1. Winter clothes and summer clothes that are separate.
2. Watching the children's "lights" turn on during Sharing Time.
3. Seeing our boys at the sacrament table.
4. Charmin.
5. A brand new tube of lipstick.
6. Waking up to a favorite song on the radio.
7. A really good night's sleep after a not-so-good sleep the day before.
8. When the dishes are ALL finished.
9. Pink.
10. Quiet days at work that let me get lots of little jobs done.
I broke a molar on Saturday. This happened while I was eating popcorn and watching "Homeward Bound." No, I wasn't gnawing on kernals, but one must have slipped in, because the next thing I knew, a large chunk of my tooth was missing. This morning I had the joy of visiting the dentist (who I actually really like on a personal level). He shot and drilled and molded and finally fitted me with a temporary crown for that tooth.
Spencer is on his 3rd to last class before he has his bachelor's degree. He's getting really trunky (his word). Bri says he just has Senioritis. He talked about continuing on for a master's, but changes in rules at Boeing (who has paid for school)--along with Senioritis--have left him saying no for now.
Last night Spencer spent a couple of hours fighting with our computer, which, apparently, received a bug of some kind. He wasn't feeling peachy when we went to bed. And he was the one who was cold and snuggled up to me to get warm. Weird.
Landon and Ashtyn are involved with a play at their school. It's called "Cinderella's Glass Slipper." Landon is part of the chorus, and Ashtyn is the fairy godmother's apprentice. I took them to play practice and just giggled at all of the girls dressed up their gowns (there were seriously some lovely dresses in the gym!) and all of the boys in white tights, knickers, and lacy dickies. They looked awesome. We'll be sure and take pictures when they perform.
The girls and I went to Orem last night to see my grandparents. Grandma's having an angiogram today. My uncle is having some colon tests done today. I've tried to call the rheumatologist and the neurologist today for Ashtyn, who is still mysteriously ill every couple of weeks.
Life is busy. There are worries. But life goes on, and we are so grateful!
Joseph Montgomery, a 19-year-old young man in our ward, was struck by a TRAX train last Monday. He spent all week in ICU, where tests and trials and scans finally confirmed that his brain was dead. On Friday evening, his parents--who are friends of ours--kissed their son and walked away from him, while the monitors continued giving him oxygen, etc. The surgeons were able to salvage most of his organs--minus his heart and lungs, which were damaged--and when Joseph's body shut completely down, he gave the gift of life to many people.
Joe made a mistake. He crossed the TRAX line without paying attention. He was riding his skateboard, listening to his Ipod, and texting. Just a few seconds earlier or later, and the train would have missed him completely. And none of us would be wondering why this had to happen, why his parents have to ache, why his siblings have to be so sad, etc., etc.
Joe's younger sister, Lisa, is one of Briana's good friends. Lisa has spent quite a bit of time with Briana this week, just looking for some normalcy. They saw the West Jordan HS boys basketball team (of which Joe was part last year and the year before) take the state high school basketball championship. They've watched movies and gone for rides and eaten snacks and just tried to be normal. Briana has been so sad for her friend, but she's stepped up to the plate, and we're very proud of her. And speaking of maturity, Lisa went and cleaned out Joe's room--boxed up all of his stuff, washed the sheets, etc.--so that his parents did not have to do it. I'm impressed.
Joe's youngest brother, Daniel, was one of my preschoolers and is now 8 years old and in our Primary. He did not come to church yesterday, but his teacher had made a large card for all of the children to sign. It is my month to teach Sharing Time, and we talked a lot about Heavenly Father's beautiful plan for us. He gave us the Plan of Salvation and a Savior to make it all possible. He allowed us to come to earth and make choices and mistakes--even mistakes that could cost a life. He sent us to families, who love us. He restored the gospel and the priesthood power through a prophet; and because of that priesthood, we can be sealed as ETERNAL families, even though death may separate us for a while. He blessed us with friends and neighbors who care for us in many, many ways, and who become our extended family while we are on earth. He gives us the ability to continue living, even when we think our hearts will break. He gives us the ability to empathize with people and help them carry their heavy loads.
It's been a difficult weekend. When you are an adult, your hurt can happen on many levels: concern for the parents, the friends of our children, the children in our responsibility, and our own aching children. But being an adult--with a little more life experience--also allows us to have joy on many levels. Thank heavens that we have what we have--and that we know it!
You know how sometimes you get a thought, and you think, "Nah! I won't need that." So you don't do it, and then BAM! you need it. Like 2 weeks ago, when 2 days in a row I had a thought to grab my umbrella. I did it neither time, and you guessed it! I ended up in the rain. Twice.
So this morning I thought, "I should grab the camera." And I did. And I took some really awesome pictures through the windshield. I was thinking, "Cool! I will blog this wonderfully amazing, beautiful pictures of this lovely end-of-winter morning. I'm so glad I grabbed the camera!" Only guess what? I left the camera in the parked car. Which is nowhere near my current location.
Good thing I listened, huh?
Taylor and Lindsey
West Jordan High School Sweethearts Dance, February 7, 2009.Case-in-Point #1: I am home alone tonight. Spencer is at school, Bri is with a friend, and the other children went to YM/YW activities. Remember when I longed for just a few minutes to myself? I sure do. And now.... Here I am. Alone.
Case-in-Point #2: A 19-year-old young man in our ward, the oldest child of friends, was hit by a Trax train last night. He is in critical condition in a drug-induced coma due to head trauma. If he lives he will spend months in rehab re-learning to walk and talk and do every other little thing.
All in all, I think I will enjoy my quiet evening, and pray hard that everyone comes home safely.
