Grateful Friday

I'm grateful Mark is a better driver and way (way) easier to take driving than his siblings at that age.  He was a way (way) harder toddler/preschooler so I earned this.  He is never defensive nor argumentative when corrected, but says a quiet, "OK," and away we go.

I'm grateful I'm almost done teaching children to drive.  Because it is the worst.

I'm grateful for Braeden and Emma texts.  I like getting texts from them.  Braeden sends  funny/interesting/bizzaro NYTimes articles and memes I minimally understand.  Emma sends things like a recent day when she texted us three paintings so we could guess the artists.

Even though I didn't get them correct:

I love that our children are learning things and expanding their minds and sharing their gee whiz stuff with us.  I say this all the time, but I'm so grateful for their opportunities.

I'm also just grateful for those weirdos.  Braeden randomly texted this picture and Emma's response left me wanting to say what?!? and why?!? to both of them but I just went with it.

I'm grateful for snow on the mountain.  If feels like an insurance policy against a dry summer.

I'm grateful for Joan because even though Adam is out of town, the weather forecast doesn't worry me.

I'm grateful Emma was able to score us some tickets to her sold out choir concert this weekend!  Huzzah!

I'm grateful for my job.  It's so fun to be around kids.

I'm grateful that even though the 3rd-4th grade boys that play soccer at recess seem bent on killing me with the ball, they haven't succeeded yet.  And yesterday when I managed to stop the ball that was careening toward me, a few boys threw up their hands in victory and yelled "Teacher blocked the ball!"

I felt like a hero.  For about 10 seconds, but still.  Me + a situation involving a ball + anything resembling victory doesn't happen very often (or ever).

Wouldn't be grateful Friday without a nod towards Adam.  He is the favorite part of every day.

Books I read November 2018 and things I learned

The Visitors by Sally Beauman **

This was about a girl who was visiting Egypt with her governess and their social circles intersected with the archaeologists who found King Tut's tomb.  It was TOO long.  The book was very interesting at times but dragged to an uninteresting whimper by the end.  It felt like the author had three books and tried to mash them together.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman ***

So good.  So crude.  I skimmed a lot of it, especially every time they were in the hockey locker room.   It's about a small town in Sweden (Beartown) and a hockey team and a community rocked by an accusation.

**

*

I listen to a podcast, The Next Right Thing, by Emily P. Freeman.  (I recommend it a million times.)  She recently talked about a quarterly reflection she does.  Each season, she stops to consider what she learned.

So here's my feeble initial attempt to do the same.

Here's what I learned in Autumn 2018:

I absolutely love being in an elementary school.  It is dramatic (blood and temper tantrums and escapees) and loving (I get hugs and compliments and shy waves and big smiles all the time) and so very fulfilling (teaching and watching children learn is my happy place).

It's been challenging to start working outside my home after such a long hiatus.  Even though I only work part time, it's been a full time change.  It's a huge adjustment and has required me to alter my expectations and to do list.

I don't have as much time to read or do other leisure activities.  And that's OK.

(Reading is less OK, but I need to remember how much I love being at school and recognize that I am choosing something else to fill me up.  Everything has a season and I'll have chances to read more--here's looking at you Christmas vacation.)

I like podcasts and listening to the Book of Mormon.  I didn't used to be very good at listening but I'm getting better at it.  I need to practice listening to audio books.  And choose books well.  I was listening to one and realized that when I can't skim over bad language but have to hear it, it feels different.  I started a book by an author I usually enjoy (Liane Moriarty), but I ultimately abandoned listening.  Because I couldn't skim.

I'm learning (and likely still need to learn more) that 90% of the angst I feel is because of my own wrong expectations.

I need to work on that....

Nevada party

One of Braeden's roommates was recently called to serve a mission in the Nevada Reno mission.  We decided to throw him a party.

Because Nevada.

Adam said, "You know how Texans are really into Texas?  Nevadans are really into Nevada too."

It's true.

Emma and I decorated by cutting apart some calendars my mom had made for us with photos taken around their house.

Nevada = photogenic (the horses are too)

Adam said we had to have salad like my mom makes because that's Nevada salad.  (I don't think my mom's salad is necessarily Nevada salad, but Adam loves salad like my mom makes and I never make it because I'm not a big salad eater and even less of a salad maker.)

I created a trivia quiz with prizes! prizes! prizes!  (gold Hershey's chocolate and silver Hershey's kisses in a nod to the gold mines and The Silver State)

Adam did a reprise of his Nevada/not Nevada game using Google images.

(Brian won both games so I'd say he's ready for his mission!)

We ate brownies cut into the shape of Nevada.

After awhile I gave up and just had regular brownie shapes.  Nevada/not Nevada brownies....

We forgot to sing the Nevada state song for Brian!  Braeden and I even had a debate ahead of time about whether we should sing the traditional version (my vote) or the Killer's version (his vote). And then we forgot!

All the returned missionaries did two truths and a lie about their missions.  So now Brian either is terrified or excited.  It depends on how you look at it and what kind of thirst for adventure he has.

Because crazy stuff happens to missionaries.  Adam said it's because you talk to everyone.  Braeden added, "And they tell you everything."

Sam's impersonation of the man who showed up drunk for his own baptism was pretty awesome and Ben told us about fish he ate in Tahiti that was "cured" in a liquid where another fish had been fermented.  He said the worst part was the smell.

There were eleven of us for dinner and turns out we only have ten knives.  Where did the others go?

Adam and I shared a knife.

Because we're in love.

Haul out the holly

Saturday was a day packed with goodness.  We decorated a bit in the morning, went to the temple (with Braeden too, which only makes it better) and then decorated some more.

Adam bought me that picture of Santa the first year we were married.

this little Finnish guy delights me

Also, Emma joined Adam and me on our Saturday errands.  We swung by Walmart so she could buy a small tree for her apartment.  They were $17.99 online and $25 in the store.  All of Emma's pennies matter to her so Adam talked to the store clerk, named Richard. Richard said, "I don't know if I have the authority to do it but I'll try."  He did an override and gave Emma the online price.

When we were leaving, Emma told me how much she appreciated Jolly Old Saint Richolas.  (He did have a long white beard.)

At dinner I told the kids they could have ice cream if they ate some vegetables.  This has been a trick I've employed for about 20 years and I'm not giving up on it, I don't care how big these kids get.

Mark said, "Ravioli are vegetables.  If you can't hunt something, it is a vegetable.  And you can't hunt ravioli."

Then he ate some broccoli (because he wanted ice cream).

We played a new Disney version of Codenames (which was surprisingly hard) and watched Somebody Feed Phil which we're maybe obsessed with.

Adam presented us with the new Christmas bear.

We named her Tea Cup and she was immediately embraced by the sleuth (which is what you call a group of bears--I googled it.)

This is all to say, being here makes me happy.

Happy Happy Happy

It's been a wonderful time.

I feel better.  Medicine!  That's where it's at!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving with the Porters.  It is a blessing to live across the street from people who have so much in common with us.  We ate glorious amounts of delicious food. The kids went across the street to play Quiplash at our house and Dave and Nola and Adam and I sat around and talked.  I can imagine that if we'd lived across the street from each other the entire time our kids were growing up, there would be a well-worn trail across the cul-de-sac.  We have children that love to sing and act and crack wise.  Also, the two youngest boys in each family are weirdly athletic.  Where did that come from?

In the evening on Thanksgiving, our family went to see Ralph Breaks the Internet.  (Why they didn't call it Ralph Wrecks the Internet is beyond me.)  It wasn't an original idea so we had to go all the way to south Provo for a theater and even then we weren't all on the same row.  The kids were behind Adam and me.  At one point, Braeden nudged us so we could see Emma who was cry laughing/hyperventilating.  There was a pun in the movie that just tickled that girl's fancy.

Friday, after making good use of the internet and my credit card, I gathered up the autumnal decorations to ready the house for the big changeover.

In the afternoon we went to my grandma's to decorate her house for Christmas.  It's a highlight for all of us.  I feel grateful for our kids diligently and enthusiastically carrying boxes up and down stairs and unpacking decorations.  At the same time, they thank me for taking them and they tell me how much they love it.  Talk about a win win.

We had had a big lunch of Thanksgiving leftovers before heading to Salt Lake City to my grandma's.  After decorating though, she said, "I have some pie."

"Oh, Grandma, we just ate and we're too full."

She said, "Well, I got it just for you so you have to have some."

So we did.  There are some people in the world that I can argue with and my 91 year old grandmother is not one of them.  (I'm not too good at arguing with pie either.)

We came home and got busy on our own decorations.  We sent Adam, who is still battling sickness, to bed.  Braeden and Mark are perfectly suited for schlepping boxes and climbing on ladders and Emma, with her artistic eye, is perfectly suited for arranging and decorative deliberations.

Emma and I decided to cut some branches from an evergreen bush in the front yard for the mantle.  Emma said, "Let me scrummage some shoes and I'll be out."

(Emma is also good at making up words.)

She scrummaged some shoes of Braeden's and looked like a little kid wearing their parent's shoes trying to keep them on her feet.  I cut branches and Emma winced because clippers make her nervous (ever since Grandpa Linn accidentally cut Grandma Geri's finger).  We brought in a big hamper of branches and just went to town on the mantle.

Decking the halls is my favorite.

Grateful

In a world full of sickness and sorrow and loneliness and longing and trust broken and sin and hate and all the things, I stand back and look at my life and realize that although it is never picture perfect, it is a pretty good life.

And I am grateful for it.

I know that the blessings I have are gifts from God.  On none of my own merit, I was born into a loving and good family.  I have been given privileges and opportunities I did nothing to deserve.  I married very well when I was in no way smart enough to make such a big decision.  I was permitted to raise three amazing humans that delight me every day.  And they came amazing.  I didn't do that.

So does Heavenly Father love people less that don't have these blessings?  No, and also I don't understand how it all works.

I know we are all loved and I know life isn't fair.  Maybe someday it will all make sense.

In the meantime, because I have been given much, I too must give.

Also, the biggest blessing God had to bestow was freely given to all.  I'm grateful this Thanksgiving for the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I'm grateful for peace in storms and forgiveness in stupidity and enabling power when I'm spent.

Have a wonderful holiday and I'll see you back here Monday!

Another sick day

I went to the walk-in clinic yesterday and left the proud owner of 5 prescriptions.  I have a sinus infection/fluid in my ears/bronchitis.  She gave me a prescription to treat pneumonia which I'm supposed to take if I get worse.  (She didn't want me stuck over Thanksgiving with no doctors/pharmacies open.)

So I'm going to lay low another day and put all my trust in the magic of modern medicine.  Because I have stuff to DO.

While I was gone, Braeden came home.  Every once in awhile he does that to sequester himself in Adam's office to write a big paper.  (He was in there when I went to bed and he was in there when I woke up.)

I walked in the house to his warm greeting and big embrace.  He was emptying the dishwasher and had happy music playing.

You just can't be uncheered by Braeden.

He and Mark both need haircuts (and giving Mark a haircut was something I was planning to do yesterday).  They held their curly heads together and said they wondered if they'd act like velcro.

It's good to have both boys around.

Emma, also in the throes of busy paper writing, texted me throughout the day.  She wants to bring me some Cranberry Sprite when she comes tomorrow because she saw that it is in stores now.

It's good have a daughter.

Adam is also sick but infinitely tougher than I am.  He drove to pick up my prescriptions and hugs me when I'm whiny.

It's good to have Adam.

So I'm tired of being sick, but I'm grateful this Thanksgiving week for my family.