Thankful #7, #8, and #9

Apparently, I took the weekend off from blogging. Slacker me. I do have good news, though. I told the mom of the haircut kids that I blogged about them and she said, "You should have told me! I would have sent you pictures." So, I will be posting pictures soon. Then you all can be thankful, too.

Saturday, November 7
As you can imagine, I have been somewhat behind on my laundry. OK, so way more than "somewhat." It has gotten out of control. Saturday, I had a decent day and decided to tackle it. Here's how I do laundry (it may sound familiar to you): I sort it, put it in the washer with some detergent and walk away. When it buzzes, I go back and move the laundry to the dryer, add a dryer sheet and walk away again until I hear the buzzer. As I looked at the HUGE piles of laundry, I felt so grateful for my washer and dryer. I am grateful that I didn't have to was it all by hand. It would have taken me half of an eternity. I am blessed!

Sunday, November 8
I LOVE music. I really love it. I was not blessed with any gifts in that area (though I like to pretend!), unless appreciation is a gift. I got that one. I am grateful, too, that my kids love music. Some of them even have more than the appreciation gift.

Monday, November 9
I am grateful for technology. My parents live far away from all of their grandchildren. Sadness. So, one day, they were at the Apple Store. My dad showed my mom a webcam and told her what it was for. Although she usually discourages his spending money there, she asked him, "Well, what are you just standing there for? Buy them for the kids!" So, we have cell phones and webcams and email and digital cameras. We can talk whenever we want. It is lovely. Last night, we talked to them on the computer for quite a while. My dad and sister did a puppet show for Roxie. My kids have such a great relationship with them. How sad that in days long ago, kids would grow up and move away and their kids may never know their grandparents. I am grateful that my kids know theirs! Here is a photo Roxie took of Aunt Panda and Uncle Choo-Choo while we were visiting via webcam.

Thankful #6

I just said to Ashton, "What am I thankful for today?" She responded, "That your kids didn't cut their own hair?"

That wasn't as random as it sounds. Here's the story:

On Tuesday at 8:04 am my phone rang. It was my friend. "I have a problem," she said. Apparently, the day before had been quite the day. I won't give you the details, but it was quite the day. The kids were up way too late, so she sent them downstairs to get ready for bed and followed them down 15 minutes later to tuck them in. As she walked down the stairs, she noticed that the stairs were covered with hair. Big clumps. And the whole basement. Hair everywhere. She found her four year old daughter. At least half of her hair was gone. She, being exhausted from such a day, decided to deal with it in the morning. She quickly put them in bed and called me first thing in the morning. We scheduled a time for her to come over and have me fix the haircut. About 20 minutes later, she called again. "IT'S WORSE!" Apparently, in all the hubbub the night before, she hadn't noticed that the four year old had gotten to the one year old, too.

So, they came over. In my 12 years of hair-doing and hair-fixing, I have never, and I mean NEVER seen anything like this. We had to cut the 4-year-old's hair in the shortest bob you ever met and it still had chunks missing that we decided to just ignore to preserve her femininity. The one year old is a boy. We buzzed his head, but there were still holes. The only thing we could have done to completely fix his would have involved a razor, not clippers. I don't know how she did it, but it was right to the scalp.

So, silly as it may be, I am grateful that wasn't any of my kids. And, I am grateful that my friend just laughed, unlike what my reaction would have been. I could learn a lot from her.

P.S. I apologize for not having taken pictures. You will have to use your imaginations. Imagine it. Now make it a little worse. There. You have it.

P.P.S. I am grateful that it is November 6 and 70 degrees outside.

P.P.P.S. Two of my three kids have cut their hair. Luckily, it was pretty minor. KNOCK ON WOOD!

Thankful #5

Today, I went to my Joanie-mother-in-law's house because she is teaching Ashton to sew. She is so patient. I can't imagine having that kind of patience. I couldn't even do the sewing, let alone teach it! She always gives big hugs and tells me she loves me. She loves my kids and lets them know it, too. I love her. I am grateful to live close to her.

My father-in-law was there, too. When he saw me, he smiled great big at me and gave me a bear hug. He made me feel loved, too.

Then, I went to my Kaye-mother-in-law's house and picked her up. She had surgery recently and can't drive. She needed a haircut, so I brought her to my house to cut it. We had a nice visit. She was so gracious and kind and told me approximately 2000 times how cute and wonderful my kids are. That never hurts. :) She also gave me one of the kindest compliments I have ever received. I am grateful for her, too.

My other father-in-law wasn't around, but I love him, too.

In-law relationships are hard, I think. All of a sudden, you have a new family member. And you have to deal with all their quirks and differences. It isn't easy on either part. My poor in-laws have had more than their share with me. I have extra quirks and differences. But, they have done so with grace.

I live far away from my own parents. I miss them terribly. I am grateful to have an in-law family close by. I love them and they are my thankful-for-the-day today.

Thankful #4

Today I am thankful for tender mercies from my Heavenly Father. I am a constant recipient of them. A recent example is my trip to New York. Last year for Christmas, Shan gave me many boxes that I had to open in order. The last of all the boxes (which all had to do with Wicked) finally informed me that she was taking me to New York to see Wicked on Broadway the following October. (I think I gave her a scarf of something comparable.) It was part of her Mary Kay goal setting. I planned this pregnancy so that I would be in my second trimester during the trip, hoping I would be feeling better by then. We planned for nearly a year. As the time grew closer, I became increasingly unsure that I would be able to go. As I have said before, I wasn't feeling better. I prayed constantly. The day before we left was Roxie's birthday and I couldn't even stand up long enough to make her cake. I had to keep sitting down and resting. A friend came over to clean my house, and my sister came over to decorate the cake. I was nervous about the trip. I had even told Shan that she could take someone else instead if she didn't want to deal with my sicknesses. She assured me that she wanted me to come if I thought I could. So, I prayed more and had a priesthood blessing. In the blessing, I was promised amazing things. Even Doug was surprised as he said the words that he felt inspired to say. Sure enough, I felt great in New York. I got a little sick on the ferry, but that's about it. I walked from the time I got up in the morning until I went to bed at night. I didn't get dizzy. I didn't get nauseous. I didn't need a nap. I felt so good. The day I came home, I went right back to my yucky self.

Here's the thing. The blessing of feeling better in New York didn't do anything for anyone else. It didn't further the Kingdom of the Lord on earth. It didn't help spread the gospel. It did not affect my (or anybody else's) eternal salvation. It served no great purpose other than the Lord saying, "I love you. I know things have been rough. I want you to have a break. Have fun!" Now, I have experienced the other kinds of tender mercies as well. The kind that have eternal consequences. And I am grateful for them. But it really touches my heart to be reminded that my Heavenly Father is my Heavenly Father. He wants me to be happy. He loves me, not because I am one of his numberless children, but because I am Jessica, wife to Doug, mom to Ashton, Christian, Roxie, and Sophie-to-come. He knows me like my earthly dad does, only better. And He wants to bless me like my earthly dad does, only better. It reminds me of this scripture: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" Matthew 7:11.

I am so thankful.

Now that I am bawling, I think some New York photos are called for, right?

We stayed right off Times Square. I didn't think I would be impressed, but I was. Pictures don't do it justice. We went to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. We loved it. Except the cold. We didn't love that part. But the history. Oh, wow. There are still places where the immigrants carved their names on the walls. These people who sacrificed all they had to come here. Poverty here was better than what they were leaving. And we take our abundance so for granted. One of these Statues of Liberty is the real thing and one is Shan trying to fool everyone. See if you can guess which is which. We also went to Behind the Emerald Curtain. It is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Wicked. It was beyond words. Here is Indina Menzel's Elphaba dress. If you don't understand what I just said, we need to talk. Here is the stage. It was amazing. That night, we saw Wicked. It was my third time seeing it. It hadn't lost one speck of its magic. I still couldn't breathe when Elphaba sang "Defying Gravity." Literally. I could not breathe. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, please call me right now. We really need to talk.

I am so grateful I was able to go! And, I should mention that I am so grateful to Shan for taking me! And to all my dear family and friends who prayed that I would be able to go. And to everyone who helped with the kiddies while I was gone! See how blessed?

Thankful #3

Today I am thankful that I live in a place where I can vote. I can have a say in who my political leaders are. The people I want to win don't always win. OK, they usually don't win, but at least I have the chance to cast my vote. Sometimes I become discouraged with the direction government - both local and national - is taking, but when it comes right down to it, I am blessed to live here and partake of the freedoms that are foreign to so many.

Thankful

My Hillyerie friend, whom I have mentioned many times before, decided that each day in November, she would blog about something for which she is grateful. I decided to copy her. (She won't mind. She stole the idea from her friend's blog.) I will do two today because I missed yesterday.

November 1: I am thankful for such a loving and wonderful ward. I am grateful for good and kind people who take seriously their covenants to "bear one another's burdens." This is Christianity.

November 2: I am grateful for amazing kids. Today I am feeling particularly grateful for Ashton. She is such a remarkable girl. I often forget that she is not yet 10. She is so talented. She has such great understanding for things of a spiritual nature. She is so good and always wants to be better. She is the smartest person - big or little - I have ever met. She puts others around her at ease and makes them feel good about themselves.

People are in awe that I can homeschool, etc., and I just think Well, if you had Ashton, you could do it, too. She is such a big help to me!

I got some one-on-one time with her today. This is rare because she quietly lets her own needs be overlooked when her brother or sister demand attention from me. I am grateful to have had a little time with her and we have made a goal to try to make that time every day. Isn't she lovely on the outside, too?

Halloween Cuties

This year, Ashton dressed up as Nancy Drew, Christian was Darth Vader, and Roxie was - you guessed it - Sleeping Beauty! We had a lovely time. Friday night was the party at the church, Saturday was the trunk-or-treat that our homeschool group puts on for those of us who don't eat refined sugar (who knew there were enough of us to have our own party?), and Saturday night was Trick-or-Treat in the neighborhood. Fun was had by all. Once again, many of our sweet neighbors had non-sugar treats for the kids. The kids have decided to sell their candy to a local dentist who buys it by the pound and sends to kids in third world countries. Then, Ashton, Christian and Roxie will take their money to the dollar store and get something fun. It was another fun Halloween at our house!