Howdy, and Stuff

Howdy.  It has been brought to my attention that this blog has become boring, what with the once a year posting and all.  So I am updating.

We are doing about the same, only a year older. 

Tori is leaving in 36ish days for college.  I have a lot of thoughts about that.  I will save that for another day however.  That will give me something to post about so said person will not become bored...again!

The End and the Beginning

I am just checking in.  Just saying hello.  We are out of school here and loving the lack of schedule.  Check back with me in a month and I am sure that I will be longing for just that...a schedule.  Such is life around here, change is nice...in small doses.

The end of the school year brought many big changes to our world.  We are at the end of some really big things, only to find ourselves at the beginning of some different, really big things.  Whitney said good-bye to junior high and hello to high school.  Rylie said good-bye to elementary school and hello to junior high. Tori is now a 'big man (err, girl) on campus' Senior , and Paige is 'big man (err, girl) on campus' 9th grader at her school.  Two girls at the beginning of a whole new world, a new (big...um, HUGE) school for Whitty and new ( BIG kid ) responsibilities for Rylie. First chapter in a long story for them. Then there are the other two girls who are perched precariously at  the last and final grade in their particular schools. Last chapter in a very long story for them.  It's all very exciting!

I also found myself at the end of a wonderful chapter in my life.  I was released from my calling in young women's at church.  It is, as always, bittersweet.  I was in for a long, long, time and of course made some amazing and wonderful attachments that will be hard to let go.  But, I am now the very lucky teacher of the CTR 4 class in primary.  This is a wonderful new ( yet very familiar)beginning for me.  I LOVE primary.  I am already head-over-heels for my cute class.  They talk non-stop, (not unlike the beehives I was previously responsible for) they are loving, accepting, welcoming, and interested in (just about)everything I say (also, not unlike my cute beehives).  It will be an adventure but I am glad to part of their lives for a bit. 

Sometimes it is hard to tell the end from the beginning.  It can be great and well received and the transition is smooth and barely noticeable.  Sometimes the difference is super obvious.  It can be hard to let yourself let go and move on.   But in any case, it is life, the minute one door closes another door opens.  That is the way it is supposed to be, and boy,  it is awesome!  

Farewell past, its been great, but the future is calling (and it also looks pretty great!). 

Monday Was Late

Ahhh, Mondays are wonderful.  Especially when it is actually Tuesday.  This morning has already been not fun. And its only 7:55. and that's A.M.

We start the morning here pretty early.  The big girls (see earlier post) have O hour (pronounced zero hour) seminary which means they begin at roughly six o'clock in the morning.  That is nothing to those of you who are accustomed to early morning seminary, but here that is unusual.  Normally it is during your school day sometime.  Anyway, that is neither here nor there.  But, on the way I hit something, and I felt it tiny as it was, and thought... hmmm.

As we were pulling up Whit asked for a piece of gum.  Tori said 'we dont have time, were going to be late'.   That started a downward spiral for my tenderhearted Whitney.  I could see her deflate, and become defensive, and well, pretty much now her day is shot.  I quickly hand out some gum ( who wants stinky breath?) Tori looks around like what just happened, and trots off to seminary.  Whitney stands there angry for a second then bangs the door shut and marches in.  Ugh.

When I got home I could hear a hissing sound, and I knew it was not a snake ( thanks for asking though, Paigie) coming from the back passenger side of my darling new car. I could see it there. Shining and mocking me.  A (ugly) giant screw had plunged itself right in my cute new tire.  Hisssss.

I woke Rich to tell him, and being darling as he is, he jumped right up and went to my rescue. Today is not a day he can be late to work... of course. Just as I am trying to figure out what to do about carpool sans a vehicle to drive it with, Rich says, 'Dont worry.  I talked to work. I'll take it to get fixed.   It'll be okay. You take my car to pick the girl up from seminary and I will take yours down to get the tire patched up. You'll be set for carpool this afternoon, no worries' .  Ahhh.

When the others wake up and we are leaving to retrieve Whitney, Rylie puts two and two together and shouts, 'But my backpack was in YOUR car'. Ugh. 

She starts crying.  Not a good way to start her day.  I assure her I can bring her her pack pack once dad is back with my car.  Whew.  Disaster averted! We pull up to seminary and when Whitney comes out she is watching for my car and is startled when we holler her name to let her know we are there (in a different car). Strike two. Surprise is not this girls friend.  Sigh.

On our way to school some cute robins were playing and chasing each other through the air.  They flutter their cute selves right in front of my car, I slow down quickly (we are big bird fans here) and they flutter themselves along oblivious of their near collision. Then they crashed into a fence.  Paige said they were alright, but I feel like I should warn everyone that we are having Monday today and to stay back.

Monday, Monday stay away,

Don't bother to come for six more days.

You had your chance to be a pest,

You were yesterday, so I protest!

Today belongs to someone new,

so go away, I've got things to do!

 

 

Thanks for letting me vent.  Rich just got home with my car and her newly patched tire.  I'll put a patch on my day now and move along.  I've got things to do (like take Rylie her pack pack) .

 

 

Until we meet again Monday, good ridance, you are not welcome here, this is Tuesday.  



 

Hi Rylie

Rylie sat reading my blog for hours yesterday.  She loves it and pleaded ( that might be to strong of word...) for me to do it more.  She loves to reminisce, to think of the days gone by, and reflect on the way things used to be. 

Times have been difficult here.  Nothing life shattering, no health concerns or anything like that, just life.  Just growing up. Changing, reluctantly by some, into young ladies.  It was easier when they were small.  I could wrap them in my arms, like a mother hen does her little chicks, and protect them from the world.  I could cure most hurts with a hug and a little smooch.  And what that wouldn't cure, a band-aid would. 

That's not the way it is anymore.  Things are more complicated, and scary, and hard.  Friends are more complex, school is more demanding, expectations at home have increased, everyone GREW UP.

But, with that, there have been wonderful things, too.  It has been so amazing watching these girls of mine ( that's you, Rylie) grow, and change, and become...young women.  They have opinions ( boy, do they ever!), and beliefs, and values that they are developing to be their own, not just off -shoots of MY opinions, beliefs, and values.  They are good, and want to do the right things, and they are  strong and capable, and beautiful (inside and out), they love to learn and , well, I could go on and on.  It is awesome to watch and exactly what our father in Heaven planned when He designed families.

I love you, Rylie.  I love who you were when you were tiny and would snuggle up next to me and let me love you up for a minute, then you'd run off and play.  But here's the remarkable part, I love who you are now, too.  Even more in some ways.  Love is magic that way. 

Thanks guys (who are actually girls) for being you and for teaching me all that you have, but especially for teaching me about my hearts ability to love without limits. 

Survived

well. we did it.  We survived the first complete week of school.  For some reason it was harder this year.  Maybe because we started out tired, maybe because all the girls are older, maybe because we have a majorly hectic schedule this year, I dont know, but whatever the reason I am glad we made it. 

We are thankful that we get a day off because of Labor Day.  Funny to have a day off only one week in, but now I see the logic in not waiting until after the holiday to start school.  It breaks you in little by little. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day holiday.

Long Enough

It has been a long time since I wrote anything.  I am not sure why I do that! I mean to do it, I love to do it, but somehow I just dont make time. 

So, this is me, saying hello, trying to comit to myself to start doing what I enjoy, which in this case is documenting my life ( because there are lots of other things I am trying to reintroduce myself too as well), so that when I look back in 15 years, I have some proof that I did actually have children living and laughing in my home.  It is going by so quickly that I am afraid I will look back and wonder what happened!

Okay, self, its been long enough...

Beauty

I had the wonderful opportunity to be outside the other day and had a glorious time. Rich and I went ATVing up the canyon and I was overwhelmed with the beauty. I have to say that I feel so loved by our Father in Heaven when I am doing something in the mountains. I am so grateful that he made them for us to enjoy.

(after previewing this post, the photos I chose are not the best ones...more to come)