Sunday, August 5th:
It is funny that the longer Jordan is out on his mission the more his letters home sound like he is speaking a foreign language--the spelling and grammar are becoming...interesting.=) That's alright, the personality that is shining through those words is still true blue, through and through, as solidly unique as it ever was!=)
I am a happy mom today with my kids around me physically and emotionally. The girls were up at Grandma's for the Granddaughter party Wed-Sat and the house was like a tomb. Abe and I went about our regular activities, doing many of the things we generally do individually anyway, but without the constant buzz of energetic activity it just felt lonely. When Fred would get home in the evening we had picnics and barbecues and occasionally went out for a treat, which was fun, but activities can never replace people. By Saturday all three of us were anxious to go up to the ranch and fetch our girls back. For the last four days our bedtime routine has been amazingly succinct. We read scriptures, say family prayer and the three of us are quickly in our rooms--not so now that the girls are back. It is amazing to me how long it can take from the time we kneel for family prayer and the time in which the prayer is actually started. It seems to be a call for visiting time and everyone seems to have something to say. I think it makes Fred a little crazy, probably because it always seems to be so late, but I love that we enjoy each other's company and that everyone together seems to energize us all.
Quote of the week:
"Jesus said several times, "Come, follow me." His was a program of "do what I do," rather than "do what I say." His innate brilliance would have permitted him to put on a dazzling display, but that would have left his followers far behind. He walked and worked with those he was to serve. His was not a long-distance leadership. He was not afraid of close friendships; he was not afraid that proximity to him would disappoint his followers. The leaven of true leadership cannot lift others unless we are with and serve those to be led."
It is funny that the longer Jordan is out on his mission the more his letters home sound like he is speaking a foreign language--the spelling and grammar are becoming...interesting.=) That's alright, the personality that is shining through those words is still true blue, through and through, as solidly unique as it ever was!=)
I am a happy mom today with my kids around me physically and emotionally. The girls were up at Grandma's for the Granddaughter party Wed-Sat and the house was like a tomb. Abe and I went about our regular activities, doing many of the things we generally do individually anyway, but without the constant buzz of energetic activity it just felt lonely. When Fred would get home in the evening we had picnics and barbecues and occasionally went out for a treat, which was fun, but activities can never replace people. By Saturday all three of us were anxious to go up to the ranch and fetch our girls back. For the last four days our bedtime routine has been amazingly succinct. We read scriptures, say family prayer and the three of us are quickly in our rooms--not so now that the girls are back. It is amazing to me how long it can take from the time we kneel for family prayer and the time in which the prayer is actually started. It seems to be a call for visiting time and everyone seems to have something to say. I think it makes Fred a little crazy, probably because it always seems to be so late, but I love that we enjoy each other's company and that everyone together seems to energize us all.
Quote of the week:
"Jesus said several times, "Come, follow me." His was a program of "do what I do," rather than "do what I say." His innate brilliance would have permitted him to put on a dazzling display, but that would have left his followers far behind. He walked and worked with those he was to serve. His was not a long-distance leadership. He was not afraid of close friendships; he was not afraid that proximity to him would disappoint his followers. The leaven of true leadership cannot lift others unless we are with and serve those to be led."
--Pres. Spencer W. Kimball
Monday, August 13:
This week has forced me to face the fact that school is coming again. As is usually the case Lily, Sophie and Eden are feeling that positive anticipation of new beginnings. Abe and I are melancholy about summer endings and Fred and Mikayla seem to be immersed in that land of middle ground. Mikayla seems to be enjoying her hiatus from the pressure cooker of college. She is at various stages of reading and listening to 7 different books of diverse genre's--all of her own choosing.=) She rides her bike over 17-1/2 miles to/from work 3 times a week so she can save gas money. It takes her 45 minutes each way, so she has to leave at 6:15 AM and rides back in the hottest part of the day. She is, as always, an amazing example of dedication and self discipline. She is just trying to focus on feeding her brain and working as much as possible to store up financially for Winter. I guess all of our different stages have their purposes and we all continue to stretch, regardless of how "ready" we are, and that is the important thing. I often feel the stretching process is painful and sometimes even injurious but I just keep telling myself that if I can just make it through this "run" it will get easier. The irony is that the moment it does get easier more miles mysteriously seem to get added to the workout and I have to train even harder. It is a crazy circle cycle! (And Lori wonders why I don't want to do more "training"! =)
One of Eden's friends was baptized on Saturday. The chapel was packed with youth--and more people than are ever in attendance for an entire stake baptism. Trying to fit everyone into the RS room to see the baptism was a challenge, but miraculously we did it (though I'm sure the Fire Marshall would not have been happy). The youth of Middleton are incredible missionaries!
I got to teach our Gospel Principles class on Sunday. None of our investigators or converts were there as summer seems to take it's toll, so it was a tiny, intimate group of ward missionaries and the Sister missionaries. For 45 minutes we discussed eternal marriage and the spirit was pervasive and the sister missionaries had some powerful comments that added so much. I know it is awful to say, but one of my favorite things about this calling is having the opportunity to "miss out" on the huge, often opinionated, Gospel Doctrine class in favor of this tiny, simple, doctrinally sound Gospel Principles class. It is often the highlight of my Sundays (especially when I'm not teaching=).
This past week our days consisted of school supply shopping, work, Olympics, Fred in Las Vegas, mutual, Eagle Scout service projects, baptisms, community movies in the park, and the usual mayhem that seem to ever pervade the walls of this home full of Bloomers. I will miss the steady hum--and often explosions--of family interaction when routines start to change next week.
Quote of the week:
"Whatever our age, whatever our location, when things occur in our lives…we will forever be in the middle…Yes, there will be moments of beginnings and moments of endings throughout our lives, but these are only markers along the way of the great middle of our eternal lives…Being always in the middle means that the game is never over, hope is never lost, defeat is never final. For no matter where we are or what our circumstances, an eternity of beginnings and an eternity of endings stretch out before us." —President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Monday, August 13:
This week has forced me to face the fact that school is coming again. As is usually the case Lily, Sophie and Eden are feeling that positive anticipation of new beginnings. Abe and I are melancholy about summer endings and Fred and Mikayla seem to be immersed in that land of middle ground. Mikayla seems to be enjoying her hiatus from the pressure cooker of college. She is at various stages of reading and listening to 7 different books of diverse genre's--all of her own choosing.=) She rides her bike over 17-1/2 miles to/from work 3 times a week so she can save gas money. It takes her 45 minutes each way, so she has to leave at 6:15 AM and rides back in the hottest part of the day. She is, as always, an amazing example of dedication and self discipline. She is just trying to focus on feeding her brain and working as much as possible to store up financially for Winter. I guess all of our different stages have their purposes and we all continue to stretch, regardless of how "ready" we are, and that is the important thing. I often feel the stretching process is painful and sometimes even injurious but I just keep telling myself that if I can just make it through this "run" it will get easier. The irony is that the moment it does get easier more miles mysteriously seem to get added to the workout and I have to train even harder. It is a crazy circle cycle! (And Lori wonders why I don't want to do more "training"! =)
One of Eden's friends was baptized on Saturday. The chapel was packed with youth--and more people than are ever in attendance for an entire stake baptism. Trying to fit everyone into the RS room to see the baptism was a challenge, but miraculously we did it (though I'm sure the Fire Marshall would not have been happy). The youth of Middleton are incredible missionaries!
I got to teach our Gospel Principles class on Sunday. None of our investigators or converts were there as summer seems to take it's toll, so it was a tiny, intimate group of ward missionaries and the Sister missionaries. For 45 minutes we discussed eternal marriage and the spirit was pervasive and the sister missionaries had some powerful comments that added so much. I know it is awful to say, but one of my favorite things about this calling is having the opportunity to "miss out" on the huge, often opinionated, Gospel Doctrine class in favor of this tiny, simple, doctrinally sound Gospel Principles class. It is often the highlight of my Sundays (especially when I'm not teaching=).
This past week our days consisted of school supply shopping, work, Olympics, Fred in Las Vegas, mutual, Eagle Scout service projects, baptisms, community movies in the park, and the usual mayhem that seem to ever pervade the walls of this home full of Bloomers. I will miss the steady hum--and often explosions--of family interaction when routines start to change next week.
Quote of the week:
"Whatever our age, whatever our location, when things occur in our lives…we will forever be in the middle…Yes, there will be moments of beginnings and moments of endings throughout our lives, but these are only markers along the way of the great middle of our eternal lives…Being always in the middle means that the game is never over, hope is never lost, defeat is never final. For no matter where we are or what our circumstances, an eternity of beginnings and an eternity of endings stretch out before us." —President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
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| Our Odd Duck Abe and his "Magazine Masks" |
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