Today I woke up feeling brave, so I took the kids to the local zoo. After seeing many of the animals and feeding a hungry giraffe, we found the playground. The kids got right to the business of playing. At one point, Sophie was at the top of the play structure, waiting to go down the "sloopy slide," her name for enclosed corkscrew slides. An older boy, maybe around Cooper's age, was in front of her.
Suddenly, he turned and looked at her. His face contorted into an expression of shock. "Oh my gosh!" he exclaimed. "What happened to your eye?"
Sophie hears this question asked on a regular basis, though it is generally directed to me about Sophie and is often asked by well-intentioned elderly people. This was the first time a kid had used this particular tone to speak about her face, to her face.
After pausing for a moment, she looked at him and said, "It's my birthmark."
Again from the boy, hushed this time, "Oh my gosh."
During the exchange I could feel an unpleasant tightening in my chest, a dropping in my stomach, a clenching of my jaw.
Then another girl, this one closer to Peter's age, walked up behind Sophie. She addressed Sophie, "What did he ask you?"
"About my birthmark." And Sophie pointed to her face as she turned toward the girl.
In complete sincerity the older girl responded, "Oh! I love it! It's so beautiful!"
The grimace that had rested on Sophie's face was quickly replaced by a wide smile and she was bouncing when she hopped off the bottom of the slide.
I looked up at the girl and said, "Thank you, for what you said about her birthmark. Thank you."
"I meant it! It's beautiful!"
Isn't it amazing how just a few sincere, kind words can change a situation? I am thankful for that sweet girl and her effect on my sweet girl.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Friday, July 28, 2017
Breaking Tradition
Guess what we didn't do today?
It's something we did last year at this time. And the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that.
We didn't move.
No one came to our house and packed our belongings. No one hauled those boxes onto a truck to cart them to another part of the country.
And I am so happy about it.
Moving every summer for the last five years has been hard, even the first summer when we packed ourselves up and knew we would be back in twelve weeks. Yes, we embrace the adventure and find the positive things, but leaving friends and starting fresh so often has worn us out.
Tonight I am thankful that we are here and that we get to find adventures without finding a new address.
It's something we did last year at this time. And the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that.
We didn't move.
No one came to our house and packed our belongings. No one hauled those boxes onto a truck to cart them to another part of the country.
And I am so happy about it.
Moving every summer for the last five years has been hard, even the first summer when we packed ourselves up and knew we would be back in twelve weeks. Yes, we embrace the adventure and find the positive things, but leaving friends and starting fresh so often has worn us out.
Tonight I am thankful that we are here and that we get to find adventures without finding a new address.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Scientist Gardeners
We harvested a bit more from our garden. The bell peppers were snatched up immediately.
I know it doesn't look like it, but Cooper really is enjoying his bell pepper. This is simply how he smiles for pictures these days. No, I don't know why.
We played accidental Mendel and cross-bred our pickling cucumbers with summer squash. Bryan and Peter were both completely grossed out by the look of it now that Peter has adopted his dad's unfavorable opinion of squash. But the rest of us were adventurous enough to sample our hybrid.
It looked like a cucumber on the inside.
And it tasted quite a bit like a cucumber too. It did seem heartier, like the fruit itself was thicker, sort of like a squash. But we ate it raw with no problem. And it was all gobbled quickly.
I know it doesn't look like it, but Cooper really is enjoying his bell pepper. This is simply how he smiles for pictures these days. No, I don't know why.
We played accidental Mendel and cross-bred our pickling cucumbers with summer squash. Bryan and Peter were both completely grossed out by the look of it now that Peter has adopted his dad's unfavorable opinion of squash. But the rest of us were adventurous enough to sample our hybrid.
It looked like a cucumber on the inside.
And it tasted quite a bit like a cucumber too. It did seem heartier, like the fruit itself was thicker, sort of like a squash. But we ate it raw with no problem. And it was all gobbled quickly.
Not pictured in our bounty was an actual summer squash and several sweet, delicious tomatoes.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Vroom
I performed my first cybercycle surgery last week. Thankfully no scissors were required, just a screwdriver and some patience. Peter helped as well. Phoebe seemed surprised that Sophie's hair got so stuck because apparently the first time she tried driving through her sister's hair (while I had popped into the house to hurry Peter along), Phoebe had been able to take care of the tangle herself.
Monday, July 24, 2017
Up the Mountain
On the second full day of our trip we woke up at Bryan's grandparents' house and went to sleep in a cabin in the mountains. In between those events we ate, and toured, and saw an old friend, and shopped, and marveled at the grandeur and wonder of the earth, and ate, and visited with family.
Sophie loved getting to know Uncle Paul better.
The kids spent the morning running around Grandma and Grandpa's magical backyard.
Grandma obliged us with a picture. Yes, the TV was on. No, Sophie didn't look at the camera for any of the pictures I took.
We had a list of restaurants we wanted to eat at while in Utah. In and Out was the first we checked off. And, completely without planning it, Bryan's parents, brother, and sister came to eat at the same location while we were there. Paul said he'd figured we would be there. He was right.
Then we made our traditional pilgrimage to BYU. The kids hung out with Cosmo the Cougar.
Oh look, we all hung out with him.
After the bookstore we walked over to the library to show the kids where my old office was. I worked there for three years during college and then for a year and a half after I graduated. Peter was four-months-old when I quit to stay at home full time.
Imagine my joy when I found my former supervisor, then coworker, and friend Kimberly walking up the stairs as I walked down. She was leaving for the day, so our timing was perfect. We had a lovely chat and, other than the four children standing next to us, it felt like no time had passed. Then we walked the rest of the way down to my old office and had a happy reunion with another friend who still works there as well. We also discovered that my picture is still on the wall in the office. The kids thought I was a celebrity.
After BYU we drove down to see the new Provo City Center Temple. It's beautiful.
While we were showing the kids some of the places we lived during our sojourn there, we drove by the original Provo Temple as well. It's also beautiful.
And that put us right next to the new addition to the MTC. It's huge! We were kind of shocked, but how wonderful that there are so many missionaries that these additions are needed.
After picking up supplies and dinner, we headed up the canyon to the cabin. Here are a few exterior shots to give you an idea of the size of the cabin.
Oh, and here's some of the view.
I climbed all the way up the stairs to the top floor to get this shot. I'm glad that Melody was there on the bottom level to give perspective for how tall that place was. I don't love heights, did you know?
More view. Also us.
Thanks to Melody for taking (and then sharing) the next six pictures, including a few interior shots.
Dallin and Paul enjoyed the view from the inside after Paul was the lucky person to discover a wasp nest outside. After being stung a few times, he put some space between himself and the insects. The owner came and sprayed, which killed some of them, but only some. We continued to find lone, sometimes disoriented wasps over the next few days.
This was the deck right outside the room in the above picture.
Sophie loved getting to know Uncle Paul better.
The kids spent the morning running around Grandma and Grandpa's magical backyard.
Grandma obliged us with a picture. Yes, the TV was on. No, Sophie didn't look at the camera for any of the pictures I took.
We had a list of restaurants we wanted to eat at while in Utah. In and Out was the first we checked off. And, completely without planning it, Bryan's parents, brother, and sister came to eat at the same location while we were there. Paul said he'd figured we would be there. He was right.
Then we made our traditional pilgrimage to BYU. The kids hung out with Cosmo the Cougar.
Oh look, we all hung out with him.
After the bookstore we walked over to the library to show the kids where my old office was. I worked there for three years during college and then for a year and a half after I graduated. Peter was four-months-old when I quit to stay at home full time.
Imagine my joy when I found my former supervisor, then coworker, and friend Kimberly walking up the stairs as I walked down. She was leaving for the day, so our timing was perfect. We had a lovely chat and, other than the four children standing next to us, it felt like no time had passed. Then we walked the rest of the way down to my old office and had a happy reunion with another friend who still works there as well. We also discovered that my picture is still on the wall in the office. The kids thought I was a celebrity.
After BYU we drove down to see the new Provo City Center Temple. It's beautiful.
While we were showing the kids some of the places we lived during our sojourn there, we drove by the original Provo Temple as well. It's also beautiful.
And that put us right next to the new addition to the MTC. It's huge! We were kind of shocked, but how wonderful that there are so many missionaries that these additions are needed.
After picking up supplies and dinner, we headed up the canyon to the cabin. Here are a few exterior shots to give you an idea of the size of the cabin.
Oh, and here's some of the view.
I climbed all the way up the stairs to the top floor to get this shot. I'm glad that Melody was there on the bottom level to give perspective for how tall that place was. I don't love heights, did you know?
Thanks to Melody for taking (and then sharing) the next six pictures, including a few interior shots.
Dallin and Paul enjoyed the view from the inside after Paul was the lucky person to discover a wasp nest outside. After being stung a few times, he put some space between himself and the insects. The owner came and sprayed, which killed some of them, but only some. We continued to find lone, sometimes disoriented wasps over the next few days.
This was the deck right outside the room in the above picture.
And this lovely panoramic shot is from Bryan.
It was really amazing to get to stay in such a beautiful place. Thanks to Bryan's parents for making that possible.
Friday, July 21, 2017
The Peter Puzzle
Peter has a list of struggles that have not appeared on the blog, and they won't tonight. In addition to those unnamed trials, he's now full of nearly-teenager hormones that steal away his already limited ability to be rational and calm and flexible. As his lack of adaptability has grown stronger, the gray hairs on my head have increased. Peter is not an easy kid.
That's why two choices that he made at the park today stood out to me as extraordinary.
We have a standing Friday morning park date with some families in the neighborhood. Most of the kids are small and Peter is getting into that awkward, am-I-too-big-for-playgrounds stage. This morning I let him take his remote control motorcycle with him, with strict instructions to keep the toy away from everyone else's feet. He mostly obeyed, but not entirely and I could feel my annoyance at the toy and my boy grow.
I focused my attention away from Peter and to the other children and moms that had joined us. After a short time, I heard squeals of delight from behind me. A crowd of small boys, probably three and four year olds, had gathered tightly around the motorcycle.
This would usually agitate Peter. Typically, he would walk quickly over to the group, extricate his toy, not look directly at anyone or answer any questions, and retreat to a safe place. Then he would tell me he didn't want to be there anymore and would persist until I had put him in timeout or we all left.
But not today.
Today he stood a small distance from the boys. He had a sweet, secretive smile on his face. When he saw that I had noticed, he walked over and explained. The boys thought that when they touched the toy, they were making it move. Peter had been watching them closely and bumping the control in his hand each time one of the boys touched the vehicle. Peter told me he had found a way to keep that whole group entertained and I could tell he was genuinely happy. He wasn't doing it to cause a scene, just to be friendly to some other kids.
Then, a few minutes later, we noticed that one of the little girls in our group was leaning on one of the park benches, her face on the seat. Her mom thought she was probably just looking at the grass through the holes in the bench. But Peter wasn't sure, so he walked across the playground and softly called her name. He leaned down and asked if she was okay and if she wanted to play. Then he came back and reported that he didn't think she felt well. Her mom got her and held her for a time.
These two sweet acts of kindness were tender mercies to this mom's heart. I fear that I am sometimes so focused on the naughtiness and the attitude that I miss the good moments. I am so deeply grateful that I was watching today and saw Peter be who he truly is. Yes, we still had hard things to get through today with our boy, but that reminder of Peter's kindness has stayed in the front of my brain throughout.
Peter has struggles. But they are outnumbered by his strengths.
That's why two choices that he made at the park today stood out to me as extraordinary.
We have a standing Friday morning park date with some families in the neighborhood. Most of the kids are small and Peter is getting into that awkward, am-I-too-big-for-playgrounds stage. This morning I let him take his remote control motorcycle with him, with strict instructions to keep the toy away from everyone else's feet. He mostly obeyed, but not entirely and I could feel my annoyance at the toy and my boy grow.
I focused my attention away from Peter and to the other children and moms that had joined us. After a short time, I heard squeals of delight from behind me. A crowd of small boys, probably three and four year olds, had gathered tightly around the motorcycle.
This would usually agitate Peter. Typically, he would walk quickly over to the group, extricate his toy, not look directly at anyone or answer any questions, and retreat to a safe place. Then he would tell me he didn't want to be there anymore and would persist until I had put him in timeout or we all left.
But not today.
Today he stood a small distance from the boys. He had a sweet, secretive smile on his face. When he saw that I had noticed, he walked over and explained. The boys thought that when they touched the toy, they were making it move. Peter had been watching them closely and bumping the control in his hand each time one of the boys touched the vehicle. Peter told me he had found a way to keep that whole group entertained and I could tell he was genuinely happy. He wasn't doing it to cause a scene, just to be friendly to some other kids.
Then, a few minutes later, we noticed that one of the little girls in our group was leaning on one of the park benches, her face on the seat. Her mom thought she was probably just looking at the grass through the holes in the bench. But Peter wasn't sure, so he walked across the playground and softly called her name. He leaned down and asked if she was okay and if she wanted to play. Then he came back and reported that he didn't think she felt well. Her mom got her and held her for a time.
These two sweet acts of kindness were tender mercies to this mom's heart. I fear that I am sometimes so focused on the naughtiness and the attitude that I miss the good moments. I am so deeply grateful that I was watching today and saw Peter be who he truly is. Yes, we still had hard things to get through today with our boy, but that reminder of Peter's kindness has stayed in the front of my brain throughout.
Peter has struggles. But they are outnumbered by his strengths.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
He Who Must Not Be Named
"Mom, can Voldemort swim?"-Sophie, insisting on talking at 9 o'clock at night instead of sleeping.
We still haven't gotten back to our regular sleep schedule. There are six weeks until school starts, so I figure that means we have approximately that long to get our exhaustion under control...
We still haven't gotten back to our regular sleep schedule. There are six weeks until school starts, so I figure that means we have approximately that long to get our exhaustion under control...
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
The Sabbath with Family
Our first full day in Utah was a Sunday. We joined Uncle Dallin, Aunt Melody, and cousin Harmony for church. Harmony was both pleased by the company and not sure of all these kids sitting in her pew. But she warmed up to us, see?
Bryan's mom, Nana Shari, had already been at her parents' house for nearly a week. Aunt Kate joined us from BYU-I, Uncle Spencer drove up from BYU Provo, and Ron flew in that afternoon.
Bryan's sister Melinda and her family also got in on Sunday, but I guess I had put my camera away by then because I have no photographic evidence. Only Bryan's brother Ben was unable to attend, the other six kids in his family came, which was awesome.
I think Harmony liked having all these big kids around to read to her. Thanks to Melody for sharing her pictures with me.
Once the cousins and aunts and uncles went home, the sun went down, and our kids were thoroughly caked in dirt and Creamies, we took them in for baths and bedtime.
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