6.14.16 Preparing a talk

I was reading Greg the blog posts as we drove home from a wedding Saturday and his only comment was "You do put a positive spin on things..."

So for another real not so "spun" post here goes. We got caught unaware that Anna had a youth talk on Sunday. This happened with Harold last week, and all too often with the kids in primary. So we decided that we would have the kids prepare a talk to tuck in their scriptures to be prepared. This went along with an experience Greg had on his mission of his mission president requiring the elders to prepare a talk just in case every month. It is a good idea to be prepared and learn to prepare talks.

However, as life ALWAYS does on the farm it was not pretty and quick. What really happened was this.

The girls got their talks done before dinner. That wasn’t hard because dinner did not happen until 8:30. We NEVER sit down as a complete family to say prayer on the food, no matter how long I wait. There are always lingering chores and catastrophes to be addressed. Tonight with a “I’ll be home quickly”- dinner was almost done at this point- we said goodbye to the boys and dad. Well 2.5 hours later they meandered back home.

Addie spoke on prayer

Come to find out they had found a smoldering manure fire that was close to the barn and had to spend time digging a huge hole of manure then filling the hole with water to hopefully quench the smolder. This problem was started by a not understanding curious 10 year old at our house!!! GRRR!!! Of course no mention was made by the 10 year old yesterday that he had been playing/burning weeds with matches. Then having to get the perpetually cold animal fence hot, and the other sundry chores it took forever. Little kids were starving, mom was boiling mad, and it was the usual frustrating Sunday dinner. 

MArk spoke on hens gathering their chickens

From there we heard the prepared talks. The non-writers meaning hate-physically-forming-letters on paper boys were the usual challenge. Those boys have great ideas and content it just takes hours on end of pencil dragging and corralling the wandering  thoughts scribbled on paper to get a coherent story. Stress really irritates my hip thing. I find when I get really worked up it flares up too. This did not help.  But after repeated elongated attempts they managed cohesive, spiritual and doctrinally sound talks and all in all the event was worthwhile. It’s now past 11 and we are striving for bed. I can’t say I want to snuggle with them tonight, I mostly want it quiet and to have some peace from the crying of the last hour. 

Aliza spoke on going to the temple.

Harold spoke on prayer and the ability to make your life better. Anna spoke on the power of priesthood blessings.

John spoke on the symbolism of dragons in the scriptures.

So preparing talks was a good idea, an intense struggle, and a mission accomplished, and that’s the real way it happened. Until next time.

6.13.16 Some Traditions

One the hardest parts of summer for the kids is the absence of the school library and ebooks on their ipads. One of the hardest parts of summer I am finding as the mom is to pry their hands and eyes off the books and get them to stick with jobs. What a problem to have I know.

This reading habit is a tradition. It is one that I have conscientiously worked hard to create- one that I gained from my father who loves to read and my mother who religiously took us to the library and my grandmother who was a voracious reader. You may have picked up on that with the numerous posts including books. It's not one that I regret. In fact as I scrubbed the kitchen down this morning- just in time to start lunch- I was pondering traditions. I'm so thankful to live on autopilot as a busy-distracted-mom just doing what we do as the seasons and time of  year roll around.
I was talking with a super mom about how our families differed from others and how shocking and sad it is to hear about the neglect going on with children. I could rant about government control and master plans but I won't. 
I will say I love having my kids home, although it requires a lot more trips to the grocery store and a lot more floor mopping and cleaning I love observing their interactions. One of which is the older kids reading to the younger.
 My heart melted watching Mark read a book to Reed last night and watching the others kids quickly and silently gather round to hear the story. It takes a lot more books to keep them satisfied. However I believe summer is a prime time to spend time in good books. Picture books, informative books, great stories with sequels, and books that take a long time to finish because they are harder than normal.

So back to the traditions one perk of a club we joined years ago is funds to do service projects. Long ago we chose the scripture "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are in the service of your God." We have used that as a guiding mark and a natural extension of our belief we can and should help others.  Being a frugal person having lots of funds to spend was a bit of a challenge. I'm not use to spending a lot on anything. So when I realized I had a lot of money to spend like over $800 I was perplexed. My wise mentor suggested a library book donation!!! Oh the joy! I love buying books.
I picked about 30 on my own then Aliza came and requested a few more (10) and we hit purchase and the fun began! Many books have been delivered everyday- we get to read them before we donate them. Life is very exciting these days!

Proving we are not short on books. Our own stash on the right is just one of many book areas in our home and on the left borrowed from the library. And still they say they have read them all and need more!!

A budding reader who is adamant about having her own books. She has quite the personality coming on.

Another project we are able to fund is donating to the local homeless shelter. We found water on a really good sale and bought 10 cases to donate. We helped donate toilet paper last month and are moving on to socks. I was surprised and thankful to learn of their needs. Sometimes it's hard to know who needs help. This population is often veterans with PTSD or recently released convicts.

And one more tradition we have created. Helping clean-up receptions has become a real highlight for our family. This may have sprouted from all the stories we heard about the fun our families had cleaning up our reception. We love swooping in with lots of eager hands (all hopped up on cake and ice cream etc!!) to help dissemble a reception. The kids are well practiced and careful. They love being helpful and I know from experience how overwhelming the end of a wedding day can be. And the thought of all the hours to take down and carry back and forth to cars is daunting!! But allow those young happy hyper hands and voila 1 hour or so and its being vacuumed and mopped and not so bad.

Today we got this thank you in the mail. Some chocolate covered almonds, a gift card to Dairy Queen and a sweet card. Seriously this is one of my favorite traditions. Not for the reward, but for the fun it is for our family. After the reception we get to visit with the host family and we get to 'payback' our invitation. Probably hold over from always hearing "We don't want to impose" growing up. I don't want to impose or put people out with this larger than normal group of mine. I like the reputation of being helpful and I love the feeling from serving others that you love and respect.

6.13.16 An update

Thank you for your prayers and kind words and thoughts. I am doing much better. There have been a lot of things causing a lot of worry and stress on my back burner. I finally was forced to take the time to weed through them and making some decisions. In addition I've been figuring out the amounts of supplements my body needs to finish this pregnancy and  I am doing much better.

Most importantly I can walk without every step sending jolts of pain through my leg and hip. I can walk around, up and down hills and steps and am able to bend again!

My chiropractor recommended magnesium. After research it made sense. It's a calming mineral. One that we are often deficient in. It has helped me be more calm- except when fire is needed!. It is a muscle relaxer, and a mild sedative/sleep aid. Not that I had trouble sleeping, but man I'm out till morning when I take it at night.

So from a lot of answered prayers and turning some of the stress and worry over to God, and trying to breathe deeply more often and relax things are improving. Thank you so much for your interest and kindness.

6.11.16 Welcome Summer

Our little cutesy pie has turned into a big kid these past few weeks. Her uncertain totter has become and all out run and she is opinionated! No big surprise there, but man glad she's down at the bottom where she's nto my full attention because I think we would be at war if she was my sole focus.  She is however very redeem-ably cute! Being fair skinned red heads covering as much as possible is much more important than uncovering in the summer. I am working to teach the kids to always wear a hat and a long sleeve shirt. This protects from sun and bugs of which we have lots. Afton is modeling the hats we are trying this year. The strings keep them in place when zipping here and there on the 4wheeler. Don't let the grin fool you into thinking she is pleasant peach. She is mastering fit throwing with kicking arms and feet and a fierce shriek! Unfortunately for her we quickly give in and restore her desired cookie/book/toy/spot so she hushes up. We are probably creating a monster. Oh the joy.

A random picture I found on my phone. These two might be my biggest phone lovers after Afton of course.

And a new treat this summer Jell-O. This has been a rarity at our house because I am not a good jello maker. Mine NEVER sets! Aliza on the other hand has become quite proficient and has made this awesome treat for the HOT days the kids are working in. They need the electrolytes and it's cheaper than ice cream so why not. Of course no one gets a lot cuz there's so many vying for a scoop of cool sweetness.

I know jello is totally random. But when we had Afton a sweet friend in the ward brought us jello. I related to her how I was a jello flop. She has since told me how sad she feels for my deprived children not getting to savor something that is a staple at her house. She says she often contemplates making jello just for them! So I had to take the picture to share with her that my children were being well cared for in the hands of the super cook Aliza. Fun times for the dog days of summer!

6.10.16 May wrap-up

I really like to sew. I use to sew a lot. I hoped and planned that if I had little girls I would sew for them. With Anna and Aliza I sewed a majority of their baby and toddler clothes, but as time has passed and children been added my ability and desire to sew has been lost. However poor Livy had no dresses and nothing was appealing on the store websites. With great delight to the little girls we went to the local fabric store to get material. They have definite style even this young. Millie chose this print over a year ago but has remembered and insisted all through sewing Livy's that I make her a dress too!

The two finished products. Livy loves polka-dots! So do I. she chose this pattern and has been very happy with the wearing of the dress.

It was so nice to create something again. And with only 3 attempts to get the zipper in correctly on Livy's it was a breeze. I do love sewing and it went very well. Unfortunately I have orders from 2-5 other kids at our house for assorted new clothes! Shorts, pjs, more dresses, skirts. Hmm should probably get on teaching more of them how to sew.

One of the kind teachers had one hat left over from the year and insisted I take it. Livy was delighted at a new hat just for her. 

The end of the year awards assembly. Mark made 500 points in reading. Aliza finished grade school with 6928.5 points. Just shy of the 7000 line bummer. I gave her lots of time watching our broken washing machine struggle through our laundry. Oh well that's nothing to sneeze at that's almost all the books in the library and no Harry Potter or Eragon books in the total. I'm probably too proud of her success. She is a smart cookie!

This year the awards were more personal. Aliza got most likely to win a Nobel prize. John got most likely to be found with his nose in a book. Addie got the Super Smarty award for being so smart and hard working. Mark got most likely to be a future president of the United States because he is so conscientious of all that is going on around him.
It was a good school year. There was a lot of growth and improvement that happened. We are excited for the summer and the kids will be super motivated to do well because of all the good work they will be doing this summer. We are so thankful for the superb effort and determination of the teachers and staff at our little school.

6.9.16 A lot of Special moments

These past few weeks have been busy with special moments. Aliza turned 12 so as per tradition, but much later than I had planned or hoped, we went to the temple as a family. (I was pregnant wearing the same comfortable dress when we took Harold too.) Yet as I watched with towel in hand for these wonderful kids my heart was full that I too, like Hannah of Old testament days, could present my children at the temple to do the work of the Lord. I'm so thankful they want and get to do this work. They are becoming such great people. It is an honor to have them in our home.

And my how they have grown. Harold is almost 5'11", Aliza is a solid 5'9" and poor Anna is just 5'8". All taller than mom, but Anna par for our course is looking to be the short one in our family (I am the shortest in my family :(.

Addie our feisty hard working little Spitter (as in Spitfire)turned 8. She is so diligent and good. Being the 6th to get baptize we did not squeeze in the baptism family home evening and we did not get overly anxious about what would happen. Poor Addie. We did sit down together and go through some scriptures and explanation of why baptism is so important and what would happen and the result of her choice to get baptized. I think she may have preferred that time with just the two of us. After a huge rush- its hot and first irrigations are happening here at the farm, thus lots of hours are spent figuring out and working thru dirt and water needs... and things like baptisms a half hour away are a real crunch. We made it and got the pictures, did the program and got her baptized and confirmed.

 

John also earned his religious knot and arrow of light. These are important learning and achievement patches as they are worn on the permanent uniform for boy scouts. Thank goodness fro leaders that are so diligent because I have not done much with John and scouting. We are so thankful for hard working leaders.

No I'm not punching John he was being his goofy self and giggling and pushing away my attempt to put my arm around him mom style. I love how poised April is, Someday I will find the confidence to practice picture poses in the mirror so I don't dislike all the results I get.

6.8.16 What I miss most

Summer has sprung and it is hot! The lovely days of 65-85 degrees were traded for 95+ and that is just sweating miserable hot. On top of that radical introduction to summer has been the recent loss of free movement in my body. The thing I miss most is walking casually with out a jolt on each step. Standing is fine, lying is ok once I get there and sitting is ok but man oh man getting up getting down, getting here and there is awful.

Thank goodness my kids are home to lift little ones, to rush for the phone, to do laundry and cleaning. All I can do is move slowly and gingerly from spot A to spot B. I've reintroduced some picking things up off the floor, but anything heavy like a jug of milk is too much.

It's pretty hard to not just sit and sob. Not necessarily because of the pain, although I do cry out way too often... but because this is not me. Having children is a good thing, it shouldn't be this hard. Unfortunately my scripture study has pointed me more towards the they were righteous and God lightened their burdens but only He could deliver them...; and have patience in your afflictions; and it must needs be there is opposition in all things. UGH!

I never did get my mother's day card written this year. I wanted to, but it's so hard to say all the feelings that go with mother. And in the thick of learning to be a better mother it's really too humbling to express how exalted my own mother is because I am at such an inferior level.

I fear this trial of being out of commission. And when the chiropractor told me yesterday it looks as though I have a bulging disk it was not "better to know." When I was 13 my mom got pregnant and that baby kicked her disk out to bulging, resulting in the need to have back surgery. From pregnancy to surgery and through recovery were years of her inability to be who she is or was. I learned a lot. I didn't appreciate her much and I really grew. It was a hard time in our relationship. It made me loathe to be incapacitated, and probably way to prideful in my strength and health. I know what it means to pick up the slack.

As I have worried through this pregnancy how we would get our canning and normal fall work done I again shook my fist to the heavens and said why now? I worried over the Zika virus and microcephaly, I worried about heat and pregnancy and how to afford another delivery. And how to fit in all the back to school stuff and start of school stuff with almost and then having a new baby.
Yet nothing comes close to the daily struggling with pain and the question to push through or sit and rest? To being ignored and being a bad example.

A few months ago though, my parents were here for dinner and speeches and while the kids were lamenting my limited state for canning my mom said strongly- "You guys are big enough to do the canning. Your mom did for me."
That was huge. I did. I learned to love canning and sewing and other homemaking skills that are so much a part of our life now. Because I had to. Because she wasn't able to and could not do that kind of work. She told me once she asked the stake president why she had to suffer so long? He replied "maybe it wasn't for her but for her children to grow..." that is tough.

From the other side, the not as capable side, I'm learning again. And my kids are learning. A lesson in relief society recently asked if motherhood was a sacrifice? All the noble women in the room said "No it's just what we do." I quietly said "Yes it is." I give my body, I give my time, I give up my wants, in short I give my all to being a mom.
With continued hope for relief and ability to move freely in the next 14 weeks and definitely thereafter I am learning to that sometimes greater sacrifice of self is required for others to become who they will. In a blessing Sunday- so I could get to church- I was blessed with instruction that I and this baby are very loved and God is mindful of us. I know this is important to give this person a body, family, and earth experience. However, as always, I wanted it to be easy. But I should know better.

My scripture for this pregnancy and delivery will be Ether 12: 27

•  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble  themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

And I will rejoice for strong hands and arms that are able to assist me in moving, and that my kids are here to help, and that the baby moves a lot and seems to be doing well and for the blessing for not being on bed rest, and for cool breezes that make summer bearable. Each day, each minute of each day we get closer to the milestone.