Life is in the little things

Our life hasn't been super exciting lately - just a bunch of little things.

1. Loads of Tender Mercies. Example: Caleb's LaCrosse league canceled their next season due to small numbers, but I found another league for him that is bigger, better organized and practice is 7 minutes away (instead of 25) - during the last few days of the new season registration. May not seem like a big deal, but we have been trying to find somethings active for him for years, and now that he has found something he loves we didn't want him to have to stop.

2. Back to the Grind. Treatments, Homework, Bills, Homework, Scouts, Homework, Activity Days, Homework, Dr. appts, Homework, Treatments, Homework, Parent/Teacher Conferences, Homework, Music, Homework, Bills, Homework, Cleaning the House, Homework, Treatments, Dr. appts, Etc. Etc. You get the idea.... Can you tell that I can't wait for the summer part to get rid of the homework?

3. New Year's Goals. Our Stake President challenged us to read the Book of Mormon this year. We are doing it as a family, but this is the first time everyone in the family is really old enough to do it on their own individually. What a joy to see our children grab a hold of this challenge and to see their confidence grow. Emma has come to me several times already asking about things, leading to some great discussions -- how FUN!

4. Realizations each day about how great our life is. We have been blessed with so much! I am constantly aware of how mindful the Lord is of me and our little family. There is so much joy to be had every day. This week my Sunday School lesson will be on the Creation. In preparing for it, I am truly thankful for this beautiful world and for our Heavenly Father giving us a Savior providing us a way to come back to Him. I am grateful for my amazing body! It has been through so much and it continues to work. I am grateful for my Heavenly Father who gives me breath each day. One of my 3 chemos got changed in December and the new one makes me incredibly miserable afterwards. I just seem to finally feel like I am not exhausted by 8am when it is time for another round. The last few months have been physically very very rough for me in how I feel. I truly am grateful to be here! This world, even with all the wickedness and sorrow is so good and there are so many wonderful people and there is so much to experience. I am grateful for the experiences I get to have.

Christmas -- priceless

Christmas was fabulous. Our Christmas Day itself was quiet and wonderful. We didn't go anywhere, we were in our pajamas for most of the day and we enjoyed just being together. We had some amazing moments that had nothing to do with presents that were just pure joy. It all started because we had not gotten home early enough the night before to read the Christmas story from the Bible the way we usually do on Christmas Eve. Rick and I decided to put kids (and us) to bed and read the story in the morning. We may do this every year from now on. It was lovely. After the fun and laughter of stockings, we gathered by the tree and took turns reading different parts of the story. The kids each wanted to take a different part; I felt so fulfilled to see them so eager to share a part and to share their feelings and ask questions and give their insights.

Because I had just had chemo 3 days before and was feeling pretty cruddy, I had decided not to make cinnamon rolls for our Christmas breakfast this year; we were going to have big store-bought muffins instead. It is the only time I make cinnamon rolls during the year and they are big, fat, gooey, amazing and completely unhealthy, so the kids were bummed, but very understanding. Aunt Amanda surprised us with a big pan of them on Christmas Eve (very sneaky to ask if I had a good recipe since she didn't have any of her cookbooks here and wanted to make some for Christmas morning for HER family) -- I was so touched! I know that that particular recipe isn't the most economical time-wise or ingredient-wise. Anyway, we had put them in the oven before our story and they weren't done yet so we had time to wait.

We decided to sit in a circle and go around and tell each other why we loved each other. I will not say what everyone said as it is so personal, but I will tell you this: 11-year-old boys can surprise you at times with their sensitivity. Caleb's comment was probably the best Christmas present I received that day. I will never ever forget it.

Then, Rick and I were in the other room talking and we heard the best thing ever. I am sorry not to have pictures on here -- I haven't downloaded them yet -- but it was such a present. Caleb had gotten out his french horn and he and Emma were playing a duet of Jingle Bells. Emma was on the piano. Rick and I melted! To see them think of that on their own and have such fun doing it together was a great memory! After they put up with pictures and videotaping, they made me get my flute out and join them.

Our morning was a MasterCard commercial -- definitely priceless!!!!

Elementary Band parents

Last night I went to my first ever Elementary School Band Concert. I never was in band in elementary school and my perspective would have been different anyway.

Well, what an experience!!!! I was in band in Jr. High and High School and I never ever heard that kind of enthusiasm in the audience! As soon as the students came walking onto the stage, there were 30 parents up there, front and center, snapping pictures of their child with their instrument. And I knew how they felt (I made Rick go up and take a picture of Caleb sitting there with his French Horn).

The 5th Grade Beginning Band started out the program and when they finished their first song, the applause was deafening. And, when they had finished their 5th and final song (Jingle Bells), and stood up, there was whistling, cheering, and so much applause, you would have thought you were at a Taylor Swift concert.

I get it, though. You see, I am an Elementary Band Parent. In the fullest degree. :) After listening to the practicing (reminding that practice does not mean going around the house and blowing noises in the mouthpiece in people's ears) and going to the music store for several books and helping to remember which days to bring the French Horn to school, going back home on the days we forgot to get the French Horn, I am so proud of Caleb and all he has accomplished. I don't want him to quit. So I will clap and cheer with everyone else. Seeing Caleb's smile (trying not to smile like it is any big deal when I know it is to him), was a happy feeling.

I was happy to hear him after the concert. "Mom, did you hear the 6th Graders? I can't wait to play those songs!"

Really, I think anyone would have been impressed. You could even tell what every song was.

Christmas Letter

I have Googled "Christmas letters", "Creative Christmas letters", "Cute Christmas letters", and have been sitting at my computer for 2 hours just trying to get something written. Here is my dilemma:

1. In all our craziness last fall, I never sent out Christmas cards. So, the people who only hear from me once a year through cards don't know about my struggle with cancer (because I refused to put it in any of the previous years' cards since it sounds so depressing), losing my leg, us moving, all of our life's happenings, etc.

2. The people who are close to me, vicinity-wise and emotionally, already know what is going on, so putting it in a card this year is just redundant for them. Blah, blah, blah. And I don't believe in sending out different cards for different people. They are all the same, they go in the envelope and they get addressed and go.......

3. We have moved, so if I don't send cards, I won't get any. ;) And I really, really like getting them. Our mail forwarding from our old address has now expired and I would like to see how my old friends are doing.

So if I decide to be redundant, I am sorry to all of you out there. If I am not redundant, well, I guess, the people who don't hear from me won't know. And, if I can't decide, well, maybe Christmas letters will be a tradition I discontinue (but I am so old-fashioned, I can't see that happening for too many years).

I feel like I have been so blessed, I should take every opportunity to share that with others-maybe especially those who only hear from me once each year. At the same time, I am trying so hard to not make myself crazy this year. Usually, by Christmas Day, I am worn out from all I am trying to accomplish. I wanted this year to be more relaxing (maybe because I am realistic about how I feel after doing chemo). I wanted to just snuggle with my kids, make cookies with them, read the stories, sing the songs, and speak of the Savior and why He is the Greatest Gift of all.

Whatever happens,
Merry Christmas!

There's No Place Like Home

I want to be in love with the place I live. Everywhere we have lived I have tried to find something about that place that makes it the best at that moment. Yet, doing that in this move to Arizona has been tough for me. I told myself over and over in the summer "You can be happy anywhere" and, while I knew that is true, it seemed like I was also hearing "blah blah blah" behind that thought. I was happy, I am happy, I just wanted to feel like this is home - a place I could happily stay as we don't want to keep moving, especially as our kids get older.

I will always miss the Hill Country of Texas. I will always think a little longingly of the beauty of the place and the people I miss and just the "Texas"-ness of it all. It is an amazing place and one that will always hold a piece of my heart.

I don't know exactly what changed (or when) in my heart, but I have come to know that I have found a place to "put my home." I think, for me, home has become a state of being more than a location on a map. As long as I am seeing my kids grow and thrive, as long as I can serve, as long as I am around people I love, I can be "home." My kids are happy and thriving, there are always opportunities to serve and we can find love where ever we choose. So here I am. And, truly there is no place like home.

The Newest Princess in the Kingdom of God

SUCH a special day for our little girl! October 10, 2009, Emma Catherine Davies was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was so nervous, partially because she didn't want to have to do it twice and partially because she really hates to have "everyone" looking at her. But she sailed through. Here she is in front of the font before the baptism. She was very cooperative of a Mom who couldn't get enough pictures.

The picture below shows a glimpse of the relationship between Emma and her Dad. I know people think I am stubborn, but I am NOTHING compared to these two. When they are at odds -- get out of the room. :)

Side note about the dresses. When Rick found out I was making TWO dresses (one to be baptized in with bloomers underneath) and one "pretty" one for after, he complained about it. I told him he was getting off easy. I already had the material for both, so it would actually save him money. Besides, I told him. I only got to have one girl, so if I had wanted her to have 5 dresses, it should be okay. I very very rarely go overboard on girly stuff. He was also worried it would be too much for me, as I was making them while I was in pain earlier this summer, but it actually kept me sitting down more and still made me feel like I was being productive.

The "pretty" dress holds special meaning for me. It is made from material left-over from my wedding dress. Her baby blessing dress is also made from this material. I asked Emma about it before sewing it and she was really excited. She chose it over pictures of other "floofy" dresses. After she had been to a baptism in September where 2 of her friends were baptized, both with "floofy" dresses, I was worried that she would want a different dress. Here is what she said, "My dress is even more special, because my Mom made it." Okay, if that didn't make me feel good......

The above picture is right after she was baptized and changed. She is still wet and freezing as the water was cold. We could not get her warmed up for several hours. Doesn't she look "perfect"? She is so happy here. I love the smiles of the newly baptized! It is my favorite part.

The picture below I just could not help including. She looks so elegant and regal. Emma is all girl in many ways, yet most of the time you will find her digging in the dirt, playing with rocks, hair flying every which way (even if it was only brushed 5 minutes before) and generally looking like no one loves her. I know that soon enough she will worry more about which lip gloss to use, but for now, I will take the little girl who climbs trees and isn't worried about what others think of her. I love her love for life and am grateful for her cooperation of all the pictures I wanted in her pretty dress and with her hair done (which she patiently allowed me to do - even though she hates hates hates hairspray).

In front of the Mesa Temple.

Caleb asked, "Why are you getting so many pictures of Emma?", but when I asked for some of him, we got very few that are presentable. He just won't cooperate, the little stinker. Here is one tolerable one. I tried to get some of him alone and some of him with Emma -- to no avail. Well, none that I will post, anyway. In this picture, we are joking that we are supposed to look like we are happy and loving each other, when in reality we were all done with each other by this point. :) The joy of family pictures.

All in all, it was a very special day (and the day after). Emma has very good memories and can't wait to wear her pretty dress again.

Alive and Kicking

So, okay, I have had several people mention that it has been a long time......... We are still here. To be honest, it has been an incredibly rough month for me. I have been sick, tired and sick of being sick and tired. But I am going down to 1 chemo treatment each week now, so, hopefully, I can get some energy back. The library and I have become good friends as it is right around the corner from my Dr.'s office. Also, I am sleeping better, so that helps, too. So, I have not been on the computer much at all, unless it is for something quick.

But life has not slowed down for us and here is a list of pictures -- highlights from the last month. This month we have:
learned new tricks. Dobby learned that after babies eat at Grandma's house there are nibbles to be found.

We swam - a lot! Thanks to Uncle Spencer and Aunt Karson for letting us come over - whenever!

Emma learned to sew with Grandma. She LOVED it! And her seams were straighter than mine were until I was in high school!

We played with cousins -- pretty much all day every day.

LOTS of playing with cousins.

Two girls named Anna. I happen to think the one in pink is pretty darn beautiful - inside and out!

We got to spend time kissing babies -- though not nearly enough.

We camped in the mountains -- so nice to be cold at night! Rick and Polly and Ken did all the work. I just sat there and was lazy!

First day of school -- August 12th -- way too early for me. The kids are happy, though, and love their school. Caleb is learning the French Horn (his tone is pretty darn good for the first week). I will post more on this later.

We are ALMOST to our Webelos and Arrow of light. He has 3 more weeks. Not cutting it close or anything.

We celebrated Rick's birthday. Below is the RAW cheesecake he requested for his "cake". Yes, it is not a typo -- it is a raw cheesecake, and very very delicious! Rick tasted the little piece of one I got from Whole Foods and requested it. It was a hit. The kids loved it, too. Just goes to show that raw does not always mean green. :)

I am also going to start a new blog or two on something other than our family. This month our family is working on going gluten-free (well, mostly Caleb, since I already am and Rick hasn't quite been able to "commit" and Emma doesn't care about bread much anyway - other than pasta) and dairy-free. It is such a challenge! Like I don't have enough on my plate. But we desperately need to figure out a few things, so here we go...... I will share some of what I am learning on another blog. I will link to it when I get it up. Cooking gluten-free is such an adventure. An adventure I should have documented with pictures last week when I tried a new bread recipe that looked soooooo beautiful out of the oven, I almost cried. Then I did cry when 10 minutes later it was literally flat as a pancake. My Mom and I were laughing so hard, I was crying. If it hadn't been so funny, I would have been so sad. Caleb is already feeling better without wheat, though, after eating a little wheat over the weekend, his stomach has been a wreck for the last few days. *sigh*

Anyway, we have much to be grateful for and are looking for ways to learn to love living in Mesa. It will come, I am sure. Being close to the temple and to family top all of our lists right now. What a treat to leave at 2:55 and make it to the 3:30 session or to take the kids to the Visitors Center for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir exhibit and to the grounds for FHE. Emma loves seeing brides there and got brave enough to go talk to one. The bride was so sweet and emphasized to Emma how happy she was that she got married in the temple. Best lesson for FHE of all. :) We love playing with cousins and Grandma and having family take care of us. I am grateful for sisters and sisters-in-law and a mom who look out for me.