Books I read in October 2017

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys ****

We read this for book club and I'm glad I read it, even though it was sad and depressing.  It's about a part of World War II I know little about.  It was about a group of refugees from Lithuania and Poland and Germany who were being squeezed between Germany and Russia.  They escaped and made their way onto a heavily overloaded cruise ship.  What followed was the worst maritime disaster in history that I'd never heard of previously.  The characters were great and the book was interesting.

The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley ***

I am 90% sure I had already read this book (the amnesia is real sometimes) but I couldn't remember how it ended so I went ahead and read it anyway.  It is about a great character Flavia de Luce who is eleven years old and fascinated by death and chemistry.  She feels misunderstood by her absent minded dad and mean older sisters.  And she also solves murders.  It was delightful.

Emma by Alexander McCall Smith ***

I thought Alexander McCall Smith and Jane Austen were a match made in heaven.  Maybe my expectations were too high because Jane Austen remakes usually don't work for me.  This one was really good but the end fell a little flat.

End of Summer by Rosamunde Pilcher ***

This was a really short book but just simple and nice and Rosamunde Pilcher can always be counted on for homey domestic scenes and beautiful countryside.  Sometimes that is exactly what I'm looking for.  It's about a girl from Scotland who was living in America with her dad.  She gets called back to Scotland by her grandmother and familial drama ensues.

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella ***

I loved this book but am holding off on 4 stars (like that really matters to anyone) because this book was definitely not PG.  The language was not fabulous, let's just say.  It was a great story and wonderful characters just like everything Sophie Kinsella has ever written.  It's about a young woman trying to make it in her career in London.  I loved the office scenes and also her parents who lived in Somerset.

Why I blog

Sometimes I don't have much to say (you noticed?).  I still try to blog anyway.  I want to keep up the habit.  I want to be an observer and recorder of my life.  I want to write.

But then sometimes, I'm reminded of something because of my blog that I never would have remembered otherwise and I realize THAT is why I blog.

The other night Emma stopped by for dinner (Red. Letter. Day.) and Adam was telling us some things he had read on my blog.  We laughed and Emma and Mark looked at each other knowingly and smiled because this is our history.  This is us.



August 25, 2008

Emma wanted to feed the ducks. I told her we didn't have anything to give them and she said she had some wheat in her purse. She carries a purse with reading and writing material and apparently...wheat in a small box. What will never be clear is why? Why?

***

March 2, 2009

Mark was telling Emma all about what he'd seen and Emma with all the patience of a self centered 10 year old sighed deeply and told him that she doesn't LIKE Star Wars. It is all about fighting and there is no point.

Mark said, "Emma, you know the best thing to do when Star Wars is bugging you?"

She said, "What?"

"Deal. With. It."

***

October 6, 2009

I had Braeden call Emma.

I carefully, carefully, explained to her (because she, like Amelia Bedelia, has to have things spelled out) how to start the oven, how to get it to the right temperature. I had her put the potatoes in right away, even while the oven was preheating. I wanted to make it easier for her, to remove a step.

The plan was when Adam got home, he would grill the pork chops and we'd have a lovely meal.

Adam called me when swim practice was about over.

There was a problem with dinner.

When the oven had beeped (after three and a half minutes) to indicate it was preheated, Emma had turned it off. She didn't want to overcook those potatoes.

So our sweet potatoes had cooked for exactly three and a half minutes.

***

May 22, 2014

When we picked up Mark we were all munching on a bag of crisp snap peas, the weird fried cracker type.  I don't really like them but they are sort of addicting at the same time.

Adam offered Mark some and a few minutes later Mark handed up the empty bag.  I must have looked somewhat alarmed and by way of explanation, Mark recited a maxim of scouting, "Leave no trace."

I'm just not sure it's supposed to be applied to food.

***

May 23, 2014

Later, Braeden and Mark were talking about it and Braeden said, "Mark, I think we bonded over that.  Shared idiocy really brings people together."

***

October 24, 2014

His friend, Nathan, a certifiably Really Nice Guy, found Braeden at lunch.  He said, "Come with me."

Braeden did because he's up for anything.  It turns out Braeden was picked for the mission based on his size.  There was a girl and boy in some sort of altercation.  Like it was a movie, Nathan said, with Big Braeden standing behind him, "Is there a problem here?  Is he bothering you?"

The boy and girl both said everything was fine.  Nathan said to the girl, "Well if you need us, just yell and we'll come and help you."

Braeden is big but he's the most gentle teddy bear I know.  I can't imagine him getting into an actual fight.  He has never even really fought with his siblings.  I said, "I can't picture you and Nathan doing that.  I don't think either of you are all that tough."

Adam said, "That's OK, they are actors, they just had to act tough."

Except I don't really swear

Several years ago, my dad bought a new saddle blanket that he uses for a rug and I had him get me one as well.

Then they both slowly unraveled over time in the corner.  Which was disappointing.  My whole life my parents have had saddle blanket rugs and they have always been sturdier.

Anyway.

Last time my dad was here he told me how he'd repaired his rug, with a sewing machine.

I was immediately skeptical because I have a very rocky relationship with my sewing machine.  I mostly keep it on a shelf so that neither of us gets hurt.

Yesterday I decided it was time to take matters in hand though.  I found some thread the same color as the rug.  I pulled the sewing machine out (even pulling it out of the closet was stressful because it was really wedged back in there).

I had to clear the bobbin of white thread and it kept getting in a tangle.

Then I wound the new turquoise thread and it was wonky.  I pulled it off and started again.

I finally got the bobbin properly threaded.  After several missteps I stuck it in the machine correctly.  I tried to slide the rug under the presser foot but nothing doing.  Too thick.

I raised the presser foot as high as I could (I had to have Adam loosen the screw).

I decided to take off the presser foot.  Do you really need that thing anyway?

Apparently.

The tension went all haywire and there were big loopy turquoise threads everywhere and the needle snapped in two.  I could feel it deep in the recesses of the wool rug but couldn't see it.

Finally I found it by feeling around and poking my finger painfully on it--it was not as enchanting as Sleeping Beauty though. I cut off all the errant threads and put my sewing machine away.

If I was a different sort of person, I think it would have been an occasion for colorful language.

Instead I retreated to read my Sophie Kinsella book for awhile.

Nobody can be uncheered by Sophie Kinsella.

(And next time I go to my parents' house, I'm taking my rug with me.)

Meatloaf

I love meatloaf.  Mark doesn't.  Whenever I've made it, it doesn't matter what kind, he doesn't like it.  He won't eat it.

When he wasn't the only kid home, I often just ignored him if he didn't want to eat something.

Now, I need him to eat things or we will have too many leftovers.

And also, meatloaf.  I want to make it because I love the stuff.

Last night I was planning meatloaf for dinner.  I told Adam, "Mark won't like it."

Adam is a wily one.  He said, "I'll have him help me make it."

That sounded fabulous to me.  Because guess who didn't have to make dinner?

Adam called Mark to the kitchen and enlisted his help.  When I enlist Mark's help it is nothing exciting.  When Adam does, it seems more like an honor (unless it's mowing the lawn...Mark is not excited about that).

So Adam, the trickster, told Mark they were making "spiced meatballs" which is really what meatloaf is.  I was upstairs trying to unravel my family history and I could hear them talking while they cooked together.

Mark not only didn't complain about his meatloaf, but he ate it too.

(He didn't have seconds.)

(But still.)

Highs and lows

I miss having three kids at home.

But...

I love texts from our kids (they are funny and use gifs and memes advantageously).

We have been playing a lot of backgammon around here.

But...

I have been losing at backgammon--if this keeps happening I'm going to demand we play boggle instead because I always win at boggle

Our washer is broken.

But...

A repairman is coming tomorrow.

The insomnia has been real lately.

But...

I'm reading a great book.

I am impatient.

But...

And I am still impatient.

(I'm working on it.)



P.S.  Sam the Handyman sent me a follow up email.  I wrote him back and said that I was indeed Thelma, but not the one he was looking for.  So I sort of have an Australian pen pal now?

Not my email

It's been awhile since I've posted one of these.  I unsubscribed from a bunch of emails that weren't intended for me so I get less email.

It's nice.

Every once in a while, one makes its way to my inbox though.

For example:

Some people have birthdays only once a year, some people (like our kids) have birthdays twice a year because we celebrate their half birthdays.

I could celebrate my birthday at least monthly because I get so many greetings intended for other people.

I'll take it.

I just wish they sent me a cake too.

Then Nancy ordered a chair.  I don't know why the email came to me.  I wanted to see the chair I didn't order but the link didn't work.

It's arriving today though.

I hope it's a good chair.

And whoever this email was intended for is having some work done on their house. I spent too much time analyzing this bid for home repairs.

The wording seems British but it in in dollars.  Maybe Australia?  I looked up the phone number (I'm telling you, I spent more time than reasonable on an email not intended for me.)  And yes, Sam is in Australia and has a website called Sam the Handyman.

And finally proof that sometimes a picture isn't worth a thousand words.  Someone sent me this picture.

I didn't know if it was a warning or a cry for help.

Fall break

It's been admittedly a little anticlimactic.  There was nothing big or exciting, but I did learn how to play backgammon.  So there's that.

We went to BYU to visit Braeden and help him cement his plans for next semester.  He likes the moral support.

We were hanging out in the law building, laptops open.  Mark was across the way.  We spotted a person dressed like french fries so Braeden indicated to Mark to take a picture.  Then Mark texted Braeden this.

Brothers.

Friday night we watched Hello Dolly at the Hale Theater.  Amazing.  After we went to McDonald's for hot fudge sundaes and as it turned out chicken nuggets because we have children that are always hungry.  A group of kids rolled in, dressed to look tough (or as tough as it gets in Utah County).  They said "Hey" to Mark and he did that head nod thing that boys do to acknowledge each other.

Braeden said, "Of course, the neighborhood toughs come in and they know Mark."

My mom said once when Mark was a preschooler that he should be a politician because he walked around shaking hands with people at church.

Saturday night we watched Wall-E.  We were in the mood after Hello Dolly.

The kids borrowed the van for the weekend so Emma, the star girl, could go in the canyon for the Orionid meteor shower with her friends and so Braeden could take a group to a corn maze.

I was mostly sick with a mild cold all weekend (that prevented me from being enthusiastic about getting up at 5:00 AM to go to Arches National Park on Saturday like Adam and Mark wanted to do).  Instead, they made me chicken noodle soup for lunch.  There was a bit of a chicken bouillon mishap and the soup was salty but it made me feel better.  Adam said maybe what they really made was soup concentrate.

Also Saturday Emma texted me this picture:

She was part of a mock disaster drill and had makeup to make her look like she had brain trauma.

It broke my heart.

Then she sent this picture:

Adding some abrasions to the brain trauma.  Lovely.

The smile did help me feel a little better.

Yesterday our college darlings came for dinner and Braeden asked if he could invite one of his roommates.  The answer will always be yes.  The more the merrier.  I tried a new recipe which was a flop.

Maybe the answer should always be OK, but it may not be very good.

Grateful Friday

Adam snapped this picture with his phone last night at that perfect moment right at sunset. 

This has seemed to be a particularly lovely autumn.  I love the colorful leaves everywhere you look.

Also last night, Mark was reading during our family scripture reading time.  He read this:

For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God...

Alma 5:40 

When he read that, I thought of sunsets and autumn and all the beauty and goodness in the world.  I'm grateful for all the loveliness God freely gives to us.

My little brother

One of my favorite parts of living here is that people I love show up unexpectedly from time to time.  Yesterday Enoch called.  He was in Salt Lake for business meetings but had some time.  I said, "Come to dinner!"

But then it turned out I had invited him under false pretenses because:

Mark had voice lessons from 5:00-5:45

Adam and Mark were doing a service project in our neighborhood starting at 6:00

I was tutoring at 7:00

So first Enoch and Adam and I went to The Home Depot to pick up the log splitter Adam was renting for the project.  (Come over!  We'll do exciting things like go to The Home Depot!)

Then Enoch and I went to Kneaders and he bought me dinner.  (Come over!  You can buy me dinner!)

We did have a good time visiting and I enjoy one on one time with that kid.  We talked a bit about our kids and the ways certain of them puzzle us (we'll never tell which).  I was hugging him good-bye in the driveway when my little tutoring students pulled up with their dad.

Tutoring is one of my favorite things.  This was my first time tutoring in awhile and my first time with this brother and sister duo and they are adorable in every way.

The little girl, Jada, was reading a story about a girl who wished for a big brother.  I said, "Do you like having a big brother?"

She said, "Mostly."  Then she whispered, "But he does get a little bossy." (She didn't need to whisper because her brother was downstairs playing in the colossally messy lego room.)

I said, "Did you see my brother outside when you came to my house?  He's really big, but he's my little brother."

Her eyes got big and her mouth formed an O. "What?"she said.

"Yep," I said, "he's younger but he got big."

"Wow.  Yeah."

I sure love my big little brother.  He makes me feel like I lucked out.  (And not just because he buys me dinner.)

Emma's song

Saturday when we visited Emma she played a few songs she'd recently written (one in collaboration with her friend Emme--they said if they had a band, they'd just call it M).

Then later that night she sent another song she'd written.

She said, "I've just been in a song writing mood."

Like that's something that just happens?

Then she created an album cover for the song because she knows how.



Ever since she was a little girl, I swore there was talent just dripping out of her little fingers.

Adam and Thelma enter the 21st century

Yesterday I canceled our landline.  We were maybe some of the ten people in America to still have one.  Interestingly it was Adam, who's way more technologically savvy than I am, who dragged his feet on getting rid of it.

The only calls we ever received on it were from my mom, Marianne, and telemarketers.  A lot of telemarketers.

Adam finally got tired of hearing me complain (which is a sentence that could start any number of anecdotes) and I called to cancel.

What's next for me?  Will I stop calling audio books "books on tape"?

The upside is we love Provo

We have been beating a path between here and Provo.  Too many trips.

Thursday, we went and had dinner at Mother Cannon with our kids.

Friday, I met my parents for lunch and Braeden and I went to the Provo Temple together.

Also on Friday, Braeden decided to stay the weekend so he drove Loki here. (His friend/former mission companion stayed Saturday night too--I love filling the house up a little more from time to time.)

Saturday, Emma's ankle, which she had sprained, was hurting.  I wanted to take her ice packs and an ace bandage so we went again.

We decided to take Loki to her so she could come for Sunday dinner.

She decided not to come for Sunday dinner.

So we had to go to Provo Sunday night to return Braeden.  After dropping Braeden off we walked around campus a little.

How long has this been there?  Adam and I had never seen this sign on the side of campus behind the Maeser Building.

An alternative to the Big Scary Tree.  The one we used as a meeting spot back in the Pax Thelma (which is what we're calling the time Adam and I were at BYU) closer to the library is gone.  I'm glad there's another one for the next generation.

 

Autumn is my favorite season and BYU is one of my favorite places on earth and walking around campus holding hands with Adam it didn't feel like going to Provo too many times after all.

 

Grateful Friday

Six Things I'm Grateful for Today

1) Mother Cannon

(We got the name from Desi.)  Emma has extra money on her meal card so we all had dinner at the Cannon Center last night.  Even though it's vastly different than when Adam and Robbie and Erin and Rachel and I ate dinner every night together at the Cannon Center, the fond memories persist.  Love me some Mother Cannon.

2) College

I love that it is hard for our kids.  That's good for them.  Also, they are lit from within sometimes with excitement about this or that.  BYU is pretty much dripping with opportunities and I'm grateful every day they are able to go there.

3) Junior High Drama

Maybe I should say theater.  There's always drama in junior high.  Mark is doggedly working on his lines.  It's great for him to also have something hard to do in his life.  Also, he and Braeden and Emma are scheming Mark's costume for his upcoming Midsummer's Night Dream performance which will be set in the 50s.  There's possibly a baby blue suit involved.

4) Plants

Yesterday I moved plants around.  I brought some inside, I threw some away, I repotted some pothos which I'm constantly in a state of regenerating (I may have too many but I can't stop myself).  I repotted my outdoor geraniums and decided Emma's room with it's lovely amount of winter sunshine was a perfect home for them.

I can even wheel the wagon out if she ever deigns to stay here overnight.

5) The library

I get giddy sometimes when I go there.  I leave with my bag overflowing with books I may or may not read but that's the best part.  Yesterday I found a modern retelling of Emma by Alexander McCall Smith.  Jane Austen and Alexander McCall Smith?  Literary dream team.

6) Adam

The more time I spend with him, the more I like him.  This strikes me as a good thing when I'm married to the guy.  We discuss current events and our children and what's going on in our world.  He encourages me when I'm discouraged and I try to do the same.  I also read aloud to him from Alexander McCall Smith.

7) My parents

Today they'll be around so we're going to lunch and to the temple.  Proximity for the win.

You would think I'd blog about him more

He's our only kid home and I'm grateful for his dailiness.

Braeden is in and out of home quite a bit too.  The other day he was here and Adam and I were lecturing Mark because he was acting like a 14 year old.  Then he was sassy and Braeden laughed and choked (on the cereal he was eating) and was also shocked and a little horrified.

Later he told Mark to never ever talk to me like that again.

(It's nice when the 20 year old has your back.)

Mark though.  Despite the sass, I love that kid.

He's well on his way to being independent and grown up.  He takes care of business and is quick to hug me (when the sassiness has passed and we declare we are friends again).

So here's a little of what Mark's been up to:

While we were in Washington, D.C., Adam and Mark went on an adventure to Great Basin National Park.

Adam's report was that they talked the entire time.  Mark loves finances and accounting and loves to talk about it.  Also sports.  And cars.

Last night for his mutual activity they went to Top Golf which sounds pretty swanky.  It's a driving range but fancier.  Also I heard about the food.  Boys that age + food = it matters.  Mark's leader texted all the parents this picture:

Parents responded back with things like "So cool!" and "Wow!"  I had no idea who that guy was.  He looked a little like the guy from This is Us?  I texted the picture to Braeden and Emma for their opinion and Braeden said it looked like he was trying to mug Mark.  Emma thought he was trying to slip something in Mark's pocket.  Vanessa (who Emma must have shown the picture to) said at least Mark was The Chosen One.

So they didn't know who he was either.

Turns out the guy is Mitch Mathews.  He is a former BYU and NFL player.  Who knew?  All the other parents apparently.

Speaking of football, Adam looked up when the Seahawks were going to be playing on a Thursday.  He thought they'd go to Buffalo Wild Wings and watch the game because that is the kind of thing that makes Mark's heart sing.

He showed Mark the date of the game.  Adam said, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Mark said, "Yeah, go to Arizona to watch the game?"

(Mark also loves Arizona.  And road trips.)

Adam explained that instead he had been thinking they would go to Buffalo Wild Wings.  You've got to hand it to Mark though.

The child dreams big.

The day Emma sang for the devotional and I (accidentally) got fancy photo skills

Emma had vaguely mentioned that she was singing in a devotional but I didn't know the exact date.  Luckily my mom called me to tell me (she'd seen on Facebook).

I alerted Nola (because Sara also hadn't told her mom).

Sheesh.  We're these girls' biggest fans so why are they so reluctant to show off?

I had my fingers poised over the keyboard so I could take a screenshot if I saw Emma.  Adam scoffed a little and said that we could always re-watch it.

I said, "No, this is the only chance ever.  If I don't take a picture now, that's it."

Adam didn't say anything.  

I think sometimes he is rolling his eyes on the inside but he hides it well.

I took this screen shot of Emma--I added the snazzy heart over her face, because I'm snazzy.

I love watching her sing.  She feels the music deeply and just sings her little heart out.

I took this picture off the BYU Women's Chorus Facebook page (which is the true hero in this story, next to my mom):

Happy talented pretty musical girls.  I love it.

The best picture I took was when I tried to take a screenshot of Sara so I could show Nola.

In the middle of my screenshot, the picture was changing from the girls singing to Sister Applonie directing.

And that, my dears, is me being accidentally fancy.

Mr. Braeden goes to Washington

Our plane arrived in Baltimore at around 11:00 PM on Thursday night.  The last time I flew to Baltimore with Braeden he was 7 months old.  Can I just say this was easier/more pleasant?  He hefted my suitcase to the overhead bin.  He provided nice conversation and showed me funny memes on his phone and he didn't cry one time.  Not even at takeoff and landing.

So that was different than the last time.

We told Stella that we would take Uber to the rented house because our arrival was so late.  She wouldn't hear of it.  And if there's one thing I know it's that you don't argue with Stella.

She picked us up and then wondered if we wanted to go see the monuments at night.

Yes!

So we drove by the temple, all lit up on the beltway, then into Washington, D. C.  By then it was well past midnight and we pretty much had the streets to ourselves.

We got to the house at 2:30 AM.  Stella?  She loves the nightlife.

Friday we did more sightseeing.

I loved the sassy license plates in our nation's capitol.

Taxation Without Representation

We took the metro which was remarkably clean.  (My last experience on subway transit was in Paris and ew.)  Our first stop was the top floor of the W Hotel which Stella knew about as a photo op spot.

Here's Braeden overlooking the back side of the White House

We went down to the Mall and saw all the sights.

There's the Washington Monument in the background which we didn't quite get all of. Selfies are hard.  Even when you have long arms like Braeden.

I texted a picture of Braeden and the White House to Fam-a-lam and then Emma magic happened.

Getting that girl a cell phone was a wise move.  Entertainment for days.

I hadn't seen the World War II Memorial before and it is beautiful:

I posed by the Nevada:

Braeden and Stella by Virginia:

And then Braeden between North Carolina and Virginia, the two states in his mission.

I said, "Smile!"

He said, "I'm trying to be like D. Trump.  When in Rome."

Sigh.

We visited the Vietnam Memorial on our way to the Lincoln Memorial.

My little (maybe not so little) political science major was pretty much in love with the whole place.

I took a picture of him on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, as a companion to this other picture we have:

He was more alert this time around....

By then we were getting tired so Stella hailed a cab and we took that to the Jefferson Memorial.  The cab driver was from Ethiopia and Braeden and Stella had a good visit with him and the introvert in the back seat pretty much kept her mouth shut.

Stella calls the memorials "Mr. Lincoln" and "Mr. Jefferson" and it's a toss up between which one I love more.

We took another cab to the Capitol and this time the driver was from Pakistan.  Again Braeden and Stella chatted with him.  I admire and don't possess those skills of easy conversation with strangers.  There's a reason why people like Stella and Braeden have so many friends.

The Capitol was closed for the day by the time we got there.  Stella and I found a place to sit and Braeden said, "I'm just going to go touch it."

That's him down in front.

Taking Braeden to Washington was sort of like taking Emma to Paris.  The stuff of dreams.

My cup runneth over

Braeden and I got home last night from our Washington, D.C. trip.

I wish I had better words to describe it but I will have to do my best.

Mostly I felt like I did this small thing.  A little sacrifice.  I sent my dear son away on a mission.  It wasn't easy.  I missed that kid and it felt physically painful to drop him off at the MTC.  But I did it, because it was what I was supposed to do.  I wanted us to be obedient.  I guess I hoped Braeden would benefit from the experience.

So I did that small thing and I never expected the enormous blessings and rewards that would result.  I didn't know I would end up with dear friends.  Over and over in my life, I realize the rewards for our obedience and efforts always outpace any offerings we make.  It makes me feel puny but also incredibly loved by a Heavenly Father who blesses His children.

Braeden baptized Stella last year on September 10.  Somewhere along the line he said, "Can I come back here when Stella goes to the temple?  And also I promised her I would."

So that was that.

And also Stella is part of our family now and I got to go too.

Saturday we went to the temple.  We had the baptism and confirmation performed for Renée, who is Stella's beloved daughter-in-law who passed away several years ago.  Braeden performed the temple work for Christopher, Stella's son who has also passed away.  I can't wait for Christopher and Braeden and Mark to meet.  Stella and I have a lot in common and one thing is that we adore our sons.

I was honored to be Stella's escort while she did her own temple ordinances.  In short order she had every temple worker we talked to in love with her.  Because that's how she is.

There is no one in the world like Stella.

People from the Salem ward who love Stella and threw their arms around Braeden in a happy reunion came from Virginia Beach to be with Stella.  I loved all of them.  Not just because they told me I looked young enough to be Braeden's sister, but that helped....

After our wonderful day at the temple we went back to the house Stella rented for us.  Some friends from Virginia Beach joined us for Chinese food takeout and we sat around the table and talked.  Stella related some of her experiences leading up to her baptism and then the Heinzelmans (I really don't know if I'm spelling that correctly) told us the story of their conversions.  It was astounding.  Hearing the experiences of these good and intelligent and truth seeking people, it was clear to me that Heavenly Father loves them.  He loves His children.  He wants us back.

Every insignificant and temporary worry that plagues me seemed to float right away.  I felt the perspective of what matters most.  I felt filled up with light.  I felt increased love for Adam and our children and really everyone.

This is what matters.

This is where it's at.

Grateful Thursday

I'm a day early this week because I won't be around tomorrow.  Braeden and I are flying to Washington, D. C. later today.

I'm excited.

And nervous.  (Because I'm always a little nervous before I take a trip.)

I'm also very grateful.

We are going there to see Stella.  We're going to stay in a house with her that's she's rented for the occasion.  I'm looking forward to visiting with her.  Mostly, we are going so we can go to the temple with her.  What a crowning event in the life of a former missionary!  I'm thrilled that I get to be there with Braeden.  And most importantly Stella!  She is an amazing woman, full of light.  She is prepared to take this next step and I'm honored we get to be there alongside her.

I'm grateful to Adam for encouraging us to go and making it possible. 

I'm grateful to Mark for walking home from rehearsal later since Adam will be dropping us at the airport.  He's a good kid.

Other things happened this week.  Monday we hosted around 30 neighbors for a potluck dinner at our house.  I hadn't met some of them and didn't know some of them well.  It was nice to get together.  (And finally put a face with the Lamborghini house--Mark was especially interested in getting to know who lives in that house.)

Tuesday we went to Emma's choir concert.

(I took this from Facebook.  She looks deceptively tall in this picture.  She isn't.  She was in the second row, on the floor in front of the risers and I couldn't see her.  I caught a glimpse every once in a while to know where she was standing but I couldn't see her face.  I suggested she bring a box to stand on next time.  I'm not sure if she'll obey....)

The concert was amazing.  I always love the PGHS choir concerts and this one really kicked it up a notch from that.  It was a showcase of all four choirs, Women's Chorus, Men's Chorus, Concert Choir and BYU Singers.  I thoroughly enjoyed each.  Three boys Braeden graduated with were in Men's Chorus and it was fun to see them singing again.  (They were all in PGHS Chamber Choir.)

After the concert Emma was sparkly with her dangly earrings and shiny costume.  She was also lit from within, delighted to have sung with her choir.

If there's anything better than happy children, I don't know what it is.

Choose your hard

The other day I saw this meme:

I've been thinking about it ever since and thinking of all the applications to life.

Exercising is hard.

Being unhealthy is hard.

Choose your hard.

Remembering to floss is hard.

Having gum disease is hard.

Choose your hard.

Cleaning up is hard.

Never being able to find anything in your messy house is hard.

Choose your hard.

Forgiving is hard.

Staying angry is hard.

Choose your hard.

School is hard.

Being uneducated is hard.

Choose your hard.

Making time for the most important things is hard.

Not having the most important things is hard.

Choose your hard.

Being part of a family is hard.

Being all alone is hard.

Choose your hard.

I could go on an on and on.  I have got to remember to choose the right hard.