Breakfast With The Bishop

Last week Bret was released from serving as Elders Quorum President of our ward where he had been serving for 2 1/2 years.  

To show his appreciation and talk to our family about the service Bret provided in our ward, the Bishop showed up at our house early one morning at 6:30 a.m. with breakfast.  He came with all the food and supplies, even utensils and a waffle iron from the 1950's.  The kids came downstairs and their eyes just about popped out of their heads to see the Bishop with his apron on in our kitchen making them waffles.

He told a story about Sherlock Holmes and the dog that didn't bark and applied it to all the work and service that Bret has done in our ward.  He thanked them for sacrificing time with their dad so that he could magnify his calling.  It was really a wonderful morning.  I thought it so remarkable that he would take the time, with all that he has going on and his own family, to come and express gratitude in such a meaningful way to our family.  He is such a wonderful man and I'm grateful that my children have such a man as their Bishop.

He threw everyone their waffles for them to catch on their plates.  If you look closely in this picture you'll see the waffle flying through the air to Zachary.

Thank you Bishop Schill for a great morning...it was one we will never forget!

McKenna the Math Whiz

Introducing McKenna the Math Whiz...

(her shirt reads, "Math Team")

McKenna came home from school last week telling me about a "game" they played with all third graders in Math and that she was one of the winners.  The game is called 24.  There are 4 different numbers and they have to use each number one time in any order they choose using a variety of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to come up with the answer being 24.  Believe me when I tell you it is a hard game!  I didn't realize the importance of this until an hour later when I was reading through her papers for the day and saw that she had won a spot on the school math team!  

Who would have ever thought that a daughter of mine would be on a math team?

Last night was the big county wide competition.  She made it all the way to the semi-finals!  The gifted teacher from our school told Bret that it was the first time ever that a third grader from our school made it that far in the competition.

Way to go McKenna!

Zachary's Hopes and Dreams

Three years ago we bought a rocket.

Then we moved half way across the country.

And at the top of our closet it sat.

Then the first of January Zachary came home from school with a paper entitled "My Hopes and Dreams for 2012"  Zachary's hopes and dreams for the year consisted of one thing...to launch his rocket!  We promised him we would do it as soon as the weather warmed up.

One Saturday night a few weeks later in February we were reminding the girls that the following day was Fast Sunday and we encouraged them to think of something they wanted to fast about.  Zachary came out of his room and said, "Dad, I really want to fast tomorrow too."  Bret told him he could and then asked what he was going to be fasting for.  To which he replied, "I'm going to fast that we can launch my rocket."  Bret quickly reassured him that he didn't need to fast about launching his rocket, they would do it when the weather warmed up.

So last week, on a warm Spring day in March, after three long years of waiting...we did it.  We finally made Zachary's hopes and dreams come true and we launched our rocket!

And off it flew...400+ feet in the air!  

And Zachary was one excited and happy little boy.

13 Years Ago....

On what was the first day of spring that year...

We went to fly a kite up Provo Canyon.

Bret locked his keys in his car.

We started walking down the mountain and came across a picnic.

He got down on his knee...

And I said YES!!!!

The best answer I've ever given to a question asked of me!

More Grayson

I took these pictures of Grayson about three weeks ago.  (And am now just getting around to posting some of them...such is my life)  I look at him now and he's changing and growing so fast.  He still has the same look about him, just bigger and older.  It amazes me how fast they grow. 

(And believe it or not we took all these pictures without him peeing on my bed!)

Grayson

Oh how we love this handsome little man...

Big Helpers and Perspective

As the weeks got closer to when we knew this little baby was going to be coming, I began to be a little more and more unsettled about not having any family coming out to help right at the beginning.  After all, this was a fifth child!  That number for some reason was (and still is when I really think about it) very overwhelming to me. Most days I barely make it through with the four I already had...how was I ever going to add a new born on top of it all.  All other babies came to the craziness of life within the walls of my own home...this one is different.  This baby is coming to the craziness of a busy life outside the walls of our home between practices, games, lessons, and activites.  

Just one small snippit from our first full day home from the hospital:  At about 8:00 p.m. Monday night I was not feeling well and went to lie down in bed taking Grayson with me.  The kids were home from school all that day and didn't have school the next either.  Bret not only had pink eye but also a bad cold that had settled in his chest.  Shortly after I went upstairs, Abby started throwing up everywhere, (she did make it to the sink.) Not 2 minutes after she finished Gavin got a huge gyser of a bloody nose.  I heard the caous downstairs and come out of my room to see what was going on.  Bret looks at me and says, "I used to think one day at a time was going to be a victory with five kids.  I'm not even aiming that high anymore. Now it's one bedtime at a time will be a victory. "  We looked at each other and started laughing....what crazy adventures were in store for us in life with five kids....we're just at the beginning! :)

But you know what....I could not have had a better first two weeks post baby.  In fact, it's been my favorite first two weeks with a baby ever.  I attribute this to a number of reasons:

1. PERSPECTIVE:  Wow, has this ever made the difference.  I am getting so much out of this new born phase with Grayson, more then ever before.  Knowing that this is our last little baby is really helping me to let things go and just love on the little man.  I honestly don't care that my kitchen stays messy until 3:00 when the kids are home from school.  That's when we're all in the kitchen together anyways, and it's a great time for me to tackle breakfast dishes too! :)  If clean clothes stay in a hamper for a few days before I get to putting them away...hey, at least they're clean!  Never before have I focused so much on my own recovery and just holding and enjoying the new little baby.  And it has been some of the most special weeks of my life.  I am guilt free about all the little things that are not getting done.  I'm happy and content to breathe him in deeply as I snuggle him under my chin.  I wish I could go back to my younger self 10 1/2 years ago and tell that mother of sweet little Abby a thing or too....but she probably wouldn't have listened too much.
2. MY KIDS:  these two weeks have been wonderful not in spite of my other children but BECAUSE of them.  For the first time I have a new born without at least one toddler under foot constantly needing something from me.  I have older girls who are natural little mothers, who love their brothers and happily play with them, who help out SO much around the house cheerfully.  Gavin will be four next month, and he has really grown up a lot in the past few months.  A few weeks before Grayson was born I decided I was going to keep each of the girls home from school a couple of days each so that they could be my helpers.  What special, special days those were.  

They played on the playground with Gavin...

They colored with him...

They jumped on the tramp with him...

They fixed lunch...

They played the wii...

They played Lego's...

And of course, there was lots of snuggling with Grayson

I cannot even begin to put into words the blessing these girls are in my life.  I ask myself time and time again, how in the world am I so lucky that I get to be their mothers.  Not only did my heart overflow with love and gratitude for them, but Gavin was in seventh heaven...he had a personal playmate all day long!  And what did I do on those days...hold Grayson, take a nap, and maybe get a load or too of laundry done...just maybe! :)  

     3.  SUPPORT: Never before have we lived in area where so much love, support and service has   been extended to our family.  From play dates for Gavin, thoughtful gifts, and surprise parties from my visiting teaching companion and the ladies we visit.  Not to mention the abundance of meals that has been brought in.  Including the week before I had Grayson, we have had a total of 16 meals brought in for our family.  Including from my amazing and ever so thoughtful brother, who happens to live clear across the country in California, but still "brought" us dinner by ordering our family a small feast from our favorite pizza place here.  I have been so touched by the love and support by those around us.  In addition to all of this, Bret has been so amazing and so incredibly supportive.  He 100 percent understands how special this time is and wants me to take full advantage of it.  He checks up to make sure I've been taking it easy and holding Grayson till my hearts content.  He's always been wonderful when we've had babies, so it's really nothing new, but man oh man do I ever love him for it! 

This has been such a wonderful time for me personally and for our family.  I'm grateful that I have been able to soak it all in and enjoy each moment.  I'm grateful for the experience for our family; to see the love that my children have for Grayson and to see them serve me in such meaningful ways.  And I'm grateful for the love and service that so willingly has been given by friends.  And the great thing is...I still get to look forward to great weeks ahead when family does get to come out and spend time with us and help later this month!  It's the best of both worlds.