Perspective

This morning I lay on the couch completely avoiding my morning motherly duties.
I have never done this before because getting everyone out the door with all essentials in tow requires my full attention. Though lately the dark skies and cold temperatures have me wishing to stay in bed.
I am having a hard time embracing this new 6:30 am wake up time for the twins. They are too. We say every morning "we need to go to bed earlier don't we?" but then there are just too few minutes of relaxing nothingness in the day so we stay up too late.

But this morning, just for a minute, I felt different. I usually look at our big window and wish for the 100th time that I had the beautiful velvet drapes I have been dreaming about, but this morning I could see the sky. The clouds were moving so fast that I could almost feel my place in the universe. It's a very strange feeling.

The sky this morning was kind of purple and full of threatening clouds. It made me think of heaven. What I will feel like when I get to heaven? Will I say "it was really hard for me down there. I wish I could have done better" or will I say "I am so glad I got to have such a great experience. I wouldn't change a thing!"

I hope I will say that my spirit recognized the beautiful things on earth that were patterned after the world where we used to live.

Benson turns five tomorrow. That is somehow the official 'big boy' age. It is a different stage for us now. Did I enjoy those sweet baby cheeks enough? Did I give hugs in place of frustration enough? They grow up so fast. Much of the kids' toddler years were just plain exhausting for me.
It kind of feels like we are constantly entering new waters. Right now we are adjusting to growing kids and Rustin's overstretched physical, emotional and spiritual schedule. We have a lot of compensating blessings that none of us would trade, but it's still an adjustment.

In all, I guess I have been reminded that everything is a stage. None of it will last whether pleasant or unpleasant. Many have gone before me and have been able to keep their priorities in the right place. My ancestors have handed down a legacy of happiness and obedience. And I think their chance was over before they even knew it. Mine will be too. Today I will read again President Monson's quote on my side bar and smile at my laundry.

Genetics?

Here's one good reason to get the bunk bed project finished.


(yes those are five kids sleeping on the floor)


Here's the reason that it might take me a bit longer than planned.



I guess the kids did inherit something from me after all. A bit of clumsiness. ouch.

Does a thumb with five stitches count as an excuse to have laundry waiting to be done?
I say it does.

The old big bulky beds are now downstairs in the missionaries' apartment. The new beds won't take up as much space and will have lots more storage. If I ever get them finished.

We are Loving the fall-ish weather. Jackets in the morning--shorts in the afternoon. Perfect corn, tomatoes, apples and all kinds of yummy stuff.


And of course football. The three big boys are loving football but they secretly can't wait until they have afternoons free again. So they can practice the piano. uh-huh.

The Errand of Angels

Do you ever need to say thank you to someone but know that there really is no way to do it adequately? That is how I feel this morning.

Last Thursday I got one of those phone calls that only a sister can understand. It was pretty much a jumble of incomprehensible sentences that sounded something like "they mixed up all the piles...eight o'clock tomorrow morning, locked in their rooms, I CAN'T DO THIS..."

My sister is moving to Australia. Her husband left about three weeks ago to start work and that has left Juli with five kids and a house to organize for the packers.
Some things need to go to storage, some to Idaho, some on slow boat to Australia and some by air shipment to Australia. And then, the most important things had to be neatly tucked into suitcases meant to hold every item needed for clothing or comfort for the next month or so.

A day spent cleaning and organizing was undone in a matter of minutes by her unsuspecting children. I could completely understand her panic. And I do mean panic.

My mom and I considered jumping in the car to make the ten hour drive to New Mexico to offer what comfort we could. But it would be too late. The comfort was needed immediately. We couldn't get there in time.

That's when I remembered Susan. Months ago when I was visiting New Mexico Susan let me program her cell phone number into my phone just in case I ever needed to get a hold of her for any reason.

So I called her. At 9:30 at night. I explained that the moment of help had arrived. The moment when only a sister will do. Fortunately she understood that the bonds of sisterhood reach beyond blood. Because we share the same lineage. It is unthinkable to let a sister go uncared for.

Juli's doorbell was ringing before we knew it. The kitchen was cleaned, piles were sorted and the kids asleep in their beds.

I can only think of one adequate way to say thanks and that is to return the favor. I have a feeling there are sisters all over the world in need of a sister. I'm sure someone has a sister near me in need and I am determined to be there. No sister should have to carry her burdens alone. We can be there together. I think I finally understand that now.

Who needs...

Who needs an alarm clock when you have a budding french horn player? (Austin and Dallin loved this!)


Who needs a gym membership when you have Uncle Tom to wrestle (Tom wanted this picture to prove he can still take the boys) and a canyon to hike (with cousins!)?




Who needs an interior decorator when you have Jenna and Benson?

Jackpot

We spent yesterday at the Twin Falls County Fair. Of course most of that time was mandatory scout fund raiser project working in a food booth. Rustin however, totally hit the Jackpot. He was asked to be a judge of the chocolate baked goods entries. Oh yes. He tortured himself trying to choose between 48 different chocolate entries.The biggest surprise--the cheese cake that he rated last on his list (very, very mocha flavored with chocolate covered coffee beans...) won first place in the cheese cake entries. Guess the rest of the judges like coffee...

I love the fair. Love it.I love the animals and 4-H barns and home made quilts. I am going to enter something one of these days just for fun. After Jenna's 1st grade class went to the fair for a field trip Jenna wrote that the smell she remembered from the fair was "poo." Accurate huh! The dairy barn took me straight back to my childhood finding little nests of newborn kittens in the grain piles and searching for eggs in the haystacks.

I also love chickens. Seriously it makes me yearn for a life that I'm not sure I can have. Barefoot kids swinging from the barn rafters and brown eggs in the fridge for breakfast... I am plotting ways that I can sneak a little coup in my back yard. Maybe I could bribe the neighbors with one of those coffee cheesecakes.?


If not chickens then maybe a bunny. Could chickens and bunnies live in the same pen? Don't tell the kids I'm considering it. I will never hear the end of it!

It was a great day but this morning I am back to the "fun" of keeping a house ready to be sold, running kids to activities trying to coerce kids to practice music (they will thank me someday right?) and the joys of elementary math homework. And laundry. Did I mention laundry?

I was feeling overwhelmed this morning. But then I realized that my kids are growing faster than the fair bunnies. Pretty soon I won't even be able to do their math homework. I have everyone home and healthy and happy. My husband loves me and I love him and we are doing our best to do our best.

My Jackpot may not be quite as sweet today as Rustin's was yesterday, but I have a feeling it will be the jackpot to beat all jackpots someday.