All That's Best of Dark and Bright

I guess I've had a pretty massive writer's cramp since last Spring, because I've really not been able to get a whole blog post through my mind and onto the web. However, gotta start somewhere, so maybe I'll post some highlights for the summer.

1. Took a trip by myself up to Idaho. Okay, not sure if about 32 hours counts as a trip, but to me it was great. It was a family history trip to the small town where my grandfather was raised (Carey). Before I left, I prayed that I would find out some information about my great grandparents that I wanted to know. Boy, I must say that the Holy Ghost is good-- got me in the right spot to meet Cousin Bob, who had exactly the information I was looking for and much more too. I want to work on a novel about my family's experiences there in Carey, and did get some inspiration. Also got some neat photos in the local cemetery in Hailey. The best part was just having some moments of peace and quiet without any laundry.

2. Took a bunch of extra time off in August. It was really nice to have some extra time with the kids, as well as a few days to get caught up on things at home. I didn't get anywhere near as much done as I had planned though. Got caught up on the laundry several times this summer, which is miraculous in and of itself.

3. Watched the kids do their stuff. The summer started with some pretty awesome baseball games, and ended with football season. In between we had a couple of wonderful dance recitals. I never get tired of watching my kids' games and performances. Although, I may wear earplugs at the band performance this year as Joseph has taken up the trumpet.

4. Visit from Grandpa and Grandma. We had a great time taking photos with my Dad and his wife. Spending time with them is always a treat, and we wish we could do it more often.

5. Fireworks. I love, love, love fireworks. We only went this year on the 4th of July. I think that they need to start doing Easter fireworks, Christmas Fireworks, and fireworks on my birthday.

6. Our trip to Washington DC. What a fun place to go with my kids. Despite heat and sore feet, we managed to see two Smithsonians, the Lincoln Memorial, the WW1, WW2, and Koren War Memorials, the National Zoo, most of the walking area of the mall, Gettysburg, and some cousins to boot.

7. Allergy shots. How are allergy shots a highlight? Well, because allergy shots have made life in pollen-prevalent Utah so much more enjoyable. I am basically done with the weekly shots and now only need one every other month. Small price to pay for comfy eyes, nose, and skin.

8. Work, work, work. I've become the top dog at my office since the company laid off everyone in my role except me. So I'm the go-to gal for folks all over the company. Keeps me hopping! It's a lot of pressure, but at the same time a compliment that people trust me with their important questions.

9. Food. In my house, it's always about food. Indian food, barbeques, Indonesian, or even scrambled eggs. Mostly made by Marty. We've had some delicious meals this summer, but my favorite was homemade pizza. Marty's pizza is really more of an act of love than a meal. Or a work of art. His pizza should be framed and hanging in the Louvre, but too bad, we ate it all.

10. A lot of thinking. Thinking about life, death, kids, family, work, and how to find peace amidst all the chaos. Haven't totally got it figured out, but I think it has something to do with learning to take in what each moment has to offer-- to live in the present and be mindful of the wonderfulness of those fleeting moments.

I've been working on this mindfulness, and since then I have noted the beautiful sunrises that I witness each morning as I drive to work. I walk in the door at home and sneak in to find my daughter and her baby brother curled up in her bed talking, or hear the whole crew singing "Twinkle, Twinkle" at the tops of their lungs. I smile to see Henk wake up in the morning and put on his sunglasses before he even opens his eyes. I laugh at Cricket and Joop belting out "Here Comes the Sun" as they play Rockband. I thrill as we work on their piano pieces when manage to end the duet we are working on together at the same moment. Serving in the Temple, putting a towel around each young man and young woman as they come up from the baptismal font, I find peace in nurturing and loving these young people. Driving to girls' camp with a friend, I gain a new understanding of something that troubled me. I find a few words of scripture that answers a question I've been praying about.

Mindfulness results in awareness of the gifts of the moment that somehow seem to take up some of the spaces that loss and grief have left in my heart.

I guess I'm on a kick with the family photos. These are fun posts to do and quick since I don't have a lot of time to put into them these days. This one is c. 1976 (I know because my sister Sarah is a newborn) and features me and my two sisters and brother. I am wearing my snuggie jammies which I always hated- they were so sweaty and sticky and I could not stand how they felt on my feet when that vinyl started to crack and stick to my skin. Thankfully, it seems I was getting a little too tall for this pair and my mom cut an escape hatch for the feet. I think its funny how all the girls are fully clothed in winter looking jammies and Ted (he was Teddy back then, but don't call him that now) is barely dressed in a onesie. Probably Mom couldn't get him to hold still long enough to get fully ready for bed. Little bitty Anne Marie looks like she fits well in those jammies, right? Well I remember that she continued to fit in them for the next three or four years! She was such a tiny little girlie for a long time!

I believe this was taken at the house my parents built in Billings, Montana. We moved from there to Salt Lake on my 7th birthday.