Conference and other stuff

I've always loved and looked forward to conference weekend. I love relaxing at home, but at the same time being spiritually uplifted. It's hard to concentrate on every talk with little kids around, but we even just enjoy having them with us, hopefully picking up on some of the talks. I always find conference activities for them to do and they get excited for those. I loved hearing our prophet talk about hope and a bright future, but at the same time reiterating the importance of being prepared, getting out of debt and becoming self-sufficient. It always renews my resolved to work harder on these things that are so important to our well-being. I'm grateful for a prophet and to live in this day when we are able to hear his words so easily.
On another note....last night (monday), we were able to attend a benefit concert for Paul Cardall (an LDS pianist who is one of my absolute faves! right up there with Kurt Bestor, Jon Schmidt). Anyway, he has been on the heart transplant list for 229 days because he is in heart failure from a congenital heart defect, so this concert was to help his family with some of his medical bills. It was a great time...they had Kurt Bestor, Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband, Peter Breinholt and others. We thorougly enjoyed it. But one of the most touching moments was a tribute to a little baby, Gracie Gledhill, who struggled with a congenital heart defect and a heart transplant, but unfortunately didn't make it past 11 months old. Her story has had an amazing impact on me and I have been a religious follower of her blog. It was a great night, hard to describe the feeling unless you were there. But, we're praying for Paul to get a heart soon, and hopefully be able to go back to what he does best (besides being a husband and father) and that is make amazingly beautiful music.