Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Happy Birthday to My 1st Miracle


Happy birthday to my biggest boy.
Five years old! I can hardly believe it. You're so big now, and smart, funny, happy, loving, you are a good boy with an amazing heart.
I remember so clearly right after you were born how there was just an overwhelming need in my soul to make sure that nothing bad ever happens to you.
You have such a huge spirit that I remember being overwhelmed with amazement at how it could all fit in to that little body of yours, it just filled the whole room up, it still does.
You are my favorite blond son!
I love you with all my pieces.
Unfortunately, my camera is broken, so I can't take a picture of you on your 5th birthday.

Friday, September 19, 2008

The Tire Gods Have it Out for My Family

We've owned our Buick since we moved to AZ. My dad gave it to us, it had just had new tires put on it about 7 months previous.
My first experience changing a tire was only 1 1/2 later (just a crappy brand of tires if you ask me), the tire just blew out on the freeway.
Then we got another flat about 3 months later, had to have that one replaced.
Then we replaced the other two 6 months later. (In case you're keeping track that is now about 17 months ago.)
For about a month we've been driving on a tire that is again going to blow any second, so we had all 4 replaced (a big ouch to the emergency fund).
Now today, I'm driving the truck (a completely different car, even!). I'm picking E up from school along with 3 little girls we carpool with, M was at a ward members house, I have Grant in the car, and we're going to get Cooper to bring him to our house to play. I pull up to the school and one of the dads waiting there says there's a hissing sound coming from my tire (I could hear it too, but what could I do?). I decide to take my chances and take it home. I'm about 1 mile from the first drop off point, on the Salt River bridge: flub-flub-flub, the tire is completely smooshed. I pull over to the side of the road, call AAA, they're sending someone out, they should be there in no more than an hour. An Hour! with 5 kids in the car (4 of whom are not mine). I call one of the little girls moms, she'll come get the girls (who are now screaming, sure that the truck is going to explode at any moment). I call Amberly to tell her that we won't be getting Coop any time soon. She says she'll come get E (she has 3 kids, Cooper (4), and two babies). I'm thinking to myself "It's one o'clock, M hasn't napped yet and I might not get home until 2? M is going to be one grumpy baby."
Amberly, being the super-woman she is, happily agrees to pick M up from Katia's house and let him nap at hers while her two sleep also. She really is a trooper.
After 25 minutes it occurs to me that Danny Stevens is at home and can come help me out, what a guy: he says he'll be right there!
AAA gets there after only 1/2 an hour, to my good fortune (I called Danny as soon as I saw the truck approaching, luckily he hadn't made it out the door yet), they jack it up, get the tool to take the spare down. Apparently the tool to take the tire off is specific to Chevy trucks and 1/3 of the tool is missing, so the spare is not coming down. Where would I like to be towed?
So here I sit at home, Grant is asleep while my two kiddos entertain Amberly, I have no car to get over there to pick them up (A had to take the Buick to work today), and since all the babies are asleep, it's best everyone just stays there.
All I have to say:
I'm grateful for Glenda, Amberly, and Danny. There is a reason why the church is organized the way it is, we can always count on our Stake members to help out.
I'm grateful to Maryjo, she's an amazing aunt.
I'm grateful for cell phones, I would have been up one swiftly moving creek had I not had one.
I'm grateful for prompt service.
I'm grateful to have vehicles that work well.
Thank you's I have to send:
One to Amberly, and a make up playdate at my house so she can have some quiet moments while her babies sleep.
One to Glenda for picking up the girls on her day off.
One to Danny for being willing to help a damsel in distress.

BTW: A was in a meeting all day, so I couldn't reach him to come help. I could have attempted to change the tire myself, but if I'd tried that first I would have been stranded for even longer with the kids in the car, since I wouldn't have been able to figure out that I was missing the tool piece, and then I would have put in a call to AAA and had to wait even longer, Amberly's babies may have been sleeping by then and she wouldn't have been able to make it out of the house, it could have been so much worse.

Friday, September 5, 2008

I've got an itch

And it's not the mosquito bite on my left leg.


I think my blood has been altered by the unbelievable bread in Paris. Before our European trip I never had quite this same need to move. To see the world! It sounds totally corny, I know. I thought once I'd been there, I'd be content, oh no, not so. I need to go back. I can't just sit here in my own little slice of heaven and be totally sedentary anymore. It honestly feels like my body is pulling me to go and have adventures, like my muscles are twitching with excitement.

Anyone up for a little jaunt?




I was watching The Sound of Music the other day and it made it all that much more inflamed (it's like arthritis, only not so achey, and not so bad for my health). Before going I was sure that there was no place that could really be that beautiful, but I was oh so wrong.


Seriously, religious opression must have been a real bummer to make the pilgrims move.

Today -- Nothing Deep

On my mind:
M insists on feeding himself. This morning it was Cheerios. I died just a little every time he took a bite and the milk spilled all down the front of him. I need to relinquish control here.
I was recently involved in an event which left me feeling moderately embarassed by poor performance (nothing risque, compromising or malignant, so stop thinking naughty stuff). I have half a mind to email the others involved and apologize to them, but I would hate to embarass the rest of the party, so maybe I should just suffer in silence (most of you will have no idea what I'm talking about, so please don't take any of our recent interactions to heart and assume I am speaking of you).
Finally started reading 'Breaking Dawn' -- two chapters last night, my husband and children may not see me the rest of the weekend if I pick it back up.
Bunco last night was well worth it.
Anyone interested in having an appetizer party? I sorted through my recipes last night and realized I have more recipes for appetizers than I do for any other food category. I think I've only tried 4 or 5 of the recipes. What on earth am I hanging on to all the rest for? I need to try the others. I'd cook, you just show up, how'd's that sound? No other purpose than for me to try my recipes and decide which ones to keep and which to toss.
My house is a mess. But I really don't care enough to do anything about it today.
Watched 'High School Musical' yesterday, I think it's a good thing I don't have girls. It was fine, I just would never be able to justify seeing it more than once.