A Romp In the Clouds

It keeps getting stuck to my tongue.

It sure tastes good!

Doesn't every mother let their children take the batting out of their couch pillows so they can run and jump in "clouds" all day long? Then when the fun is over, get their lawn rakes out of their garage to try to rake it up off their carpet in desperation after they have tried to pick it up on their hands and knees for hours?


What??  They don't do that?? Why didn't someone tell me??

Well, just the shrieking of glee I heard, made it all worth it!!


.

The Dr. was where?

Saturday, April 9, is a date that has been highlighted on our calendar for weeks.

It is the day that Ryan has to take his big OMSITE exam.  It is the grand finale to his first year of residency.  His "rite of passage" into his second year.

We have had conversations in the past that have gone like this,  "Ryan, I think you should get up on Saturday mornings at 6:00AM and go study for your exam downstairs in the office.  I will totally hold the kids off until noon."

I can seriously say that the Dr.  has taken me up on this offer once, maybe even twice, and gotten in a few good hours of study. 

Ryan had a surgery cancel on Thursday morning of this week.  He had an hour or more to kill. What did he do with this spare time?  Study?

Today at 2:45PM,  I received a call from the Dr.  He was done for the weekend!  He got done early!  Sometimes this happens. He now had some extra time to prepare for his exam tomorrow.

So where do you think he was on Thursday morning, and then again today when he relayed this information to me?  On his way to the library?  Or on his way home to hide in his office to study for a few hours?

WRONG!!   At the golf course--practicing for his department's golf tournament that is in a few weeks!!

And now you know where our priorities lie!!!!

After Ryan was busted, Jace said "I wanna golf too Daddy"

One Fine Day

Jace at my parent's home in St. George, Utah

My Mother and I spoke on the phone Wednesday night.  It was a wonderful visit.  We discussed my children and how she had seen my blog for the first time over General Conference weekend at my sister Randolyn's house. She expressed how much she enjoyed it; how she couldn't believe how big Gracie was getting and what fun Jace was.

We discussed her large yard and where she was with all its upkeep. She had started working outside that morning around 8:00AM and had just come in for the day at 9:15PM.  She said she was tired.  I wished to be with her, to spend time in the yard with her.  She said she had spent much of her day on her hands and knees digging out old rose bushes with a shovel and trowel.  I knew I could have done it for her in much less time.

She asked if we had been able to work out our plans to come visit in May.  I told her that I had been racking my brain for weeks searching for airline tickets.  I had tried every possible trip scenario I could think of.  I had searched the Des Moines, Moline, Omaha, and Cedar Rapids airports. Some were more than 4 hours from my house.  I told her airfare was $1764.90 and we didn't feel we could do it.

We discussed the reason for my call- that I was having some checks over-nighted to her house- would she please watch for them on her doorstep.  We talked about my Dad and how he was feeling with his 87th birthday approaching this month.

It was late. I was sitting in my bed talking to her with Ryan asleep next to me.  We ended with her  saying, "Well, I want you to know that I love you very much.  I also miss you very much.  We will take you whenever we can get you."

This morning I found myself longing for St.George, for the company of my Mother. I wanted to hear the bell on the backdoor rattle every time it was opened to let the dog out. I wanted to hear my Dad tell me over and over how glad he was to see me.  How fine a husband Ryan was, how smart he thinks Jace is, and how beautiful Grace is.

I wanted Jace to climb on their new cement turtle that sits on the patio, to play in the irrigation water on "watering day."  I wanted my children to be with them before their house turns quiet, and they are gone.  I looked again at Southwest flights out of Omaha.  They were still our best option but more than a four hour commute.

Then this afternoon, I thought to change  my search a little.  I asked myself what would be the ideal trip.  The answer was easy.  To leave from my small, local airport here in Cedar Rapids and fly into Salt Lake City.

Then a miracle happened. I couldn't believe it.  The flights on United Airlines had dropped overnight.  The ones I wanted that were $862.00 yesterday were $158.00 today.

I immediately started booking them.  This can't be right, I kept thinking. I was afraid the prices would change before I could enter all our information and click purchase.  But it happened. The itinerary is now hanging on my fridge.

I called my Mom an hour ago.  She thought I was calling about the checks.  Before I could tell her my news she put down the phone to go look on her front doorstep.  She came back.  I told her that was not why I was calling. "WE BOUGHT TICKETS,!! I told her, a miracle happened today."

As we hung up, she said to me what she always says to me, when I call her to tell her when we will be in St. George, "Com'mon to my house."

Jace enjoying the "water turn"

Mother, I am coming.                                                (Me, with my niece, sister and parents at their home, summer of 2002)

Sweet Surprise

At 4:30PM today there was an unexpected knock at my door. And who do you think it was?  A special delivery for me!  Though Jace thought is was for him.  And he was thrilled.



Adding water to the "jar"



"I love Flower food!"

"Ummmm, they sure smell good Mommy!"

You guessed it.  Beautiful pink roses from my sweetie with very tender card that read, "Just wanted to thank you for all that you do.  You are my soulmate and I will always love and adore you.
Love you eternally, Rye-Pie."

Now excuse me while I go LOVE on my Man!

A Heavy Heart

                  

Unfortunately, today brought with it much frustration for me.  Very trivial things really as I reflect upon the day but during those exasperating  moments, I felt the fire that sometimes burns within me.

And my Robin got the brunt of it this evening as I discovered a borrowed DVD  ruined in his bedroom.  I left his room in anger heading downstairs to take a shower, which felt long overdue.  I left  him alone on his bed to go to sleep.

He did not receive from me kisses on his head while hearing me say over and over,  "I love you, I love you, I love you."  I did not breathe in that sweet smell of his hair as I stroked his arm as we visited about his day.

When I went downstairs, I noticed on the Family Room couch his blanket.  The one that has gone to bed with him every night since he was a baby.  In my hurry and anger, I did not take it up to him.  I thought about it but I did not do it.  In my mind I thought Ryan would rescue him. I thought he would soon go into his room to love on him and reassure him.

Upon getting out of the bathroom, I noticed that his blanket was not on the couch.  I was glad to see it gone.  I knew he had it.  

When I got upstairs, I discovered Ryan asleep in our bedroom rocking chair holding Grace.  I woke him and asked if he had given Jace his blanket.  He said "no".  So, he had gotten it himself.

I opened his door and walked into his room.  Hoping he was awake so that I could make things right.

There was my precious boy, curled up asleep under his blanket.  I looked at his sweet face.  I wondered what thoughts had filled his mind tonight as he walked down the stairs to the Family Room for his blanket, and then lying alone in bed, waiting for sleep to come.

Many questions came to my mind as I gazed at him.  Would he have sweet dreams tonight? Was his heart as heavy as mine?  Had he longed to snuggle with me as I did him?  And then I wept. 

So tomorrow, my Robin, I will make amends.

We Watched Conference!

"Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice and Hear the Word of God!"

My memories from childhood of General Conference are still quite vivid in my mind.  I did not grow up with a television in my home.

When I was a baby, my older siblings decided in Family Home Evening that they didn't want a TV anymore.  So, my Mom says, they hauled a brand new television set to the dump.

In my early years, while playing "dolls" or "Barbies", we listened to Conference throughout our house on a very chic, (at the time)  intercom radio system that was wired into every room.

Because I couldn't see what was going on, I grew to love the sounds of conference. The silence, that was filled with coughs from the audience, while another speaker walked up to the pulpit. The  music from the  majestic Tabernacle organ, the hymns sung by The Tabernacle Choir, and the voice of President Spencer W. Kimball.

Well now the table is turned. I am now a Mother who wants to  instill in her children a love for hearing the Prophet's voice. 

Here, Jace is seen LOVING Conference!

This year was the first time, in the five years that we have lived outside of Utah, that we were able to enjoy Conference in full-21st century luxury. In the past, we have always crowded around our computer in our office to watch each session.  (Rough, I know.)  We now have a Television that is "smart" enough to be hooked up to our laptop.

Oh the luxury of a couch, instead of an office chair. And enough room for the kids to play.  Our pioneer ancestors, who gave up almost everything they owned to be members of our church, would NOT feel sorry for us.  We are so blessed!


Oh, it's rough!

During one of the sessions, Ryan was seen catching a few ZZZZZ's until.......

"Dr. Jace"  put on the rubber gloves!



He also stood and sang every rest hymn! (Who does that?)

   

Not me!  Nothing would get my lazy bones up off the couch except....



 Gracie climbing the stairs and

teetering on the edge, which

she did a BAZILLION times!



A Worm named Thimble

Ryan got home early yesterday. It was beautiful and sunny.  I suggested that he take the kids outside so that I could fix dinner and enjoy a quiet house.

About three whole minutes passed and I heard, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, we found a worm, we found a WORM!!!!  I need a jar."

I sent Christopher Robin back outside equipped with a  "jar."  I then put dinner on hold and went outside with my camera.

They had found a hole in the lawn, which Ryan told Jace was a mole hole. It  was kind of big, it was probably a rabbit hole. (we decided later) We have tons of rabbits.  He told Jace that if they cleaned all the grass out of the hole, they might see a mole.

Luckily for Ryan, when they were dragging out the last bits of grass, they dug up an earthworm.  Which was just as great as a mole.

A few minutes later they found another one that broke in half when tugging it out of the dirt. Jace just thought it was a baby worm, so he gave that one to baby Gracie.  His was named "Thimble." (no clue where the name came from)


Another worm!

Gracie could have cared less.

Thanks Auntie Jen for the great boots!

Around 10:00 last night, Thimble was put back in the yard. It was either that or the fridge. He kept getting dehydrated and I was getting tired of adding water to the jar.  I wasn't going to have him die on my watch.

Jace doesn't know yet that Thimble was set free. I am hoping he forgets about it. We maybe should have opted for the fridge.

And that's the story of a worm (and a half) named Thimble.