She had just noticed the big beautiful moon shining here at 2:11 am outside her window. So sweet. She crashed on our comfy new recliner about 5 pm and slept until now. Oh dear. Hopefully a drink of milk using one of our rainbow IKEA cups will be just the trick. We fortunately, as of yesterday, now have enough cups so that we may have three full meals without needing to wash extra cups or run the dishwasher...woohoo!
Or not. She just pulled up a chair next to me.
Her early nap cost her some precious experiences. While my visiting teachers were over, the other kids officially inducted one of the ladies son into their group of friends by drenching him. My visiting teachers and I went back to find him so they could go home and we were met by the following scene: kids standing opposite each other, hoses and mega-squirt guns firing at each other, with a very naked Papaya standing in the middle in a storage bin full of water. All completely drenched and all completely happy. Welcome to our life! As Pipalicious told one of the ladies who was watching them during our youth group yesterday, "we are risky people."
(Pipalicious had informed the lady of this after Hyrum trotted out the ladder to get up into a tree to retrieve the stuck rope swing...all while the moms outside with the kids expressed some concern. My kids are resourceful :). Maybe it's because I neglect them so much and they are forced to rely on their own wit? Call it independence, call it resourcefulness--or "riskiness"--, or call it neglect, my kids definitely have it!)
The following series of pictures is completely for me and my benefit. I loved this whole "photo shoot," and kept the last one because, even though it was blurry, it captured the happiness he had being played with by his big sisters. So cute! The pictures will improve when I get a new camera and don't need to use my phone any more :). Just grateful to have the memories :)!
Two looks at nature: the first one, a collection of leaves gathered by Hava and her cousin Sophy at their cabin a couple weeks ago...and tenderly given to me. (I loved the little paper picture of her from her Grandma...so adorable!) The other is a quick glimpse of our beautiful, Utah sky...
A last look at our van, now sold...it has been so good for us! And here is Chugger-dude with his shiner. He got it from a stick swing being swung into his eye...youch!
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| I came out to find the three of them swinging merrily like this. I love these girls! |
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| My sweet little man...I watched him for so long while he did this...just thinking, those little shoulders will one day have so much to bear. I love the men in my life, and pray that this little man will have the love and support that he needs to do what needs to be done. |
Q-dawg and the Goob finished soldering the spigot for our master bathroom to replace the old one. Between that and Lek's 10 pm rescuing of our air conditioning belt last night, I am in fix-it man heaven! Yeah for resourcefulness!
Liliputian and Pipalicious decided to go and explore the walking trail behind our house. They were pleasantly surprised by a downpour while they were out. Love it!
Little Mr., aka Spooner, still eats nothing but nursing, despite multiple attempts. The little half Cheerio I put into his mouth two days ago nearly gagged him, poor dear. He also has no teeth yet, despite marked lumps in his gums for the past two months. Hmmmm....
Avot, after a bit of stress over so much in her schedule, seems to have it a bit more under control. She is working two jobs: one as a babysitting/cleaning "mom's helper" here in Kaysville, and one for Q-dawg with data entry on his appraisals. She is teaching Chugger-dude and Liliputian violin lessons, participating in four different youth groups (acting, choir, history, Vanguard Youth--apprentice, journeyman, and master levels), and also just started a community orchestra she found out about in Layton. And that is in addition to other things she does around the home! She is one that loves the peace and quiet of an unstructured day or at least non-stressful day...she thrives on it! She is amazing in her resilience and determination to both excel, yet seeking a prayerfully inspired balance. So many good things, so little time...welcome to life, my dear daughter :)!
Life is settling down a bit. I finally have the two plays finished for the plays I am directing this fall, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and "The Elf Who Cried 'Polar Bear.'" (I double checked my punctuation on that last part just for you, Marni...how did I do?) The Vanguard Youth chapter that I just started from scratch has 22 youth in it and a bunch of amazing mentors. I am excited to get them all working together on this! I have a Knights of Freedom group going ("book club" for boys 8-12), again with that "magical" number of 22...at least that was the last count, as the number straggle in. I just need to organize the schedule for the semester now and make swords for everyone :). Woohoo! After my embarrassing debut in Relief Society the last couple Sundays, I have received many blessings from the people in our ward: from pans of brownies to bags of veggies. Fortunately, I will be teaching the 7 year olds in Primary, so I should be safe. I am excited to start this week!
We finally are getting more caught up on home repairs...you know, just those usual things that seem to break down. For instance, I am still looking for an electrician to fix our microwave, but will first ask the home teachers if either of them know about it...just to give us some direction. The swamp cooler is better, the garden is getting more under control, we have only had to kill 2 chickens so far...you know, the usual :). Q-dawg just mentioned that he was glad that Lek was strong enough to shoot the chickens with his BB gun. They were pretty sad and in pain, and needed to be put out of their misery. Chugger-dude had a really hard time with it, but Lek and Liliputian took care of it, Liliputian taking care of the bodies. She has really taken on the stewardship of the chickens in an amazing way, including things like this. Yeah, Liliputian!
My allergies are killing me!! Ah! They have never been this bad. My dad said that the year after he got back from his mission, his allergies were especially bad. I think this must be something of the same: severe asthma, swollen, weepy eyes, congestion,...you name it :). Fortunately for me, I have a husband that never complains and is a great example, so I am learning to get a little better at not complaining, but sometimes....
I know, I know, Q-dawg: "There is no situation in life so bad that whining about it won't make it worse." Wise counsel from Elder Holland that Q-dawg deeply believes in. Like I said, a great example :).
Final quick note about Papaya: Yesterday a friend called me up: "I just wanted to tell you that as I was driving by, I saw your 2 year old stripping her clothes off and standing in the middle of the street." Now, this is no mellow street! This is the street right in front of a Junior High School with construction traffic all day long! Scary! Today, she was out in front again--fortunately not in the road this time--, plastered in mud from head to toe...again, buck naked. That girl! What a free spirit. Fortunately, I have noticed that having it cooler seems to help her function better, and summer is almost over. And the A/C is working. And she is getting a bit older. All these things should help, right :)?
Hava's asleep again. Sweetie. Now it is time to see if my allergies will let me sleep...
