Taking Things Too Seriously

I was thinking about and remembered a time when I had to remind myself not to take things too seriously, There have been many times I've had to remind myself of this. I guess the key is to just keep working at being a parent. Teenagers have a way of making you wonder.
One day I was driving in the country with the kids in the car. My son, a teenager, said "Smell that dairy air." as we passed a farm. Concentrating on my driving and other things, I assumed he said the French word "derriere" which means "behind". I said, "Do you know what that means? " and proceeded to explain why his statement was inappropriate. It took awhile before I understood that he was just making a comment on a rural reality. Because he currently works in the dairy industry, I think he still likes to smell the "dairy air" and I have learned not to make assumptions quite so quickly.

Being a Mother

Yesterday was Mother's Day and I talked to each one of my kids. Mother's Day brought back many wonderful "mother memories". Mother's Day used to be my unfavorite day of the year. Besides making sure each of Ralph's and my mother were appropriately taken care of, we sat in church and listened to some mother talk about how angelic motherhood was. At our house that morning we had panic because we couldn't even find the hairbrush. I'm not going to subject you to the same thing but I would like to list some of my favorite "mother memories". I'll admit there were times I knelt by each child's bed after they were asleep and wet their pillow with my tears because I felt like such a falure or wondered why I had childen in the first place because it was so hard when they were growing up. However, it is kind of like childbirth. You can't remember what the labor pains felt like, just the joy when you held the little one in your arms.
I remember an article in the Children's Friend magazine when I was young about a little girl who couldn't make up her mind what she wanted to be when she grew up. One day she wanted to be a teacher and the next day she thought she wanted to be a nurse. There were many other aspirations so she asked her mother for some advice. Her mother explained that they were all good ideas but a mother will be all those things to her children. I have felt like I have accomplished and become good at many things in my life but I still have much to learn as a mother.

Favorite Motherhood Memories

I remember my first time sitting beside my son, wearing his cub scout uniform, in church on "Scout Sunday" and listening to him sing a patriotic song.

I remember watching my oldest daughter give birth to her first child and the many sacrifices she made to ensure that the child thrived.

I remember a weekend when the family had planned to go somewhere but I was at my emotional rope's end so a teenage daughter stayed home with me while the rest of the family went. We layed in the grass in the orchard to talk and went to a garden tour together. At the end of the weekend my "cup" was filled again and I could face life.

I remember a gift on Mother''s Day from a grade school daughter. It was in a small white box with a note that said, "Open me, it will be a BLAST!" Inside was a paper clip that had been bent so one could make it jump.

I remember a mother's day when after the "Breakfast in Bed" tradition my ostensible gift was a red vacuum. Throughout the day each child gave me an unknowing gift. My teenagers sat on the stairs and talked to a discouraged mother, and my gradeschooler came out of her bedroom dressed for church with a big smile on her face. She said, "Look, Mom. I am wearing tights." Every Sunday before, putting on the tights had been a big fight.

There are many other memories that make me smile and give me comfort and peace. Now, I love watching my own children be parents. It confirms what I believed when my young children used to ask, "Why can't I go to daycare like all the other kids at school?" I used to think and I still do, "Why should somebody else have all the fun!"

Today the elevator at church was broken so we decided to go on a Sunday drive instead. Ralph went up the stairs and checked it out but after going to the trouble of dressing and getting in the car (which is a big effort for me) we went to Kilgore the back way which Ralph nor I had never been. We also went to check on the cabin and yes, there is still snow there. This area will appreciate the moisture and I am really looking forward to our short summer. We listened to one of Elder Uchdorf's conference addresses and Sunday music on KBYI. It is cloudy and rainy today but we are having an enjoyablle day.
Now it is nice to be home with our variety of daffodils. I took a picture of our flower bed outside but I'm still working on getting it into the computer. I'm slow as I am with just about everything these days.

Rexburg: Land of Oxymorons

I have decided I live in a place where oxymorons abound. For example, I have been enjoying the beautiful daffodils in our yard and the hint of Spring in the air This morning we woke up to a snow storm. Other things have been very diffeent for me. There are many contrasts. A local television car ad says the best thing about coming to the "big city" of Idaho Falls is that you get to ride in an elevator. However our next door neighbor is a retired airline pilot and now drives a school bus for the local school district. My sister on the other side of the State says they should be so lucky in their school district.
I thought it odd that irrigation pipes were used in the local dance and celebration of the completion of the Rexburg LDS Temple. When we went to church in West Yellowstone near our cabin, the speaker remembered this experience:
During the forest fires of 1988, the town of West Yellowstone, MT became threatened. The speaker was fire chief at the time and considered how to save the town and lives and property for which he was responsible. Someone suggested using irrigation pipe from the farmer's in the valley (Rexburg and other communities) They saved the town of West Yellowstone by using the irrigation pipes farmers had willingly brought up from the valley.
I have learned that what may seem odd or different may have totally different signifance once the facts and history are known. For now, I will remember that Spring will come to stay and that I live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. In the meantime, I'll enjoy my bouquet of daffodils in the house.

Happy Easter

Last weekend we made a daytrip to Sara's in Utah to celebrate Easter. We enjoyed watching the grandkids dye and hunt Easter eggs on on Saturday and had a traditional "doo-dah" family dinner. The girls made familiar food that tasted very good to me. Training good cooks was not high on my priority list but every daughter sure is one.
We came home late Sat. night and when Ralph apologised for not having Easter Baskets and candy on Sunday morning, I was totally o.k. because I felt like we had already celebrated on Saturday. Besides, Sara sent home some leftovers which we had for Sunday dinner.
It was nice to see Blake and Josie and family, especially since Blake's job is ending in Twin Falls and no one knows where they'll be living next.
I have posted a picture of some of the grandkids sitting on the steps at Sara's house. Sunday was a quiet day. Our big celebration that day was to see the purple crocuses in bloom outside and the Easter Lily blooming inside, both reminders of the Resurrection and that there will be new hope even after a long winter. Hope your Easter was good too!