Rue-On

Emma has tried to teach me French pronunciation.  With little success.  My mouth doesn't seem to work.  Also, Emma is an exacting la éducateur.  Considering I taught her English, I think she should be less sassy and more forgiving of my mouth when it doesn't work.

After over and over trying to get me to say Rouen to her satisfaction, she said, "Just call it Rue On.  It's fine."  (She said it with just a teensy bit of scorn.)

Still, I'm grateful for the reprieve.  I was tired of trying.

So I can't say Rouen, but I liked the city. I sort of fell in love with this cathedral there.

It had been there already for three centuries when Joan of Arc was killed in the same city.  The age of the place staggers my mind.

I am inspired by Joan of Arc too.   

I am not afraid...I was born to do this.  

And also, this:

 

Words to live by.

In the cathedral there was a tribute to Joan:

A statue of her and her sword

In the Musée d'Orsay gift shop I bought a postcard of a painting of the cathedral, done by Monet.  I put it in a little frame.

I wanted to remember Rouen and the way I felt in that ancient cathedral and the cobblestones beneath my feet on the narrow streets.

Sunday I was dipping my toes in the vast waters of my family tree.  I traced back the Egbert line of my ancestors until I came across Maria Thorel.  In 1649, she was born in Rouen!  I didn't know I had any French relatives.  I imagine its not too much of a stretch (because I'm an American) that I'm a mix of a lot of things. (I think they're mostly Caucasian though.  The undersides of my arms are practically blue they're so white.)

Perhaps, before she left Rouen, she walked down those same narrow cobblestone streets.  Perhaps she worshiped here:

She'd probably feel the same way as Emma does about my wayward pronunciation of Rouen.

Sorry Maria.  It's OK with Emma if I just say Rue-On.  I hope that's OK with you too. 

Ma jolie fille is taking her French AP exam today.  Better her than me!

Spent

You know that feeling when you are so exhausted your eyelashes even feel tired?

That's been me.

I told Adam maybe I had some sort of vitamin deficiency.

He said no, because he knows me.

It's been life lately.  There has been a big trip, a big son returned and then gone again, guests, life altering changes, Mark's play, Women's Conference, a girl getting ready to graduate.  Life, lived to the hilt, joyful, packed, one thing overlapping another.

And I need margins.

I need white space to recharge and manage.  It's not that I can't do stuff.  I can do stuff.

I just don't want to all the time.

This week I'm looking forward to white space.  I'm going to clean my desk and pull some weeds and send birthday cards to my nephews and readjust to life without this one.

My larger than life boy who is endlessly entertaining and leaves chaos (drinking glasses, socks, you name it) in his wake, left a big hole in my heart when he headed back on his mission.

So I'll pick up the socks and cups that I keep finding.  I'll stitch my heart back into place.

And I'll let a margin wash over me.

(except I miss him...)

Grateful Friday

I love Women's Conference at BYU.  I went yesterday (after a predawn airport run) and will go again today. 

I love the lift to my soul.

I love the great and insightful sessions.

I love knowing how to evade most of the crowds (service learning rooms for the win).

I love spending time with my mom, sisters, nieces, and cousins (Hannah and Britta).

I love BYU and Provo and spring.

Last night after dinner we all convened at our house to visit and release trapped emotions (if we had any) and to take personality tests.  It turns out we all have personalities.

There's just something magical about being with women you've known your entire life (or in the case of the nieces, their entire lives).

Equanimity

The other day I told Braeden I was impressed with the way he was meeting everything with equanimity.

He said, "What does that mean?"

"You're calm," I said.  "You're taking it in stride."

"Well, I don't feel all that calm on the inside, I'm kind of freaking out."

I told him that if he wasn't kind of freaking out, there wouldn't be any need for equanimity.  The freaking out makes the equanimity all the more impressive.

It's like the John Wayne quote:  courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.

Throughout the crazy turn of events where Braeden had surgery, was sent home from his mission, went back to his mission, was told he needed surgery again, was sent home again, was told he would be released early from his mission, was told maybe he didn't need surgery, was told he definitely didn't need surgery, was told he was after all returning to his mission, Braeden has just rolled with it.  We've had a few conversations including trying to wrap our minds around the surreal happenings.  He's confided some disquiet about it all.  Mostly though, equanimity.

At one point Braeden told me that he had already decided a while ago that he would always try to do whatever his priesthood leaders wanted him to do.

He's probably better than I deserve.

He flew out early this morning for Virginia.  Emma graduates three weeks from today.  Adam said, "I would be happy if our kids would just be 17 forever."

I said, "I'd even settle for 18."

Just stay at the age where you are home with us.  Is that too much to ask?

Watching your fledglings leave the nest is not for the faint of heart.

Like it or not, they're on the move.

Not my email

I'll start with some random pictures.  This first one was from Berny Chisolm:

No explanation, but thank you Berny.  It's a good lesson in being appreciative for the car I drive. 

Also, there was no information about this one.  Child labor?

Or this:

This is the heading of the above picture:

I don't know if the kid is the one who found a new friend or if he's cousin Connor.

Sometimes these email bring more questions than answers.

Here is something I can understand though.  Thelma (possibly from Australia because the West Coast Eagles is an Australian football team) had a birthday!  I hope she has/had a good one even though she didn't get a $20 discount from her favorite (I'm guessing) team.  I got the discount and it's not my birthday.  I wish Thelma knew her email address so she could tell the West Coast Eagles....

Getting other peoples' email causes guilt.

For example, will Thel and her plus one ever know about the birthday lunch she was invited to?

 

Also, this:

Thelma in South Africa has a booking to possibly, hopefully go over things like "What's my email address?" and she didn't get the reminder about the booking.

Go anyway Thelma!

Possibly Thelma signed up for the help because she kept not getting things that were being sent to her.

Persistence abounds though, and I applaud that.  Nerisha just wanted to send the newsletter!  She tried from home!  She tried again and again!  I hope she just printed and delivered it in person in the end.

While we're on an international tour of Thelmas, here's this:

To save you the step (let me use Google Translate so you don't have to), here's what it says:

I got multiple identical emails because Thelmas worldwide believe if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

The most intriguing emails directed to a different Thelma have come recently.  A whole series of them.   Here are just two of many:

I could really cause some havoc here in someone's life.  I could edit all sorts of background information.

I won't though.  Thelma solidarity. 

Your secrets are safe with me, Thelma Aniceto.  Home means Nevada to me too.  And if these reports are going to be negative, I'm glad I'm able to shield you from the bad news.

Singin In the Rain!

I loved the show Mark was in last weekend.  So did he!  I love seeing my children enjoy good opportunities.

Friday night my parents and Liliana and Carolina came to the show.  I got a picture of him with my mom but not with anyone else.

I did however eat part of Lili's and Lina's milkshakes.  I'm not sure that's relevant but just to let you know, I was glad they were there.

Here's a picture of Mark with his good friend who came to watch him.

Friends are worth a lot.

Here are some of my favorite shots of him dancing and singing:

He's the one with suspenders in most of the pictures. 

Geri came Friday too and was here for the weekend.

I am grateful for supportive family, time together and seeing my children happy.  I like drama kids.

Books I read April 2017

True Sisters by Sandra Dallas *

I like everything I've ever read by Sandra Dallas.  Except I didn't finish this one.  It's about Mormon pioneers, specifically the Martin Handcart company.  Since the author isn't a Mormon, it was interesting to hear her take on a story I am pretty familiar with.  I stopped reading it halfway through.  As expected, everyone started dying.  I didn't want to read a book about everyone dying.  I know how it ends.

I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg ***

Fannie Flagg is another author I always like.  I liked this one.  The title is misleading.  It seems like it would be about unrequited love but it's about how the main character wants to commit suicide and her plans keep getting thwarted.  I didn't 100% believe that the characters were realistic but I also didn't care because the book was enjoyable.

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven ***

We read this one for book club and I liked it.  It's one of those YA fiction books that I would prefer my YA not to read!  I found myself siding with the apparently too strict parents.  It's also about suicide.  And not as light-hearted as the first book.  It's also about mental illness.  It made for a really good discussion at book club.