Dying for More?

My friend Lara is moving across the country right now. I'm talking packed up her entire house, husband and three kids and moved from Utah to Michigan. Anyway, she asked me and a couple other friends to be guest bloggers on her blog while she couldn't be there. She has some sort of fancy contract because she's such a fabulous blogger that requires her to blog every so often. I was, of course, completely honored and intimidated, but I eeked out a piece about suitcases. You'll notice, if you read the woman who posted below mine, that hers is very deep and heartfelt, while mine is my typical whimsical nonsense. If you want to see it for yourself, go here:

http://lalakme.blogspot.com

It All Started With One Phone Call

Me: "Hello?"

My Mom: "Hey. What're you doing?"

Me: "I'm getting my new dishwasher installed. What are you doing?"

My Mom: "I'm on my way to your house."

Me: "Wait, what?"

And that my friends is how our fun, quick weekend started. My mom and dad showed up in this:

For those of you who don't speak car this is a very, very fast Corvette. I'm talk 60 miles an hour in about 1/2 second. Almost faster than my Toyota minivan.

Then we did a little eating namely at such places as TC Eggington's, Jamba Juice and Chino Bandido (all in the same day).



We also did a little of this and I conquered with a very pitiful score which was barely over 100.



Then, just like Cinderella's gown turned into rags and her coach into a pumpkin, they disappeared on Sunday morning. They even took their race car with them. We were left with our minivan and clothes that barely fit due to the excess in consumption. It sure was fun though.

So Much Older

On Saturday I turned 31. I'm old now. No really, I am. Let me tell you how the sad truth of this was discovered:

1. I was conducting in Primary last Sunday and I was reading the names of everyone in Primary that was going to have a birthday the coming week. I read my own name and got confused. Seriously, I didn't realize my birthday was only a week away.

2. About two months ago, I played a little backyard soccer with Derek and the kids. I was trying to steal the ball from Derek and he pushed my shoulder some weird way and my arm hurt for three weeks straight.

3. For my birthday, I was super excited about getting some projects done around the house.

4. My reason for putting blonde highlights in my hair has changed from looking cute to masking gray.

5. I don't buy cute shoes unless they are comfortable.

6. I drive a minivan and feel cool.

7. While I'm driving that minivan, I find myself changing radio stations all the time saying, "What is this garbage?"

Yes my friends, I'm old. I've reached that age where the young couples at church don't even think about befriending me because they look at the three kids and assume I couldn't be friends with them because I could never text back and forth with them. And, they are right! I have found the wonderful benefit of relaxing in my pjs all day after church and mostly anytime after dinner every evening. I don't go places to "be seen" only to try and find diversions for my brood. I look at college athletes and young policemen and think, "Do you even have your driver's license?"

Could be you're old too. Maybe you relate to some of this. Or, perhaps you're thinking, "Yeah, my parents do that stuff." I'm old. Old, but happy and that's the most important thing. No wait, happy and comfortable--now I'm complete.

Nursery--It's About Time!

The other day Eli said to me, "Mother, it's been more than nine months since my arrival when do you plan to create a dazzling nursery for me to rest in comfort?" To which I replied, "Wow, I thought your first words would be 'Mom' and 'Dad'!"

Anyway, I decided I'd give it a try with some paint colors (Lolly I picked them all by myself and I expect a comment from you!) and this is what happened. The first picture is the before and you'll note that the green sheet hung over window shows what classy people we are. You'll be looking for the broken down car on blocks in our driveway next right?

Look at me so hard at work!

Now it's yellow with lines taped off for the upcoming stripe...

Inspiration and just plain cute! My friend Stephanie made these. She sells other artwork too. You can see her talent here.

The cute quilt my mom bought me.

The blue stripe.

The finished room. Although Owen is sleeping there until I get him a toddler bed. You can't see the stripe because of my mad photography skills.

Not too bad for a Saturday project!

It May Be 106, But Summer's Over!

Yes, today marked the first day of first grade. A very exciting day for me and Ryanna. Although as of yesterday she couldn't decide if she was excited about it or not. She'd been telling everyone all summer that first grade was serious business because, "If you don't put your name on your paper, it goes straight to the trash!" So grown up, not like kindergarten at all.

I tried to get a gorgeous shot of her out with the green beauty that is my yard (who placed that nearly dead plant in my yard?), but the sun was a bit in her eyes and so I got some shots, but nothing that's going to change the world.

You know what will change the world though? Nine months of mobility and some carpet. That's right, we left our home a week and a half ago headed for cooler temperatures and family gatherings and came home with a completely mobile child. He's climbing everywhere and onto anything he can. Luckily, my kids come assembled with short legs, so he's not going up the stairs yet. He just crawls up to the first one and stands up next to it and slaps it with his hands as if to say, "Just wait, just wait!"

It Was a Wicked Good Weekend!

My husband set up a fancy-schmansy theater date for us. Perhaps you can guess from the title of my post? You definitely can't tell from the one picture I took from our fun night out. (See below) Don't we look Pop-u-lar?

For our next adventure, we headed up to Flagstaff for the 4th of July. While we were there, the kids & I enjoyed some of this yummy dessert. (See below) What I didn't realize about said dessert until too late was that it had cappuccino! So much for a great night's sleep.

Then Derek dominated in his firm's three on three tournament.

And, since we were stuck in the van for a little while while it rained I taught Eli to be a gangsta'. Peace out!

Families Are Forever

This morning was rough. You know, a day when all of the kids are up before the alarm can ring at 6 am. A morning where my internet won't work--STILL!!! A morning where I discovered that the load of dishes I started last night at 9 pm were still in process of being dried at 7 am (Will that food ever come off now?). Then, the baby started to get really cranky because--guess what?--he's not supposed to be up until 8:30 or so. Just a day where I was ready to call it quits around 11 am and head back to bed.

Instead, at 12 I headed to Owen's swim lessons. There was a new child there today. His mom sat right by me. We chatted a bit and laughed about how her little boy was so big compared to my small children. Then, she asked me how many kids I had. I pointed out all three. I asked her how many she had. She told me she had five but two were dead. I was shocked. What happened I asked? She told me that her oldest son had accidentally been electrocuted last year. He was 27. Then, later that year, she had a baby girl who was born with one of her lungs underdeveloped. She was pink and healthy and beautiful. The survival rate for that type of thing these days is 98%. Unfortunately, one of her doctors was too rough with the little girl and blew a hole in her lung. Then, he had the audacity to say, "It was for the best."

I sat next to this woman and heard her story and I just couldn't imagine someone saying that to me. Someone trying to play God with someone else's life. I realize doctors often are put in that situation, but to be so cavalier about your errant actions? To take a human life is unimaginable to me, but to do it without a modicum of remorse is sickening.

My heart went out to this mom who further explained that the huge age gap between her children was due to the fact that she's had to have all of them through invitro fertilization.

Then she said, "It's okay. I've had a lot of spiritual experiences related to the loss. I know that I'll have her again. She's mine."

Yes, you will have her again because Families are Forever. Isn't that the most wonderful promise of all? The people we love here on Earth can be with us in heaven as well.

I left the swim lesson feeling a little chastised for my self pity...reminded that my problems are small and easily overcome. I can go to sleep tonight and have a fresh start on all of them tomorrow. I love the promise of a new day. I love the knowledge we have of the eternal nature of families. I feel truly blessed.