Summer Vaction

This summer we made the most of the last month of having a national parks pass.  We started by visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  I went to the North Rim once as a teenager and our family has been to the South Rim multiple times but this was a first for our family to visit the North Rim.  The North Rim is in a very pretty wooded area but the view of the South Rim was a little lackluster due to off and on rain.  We did luck out however that even though it was raining for our drive in, it did stop raining long enough for us to put up our tent.

The next day we drove up through Zion National Park.  John and I hiked the narrows when we were in college and we fell in love with it.  However we only had a few hours so we didn't quite get to the narrows.  John's great grandfather was the engineer that designed the tunnel that goes through Zions.  It was neat to drive though and show the kids the tunnel and talk about their great, great grandfather.

Then after a very quick trip to visit family we headed up to Yellowstone.  We spent 5 days there and really loved it.  With so much to see we were gone all day sometimes not getting back to our campsite until 9 or 10 at night.  While we got to see all the major sights next time we will skip a lot of it and spend more time hiking.

After Yellowstone we drove through Teton National Park, had another quick visit with family and then headed down to Lake Powell.  It was a short visit but we had a blast with family and playing in the water.  Lake Powell is such a beautiful place we will definitely want to visit again.

Dad

I remember getting my drivers permit.  I think my Mom took me in the morning to take the test.  I was simultaneously excited and terrified.  Part of me couldn't wait for the freedom of driving and the other part of me was too scared.  That evening as soon as my Dad got home from work he came in and asked me if I wanted to go driving.  I think he was even more excited than I was to get behind the wheel.

My Dad always got excited for the kids.  Christmas morning my Dad was always up before the kids.  He was the one who woke us up to open presents.  And when it came time to open presents my Dad always watched anxiously while we opened up gifts.  All of Dad's gifts lay set aside until all of the kids had opened all of our gifts.

Dad, as a kid I appreciated being able to open my gifts before you.  Now as an adult I appreciate that you were excited for me as a kid.  Happy Fathers Day Dad!  I love you.

Piano Lessons

Here is another one that I wrote for my personal history group.

Despite the fact that I took piano lessons for years I do not play any musical instruments.  I started piano lessons when I was about 7 years old.  My older sister played so I was thrilled when my mom signed me up.  I think my teacher moved me though the lessons even though I hadn't really mastered them.  After about two years this teacher moved and I went to a new teacher. 

Teacher number 2 recognized than I wasn’t playing at the “Level 3” that my previous teacher had me at and had me switch to a different course of books.  She explained to me that this course numbered their levels differently and while I was a level three in my previous books I was at a level 2 in this course. 

Two shmoo.  I could tell I was being demoted.  I had no natural musical talent and combine that with the fact that I didn't really practice it meant that I wasn't very good at the piano.  Oh my mom made me practice every day and I did my 30 minutes of “practice”, but I didn't actually try very hard.  Don't worry mom I am getting my payback now as I can see Alan practice something for hours but not get a lick better because he isn't actually trying.

Well teacher number 2 caught on to the frustrations of teacher number 1  of having a student that was not progressing and she moved me though the books again so I was back at level 3 when she moved (are we seeing a pattern here?  Did I drive my teachers away?)

On to my third and final teacher.  At this point I think I was asking my mom to quit piano. But my mom made me persevere.  Teacher number 3 said I needed to brush up on my basics.  She pulled out her level one book and told me I would breeze through it in just a couple weeks, but it would be good practice for me.  Well, due to my lack of effort, those weeks turned into months.  She didn't want to pass me off until I had really learned it. 

I was with her for a few years and I eventually moved up, whining and complaining to my mom the whole time.  My mom still wouldn't let me quit.  This lasted all the way up to my final piano recital (I was 11 or 12 at this time).  I had “practiced” the song for weeks and I thought I had it until I got up to the piano.  I placed my hands on the keys and started to play.  I didn’t play more than a few notes because I quickly realized they were the wrong keys.  I tried again.  Wrong keys again.  I tried again.  Wrong keys.  I don't remember how many times I tried but I realized that I could possible sit there all day and never get the right keys.  I thought in my head of what my options were.  I don't think I even had my book with me in the room.  I thought “maybe I can run out of the room crying and then people will just feel sorry for me”.  But running away crying wasn't really my style. So I finally decided that I'll give it one more chance and I'll play the song no matter what.  I should have chosen to run away crying.  I couldn't get the right notes so I played the entire song without getting a single note correct.  I could tell how bad it was because my mom never said a single word to me about my performance.  She did tell me however that I was allowed to quit the piano.

It wasn't until at least 15 years later that I ever heard my mom say anything about the performance.  I had told John the story and he was the only one brave enough to broach the subject and ask my mom about it.  15 years later and she still couldn't completely hide the horror from her face.  All she could manage to get out was a quiet “It was so awful.”

To piano teachers everywhere.

I’m sorry.

*When I read this to my personal history group we all had a good laugh and one of the ladies there is a fantastic musician and has taught piano for many many years.  She was telling me that I probably had low graphoria (can't read two lines of music at once).  I was expressing my reservations at letting Alan take trumpet next year but she assured me that trumpet was only one line of music and would be much easier to start on.  We'll see.

Mom's and Marriage

My Parents at their 50th anniversary party.

When I was around 14 or so I was looking for my mom after school.  It was around 4 pm and I found her in her bathroom putting makeup on and curling her hair. I found this to be a little ridiculous
and was wondering with the day almost over why she was wasting her time.  "Mom," I said. "It's 4 o'clock in the afternoon.  I think it's a little late to be putting on makeup, you'll just wash it off in a few hours."

My mom had a very simple reply.  "Your dad will be home soon and I want to look beautiful for him."  This reply taught me a lot.  At the time I thought it was sweet, but it has taught me even more since that time.  It taught me that marriage needs to have a lot more giving than taking.  There is a whole lot of "My husband should love me not matter what I look like" and "I only get dressed up to please myself and no one else" going around.  It's true that you should please yourself with how you look and and that your husband should love you no matter what you look like (and my husband and my father both give that love unconditionally).  But that does not mean that you shouldn't try to please your husband.

My mom is a great example to me teaching me how to work on my marriage.  As my kids know, when mom and dad go out on dates, we are working on our marriage.  When they see mom and dad hugging or kissing, we are working on our marriage.   Doing simple things like making yourself look nice for your spouse is working on your marriage.

Thank you mom for the example you are to me.  I would not be the woman I am today without you.

Happy Mothers Day

Sweet Hour of Prayer-for Sandy Hook

When I heard of the tragic events at Sandy Hook on Friday my heart was broken.  Initially I did not tell my children about it.  Not because I thought they would be terrified but because I wanted to shield them from all the evil in the world.  Saturday I decided that there was no way I could keep it from them so I called them in and told them what happened.  I asked them to pray for the families and loved ones of those who had died.  They do not understand the scope of the tragedy and for that I am grateful, but they do remember them in all their prayers, and for that I am grateful too.

This morning as my heart was heavy with sorrow for Sandy Hook I recognized the song that had been stuck in my head all morning.  The hymn Sweet Hour of Prayer.  The line that kept repeating in my head was,

In seasons of distress and grief,

My soul has often found relief

. . .

By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

 

To all those who are in a season of distress and grief, I will do the only thing that I know will help.  

 

You will be in my prayers.

Wise Words

First day of 4th grade

A while ago Alan asked why some people stop going to church as adults.  I explained to him that since he is a kid mom and dad make sure that he goes to church, says his prayers, etc.  I told him that he needs to gain a testimony of the gospel now so that when he is an adult he will still go to church.  "When you are an adult you won't have your parents there to remind you all the time to do what's right, you will have to make that decision yourself." 

Alan thought for a moment and replied "I think I will get a wife to do that"