Much to talk about today.
My mom left yesterday. It was a beautiful 80-degree sunny day when she boarded her plane to Utah. It had been rainy most of the week before, so I am glad she saw some sun! We laughed over Kate's reaction to mom. She was a little stinker to her! If mom tried to pick her up, she'd turn away. If mom said, "Can grandma feed you?" Kate would quietly answer, "No." Good thing Kate was so cute still and mom thought it was funny, but really Kate, what the heck? It's GRANDMA!!! I kept saying that over and over to re-emphasize that we all LOVE grandma!!!
So today, I feel like I've been hit by a fast moving train. I am so dang tired! After mom left yesterday, I finished arranging a song that I am singing with my three daughters in church on Sunday. It was the first arrangement I have done since moving. It felt good to exercise my brain again! It starts with Sydney's little pure voice singing, "Whenever I hear the song of a bird or look at the blue blue sky.." Then we all come in on the second verse in three part tight harmony finished by almost accapella "As I Have Loved You." I had to write the piano part out (ugh) so that my friend Melanie could play for us. I usually don't have to write that out, because I just play it and know it and then forget it. This time, however, since I am singing and not playing, that was a major deal. In doing this, I decided again for the 10th time that I have to learn the Finale Notepad software I have and the Logic music software I also have. I have to learn how to do it!! It would be so sweet to just play it on my piano and have it written out on staff paper. Voila. Done.
Finally, I had a Relief Society planning meeting here for two big activities coming up. So, right here, I have to make a diversion:::::
Si, thank you so much for posting the blackberry hand pies recipe on your blog. I made some last night for the meeting which was at my house. Not only did the house smell wonderful and pie-ish when people came, but I was able to serve them their very own warm blackberry pie as we chatted and planned. I really love these.
Which leads me to thoughts about my Julie & Julia experience, which I never really have posted about. It was a great month. I made something every day, or if I needed a day off for some reason, I would make two things on a different day. Near the end of the month, I didn't post about every one, because some things I made twice. That was ok with me. I didn't realize how hard it would be to do this experience, however. I have never been to the store that much in my life. I probably had to run there almost every day. So, between the store runs and the cooking, I was in the kitchen a LOT. The negative in that is that I can't keep that kind of pace up. My family likes food, but they also like me doing other things with them more than cooking cooking cooking. The good, though, far outweighed the bad. I gained way more confidence in my ability to make anything. I got out of my comfort zone of making the same things all of the time. The food was GOOD. Much better than the stuff I make a lot. I had the time. That little window of the first few months in a new state, not knowing anyone, was the perfect time to do a project like that. Thank you Si, for helping me with it! Thank you for your blog and the inspiration it gives me to cook! I still love it!
The girls' trip to Utah was successful for two reasons. They had a blast and went on a weekend where lots was happening there. They flitted in and out of Misty's house at will and spent quality time with friends and with Spencer.
Luckily, BYU actually won.
With Spencer's friend Michaela. No, they aren't in Vegas, just Provo.
The girls got to stay in Kate's dorm. Misty still remembers staying at my dorm when she was high school. Kate tried to wake them up at 4:30 a.m. to make a dance video. Maddie went for it, Ali did not.
Maddie and good friend, Jeff, dressed as 2nd graders for the Halloween dance at BHS. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking those are some pretty weird 2nd graders. I am NOT going to dress Kate like this. No way.
Ali at the BHS football game.
The other reason it was successful, was that I think it solidified in their minds that living here is actually good. They have reached a point here where they are seeing the good things. They are learning a lot in school. I can see a huge difference in their writing, Maddie's art, Ali's study skills. Ali's tutor from India is really helping and really cool. She is an older woman and Ali jokes that she can hear horns honking, water splashing as the lady talks. It sounds to Ali like this woman is sitting on a curb on the freeway. But, when she calls, Ali takes out her electronic writing pad and they get down to business. This woman is very calm with Ali and just explains it as long as Ali needs until she gets it. It's awesome. Ali and Maddie are closer than they have ever been and hang out together, which would NEVER have happened in Utah.
Ali's mellowed out. She was a stress case in Utah a lot and had a lot of friend drama. When we first moved here, she didn't really remember that. Everything was perfect in Utah! Now, I think she is seeing that she is becoming a more focused, happy person here. She can see it a little more clearly. Finally, they are having experiences with standing up for their beliefs or people's erroneous beliefs about Mormons which is strengthening their testimonies. The 60 teens in this ward are very close to each other.
Sydney has many friends of many races, nationalities, religions. She often brings home seaweed stuff from Haley's lunch or rice cakes from someone else's. She is also learning so much. I can't believe it. She's also been to Disneyland 2 or 3 times, so she doesn't mind that!
Brett of course still loves it. He always has. He has been so patient with all of us girls as we have adjusted. How did he know, coming from a family of mostly boys and sports that he was going to end up with this...?
Hormonal women! :) He is the perfect dad for girls. Doesn't buy into too much emotion. Helps girls think things out logically. Always up for an adventure, always there for them.
I have also reached a good place. I wanted it to happen in the first month here, but I should have known it wouldn't. I am really starting to like it here now. I am getting more involved in things. I feel more myself again. I still miss friends and family, but it's a good miss now and besides, I have people staying here all of the time anyway!
Finally, Spencer has decided that he is going to go one semester, instead of two and will be putting in his mission papers soon. He will come home at Christmas until his mission, probably in February or March. I'm glad that he decided this timing on his own, even though it is what Brett and I felt he should do too. I'm so excited to have him home for a couple of months and see him prepare to serve. It will be a sweet time I know. I've seen him adjust to being on his own and sorting out who his close friends would be at this time in his life. He has come to a really good place right now and I'm proud of him for getting there.
It's weird, but I feel like I have been weepy about Spencer leaving for years. Well, I have--no "feel like" about it. However, I just now have a more firm knowledge that being on a mission is the best thing for him. I want him there! Part of it is seeing his friends who are on missions and the experiences they are having. Crazy! One of his friends takes glass bottomed boats to other islands and is giving whale teeth to the chief and living in a hut. Another is tracting all over England. Their letters are so exciting to read and see these boys becoming men. I now am seeing it as such an exciting blessing for our whole family. I have adjusted a little bit to having him gone (only I still talk to him a few times a week and I will miss hearing that voice for sure) so the weepiness is changing to excitement. I'm just going to have to deal with the fact that my family is changing, and he can't be my little boy forever...I've got it now. I'm ok with it. Life is good. Our family will always be changing now and it is still good.
OK. Sorry so long. I can either go do a workout now, skip the workout and just shower and get ready, go read one of my 3 books I am reading in my comfy bed, read my scriptures, sleep while Kate is, or have some graham crackers and milk. Choices. I'm thinking the book option might win out right now.
