When a friend calls...

It is a matter of life that we are all mortal and that none of us will exit this life without the uncontrollable touch of its challenges that often come. Still, even knowing that, when those tests come, the grief, pain, disappointments, hurt, and anger, and eventually hopeful peace in and during a trial are ours to bear.

This past week a dear friend of mine, a young mother of 3 children, called to inform me that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer which has already spread to her lymph nodes. My mind could barely wrap around the reality of what she was saying.

We have spent countless hours discussing everything from childrearing, marriage, political/social issues, spirituality, and anything our mothering minds could talk about. Never though had we faced the fact that one would be embarking on a very difficult path of treatment and recovery. While my heart is pained with the challenge ahead I am dedicated to see her through this, and know that with the Lord, all things are possible. Not always easy, but possible.

However, I bring this up on my blog, not to shed attention to my friend, or even to myself, but more to work out the thoughts of my heart that have come since finding out.

In my opinion breast cancer seems to hit at the heart of womanhood. Women, who are co-partners with Heavenly Father in creating “life”, often bear the greater weight of bearing and raising humanity. To me women symbolize “givers of life” the divine nature that the Lord has given them. Setting aside so much, and willing self sacrifice to carry, bare, or raise children, whether from their own bodies or another’s. Our bosom’s which so often symbolize worldly pleasures, to me symbolize womanhood and motherhood centered near the heart, nourishment to new life. Before technical advances, before breast pumps, and formula, for thousands of years the woman’s breasts have sustained new life. It is quite amazing. And so while I know there are a myriad of other cancers, illnesses, and diseases that can attack the body, breast cancer attacks the very thing that helped sustain life (I am sure that cervical cancer can be added to that category as well).

The pink ribbon has always signified to me how special each woman on this earth is and the burden that many have to bare. Womanhood or Motherhood is an awesome thing, really. With the physical, emotional, and lifelong sacrifices associated with bringing children into the world and rearing them, it is amazing to me that even during the most difficult times that women’s hearts are most always turned towards their children and family and not upon their own plight. During our conversation, my friend and I recounted the events, focused on planning for the things that need to be taken care of, yet amid all she is about to endure her greatest concern is that of her young boys. The nurturer’s in our divine nature never seems to stop.

I know that this is a well traveled road that many have walked before and will be filled with many emotions and challenges for all involved. Undoubtedly many tears will be shed, and many triumphs will be made. I am grateful that I am able to lean on my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who has promised comfort, guidance, and understanding. Yet even with that sure knowledge the tears come. Already my friend is teaching me that she is the strong one and her example to me is added among every great woman that has lived!

Pressing forward, that is our motto!

Duet

When my sister visited us in January, she and Daria had the great fun opportunity to play a piano duet together. My sister is a natural at piano and has played since she was a small girl and Daria who is turning out to be quite natural at it as well seemed like a perfect fit for hopefully a new family tradition.

Before my sister's visit Daria picked out a piano piece so they could learn their parts and be able to play together when she arrived. We had a lot of fun watching them practice (over and over and over and over.) Kudos to my sister who had to play over and over again because Daria isn't always interested in using consistent correct timing. Regardless though it turned out really nice and I hope they do it again in the future!

I've posted two videos, one is of the song itself, the other is of some of the bloopers.

Duet

Bloopers

More about Summer

Ok, I know it's not Summer. In fact I know it's not even close to Summer. Well, actually I have no idea when the first day of Summer is. But suffice it to say that with the time change and longer days I see Summer on the horizon. Today started out brisk but ended up beautiful. Now I'm not sure about any of you but I've got this problem. When it's Summer time I have such a hard time being motivated to cook dinner because the kids and I never want to come in the house. I suppose I could live on bowls of soup and salads but that wouldn't work with my family. Which is exactly what happened today. The weather was nice, neighbors were out, the sun entranced us in conversation on the lawn, and thoughts of cooking dinner seemed painful. So it turned into a "whatever night." Yes, that's what we call it around here when I have not been on top of things and planned a menu or started dinner earlier in the day. The kids actually love whatever nights and if they don't like what I'm cooking will often say "Can we have a whatever night?" Anyway, back to my story. We all mingled into the house slowly. Dustin didn't want left overs so settled for eggs and toast. Daria and Ken ate chicken left overs. I settled for my favorite oyster salad. Now every time I make this it's usually on a "whatever" night and the same thing happens. Everyone chooses something different and then when I sit down with my delicious salad my kids eyes get swirly and they flock around me like a bunch of seagulls around a school of fish. Then I hear moans and groans about "why didn't you tell me we could have oyster salad?" (as if!!! They know they can have one but they chose something else). Then the begging begging begins, "Just one bite, please" Sounds funny really but my kids do have strange food tastes. I ate what I could of the salad and Dustin gobbled down the rest. How many kids do you know like oysters? On top of that last week I found out that both of my kids like brussel sprouts to my pleasant surprise. I don't cook them because Ken doesn't like them. I did however buy a bag for myself to snack on. As you mom's know anytime a mom snacks on something the kids automatically want to try it. Before I knew it Dustin hogged the brusselsprouts. Strange days in our home for sure, and now I'm sure all of you feel better knowing our eating habits.

I did it! I finally finished our taxes. It feels a bit liberating to have them done. For most of our marriage we had someone else do our taxes because we had so many complicated scenarios that we would rather someone else figure it out. Last year however we didn't have anything out of the ordinary so I did the taxes on my own which were fairly easy. This year however was not a easy. The company Ken works for had some changes last year forcing the sale of certain stocks. No problem I thought. Well, if it was cut and dry it wouldn't have been a problem, but after several weeks of phone calls, research, and finally a call from the nice Turbo Tax man, I finally figured out how to report the information. It's mind boggling and reminds me that I still have no desire to be an accountant or CPA.

So yesterday, just like last Monday I did laundry again. (Obviously my Saturday cleaning day is not working out so well thanks to soccer games and choir practices) I realized that after finishing ALL the loads of laundry that I never saw Dustin's soccer shirt or muddy soccer pants from Friday nights practice. So later I asked him if he knew where they were. He happily replies "Oh, their in my drawers." I sat there with a smile on my face of course, not knowing what to say. The idea is to put clean clothes in the drawers and dirty clothes in the basket. Well, at least he got part of it right!

Daria has been practicing with the our church's Stake Children's Primary Choir this past month. This weekend our church is hosting a Palm Sunday Choir Concert so Daria will be singing with the children's portion. It should be pretty good and it is fun to watch Daria because she loves to sing. The group she is in will be singing the descant portion to "Beautiful Savior".

One thing I forgot to post last month: As many of you may remember, as a young boy Dustin spent most of his time dressing up as various people; firemen, Spiderman, Helaman's warrior, Luke Skywalker, doctor, Batman, Power Rangers, Davie Crocket, race car drivers..... Ok, ok, the list could go on forever. Most of that has faded now and sometimes I miss the funny things he would come up with. So last month Dustin came down the stairs clearly dressed as someone other than Dustin, and said "Mom, do you know who I am?" by the look of it I was going to say Joseph Smith, but instead said I had no idea. Then Dustin says "I'm George Washington!" It was so cute! Because of Presidents day they had been learning a lot about good ole George and honest Abe. Anyway, Dustin even slicked his hair back. When he came out again he said with a discouraging voice "don't you have a wig I could wear??" of course he was referring to the type of wig that George Washington would wear. "Uhhh, Dustin, no I don't happen to have a colonial wig laying around for you to wear." The fun never ends around here!

Signs of Summer........Not!

Already we've experienced a few signs of summer. Last Friday night we ended up outside with all of our neighbor friends, eating pizza, the kids playing and eventually watching a movie on the garage door, thanks to Michelle and KC's projector. It was fun, and even funnier to watch the drivers slow down wondering what we were doing. We dubbed it our own neighborhood drive in. Saturday I was even able to wear capri's. Ahhhhh, visions of long summer days .... until yesterday when it was 34 degrees in the morning. Is it winter? is it Spring? who knows!!!!

Usually I make Saturdays our "family cleaning day". Although it's easier for me to clean the house on my own during the week while the kids are in school, I realized that it does not benefit my children who need to learn responsibility, work, and service, thus Saturday morning cleaning day. The idea is if we all work together the house is clean in no time at all. The rule is that no one gets to play until it's all done. I have to say, the kids are always very helpful (complainative but helpful) and we get it done quickly. But this Saturday came and went with a multitude of activities and I just couldn't bare to sit on a dirty toilet again, so Monday became cleaning day this week. I washed and folded 3 loads of laundry, cleaned 3 bathrooms, did the dishes, (Dustin emptied the dishwasher, he was home with a sinus headache.), vacuumed, mopped, grocery shopped, and made dinner. By 6:00pm I was pretty much exhausted. But, that meant that Tuesday I could wake up to a clean house and of course clean toilet seats.


Along with the buddings of summer comes more school fundraisers. I have HUGE issues with school fundraisers. I know, I know, the money goes to a good cause (well sort of, I mean moonwalks for game days! field trips to Disney on Ice - whatever happened to field trips to the Science Museum??). I would rather there be an option to donate money if you don't want to sell items instead of being coerced into buying cookie dough or stuff I would never buy anyway. The kids are all for it of course because if everyone in the class sells something (Oh wait, they want each kid to sell at least two things) then they get a ride in a limo. The problem is, Ken can't sell stuff at work, and since I don't work that just leaves the block, and everyone else on the block has kids in school too. I suppose I would have more leverage to complain if I were on the PTO board, and I don't really want to be. Still it's frustrating!

So this week we had a scare. The other day after school I couldn't find Dustin. No one seemed to remember if he got off the bus or not. Talk about horrifying! We looked everywhere, called out his name. I finally called the school which they were alarmed as well. I even went after the bus which was on the other block, but was stopped short when Daria called me to say that Dustin was found hiding under a bush. I know he had no clue how serious such a thing would be and once he realized how serious it was he cried the rest of the night. At the same time I had him write an apology letter to his teacher since she was notified at school and was equally worried.

Soooo...... with that over, the rest of the week felt like a breeze. Daria completed her very first heavy duty test at school. The night before she was very funny, full of a ton of energy. I'm assuming she was feeling anxious and it was being translated into energy. Funny how we all handle stress!

Today was another cold day. We'll see what tomorrow's weather will bring. Will it be winter or summer?