Lemons and Lemonade (It's Summer, eh?)

I haven't written for a couple months. Things got crazy. Not that I didn't have time, I just didn't write. It seems that when we get out of a habit it takes some real effort to get back into it. Probably a lot like everything in life.
So what has been going on for us? A lot.

Graduation with the Family.

School ended as well as it could have. I had a bit tougher class than usual this year. The kids were very cute individually, but they had a lot of interpersonal issues at times. It made it difficult at times to focus their attention on the meat of school. As difficult as it was at times, there was a lot of progress made by them in many areas, especially considering that their teacher was rushing back and forth from the high school for his internships from January to the end of April. It all worked out and things were going pretty smoothly until Parker Isaac Corry decided to make his Entrance the last week of school! What do you do? It was the last week of school and things hit the fan as far as school was concerned. What mattered most, of course, was that Parker made it here well and safe. Still, the kids at school went a little crazy...
I was able to see them the last day of school thankfully. I miss them. Though there was nothing I could do about the end of year circumstances (family first) I wish I was able to send my students off with a little more stability. I love those kids despite anything crazy we went through together this past year.
Speaking of Parker. Jenna woke me up early (5:30-ish) that Tuesday (May 29) after Memorial Day and informed me kindly that I wouldn't be going to school that day. I only had Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday left. But our impending child delivery took complete and full precedence. We drove rather rapidly after packing to St. George with the kids. Everything went as smoothly as possible (Though we did take my mother-in-law by surprise, creating more stress for her in her already hectic life. She was awesome however when it came down to the wire.).

Another wonderful picture of our children.

After arriving in St. George, Jenna's parents (Darrell and Karen) and great-grandmother Ilene helped out with Dallin and Allison. It was a relief to have family to assist. I only had to worry about Jenna and our coming son. I still worried, but I didn't have to. Things were fine. The delivery went smoothly (as possible). Jenna went all natural this time and I am proud of how well things went. I am pretty convinced with the size of Parker (9lbs. 1oz.) that had she had the epidural things may not have been as smooth in this situation. He got stuck for a bit on the way out and she was able to tell and feel what she needed to do. The doctor ended up having the nurse push on Jenna's stomach to help Parker finish his entrance. This broke his collar bone and he came out really bruised up, but everything turned out well. I had given Jenna a blessing a few minutes before the delivery that said every thing would be okay and thankfully it was. It is interesting how by giving a blessing to Jenna that the Lord not only speaks comfort and peace to her, but it comes to me also. I suppose that is one of the great things about being able to worthily give a Priesthood blessing.
So Parker made it. We were in the hospital for a couple days. Tests and such. Everything went well. I brought the kids in to see Parker that first night. I think they were glad to see him. Dallin felt a little misplaced, as he expressed it, but he has risen to the challenge of being an excellent example of what an older brother should be. Allison has been so loving that we have had to help her withhold from expressing SO much love.
We are five weeks plus out from his deliver and things are good so far. He is healthy, and we are making the adjustment as smoothly as possible in my opinion.
Summer so far has been pretty good. As a teacher I love having summer's to renew myself. It took a bit longer this summer to get started on that due to some training we had for our District. But that is okay. Not only is their compensation, but it is a great opportunity to refocus and renew my commitment to teaching, my school, and my soon-to-be students.
So. What have I learned? It isn't enough for me to go through these experiences, I feel that I (and we) should take them, reflect, and realize that there are lesson being taught to us through experience.

Yes. I am a lucky man.

I have learned that when we have been assured of something by Lord, such as a successful pregnancy or that things will turn out okay, then we should trust Him. He constantly gives us encouragement and assurances throughout our lives if we will listen. Even when we go through the perceived "bad times", and they are excruciatingly tough at times, He will teach us through them, developing us into something greater and better. I have learned (and am still learning) that I need to take things in life with an attitude of positiveness. It does no good to dwell on the negative aspects of life. What good does it do?
I think often of President Hinckley. He was positive. It seemed good could be drawn from every experience when he was speaking. Just listening to him (and to President Monson) you knew that things would be okay. Even when President Hinckley and President Monson warned and warn of something, I know they are right and I know if I will follow their counsel things will work out well. Of course following that counsel is not something I do as diligently as I could at times. But I hope I am improving.
I have learned that life is good.

Life is Good.

You see in life what you want to see. It is funny to me to hear people talk about how hard something was, and I am not saying it wasn't hard, but perhaps if they looked at their experiences with a different lens they could see that despite the difficulty of experiences we go through their is still joy to be found. Sanctification even. Things that bring us closer to knowing God and Jesus said, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." (John 17:3).
So what do I know about this? Probably not as much as other people who have endured much more than I have. But after dealing with depression and severe anxiety for many years (several years ago) I think I finally am learning to put it off. To stop listening to negative thoughts, focus on the good, and know that the Lord will catch me and assist me as He sees fit. What I do know is that even though He allows things to happen that most wouldn't consider good, we can learn from them. Things resurface once in a while, it can be difficult, but time on this planet is finite. It will be over for all of us someday, and it is possible that we will be embarrassed by some of the responses we had to our trials. Thankfully our Heavenly Father is patient and loving with us. Just as we can see things our children will face and how they have to learn to respond maturely to difficulties the same applies for all of us. I may have a 30 year head start on my kids (give or take), but I realize in the eternal scheme 30 years is more like a few minutes and they will probably teach me ways to respond better to trials by the time all is said and done.

Danny and Brittney's Wedding last year.

I suppose to sum everything up, life is good and proceeding smoothly. There is no reason to think otherwise. Sure there is a drought, the west is on fire, and the world seems to be
"reeling to and fro" (Isaiah 24:20), but I can control what I can control and then we have to trust the Lord to set things right. What else can we do? There are things that we have to just let the Lord handle.
Despite the crazy world we live in, we are blessed. Jenna and I have our three children and each other and that is forever.