Grateful Friday

The sunset last night (photo credit: Adam).

 I am grateful anytime we get to spend time here.  

Yesterday I took a walk with my mom and we gathered rocks that resembled eggs for my next activity day project.  A cat followed along with us and I think it was very confused about what we were up to.

I have a small collection of bricks from the brick house that burned.

A not great quality picture of the house...

Better quality photo, but you can hardly see the house.  I love this picture though.  My grandma peeking around my grandpa's shoulder just delights me.

I have a better picture of the brick house, I just can't find it right now.

I don't know what I plan to do with the (mostly broken) bricks, but I am collecting them all the same.

Yesterday was a time between snow and tall grass that I could find some bricks on the little hill behind the garage.

I over doubled my collection of bricks! (Exciting...when I figure out how to use them.)

I loved that brick house!  And so I love the broken bricks.  The heart wants what the heart wants.

There's an old cook stove on the hill up by where the chicken coop used to be.  I don't know how old it is or anything about it.  I retrieved this door from the ash drawer. 

My mom had us and my uncle Drew over for dinner last night.  She made meatloaf, which I love and my mom's meatloaf is the best meatloaf.  I enjoyed our visit and Drew told us a few stories about his mission and he and my dad told me what they remembered about their grandma.  

I am grateful for family. (And broken bricks.)

Adam and I have enjoyed our time here.  We've worked on a few projects and spent time together and visiting my parents.  A lovely time in the loveliest setting.

A thorn in my side is my family history research.  Matilda Anderson is my great-great grandmother and the details about her life are extremely sketchy.  There is contradictory information on family search with no sources to back any of it up.  I was searching records last night except, I don't know Swedish.  I can make out fanciful cursive in a language I know, but even with google translate, I was lost.  I said to Adam, "Why don't I know Swedish?!?"

He suggested Duo Lingo.

Sorry Matilda.  When I see her someday, I am going to sit her down and have her tell me everything.

We head back to Utah today and I'm looking forward to General Conference.

By the dawn's early light

I just constantly love the view out every window.  

Yesterday Adam cleared the leaves out of the above ditch (that we rebranded as a brook, because it seems prettier).  It makes the water move better and adds the lovely sound of it babbling along.

I painted this end table.

Red.  Was there ever any other choice?

I visited my parents while Adam went to town.  He wanted to get our water tested and of course stop at Home Depot for random things (like a narrow rake to clear leaves out of the ditch/brook).

I embroidered while I was visiting and had a pleasant time.  In the evening, my parents came over for dinner and then we visited and talked about family history.  I showed them some of the things I've learned while poring over memories and they supplemented with their first hand knowledge.

Our biggest accomplishment of the day was that Adam finished reading We Solve Murders to me.  We liked it, just not nearly as much as the other books by the same author.  Also, it was such a great accomplishment to finish because I usually fall asleep after a few pages.  It took us awhile to read.

This morning, after getting an eyeful of the beautiful dawn light, I think it's going to be another good day.

"Spring" break

 This isn't like spring, but this is very much like spring.  

We made it to the Home Place.  Adam emptied the solitary mouse in the trap (our trapper is in Mexico on his own spring break) and vacuumed flies and I wiped off counters and put everything away and made the bed.  We had a little kerfuffle with turning the water on, but then Adam figured it out.  (My dad was on his way over, but I called him off.)

Getting the place winterized and then not is such a process and Adam had forgotten a step.

While we were driving over Pequop, we very nearly talked ourselves into driving to see QE instead of staying in Starr Valley.  When the water wasn't working, I told Adam, "I guess we can go to California...."

I hung the picture I bought myself with my birthday money from my parents.

It is peaceful and lovely here.

In the late afternoon, we went to visit my parents.  I love being able to just stop by for a visit.  We came home and made dinner and after eating, made a little progress on our trip planning.  

This morning, we woke up to more snow.  Spring at elevation.

This is the orchard view out the bathroom window.  That crabapple tree will have blossoms on it eventually, but today is not that day.

Today is my mom's birthday and I had thought we'd take a walk together, but maybe if/when it stops snowing.  My parents are coming over for dinner to celebrate the big day.

It is happy to be here.

Listen, sister

 Yesterday morning I started seeing auras.  This is sometimes a harbinger of a migraine, sometimes not.  I ended up with a headache.  Thankfully it wasn't a full on migraine.

I talked to Braeden in the late morning.  I told him that I had an ambitious to do list and I was trying to struggle through despite my headache. 

He said, "Maybe you should listen to your body.  Maybe your headache is saying, 'Listen, sister, you need to take it easy.'"

I sat in my chair for 30 minutes and read.  It made a difference!  My headache was lessened and I was able to get almost everything done on my list--at least the most important things.

Braeden is pretty smart.  

Mother Nature's April Fool's trick was we woke up to snow this morning.  Spring isn't uniform.  Also today, we're going to Starr Valley.  I'm looking forward to the drive (on the road with Adam is my favorite) and spending time with my parents and a few small projects I have planned.

Mostly, I'm glad to have lots of time with Adam.  It's nice to have little breaks from busy-ness.

Weekend

 Spring break!  

I am happy about it.

I slept for 9 hours for the past three nights and I think it has given me a new lease on life.

Saturday morning we went to clean the church and I thought maybe we should do that every Saturday because it got us up and out the door early.  Adam magnanimously asked me if I wanted a drink at Maverik after and I said of course. 

Then he said, "And I'm going to go wash my car...."

Very tricky!  I hate going with him to wash his car because he is the most thorough person alive and I feel like it's a hostage situation.  

He said, "I'm going to just vacuum it 'very quickly.'"

I didn't believe him, but it actually was pretty fast.

The takeaway is be wary if someone offers you a drink at Maverik after cleaning the church on a Saturday.

We went about the rest of our day and in the afternoon I spent time researching some of my British ancestors.  We may see some of their places--still not all planned.

Ansley Miller is my third great grandmother and I visit her grave every Memorial Day.  I was reading about her and piecing together stories I sort of already knew and I told Adam, "I wish I could ask my Grandpa Wood about all of this."

Then I remembered I had his life story, written by my mother and given to me by her, on my shelf.

What a gift!

The family story has its definite ups and downs with people falling away from the Church and then future generations coming back.  

Words in it inspired and bolstered me:

Ansley remained faithful to the Church.

Such a simple sentence that speaks volumes.  So does this: 

Grandpa was not a member of the Church and Grandma was devoted to the Church.  Out of respect for Grandma's religion though, he always made sure that she paid her tithing.

Also this:

After they moved to Bennion, Stern Jr. got a serious case of pneumonia.  They had the Elders administer to him.  In their blessing they promised him that he'd be well.  That's what aroused Grandpa's interest in the Church.

What an impact those unnamed priesthood holders had on my life! 

He joined the Church, they were sealed in the temple.  The chain that had been broken, was reconnected when they performed temple work for his parents.  

It was all such an important reminder that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, it is never over and we can also change.  There is an incredible amount of hope knowing that our stories aren't irreparable.

I'm grateful to my mom that I have these stories!

Mark was sick, but Emma came over yesterday.  We talked to Braeden and Anna and QE, ate dinner, took a walk and played some games.  

Today I have an exuberant to do list for my at home spring break day.  Hopefully my energy matches my ambition.

Grateful Friday

 I noticed this list all started with S, so then I just went for it.

Today I'm grateful for:

Spring

The weather has been amazing (changing a bit for the worse today)!  There are misty green leaves on trees and a few trees with blossoms.  I'm glad to live somewhere where the seasons change.  

Sidewalk Chalk

A group of fifth graders have started a mural outside my classroom window and some kids in my class are working on something over in the four squares.  I love seeing their progress and earnestness.

Snow on the Mountain

I'll never not be grateful to see snow up there.  It makes me feel safe and it is also beautiful.

Sisters

Perennially grateful for those two.

School

I love my job.

Starting Again

I'm grateful for all the ways, big and small, that I can try again when I fail or don't get something right.  What a gift!

Spring Break

I am looking forward to more time with Adam, time in Starr Valley, time with my parents.  (My recalcitrant sisters are going on trips!)

Busy, but good. But busy.

 Yesterday as I was hurrying from school to my math class, I talked to Marianne on the phone.  I said, "I feel like I can't get it together.  It isn't a phase; it's who I am."

Things have been far busier than I prefer.  The margins are either too small or non-existent.  

I can't wait for spring break!

I did meet Janelle for dinner last night (which is counter to my I just want to be home feeling, but I thoroughly enjoyed it).  We talked about all the things and it was so great to reconnect.  She insisted on paying because it was for my birthday, which was very kind.  I love her and forgive her for leaving Bonneville, but only because I love her so much.

I came home to a houseful of youth.  They had made pizza at our house in some sort of contest Adam concocted where they had ingredients to choose from and they could force the other team to use certain ingredients.  I didn't 100% understand it, but they had a good time.

If you need some sort of wacky but fun twist on anything, ask Adam.  

These are the days

 These are the days of afternoon sun dancing across the disco ball.

These are the days of something after school every day when I just want to be home.

These are the days of not being cold at recess duty because it is gloriously warm.

These are the days of knowing full well some of my students aren't ready for end of year state testing. And they won't be.

These are the days of knowing full well that some of these kids are extremely bright and their futures are fine regardless of end of year state testing.

These are the days of cracking up with my team during our professional learning hour.  (Is it a case of laughing instead of crying?  Maybe.  I hate those things.)

These are the days of Riley checking up on me twice yesterday to see how the heat was in my room.  (It was fine.)

These are the days of praying for people I love.

These are the days of everyone counting down for spring break.

Welcome to hell

 Yesterday, about mid morning, the heat turned on in the school.  Full blast.  With a vengeance.  It was hot.  My students were complaining.  "I have a headache." "I feel sick." "Why is it so hot?!?"

I sent a sticky note to the office.

Lunch came and went and the heat was still blasting a thousand burning suns.  After recess (it was a bright and sunny day and they came in kind of sweaty), they really complained about the heat.  I sent another note to the office.

(Squeaky wheel, party of one.)

The student came back with the news that they were fixing the heater and it had to be on to fix the heater.  (Can I introduce the heater fixer to spring break which is in one week?!?)

It was a miserable afternoon.

I saw Riley after school and asked, "Will this be better tomorrow?  Or should I get a sub?"

He said that it would be better.

Later I was talking to Matt and Noemi and they said that one bright spot in the day was sixth graders in the focus room.  Too cool for school sixth graders who refuse to take their hood off their heads on their hoodies, went to the focus room to work, like usual, because they "hate their class."

Matt said the focus room was one of the hottest places in the school, "Welcome to hell!" he said with his outsized laugh.

So, you know, at least we were torturing punk sixth graders as well as the rest of us.

Weekend

 I'm older than I've ever been and now I'm even older.

It was a birthday weekend.  We didn't really do anything out of the ordinary to celebrate, but our entire life (the parts when we aren't too busy and are together) is a date night.

Saturday we met up with Mark for brunch and went to Costco and Trader Joe's with him.  Then we parted ways and Adam and I went to Winco.  Winco was extra chaotic.  It's always a jumble of people, especially on Saturday, but there was something in the air that made me grateful to escape unscathed.  

I was having my connections group over Saturday night.  I had decided to make mini pavlovas so they could carry over as a gluten free birthday treat as well.  When I told Jamie I was making them, she said, "You'd better not.  They're really hard."

I told her not to limit my potential, but then I was a little nervous.  They turned out fine though.  (I'm not going to win any awards, but baking is one of the few things I can fairly consistently do.)

Friends texted their regrets and arisen conflicting schedules and it turned out to just be Jamie and me.  

I would have liked to have everyone, but I was not sad to spend the evening with Jamie.  We talked about the temple and parenting and school.  She asked me what I'm working on now as far as more college credits and endorsements.  I told her I was tired.

Do I have to keep getting endorsements?  How about she do that and I'll make pavlovas.

Sunday was the big birthday.  Adam and I turned 52, which I'm recording before I forget.  We've been constantly wondering, "Wait, are we already 52?  Are we turning 53?"  My students were shocked and said I looked like I was "in my early 40s," which is kind unless you consider when I was a first year teacher and 22 years old, my students thought I was 40.  

They really have very little concept of age.

Sunday was also ward conference and Adam had to speak, which was a good birthday gift for me, and not as great for him.  Women are much more interested in celebrating birthdays than men are so lots of people said happy birthday to me at church and no one knew it was Adam's birthday except Cortney.  I told people and once they got over the shock, "What are the chances?!?"  (1 in 365), hopefully some of them said happy birthday to him as well.

Our kids came over and we had a nice time visiting and catching up on Emma's trip.

I took this picture with the sun indirectly hitting my disco ball.

I love the spots and when the sun hits it just right, it's actual magic.

We took a walk and talked about Jane Austen.  Peak birthday activity.

It was a nice day.  I appreciated the calls (my parents sang to me!) and gifts and texts and love.

Birthdays are nice.

Grateful Friday

 Yesterday the BYU Dunk Team came to my school.  It was such a fun time!  I'm grateful for our proximity to BYU so we can reap so many benefits from that great place.

This girl will be a teacher intern next year.  I asked my students, ''What would you think if your teacher could jump over you?!?"

I am also grateful NOT to be the principal at times like that.

The kids loved every minute of the assembly.  And the fifth grader who was chanting "Utes" at the beginning even changed his tune and started chanting BYU by the end.  

I'm grateful that I get to work in a place where there is capacity for so much joy.

It was my BYU teacher's last day.  We made her cards and I busted open the big container of peanut M & Ms a student brought me for Teacher Appreciation Week because our lunch was delayed for the assembly.  I told the student that he was the hero of the day, which made him very happy.

Teacher Appreciation Week has been nice.  We've had a few lunches and made to order omelettes one day and a few students have brought me sweet notes.  It's pretty low key at a Title 1 school, but I also feel appreciated.  

I'm grateful for our neighbor Rod who brings up the garbage and recycling bins in the cul-de-sac like it's his job.  (Someday we'll beat him to it!)

I'm grateful Mark came over for dinner before he and Adam went swimming last night.

It's birthday season around here and I'm grateful to celebrate our little QE who makes the earth spin on its axis and Adam who makes the earth rotate around the sun.  (I can't prove those statements are true, but just believe me, they are both MVPs.)

Full (hot) plate

 Braeden texted me a simple question the other day and this morning I saw a text from him because I hadn't answered. 

I really need about five Saturdays in a row. 

I missed two Saturdays at home/in my normal routine and it is showing!  I am a mess and I have had busy weeknights too.  Something-every-night is not my favorite, even when they are things I like.

I am not without my small victories though.  Tired of the gaslighting of Riley about the temperature in my room (after being in the mid 50s all day on Monday, it was VERY hot on Tuesday and Wednesday as in we we're all down to t-shirts--because we wear LAYERS and kids asking me if we could open the outside door because it was too hot).

Riley said it wasn't hot.

Yesterday I went to Matt's office.  He was talking to someone and I was lingering out of earshot.  He finally said, "I guess you have a question for me, or you're just enjoying standing in the office?"

I told him my temperature trouble.  

Soon enough, Riley came.  He walked in the doorway and said, "OK, now it's hot."

Then he went and shut off the heat.  (Because it really is an all or nothing situation.)

I guess the takeaway is, a woman in her 50s with nothing to lose and years of experience nagging her own children, will eventually harass people into listening to her.

Today's my BYU teacher's last day.  I've enjoyed having her, but will not be sad to have my own classroom back.  Also, only two more math classes!  I have enjoyed them and learned so much, but friends, I'm tired.

Even though I know life remains busy, I am clinging to hope that things are about to get better any day.

Our knight

 Yesterday Emma attempted to get to Savannah to visit Clarissa.

Attempted.

It all started with a big de-icing delay.

She was supposed to stop in Chicago and then go to Charleston, then take a train to Savannah.

She said she learned her lesson that she should have sprung for the extra $100 ticket and flown directly to Savannah!

She missed her Chicago connection.

Adam texted this to the group chat:

Later, he texted me this:

Emma got as far as Charleston.  This morning she had to take a 5:00 AM train to Savannah.  That's 3:00 AM here.  In the three o'clock hour, Adam was on his phone.  "I'm checking if Emma made it to the train." 

(She did.)

Emma's one of the most independent people I know, but that is partly because Adam always has her back.

I appreciate having an Adam in my life!

Where can I turn for peace

 Yesterday was a day with no margin.  I had traffic duty, no specialty, recess duty and a BYU practicum student to talk to if I did have any sliver of time.

After school I went from one thing to the next, finally standing still about 9:00 PM.  My body was sizzling with over stimulation and I didn't sleep well, which is a fun part of my personality after a hard day.

At 3:00 AM, when I was feeling frustrated, I remembered that sometimes when she can't sleep, Olivia gets up and reads the scriptures.

I wrapped up in a blanket and sat in my chair with my laptop and watched my favorite podcast, Follow HIm.  I had my scriptures balanced on the arm of the chair next to me so that I could take notes if I wanted.  I was there for maybe an hour when Adam wandered out of our room and said, "Come back to bed, I'll help you sleep."

He rubbed my back and I went back to sleep, thoughts of the daily replaced with thoughts of the eternal.

Olivia's pretty smart.

Weekend

 Friday (besides Pi day, yes, there was pie in the faculty room at lunch time), we celebrated Mr. D Day.  We were commemorating the day two years ago that we met him and found out he would be our principal.

I work with people who celebrate things!

Someone made a lanyard for every single student with Matt's ID card on it and we surprised him by having the kids dress like him. It was hilarious and happy.  I took a picture of my class, but cropped it to only a few.  You get the idea.

After school and after Adam got home from work, we headed to Nevada.  We listened to a BYU devotional with Coach Sitake (highly recommend!) and started a new podcast.  

We would hit pause and talk about what we were listening to.

I love roadtrips with Adam.

We stayed in Wells at a hotel because it was such a quick trip.

Saturday morning I communicated with Olivia about what time to be at the church, where the baby shower was being held. Adam and I went to the church at the appointed time and of course Marianne and Liberty were already there, setting up chairs. 

Olivia did the food and created a game and I did the decorations and it was a good time.

I would do just about anything with these two:

Since Parley, the baby, likes tigers, according to his dad, I went with the theme.

Here's the spread of delicious food Olivia made:

The tiger quilt in the background was made by Marianne.

The game Olivia had us play was nursery rhyme charades.  Olivia has this way of getting people to do things they wouldn't normally do.

Here's Olivia's group (including Desi and Liberty and a lady in the ward, Melinda) acting out This Little Piggy.

Here's I'm a Little Teapot (I'm related to everyone in this picture):

Jack and Jill (did they know they'd be rolling on the floor of the Relief Society room when they got up that morning?):

Then my mom and aunts' group did Humpty Dumpty.  Aunt Olivia (who is in her 70s I may add) was Humpty.  She sat on the back of the chair and fell from there!

I know from stories about their childhood and her altercations with my dad that she's always been pretty bronco.

Liberty opened her gifts, which were very nice and I love the convivial atmosphere of a shower, especially when everyone survives the charades.

Olivia, Liberty, me, Lili, Marianne, Desi and my mom.  I love these women.

After we cleaned up, Liliana (newly engaged and we're all happy about it because we love Josh) had a fitting for her wedding dress in the Relief Society room.  Desi is a master seamstress and used to work at a bridal store altering dresses.  We all weighed in on the fitting and admired how beautiful Liliana looked.  I rode to Starr Valley with Olivia and our mom and Lili.  Adam had already gone.  He'd done a little bit at our house, but mostly visited with my dad.

When we got there, my dad said they'd solved all the problems of the world.

I guess we should have had those two on the case earlier.

Marianne and Robert came over and we visited some more.  It was getting to be late afternoon, so Adam and I left.  We stopped by our house and I measured a wall where I'm contemplating a picture and we both felt a little sad that we weren't staying.  We are planning to be there for several days during spring break.

Adam and I drove home with more podcast and music listening and a stop at Maverik in Wendover because we can't not do that.

Sunday was a nice day.  Church was good and Marie Louise and I did a little family history in the afternoon.  After looking at my own family history, I am getting a bee in my bonnet to go to Sussex and Wiltshire while we're in England this summer.  I presented my idea to Adam and I'm pretty confident if it is possible, he can figure out how to fit it in.

Emma and Mark came over for dinner.  We ate and had a Come Follow Me discussion, then played codenames.  It was old against young and Emma's and Mark's mind align in ways that Adam's and mine do not.

That is all.

It's cold and I have traffic duty and my classroom was very cold on Friday so I'm mustering all my courage to go to school today.

Grateful Friday

 I can't figure myself out with the time change.  I told Adam it shouldn't be this hard.  He said every time change is hard when we're this old.

So that doesn't bode well for the future....

I would love to sit in my chair and read a book while I wait for the Daylight Savings Time ship to right itself, but life marches on through March.  

I saw this:  March Madness for teachers is every day in March until Spring Break.

Not wrong.

Despite the occasional, reliable madness of being a teacher, life feels pretty good.

I have a lot to be grateful for.

I love my job.

I love my life.

Now that we're back to our empty nest, I love my empty nest.  Life with Adam is good-good-good.  I am grateful for the frequency I get to see our children.  I'm grateful we're both generally pretty healthy and have the things we need.

I have a lot to be grateful for.

Last night Activity Day was at our house.  We made macaroni and cheese.  From a box.  Nothing fancy, but I wanted them to try out a skill to make them more independent.  Baby steps to learning to cook.

Activity Day is the best sort of gig.  Such cute boys and we have a good time.  We were singing some of the songs from the Utah program the 4th graders do while we watched the pots boil.  I don't know all the words, but I've watched it several times.  I love that both my school and theirs do the same program.

"Utah!  People working together!"

Elementary

 I just love an elementary school.  It was good to be back yesterday.

We had an assembly in the morning and watched the production of Frozen Jr. which 4-6th graders can participate in.  I loved it!  Seeing those kids (some of them my former students) sing their hearts out on stage with varying degrees of on-key-ness was just delightful.

I dragged a bit throughout the day, but persevered.  It was very fortuitous to have afternoon recess duty.  I needed to go out in the breezy sunshine to wake up a bit.  Right before the end of the day, I gave them each a dictionary from the Rotary Club.  It is just the nicest thing and the kids are completely thrilled by having a dictionary they can keep forever.

My BYU teacher grew up in Orem and she said she remembers when she was in 3rd grade how amazing it was to get a dictionary. 

I had them pose with their books.

The boy with his book facing the wrong way?  100% on brand.

Who has a better job than I do?

(No one.)

Coming to an end

 It's been a break, but a break I feel like I need a break from.  I'm just so tired!

Stella and Ardi left yesterday morning, and Braeden and QE leave today.  I'm back at school.  Time change + I had a sub + I'm super tired. 

Should be an exciting day.

Yesterday Braeden treated us to lunch and then we went to a park.  It was sunny, but a little breezy and I wanted to just sit in the warm car.  (I did for a while.)

We came home and just kind of relaxed and played with QE and then Adam went and got tacos and Mark came for dinner and Emma came a little later.  I was the least fun person in the group (so often the case) and took myself to bed early.

It has been a wonderful week.  I've loved time to play with and talk to QE.  I've loved doing family history with Braeden.  That kid had a bee in his bonnet to find some family on Geri's side.  I loved watching Braeden parent.  He is enthusiastic and loving and good.

It makes me feel grateful to witness how Braeden and Anna are raising her.  Last night when Emma was here, they were playing on the floor with the Little People.  There's a Santa, so they were chatting about that.

Emma said, "Do you know the next holiday?  It's Easter."

QE said, "When Jesus was resurrected!"

Then, she said, "I wish I could be resurrected!"

Emma said, "You will someday."

Overhearing sweet conversations like that fill me up.

Utah

 Yesterday we played tour guides and it was a really great day.  Stella has been here before, but Ardi has not and they are both converts to the church, so didn't learn about the seagulls saving the crops by eating the crickets in primary, like I did.

We had switched cars with Mark so we all piled in the van. Adam was driving, which anyone will tell you is a better choice than Thelma driving.

We had lunch and then went to the Conference Center.  Every time we turned around, there were these beautiful sister missionaries, greeting us and welcoming us and seeing if we had any questions.  Such good girls!

We saw all the sights there, then went down and skirted around Temple Square, which is very much under construction, so not nearly as impressive as it will be.  The Joseph Smith building and Lionhouse were under construction too but we peeked into the Tabernacle and I told them about the significance of the seagull sculpture and we saw the Assembly Hall.

We crossed the street and went into the Church History Museum.  At one point, Adam left to go get the car so we wouldn't have to walk back and Stella and Ardi were so impressed with that move and I 100% take it for granted that Adam is going to do things like that.

It's nice to see him through others' eyes sometimes and remember how good he is.

We drove home by way of Deseret Book and Ardi bought some white temple pants for a fellow ordinance worker in the Washington D.C. temple who is from Sierra Leone and who is apparently very small and needed a 28 inch waist on the pants and they couldn't find any there.  We told them that if we didn't find them at that Deseret Book, we could go to twenty more. 

But we found some. 

At home we regrouped then when it was time to head out for dinner, I drove the ladies and Adam and Braeden and QE went in the van to pick up Mark, who joined us.  We had a lovely dinner at JCWs (they are enamored with fry sauce!).  We detoured a bit and I showed them the Lindon and Rock Canyon temples under construction.  We drove by the MTC and BYU campus and the Provo City Center temple.  

When we were driving home, Stella said, "You are just so fortunate to live here."

And we are.

I fully believe we could be happy about anywhere, but it is great to remember and realize how good you have it.

Snowy mountains, blue sky, Church sites, temples and churches for days, fry sauce.  

It's a pretty good place to call home.

Weekend

 Friday we woke up to a few inches of snow.  QE was delighted.  Little California girl said, "There is a lot of it on the floor out there!"

She wanted to go ice skating.  When I told her I didn't know how to ice skate, she assured me that she did.  We went outside and made snowballs and Braeden threw them at the trampoline, much to our delight.

Stella and Ardi had left early for Roots Tech.  Braeden and QE and I went to BYU.  We went to the art museum and had lunch in the Cougareat.  It was a crazy place.  There seemed to be a few high school bands there in addition to all the BYU students.  I texted the Sunday dinner group and Carolina stopped by to have lunch with us.  We were so happy to see her, even though it was chaotic.  I had been in search of a kids meal for QE, but they don't have them on a university campus, which I guess makes sense, but still.  I got a mini frosty to share with her.  I was like Amelia Bedelia, saving the day with a sweet treat.  She was crying a little from all the noise and confusion and bustle, plus she was hungry.  I slid a spoonful of frosty in her mouth and she immediately smiled.

Magic.

After discussion where Braeden asserted his brain was fully formed now and I should let him drive Joan, I relented.  He left to have lunch with three of his BYU professor friends and QE and I hit the bookstore.  It was delightful, much like everything I do with her is.  She laughed at the headless mannequins who "weren't wearing any faces!"  There were mannequins in head to toe BYU football gear and she excitedly called them Mariners (as in the Seattle Mariners baseball team).  There is a slide in the bookstore now--it barely resembles the bookstore I used to frequent--and she slid on it a few times and then we read some books.  They also have couches and chairs for that very purpose in the kid book section.

After that we went to the library.  There is also a kid section there now!  It was a little enclosed place where I guess parents can study while kids play.  After being in charge of me all day, QE met her match with a girl who is "four, but almost five."  She demanded to know how old QE was so she would know what they should play.  She was certainly in charge and QE listened to her demands and I realized that maybe this tiny four, but almost five year old was now my boss too, in the pecking order.

It was fun to watch them play.  They were having a great time and chattering away about what they were doing.  Braeden called and said he was ready to go and we met up with him again.  

We stopped by at school to pick up my Duplo Lego bin and to show her off to my friends who were there for a teacher work day.  One of the kindergarten teachers said, "I thought she was your daughter, not your granddaughter."  Which was, you know, very kind and not realistic.  I motioned for Braeden to come into the room and pointed out my fully adult (his brain is even formed) son.

We went back home and played with Legos and read more stories and just followed the whims of the queen. 

When Stella and Ardi returned, they wanted to take us to dinner.  We landed on 5 Star BBQ.  We all wanted to be in the same car, so we piled in Joan.  Braeden said he would squish in the back, but since he was now on the allowed to drive Joan list, and since there is no way he would have fit, Stella and I squeezed in beside the carseat, Braeden drove, and Ardi was co-pilot.  We drove by the Orem temple, just to see it.  It is Ardi's first trip to Utah and she is blown away by the number of churches and temples.  

Saturday Braeden and QE and I took a walk in the sunshine on the Murdock Canal Trail.  Emma and Mark came over for lunch and it fills me up to have all three of my children in the same room.  Braeden asked me to help him with some family history on Adam's side and we got sucked in for the afternoon.  I love that kind of stuff!  We had to wrap it up to get ready for Mark Carlson (Anna's dad) to come.  We was going out of town Sunday and Amy (Anna's mom) was out of town Saturday so we had them in shifts. 

It was nice to have him though and QE clearly adores him and I think it's wonderful that she has so many people who do.  What more could I want for someone I adore?

Stella and Ardi came home from Roots Tech and they helped me make dinner and we had a nice evening.

The best part of the day was when Adam came home from Dallas.

Sunday was BUSY.  Just three big meals for this empty nester who doesn't cook for people so much anymore was enough to exhaust me.  We went to church and in the afternoon we took a drive to the Saratoga Springs temple.  It was beautiful and the blue skies and white mountains were definitely showing off.  

Amy and Natalie Carlson came for dinner and it was so nice to have them.  Amy brought food and gave me a meaningful look and said, "Thank you for including us."  She recognized the crazy town I was living in and only helped.  It was so great to have them.  I just love Anna's family and I feel grateful to be linked to them.  Natalie also teaches 3rd grade so we had a lot to talk about.  Amy was helping with the dishes and I scooted her away to go play with QE.  Like I told her, I used to think I may feel territorial about sharing QE, but I don't.  As time passes, I feel more and more grateful that she has so many people who love her so well.

I was sort of an overstimulated puddle of stress last night by the time we got to our room last night and Adam hugged me and said, "Come here and cry."

I didn't really cry, but I love that kid.  He gets me.

This morning Braeden and Stella and Ardi went to the temple and QE is still asleep and I'm recharging for another good full day.  We're going to Salt Lake to Temple Square to see what there is to see.  I really am enjoying myself.  It is hard for my introverted routine loving self to host this many people for a week, but I am also loving it.  Stella and Ardi are wonderful women, I've always been the president and founding member of the Braeden Davis Fan Club and QE is the actual bees knees.

Grateful Friday

 One reason I do Grateful Friday posts is because sometimes I need to remind myself to be grateful.

I do not need the reminder today.

These three in the same room is a joy bringer.

Braeden ate dinner, I watched him do it.  And he liked it.  He told me over and over he did.

Later, he said, "Mom, I'm hungry...."

It's a scenario that has played out countless times in my life.  

I said, "Well, there's leftover dinner in the fridge.  You can make a sandwich."

He said, "I'll find something."

He landed on cereal.  He is why I used to buy 6 gallons of milk every week.  He pulled out a bowl, left the cabinet open and his sibling gathered around him laughing and talking.

The good life.

And that's not even mentioning QE, who is the queen of goodness.  She wanted Nana to go up in her room with her.  (I brought a basket of books and a little chair to the family room for her, but she likes the room.) We inspected the stuffed animals and tucked them into bed and read books and tested if the stuffed orca could fly because it "has wings."

Braeden came up and she said, "No Dad, not you."

Then she shut the door.

No more joiners.

Emma yielded to the gravitational pull of the piano that calls her every time she is here (to my delight).  Braeden and Mark stood behind her and they sang while she played and I heard the three of them blending their voices while QE and I wrapped scarves around stuffed animals and told them to have a good nap.

The good life.

We FaceTimed with Adam, and QE saw his face and said, "Papa!" in her joyful way.  Then she said, "Where are you?"  I'm so glad he'll be home tomorrow!

Stella and Ardi came home from Roots Tech, having had a great time.  When it got quieter in the evening and the kids had gone home and QE was sleeping, Ardi told us her conversion story and we talked about the temple.  They're going to go to the temple while they're all here.

Braeden said, "I just need someone to babysit..."

Well, I guess.  If you twist my arm.

Good times

 Yesterday was a pretty good day at school.  It was not so much how many students were absent as who was absent....

It made for a good day and I'm just going to leave that there.

I zipped from school to my math fluency class (squeezing in a quick phone call with Marianne).

I zipped from my math fluency class to meeting our first wave of guests, Stella and Ardi, at Kneader's for dinner (squeezing in a quick phone call with Braeden).  Braeden told me that I would like Ardi and he was not wrong.

We had a nice dinner, chatting and figuring out tomorrow.  I texted Adam in Texas to ask him how long he thought it would take for them to drive to Roots Tech in the morning.

We came home and I unboxed the steaks and burgers on the doorstep from Omaha Steaks that Stella had had sent.  I got them settled in the basement, cranked up the heat, because they keep their houses much warmer than we do, and went to bed.

I woke up very early, stressed about all the comings and goings (me: Piglet).  Today I'm back at school and then Emma is picking up Braeden and QE at the airport and the fun continues!  Braeden is the salve that soothes all my stress and QE is just plain delightful.

Doing what I can

 Monday night Braeden and Anna called.  Braeden said, "I need to talk to my mom."

We talked about the disorienting/harmful/embarrassing/choose-your-adjective events happening in our country.  Some of it directly impacts them and people they know.  I don't think I had any great wisdom for them, but I did say that the things that matter most are completely fine.  We have that to hold onto.

Braeden said that he heard recently that people should choose an institution they love and do everything they can to support it.  He said, "Like a library."

I thought about his words yesterday after we came across the word diversity in our phonics lesson and no one knew what it meant.

I said, "Here's a hint, if everyone in the class was exactly the same, we would not have diversity."

They clamored with hands raised, "Diversity means different!  We look different!"

"Yes," I said. "It's more than just how we look though.  Diversity is great because we get new ideas and new solutions and life is more interesting."

We started talking about food and where it originated from.  I said, "If we only had food originally from Utah, what would we eat?  Deer?"

A girl raised her hand and said, "Deer bacon is actually very good."

I will have to take her word for it.

It was the kind of rare and magical time where they were all engaged.  They were super interested that pasta went to Italy by way of China and Marco Polo.  They loved that chocolate was originally from America (but European chocolate is way better).  I looked into their faces, ranging from black to very pale and about 15 shades of brown in between.

I hope they remember that when they were in 3rd grade, Mrs. Davis thought diversity was great.  

They are my institution to love.  I will continue to throw my all into what I can do.

Skin of my teeth

 Yesterday was something.

This was on my desk:

Someone's tooth in a tiny bag....

I opened my plan book to this:

If that doesn't put fear in a teacher's heart I don't know what does.

Every week I plan the future week, but last week I was gone for three days and the days I was there, I felt pretty sick and was more surviving than thriving.

I did as much as I could before school, tidying and changing the calendar and the schedule and the weekly jobs.  I pulled together a day's plan.

It more or less worked out.

I asked who the tooth belonged to and they said it was a student's who moved in December.  I said, "I don't think it is his."

They insisted because they found it on the floor where his desk used to sit.  In December.

Not wanting to offend any of their tender sensibilities, I waited until school was out and then threw it away. 

We had the teachers vs. 6th graders Battle of the Books and happily, the teachers won.

For one thing, we need to maintain our street cred and for another thing, it's getting to the time of year that 6th graders are very much too big for their britches.

I got through my discombobulated day, staying until almost 5:00 to get things sorted and planned.  I went straight to the Orem Library book sale which has been on my calendar for months.

There was a convivial atmosphere there and let me tell you, people at the Orem Library book sale are my people.  

One woman said to me, "I need to stop; I can't carry any more."

I was about at that point too, but there were still books I wanted!  Finally, I decided I really was at max capacity (my arms weren't long enough for a bigger stack).  Genetic predisposition for Egbert loads notwithstanding, I couldn't carry any more.  I spied some boxes under a table and asked a librarian if I could have a box.  She said, "Sure!"

I finally decided I was done and scooted my box along in the line with my foot.

It was books for me, books for QE, books for my classroom, and one for Emma.  The woman in line behind me had both arms full.  She said, "I was not anticipating getting so many books."

But we did it!  

Weekend

Saturday was a special day.  It was the day we got ready for company.  We had four guest rooms to ready and lots of sheets and bedding and pillows involved!  Stella and her friend Ardi are coming on Wednesday and Braeden and QE are coming on Thursday.

I used my grandma's sheets to make QE's bed.  I just want to be like my grandma at every opportunity!

 I washed them so they don't smell like her house so much anymore (very faintly), but they delight me.

I halted my preparations to go to a baby shower for Liberty in Provo.  It was nice to get together with people who love Liberty and celebrate her and her new baby--arriving next month!  Desi was the master of ceremonies and did an excellent job.  Carolina decorated adorable little cupcakes and it doesn't surprise me that Marianne's girls know how to throw a party.

I went back home and continued my to do list.  My energy was seriously flagging from being sick so I probably took as many breaks as not in the afternoon.

Adam nobly did the grocery shopping.  There was a lot.  

Mark came over and we drove to Sandy together.  Mark and Adam were having a kind of intense discussion in the car about politics and I told them they had to stop before we met Emma because it would make her cry.

"True," Mark said.

"OK," Adam said.

2/3 of our kids can take the heat of disagreement and 1/3 cannot.

We met up with Emma for dinner and then we went to a show at the Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy.  (You can tell it's fancy because or the "re" instead of "er"...). 

We were FaceTiming with Braeden and Anna and QE right before the restaurant and we said we had to go and QE said, "I miss them."

Same, sweet girl.  Same.

We had a lovely time together.  The tickets for The Prince of Egypt were from Geri for Christmas and it was such a perfect gift for us.

Emma took some pictures to text to Geri.

The picture has weird lighting and shadows on our faces (Mark looks like he has measles, but HE HAS BEEN VACCINATED and that is just the lighting).  We were happy as clams to be in a beautiful theater together.

I got super sleepy because it was late and my body still wants to be sick, but I also loved the show.  Live theater is wonderful.

Sunday I continued on my feel-better trajectory and I'm grateful for that.  Adam is maybe getting sick and is maybe just tired.  Emma had a devotional yesterday so she didn't come to dinner.  Mark tried to convince her to come anyway and she said, "This is like in a primary lesson when you have to decide if you should go to the devotional or not."

The girl went to primary so she picked the devotional.

Mark texted Sunday afternoon that he wasn't coming, which didn't surprise me.  Often if one of them isn't coming, the other one cancels.

I get that I'm a lot of mothering in a concentrated dose....

Also we're seeing Mark tonight for Mark Monday (even without the Emma buffer).

When Adam got home from his long church day, we went for a drive and talked over last minute adjustments to our plans for our guests.  You never met such a nervous hostess.  Imagine Piglet having guests for a week.

Today I'm back at school!  I am happy about it!  I'm starting the morning with the teachers vs 5th-6th Battle of the Books team.  I'm on the teacher team and I'm a little nervous.  Those kids are smart!  The teacher team is all wearing Dr. Seuss shirts and I even have a stuffed red fish to go with my One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish t-shirt.

It's hardly a team without a mascot.

Grateful Friday

 I have felt a lot of angst about being sick this week.  I seem to think that I should be exempt from sickness, but I don't know why I think that.

Sometimes it feels like a personal failing.  If I weren't so weak/careless, this wouldn't have happened to me.

I'm a lot of fun.

I stayed home from school yesterday again because I completely lost my voice and felt awful.  I had activity day and I didn't know what to do about it.  There needs to be two leaders.  Maybe I would feel up to it?  I didn't want to have to reschedule or cancel.  I texted Becca, my partner, to let her know that I was sick.  I told her that I would see how I was doing in the afternoon and try to find a sub if I wasn't up to it.

She texted back in pretty short order that she had a sub.

She is pretty much the dream being my partner.  She is on it, always.

Would it surprise you if I said she is a mother of six?

Adam went with me to my school last night because I am home again today.  I talk for a living and it's hard to do my job when my voice is so raspy and then occasionally just leaves the building altogether.  I maybe feel better than I did yesterday?  Emma said if I'm on the same trajectory as her, yesterday was my worst day.

Here's hoping.

My students have mostly been doing things on the computer and I knew that was a recipe for trouble so I made copies of some things and redid the schedule and set things up a bit.  I handed Adam the one and a half pages of notes from the sub about the day and said, "See if there's anything in there that I need to know about."

There was fighting; punches were thrown.  There were tears.  There were girls listening to music on their computers while they worked (so going to YouTube, which is a no).  There were girls working together at the back table and saying I "always" let them.  Someone got in someone else's "bubble."

Not great. 

I hope today will be better.

I hope my voice will get itself together.

I'm grateful for Adam's kindness to me.  I'm grateful that I can get a sub when I feel awful (even though I'd rather be there).  I'm grateful for people picking up the slack.

BEM

 I went to my math fluency class last night.  It makes for a long day, but I really like it.  One of my favorite things is interacting with 3rd and 4th grade teachers from around the district.  They are good ladies (and there's one guy--it seems like no matter how big the group of elementary teachers is, there's just one guy).  

I was working on a project with two other women and they were looking at my necklace and trying to figure out my name.  I was wearing the necklace Janet gave me that has the letters BEM on it.

I said, "I'm Thelma.  The necklace is my kids' initials."

"Ohhhhh."

I sure like BEM though.  I talk to Braeden on the phone more frequently, but texts from Emma and Mark delight me.  

These all happened Tuesday evening.

This from Emma:

Then Mark couldn't find his new institute class so I texted him the room number.  He asked me how I knew:

Awhile after the class started, he texted this:

Later still, Emma texted this:

The drama!  The details! Adam said it was better than the murder mystery he was reading me at the time the text came in.

I like being on the other end of their texts (and Braeden's calls).

Being a mother is a pretty good gig.

After school

 Yesterday was warm and sunny.  I only wore a cardigan over my t-shirt for recess duty.  I decided to take down my winter decorations.

I have a wooden decoration I made years ago at a Relief Society thing.  It has three pumpkins stacked on each other, but if you turn it around, it is a snowman.  The bottom section is screwed into the base and a pain to disassemble.  The top two sections just stick together with pegs.

I decided I was finished with it and I plunked it in my garbage can that was in the hall awaiting the custodians.

There's a second grader who is trouble.  I think everyone in the school knows his name.  He is super cute and super rascally.  He stays after school for boys and girls club and he was walking by my door.

He said, "Wait!  What is this?!?"  He reached into my garbage and pulled off the top layer.  He said, "That came off easily."  He stuck his head in the door and said, "Hey, can I have this?"

I said, "Sure."

He quickly unzipped his backpack and started putting the fairly big pieces inside. When he got to the bottom layer, he said, "I can't get these apart."

Not looking up from my grading, I said, "Yeah, they are tricky."

He said, "But I can't do it."  

He brought it over to my desk and I gave it a cursory try, but said, "That is why I'm getting rid of it," and handed it back to him.

He looked around the room and asked, "What is this place anyway?"

I said, "Third grade.  You might be here next year."

He said, "I'm in second grade." (Like every teacher in the school doesn't know that, like I didn't know that because I said he'd be in third next.)

He said, "Well, I better go.  Thanks for this and...maybe I'll see you next year."

I said, "OK."

And I wouldn't mind him so much.  He's the type of boy Mark and his friend Gavin prepared me for.  If I do have him, I'll remind him that I gave him the pumpkins/snowman and he owes me some good will.

I was finishing up my grading and Miriam and Alissa came in my room to watch the professional learning hour over google meet together.  It is every bit as soul deadening as it sounds.  We sort of listened/participated with the camera off and I graded and then took down some more decorations.  They were both on their phones. 

Miriam accidentally bumped something and the volume came on her phone it was clear she was watching a video.

She looked sheepish and apologized.  I was up on a chair removing a heart that was hanging from the ceiling.  I said, "Yeah, you should be as engaged as I am."

Alissa said, "How dare you.  But what are you watching?"

Miriam said, "The high school state basketball championship."

Alissa and Miriam both played college basketball.  It shows in their competitiveness and wardrobes (Alissa has a Nike collection that would impress my brother Enoch) and the fact that Miriam plays basketball with kids when she has recess duty.

Alissa said, "You should have told me!  I want to watch basketball!"

The chatted about basketball and I kept taking down hearts.  I said, "Do you guys even have to stand on chairs for stuff like this?"

They are tall girls, but said they did.  Eventually we got tuned back into our professional learning hour.  

It was a multitasking kind of after school day.  Making friends with a future 3rd grader, climbing up and down a chair 50 times, professional learning hour.

And I got the papers graded!

I missed it

 I am grateful for the luxury of being able to stay home from work when I am sick.  

I wrote sub plans and emailed them to my team; I got a sub and I assume that everything went pretty much fine.

I also know that my students will castigate me for being gone.  It is deeply offensive to them when there is a sub, even when they like the sub.

I missed being at school.

As exhausting and hard as it can be, I love that place.

It is part of me.  Every morning when I walk the halls, I greet students. Sometimes, cheerful younger students greet me by name, proud that they know a teacher of older students.  Sometimes, younger students look at me blankly, not returning my greeting at all.  It's an equally mixed bag from former students.  Sometimes they smile and say hello and sometimes they just look at me.  Sometimes they look away.

When I see a sort of haunted expression on a student's face, I want to take them in my arms and give them a warm cookie.  I don't know what they are dealing with and I wish I could make it better.

One of my favorite parts of the day is opening the outside door to my own students in the morning.  They tumble in full of stories and greetings, sometimes for me and sometimes for each other.  Some of them look super tired and like they just rolled out of bed and others are perky and energetic.  When they come to school looking dejected, it hurts my heart.

Teachers in the hall are part of the rhythm of the day.  Some click along in high heeled boots and others scuff along in sneakers.  They all smile when they see me.  Sometimes it is a tired smile.  Sometimes it is a white knuckled I-am-smiling-because-screaming-is-not-an-option smile.  Sometimes it is just friendly.

Matt's booming voice heralds his arrival and Riley whistles so you know he's coming too.  The secretaries unfailingly acknowledge me kindly amidst the constant chaos of the office.

In the morning you hear the pledge echoing through the open classroom doors.  As the day progresses, you hear teachers shushing students and praising those who are walking quietly in the hall.  Walking by classrooms, you hear teachers reading, or students reading, or conversations about math.  The halls are covered with students' work and wonky posters made by the student council. 

The sights and sounds include crying on any given day (we aren't far from the kindergarten), conversations in rapid Spanish between kids who seem quiet until you see them speaking Spanish together, and laughter.

Lots of laughter.

In the workroom throughout the day, teachers are there, making copies, grabbing things off the printers, checking their boxes.  Almost every teacher inspects what another teacher inadvertently left lying around, is that something I can use?  If it is, they make a quick master.

One of the things I did yesterday, while I was home sick, was read section 18 of the Doctrine and Covenants.  

When I read, "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God," I thought of my little school.  There are the complicated braids of well cared for girls and students who have warm coats and hats and gloves.  Alongside them are kids with bedhead and dirty clothes.  There are students who have a ragged hoodie that passes as a coat.

For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

He suffered for all of us.  He loves us, the thriving and the struggling.  I'm glad I could take a sick day, but I'm glad I can go back.  I think I learn more than any of the students.