Today I’m excited to introduce you to someone who knows my husband much better than she knows me.  Notwithstanding her limited knowledge about me, she has been one of my biggest “fans,” and that’s a really cool gift.  I’ll let her tell you more about that.  Blog friends, meet a new friend:  Lacy.

Hi! First of all, I have to say that Stephanie’s blog is wonderful and “Diapers and Divinity” is part of the reason I decided to start my own blog. My husband and I went to high school with Stephanie’s husband, Matt, and I’ve actually had the privilege of meeting her a couple times. Let me tell you, she is just as fabulous in person as she is on her blog! Quite frankly, for the simple fact that she married Matt, she is way up there in my book. Matt was a good friend to us, especially my husband.

Anyway, my name is Lacy. I’m 36 years old and I live in Logan, Utah.

I’ve been married to my high-school sweetheart for 15 years. My husband JUST FINISHED a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering in December 2010! It’s been a loooong road, but we did it!

Right now, I am a “Stay at Home Mom” to 4 VERY busy and beautiful children; 2 sons: Gabe (13) and Beck (3), and 2 daughters: Zoe (10) and Kaia (almost 7). My sons have blue eyes and blond hair like me and my daughters have brown hair and brown eyes like my husband. I think it’s really cool! We also have 3 crazy cats who make our home crazy and furry and fun. Oh, and an aquarium full of fish… I’ve had an aquarium basically since I was 10 (even during college).

I was born and raised in Salina, Utah. I am the youngest of 4 children and STILL get teased about being the baby of the family. In Salina, I met my future husband, Zeke; I was 10, and he was 12. The feeling was mutual – we HATED each others guts!

Once we got to high school though, things changed… and the rest is history… a very long history (including a mission, a “Dear John” and a refused marriage proposal), but a good one! Zeke graduated in 1991 and I graduated in 1993 from North Sevier High School in a class of 68 seniors.

I earned an Associates Degree from Snow College in 1995, where I enjoyed taking several Entomology classes (Yes, I like BUGS!). I feel like Snow College was my mission, and I was the only convert. This changed my life forever. I am so thankful to have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is everything to me.

In March of 1996, I was sealed in the Manti temple to my high school sweetheart, Zeke. He is my very best friend and seriously the coolest guy ever!

I also have a degree in Interior Decorating via correspondence courses. I did this during my last two months of my pregnancy with Gabe and it was a really fun way to pass the time. I’m not sure how talented I am with decorating, but I enjoy it.

I worked in the Fisheries and Wildlife Department at USU for few years as a “Bug Sorter”. I would sit at a microscope for 8 hours a day sorting through river samples to find and classify insects in order to help determine water quality. It was absolutely fascinating, although a bit tedious at times. I quit working there when my son, Gabe, was a few months old. I’ve yet to finish my Biology degree and I hope to go back someday soon and get a teaching certificate as well. It’s my dream to be a middle school science teacher, like Ms. Frizzle on the “Magic School Bus.”

1.     What’s your favorite part of motherhood? When my kids tell me “I love you.” without me saying it first…. oh, it’s the best. I love laughing with them and making crafts and stuff in the kitchen. We also like to read and listen to books together.

2.     What part of motherhood would you subcontract out if you could? #1 Potty training for sure! I’ve only got one more child to go and it’s been a struggle to say the least. #2 Getting up in the middle of the night for anything my children need. I love my sleep and once I wake up I usually can’t fall asleep again. It’s really hard for me to function without sleep.

Serve a mission with my hubby…. it is my dream. I wanted to serve a mission myself, but I just happened to get engaged about 5 months before I turned 21.

Visit the Sacred Grove…and New York and… actually well, I’d like to travel and see lots of places… I haven’t visited many yet.

Be a temple worker, I can’t think of any more fabulous way to spend my free time when I get older.

5.     What are you loving lately? #1 My husband. He really is the greatest thing about me. #2 One-on-one time with my kids – I think this is SO important. #3 My husband is graduated and we’re making enough money to finally breathe a little. The last 3 years have been rough (and that’s an understatement).

6.     Do you have a favorite scripture or quote? Alma 26:12 “Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things.” Why? I found this scripture when I was reading the Book of Mormon for the first time back in 1994. It has really stuck with me and helped me have more faith in God when I’m struggling. I love Ammon and his faith and testimony.

7.     What do you gravitate toward during your unscheduled time? If Zeke is home we love to watch movies and play board/card games. If it’s just me, I love reading, cooking, watching movies, sewing, letter-boxing, painting, and blogging (of course). One of my favorite family activities is feeding the ducks at Willow Park. It is so relaxing to me.

If you have rules and there is a consequence if those rules are broken, you MUST follow through with the consequences, even when it’s hard. It really does pay off.

Also, we need to build our children up as much as we can. The world can be a hard place to live in. They need to know that they are great and capable and loved. Keep their “emotional bank account” full – you should always give out more positives than negatives.

Let them make choices. It builds their self-esteem and teaches them responsibility. It’s important to give them choices that you are okay with no matter what they choose. This way you both win.

For example, as quirky and colorful as they may appear, I always let my children choose what clothes they want to wear (as long as they are weather appropriate). This has been a great source of creativity and increased self-esteem for them. It also makes life much easier for me. I don’t care if you think my kids look silly – I think it’s fun and so do they.

9.     What’s something you don’t usually want people to know about you, but that they need to know if they’re going to be your friend? I’m a self-proclaimed prude and I really do want you to know about it. I believe Stephanie has said this before as well (that’s another reason why I like her so much). I really try to watch, read, and listen to wholesome media. I really want to have the influence of the Holy Ghost with me 24/7. Don’t you? I have walked out of several movies and written some harsh reviews on Good Reads. If something isn’t “virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy” I try to stay away. I need all the help I can get.

10. If you were in charge of a girls’ night out, what kind of activity would you love to plan? Well, I just joined a book club and it’s so much fun. We don’t really talk about the books much, but we sure talk about everything else! I think just a night together with yummy treats and fun games would be great.

11. Friends are great for venting.  What’s been frustrating you lately? My 3 year old…. oh man, that consistency thing is wearing on me. I think he actually might be more stubborn than I am.

I love the scripture in Proverbs 3: 5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Sometimes things don’t make any sense. Life doesn’t seem fair, but Heavenly Father knows all things and He has a plan for us. He really will help us.

Also tithing…. the windows of heaven opening up and pouring out a blessing upon you is a VERY real thing. It doesn’t take money to pay tithing, it only takes faith.

My blog is called Uphill and Smiling. I’m new to blogging. I’ve been reading blogs for while, but just started writing one last May after I was released from my calling in the Young Women’s. This was really hard for me and I wanted a place to share my thoughts and feelings and find new friends. I also hope to share my testimony of the Gospel through my blog. I’m amazed at how many wonderful people I have “met” through blogging. It’s been more fun than I ever thought it would be.

My life is an uphill climb and I’m going to smile everyday.

You go, Lacy!  Thanks for letting us get to know you.

I’m excited for you to meet my newfound blog friend Stepper.  When I moved to Utah, I had to chance to to take a small roadtrip and meet up with some blog friends.  Stepper was previously unknown to me, but we ended up laughing, talking, (and eating) late into the night and the following day and making a wonderful connection.  We found out that our love stories were almost identical, and I decided that we might have been supervised by the same guardian angel/wedding planner.  And you’re not going to believe this ladies:  She wrote this interview while she was IN LABOR and delivered a baby just hours after she sent it to me!  Stepper is a rock star.  I hope you love meeting her as much as I did.  Here’s Stepper:

Greetings, Diapers & Divinity followers! Congrats on exemplifying such great taste in blog reading. I’m honored to take part in the Find-A-Friend Friday feature, here. I think that Stephanie is wonderful – and I love what she does with this blog. I had read her before, but became a regular reader after meeting her in person on an adventure in St. George (where we discovered that we live about five minutes away from each other. We still don’t hang out, though – mostly because right now I’m pregnant and therefor evil). My name is Stephanie also – but everyone calls me Stepper. That’s a story for another time. I’m 31 – a fact that shocked me the other day when I could have sworn I was still 30, and my husband had to remind me that I don’t get to stay 30 for 15 months. I share a birthday with Joseph Smith, which makes me awesome, don’t you think? I have a wonderful and incredibly talented husband, a three year old Wyatt, a one year old Daphne, and my little Third is due any second. Seriously. We suspect I may be in labor right…now…

I grew up in Utah, but my heart belongs to Washington State. I am the second in a family of four daughters. I was born 13 short months after my older sister – I was a bit of an oops! – which was great for my sister and I growing up, but now that I have kids of my own, I constantly wonder how my mom did it (plus earn a masters in Speech Pathology). I have a bachelors degree in English Literature with a minor in art. I’ve had a few careers that I’ve loved (mainly in office management) – but am now a Stay At Home Mom. My family has made great sacrifices to bring me home, and I’m grateful for it every day. Even when I’m divinely covered in diapers.

1.     What’s your favorite part of motherhood? I love that these two (almost three!) amazing little people belong to me. Knowing that Father in Heaven trusted me with these incredible individuals is humbling and exhilarating all at once. There are so many moments when I feel such motherly pride in my kids – and so many moments when I am blown away by how much better they are than I am.

2.     What part of motherhood would you subcontract out if you could? Right now, I would subcontract the bedtime routine. My 3 year old is going through a phase where he gets out of bed every 20 minutes ALL NIGHT LONG. Husband and I are exhausted, thinking: our newborn will not be *this* tiring! Ah, to have a full night’s sleep!

3.     Name 2 or 3 items on your “bucket list.”  (Some things you’d like to do before you die.) I’d love to write a really great YA novel and have it published. I’d love to see Europe. Pretty much ANY part of Europe. I want to run a marathon without dying.

4.     Brag for a minute.  Do it.  What are a few things that you’re pretty good at? I’m good at hostessing parties. I love the details of it – and if I can hostess a party *for* someone else? Like a baby shower or birthday party? I’m in my happy place. I’m also pretty darn good at drawing hands and feet. I earned that one through lots of practice.

5.     What are you loving lately? My husband. He has really stepped up and helped me with these last few preparations for our little man to arrive, and he is so patient with our two kids, and he is always so willing to give me a foot rub. I just keep thinking, man. You don’t have to do all this. But he does it willingly and lovingly – and I have a hard time not falling at his feet, clinging to his pant legs, crying “I’m not worthy!” Also, lately, I’m loving Costco’s grapefruits. Huge. Juicy. Sweet. They’re kind of unreal.

6.     Do you have a favorite scripture or quote?  Why? One of my favorites is “Be Still, and know that I am God.” My mind and heart often go into overdrive with worry, concern, or just get overwhelmed – and I like this constant reminder that He’s got it all under control. What I need to do is not PANIC – but take the time to Be Still, and Know.

7.     What do you gravitate toward during your unscheduled time? Reading and blogs (writing mine and reading others). Often times, I sit there looking between my book and my computer, playing attention-tug-of-war with which I’d like to do. Unless Bill has a rare evening free from work or homework, and then we’re watching Dr. Who or Pushing Daisies with a bowl of frozen yogurt.

8.     Tell us some of your best mom-tricks  (things you’ve figured out that work well for you). Make your chores a game for the kids. Wyatt LOVES to help me haul the laundry upstairs if we do it train style, and he’ll help me load it if we can both be cranes. This way, I can get done what I need to without little hearts feeling neglected. Because, otherwise, I’d never get ANYTHING done! The curse of overly cute kids.

9.     What’s something you don’t usually want people to know about you, but that they need to know if they’re going to be your friend? I hate hate hate the cellphone. I don’t answer it. I usually don’t even have it on my person. The kids think it’s theirs because I let them chew on it/throw it against walls/call China with it. Right now, it’s sitting on the desk behind me, chirping that it’s almost out of batteries, and I think dagger thoughts at it that I don’t care. I hate talking on the phone. Even if you’re my best friend and have been for fifteen years – I still won’t answer your call. People take this personally. Then I remind them that twenty years ago, there weren’t cellphones. This doesn’t help, somehow. This is just one element of technology that has never agreed with me.

10. If you were in charge of a girls’ night out, what kind of activity would you love to plan? I’d want to do something elegant – like a nice meal out, because my women folk and I would appreciate the effort that goes into something like that – and I’d want to do something creative. So that we leave our girls’ night out feeling both pampered and uplifted. I’d also want to buy them all a really great handbag or something. Am I rich in this scenario?

11. Friends are great for venting.  What’s been frustrating you lately? Picking up after other people. I know, great frustration to have when you’re a mom! What can I say – I’m in the ornery stages of pregnancy <grin>. Also, when someone dumps the food from their dish into the disposal side of the sink (good idea) but leaves it there instead of rinsing and running it down (bad idea). Especially if it involves bread which then gets soggy. Soggy bread is my kryptonite. I just can’t handle it.

12.  What parts of your testimony are you the most sure of? Great question. The past year and a half, my testimony that God knows me individually and has an individual plan for me and my family has grown tenfold. That He works miracles in our everyday lives, and that He is willing to let us suffer – even though it pains Him – to answer our prayers to become better people. And – maybe most importantly – that His plan is waaaaaaay better (and cooler and more intricate and complete) than anything I can come up with.

Tell us about your blog: I write over at Stepper Was Here. Simple as its name, my blog is basically a place for me to explore what it means to me to be Mormon, a Wife/Mother, and a human being.

Thank you so much, Stepper.  Hug that sweet little new baby of yours and bask in our admiration.