December 15, 2010

Feel Good Moments

One morning as I was returning home from taking Brennen to school, I happened upon a some geese flying into the park.  The sun was just coming up and  I was looking at them from behind and it was beautiful how the sun was shining illuminating the geese so they were almost silhouettes.  Well, I really can't describe it.  But it reminded me of a painting or something where bird's bodies are more like an outline, (you know, how you draw like an "m" for a bird in the sky).  okay...words aren't working here but for a moment, it was beautiful watching the geese fly into the park and land on the grass and I felt warm fuzzies.

moving on...

Brennen is 13 and he looks 13 or maybe 11. He is a pretty quiet fellow and though he assures me he has friends at school, there are never any at our house, nor does he 'hang' with anyone on a regular basis--just occasionally with the boys in the neighborhood.  He is a very talented musician.  He decided to play the piano and sing for the school talent show.  He downloaded the sheet music for "Over My Head" by the Fray and learned it the accompaniment but decided to have someone else sing.  He asked one girl and before he knew it 4 girls wanted to sing.  So one night three girls showed up at our house for rehearsal (don't know what happened to the 4th one). And you know how girls look when they are in middle school--older than the 13 year old boys.  It was so cute to see Brennen and these girls.  (only a mom would say that).  They call him Starfish because he was in "Alice in Wonderland" as a starfish and still wears the t-shirt/jersey occasionally that says "starfish" on it. so cute.  Made me feel good to see Brennen being social.

next..

I have recently had the privilege of being around a newly returned missionary.  He is still glowing.  I always feel that baby's eyes shine with the light of Christ and Jacob fits that description too.  He is shining with the light of Christ.

My nephew arrived home late Saturday nighte after two years of teaching the gospel in Columbia. My family and I heard him speak in church and then went to my brother's house on Monday night for a welcome home party. Jacob sat with us and answered questions about his experience.  It was lovely.  Kind of a funny word but I can't think of a better one.  He is so happy and fills the room with his happiness.  He shared how his went on his mission just because he knew since he was young that he would, but messed around before hand and really didn't prepare very well. Yet while he was out serving a great change came over him and he now has such a marvelous love for the Savior, and feels that love from Him, and a has an incredible testimony of prayer.  Andy even told me after church that he "felt so happy when Jacob was speaking that he cried a couple times."  


It is interesting how we send our knuckle-head (as my brother often referred to him) 19 year-olds on missions and they come back so different.  It just felt so good to be around him and look at his happy face, and into those bright eyes.  

December 14, 2010

Stocking Stuff

This morning my youngest came to me in the kitchen so sad.  "I can't find a stocking for me." he said.

We put the Christmas tree up late last week but I haven't finished decorating the house, and though decorations and most of the stockings are still in the Christmas boxes, there are some stockings floating around, and he couldn't find one with his name on it (for he can read his name now). I can say that yes, Cameron has a stocking with his name on it, but sadly, it doesn't match the rest of the families'.


Last time we made stockings (or rather bought some and wrote names on them with glitter glue/paint stuff) was Andy's first Christmas.  It was a few months later that we excitedly and surprisingly found out I was pregnant after almost 6 years.  Janessa's first Christmas I found a matching stocking and she actually fit into it! and we took a picture of her int it.  Funny, but at the time I had the idea to buy 2 stockings "just in case" but I didn't imagine I would get pregnant again, plus I had my hands full with two babies already, so I only bought one.  Needless to say when Cameron's first Christmas came along 2 years later, I couldn't find a matching stocking.  And every year since I have been meaning to do new stockings...

There are many advantages to being the youngest, and sometimes there are not.  I did find Cameron a stocking with his name on it.  I don't know yet if he noticed it doesn't look like everyone else's.