Questions

1. Why haven't I been blogging?  Well, the answer to that is that I cannot think a thought so how could I possibly construct a coherent sentence?  It is beyond lovely to have everyone home, but there are often multiple people talking at once and many diverse activities to attend.  In other words, I have lost my mind somewhere along the way.  For example, Ella needs a memory card for her camera and Sam's Club has the best price.  I scheduled a visit into my afternoon, but when I found myself there I had no idea why.  I asked Ella if she remembered why we needed to go to Sam's and she said, "I don't know.  Cheese?"  It is true, they have the best cheese in town so we picked some up along with some cherries, edamame, and the good bread I can only find there.  Amazingly enough we walked out of there having spent less than $50, but it wasn't until 12 hours later I realized we had completely forgotten the whole purpose of the trip and no, this was not an isolated incident.  It regularly occurs even in the safety of my own home, "Why am I upstairs?"
2. Why do people tell me how to parent?  Last week I drove girls to Peoria for Girls Camp.  It is always fun for me and on the way home I stopped at the big Goodwill there.  Baby was being patient, but after a while I let him get out of the cart to walk around a bit.  First he stopped and looked at a bike with me a foot away looking at shoes.  Lady says, "You shouldn't let your baby touch that bike, it could fall on him."  Does it look like I'm not watching him?  I am right here.  Two minutes later another lady, "Your baby doesn't have shoes on and might step on something, he has to stay in the cart."  He did have shoes on, but he never leaves them on and I guess we will just leave now, but while it is taking them a very long time to carefully wrap up my deliciously turquoise platters (yea!) I hand him a little toy to keep him from screaming since he is no longer allowed to walk around and am promptly told that it has very small parts on which he could choke.  You know what?  I am going to choke if everyone doesn't just leave me alone, okay?  After the stress of Goodwill I stop to grab some fast food for lunch and decide to get a soda with caffeine so I won't get sleepy on the drive home.  I sit down at the table and a man (two tables away) notices me wrestling with the baby trying to divert him from my drink and entice him with water.  The man shouts across several people, "Your baby wants some of your pop.  You should just give him some."  "I know he wants some, but it has caffeine, so no."  I reply with a smile.  "A little caffeine won't hurt him.  Give him a little."  "Well, I don't really think so... thanks."  "Then you should give him root beer.  It doesn't have caffeine."  "It is Barq's and it does have caffeine and he doesn't need soda anyway."  "Oh, no it doesn't have caffeine.  I am not supposed to have caffeine and I drink it all the time."  Well, you shouldn't be.   Oh my goodness, will you just leave me alone already?  I eventually just got up and went to eat in my car in peace.
3. Why do they even make 1-ply toilet paper?  I try to be vigilant, but about once or twice a year I drop my guard.  Need I say more?

Lost in a Good Book

I just finished the perfect book.  I laughed (lots).  I cried (loads).  I became much too involved.  I was careful to not inhale it and tried to relish it over a few days.  I saved it as a reward for accomplishing the mundane routines that make up my life.  First I will read scriptures.  Then I will exercise.  Can I read yet?  Oh, the breakfast dishes are still out.  Take care of that.  Dang, I should probably vacuum.  Baby wants to nurse?  Well, what do you know?  I could read while I do that.  Five minutes after he's done, reluctantly set aside book.  I should make lunch.  Read a little in the afternoon.  Can't read at the pool.  Those days are suspended until baby can swim.  After kids are in bed stay up a little late.  With great willpower, carefully mark place, go to bed.  Can't sleep because thinking about characters.  Start dreaming about book.  Now it is over.  Deep sigh.  One theme was the hand of God in our lives which my close friends will know is a favorite conversation topic.  I really didn't like the ending, but I feel like there was room there for me to be able to change it in my head.  (One can do that with most books.  Well, perhaps not a Shakesperean tragedy, but even those I still hope.  "Come on, Juliet!   Wake up, wake up, wake up!)  Of course, the rest of it I loved and there were certain things about the main character that were just so true and right.  The author, Shannon Hale (my hero), said things like: (I cannot quote it exactly because even though I finished the book approximately one hour ago, a friend has already borrowed it and whisked it out of my house.  I was hesitant, but couldn't think of a rational reason I shouldn't let it out of my possession) "I looked over at my kids playing together so nicely and it was like chocolate on my tongue that doesn't melt."  Okay, I probably completely boshed that and now I've got poor Shannon squirming.  I shouldn't have put it in quotes it was so unworthy.  But you get the idea.  I can feel what she is saying.  I have felt that way, but to me it was indescribable.  I remember that giddy feeling when my two oldest were little and I would put them to bed, but hear them giggling together behind closed doors.  The euphoria fills you.   Or when I look at my oldest boy and can practically bask in the glow of his vast potential?  Those glimpses of eternity ~ of pure happiness ~ stun me.  My younger girls left cards on my pillow Sunday afternoon that say "To Mommy the Great"  and baby, ooh, he looks at me with such adoration it leaves me breathless (and him slightly mauled, but we know those days are numbered).  I seemed to have veered away from my topic of book and what are we left with?  The certainty that I am one lucky girl.

Back to summer.  Love having everyone ricocheting around me like pinballs.  Someone has pulled the lever back and off we gooooo....

Presence

Since no one took me up on the service opportunity that I was providing, I had to contact Cassandra Barney myself and was very happy to hear that she had a few more copies of her prints from the BYU Women's Conference.  She very obligingly sent me this one entitled Presence and I love it!  The colors are quite exquisite in person and I can only imagine how vibrant the original is.  So the next hurdle was to frame it.  {Sigh}  Not my forte.  I let it sit for a while and then finally took it to the store.  My new friend there (because we really did spend an overly prolonged and drawn out amount of time together) and I came up with this suitable mat and frame.  However, I cannot ever quite fully prepare myself for the cost of custom framing.  Oh my goodness!  I heard the amount and thought, "What?  Is he going to trek to some distant outpost of the Canadian wilderness to find the perfect tree, chop it down himself, transport it back here, sand the wood, painstakingly carve the intricate details, paint it, and then scientifically piece it together?"  I am sure in my head I am simplifying the complex nature of framing, but I did get it back in two days.  Of course, it does lend quite a presence to my foyer and I must say that I adore it.