"No Arms, No Legs, No Worries"

Little Moments

After watching "Gone With the Wind" on our family vacation, I said I had never met anyone like Melanie, and to that level of selflessness and refusal to see the faults in anyone, I haven't, but it dawned on me today, during Young Women's, that the Laurel advisor in our ward is as close as I have ever been personally acquainted with that kind of a personality and I'm grateful to have realized an example that isn't fictitious; it makes attainment seem more hopeful.......a tiny bit:)

Jordan is almost ready, temporally, to leave.  We have spent a lot of time shopping and he's becoming quite skilled with the process.  He came home from the thrift store last week, with a very nice, lightly used pair of quality missionary shoes for $5!  Except for one more suit, his list is almost checked off and he's packing as we go, so it is feeling very close and exciting.  It's a weird thought to watch him gradually pack up everything he owns and slowly move out of his bedroom.  We've never gone through that kind of a "complete" move before and to think of the room as Abe's and not "the boys" is an odd mindset, but it means growth and new experiences and good things to come -- and so far I'm feeling stable, emotionally.

Jordan and I have been going to our stake's Humanitarian workshops every week. He, because he has been asked to fulfill the priesthood role there and I to support him in a room full of women:)  It has been fulfilling.  I've gone before, but it is in the morning and it's easy to let other things take precident, so I'm glad to have this opportunity to force myself to make it a priority.  We tie quilts together and string school bags and all the grandma's ooh and aah over Jordan being there, willing to tie a baby quilt with pink yarn:)  One of them did make a comment that sounded like she thought he was my husband, instead of my son, and I don't think that was very flattering to him.  I can't say that I was even very flattered, as looking 19 when you are really 40, takes away some credibility and wisdom.  Oh well, the older I get the less I realize I have of either anyway:)

Mikayla's ACT testing is next week and then starts the down-slide towards her college preparation.  She is a rock in our family and everyone, including me, count on her for so many things; either to help us feel better,  act better, or be better.  It will leave a big hole here when she ventures out into the wide world.  She is still working diligently at editing her summer movie and I hope will be able to finish before her best friend goes off to BYU-I in the winter.  I'm excited to see what comes from all of the work she, Tessia and Jordan have put into it.  The technology that she is adept at, boggles my little brain cells.  

She has gained respect from a few young men from school, who spent a good part of last year, "heckling" her about her religion, and I have been impressed with her quiet steadfastness and loyalty.  Sometimes her wide reach of acceptance is a concern to me, probably because of my narrow one, but we talk often and I think each of our views  help to balance the other out. 

Volleyball disappointment seems to have floated, unsurprisingly, and easily out of Eden's head and she has changed her focus of interest to auditioning for one of the musicals in Music Theatre of Idaho next season. There are some fun, wholesome choices and I think the auditioning experience would be a good one for her because this is something she's very good at, and something she loves, not just a social desire.  She had to quit pursuing the drama/ theater experience at school because the standards were getting lower with every grade.  The downside is, that if she made the cut, the schedule for 8-10 weeks prior to opening, is even more intense than a sports schedule, and she would have to give up many other things that are important to her, so Eden, Fred and I are trying to decide if it's worth the experience.   Auditions aren't until November, so we have some thinking time.  In the meantime she's enjoying being a sports spectator and the boys who jockey for position to sit by her at the games are enjoying it even more:)  The young men's presidency in our ward say she causes quite a bit of "contention" among the teachers quorum.  

School is in full swing and all the children are happy with teachers and enjoying renewed purpose.  My mornings are full of Jordan and cleaning, my afternoons are full of guiding children's homework and responsibilities and creating a dinner "experience", which can be challenging (if I'm going to require everyone to be home at a certain time-- and together, then I have to have something to be there for).  Evenings I just look forward to Fred coming home and seeing if we can squeeze the tiniest amount of family time in before bedtime routines.  Sometimes it feels like no matter how hard we try, there is no family "down" time, so the weekends are precious and guarded.  I can see date night, for Fred and I, getting more challenging as Jordan leaves and the girls get involved in the fun, sociality of High School, but we've had a nice long babysitter run. This may be the start of a different dating season of our lives and we might have to plan "Living Room" or Saturday dates occasionally, but date night is the highlight of my week, so I'll take it wherever and whenever I can get it, as long as it is at least weekly.  Fred is my anchor -- and it's fun to get all dressed up every week and walk around with the nicest looking guy in town! :)

The "older" crowd in our family watched the movie "Arranged" that Mom suggested last week and thoroughly enjoyed it.  There were some humorous "boyfriend cameos", that we rewound numerous times, and am now afraid Jordan may try to impersonate, but it would be difficult to duplicate that level of disturbing (one in particular) so maybe we are safe:) The movie had a great message and I loved seeing a little bit into the good of other people's worlds.

Mikayla and Eden went on a photo shoot with Desi and Camille right after our vacation and before school started  They had so much fun and got to know their fun, young "aunts" better, which was the highlight.  They learned a lot and got some great pictures to boot.  Thanks Desi and Camille for taking the time out of your busy, mother schedules.  It meant a lot to the girls and to me.

FAVORITES FROM MIKAYLA AND EDEN'S PHOTO SHOOT:
(From Mikayla's Camera)

(From Eden's Camera)

(From Desi's Camera)

(Photos's From Camille's Camera -- Still Coming)

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:

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Posted By Bloomers to KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES at 9/05/2010 08:26:00 PM

Our Ocean Vacation

I wanted to sit and leisurely remember our vacation as I recorded this journaling, but once the children go off to school, I always seem to feel this immediate cinching and everything becomes uncomfortably tight  for awhile, as I transition to higher expectations.  After a few weeks everything will seem to fit a little better, but in the meantime, this will be a guilt motivated task (as I promised and Mom is now asking) on a to do list that is crammed between all of the other tasks that need doing.  So, no relaxing stroll down a very recent memory lane this time.  If the writing seems pinched, that's because so is time.

Like every vacation, I prepared for this one the day before--all day-- and by evening realized that I should have been preparing for a week.  I tried to send Fred to bed early, because we had planned to leave at 4AM and he was the designated driver, but he felt the weight of all that needed to get done and my coercing wasn't effective until after 9PM.  By 2AM Jordan, Mikayla, Eden and I finally fell into bed.  Fred woke us all up at 3:45 and we were prepared enough that we were on the road within 15 minutes, pulling out right on time, which made Fred happy.  It took another 30 minutes for the excitement and anticipation to calm, and for everyone (but of course Fred) to fall back asleep for the next few hours.  When people did finally start stirring, hungry, we pulled off at a truck stop and unloaded breakfast out of the cooler, hooked up movies on two different computers in both back seats and in 30 more minutes we were back on the road with 8 people as contented as you can be on a road trip--the children because they were fed and entertained,  Fred  because there was peace and quiet and I because who can scoff at hours of time laying ahead of you with nothing else to do but read:)  Over the course of the 10 hours there were a few, "Are we there yet's?" and a couple of "He's touching me's!", but with the help of snacks and coloring books and movies and reading books and cheerful anxiousness, we made it through feeling quite happy and arrived an hour before check in.  We drove past our beach house and were disappointed with the exterior and the fact that there was garbage strewn all over the yard, but who can be upset when there is no wind and the sun is shining on the Oregon coast and the ocean is stretching and crashing out before you for miles?  We called the rental management and asked them to have the garbage cleaned up and then went to the beach and soaked in the magic.  It's always so much fun to be with someone who has never experienced the ocean and we had 3!

When we finally did get checked in, we were thrilled with the location, jetting out over the beach, on top of a cliff, with full ocean views on one whole side, but the house was old and smelly with thriftstore furniture that I had to put blankets from home over before I wanted to sit down.  As the rest of my family is more optimistic than I am, they weren't as bothered and the mattresses looked new and the bedding was clean, so we bought candles and room fresheners and made do.  Before Fred and I even finished unpacking the car, all of the rooms had been claimed and the children were busily "moving in".  Then back to the beach, and this time all of the crazy kids got wet and cold and before we could take a long exploration we were headed back to the house and warm showers (of which there were happily 4).  Fred and I went shopping for the weeks groceries and by evening, as we were soaking up the views on the balcony, we were able to meet the reason for our earlier garbage problems--a very friendly racoon, affectionately named Ralph.  Over the course of our three night stay, we learned that Ralph was very friendly and would eat right out of our hands.  Of course that was a highlight of the trip for all of us animal lovers.

Wednesday morning Mikayla and I were down on the beach by 6:30 AM and back ready for a defrosting shower by 8:30.  Fred had breakfast ready and when we were all ready we headed back to the beach.  That day was filled with beach, shower, beach, shower all day long.  For the coast, we couldn't have asked for nicer weather.  It was in the mid 60's, only partly cloudy, no fog and almost non-existant wind.  The children played in the waves with their swimsuits and then huddled in the warm sand, while Fred and I in our jackets looked on and smiled at the impetuosity of youth.  We were in up to our knees and occasionally a sneaker wave would splash us up to our waist, but no swimsuit donning desired:)

Thursday, after a morning on the beach, we drove 40 minutes to Newport to see the sea lions on the docks.   We weren't disappointed as they were sunbathing by the hundreds and putting on a pretty good barking show, and all for free.  Jordan treated us to taffy in a tourist shop and we headed back to Lincoln City for a beach fire dinner.  Of course, that evening was the only time that we had wind, the entire vacation, so after hiking in 20 minutes to a favorite spot and doing everything possible to block the wind, Fred finally got a fire going, after a frustrating half hour.  The kids still wanted to play in the waves and Fred had promised Jordan he would jump in, but the roaring fire we had anticipated to keep everyone warm never transpired.  Mikayla and I had made foil dinners of fish and rice, which finally cooked perfectly.  The rest of the family had opted for the traditional hot dog roast which ended up being more of a challenge since we had a hard time keeping the fire going.  We all had a good size sidedish of sand in our food, but by golly we made memories and we were very thankful that evening that we had chosen not to camp.  Even our run down shelter was very inviting that evening.

The next morning we packed up and  headed home after one more jaunt to the beach, feeling refreshed, fulfilled, not quite ready to leave but happy.  The trip home always seems longer, but we made some fun stops at an incredible outlet mall, and for lunch and to hike up to a gorgeous waterfall, but somehow on the way back we ended up lost numerous times and  we didn't crawl into our beds at home until around 2AM on Saturday.  Even so, though cramped quarters are never physically comfortable, I love being with my family in those kinds of environments where everyone is forced to work together and ends up being goofy and fun.  Halfway through I moved into the back to give Jordan more leg room up front and Mikayla and Eden and I watched "Gone With The Wind", an experience which I haven't had since high school and now remember why.  But, even after the 3 hour incredulity of Scarlet, we still came out determined to try a little harder to emulate Melanie, even though none of us, sadly,  have every met anyone in real life like her.

I built up the importance and expectations of this vacation to great heights in my head and it delivered!  And despite the dilapidated lodging, it was everything I wanted it to be.  We'll hold onto it for a long time.

We took over 450 pictures.  I had a hard time weeding through them, but I painstakingly got it down to 39.

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Posted By Bloomers to KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES at 8/27/2010 01:07:00 PM