We fed the missionaries last night. One young Elder is brand new to the mission field and the other, who we know a little better, Mikayla calls "the English missionary". He's not from England, but she thinks he looks English and his mannerisms are very proper. Both of my older girls are impressed by him and he seems to be a neat young man, but last night after the new Elder had shared a simple, but profound message with us, the Spirit was strong and they lingered a few minutes before their next appointment. "The English Elder" picked up Mikayla's guitar and started playing a beautiful version of "If You Could Hie to Kolob" and it brought Jordan so near that I had to make a difficult and concentrated effort to keep my emotions in check so I wouldn't frighten the poor boy or have to go into some long mother-misses-son explanation. We love our associations with these young men. It has become like a 2 year trade. I love some other mothers sons for two years, while other mothers are loving mine. It's such a natural emotional evolution. Last week there was a bit of tension in R.S. opening exercises with discussion about the Elders not showing up for dinner appointments and I felt my mother hen feathers ruffle a bit in defence of these young men; like they were MY boys. I can imagine someone feeling the same about my Jordan and it gives me immense peace. These young men of the priesthood are so dear to mother hearts!
My Mikayla is now in Long Beach with her best friend, on their Disneyland excursion. Fred and I have been a bit of a nuisance, texting and calling them frequently and they are humoring us with return texts and forwarded cell phone pictures are so blurry you can barely tell who is who, but at least we have felt a part of their experience and it has kept them near. They sound like they are having such fun together and I am glad. I have had to fix all of my own technical computer difficulties for 4 days now, which I'm sure is good for me and relaxing for Mikayla,=) but the house is lonely without her. I am not cut out to be an empty nester and luckily I have many years ahead of me before that label can be appropriately attached to me, but I do not look forward to it.
My little Eden is feeling a little forlorn these last few days, struggling with figuring out these complicated boy/girl friendship relationships. Her enthusiasm for life extends to her enthusiasm for people and that can be a little bit confusing. I think she misses her big sister and their night time talks these last few days. Being 15 can be very emotionally difficult--I remember all too well-- but her heart is filled to the brim with righteous desire so she'll make it through--we both will, I'm sure, but she certainly keeps me on my mother toes. She's not the first to do that !=) The world loves Eden and she loves this beautiful world right back, but every once in awhile it all seems in a kerfuffel. She wants her "Sweet 16" party to be an all girl affair, which I think is a brilliant idea--less complicated she says--but I think she's getting wiser by the hour.=)
My Abe came up with some creative ideas for campaign posters this past week and we put our heads together and ended up with results that were a hit with his classmates. It's been fun to see him investing himself. This Thursday is the end of campaigning, so I imagine these next few days will get a bit more competitive, but so far I think he is feeling positive about his efforts. I'm just feeling pleased about the personality that seems to be taking embryonic shape. It has been quite a few years since we were watching him pick flowers and roll himself up in the goalie net on the soccer field and life was still all about him. Maybe his "team player" instincts are finally emerging. This opportunity is a good forum for that enlightenment because he'll learn quickly that he can get nowhere without the support of other people. I think this small scale experience will be a fine teacher for that. He is firmly on the path to becoming a young man.
My Lily and Sophie seem to be loving school. They are already planning their first twin tricks for April Fools Day; I guess their teacher is known to be an April Fools jokester at school. Their student/teacher relationship is more sparring than with a female teacher and I think their little personalities enjoy that with him, but they are going through a tedious phase with each other that seems independence based and argumentative. I am not very patient and tolerant about it but I am hoping it is a natural twin phase that will sort itself out with time; accelerated time! Sophie seems more desirous of liberation and Lily still tends to lean more toward duality...feelings can get tender. There is just nothing quite like those "Bloomin" emotions running high and deep!=)
Today is the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and I am enormously grateful for the gospel in my life. I am grateful to know that amongst all of the fear and chaos that there is a pre-determined plan and that we are definitely not on our own. Neither are we in charge... and luckily nor is Satan. I am so grateful for our freedoms and for this blessed country. I can almost hear Joseph Smith saying, "...the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." Fred keeps hoping for the second coming=) but I know the work is not yet done...our work is not yet done. I am so grateful to be a part of it and to know how I fit into it all. That is a priceless treasure.
My Mikayla is now in Long Beach with her best friend, on their Disneyland excursion. Fred and I have been a bit of a nuisance, texting and calling them frequently and they are humoring us with return texts and forwarded cell phone pictures are so blurry you can barely tell who is who, but at least we have felt a part of their experience and it has kept them near. They sound like they are having such fun together and I am glad. I have had to fix all of my own technical computer difficulties for 4 days now, which I'm sure is good for me and relaxing for Mikayla,=) but the house is lonely without her. I am not cut out to be an empty nester and luckily I have many years ahead of me before that label can be appropriately attached to me, but I do not look forward to it.
My little Eden is feeling a little forlorn these last few days, struggling with figuring out these complicated boy/girl friendship relationships. Her enthusiasm for life extends to her enthusiasm for people and that can be a little bit confusing. I think she misses her big sister and their night time talks these last few days. Being 15 can be very emotionally difficult--I remember all too well-- but her heart is filled to the brim with righteous desire so she'll make it through--we both will, I'm sure, but she certainly keeps me on my mother toes. She's not the first to do that !=) The world loves Eden and she loves this beautiful world right back, but every once in awhile it all seems in a kerfuffel. She wants her "Sweet 16" party to be an all girl affair, which I think is a brilliant idea--less complicated she says--but I think she's getting wiser by the hour.=)
My Abe came up with some creative ideas for campaign posters this past week and we put our heads together and ended up with results that were a hit with his classmates. It's been fun to see him investing himself. This Thursday is the end of campaigning, so I imagine these next few days will get a bit more competitive, but so far I think he is feeling positive about his efforts. I'm just feeling pleased about the personality that seems to be taking embryonic shape. It has been quite a few years since we were watching him pick flowers and roll himself up in the goalie net on the soccer field and life was still all about him. Maybe his "team player" instincts are finally emerging. This opportunity is a good forum for that enlightenment because he'll learn quickly that he can get nowhere without the support of other people. I think this small scale experience will be a fine teacher for that. He is firmly on the path to becoming a young man.
My Lily and Sophie seem to be loving school. They are already planning their first twin tricks for April Fools Day; I guess their teacher is known to be an April Fools jokester at school. Their student/teacher relationship is more sparring than with a female teacher and I think their little personalities enjoy that with him, but they are going through a tedious phase with each other that seems independence based and argumentative. I am not very patient and tolerant about it but I am hoping it is a natural twin phase that will sort itself out with time; accelerated time! Sophie seems more desirous of liberation and Lily still tends to lean more toward duality...feelings can get tender. There is just nothing quite like those "Bloomin" emotions running high and deep!=)
Today is the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and I am enormously grateful for the gospel in my life. I am grateful to know that amongst all of the fear and chaos that there is a pre-determined plan and that we are definitely not on our own. Neither are we in charge... and luckily nor is Satan. I am so grateful for our freedoms and for this blessed country. I can almost hear Joseph Smith saying, "...the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." Fred keeps hoping for the second coming=) but I know the work is not yet done...our work is not yet done. I am so grateful to be a part of it and to know how I fit into it all. That is a priceless treasure.
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