still alive

Yes... we are still alive. We are getting ready to head back home tomorrow from my family's home in Orlando. And we really, really don't want to leave. Stay tuned for all the gooey details of our Christmas. Hope yours was one to treasure.

I will say that we have had quite the interesting day today... to include holding alligators, driving up on (well... I should say driving through) a police pursuit and a call to 911. We've had fun...

No, seriously... we've had fun.

Isaiah Chapter 9

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

- Merry Christmas -

Luke Chapter 2

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

I have traveled many moonless nights,
cold and weary with a babe inside.
And I wonder what I've done.
Holy father You have come,
and chosen me now
to carry Your Son.

I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now.
Be with me now.

Breath of heaven,
hold me together.
Be forever near me,
breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
lighten my darkness,
pour over me Your holiness,
For You are holy.
Breath of heaven.

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place.
But I offer all I am
for the mercy of Your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.

Breath of heaven,
hold me together.
Be forever near me,
breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
lighten my darkness,
pour over me Your holiness,
For You are holy.
Breath of heaven.

Breath of heaven,
hold me together.
Be forever near me,
breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
lighten my darkness,
pour over me Your holiness,
For You are holy.
Breath of heaven.

Breath of heaven.

Breath of heaven.

Lyrics: Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant

five years

Happy anniversary, Brian... so glad to have you.

'Til that day you came along,

my heart was empty

like the soul was missing from a song.

And I thought I'd loved a few…

no one ever made me feel

the way that you do.

Hey, little boy

look what you do.

Oh, I love you.

Hey, little boy…

oh, I love you.

Well I know I'm not always right.

And boy, it breaks my heart

when I have to see you cry.

So many things I want to say.

Now I know that you're the reason that I'm here today.

Hey, little boy

look what you do.

Oh, I love you.

Hey, little boy

look what you do… and you do.

When all my love starts running thin,

I’ve got you… I’m okay then.

Hey, little boy… oh, I love you.

Hey, little boy
Oh, I love...
Hey little boy who I love...
Hey, little boy,
oh, I love you.

Lyrics adapted from: Cailin by Unwritten Law

looking back on the last year

I wondered if we would make it this far. In fact, I thought this day would never come. And, now that it is here… I question where the time has gone. As I contemplate this past year with all its highs and lows, trials and triumphs, fear and hope – I wonder if I have spent the time wisely. If I have savored each moment. I hang my head, and answer “No” to each. But, another year has come. More time will pass. More memories are on the horizon. I will have more opportunities and another chance. That is the glory of life.

I decided a long time ago to not cry when this day came. I knew it would come sooner or later – whether I wanted it to or not. I decided to just make peace with the notion that my small boy was growing up – and would continue to do so.

I have had a thought running through my head for some weeks now – something that I learned from this favorite book of mine. “When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it’s not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end.” My Heavenly Father has given me all things. My Heavenly Father has given me life. My Heavenly Father has given me my family. My Heavenly Father has given me my sweet child. Is it justified for me to mourn the passing of time? No. I have every reason to be thankful for the time I am given – to be grateful for the journey – and to be optimistic for what the future holds. And, after all, my happy ending has turned out better than I ever dreamed. I am forever grateful for my blessings – and continue to be awed by my Father in Heaven’s awareness of me. So I ask again – is it reasonable to grieve now that my son’s first birthday has come? Again… the answer is “No”.

So, while I will surely miss the babyish things that we are now saying goodbye to here on Woodburn Drive… I am grateful. I am honored to have had these experiences and these opportunities. I have relished them as if there won’t be another chance to experience these babyish things in our home. And, most of all, I am happy for my boy – sweet Ammon. Happy for him, and how far he goes each day. All that he learns and all that he accomplishes is a blessing and miracle to me.

And, yes. I still look into his eyes and wonder what he will do and who he will be. I’m a little excited, to tell you the truth. But, I can wait. In this one situation – I can be patient. I am in no hurry for him to sprout wings and fly away. He will do that soon enough. For today – I plan to hold him a little tighter, for just a little longer.

It’s hard to believe that this time last year I was enduring a grueling (regardless of how short it was) labor – unable to speak or breathe, but conscious of the role my body had played in the purpose of life. Throughout my whole pregnancy – through the sickness, pain and other complications – there was never a moment when I was not grateful. I was always – always – thankful for the experience. Always willing to go through whatever hardship, so long as I attained the end result: A healthy, happy baby boy that would make my family complete for now. Brian and I have been blessed beyond measure with this most precious boy, Ammon. We could not have asked for a sweeter spirit to be sent to us.

Happy birthday, Ammon Parker. We love you. We all love you. You still rock our world… and always will.

the birthday party

After much debate, we decided to have Ammon’s birthday party at Brian’s parents’ home. We also decided to have it on Saturday – the 6th – rather than on his actual birthday – the 7th. We opted for a simple, easy, no-fuss route… as he wouldn’t care anyway, and would (without a doubt) be fairly overwhelmed by the whole experience. Another reason for this uncomplicated method was that it would (hopefully) help lighten my already heavy-laden plate… and ease my already splitting headache.

And then, at the last minute – in true Stacy fashion – I started to get excited.

Originally, Ammon wasn’t going to have a themed birthday party. Just fun colors. But, once I got so enthusiastic about it, I got a little carried away and threw in all these little monster accents… inspired by Ammon’s birthday cake plate. So I guess you could say that, by the end of it, Ammon’s birthday party had a mild-mannered monster theme to it. Hmm… Monsters. Appropriate enough.

Things started going sour around Wednesday evening. Ammon caught a cold… somewhere… somehow. By Thursday, Brian was sick. I was still feeing a little questionable after the moldy-pumpkin-pie-incident. But, I was bound and determined to pull off a successful, organized, and special party for my wee little one.

I was able to do so thanks to thanks to my mom. She came Friday night to help with a few things and had already helped out a great deal before then. I was already a tad punchy when I started making cupcakes and such… I was glad she was there to keep me in line. And, yet again, I have proven that I work better under pressure. I will not lie… I am a procrastinator. I managed to accomplish a great deal on Friday: goodie bags with personalized tags; the table centerpiece; Ammon’s birthday banner; cupcakes, each donning the letter “A”; Ammon’s birthday cake (enter Mom’s help… it looked a little terrifying at first); Ammon’s highchair-birthday-garland; and all other forms of birthday party preparation. Brian also finished Ammon’s birthday CD (well, CDs… there were 3 of them), which featured all of his favorite tunes.

Saturday came bright and early… really early considering we never really went to bed. I ran around doing some last minute things, while Brian had Ammon duty. It was proving to be a difficult day mood-wise. I braced myself for the worst: A raunchy child being ghastly at his very own birthday party.

Sooner or later we got things set up and were raring to go down in the Nub. We had yummy hamburgers, chips and dip, cupcakes (with vanilla and chocolate frosting) and ice cream (both vanilla and chocolate)… and boy did we have a good time. The normal charming-curious-happy-Ammon returned for the duration of the shindig. And how happy were we that he chowed down on his Pa’s world-famous burgers (marking his first real meal in a week)!

On the reverse side of the eat-all-I-can coin – Ammon wanted nothing to do with his cake. The first child to refuse his first birthday cake, you might agree. But, try as we might, he just didn’t want it. Until after everyone left and my camera battery died, that is. Then, of course, he had a bite. Ammon did, however, really get into the whole birthday-party-thing when it was time to open his presents. His cousins, Caulin and Lainee, were his helpers. Everyone was very generous… he received many nice gifts.

All in all, it was a very nice party. Whew… I did it. We are so thankful that we have such wonderful family and friends that love Ammon so much. We had such a good time that we hated for it to end. But that nap that was promised at the end of the day sure did sound like heaven.

Thanks to everyone who helped make Ammon’s party a hit. Thanks to everyone for being a part of such a special time in Ammon’s life… and in ours.

From Ammon… Thank you: Sissy and Pa; Ammi; Grandpa; MawMaw and Granddaddy; Great-Grandma; GG and GGP; Uncle Craig, Aunt Rachel, Caulin and Lainee; Great-Uncle Gary; Uncle Paige, Shelby and Clay, and Rachel; Brian, Becky, Little Brian and Lucas Mitchell… and everyone else who wished me a happy birthday but couldn’t come to my party. I love you!

thanksgiving

We so enjoyed having Brian off work the whole week of Thanksgiving. He needed the break, and Ammon needed the male-bonding time. Plus, Daddy is the “fun” one. The enabler, if you will. So, Ammon got to do lots of the off-limits things that week: dumping out all the toys from all the baskets; pulling all the books off the shelf; nose-diving off the couch; etc.. Ammon decided that he liked having his dad home so much, that he didn’t need me anymore. In fact, he avoided me like the plague. Like I was the Grim Reaper, myself. I have been told (and fully understand) that this is all because he feels comfortable enough to be without me. He knows that I will always be there for him. I know that… and it’s flattering, yes. But are complete ignorance and terrified looks really necessary? Needless to say, Ammon turned into a human-egg-beater every time I touched him (and shirked away whenever I was in a 3-foot radius). As I result, I spent the week with a swollen, split lower lip; a few bloody noses; a huge scratch on my cheek; a handful of bruises. No joke.

Wednesday evening, we went down to Brian’s grandparents’ home. We had a herd of our Texas family in for Thanksgiving, and they had arrived that afternoon. We had a nice visit with all of them before going home to prepare for the big day.

Thursday morning, we all got up bright and early so that we had time for Ammon to get a bath before leaving. It was around breakfast time that things started to go south. Ammon decided to go on a hunger-strike that week and breakfast proved to be a daunting task… putting him in a bad mood. But, never fail, we got ready to go and hit the road.

We started out at my grandparents’ home in Enterprise. We had a nice visit with them and a yummy, yummy Thanksgiving lunch. Ammon tried his first real ham, cranberry sauce, smashed corn (cream corn), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, white peas and rolls. He liked it all; however, didn’t eat much (i.e.: hunger-strike). We were all stuffed past capacity… just one of the hazards of such a holiday. We especially enjoyed spending time with my dad, Grandma Dody and Grandpa Don, Uncle Steve and Daphne. Before we left, all the neighbors came over, so we got to see all those family friends that I grew up knowing.

Ammon hadn’t had a morning nap, and was melting down quickly. We decided to hit the road again… stopping by my mom’s house before heading down to the Nub. Once there, Ammon threw the biggest fit he has pitched in… well, ever. He was beyond tired, but didn’t want to go to sleep. Brian ended up driving him around the block a few times to knock him out. Worked like a charm. I, meanwhile, munched on more sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and some turkey… while watching the Jon & Kate Plus 8 marathon. Not what my full tummy needed.

After that visit, we loaded up in the car (again) and headed down to Brian’s parents’ home. We were spending the weekend at their house, so we unloaded everything and got settled. Ammon continued to be a troll. While we devoured slice after slice of pie, he chose to see how high he could raise our blood pressure. We had a nice evening with our family. We ate more yummy Thanksgiving fare, laughed and watched the Texas/Texas A&M game (a rivalry of interest in our family). Later than usual, we decided that it was time for Ammon to go to bed. Do you think that was the thought running through his mind? I don’t think so. After a couple of hours of glass-shattering screams and a few minutes of Cars, he finally gave it up. What was the problem? No one really knew. Unnecessary to say, he has never been that stinky… and we went to bed soon behind him.

Friday, Ammon decided to wake up at about 5:45. Hello?! He never does that. But, as his schedule was already destroyed, it was only to be expected. We had a nice, slow morning; however, we had to take to the car again to get Ammon to take a nap. And, sure enough, as soon as we pulled back up in the driveway… he woke up. Rats. But, after a little screeching, he went back to sleep.

We spent the afternoon roaming the country, soaking up that clean, refreshing air. That evening, we had another Thanksgiving feast and watched Kung Fu Panda… a favorite of Brian’s. Our cousin Shelby’s boyfriend, Clay, decided to brave the family that day, and meet the family that was in town. We really enjoyed him being there, too. Ammon was slightly better that evening (even without an afternoon nap) – he enjoyed playing with all his cousins, yet he still avoided me like I was Dracula made-over. He even went to bed with only the very slightest of tantrums. We stayed up later that night, watching Wall-e with all the older cousins and our Uncle Don.

Saturday, was another quiet day. We got to sleep in a little later than the day before… Ammon’s slept until 6:00. I spent the morning cleaning the house up for Brian’s mom. Ammon decided to take his morning nap without a country drive. He still fussed, but not nearly like the day before. That afternoon was the Alabama/Auburn game… a big deal in our family. I decided to work on a project in the other room with my ear-buds in, which only lowered the chaos done to a low roar. We loaded up on hamburgers and party food… again pushing our stomachs to their limit.

Pretty soon it was time for us to head to our own house. Our Texas family was packing up for their long drive home, too. We so enjoyed being with this part of our family that we so rarely see. We are so glad that we could spend this time with you, that Ammon could get know his cousins that are his age, and create more family memories that are just too precious for words. We love you: Uncle Don and Aunt Joyce; Heather and cutie-patootie Bridger; Travis, Amanda and sweetest Emma; Uncle Ron, Aunt Diane and Ian; Uncle Phil. And of course we love the old regulars, too: MawMaw and Granddaddy; Ann and Larry; Craig, Rachel, Caulin and Lainee; Uncle Page, Aunt Bev, Shelby and Clay, Hunter and Rachel.

Once we were home, we were able to put Ammon in his own crib… hoping that he would sleep better. No dice. But, sleeping in my own bed was a bit of a treat... air mattresses just aren’t as pleasant. I decided to skip all the unpacking and just get some sleep. But not before I gobbled down a leftover piece of pumpkin pie. Mistake #1.

I knew that it looked a little odd when I cut the piece. I knew that it tasted funny when I took the first bite. But did I stop eating it? No. “There was no way this was already going bad” I thought. The next morning (really just a few hours later), I got into that pie again. This time, I was greeted with a green, fuzzy, black-spotted monstrosity. I immediately knew the answer to the oddities from the night before. That pie was, indeed, bad. I didn’t start to feel the effects of it until that night. And when I did… I was sorry for being such a glutton.

Our Thanksgiving weekend was a happy-medium of highs and lows, I guess. Ammon was horrific. Being with our family was fabulous. Food poisoning was for the birds. Having Brian home was irreplaceable. So, I guess you could say that our weekend could certainly have been better, but at the same time, not horrible.

It could be said that I have been a little ungrateful in this post… not really showing the Thanksgiving spirit. That just isn’t the case – I don’t want to give that impression, or leave on that note. The truth is… there is just too much to be grateful for this year. More than I could ever mention here. Truly, we have been blessed in so many ways. I’ve said before that I have all the things that money can’t buy… we have all the things that are most important. What else could make us feel more thankful than we do at this moment? We have so much to be grateful for. We all do.

Like I said before, we possess all the things that are most important. We love our happy life – and we love to love each other. We are finding joy in our journey and thank our Heavenly Father for all things. There is a quote that I admire by Lao Tzu: “Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”. I’m reminded, too, of something Willy Wonka said: “And Charlie, don’t forget about what happened to the man that suddenly got everything he ever wanted. He lived happily-ever-after.”.

For these reasons – and so many more – it is Thanksgiving everyday on Woodburn Drive. Let’s be thankful all the year through… we have every reason to be.

recovering thanksgiving-enthusiasts

It’s days like these that make me wish I had a home with a wide wrap-around porch. Or a nice big deck in the back. I would be lounging on a swing or hammock, for sure. I love this overcast, cool weather. Adore it. I wish the whole year could be like this. Here’s to dreaming.

We had a long, headache-inducing, aggravating, but nonetheless good Thanksgiving. Hope yours was pleasant, too… without all the downbeat adjectives. Stay tuned for a more in-depth look at our holiday revelry.

But, for you curious readers… just to recap this week: Brian is back at work – and loving every minute of it. I am recovering from food poisoning. Ammon is going through a phase that needs to end very, very soon. And, in between food poisoning-related business, I am seriously stressing out trying to finish some Christmas present projects, Ammon’s birthday party planning, Enrichment meeting finalization, designing our Christmas cards, cleaning, etc.. Yeah, you should see my twitching eye. At least I brushed my hair today. And, on top of it all, I’m trying to find some holiday cheer along the way. It is totally atypical of me to be so Scrooge-y. By now, I usually already have my family tired of Christmas music and jingle bells and Ho Ho Hos and mistletoe and all other kinds of red and green goodness. Truth be told, I believe in Santa. This is my favorite time of the year. And I am being far too Bah Humbug-y for my own good. I think it is because the holidays have crept up on me this year… more so than they usually do. Maybe it is because Ammon’s first birthday is fast-approaching. Maybe it is because I am an emotional cul-de-sac… due to reading New Moon yet again, and suffering through Edward leaving Bella, and enduring Jacob, and all that jazz. Who knows? Here’s to hoping that I can find cheer in the holiday air – remember what the Christmas season is really all about – and find a reason to be joyful. After all, it is the season to be merry and bright.

That thought will have to wait a moment or two… or four hundred and thirty-seven. The red-eyed, horn-sprouting ogre has awoken… or should I say never went to sleep? Back to the old rat race.

Cheers to the holidays.

Melodie Beattie : “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. . . It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Let us all remember to be grateful today – and always. Happy Thanksgiving.

quality time = a fun mess

We are so happy that Brian is at home this week… especially Ammon.

eleven months old is the way to go

So, this month I thought I wouldn’t wait until the very last minute to do the monthly homage to Ammon’s life. Here’s to him as an eleven-month old.

He LOVES: his afternoon routine with his daddy – to be sung to… especially Popcorn Popping, Sing (from Sesame Street), Hello, Goodbye by The Beatles, Abadabadabadabadabadabadab Says Ammon to the Moon, The 59th Street Bridge Song by Simon and Garfunkel and Jellyman Kelly (from Sesame Street) – books – dogs – trucks, trains, cars… anything with wheels – to play rough with his daddy (especially on couches and beds) – to stand and “walk” (still with some assistance) – to be outside – to eat – playtime – any electronic device – music… The Dingees, The Starting Line, James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel, 311 (much to his mother’s horror), Bing Crosby, The Black Crowes, The Electric Mayhem, Billy Joel and Harry Connick, Jr. – to dance – to talk, squeal, laugh… he’s babbling constantly now, rather than just making individual noises – his family – people watching – his bath time – trees – hide and seek – crinkling his diaper – watching manly stuff with his daddy – textures – his bink – the park – nap buddies in his crib – paper – shoes – Transformers, especially his Ammon-sized Jazz and Starscream – to give kisses… be they Eskimo, head bumps or slobbery, wet chews – to make his Incredible Hulk face – balls – speed crawling – the entertainment center – his (get this) sippy cups

He HATES: not getting his way – having things taken away from him –laying down to change diapers or clothes

Ammon continues to hold his own bottle… and now loves the sippy cup way of life. Ammon is, finally, showing an interest in learning to feed himself. Table foods, however, are a problem in his opinion. But, he is slowly getting used to the idea.

Ammon is a talker. He practices new sounds and combinations just about every day. Words we often hear are: Momma, Daddy, Shoe, Sissy (Brian's mom), Ball, Book, Toys, No, Yeah, Hi or Hey – and of course his world-famous whistly-OOOO or Sissssssh when he is very, very excited.

Ammon knows his name; however, he has a selective hearing problem. As most do, I know. He also knows what is off-limits or potentially off-limits. He always stops and looks back at us for “approval”, then goes full steam ahead whether we give it, or not.

Ammon is an independent player – like his mom and dad were. He does like some companions at times, but mostly just likes to explore or play by himself. GRAPHIC CONTENT AHEAD: Brian also calls Ammon a “solitary pooper”… as he now goes and hides whenever he’s, you know…

Ammon still is fascinated by the mechanics of things. He loves figuring out how things work. He now not only get his books off his bookshelf by himself, but he can get out his own toys and whatnots. He is figuring out how to get around the barricades now… allowing him to get to those afore-mentioned off-limits things. He also knows how to open DVD and CD cases.

Ammon continues to crawl via warp speed travel. He pulls up on everything he can, and is at last pulling up to a standing position without help – though he still prefers not to. He is a lazy one... his only vice.

Ammon continues to sleep well through the night. It is rare for him to make the slightest peep at all. He appears to want to drop one of his naps; however, he just isn’t ready for it yet. He thinks he is… but he’s not (and that isn’t just his mom talking). He may only need two naps a day for another few months, but as of right now… he must have two or we have WW111 here on Woodburn Drive. Sleep is not required (just preferred)… but quiet time is non-negotiable.

Ammon still loves to read books – he still cannot get enough of them. Bedtime is still one of our favorite times of the day. We like those nice, wind-down moments when we read a story as a family, say prayers and give goodnight cuddles.

We are still plagued with some separation issues. Around 6:00pm everyday, Ammon gets very clingy… whether Brian and/or I are going anywhere or not. I dread the day when he starts Nursery… or, heaven forbid, school.

Ammon’s bright personality and smart mind always make us smile. He is such a ray of sunshine in our lives. As he rapidly approaches his first birthday, we are ever-thankful for these last eleven months. So grateful for the memories, lessons, fun… and love.

love affairs

I’ll be honest. This photo is somewhat ancient. But, I still wanted to share. So, here it is… our first snow of the season. Which leads us to our topic for the day: Love affairs.

I am in love with this weather we’ve been having. Loving the cold. Loving that nip in the air. Since newly harvested cotton is the closest thing to a newly fallen blanket of snow we will ever see here in the deep South, I am enjoying creating my own little almost-winter wonderland in my mind.

I am really loving having the title of “Mom” this week. Not like I don’t love it at any other time. But this week has seemed different. I firmly feel that it is a new outlook on life that has wrought about this change.

I really love embracing this new “classic” lease on life. I’ve never considered myself a June Cleaver… maybe a Lucy Ricardo (she at least wears pants sometimes). I may be a stay-at-home-wife-and-mom but I’ve never really connected with these icons and how they encompass the term “house-wife”. Even though I have been told that I could totally pull off retro. But anywho… I’ve been working on a family album that I am assembling using my great-grandmother’s recipes and I have had quite the realization this week. I have been reading article after article that my dear great-grandmother had saved. Articles that were obviously targeted for something that I will describe simply as the “house-wife generation”. Women who received the greatest of joys from having a full cookie jar. Women who received the greatest of thrills from packing that perfect lunchbox. Women who received the greatest of pleasures from a properly balanced home.

It has been from this study that I have learned that while I may be a house-wife… I am far from a home-maker. Remember that old saying, “A house is just a building, but a home is a place of love.”? I use this same comparison when comparing house-wives with home-makers. A house-wife is just a vessel of work. A home-maker is someone who emanates love… and someone who truly loves the task at hand… someone who is the glue of the home, so to speak. This concept has brought me a lot of joy this week. While I may not have enough counter space for a cookie jar (even though I did make… and eat… some cookies yesterday); while I may not have to put together any lunchboxes yet; while my townhouse isn’t quite the balanced home I would like to have – I am slowly learning the art of being a home-maker rather than just a house-wife. There is a difference. And my little aha-moment has made a difference in me already.

And, to end my rant on love affairs, the day has finally come… and gone. Twilight. My friend, Kira, and I went to see it this afternoon. Life had other ideas for me after I had made arrangements to go to the midnight showing with Brian. But, I was glad to go with my pal. It’s been years since we’ve been to a movie together. Something that was once an almost every week occurrence is now a thing of the past. We had a nice chuckle as we remembered back to that last time – who we were with, who sat where, what we saw. It’s funny how you remember so clearly the good times.

We decided to be groupies today, but not crazed-groupies. I, of course, wore my “Team Edward” t-shirt. She wore my “Team Edward” pin. And, inevitably, we took pictures. We enjoyed the movie; however, it wasn’t what we expected. I think you have to totally divorce it from the book. But, still good… still worth it. And I shed a tear. While I did let out an exasperated sigh when the girls next to me started giggling when Edward (… and Carlisle, and Emmett, and Jasper… well, everyone for that matter…) came on screen… I can’t deny that I was just a little excited, too. I would actually love to see it again… once the hype dies down just a hair… just so that I can try and catch all those little things you miss during that first viewing. But, I was so glad to be able to see it at all. Thank you for going with me, friend. Brian, thank you for keeping an eye on the bug. I’m already planning a Twilight-DVD-release-party at my house… let me know if you want to come…

After a nice chat with Kira in her car (oh, how I loved the non-what-do-cow’s-say-? conversation), I made the journey inside. I sat down, told Brian about the movie, and just processed everything. It was then that I started to feel very depressed. Depressed because it was over. Simply put… it’s over now. Nothing else to look forward to… apart from the next movie(s). But, I feel as if some part of me has died. I must keep it alive… I must! I’ve connected with this story more than I have with any other. I have connected with the love of Bella and Edward than I have with any other love story. I have decided that I will just have to have a never-ending love affair with vampires. And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.

A very good week, if I do say so myself. Even though I am battling a cold and Ammon is trying to cut more teeth. Brian accepted a promotion and slight raise at work. He is also getting his ducks in a row to start graduate school at the first of the year. Next week we celebrate Thanksgiving… Brian has the entire week off. And just how much do we have to be thankful for this year… quite a lot, in deed.

opportunities

I’ve been thinking all week about what I would say when I finally had the opportunity to post. And, now that I am sitting here ready to do it, words will not come. But, despite my mind and hands and their unwillingness to work as a team, I have travelled long and far to update this most favored of blogs. So… speak I must.

This week has been a mixture of things here on Woodburn Drive. A mixture of things that I will not go into here. But I will say that this week has been a mixture of emotions and thoughts. A mixture of trials and blessings. A mixture of pain and light.

I have had the opportunity to reevaluate my very existence this past week. My life has always lacked courage. I am not brave. I fear things I can’t understand. I fear things my mind can’t wrap itself around. I fear obstacles that I can’t see the way through. I fear problems that I don’t know the solutions for. But, I know in whom I can trust. I know where to put my faith. I know who to direct my questions and pleas to. And how blessed I am to have a companion such as mine. Another person in whom I can trust. Another person in whom I can put my faith. And we buoy each other. We carry each other’s burdens. We lighten each other’s heavy hearts.

I have learned something this week. While I still fear, I have found courage. And after all, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” [Ambrose Redmoon].

We as a family have been forced to reevaluate some things. And, even though I thought it to be a hard thing to do… I’m finding that it is quite the opposite. And while our destination is far off, for today… I am finding the joy in just being ordinary. And, I have so many reasons to enjoy my ordinary life. So many blessings. So many reasons to have courage.

Marilyn Thomsen : "And while it takes courage to achieve greatness, it takes more courage to find fulfillment in being ordinary. For the joys that last have little relationship to achievement, to standing one step higher on the victory platform. What is the adventure in being ordinary? It is daring to love just for the pleasure of giving it away. It is venturing to give new life and to nurture it to maturity. It is working hard for the pure joy of being tired at the end of the day. It is caring and sharing and giving and loving."

As we finally begin to see the effects of fall, I see an interesting (albeit humorous) parallel to my current life. I have always loved fall. Not just because of the beautiful colors, heavenly weather and promise that the holidays are on the horizon. While some love spring because of it’s signs of rebirth, I love fall because it gives the opportunity for rebirth. The opportunity for new growth. The opportunity for new-found life. And depending on what we do with the winter… we may have a lovely spring.

We had the chance to spend the day in the country last weekend. For no reason but to soak in some of that invigorating fall air. The leaves have changed colors. The trees are starting to shed their foliage. The chilly breeze has us reaching for longer sleeves and making us desire to spend more time outdoors. It is just too easy to enjoy this time of the year. Just too easy to enjoy a nice afternoon with family.


The most pleasant sight of my week was a sign greeting me at Wal-Mart that read, “Christmas Trees Are Coming.”. And better yet, on my way to church this morning I saw the poles going up on the property where we usually get our trees. We are listening to Christmas music now. Enjoying the season early. I know lots of people think it too early. But, I think that it is never too early to start celebrating this most special of holidays. The time that we honor the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Aren’t we told to keep that Christmas spirit in our hearts all the year through?

After dinner tonight we flipped on the television only to find the Grinch on... the good one. Another fine-looking sign.

"Pooh-Pooh to the Whos!" he was grinch-ish-ly humming. "They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming! They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do! Their mouths will hang open a minute or two then the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry 'Boo-Hoo!'”

"That's a noise," grinned the Grinch, "that I simply MUST hear!" So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear. And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low. Then it started to grow...

But the sound wasn't sad! Why, this sound sounded merry! It couldn't be so! But it WAS merry! VERY!

He stared down at Who-ville! The Grinch popped his eyes! Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!

Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without any presents at all! He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!" And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!"

So, try enjoying the holiday season early. If not, well… enjoy your fall, make the most of your winter, and hope for a lovely spring.

review of a 10-month old

Technically, he is still 10 months old until 9:53 tonight. And we don’t want to classify him as an 11-month old just quite yet. Here is a little snippet of what Ammon has been up to during his 10-month old days.

He LOVES: his afternoon routine with his daddy – to be sung to… especially Popcorn Popping, Sing (from Sesame Street), Hello, Goodbye by The Beatles, Abadabadabadabadabadabadab Says Ammon to the Moon and Jellyman Kelly (from Sesame Street) – books – dogs – trucks, trains, cars… anything with wheels – to play rough with his daddy – to stand (still with some assistance) – to be outside – to eat – playtime – any electronic device – music… especially jazz, ska punk, acoustic guitars and The Dingees – to dance – to talk, squeal, laugh… he’s babbling now, rather than just making individual noises – his family – large amounts of attention or large groups of people – anything that crinkles (ideally tracing paper or vellum when mom is not looking) – to be in water – his bathtub – trees – hide and seek – his mom’s hair – his feet – watching Transformers, Airwolf, Voltron, Scooby Doo yadda yadda yadda, with his daddy – textures – his bink – the park – nap buddies in his crib – paper – shoes – Transformers, especially his Ammon-sized Jazz and Starscream – to snuggle – to give kisses… be they Eskimo, or slobbery wet chews – to give noggin kisses (i.e.: head bumps) – to "jump" off any high surface for his daddy to catch him – balls – speed crawling – the entertainment center

He HATES: not getting his way – having things taken away from him – his sippy-cups – getting his nose sucked out (sorry if that was too much information) – laying down to change diapers or clothes

Ammon is working on getting his two incisors. Yes… I know… still. However, the are slowly coming through and he does not seem to be in any discomfort. Mealtimes are not so much of a problem anymore.

Speaking of mealtimes: Ammon is, finally, holing his own bottle. Hurrah! Hurrah! I thought this day would never come. He still pitches a fit when Brian feeds him – primarily because dad is his spoiler and enabler. Mom is the bad guy here on Woodburn Drive. Sippy-cups still elude us. Ammon is, however, learning to feed himself.

Ammon continues to shock us with his love of conversation. He is a loud talker. He practices new sounds and combinations just about every day. He is gibber-jabbering now… so much fun.

Ammon still is fascinated by the mechanics of things. He loves figuring out how things work. He now can get his books off his bookshelf by himself, and he knows where his toys are. He also knows where all the plugs and cords are… as a result we get our exercise every day.

Ammon is a mobile machine. He continues to crawl via warp speed travel. He pulls up on everything he can; however, he still stays on his knees. He has pulled up to a standing position, but he doesn’t prefer it yet. He is very inquisitive and he has to touch everything. He entered the whole put-everything-in-my-mouth stage a little late (something I am grateful for)… and his mobility precision has allowed him to find new snacks…

Ammon continues to sleep through the night and take two good naps in his crib during the day – on his stomach with his behind up in the air is usually how you will find him.

Ammon still loves to read books – he cannot get enough of them. Of this I am glad. He still picks his own bedtime stories each night. Our bedtime routine is still a favorite. After bath, we pick up toys, read a story and say prayers. We love how Ammon sits reverently with his arms folded… then grins the biggest of grins after we say, “Amen”.

Ammon still loves to follow me around, but usually only after Brian gets home. At that point, he wants both of us to be right there with him. We are still plagued with some separation issues.

I have said before – and I will say it for the rest of my days, I’m sure – that Ammon’s personality astounds us. I have been told that I feel that way simply because I am his parent. Simply because he is my first-born child. I have to disagree. Being around him around the clock and looking at him from a completely unbiased standpoint, I have to say that he is a remarkable child. Truly – a sparkling personality. More character, vibrance and love of life than I have ever before seen. It isn’t just because we are his parents, though some may think that way. He is, by nature, sweet and charming. He is smart and funny. But there is something else… something that can’t be pinpointed, that makes me stop and wonder. Wonder what he will do, what he will say… what he will be. I wonder if he will have my imagination. I wonder if he will have Brian’s sensitivity. I wonder… and wait. Enjoying each day along the way. I am so grateful that I am this boy’s mother. I am so very thankful that I can be at home with him and help mold him into something majestic.

We love this boy. He rocks our world. It’s as simple as that.

life changing events

You remember how I was talking about my dreams for the far-off-distant-future… well, I can mark one of those off my list. Last Saturday I had one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. My mom and I drove up to meet our pal, Amber, and go to the Birmingham Museum of Art for the day. And we had a pretty darn good reason for doing so. We were able to view an exhibit of drawings by Leonardo Da Vinci. Yes… real Leo’s. Real, honest-to-goodness drawings done by the master himself. Real drawings that I could reach out and touch, see the texture of the paper, and see the indentations made in it by his pen or metalpoint. How extraordinary. How breathtaking. How amazing to see outside of a book. Simply magical.

“Drawing is nothing more than a mark on paper. But in the hands of the great draftsman Leonardo Da Vinci, each mark takes on a life of its own and the paper is transformed into a masterpiece.”

The drawings have never before traveled in a group nor in their entirety been made available outside of Italy. One of the drawings has been described as the “most beautiful drawing in the world” – and how true that statement is. This drawing was the model for the angel in Da Vinci’s “Virgin of the Rocks” – one of his more famous works. I was familiar with this drawing and what a thrill it was to see it in person.

I’ve experienced some great things in my life. But, this happening was one of the greats. Truly – in every aspect – a life changing event. An affair to remember.

This experience just makes me want to go and see more – go to Florence, Venice… or the Louvre. I’m eager for more. We also grabbed some lunch at Newk’s (reminds me of Earl of Sandwich in Orlando)… also making me eager for more.

The rest of this week has been spent mending sick noses. Ammon is, for the most part, over his bug… I still have some lingering crud. We’ve spent our days in a lazy fashion. Laundry has gone undone… and dishes, too. But, slowly but surely, we are on the mend. Sooner or later we will be on top of things again. I will say that Ammon’s first bout of sickness has not been a pleasant experience. I do not like him being ill. I look forward to the day when my ever eager, full-of-energy, inquisitive boy returns back to me.

We have had a few spells of fun here and there, though. Monday night we went to the Peanut Festival with our family. After years and years of manning the Elephant Ear booth, Brian and I can hardly stand to even be in close proximity to it. But, we go with Brian’s family at least once. We met Brian’s parents and our nephew there; along with Aunt Bev, Uncle Page, Shelby (and Clay), Hunter and Rachel. I must say, it wasn’t all that bad. There aren’t many things quite as good as a nice, fatty corndog smothered in mustard… something I look forward to all year. You know you’re in the South when you can boast a greasy pig and calf scramble on your list of weekly activities. I don’t really like watching these things, but I was overruled. Caulin had fun riding some rides with Rachel. All in all it was a fun night. Not only did we create some irreplaceable family memories, but the weather was nice and crisp and we got some boiled peanuts out of it (not to mention that luscious corndog) – all which are just icing on the cake in my book.

We enjoyed a nice visit from our ward’s missionaries Tuesday night. Ammon adores those guys. We do, too, so it was a nice evening. I was going to make dinner for them, but with being sick and all… they ended up with pizza. And they scarfed it down. I was worried that they get pizza a lot, but apparently not. We called ahead of time, just to make sure that that menu plan was alright by them. They said, “Actually… we would really like that a lot.”. Glad to oblige…

After we ate dinner, we watched The Restoration - which is about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m so thankful for the sweet spirit that always abides in our home after those young men leave. Thank you, Elders. Thank you for your willingness to sacrifice so much. We are ever thankful for the full-time missionary from our family that is currently serving our Heavenly Father.

I’m starting to run some ideas through my pea-sized brain… some starting points and layout ideas for our week-in-our-life album. Now to just start assembling and creating. That’s the fun part about this project and I can’t wait to just get started. It does seem weird to not be carrying around my camera all the time. When it’s on your hip for a week, you really do miss it not being there. Stay tuned for the finished product.

Something that I was able to finish and get on the wall this week was our new family tree. I had seen this in a store and jotted it down in my inspiration journal as one of those I’ll-get-to-it-someday projects. But, when we were in that same store a couple of weeks ago and Brian spotted it again for only $9.00 (reduced from over $40.00), I had to snap it up. I couldn’t have made it from scratch that cheaply – but it would have been so easy to do. I modified it slightly from its “original” purpose – and I am very happy with how it turned out. With all 82 of us on there, we make quite the full, handsome tree. I’ll share a branch with this bunch any day.



Is anyone else sitting on the edge of their seats… patiently waiting for the next 2 weeks to pass? I have a weekend date with my Twilight buds... but I’m wondering if I can wait that long. I’m pondering the thought of going to pick up my soundtrack pretty soon. Just for kicks and giggles, you know. I’ve heard most of it – and I read a good little comment that said, “Smartly (since the film is, for all its supernatural trappings, essentially a love story) … [the] soundtrack provides plenty of fist-pumping moments but far more that are just plain swoony.”. That’s what I like to hear… just plain swoony.

As far as the recent election goes, I’ll borrow the words of our politically-conscious cousin, Ian: Thank you, Senator McCain and Governor Palin. Congratulations to the new President- and Vice President-Elect. God Bless America.


Life changing events, indeed.

when life gives you lemons… buy shoes

This is an old thought – and old news for those of you who have seen me sporting these babies at church lately – but I wanted to share. My alternative to the good cry theory: Good, beautiful, fun shoes. Good $5.00 shoes. Yum… just makes my heart smile.

first hint of holiday

Yes, I’ve let yet another week go by. This time, I blame it on sickness and spooks. Just a catch-up from two weekends ago:

Saturday, we ran errands and then went to Brian’s parents for the evening. We had chili for dinner and everyone – sans Brian and myself – watched the Alabama game. I don’t get into football if I’m not at the game. Brian’s just not into football. But, we had a good time with family. Nice togetherness. Good chili…

Sunday, we actually got to go to church as a family. Hooray! Brian didn’t have meetings that morning, which is a rarity. That Sunday was our ward’s Primary Sacrament Program – our nephew, Caulin’s, first. He was shooting us thumbs-ups and waving the whole time. But, he did such a good job signing and speaking. We are so proud of him! Hard to believe he is already 4-years old. Almost 5. Yikes...

After church, we had to high-tail-it to a family reunion. Here, Ammon got his first taste of his MawMaw’s yellow rice and peas. Yummy, yum, yum. After the reunion, we walked around outside for a bit before heading home. We all slept most of the afternoon. Much, much needed naps. This was the last day of documentation for our week-in-our-life album. Sad that this seemed to end so soon. This may be a more-than-once-a-year thing.

Halloween was in full swing last week here on Woodburn Drive. Halloween is always a special time of the year for us. Why? Well, a.) Brian loves Halloween; b.) It was Ammon’s first; and c.) Christmas is just around the corner. I like Halloween for that last reason… it marks the beginning of the holiday (i.e.: decorating [and just for you, Hila… a sampling of our Halloween decorations are in the slideshow above.]) season. It’s proof that the holiday season is just around the corner… our favorite time of the year. I love the pumpkins and mums and changing leaves… that first hint of holiday.

The whole week was busy and hectic. The first time in quite a while that Ammon and I had something to do every single day. And when I say “something to do”, I mean a reason to be up, showered, dressed, and have Ammon up, fed, dressed and ready for the day by 8:00am. I know people do this everyday and have more than one child. But, I am not one of those people.

Monday morning, I had to go visiting teaching. Brian’s mom was able to watch Ammon for me so that I could go. Ammon had such a good time playing with his Sissy. He was taking a nap when I got home, and I think he was a little upset that she wasn’t still here when he woke up.

That afternoon we ran some errands and went to pick out our pumpkins. This year, we bundled up and went to a pumpkin patch. Ammon loved it. I don’t know exactly what it was that he loved so much, but he had a good time. So much of a good time that he brought a little cold home with him. The first of many, I’m sure. Fun.

Tuesday, my visiting teacher came to see me. Ammon loves dear Sister Locke. He was taking a nap when she got here, and I ended up having to go and get him out of his crib. Apparently, he knew she was here and wasn’t about to miss her company.

My mom dropped in that night with the last piece of Ammon’s Halloween costume. She also brought her sewing machine so that I could get to work on Ammon’s Halloween basket. I stayed up far later than I should have – cutting out all the parts for his basket. I don’t do patterns. Heck, I don’t do sewing machines. But, I was bound and determined to make this work. Finally, I just got sick of looking at it and had to go to bed.

Wednesday, I had a meeting with some of my Relief Society counterparts. The meeting was almost 3 hours long – but, unlike other 3-hour meetings I have had in the past, this one was actually productive. Things are going so much better than they were before. Any small bit of improvement would have been a blessing – but there has been a complete, absolute, unquestionable, definite and total change made with the entire situation. We are happy, happy people now. No more thoughts of mutiny.

Ammon was good throughout the meeting – which was a surprise to me. He napped for a good, long time when we got home. This gave me the chance to finish his basket. I am beyond happy with how it turned out. It was more difficult than I thought it would be, but all is well. You can’t really tell in the photos above, but the inside of the basket liner is actually two layers of fabric – a black and white harlequin print on bottom, with a black sheer fabric on top with orange, fuzzy Halloween shapes and texts (i.e.: pumpkins, ghosts, stars, goodie bags, and “trick or treat”). I am actually going to use this same basket for Ammon at Easter time – and just make an Easter-ish liner. We’ll see how my homemade-tracing-paper-pattern holds up the second time around.

That night was our Trunk-or-Treat activity at church. We decided to make an appearance even though Ammon was still feeling a little under the weather. Ammon decided to be a ghost this year for Halloween. Brian and I usually dress up to the nines… this year we decided to opt for simple skeleton t-shirts courtesy of Old Navy. I’m so glad that we decided to go that night – so many people participated this year. We got to see most of our family there. Brian’s aunt, Bev, was a Dancing Queen à la ABBA. We got to meet our cousin, Shelby’s, boyfriend, Clay. Our nephew, Caulin, chose to dress up as an army man – our niece, Lainee, wanted to be Caillou… I don’t know how that turned out as Caillou is a boy. Anyway, Ammon had fun soaking everything up. He loaded up on lots of candy… candy that we will probably still be whittling away at next Halloween.

Thursday morning, Ammon and I ventured up to Enterprise. We started out with a visit to see my dad, then to my mom’s office. Ammon enjoyed crawling all over both places… trying to find a way into those “off limits” areas. We went to lunch with my mom and grandmother to Old Mexico. Ammon even got to sit in a big-boy-restaurant-highchair. His first time. And my, did he think he was a big boy. He also got to try his first Spanish rice and said "Hi" to our waiter.

After lunch, Ammon and I headed over to my grandmother’s house so that Ammon could eat his lunch. We also went next door to visit with the Waites, whom I have known my entire life. By mid afternoon we were on our way home, and all of a sudden, I felt sick. Within the space of 1 or 2 minutes, I couldn’t breath, had a horrendous headache and felt like I was swallowing razor blades. I have never had something get a hold of me so quickly – but this did, and it got me good. What an interesting week this was turning out to be.

That night, we decided to go and see Shelby’s last football game. Determined to actually stay and see her perform this time, we waited to show up until right at halftime. Of course, this time Ammon was perfect. We ended up staying for the last two quarters. I really enjoyed the game. Talk about my kind of football weather. None of that sweat-off-6-pounds kind of stuff for me. I’ll take the scarf-mittens-and-hot-chocolate kind of football games any day of the week.

When we got home, we carved our pumpkins. That is our tradition for Halloween Eve, if you will. I never made it around to getting a third pumpkin, so we only had two this year. Brian carved an Autobot (i.e.: the good Transformers) symbol on his pumpkin, and I did our traditional Thomas Family Jack-o’-lantern. They both turned out pretty good, I think. We, of course, watched Ghost Hunters a lot last week. This night was no different…

Speaking of the weather: You know it is cold when I suggest turning on the heat. I am a hot-natured person – I love the cold – and I relish the fall and winter months. I am the complete opposite of Brian in that regard. And it isn’t cold now, but there was one night last week that my teeth were rattling and I could not get warm. Needless to say, the heat isn’t on anymore. Brian could probably do with it, but I like it just fine the way it is.

Friday, Ammon and I spent most of the day trying to recuperate from our respective colds. We had a long night ahead of us, treat-or-treating and all. As soon as Brian got home from work, we all started getting ready to go. We loaded up and headed down to visit with Brian’s parents and grandparents. We headed straight to MawMaw and Granddaddy’s house where everyone was waiting for us. After a nice visit, we went to see Brian’s dad, Larry – and the almost-done-Chevelle.

That evening, after our visit to the Nub, we headed to Enterprise to see the rest of our family. We went to see my dad and grandparents first. We ate dinner with them – some yummy chili and homemade cookies – and had a nice visit. Ammon enjoyed crawling all over – especially maneuvering the step up to the kitchen from the den. We fed him his dinner there before going over to see my mom, grandmother and uncle. Ammon got a special Halloween treat from Great-Grandma Lois… some Cheerios! Ammon got his bath and then took to the floor. His great-grandma gave him some paper to crumple… one of his favorite past-times. We had a nice time with them, shared some dessert, and – for Brian’s sake – some Ghost Hunters.

All in all we had a very good week of Halloween fun – colds and all. As Ammon’s first birthday approaches with great momentum, I have had an even greater urge to soak up these special moments… these special firsts. Yes, it was a bit nippy outside when we went to get our pumpkins – but we did it. Yes, it was a bit hectic being “everywhere at once” Halloween night – but we did it. We want those experiences for Ammon. We want those experiences for us. We want those experiences for our family.

So we hope that you all had a very festive All Hallows’ Eve. We hope you had lots of spooks and candy and pumpkins and ghouls. We hope you enjoyed this first hint of holiday.

it is time

It’s no lie that I don’t get into politics with people. I just don’t. Sure… to myself and close family I share my opinion. I do care about my country. I do care about how our country’s policies and affairs affect me and mine. I have seen this video several times since last week… and like it so much. It is aimed at Catholic voters, but I feel its message can apply to us all despite our religious persuasion. So, whatever your political views… employ your right to vote. Let your voice be heard. Don’t just vote… vote responsibly.

Happy Halloween!

we { heart } fall

Here are a selection of pictures from our fall family photo shoot. I ended up having to take these myself (with the exception of just a few)... without my tripod. Don't ask me how I did it... it's magic.

Enjoy.

time well spent

It isn’t already Thursday, is it? Has it been a week since I really delved into the happenings here on Woodburn Drive? Well, Father Time has gotten the better of me once again. And really, nothing has been going on. Apart from last weekend, anyway.

I received several comments late last week that were all posed with the intention of finding the answer to: “What was I doing up so late?!” Well, truth be told, I am in deed a night owl. I always have been. But that isn't the reason I was up late last week. I can tell you the real reason now. I was working on my mother-in-law’s birthday gift. I ran into one of those Great-Wall-of-China-sized-hiccups, hence the late hour. And – now that the gift is given – I thought I would share it with all of you.

As you can probably see, it is a collage of photos spanning Brian’s entire life – up through his mission. I then included a photograph from Ann’s sealing to Larry, our wedding picture, our family photograph pre-Ammon, Ammon’s baby picture, and our most recent family photograph. I also included the following text (ever so slightly modified) from the Julie De Azevedo song, Angels:

The angels carried her through the fire and the rain. And the angels carried her from the end of her rope to the end of her day. And the angels sang to her, when she thought no one was there. Looking back, it’s clear – she was touching heaven all those years.

The angels have carried her through the minutes and the days. And the angels have carried her to a strong and wise and noble place. And the angels still sing to her, and I join them in their praise.

The angel that carried me until I saw the light of day, is the angel that carried me through the years of laughter, joy and pain. And the angel, she sang to me, so I knew someone was there. Looking back, it’s clear – I was touching heaven all those years.

Those words are not only touching, but fitting, I think. I am very happy with the end result, considering. I have a bad habit of letting one little mess-up get the best of me… causing more mess-ups. First off, I had to scour the world via the internet for scrapbooking hinges. I ran out of time and finally ended up dismantling another project. I mistakenly adhered a piece of vellum backwards… which wouldn’t have been an issue if there hadn’t have been words on it. Five minutes before I needed to get ready to leave, I sat on the other pane of glass that goes with the floating frame I used. Yes – I sat on it. But, Ann treasures it… and that is all that matters to me. I did find from working on this project that Ammon is the spittin’ image of his daddy. More so than I had ever before thought. I was using photographs I had never seen before… and the resemblance is uncanny.

Friday night, we delivered Ann’s gift. We were going to go out for dinner at Tampico’s with her and Larry… but, a downed power line wiped the electricity out of that half of Graceville. We ended up at The Circle Grille. Yummy. It has been a long time – as in years – since Brian and I have been there. There’s not much like a good ole’ cheeseburger and sweet potato fries. Ammon, of course, was the star of the restaurant…

We went back to Ann and Larry’s and spent the evening there. Ammon enjoyed the larger crawl space. Brian talked his mom into putting Transformers in for he and Ammon to watch on the big television (with its 60+ inches and souped-up sound system you feel like you’re at the movies). They were in heaven…

Saturday was – at its best points – exhausting. I don’t really even remember what happened. Isn’t that sad? I do remember that we had planned on going to our ward’s Fall Festival… but didn’t. I remember being upset that Ammon would be missing his first Fall Festival. I remember having a slight meltdown at that proposition. But, we did get some errands done… mostly things for my Relief Society Enrichment meeting on Tuesday.

My mom met us at our house that night. I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off – getting every little thing ready for Brian and Ammon for the next day, and packing up my things for that night and Sunday. My mom and I had a special trip planned, and I was staying at her house Saturday night.

Mom and I drove back to Enterprise late Saturday night. And… we didn’t get any sleep. Or at least I didn’t. Mom was trying to straighten out Grandma’s-plane-ticket-fiasco until almost 2:00 Sunday morning. By the time I finally went to bed, I couldn’t go to sleep. I tossed and I turned until I was so wound up in my blanket that I couldn’t move. I don’t know how much of it had to do with it being my first night without Ammon… maybe more than I thought it would. But, before I knew it, the clock read 4:30. And it was time to get ready for that special trip…

Wicked. Again. Hooray. And, yes… I wore my red shoes.

Our trip to Atlanta was uneventful and we arrived safely. For my mom’s sake I won’t mention the humorous moments regarding the red parking lot, etc.. We arrived at the Fox a couple of hours early and enjoyed walking down the sidewalks; taking in the brisk, chilly air; lounging around the lobby and soaking in all that atmosphere. They don’t call it the Fabulous Fox Theatre for nothing. Walking up that grand staircase, thinking of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh at the premiere of Gone With the Wind. Sitting in the Ladies’ Salon, thinking to yourself, “When has a bathroom been so delightful?!” Just entering the auditorium – an indoor Arabian courtyard with a sky full of flickering stars and magically drifting clouds – brings with it sheer awe. It doesn’t matter how many times you go there, you are still swept away by its presence and beauty. Grandeur beyond imagination.

To quote a review, “My fellow Ozians: There are times when the world could use an infusion of green. There are times when our spirits are gravity-laden. There are times when the soul needs escapism. These are times for Broadway’s Wicked.” And it – of course – was spectacular. One of those “must sees”. As my mom and I were talking about on the way home – this production affects you like none other. Changes you, in a way. Teaches a value. Shows a point. Just more to love.

The show itself didn’t differ a whole lot from when we saw it in Orlando in April. There, of course, were subtle differences. I noticed a lot that I missed the first time. There are still things that need to be caught. And, we didn’t have our dear family with us this time. We missed you, gals. I know I was thinking about you. But, I’m glad for the opportunity. Glad that Mom and I could go. Glad that we could live in the moment for that day. So often we find ourselves dancing through life, just skimming the surface, gliding where turf is smooth… it is nice to slow down every once in a while… escape to a different world… and fly.

Brian and Ammon survived Sunday with flying colors. Ammon was good in church and even sat with our sister-in-law while Brian went to sit up on the stand. Brian had to sit up there because our Bishop was there by himself. I'm surprised Ammon didn't pitch one of those fits. I'm told that Ammon giggled when Brian got up to say the prayer. How funny.

After church, they went down to Brian's parents' house. They also visited Mama and Daddy Kindig (the parents of Brian's best friend, Brad) for a bit. I'm sorry that I missed that visit, too.

Monday was mostly a catch-up day for me. Catch up on rest. Catch up on putting things away. Yadda yadda yadda. Brian was a big help… he helped do the laundry so I could take a break. He always helps with Ammon in the afternoons. That’s their time… and I’m grateful for the break.

I did start the documentation for our week-in-our-life album Monday. It is proving to be quite the daunting task. Carrying a camera around with you all day long (and actually using it) is more difficult than it sounds. And, I don’t think this is the best week to be doing this – this week is not our “usual” week. But, nevertheless, it is getting done. To no avail, I am getting photographs of those not so normal things. I will probably look back at them all on Sunday and say, “Next week would be better.” Who knows? I did decide, however, to just share the finished project with all of you… rather than pictures from each day. Such a wiser idea. I have gained something from this experience, though. I am seeing where changes need to be made. I am seeing where progress needs to be made. And, I find that I am trying harder to be better. Be better at so many things. I continue to fall short – but then again, I don’t know many perfect people. This project has – as I knew it would – show me those gaps in productivity and lack of fulfillment. And, as I am documenting this week for all to see… I am hoping to truly learn from my missteps.

Tuesday was spent, for the most part, preparing for my Enrichment meeting. I managed to get everything done. I am receiving some true help now… and I am so grateful. Inspiration is coming to me in ways it never did before. And, best of all, our activity went off without a hitch. We were able to assemble 18+ freezer meals for emergencies that may arise in our ward. Everything went splendidly. Hooray for that. My lesson/talk on compassionate service went well, I thought – and I didn’t loose my voice. I did cry through the whole thing. I really don’t know why. And why is it that we don’t cry when practicing at home, but we do in front of a herd of people? So glad it’s all over. So glad it went well.

We have been having a string of dreary days lately. I am not complaining, as I like overcast weather. But, I will not deny that it has put a damper on my mood and level of energy. I would love to tackle some of those Christmas projects. I would love to read a book. But… I just can’t find the motivation. So instead, I am building tall towers for a little boy to knock down. I am rolling a ball for him to chase. I am cleaning up mess after mess, and changing diaper after diaper. I have the motivation to do these things, so I am doing them. And I find this a blessing in disguise, because while I am building that tower and changing that diaper, I am also prioritizing my to-do list. Perfecting the method behind my madness. This way, I don’t jump head first into something and then realize, all too late, that I have no idea what I’m doing. And… It will all get done. It always does.

So, it is Thursday… and I can’t really remember the ins and outs of this week… even though I have it all written down somewhere and on my camera… and our behinds are ding dong tired. But, we’ve had full hearts even if our days may have been a little on the empty side. Time well spent, if I do say so myself.