Graduation

Finally, a crafty item again.
It's been fun to sit down and make something again.
Hard to believe this is the week - another milestone moment and I get closer to having an empty nest.

I love Memorial Day. We have so much to be grateful for. For the sacrifices of so many, Thanks to them and to the Lord for this country that I love! Tomorrow we are playing softball with some other families in the morning and having the traditional cookout later. It's going to be a hot day, but should be a good one too.

Tuesday is high school graduation. Next Sunday is seminary graduation. As I put up pictures of Steven's life yesterday on a poster for the seminary graduation I purposely made it completely non-scrapbooky. I didn't want this poster to be anything about my creativity. I wanted it to be ALL about my boy. Starting at 3 months and including 35 pictures up to April of this year, the pictures show how much he has grown up. Sorting through the ones I have taken through the years was a bittersweet opportunity. How grateful I am for all the pictures I took. Deep down, I don't think its possible for there to be too many photos. It made me so grateful for all the scrapbooking I have done because it was easy for me to put things in order and to have choices of photos to draw from. It also made me cry more than once.

Why does it have to be almost over already? It seems like just yesterday he was so excited to go to his grandma's house as a toe-headed three year old. How excited we were when he picked up a book and started reading his first words. How fun has it been to just sit and talk with him or watch a great game and share in the enthusiasm for the team we're rooting for? Now, here he is, driving and dating and graduating from high school. I will miss so many of the new excitements in his life. As excited as I am for those opportunities that await him, and wouldn't want him to miss any of them, I will miss him.

He wasn't always an easy child. His personality has changed twice, dramatically. When he was seventeen months and again when he was thirteen. In both times he physically changed almost overnight. The first time, it was like his body and his brain became disjointed, and fortunately, they hooked up again when he became a teenager. In the middle, it wasn't always fun. He was like a rebel without a cause yet with a smile and an easiness to his spirit that gave me hope. What he never lost was a love and commitment for family that has contintued to grow and that blesses our family in a hundred ways today. I will miss his good influence. He is an example to us all.

So, tonight, I had him put on his robes, and pose for some pictures on this beautiful late spring day. He received the Duty To God award today also. It is also my Dad's birthday, so it just seems fitting that it be a tribute to the legacy he will carry on as a righteous priesthood holder, doing his duty to God for the rest of his life. It's a day to remember. He set a lot of goals and has reached many of them this year. Spiritually, scholastically, Scouting, its been a big year and now he's on his way to the next phase of life. I guess one is never ready, but here we go. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to be his mother!

 

Pain and Joy

Just a month ago my mom was visiting us. Today she is visiting my brother's family for a graduation, baptism, and Eagle Court of Honor and unfortunately, had to go to the ER this morning with pneumonia. After five hours she was sent home. I pray she can rest and recover soon.

Talked to Cowgirl today. She's been sick for a week, been to the doctor's once. Now her chest is starting to hurt.


My cousin Suzy has been sick for a long time, MaryAnn too.
My dear friend, now with four strokes is still sick. I saw her again yesterday. We pray for her daily. Let her be better.
Our Relief Society lesson was on Elder Holland's talk, and taught the difference between true love and lust. Those who had true love and that love betrayed them were so hurt and the pain so real. I cried with them, and my heart still hurts just thinking about them.
Life is not fair. It is not easy. It is not pretty. Yet, it can be. I saw pictures on Pioneer Women's website last night, titled Happiness, of children laughing and babies holding their soldier daddies and I just wept, that their happiness was real. It was good.

There is opposition in all things. I ache for those who are hurting. I rejoice with those who are happy. I talked to my dear friend, Cynthia, today. I realized that it is the scriptures that keep me from giving up or holding onto doubt. They are filled with hope. They promise us of another place where it is paradise and better. They ground me in He, who descended below them all. So, I give my sadness for all those who are sad to Him. It doesn't take the pain away, but it makes it bearable, because I know He cares for their pain. He wept too. So, when I weep, He understands.

Simplifying

Notice a new layout? Simpler. Cleaner. Less Distractions.

As a teenager my definition of a good life was to be busy. Today, my definition is less about filling time, but making sure what I'm doing is serving my primary objective.

Time on the computer has become more a distraction for me than I need. I have been inspired by other women who have found that the closer they get to the Lord, He tells them the same things He's told me; pull back, spend less time there and more time here, with my family and serving others. Its become a necessity in my life to spend some time every day, but I can't let it take prime hours. They're just too precious.

I saw a sign at the ball park today with a cute little girl with short hair holding a doll. It read, "Casey's Foundation because Life Is Precious," and had a website.

Life is precious. I need to use my time more wisely.

I passed a book on to Amy titled, Simplify. She laughed at first, saying, Here I am in the hospital, you don't think it's simple enough? But after her mom started reading it to her, they told me, they got it. We root out what gets in the way of our coming fully to the Lord in heart, might, mind and strength.

While I am not sitting in a hospital bed I need to stay focused on what I can do that will positively impact others. Consider this my major weeding day.

Blessings and Surprises

MyGirl turned 16 a week ago Saturday. Stating repeatedly that she did NOT want a surprise party I told her she would be getting a day of surprises instead. The first one started in January and when Cowgirl and I planned for her next visit - a surprise on MyGirl's birthday then staying through Mother's Day. For all of Jan., Feb., and March I kept the secret, then I slowly started letting it leak out to close friends and family, as my anticipation grew, but still being careful to keep it secret from MyGirl.
So the day started off at 7:50, when she woke up. She came downstairs where I was making homemade rolls (her request) and after I gave her a birthday hug, she said she had a headache. I reminded her she wasn't planning on getting up for another hour, so why didn't she go back to bed, which she did. (Good thing, as the surprises weren't scheduled until 9!)
Here in order were her surprises:
9 - breakfast in bed,(cinnamon rolls) with presents of a new watch and fabulous smelling soaps and her homemade card.

10- new turquoise table and lime green rug for her room, which she loved. The chair - not so much, so returned that later in the day.
11- a massage at the Baltimore Wellness Center with our friend, Claire. She loved this! Afterwards she kept saying, "I feel as light as a feather."

12 noon - out to lunch at her favorite restaurant, Cosi
1 - home to pick up the chair to return, open some small gifts from her family, and get her grandparents' card with cash for a shopping trip to the mall
2 - While shopping (and finding a darling new dress and long white shirt that both look fabulous on her,) she received an I-tunes gift card and then got her ears pierced.

3:20ish ( we were late with all the fun we were having at the mall!) she had a cute
balloon tied to her dinner chair and received more clothes, which she loved!

4- We blindfolded her and our whole family jumped in the Suburban for her next surprise. We thought we had pulled it off, when she said, upon entering the airport, "I know those bumps on the road," referring to the 15mph speed bumps - and I could only think to myself why did I not think of this?! Anyhow, she kept her blindfold on, and I hopped out, and sent out the next surprise:

Cowgirl in the flesh!
MyGirl was surprised! She was speechless for a few seconds - "You came all the way from Utah??? I thought you were with Grandma??" (Yes, on the way to the airport!) It made her feel loved for sure! (Although, we know deep down, she had been hoping perhaps for a trip to Disneyworld, it was still Good!)
5 - A Vera Bradley journal from Cowgirl and the homemade rolls were ready!
6- Dinner and a homemade icecream/brownie cake, as she requested.
7- A new movie to watch together
8 - A picture of the Eiffel tower to go with her bright room
9 - A CD from her Daddy featuring songs fathers sing to daughters - really sweet, with Butterfly Kisses being the first one.
Where was the camera during all the evening activities? Forgotten, in the joy of being a family of six all together again. Truly I was just savoring the moments.

She loved her day. She was surprised and she will remember this day always.

The next week we all had lots of fun with Cowgirl, and us girls, especially did lots together.

We went back to the Azalea garden. This time there were fewer blooms, but the evening was perfect and we enjoyed walking around together.

We gardened, watched Little Buddy's baseball game, went to BigBuddy's high school concert, shopped, cooked, went out to eat, stayed up late talking, played a lot of games together, just everything a good week with the girls should be. All the kids all went out on Fri. by themselves to play ball and have a picnic while Mike and I went out for our own date night. The girls then had their own sleepover, with late night karaoke, nail painting, hair, and make-up sessions, and lots of laughter. Finally, after all these years, they are great friends, and when it was time for Cowgirl to go, she was mourned and missed, and still is! Especially by MyGirl.
It proved the adage that its never too late to work on a relationship. After 16 years, this one that had been growing slowly for so long finally blossomed brightly.
It was a great blessing for me to watch them love each other and enjoy the strength of sisterhood.
In all the good, there have been several challenges too. One, though, requires the collective prayers of others, so I share it here, and that is for the recovery of my dear friend, Amy, who suffered from not one but two strokes, of unknown causes. She is finally in rehabilitation this week, but its been an emotional roller coaster. I have to thank the Lord for letting us keep her longer in our lives. My children call her Aunt Amy, she has been so good to them. We all went to visit her on Fast Sunday and it was sweet. As a friend my life has been richly blessed by her love and wisdom. She still has many struggles. I pray for her daily. Life is good, but it is fragile. We are blessed but we endure hard trials. In ALL these things, we can only put our hand in the larger clasp of God and hold on tightly, hanging on when the road is bumpy as He somehow gets us to keep going when its easier to collapse in a puddle and quit. How can we thank Him enough for never giving up on us? For always being there in the darkest nights? I want to use my blog to praise Him more. He IS my rock and my salvation!

Beautiful Week

What a beautiful week it was! And so fun to have my parents here visiting. I save my projects for when they come because they have such good taste, when I don't trust if I'm making the right choice, they reassure me and help me hunt for just what I'm looking for. Our first project was a new flower arrangement for the front door. All the flowers in our front yard are in bloom and in pink so this just fit right in.

We celebrated May birthdays early by having a party for both Renee and Grandpa, homemade carrot cake included.

Our big adventure was going to Ikea (3 times in 3 days) and putting together a new cupboard for my laundry room, but those photos are for another day. My dad also helped install the new garage doors that replaced the ones that actually fell! Fortunately, it missed my favorite car to drive!

Our next big adventure was in my favorite car. I got lost after living in this area for eleven years. I took my parents on a wild goose chase through the better part of two counties for an hour and half until I finally came to what was only twenty-five minutes on the way home. . . pathetic, I know. But, we did see some beautiful countryside and homes, and finally arrived at our destination - the azalea garden. Because it was the only rainy day of the week that we set out on this adventure, we had the place to ourselves, but umbrellas were essential also.


There were 22,000 azaleas planted here in many colors, from coral to white,and several shades of pinks, purples and reds. Even in the rain it was just so peaceful and beautiful. We loved looking around and taking it all in.


It's always a joy for us to spot some wildlife on our adventures. Here we spotted a blue heron close to the water's edge.

Last but not least, tonight was my son's first of two big dates. Tonight was to our Stake's Youth Formal - better known as Mormon Prom. He had a cute date and as a group of ten they all had pictures then dinner at our house before heading to the dance. Tomorrow he's been invited by a girl to her school's senior prom at the Raven's Stadium. Big nights for our big guy.

Days. . .Weeks. . .Months. . .Years

I have always been a record keeper of some sort. I have my first photo album I put together from elementary school and my first autobiography from the 6th grade. I still have my jr. high writing samples and awards, my first diary, a few photos from high school, some amazingly regular journals from that time in my life, only a couple of photos from four years of college (no camera), but a couple more great journals. Then I became a mother, and I quit writing in my personal journal. I am still on the same one after 22 plus years. I started scrapbooking instead, and writing the journaling for those has become my journal.

I also realized that I am behind regularly in my scrapbooking, so I have a need to get the stories written down before I forget them. That's where the blog comes in. Faster, Simpler, Easier - love this motto from Close To My Heart as it applies to most of my life, even journaling.

So, here is the March/early April summary:
All three of the children had bad bugs. Steven started with walking pneumonia the first week of March. He missed four days of school, but fortunately got better by the 13th so he could get his driver's license.
Ryan developed bronchitis a couple of weeks after Steven got better. He also missed four days of school.
Renee got the worst bug of all. She caught it the Friday before the YW Broadcast and was sick for eleven days. When I look at her joining us to dye Easter Eggs it breaks my heart to see the pain in her eyes. It took all her energy to move off the sofa onto a kichen chair to join in a tradition she loves. It was an adnovirus, so no meds could help her. She had every bad symptom and even got a trip to the ER when her throat was closed so tight she couldn't swallow. Fortunately, it finally went away so she could enjoy a couple of days of Spring break.

Gotta love Ryan's creativity here - note the "eyeball" Easter egg he painted instead of dipped. He loves it so, a week later, its still not eaten. I think it may become fossilized :-0


The highlight of Spring Break, afer Renee got better was going to the circus. Its been so long since we've been and Ryan had never been, so before he got too old, we went to see the "Greatest Show on Earth." We had a great time, spent most of the evening amazed and I had a blast having Ryan keep leaning over to me, putting his hand on my arm, getting my attention, "Mom, look at that!"



We also shared as a family a neat afternoon at the temple Visitor's Center. Mike's brother, Todd, sent his oldest daughter, Lydia, with her best friend and family to visit D.C We picked her and her friend up to take them there and on a picnic. Inside, we saw the movie of Joseph Smith and the Restoration, and while there, our whole entire family felt the Spirit testify so strongly of his calling as a prophet of God. We were moved by his sacrifices and strenghtened by his faith. I also loved hearing the words of the Savior while looking at the Christus replica on display. We are so blessed to have a Savior. I need Him.


On the homefront I created a simple covered canvas with pastel squares to go with my eggs hanging on the bird tree.

Since that photo was taken, I've added a fabric heart and paper flowers and a couple of buttons to the canvas which I'm not sure I love, but it does add more character.
We've also put new flooring in the laundry room and I can't believe how wonderful it is to walk in the back door to peace and calm instead of the chaos of glue oozing up from the yellowed black and white, cold marble-like vinyl tiles. We gutted that room and Ryan's bedroom also, and I am loving those rooms again! More pics another day when I'm all finished in the laundry room. Still have decorating to finish.

I used the Cricut to create Ryan's title for his Science Fair project. LOVE the time that saves!



Spring finally sprung.

These pansies just spontaneously appeared today on the back grass. . . Love their delicate beauty! And love that my daughter, who usually is so camera shy was willing to let me take her picture again. These pics are from "her garden." We love looking at "her flowers" every morning over breakfast. And, happily the blueberry bush is up too. MyGirl is almost 16 . . . where do the years go?


Ryan started baseball season. Today was their first game. They lost 10-9 in overtime, but what a game! He is such a sweet boy who gets great satisfaction from swinging that bat! More pics to come later in the season.

Last but not least was Easter and General Conference and the YW broadcast. I loved the messages from our church leaders so much! I felt so inspired and grateful! I think I'm still feeling it. And, what made my day the most was that my children all told me that I was a "mother like that." My shortcomings are so apparent, that for my children to appreciate and acknowledge the fact that I do love them unconditionally and would do anything to go find them if they were lost, physically or spiritually, in spite of all the "mom-fails" I have done, which they are fully aware of, was a highlight of my life. I feel so blessed that they give me so much unconditional love. My lemon-meringue pie on Easter Sunday was such a bomb - it never set up; it was totally runny. It tasted good, but it was truly humble pie for me. The creative side of me likes to try making new things, but the risk is that it doesn't always work out when I'm regularly making rookie mistakes. That pretty much ensures I am going to continue to bomb again. Yet, there is something wonderful to know that my family is okay with that, because for days, weeks, months, and years ahead I will have fails but in the safety of a family I can grow and make progress. And that is the great joy of Easter. Having a Savior who loves us NO MATTER WHAT and has already made possible the bridge from death and sin to eternal life and exaltation is what matters most. All the fails, all the hard things, all the unfulfilled dreams and wishes, the Savior can make right and possible. It is beyond my comprehension, but his ability to create new people, taking us from imperfection to perfection no matter how long it takes, is worth it. That's why I worship Him. He is a God of eternal progress. How I am so grateful for all He offers me.

Pages and Cards

Just thought I'd post some of the pages and cards I made earlier in the month. Not too much creativity going on this past week. Good news, Steven got his driver's license, which should free up a little time in the mornings for me to perhaps get some of these things done instead of doing them at night when I'm tired. I think I should have some sort of clarifier for each page: Created by someone too tired to do anything else :-)

Generally I don't give myself permission to work on them between 9am and 9pm because I always think these are the hours I should be devoting to my family and my calling (snow days excepted.) Actually, family time starts much earlier, but in the prime hours of the day there is work to be done, and I just can't bear to think that scrapbooking is work when its so fun. . . .

It was fun to remind myself of our great trip to Nashville at Thanksgiving and the first big snowstorm of the year when we were so excited for a big storm. How quickly that wore off! Now the bulbs are starting to come up and it feels like Spring is really on the near horizon.


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