Well, I guess now that it's March I better post about February. E asks me everyday when I'm going to update our family blog - won't she be excited when she gets home from school today and finds that I FINALLY have! That's really the only thing motivating me to update rather than lie down on the couch and read while Sarah is napping:) Other than on my mission, I've never been a good journal writer. When I started this blog it was for the kids and to show myself that I could keep a journal . . . and now it's down to one "entry" a month . . . tell me it's better than nothing! (AND feel free to skip all the words and just skim the photos -- I know it's wordy).
So, here goes . . . E has started a new season of volleyball and loving it. E experienced her first Science Fair -- and enjoyed it (for the most part) -- she even earned "honorable mention!" She also attended New Beginnings at the beginning of the month!!!!!! Yes, those are exclamation points because that means that my little E will be entering Young Women's this year -- AND she's not so little anymore - almost as tall as me (but not quite). The New Beginnings program was FABULOUS and she is SO excited for September when she will be able to start attending! We took a little family vacation up to the White Mountains over Rodeo Days at the end of the month and E skied for the first time. She LOVED it! In fact, after her first attempt down the bunny hill I couldn't get video of her because she was so fast -- okay, it was still a snow-plow, but a fast and controlled one! She's so much braver and more courageous than I ever was!!
B is really loving karate. He's really taking it to heart and learning so much. He continues to excel in school, too. AND he'll be earning his BEAR badge at our pack meeting in a few weeks. He enjoys cub scouting, but really he can't wait for BOY scouts when he can go camping, hiking, rock climbing, etc . . . He also LOVES skiing. I was so proud of him as I watched his progression through the day. When he first went up the ski lift he was rather timid coming down the mountain. After he got down the first time I took S and BR inside to warm up. We were gone maybe a 1/2 hour. When we came back I was SHOCKED to see B confidently skiing down the mountain -- no falls -- just ski lift, down, back to the ski lift over and over again. I'm so proud of him for overcoming that fear!!
BR had a big month --he lost his first tooth, he also learned to ski, and he bore his testimony in sacrament meeting for the first time! He wasn't sure about skiing initially, but with a little help from Mom and Dad he was doing really well with his snow plow. Then he took a class and did not enjoy his teacher ( a full bladder and getting his fingers caught in the bathroom door may have been contributing factors) -- a bit of a downer. BUT, he is excited to try again. With any luck there will still be snow at Sunrise during Spring Break so we can give it another try.
He is probably the last of his friends to loose a tooth, despite his delay he was holding on to it for dear life. No one was allowed to touch it, wiggle it, tie it with a string -- nothing. But he did complain daily of his sore tooth and was unable to eat certain foods, etc . . . Well, the morning we were leaving Pinetop I was doing one last check to make sure we hadn't left anything behind and I spotted his tooth in his bed!! His patience paid off - no blood, no pain, just out :)
Here's how our conversation in the middle of Fast and Testimony went:
BR:"Mom, how old do you have to be to bear your testimony?"
Me: "Would you like to bear your testimony?"
BR:"Yeah."
Me: (Slightly conflicted because I vaguely remembered a letter read over the pulpit some years ago encouraging primary age children to practice bearing their testimonies in primary, and that they should not participate in the sacrament meeting sharing of testimonies unless able to do so by themselves.) "Well, that's a good idea. How about we talk about testimonies tomorrow in Family Home Evening, and then you'll be all set to share next month?"
BR: "Tomorrow?"
Me: "Yeah, how does that sound?"
Quiet, Quiet, Quiet, Quiet . . . .for several minutes
BR:"Okay, Mom, I've thought about and I'm ready - I know what I'm going to say."
Me: "Oh? What are you going to say?" He told me and I thought just a moment before I said, "Okay, do you want to go up and sit on Daddy's lap while you wait?"And then I had to hold him back while he waited for the person who was already up there to sit down.
When it was his turn he stood up and said, "I want to bear my testimony. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ created the Earth. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." As he was talking I a memory from about a year ago flash through my mind. He had been in primary and they were talking about the Creation. He announced, "I know Heavenly Father and Jesus didn't create the Earth - I watched NOVA." I was so thankful that the teacher (my friend Jaimee) shared this with me. She was so cute about it and laughed as she told me. That night as I was putting him to bed I shared my testimony with him about the Creation (and cautioned him about believing everything he hears on NOVA while making a mental note to be a little more selective with his NOVA choices). Then he said to me, "Okay, Mom - I believe it now. I know Heavenly Father and Jesus created the Earth." The faith of a little child. It touched me as I recalled that incident to realize what an impact that had on him.
Our little S is as energetic as ever. She tags along with me wherever I go -- even to grade papers at school -- and she's so quiet and does her little art projects while I mark away. She continues to enjoy "Mommy Preschool" and has a good memory for her letter sounds. She's also doing very well in her speech therapy. She is becoming more and more easy to understand, and is a regular chatter box. Multiple times a day we hear this from her, "Mommy, I have a idea - you the Mommy, I the little sister (or sometimes baby), E is the big sister, B is the big brother, BR isn't playing" (he does not enjoy this game -- and if Daddy is home he's always the Daddy). I know, it calls on our acting skills, but it's a game we play at our home multiple times a day. She did not try skiing, but she did go sledding. Initially she wanted nothing to do with the cold white stuff, but once she tried her first ride with Daddy she was hooked!
We've passed the one year anniversary of D's being called as bishop. It's been a year of highs and lows for sure, but I feel so grateful for all that we're learning and for the tender mercies that have been sent our way. I feel so grateful to be married to a man who honors his priesthood, who lives with integrity, who seeks to do the Lord's will, and who tries ceaselessly to juggle everything so that he can have as much time with our family as possible. (We gave him this quad for his birthday and it has become a great source of entertainment for him and the kids:)
AND I got to get away for a few days to have a Sisters Weekend with my dearest Jen (and even got some Brother time in with my awesome Pete and sister-in-law time with my incredible Cristin as they joined us for lunch and the temple). Jen and I have not gotten together on our own without kids since E was born 11 years ago! When Jen first picked me up at the airport it seemed surreal, but we quickly adapted! We went out to eat, shopped, and of course scrapbooked -- 30 layouts each! It was rejuvenating!
