally lead to the opportunity for increased temporal rewards, the greater value of increased knowledge is the opportunity it affords us to be of greater influence in accomplishing the Lord’s purposes.” That’s huge. It is saying the more knowledge you gain the more influence you have accomplishing the Lord’s purposes. That’s reason enough to try to gain an increased understanding of the world around us, and the gospel. In my True To the Faith book it says the Lord has commanded us, “Seek learning, even by study and also by faith. That’s in D&C section 88:118. So the Lord has commanded us to get smarter and has provided us plenty of ways. Some of the things we have for history is: school, textbooks, teachers, and my personal favorites Google and TV. But that’s not the only he wanted us to learn about. In For the Strength of Youth it says, Education should include spiritual learning. You should continue throughout your life to learn about heavenly Father’s plan. This will help you find answers to your challenges and invite the Holy Ghost. Just so it is clear the more education you have the more answers you will find and the Holy Ghost is invited. That’s awesome and it is so easy. Just look at how many resources he has provided. For example: the scriptures, Church, General Conference, prayer, missionaries, and Stake Conference. So that’s a lot of resources just saying. So my book said you should also teach your hands to do things. It said you should do this so you can succeed in your chosen field. There are a lot of things you can teach your hands to do. You can teach them to crochet, hammer in a nail, change a tire, and to write. Most of these take time, but when you learn them. You can apply for more jobs and spend less money if you can do it yourself. There are so many blessings you receive just by learning. So I bear my testimony that I know that if we just educate ourselves so many blessing will come, and I know this church is true. I also know that we have a prophet today, and that we can always count on the Lord. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Summer Texas visit

Our summer feels like it is just beginning but is actually rolling to a close quickly. Jake and I both worked most if June and I have one week left at fedex next week. We are so ending two weeks in Texas visiting family before we both set up new classrooms. Jake has transferred to a new school and I am preparing for my first year if teaching. We spent four days in Houston (including going to the beach in Galveston) and are currently in Odessa, where days are filled with swimming and looking at tarantulas, and nights are filled with movies, dancing, and cousins. Jake has tried to visit his grandma regularly bad the kids are having fun with the cousins. 

Ginny's sweet assignment- A butterfly

My Mother is a beautiful butterfly, and I am a caterpillar that wants to be just like her. She has taught me how to maintain my home and how to serve others. It’s a good thing she is such a good person, because I follow her example without even knowing it. This is why she is so important to me. She has taught me how to keep my house just by the way our house looks now. She says that the way your house looks is a reflection of your personality. Her house is always clean no matter the time. So that’s how I will expect my house to be like that too. So my mom has set very high standards for the way my room and house will look. She has showed me how to serve others by just being who she is. She is very aware of other peoples needs, and she helps fulfill them. She is constantly enrolling us in service project. I’ve witnessed and done service so many times it comes easy to me. She is a leader by example and by doing this she has shown me how to serve others. My mother is a beautiful butterfly and I am a caterpillar. I want to be just like her. So far, she has taught me how to maintain a house and how to serve others. It’s a good thing that she is a good person. I follow her example without even knowing it. That is why she is so important to me.

Happy 4th birthday Christopher

My sweet baby boy turned four years old this week. He is such a complete joy but does have a small, little temper too. Last week in Chattanooga, he was being a little naughty and I took a picture of him throwing a fit. After a little bit of his fit, I made him come outside and told him if he did not calm down that I was going to text it to his dad. As I pushed send on the phone, he knocked it out of my hand into a fountain of water (the type that children play in), so in my white skirt, I immediately jumped in to save my phone. Luckily after two days of sitting in rice, the phone worked but I missed out on several pictures that I could have taken on our little trip. Despite the temper, he is such a sweet, smnall boy. He loves super heroes and his special super powers are "cuddling and running fast". Christoper is an important and loved part of our family. He loves to talk, although it is hard to understand him, we still carry on a conversation with him. Here are a few of his favorites: Food:Oreoes, french fries, chips, Restaurant: Subway and Chuckee Cheese Color: blue Movie: "Planes" and in any super hero movie Candy: Hershey's cookies and cream

Chattanooga trip 6/2-6/6

Jake had training in Chattanooga this week, so we decided to bring the family. We arrived on Monday and checked in to the hotel and just hung out while Jake had a two hour meeting. Tuesday was filled with the aquarium and Coolidge Park. Jake also got sick Tuesday so was not able to go the entire day if training.

New job opportunities, Grandpa Smiths passing, & Beck's 30th

Shelby county schools held a job fair that I attended.  There are only about 3 Shelby county schools that I would seriously consider being able to work out this year with Christopher still in pre-school. Two if which I felt that I could transfer my children to and the other is just so close to home that I could hopefully arrange someone to help get them to school or something. Overall, I was not hopeful that I would secure a job. However at the job fair, I was afforded an interview with the one close to home. She has three others to interview after my but about an hour and half later, I received a phone call with a job offer. In addition, Jake applied for all the Bartlett middle schools and was called for interviews at all of them. Even more incredible, all three offered him positions. Elmore Park was our initial hope because it is so close to home and where our children will attend but it was the last interview afforded (with the first exactly one week before and an immediate 7th grade science position). Each principal and school seemed to be a good choice. He interviewed at Elmore Park at 9 and had told the other two principals that he would let them know a definite by 3:30. He declined Bon Lin 7th grade language arts position and about 2:30 had said a prayer that if Elmore Park    was going to offer him a position they'd call by 3:15, although the principal wasn't sure they'd know that day. At 3:13, he received an offer to teach 8th grade science. We had already decided if it was the math position, he'd most likely decline and teach 7th grade science at Appling Middle. Any of the schools would have been good but we feel The Lord had a hand in it. Also, I received a message from another teacher that their daughter sat in on his lesson and loved it.  The Lord has truly blessed our family. That morning (May 30, 2014) before his 9:00 interview he awoke to the text that his grandpa has passed away during the early morning hours. His heart was heavy for his other. Grandpa Ralph Smith was a good man and lived a long life. I remember him fondly hugging me and calling me darling the first time he met me and every time thereafter.

Also this week or actually Friday May 24th (Jakes last day if school and the day he interviewed with Appling), he had an accident on the way to work. The bad thing was that he was driving Michaels truck the good thing was that he was okay and as Aubree said "at least it happened in front of a hospital."  Michael was surprisingly calm and an example to us that accidents happen and not to over react.

Saturday May 31st, we went to Jackson to celebrate Beck's big 30 and for family photos. It's great that Rebekah us in our family. I have three wonderful sisters and she is one of them.  It's always, well most always, fun  to be around family.