Misc.

Tyler fought and fought his nap yesterday and finally succumbed at

dinnertime in his highchair. He's never done this before. He must have been really tired!

For a couple of years now, Brad has been complaining about our cheap-o particle board Shopko brand entertainment center that we bought with wedding money for $79, if memory serves me correctly. I don't really mind it, although it is pretty scuffed and one leg is broken. But I have learned that my normally go-with-the-flow, money-saving cutie is an entertainment center snob. The problem is, really nice ones cost more money than I want to spend on a piece of furniture like that. So imagine our joy when I looked on Craigs List yesterday and saw that they are remodeling the Hilton Hotel by the airport and are selling all the furniture. We managed to get a nice solid wood armoir for not much more than we spent on the cheapo piece of schwa we first bought seven years ago!

I always love putting Ty's shirts over his head like this, but usually he pulls them off just as fast as I put them there. But today he indulged me and let me take his picture before he got into his bath.

Cute Cousins

These two cutie cousins had a chance to play together the other day, and it was fun to see them get along. Both boys were brought into our family through adoption, and what a blessing they are to us.

Black Monday

A police officer securing the mall after multiple shootings.

This has been a horrible day. A killer strolled into Trolley Square, an upscale mall in Salt Lake City, and fired a shotgun on an unknown amount of people. Right now they're not sure how many are dead or injured. The police evidently shot him down and killed him, but not before he had run the length of the mall on his rampage.

This is a mall I frequent. Brad and I have eaten in most of the restaurants, where tonight people stuffed their children under bread carts for protection, and others locked themselves in freezers to keep the gunman out. Family restaurants, with children and parents enjoying a night out, when all of a sudden their whole world changed.

In addition to this tragedy, my sister-in-law's father died tonight as well. Just collapsed. He was only 55. I feel so bad for her. She's having, understandably, a really difficult time and is grieving.

Also in our area within the last couple of days a young Bishop's pregnant wife and two of their kids were killed by a 17 year old drunk driver.

A couple days before that a young 24 year old mom was killed when her new month-old home exploded because of a gas leak.

What is going on here?! This is all WAY too close to home. It's amazing how things can change in the blink of an eye. One moment it all can be going along smoothly, and bam--all of a sudden everything's different. I hope I truly appreciate my family and loved ones. I hope I live without regrets. I hope I live in the moment. I wish I could protect my family from stuff like this, but I don't know how. As I've watched, I've been amazed at the faith and strength of some of the people going through it, and my heart has broken for others who didn't have that same faith. I can't help but wonder how I would react in situations like I've witnessed the last couple of weeks. I certainly don't want to find out.

11 days!

Eleven days until Ty gets to see his cousins Jacob, Jessica and Katelyn! He wishes he had a sweatshirt with everybody's name on it, but we could only find one with Jake's name.

Grumpy

1. Freezing Cold and Hazy. It's too cold to spend any real amount of time outside, and the air is so bad, I wouldn't want to anyway. This has caused a bit of cabin fever, I'm afraid. You can only go to the Arctic Circle playland so many times a week before they start wondering if you work there.

2. Payday is supposed to be great, but I always get a little depressed because after paying all the bills, I see how little we have to live on until next payday. The heating bill this month was outrageous! I know we make more money now than when we were in school, but more expenses show up, too: higher rent, life insurance, school loan payments...it gets frustrating.

3. Another Friday goes by, and we still don't have a clue where we'll be transferred to. We've been in limbo for so long it's not funny anymore.

4. I thought I was over this one, but I was reading a lady's blog about deciding she was done having children, and then deciding she wasn't done, and how now she's due in May. I'm totally happy for her, but sometimes I'm still caught off-guard when I remember that most people have a choice. Most people can decide to get pregnant or not get pregnant, and when! It's funny how I think I'm just fine with all my infertility issues when something dumb like this gets me all in a funk again.

Okay kids, I got it out. No need to freak out and think I'm all depressed, it's just one of those days. I'm sure the normal Sal will return tomorrow.

50 Things I Like

Sunsets. Maps. Candlelight. A whole day to read. St John Chapter 14. Tyler's blue eyes. Taking the back roads. Holding hands. Fall leaves. The Amazing Race. Hyacinths. New Poems. Spontaneous trips. Stephen's brand Orange Creme Hot Chocolate. The start of football season. Christmas morning. Haceta Head Lighthouse. Cafe Rio pork salad w/both dressings. Old friends. American Idol after the meanness at the beginning. The Salt Lake City Library. Tornadoes. Snuggling. Reading old letters. Saturday Market in downtown Eugene. Fireflies. Dollar movies. Relief Society. Finding killer deals. Cold Mountain Dew. Hammocks. The Bountiful Deseret Industries. Getting the mail. Naptime. New calendars. Rough-housing with TyTy. Surprise flowers. Lunch with Mom. Giving and getting compliments. Trips to Susan's house. Office supply stores. Citrus smells. See's chocolate. Finding forgotten money. 80's and 90's music. Planning vacations. Time by myself after everyone's in bed. Collard Lake. Scary roller coasters. New babies.

Pinball, Poo, and President Kimball

How can it be that the same 2 year old that had a poo-poo in the bathtub yesterday, is playing Pinball on the computer like a pro? Brad taught him how, and now he starts the game all by himself with the mouse, and finds the keys (the z, the ?, and the space bar)to play all by himself! It's crazy! (Please excuse my messy desk!)



On another subject, I'm teaching the lesson tomorrow in Relief Society on President Kimball. I'm so excited to study his words this year. I found a little video blurb on him to show in the lesson, and it was so fun to hear that unique voice again. He is the Prophet of my childhood, and it's fun to revisit him.

Bear Lake Adventure

We had a fun little vacation at Bear Lake with Brad's family just after Christmas. We stayed at this really nice cabin that had six bedrooms and lots of room. And a great view of the lake (you can see it there in the background).

Grandma brought some crafty things for the cousins to do, like decorating Gingerbread men with marshmallows, candy and frosting.

Of course, Ty wasn't interested in decorating the cookie--he just kept putting frosting on it and eating it. Yum Yum.

We rented snowmobiles one day and went riding around the trails above the cabin. Way fun! Brad took Ty on a little ride and went really slow so I wouldn't worry. Ty loved it!

June brought little New Year's toys from England that pop and have little toys in them, along with crowns. Ty is blowing the little horn that he got, and we're all wearing our crowns.

Except for our car getting stuck on the hill on our way out (John ended up towing us with his truck--we brought chains, but they didn't fit our tires!) we had a really fun time. Everyone got along and the cousins had a great time getting to know one another again.

A Merry Christmas

Through a child's eyes,

There's Hope, there's Peace, there's Love.

I can almost see Heaven above--through a child's eyes.

Good Morning

As much as I LOVE Tyler's bedtime (think Hallelujah Chorus), I love seeing him again in the morning when he's sweet and cute and well-rested. He's not an early riser, which I am sooooo thankful for, so usually around 8:30 every morning I start to hear little chatter and singing. Then I hear, "Mommy!!! Wake up!!! Wake up Mommy!!" Even though he got a big boy bed a couple weeks ago, he still treats it like a crib (with the gates on the side it kinda still is like one), so he won't get out until I come in to get him. He's always sitting up playing with his bed "friends". Let me tell you about them.

In the picture he's holding the binks that he's collected througout the night. He collects them and puts them "away" until the next nighttime. (It's progress!)

His favorite blankies include:

Africa (the one pictured)
Bluey
Fringy
Balloony
Fuzzy
Quilty (also known as Mommy's Pillow)
Alphabetty, and
Giraffy

I think it's interesting that he hasn't stuck with one that's his favorite. He rotates and wants different ones at random times. Same with his animals and dolls:

BelleBelle (well, I think this is his very favorite)
Doggy (the hyper silly one of the bunch)
Payton
Debbie
Froggy
Monkey
Lion, and the newest one:
Gingy (the gingerbread man that a nice lady won in one of those claw vending machines and gave to TyTy. So nice, huh?)

No wonder the crib was getting too small!!!

After we inventory and talk to every friend on his bed, I sit in the rocker and we talk about his night and talk about our upcoming day, and where Daddy is, etc. It's a time I'm starting to treasure.

My Sincerest Apology...

Dear Nurse at the After Hours Clinic in the Sandy Mall:

It must be hard working off-hours on a Sunday, dealing with people that can't wait to see their normal doctors on Monday. I'm sure I didn't make it any easier for you yesterday.

After seven days of non-functioning, and not getting any better, I decided I needed to come see you. Wearing my little mask they gave me to protect others from sickness, I gave you all my info: no meds except Ibuprofen and Sudafed...Oh wait, I did use my Albuterol inhaler on Wednesday night... No, I don't smoke...Started my period a couple days ago...On a scale of one to ten, my throat hurts an 8.5 or 9...Mother of a headache last night...still stuffed up...a little nausea...husband and baby had cold last week...aches...fever...terrible cough...yes, green sputum.

I sat up on the exam table like the perfect patient. You looked in my ears: all good. I breathed for you: lungs sound good. And then--I should have warned you, but I forgot. I was too relieved to be taking off the little mask (it gets hot in there!) that I didn't realize what was next. All of a sudden you stuck a stick in my mouth and another stick with a swab on it. I couldn't warn you about my overactive gag reflex. But you sure did find out about it, didn't you? And you also found out first-hand about the green sputum. Just be glad my nausea kept me from eating anything earlier in the day! As you wiped off your face and hands, I didn't even see one look of disgust! You, dear nurse, are a professional!

Test Results? Positive for Strep. I really do hope you have a good immune system, dear After Hours Nurse. So sorry.

Random Stuff

We went to a birthday party for our niece Emma's first birthday. Ty was so excited to go. He chose to give her (with the help of Daddy) the same Refridgerator magnet singing farm animals that he has. I was running a bit late and Ty kept saying, "Vamanos!!! Let's go!" I guess Dora is doing some good. (He can count to ten in Spanish, too!)

Little Emma tearing through her cake!

Tyler saw Grandpa taking a nap and said he was "seepy", too.

The other morning I heard Ty yelling something from his crib. I went in there and he was saying, "It's on! Outside! It's on!" I asked him, "What's on?" "The sun!!" he said, "It's on outside!!!"

A Prayer

I was sitting at my computer, doing my eBay, and Ty was playing on the bed. All of a sudden I hear:

Heavy Father... so much... Mommy... Daddy... grateful... Pez Hinckey... Daddy work... Jee Christ... Amen.

Is that sweet or what? This is the first time I've heard him say a prayer by himself--Brad or I have always helped him. Of course, I gave him so much praise that after that he kept saying, "again! again!" He must have said five more exactly like it. By this time, it's getting a little old, but I don't want to say "no more prayers," so I just said "one more time," and after that he said, "All done!"

Good Times!

Oh I just about lost my lunch over today's Rivalry Game between BYU and Utah! Talk about a nailbiter--I couldn't take it. I had to leave and go pick up some Cafe Rio in the middle of the madness. Of course I listened to the radio in the car, so I didn't really get away from it that much. It came down to one play with 3.2 seconds left, BYU down by four, just inside the ten yard line. AUGHHHH!!!! The play lasted FOREVER, but just as John Beck was getting tackled, he found his pal Johnny Harline on the other side of the endzone, threw across his body and just barely connected. BYU by 2!!!Finally after four years, they did it! Just barely, but they did! You gotta give props to the Utah team--they showed up to play! And the crowd just about killed us they were sooooo loud! Those Utes sure do hate us!

Now I worry about the Las Vegas bowl. Chances are likely right now that BYU could play Oregon. That is my worst football nightmare! I hate it when my two favorite teams play each other. I don't want to see either of them lose their bowl game. But there's no question that my loyalties have to be with BYU on this one. I know these boys. They've been through some hard times the last few years, and this has been a magical season, and for so many of them, it's their last.


Thanksgiving was great fun this year. We were at my parent's house and we just had a fun time. The kids went swimming, we played pool and dominoes, told stories, just talked, and ate some really good food. Everything tasted so good this year! It was also nice having Great-Grandma with us from the Boise area.

This is during a game of chickenfoot.

TyTy and Maddy became best cousin buds.

Thursday Thirteen #9

Thirteen Embarrassing Moments


1. Wetting my pants in the first grade. We were sitting there on our little carpets listening to Miss Murata read out loud. I asked if I could go, but she said no. So I went anyways. Right there on the carpet. I had to go to the office and wear borrowed clothing until my mom came.

2. In fourth grade, I tripped over someone’s chair and hit my head on a desk. I didn’t realize it was that bad until all the kids started screaming, “You’re bleeding!”. I had to go get stiches.

3. In third grade, I was showering in my parent’s shower for some reason, and I saw my dad’s razor. I decided to shave my face, just like he did. Only I shaved my WHOLE face, including my eyebrows! Oops! And it was the day before school pictures!

4. I got the lead in the school play: Sound of Music! Everything was going great until I fell down the stairs and my shoe flew into the audience and hit a lady in the head. After that, everybody was like, “Did you have a nice trip? See ya next fall!

5. In high school I was a DJ for a local radio station. As I was giving the weather report, I accidently said it was “farty” out, instead of “forty.”

6. My wedding day: we’re kneeling at an altar, pledging to love each other for forever. Brad gets through just fine, but when I get asked, instead of answering, my throat catches and I can’t say it!

7. On a triple date in college, we’re back from the event, just hanging out in our apartment. My roommate offers to crack my back (why, I can’t remember!) and when she does, I let out this big fart! Needless to say, I never saw that guy again!

8. My favorite teacher also happened to be the dad of the guy I really liked in 8th grade. When he found out I liked his son, (thanks, Kenny, for blabbing) he would say things like, “Is there anything you want me to put under his pillow tonight?” and “It’s okay if you like my son, just don’t start calling me dad!”

9. It was a snowy day at BYU, and I was walking home. I was stopped at a light, when a bus came by and totally drenched me with dirty slush! I had to walk home freezing and muddy and wet, with people staring the whole way.

10. I was singing at my brother’s wedding reception and forgot the words to the song I was singing. I ended up not finishing because I just couldn’t remember the words!

11. As a health teacher, I was teaching the kids the harmful effects of tobacco on the lungs. I had forgotten my overhead drawing of the lungs, so I just drew some up on the chalkboard. As soon as I did, the whole class started laughing! I didn’t know why, until I stepped back and saw what they saw: my drawing of lungs looked just like the male anatomy! I just said, “Oops...the sex ed lesson isn’t until next week!” Needless to say, I never attempted to draw anything again.

12. First day of college, I struggled to find my classroom on time. I made it just before the bell. The teacher came in and started lecturing. About halfway through, I realized I was in a senior literature class, not freshman English! I just bolted out the door and didn’t look back.

13. I was on swim team and was finishing a long practice. Only problem was I wasn’t feeling too well. Doing the breast stroke, I accidently swallowed a bunch of water as I was getting my breath. It resulted in throwing up my lunch all over the pool! You’ve never seen a pool vacate so fast!





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Monday's Poem

Routine

Arthur Guiterman

No matter what we are and who,

Some duties everyone must do:

A Poet puts aside his wreath

To wash his face and brush his teeth,

And even Earls

Must comb their curls,

And even Kings

Have underthings.

Ho Hum...

Kinda weird...this has been a busy week, so much so that I haven't really blogged, but not the type of busy that is really interesting--just boring busy. So I'll just touch on the highlights.

1. Voting

This was the first time Utah used electronic voting machines. Except for a big debacle in Utah County (what's new?), they worked well, and were pretty easy to use. Even all the old ladies in my ward said they liked it!

2. Orange Jello

I had an opportunity to volunteer at the Deseret Dairy on Wednesday. For four hours we packaged and weighed and inspected packets of orange jello. Oh...my...gosh. I don't know how people do it that have a full-time job on an assembly line. That is the most monotonous thing I've ever done! I'm glad I was able to go, though. It was very interesting seeing Welfare Square. Neat place!

3. Music Orientation

This was my first time orienting anyone to a calling. We finally got music people for Relief Society and I got to meet with them and get them excited about the importance of music. Kinda cool.

4. BYU vs. Wyoming

I was excited to see this game--Wyoming was supposedly the second best in the Mountain West. Umm...either they weren't playing too well, or we're a LOT better than I thought. At 55-7 it wasn't much of a contest. It is so fun to see the team so confident and efficient. What a great season!

5. ebay

This has taken up most of my alloted "blogging time" this week. My Mom and Dad recently received as a gift some items that they didn't really need (supplements, hair stuff, etc) so they passed them on to us, almost as a joke. We didn't really need them, either. So I thought: I wonder if these would sell on ebay? Umm...yeah. I've listed 16 items, eight are still up for auction, and we've made almost $300 so far!!! Who knew that people would pay $43 plus shipping for eight bars of soap!!!!!

Monday's Poem

Poem to Be Read at 3 A.M.

Donald Justice

Excepting the diner

On the outskirts

The town of Ladora

At 3 A.M.

Was dark but

For my headlights

And up in

One second-story room

A single light

Where someone

Was sick or

Perhaps reading

As I drove past

At seventy

Not thinking

This poem

Is for whoever

Had the light on

More fall pics

Here are some more of our attempts at a 2yr picture. None of them turned out because of the poor lighting, but there are some cute rejects!

It looks like it's totally dark, but it was just way overcast. I'm learning that lighting is VERY important when taking pictures! Bear with me as I keep experimenting!

First attempts at striking a pose!

Tonight as we were rocking before bedtime:
Tyler: Mommy, I love you. Mommy, I love you.
Me: I love you, too, Tyler. Very much.
Tyler: Oh! Thank you, Mommy!

Not too Bright

I know, I know, it's just a "botched joke,"

but I think this is pretty funny!

Thursday Thirteen #8

The Next Thirteen Items That are on My Calendar (as of today)

1. Young Men's activity(Brad)

2. Work Retreat in Park City (Brad)

3. Welfare Committee Meeting(Me--what's wrong with this? Brad gets a retreat in Park city and I have to go to a boring meeting? Hmm....)

4. Meet Andrea and Spencer at Carl's Jr for lunch and play. (Me and TyTy)

5. Adoption Celebration at Boondock's (whole family!)

6. Watch BYU play Colorado State. Go cougs! (whole family!)

7. Family Home Evening with Brad's Parents, tiling their bathroom (whole family!)

8. Vote at Liberty Elementary (me and Brad)

9. Relief Society Presidency meeting (me)

10. Watch friend's baby while she packs (me and Ty)

11. Thursday night game: Wyoming vs. BYU Go Cougs! (whole family)

12. Payday!!!!!

13. My neice Amanda's ninth birthday.



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Halloween Clown

We went to my Mom and Dad's condo last night to trick or treat around there. Our little clown loved his costume. He kept saying, "Face, huh?", because he liked his face paint so much.

He didn't quite get why all this candy was being offered to him, but he definitely didn't complain!

Monday's Poem

After the Rain

Your Smile,
with the spectacular softness
of a rainbow,
makes me
laugh and wish I were
the sky.

--Paul B Janeczko

Perfect Man and Woman

I saw this on Lynda's Blog and thought it was pretty funny.

I think I'll pass it on. It's a little animation called The Perfect Man and Woman.

Onions

Two days ago, my friends. Two days! I made a little Carribbean rice dish with some onions in it. Okay...a whole yellow onion chopped up and a big bunch (is that what they're called?) of green onions (and cilantro, too. Yum). But it's been two whole days and I still reek. I knew it was a problem Thursday night when I went to a Relief Society meeting and my friend Becky, who was sitting by me, left early! (Well, maybe she had somewhere else to go, but I doubt it!) In the shower it smells like I'm shampooing with onion, and even now my keyboard is being infused with it because my fingertips are dripping with onionness. I know in the book Holes, onions are all great for you, but I've seriously got to rethink my onion policy if I'm planning to continue on living in civilization!

In other news, my new ebay digital camera is a bust! I should have known you can't get what you want when you pay only $40 for it! Dang.

We went to a ward Halloween party yesterday, and Ty was the cutest little clown there! But I'll have to wait until I get the pics back from the photo lab before I can post them. Bummer.

BYU beat Air Force today. Way to go Cougs!!

Thursday Thirteen #7

Thirteen Things I Would Do if I Won Deal or No Deal Although it’s mostly annoying, sometimes I can’t help but watch Deal or no Deal for a few minutes, at least. So here’s what I would do if my suitcase held the million dollars and I didn’t accept a deal from the banker. 1. Tithing. 2. Save some for a nice, but not overboard house. 3. Take whole extended family on a cruise. 4. Buy a boat. 5. Save for children’s educations and missions. 6. Travel the U.S.A. 7. Research charities and give to one I really believe in. 8. Hire a cleaner to come in once a week. 9. Probably revisit the fertility doctor and try more options. 10. Fly instead of drive home to Oregon. 11. Give back to BYU. 12. Buy a Subaru or maybe a Pacifica. 13. Save, save, save!

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Monday's Poem

Collard Lake at Dawn (Florence, OR)


Dawn breaking as I woke,
With the white sweat of the dew
On the green, new grass
I walked in the cold, quiet as
If it were the world beginning;
Peeling and eating a chilled tangerine.
I may have many sorrows,
Dawn is not one of them.

--Derek Walcott

Birthday Boy

We celebrated Ty's 2nd birthday this week and it was a lot of fun. He had a little party with his best friend/cousin Spencer.

Here they are on the froggy at the little playland.

My first attempt at cake decorating. Very amateurish, I know, but Ty loved it. He kept talking about his "Elmo Take."

His first trike. He can't quite ride it yet, but he sure loves to climb up and down on it.

Fall Pics Finally!

Well, since I couldn't download our pics directly from the camera to the computer, I broke down and took the media card to a kiosk and made a CD. What a pain. Our camera has been on the fritz for months--I finally just bought a new one yesterday on ebay.

This is the cutest one of him actually looking at the camera, I think.

Ty and his daddy.

"Hold on, Mom and Dad. Just...gotta...zip...this...up."

If you're happy and you know it...

Thursday Thirteen #6

Thirteen Things that Stink about Having a Sick Child 1. Worrying that although he always has high fevers, that this 104.7 degree fever is different than the others. 2. Doctor telling you to just wait it out. 3. The constant whining. 4. Forgetting when you gave him medicine last. 5. Being totally homebound. 6. Missing your normal, cute, happy child. 7. Not being able to take him to nursery. 8. Wasting food because he won't eat anything. 9. Snot! 10. Puke! 11. Diarrhea! 12. Waking up every 20-30 minutes. 13. "Negotiating" with your spouse about whose turn it is to get up. Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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Real Mom

So where’s his real mom? you ask me oh-so-sweetly.
Oh, do you mean his birth mom? I reply, matching your sugary tone.

Inside I cringe.

Where’s the one who
Dries his tears?
Cleans his messes?
Rocks him to sleep?
Comforts him when he’s sick?
Cries when he's in pain?
Encourages him to go for it?
Makes his PBJ sandwich with no crusts?
Teaches him his ABC’s?
Changes his diapers?
Reads the same book over and over?
Laughs at his cute little jokes?
Loves him unconditionally?

Where is his real mom?

Lady, you’re looking right at her.

Stop the Clock

He’ll be two in two days and I want to

stop the clock. Sure, there are moments when he’s

not so cute: saying "owie, owie!" and crying at the slightest

bump; pressing the buttons on the DVD player so it takes

an hour to set it up right again; pushing away any and all

food we put on his plate; crying out for his binkie at

three-thirty in the morning. But I’d take all that a

thousand times over if I could just keep the way

he loves to snuggle at night; his cute,

"Love you, Mommy" right before I turn out the light;

the constant "I did it!" thrill after accomplishing any

task; the way he loves to "help" us do dishes, take out the

garbage, make the bed, sweep the floor (okay, this could

sometimes be in the annoying column); his fascination with

all lights on or off; his love of hide-and-seek:

"Where’s Ty? Here I am!";

the joy he finds in little things, "jump!jump!jump!".

Oh I know there will be moments of pride and joy in the future:

choosing to be kind to a new kid at school; sacking the

quarterback in a football game; cooking his first dinner for the

family; earning an A in a really tough class. But I wonder if

those moments will bring with them a little ache in my heart

for the little boy–so sweet and innocent–that he is right at

this moment. There will come a day when he doesn’t sing with

gusto at his Barney cartoon; when he doesn’t run to Mommy

and ask me to kiss his foot that he just hurt. He will

probably be embarrassed by me at some point, and

wish I wasn’t his mom. And that’s okay.

But for now, I want to hold on to this moment

in time where his daddy and I are his whole world.

He’ll be two in two days and I want to

stop the clock.

Monday's Poem

The City

If flowers want to grow
right out of the concrete sidewalk cracks
I'm going to bend down to smell them.

-David Ignatow

No New Pics

What's worse than trying to get cute fall pictures up in the canyons with a boy who's sick and not had his nap?

Trying to get cute fall pictures up in the canyons with a boy who's sick and not had his nap and then getting home and realizing that the camera is broken and will not download said pictures!!! (This same little boy already broke the nice zoom lens from our other camera) We have no more working cameras!

JCPenney, here we come! We tried!

Thursday Thirteen #5

Thirteen Smells I Love 1. Hyacinths. (The first smell of spring. Aaaahhh) 2. Just after a summer rain. 3. Mom's beef stroganoff in the crock pot. (One sniff of that and all's right with the world) 4. Chlorine. (Think swimming pools, not Clorox) 5. Lemon Dishwasher Detergent. (I love to smell this one so much, one time I accidently snorted it up my nose. It burned. I wouldn't advise doing that.) 6. Mom's Chanel #5. (I would never wear it myself, but everytime I go to a mall, I smell it and think of her) 7. Luv's Diapers. (clean, of course!!!) 8. A new box of Crayola Crayons. 9. Chocolate chip cookies baking. 10. A newly opened can of Tennis Balls. 11. Salty Ocean Breezes. 12. Noxema. (I love this stuff! Maybe because it used to soothe my sunburns) 13. Cilantro. (I would put cilantro on just about anything if I could!)

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Monday's Poem

I was looking through my files and there are so many poems that I love, I thought I would share one every Monday. One of my favorite poets is Carol Lynn Pearson. She puts into beautiful words what I often feel. Here she writes about adoption:

ON PURPOSE

The little girl unfrowned and then
Sort of smiled when
After hearing the dictionary definition

She was told that what adopted
Really meant was

Searched for
Prayed for
Worked for
Finally gratefully got
Unquestionably on purpose
And loved a lot.

Patience Really Is a Virtue

It seems like our life has been on hold for a while. Waiting for this, waiting for that...as I've struggled to figure out why Heavenly Father continues to teach us this lesson over and over again,(we thought we had it down with the infertility thing--Haa! There was so much more to come, and probably still more!)I've found peace in really trying to have faith in God's plan for us. At our church's General Conference, there was a talk on patience that I felt was written just for me.

Elder Robert C. Oaks said, "Patience may well be thought of as a gateway virtue, contributing to the growth and strength of its fellow virtues of forgivenss, tolerance, and faith." I totally get this. For years in my health class I taught kids about the gateway drugs: alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. I get the concept. I believe in the concept. The more patience I can have, the more forgiveness, tolerance, and faith I will have--the more charity I will have, thus, the more Christlike I will be. I like this. It's something I can really work on that's manageable, but will have great consequences.

My impatience draws me away from the Lord. Elder Oaks went on: "Elder Neal A. Maxwell linked patience and faith together when he taught: "Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best--better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His." I really shouldn't even pretend that I know better than God. He knows me better than I know myself, and He loves me, so I will trust in him and His plan, even though I don't understand everything right now.

I'm choosing to be happy in the moment. Where I am right at this time. I can live with not knowing. Look at all I have to be thankful for in this picture alone!

Thursday Thirteen #4

Thirteen Things I Want to Start Doing Again 1. Play volleyball on a city league team. I used to play all the time in high school and college. What stops me from doing this is finding a team to play on. I should just ask the city if there's a team that needs another player. 2. Read my Scriptures Regularly. My scripture reading has gone way downhill since Ty was born, and I really don't have a good excuse. I could be reading instead of writing right now. 3. Write up Family Stories. I started this project, but haven't put much effort into it lately. 4. Sing in a Good Choir. Again, here's one I did a lot of in high school and college, but miss as regular adult citizen. There've got to be community-type choirs out there, right? 5. Go back to School for a Degree in Social Work. My passion is adoption and I would love to be a part-time adoption/birth parent worker. 6. Invite people we don't know that well for Dinner. We used to do this all the time when we lived in Provo. 7. Workout Regularly. Tyler screams bloody murder every time I take him to the Gold's Gym daycare. But I could go at night when Brad gets home. Morning before Brad goes to work is NOT an option. 8. Play more games. I love card games and board games. We should play more. 9. Write in my Journal more often. Although this one is kind of done if I print out my blog entries. 10. Keep in better contact with old friends. Because they're such old, dear friends, sometimes I don't work as hard at keeping in touch with them because I know they'll always be there. Shame on me. 11. Paint with Watercolors. I used to love doing this, but living in apartments has halted it. I need a room where I can just keep all my creative stuff out if I want to. 12. Travel more. Between me quitting my job (less money) and Brad getting newly hired (less time-off), and having a baby, we really haven't travelled like we used to. Hopefully that will change. We've opened a vacation savings account and have plans for a Florida vacation in 2007. 13. Go to Enrichment Night. This is a night at my church where the ladies get together to do various activities. It really is a great way to get to know people, but my social anxiety pops up and I usually end up not going.

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Death, Leaves and Rain

So Ty and I go to meet my grandma (in town for conference) and Mom at my great-aunt's house today. We're going to go out to lunch. I thought they said noon, but it turns out they said 12:30, so we're quite early. It's at a retirement residence, and I think of just going up and visiting with my aunt, but I'm not sure which apartment is hers, so Ty and I just wait outside on the nice swing they have.

I've met this aunt before--she's 96--but it's been a few years and I'm actually looking forward to getting to know her better. (She's really my Grandpa's cousin whom we just call "aunt") Anyway, Mom and Grandma finally come and Ty is so excited to see them. We make our way to Auntie's door, but there's no answer. Her paper is still by the door. Grandma mentions that she didn't answer the phone when she called earlier. We try the knob. It turns. We call out her name. No answer. Could she have gone down to the cafeteria for lunch? Grandma goes inside and a second later calls out to my mom, "She's still in bed! Could she be dead?" My mom, an experienced RN goes in to take her pulse. I take Ty out in the hall. Mom comes out, and nods--she's gone.

Hmmm...it's a bit unsettling. My first thought is my son--although he doesn't understand this, he doesn't need to be around it, and we don't need to be in the way. And since we're obviously not going out to lunch now, I say that Ty and I will leave. I look at my Grandma. My 91 year-old Grandma, who says repeatedly to us not to shed a tear when she goes because she's the happy one, is shedding a tear to herself. I hug her and my mom goes to find the administrator. I'm sad I didn't get to know this lady more before she passed.

Later on in the day, Brad and I dress Ty up and head toward the mountains. The fall leaves are PERFECT right now, and since Ty's b-day is in a couple weeks, we think we'll try to take his 2-year old pictures on our own in the beauty of the leaves rather than hassle at JCPenney again. Oh, it is gorgeous!!! We get a couple of pics and then the rain comes pouring down!!!! It was clear the whole way up, but it has to start right when we start! Oh well...we'll see how they turn out. We drive toward the sunny part of the valley and find a little park with an old pioneer cabin that's pretty cute. We take some picks there. Little kiddo isn't the best smiler in the world for the camera, so we'll see. We may end up at JCPenney in a week or two!