At family home evening last night I was helping my kids memorize their parts for the upcoming Primary Program. Brad's part is, "I believe the church is true and I am grateful for the temple."

So I asked him why he was grateful for the temple. I asked, "What goes on there?"

He said, "Angel Moroni."

Early August in Idaho

Brad's First Day of 5th Grade

Lagoon!

I have not put any of my kids in preschool. When Aubryn was meeting with her kindergarten teacher for her assessment, her teacher asked her, "Did you go to preschool?"

Aubryn replied, "I skipped preschool."

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Tonight at dinner we had the sister missionaries eating with us. One sister was helping dish food on Reagan's plate. She said, "Tell me when..."

He said, "Now. Today."

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I was cutting Reagan's hair the other day and he was flapping his arms around. I told him that made his whole body wiggle and it was hard to cut his hair. He didn't even pause, just said, "I really don't care." He kept on flapping.

Rylan's Day

 

 

 

 

Happy 2nd Birthday, Rylan!!

We love you!

Surrender

In the Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West flies on her broomstick and writes in the sky, "Surrender Dorothy!"

When a ship is attacked by pirates, they put up a white flag and surrender.

This word has a much deeper meaning to me lately. I have been thinking about the upcoming labor and delivery of this baby. I am not whole heartedly looking forward to it. It will hurt. It will be intense. It will be worth it. But the only way for me to get through it is to surrender to my body and let it do what it knows how to do. If I fight, it makes it worse. I have to let go.

I have also been thinking of other times in my life when I have fought, only to learn that I need to surrender. I think denial is a great way for the human mind to cope. It believes what it can believe, until it accepts all it needs to know. There have been times that I needed to surrender to the will of God. The sooner I take what He has dealt to me and accept it, the sooner I am at a peaceful place. It is not easy to get there. Surrendering is not my nature, yet I have found power there.

"Surrender Anjie!"

"What the heck!"

Reagan has been exploding in his ability to pronouce words correctly. He used to say "T" for any "K" or "C" sound, like tool for cool, tar for car, tookie for cookie, etc. He also could not say his "L" sound. He would substitute it with a "W" sound. Rylan's name was said, "Rywan" and he "woved" us. He would say the "D" sound instead of "G", like dood for good, dolf, for golf, or when he said garbage he would leave the "G" sound off all together. He would say, "arbage".

What is more exciting than hearing his speech clear up is to see the excitment on his animated face when he says something correct for the first time. He seems more surprized than anyone.

"MOM! What the heck!! I can say GAR-BAGE!" (Imagine him saying that with his head cocked forward, eyes wide circles, and mouth left open when he's done.)