My Heart Took a Picture

Yesterday Landon walked up behind Briana and gave her a hug.  He said, "I love you, Sister."  It's a miracle, really, and my  heart took a picture.

Awesome Weekend. Awesome Family.

Every once in a while I have moments when things just couldn't get better.  This weekend has been a long series of those moments.

After my run and a (wonderful) shower I took a snooze with my sweetheart next to me.  When we awoke, I was starving, so we gathered Briana, Ashtyn, Landon, Logan, and Bestest Friend Brittany, and we all went to lunch.  We visited while we ate, and we decided we were going to go to a movie. 

As we were driving home, Spencer said, "We could hit D.I. while we're waiting for our movie to begin."  We spent TWO HOURS at D.I. treasure hunting, trying on clothes (some for reals, some for kicks & (lots of) giggles).  We bought some of our treasures, which included some work clothes for me, a swimsuit and church clothes for Sassy, some casual clothes for Breezy, some jammies for Landon, and some toys for Spencer.  We had all the D.I. employees howling with laughter at us--they were very good sports about our being in their store!

When we got home, the boys decided to go the West Jordan City Carnival and watch the movie in the park with friends.  So Spencer and I and the girls saw Larry Crowne (which was darling).  Afterward Breezy went to Lisa's and Sassy and Colton joined the rest of "the group" at the movie in the park, where Ash received her first kiss.  Awww!

Today Bri and Tay attending the YSA ward.  While she was there, Briana received the answer to a question she'd been praying about for some time.  She has decided that she wants to serve a mission.  She will talk to the bishop in her ward next week (the current bishop is being released next Sunday, so she'll wait for the new bishop). 

When she told her dad and me, Spencer folded her in his arms and would not let go.  He said, "I'm proud of you for choosing to serve a mission.  I'm even more proud of you for listening to the Spirit."  It was one of the sweetest moments I have experienced in my entire life.  My heart took a picture.

We had sweet conversation with Bri and Tay, which is the best part (so far) of having adult children.  Sometimes it is difficult to allow our children to make their choices or to not have my feelings hurt when they choose to be with their friends instead of us.  :)  But they have marvelous friends, they are friends with each other, and they are grown people who can choose for themselves.  What more could a parent want for or from her children?

After dinner (as an entire family!) we drove with the WJ Fishes up to Silver Lake and went for a hike.  My goodness!  What a beautiful day it was up Big Cottonwood Canyon!  It took us a while to get home because of a terrible accident in the canyon, but as we came into view of the valley, my heart was filled.  This is my home, and I am surrounded by people who I adore.  We live in a land of liberty and plenty and opportunity and beauty!

More fun tomorrow, but if this was the end of the weekend, it would be enough to last a lifetime, I think.

P.S.  We got to sing The Star-Spangled Banner TWICE!  You ought to hear our Primary children belt out the national anthem.  IN. CRED. I. BLE.

My Happy Selective Memory

A couple of days ago I read a blog about someone who had read a blog... The writer had invited the readers to share their darkest secrets, and it turned into something very dark. I'm something of an ostrich, burying my face in the sand. Frankly, I just don't want to hear your darkest confessions. One comment that grabbed me, though, was how many women compare their lives to snapshots of other's lives.

Here's what Kristy said:

A note to that commenter: facebook is like an online scrapbook. We only put up the stuff we want other people to see. The day I spanked my son after he busted out a hole in his door because he was mad that I sent him to his room? That was not a good day. I didn’t take pictures and wrap them in raffia and stick them next to a plaque that says “Live Laugh Love” or talk about it on facebook.

Kristy is SO right on the money. My family--who sits quietly church--isn't perfect. That haircut that Landon is currently sporting? He's seriously ticked off about it. We're talking fighting mad here. But I'm not going to post the details of that on this blog!

All of that said, I was thinking this morning about how selective memory is. For example, I know that Taylor cried for four stinkin' months straight. I remember the rides in the car, just for some quiet. I remember turning on the dryer, setting the timer for my own time outs, and my tears and frustration. But when I look at the pictures of my baby boy, what I remember is what a love he was (after 4 months old), how much Briana loved him, what he looked like in his striped outfit that I loved, and how he would wear little hats for a minute. I remember him sleeping at my feet in the kitchen and finding him sacked out straddling the rocking chair and the ottoman. I remember him "helping" his dad mow the lawn, running through the sprinklers, and playing video games.

My friend and neighbor, Mona, once told me about a song called "My Heart Took a Picture." Yesterday I watched Bri and Ash and Lando jumping on the tramp, laughing together, and my heart took a picture. And my pictures are good ones, even though I also remember that just 45 minutes earlier they'd been arguing in the back seat of the van.

I guess my belief is that our selective memory gets to be our selection, after all. So what kinds of selections are you going to make?