Make Way for Ducklings

Yesterday there was a mother duck in our neighborhood and her nine baby ducklings.

It really delighted me.

I was taking a walk with my friend Stephanie and had to call my kids on my cell phone and tell them to COME RIGHT NOW AND LOOK AT THESE DUCKS! 

I also had to admire/worry about the mother duck.  The lady had guts.  She'd strut out onto the street (without looking both ways) without caring if there was a car coming or not.  Her ducklings waggled after her.

Things are happening around here.  If you hear a cracking sound it's my heart breaking a little bit.  Braeden's going to part of school next year and Emma likely for the entire day (a longish story for another day).

Yesterday we went to the middle school to get Braeden registered.  Heady with the thoughts of How Grown Up I Am Now, Braeden started talking to me about when he'll be driving.  He thinks it will be just dandy and I...don't.

He decided a GREAT way to practice his driving would be, once he's sixteen and has a license, to drive by himself the nearly 800 miles to Nevada to visit my parents.  I laughed at him.  He said, "I'd take Emma and Mark."  Like that was going to make it better.  Then he said, "I'd leave early in the morning."  He was serious.  And I laughed at him again.

We stopped at Albertson's and he commandeered the shopping cart.  He said, "I'll push."  I looked hesitant I guess (I can't count the times the kid has accidentally run the cart into the backs of my legs in his 13 years) and Braeden said, "Come on, Mom.  It will give me practice driving."

So today it's hoping he doesn't run me down with a shopping cart and tomorrow it's hoping he doesn't run me down with a car.

Today it's registering him for middle school and tomorrow it will be him leaving me for the wide world.

I need to channel the dauntless mother duck.

I need courage.

Marie Antoinette Would Approve

You can never recreate the past. But you can shape your own future. And you can make a cake.
-- Jacqueline Duval

Last night I baked a cake.  Soft and fragrant with a mound of cream cheese frosting on top (something went a little awry with the frosting consistency but it still tasted good).

It had been that kind of day so why wouldn't I bake a cake?

There are people in the world that will tell you that cake isn't the answer to whatever ails you.

Don't trust those people.

When You've Got to Do What You've Got to Do

Yesterday afternoon I had a to do list.  Like every other day.

After the piano lesson run and mailing packages at the post office, my plan was to:

-organize the pictures I am going to order from Costco before my coupon expires

-finish refinishing the Finnish shelf I bought for our bathroom (it's not really Finnish, I just thought that would contribute to the sentence)

-clean the computer desk in the school room

-put away all the sundry items on the dresser in our bedroom

-exercise

-correct schoolwork and prepare school for tomorrow

-help Mark practice the piano

-fold the laundry

Here's what I did instead:

I read Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games).  All 391 pages.  In one afternoon.  It was an emergency.  I'm late arriving at The Hunger Games party.  I was scared to read them.  We read it for book club though and I have officially been swept up.

After reading all afternoon, I felt a little dizzy.  And guilty.

But the world didn't end.

And today I'll be the picture of productivity.  (I promise.)

Me, the Fashionista

On a whim I picked up this book at the library:

The Little Black Book of Style

I took it to the pool to read while my kids swam.  I read/skimmed it in the 45 minutes we were there.

And I learned some things.

Nina and I live on different planets.

Which shouldn't be that surprising, I guess.  On the book it says, "From the hit show Project Runway and  Fashion Director, Elle Magazine."

I've neither watched Project Runway nor read Elle Magazine.

And I likely won't start.

There was good advice in the book...like get rid of stuff you don't wear in your closet.  It's an easy concept but every time I try to do it, I remember the cost of the perfectly good clothes I'm considering letting go.  Just because I never wear them doesn't mean...

Well, yes, it does.  I should get rid of them.

And I'll try.

The book recommended I "invest in the bones" of my wardrobe with "essential styles". Since we inhabit two different planets, I decided to add my version of her recommendation.  If Nina is confident to think she knows what every woman needs, then so am I!

The little black dress. ( I don't have one...I don't know where I'd wear one except the rare fancy date with Adam.  This would become one of those things I agonize about getting rid of because I never wear...)

I recommend:  An assortment of dresses/skirts for church.  Nothing too fancy.  Especially if you're teaching a primary class at church that feels like combat duty.  Long is good.  Less pasty white leg to show.  Also if you have a baby with a runny nose (which I used to have on occasion), the hem of a long full skirt is invaluable.

A classic men's white shirt (I don't have one.  She recommended borrowing one from your boyfriend/husband.  Has she seen the size of my husband?)

I recommend:  Land's End t-shirts. 

Cashmere cardigan or turtleneck (I don't have one.  Cashmere sort of makes me itch.  And like the comedian Mitch Hedberg said, "wearing a turtleneck is like getting strangled by a really weak guy all day."

I recommend: Cotton sweaters and cardigans.  They wear really well and keep you warm if you live under clouds north of Seattle.

A trench coat (I don't have one.  But this one is something I might consider.  I LOVE jackets/coats.  I live in a perfect place for jackets.  You never really need a heavy, warm coat but you almost always could use a light jacket.  I have a lot of jackets.  Why not add a trench coat?)

I recommend: Starting to look for a snazzy trench coat.

Denim (I have this covered.  I don't have any pants that aren't jeans.  See how cutting edge I am?)

I recommend:  Get some pairs of jeans you like and wear them every day.

A man's classic watch (I also like watches and I like big watches so maybe they'd qualify as men's?  I don't know.)

I recommend: Get a watch that doesn't bug you when you're typing on the computer. 

Diamonds (I have one, from Adam.  I love it. And him.)

I recommend: Big costume jewelry that's fairly cheap so if you have a restless child around you can let them play with it.

Ballet flats (I don't have any.  I'm not really that into shoes.  And I don't really like ballet flats.)

I recommend: Comfortable shoes.  They are directly related to happiness.

A classic high heel pump (I do like pumps...mostly because you can wear them instead of deciding what shoes to wear.  Again, me.  Cutting edge here.)

I recommend: Make sure they're versatile enough that you can chase down the Mark in your life after church if you need to.  (Or are your kids always behaved?)

A great bag She recommends that every woman should have:

-a tote or shoulder bag
-a clutch
-a medium-sized handbag, with a chain-link strap
-the must-have bag:  Chanel 2.55, Louis Vuitton Speedy, Gucci's Jackie O., Hérmes Birkin

I recommend: every woman should have:

-reusable grocery bags...big ones that hold a lot of stuff

-a big church bag...full of gum and mints and pens and loose paper (again, I'm thinking of Mark here)

-a purse...make sure there's an easily accessible cell phone spot in it

-the enormous bags from IKEA can be purchased for a song and when you have a lot of Christmas gifts to carry or beach towels to pack, they are the cat's meow

I don't know about those must-have bags.  I wouldn't recognize a Chanel 2.55, Louis Vuitton Speedy, Gucci's Jackie O, or Hérmes Birkin if it sat down beside me.

Maybe I'll write a book.  You can pick it up on a whim at the library if you need something to read while you're watching your kids swim.

The Suburban Woman's Guide to Sort of Slouchy But Comfortable Style.

Laundry

One of the great meetings at BYU Women's Conference was a moving presentation by Silvia Allred and Barbara Thompson,  the General Relief Society counselors.  They spoke about humanitarian aid the church has been involved with and showed video clips.

I was particularly touched by this woman from the Dominican Republic:

Howard Collett, LDS Philanthropies

Mayerlinth Reyes is fitted with two prosthetic legs while her daughter watches. Her new mobility will enable her to provide and care for her family.

This woman lost both of her legs as a result of an accident.  The video clip showed her with her new prosthetic legs, thrilled to be able to have the mobility she wanted.  She mentioned she was now able to do things like laundry and take care of her family.

I thought about how grateful I am for my two legs.

I'm grateful for my ability to do laundry.

And today I have plenty of laundry doing to be grateful about.

Welcome Home

I'm the only one awake in a quiet house about to leave for Ward Council.  I'm substituting today and inadequately at that.  I've been gone so I hope they don't expect me to know anything.  (I know very little when I've been home, minding the store.)

We had a happy reunion.  My children love me.  What more could I want?  Emma said she thinks Mark loves me most.  He talked about the countdown to me coming home the whole time I was gone.  I thought it was kind of funny that Emma would admit that her brother loves me more, but also true.  Although Braeden, crawling into my arms "for a snuggle" may give the wild redhead a run for his money.  When Braeden gets too big to crawl into my arms (soon), I'll have to crawl into his.

All is right with the world to be back beside Adam.  He is the stability in this world that I need.  This morning I reread his blog posts from when I was gone.  He is generous and kind when it comes to me.  He also makes me laugh.

I feel ready to burst with gratitude for this happy little life I lead.  I'd better wrap this up though.  I don't want to be clueless and late for Ward Council.

Because I Can

My mind is probably too muddled for me to be posting on this blog.

But here's the thing:  I brought my Compé and have not had internet access until now...in the SLC airport.  In order to make it worthwhile to have carried this thing around, I have to use it.

So sorry if I'm incoherent.  I'll try to be more organized in my thoughts after I've had about 30 hours of sleep.  I think that's what it will take.

For now I want to say that I am thrilled to be going home to my family.  I missed them.  I love them.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing my parents and Ammon and Melanee and Cormac.  I adore my grandma.  I got to see my aunt Mary too.  It's been good.

Staying at my grandma's house is kind of reminiscent of everything wonderful that happened in my life growing up.  Everything that meant anything involved my grandma.

If I hadn't already been wrenched of every tear from all of the emotion of the weekend, I would have cried last night in my grandma's family room when we knelt to pray and I heard my grandma pray for my family and for me.  Can anything top hearing your beloved grandmother pray just for you?  I can't think of it if there is.