Time Travel Tuesday~California Dreamin'

It snowed again last night. Not a lot. Certainly not as much as we need. We have been asked by our Stake leaders to pray for more because our water situation up in the reservoirs is pretty grim. Can I pray that we get maybe ten feet of new snow up in the mountains and have spring down here in the valley? No? It doesn't work that way?

So I dream of sunnier days and definitely warmer times! I mean, what good is a fireplace in this cold if I can't even light a fire because of the bad air quality?

I went searching for beach pictures today. We have plenty of more recent trips, but if we are going to time travel...let's go back to 1991!

Dee and I loaded up our four little girls in August of '91 and drove from Salt Lake City to visit my sister Gena and her family in SoCal. Steve and Gena lived in Torrance and took us to their favorite nearby beach...Redondo.

We had a lot of coastal fog on our days at the beach but it was still warm and wonderful.

Here are Brittany and Sarah checking out the ocean for the very first time. That was fun!

 They are discovering here that their Uncle Steve is a wild man!

Yeah, that's Steve's head out there in the wave!

If you look closely behind Diana and Cousin Chris you can see my Sweetie in his 90's

 Shorty McShort Shorts! Socks and shoes at the beach?? Must be from Northern Cal!

I love this view of the coast and secretly dream of living there. What a life (if it was cheaper!)

Diana & Chris were all to willing to please me! See the early version of the Pack-n-Play back them? That was for my 8 month old baby Rachel. She was crawling and I tried to keep her from eating sand!

Here we see Diana trying to smile for me but there is so much going on in the background. Cousin Michael is obviously being coerced by Brittany into the water!
There's Steve and his boogie board heading back in,
 and in the middle is "Legs Loose" as Grandpa called Sarah.

This is by far my most favorite photo of the group.
 My beautiful baby girl Rachel in her beach dress and hat!
 She had her 23rd birthday last week. Holy cow! 

That means these photos were, like...23 years ago!

 Had to keep that girl fed!

I was eight months post pregnancy here and how I wish I had that body back! It's here somewhere. Maybe I can find it again!
 In the meantime I'll sigh and dream of beaches and sunny, warm days, and plan our trip in May to visit this little girl who is now our California Girl,
when her husband graduates from USC with his Master's degree. 

There is snow outside of my door, 

but a beach is in my future!

Moving On

This is a strange season for me. My youngest child, my only son is finishing his public school days. This journey began for me in August of 1985 when our oldest, Sarah skipped off to her first day of kindergarten. If I did my math correctly that is 23 years of having children in public school. That's a long time folks! It's a lot of lunch boxes, brown bags, spiral notebooks, new pencils, backpacks, etc...! I feel the passage time in my body. I no longer spring out of bed, ready to do an assembly line of ponytails and ribbons, getting myself and three little girls ready for a day at school. Richard wakes up at least an hour before me. He makes his own lunches and patiently waits for his old mother to hobble down the stairs, bleary-eyed and groggy.
I love him! He is so much like his father in the way he treats me. He is kind and patient. He compliments me and always asks how I am feeling.

I looked all through my external hard drive for these photos and couldn't find them. I got out the old scrap books and took pictures of pictures, which is why they are blurry!

 

Here is Richard with his Mom (me!) the day he first met his teacher for Kindergarten
He was so proud of his Star Wars backpack and loved the huge Darth Maul band Aide on his scraped-up knee!

This is Richard after he came homeon his first day of Kindergarten in August of 2000.

If I could go back 13 years and whisper in my own ear I would tell myself to be the same kind of mother I had always been but to be brave. The ride was going to be rough and painful. While Richard has brought great joy to our lives, he has faced challenges that have given all of us sorrow too. I don't really want to focus on that but just recognize that it is a reality. He has struggled mightily, more than anyone but his Dad and I will ever know. We work with him daily, trying not to cross the line of taking over and doing it all for him. We pray for him daily, that the discouragements of the past will be replaced by a desire to achieve and continue on in his learning. He has two classes to finish through Electronic High School before he will receive his diploma. He is still working to complete some assignments at Lone Peak in order to receive credit. There will be no cap and gown, but there will be a great sigh of relief and a sense of accomplishment on all of our parts.

A few weeks ago, in meeting with one of Richard's counselors Dee was told, "just do it for him. He is so intelligent, he knows his stuff and he will be fine".  Dee offered to help Richard complete some pointless, tedious assignments that he had been putting off. Richard would have no part of that. "That would be lying Dad. I need to do it myself." Did I mention that I LOVE him?

So, while hundreds of young people are marching into the Marriot Center on Thursday in full ceremony, my son and I are going out for ice cream. We will come home and get back to work on the EHS classes. He will finish. He will go on and be a wonderful, good man.

Last Sunday Richard received his Seminary Recognition certificate for completing four years of LDS Seminary. I cried through the whole evening. Where has the time gone? I am so proud of my son and his love of the Gospel of Christ and his love of the Church. This certificate is very important to me. I wanted to take a picture of him as he shook the Stake President's hand. It was the nearest thing I'd get to a graduation photo but can you do that in the chapel? I resisted. This is what we got instead...

I love you Buddy!

Seven Days and Counting

Seven days from today I will become a Grandmother for the very first time! Ten years ago I was not ready to hear that word but ask me today and I will tell you that I am very excited! I have not talked much about what has been happening with Diana's pregnancy because it is really hers and Nick's business. She has been very sensitive about her condition and her personal business being broadcast. But now, after three baby showers, one for Nick's family here in Utah, and two this last week, everyone in Utah County knows that business!

Diana developed preeclampsia in July. Her blood pressure was sky high and her poor little ankles were so swollen. She was ordered to take it easy and work from home on her laptop which she did until the "higher-ups" at work decided it wasn't a work-from-home job. She was very hurt at first. I can tell you she was working hard and doing every bit as much here at home as she would have at the office. However, from a Mom's point of view, it was a good change. She has become so totally relaxed that she has had virtually no troubles since. She rests all day long and we hang out together. It has been fun! Because of the preeclampsia, which is the current day term for toxemia, the baby is scheduled to be delivered three weeks early for both his safety and the health of his Mommy. That date is September 4th.

Every once-in-awhile Diana and I look at each other and say something like, "Wow! In less than two weeks there will be a baby in the house! Are we ready?" The baby clothes and blankets are washed. The little bed is set up. Brittany bought the most adorable "preemie" diapers and with the last two showers there are enough supplies to get us going. I refer to "us" because Nick is no longer living here. Before you panic, he has simply moved to the San Diego area to begin his graduate studies at USC San Diego. He found a nice place for his little family to live when the time comes, and he is working hard at getting started on his 2 year program. He will fly back to Utah this weekend for the birth on Tuesday. He only gets to stay a week while Diana and "Baby Mowes" will stay here for the recovery period. It's not the ideal way to welcome your first child into the world, but we are doing our best to help!

The first Baby Shower last week was given by the ladies in our ward who served in the Young Women's group while Diana was that age. They are some of the dearest, most sincere women I know and I love them all!

 It was a cute teddy bear/paper airplane themed party.

 Above is Margaret Rodee and below is Karie Miller. They were two of Diana's YW Presidents.

(If you send your missionary to the MTC in Provo, chances are, Margaret will be the one handing him or her that black and white name tag! Karie is now our Bishop's wife!)

 L-R: Julie Merrill, Lonnie Bowers, Dana Fong, Cheryl Bellarosa, and Janet Oles.

 L-R: Cathleen Barney, Becky Browning, Diane Riddle, Joanie Rich, and Julie Merrill.

 Cathleen, Sheryl DeLeeuw, Diana, Diane, and Julie. Fun Girl's Camp memories!!

Julie, Becky (who graciously hosted us at her home and was another of Diana's YW Presidents), Diana, and Dana.

Here we are, my sweet girlie and me. Yes, I had my hair cut even shorter than it was in Denver.

The second shower came two days later on Saturday for Diana's college and work friends. Brittany and Diana's dear friend Whitney put the party together in our backyard.

 It was a Safari theme because that is how Diana is going to decorate Baby Mowes' nursery.

There was cucumber salad with feta cheese and pita chips, cupcakes, and fresh fruit with yummy honey/cream cheese dip.

 Diana and Rachel decorated the cuppy-cakes with fondant. Cute, huh?!

 For this little family it really all did begin on safari. Nick proposed to Diana at the butterfly pavillion in Denver!

 These darling ladies gave us such a fun afternoon! They are L-R: Diana, Raelynn, Halen,Chassie with daughter Knowley, Emily, and Chelsea. Whitney and her Mom Sherrie had to leave before we could get this photo, and another friend Emily, came a bit later.

I love that Halen grabbed up Diana's belly cast and wore it proudly! Yes, Brittany casted her sister's belly. It was actually kind of fun! Rachel painted it a cool giraffe print.

Even Miss Roxie had a great time and was very well-behaved!

It took us all weekend to recover. We had better rest up because in SEVEN DAYS there won't be a lot of sleep going on! I'll keep you posted!

Growing Pains (of the Heart!)

"Don't take the Christmas tree down until I leave." That's what Sarah asked me on Saturday. We were discussing whether or not to do it and to be honest, I have been reluctant. Any other year and that evergreen would have been out of here by Jan. 2nd but this year it feels different. This year I have wanted Christmas to last and last. We have had dear Sarah at home with us since December 10th. It has been such an enjoyable time! No school or work for her so she just completely relaxed. We have shopped together, played together, sewn aprons together, cried together, cooked together, watched movies and TV together. She has been there for four Sundays in a row as I have led the singing in Relief Society. It has been wonderful to look out at the sisters and see my Sarah's face smiling up at me. Last Sunday as we were singing I looked at her and thought, "she won't be there next Sunday".

Why is it that a mother's heart is so sensitive? Instead of shrinking as the chicks leave the nest it grows unbelievably! I have been able to have my older girls around more than most. They will be the first to tell you with disgusted sighs that it is because they are "Old Maids". That statement makes me very sad because I don't happen to think they are, but unmarried or not, they have been with me a long time and I adore them! Sarah has been in and out, here and BYU, here and London & Paris, here and a mission to New York, here and Florence, Rome, & Sienna, home again and then Canada for doctorate studies, but she always comes home. I love her for that! I am glad we have the love in our home that calls them back. I am not ashamed to boast of that a bit either.

So, as I take down our tree today I will be packing away a bit of my heart with Sarah's ornaments. And as she lands in Toronto tonight she can close her eyes and remember the family togetherness, the laughter and fun, and the glow of the tree at home.

If only we could have that Christmas glow in our hearts all year.

THeRE wAs A yoUnG LaDy wHO....

A sunny summer day in Orem, Utah ca. 1986. One minute she was just sitting on her front porch all innocent and smiles. The next minute she became a victim! But a victim of what? Her environment? The tendency she had to laugh out loud when her friends were around? Her open mouth? The answer was "all of the above"! No sooner had she opened her mouth than she was invaded by a Kamikaze fly!! The little beast flew straight into her mouth, hit the back of her throat and was gone as she gasped, "aack!" Her big blue eyes grew round and startled, they welled up with tears (as her eyes tended to do) and she cried for her mother/protector to help her.



Enter mother/protector...now, I ask you...what is a mother supposed to do when her child exclaims, "I swallowed a fly!" ?

Of course she wants to fix it, to make her little girl smile again, but short of reaching down said child's throat and pulling the insect out with her bare hand what else can be done? Syrup of ipecac? Too violent. E.R. stomach pump? Too dramatic and expensive. (What a laugh that would give the staff!) Do you other mother/protectors talk to yourselves in situations like this? "Stay calm. Reassure her that she won't die...it's just a little protein! Yes, I know we say flies are germ infested, dirty little bugs but...but..."

Fast forward to spring 2001, American Fork, Utah. Phone rings...(different blue-eyed blonde daughter is calling) Mother/protector exclaims, "You swallowed WHAT?!".In the E.R. the young, cute doctor enters the room, looks at his pretty 17 year-old patient, and laughs!
"Sorry, it's just that usually when I read on the chart "swallowed a pin" I assume it will be a 3 year-old on the other side of the door". (Thanks a lot, Doc.) She explains she was in sewing class, holding a pin in her mouth, listening to another student tell a funny story, "I just opened my mouth to laugh and it got sucked in! It hit the back of my throat and was gone...aack!" $50.00 later mother and daughter leave the E.R. having been told not to worry, "It will pass!".


What is all of this about? Well, I have not slept well lately and the other night when I actually did fall asleep I had a dream which brought to my memory these two incidents. I thought about them for the next two hours and wondered why I had dreamed them. Finally a few thoughts became clear. First of all, mother/protectors are certainly called upon to deal with strange situations anytime, night or day! Next, I tried to draw similarities between the two "aack!" invasions of my girls' mouths. Not to get too deep, but think about all of the sin & temptation that is around us. If we give it just a little bit of an opening...aack! In one case a daughter was blindsided with the attack. In the other, she put the danger just on the outskirts of herself and in it went. Either way, once it's in there it's not coming out anytime soon unless we take drastic measures. Weird, I know! Just a thought...from a woman who hasn't slept much lately!

...I dOn'T knOw wHY ShE sWAllOweD thAt fLY...!