One Step Report #29

We just wrapped up a beautiful evening.  The sunset was golden as we stood outside and chatted with neighbors while the children played and enjoyed being alive as dusk turned to dark.  We’re so blessed to live in a beautiful place and to be surrounded by fantastic people.

This week’s report:  80 steps.  It was a hard week but a good week.
Highlights:

1.  This week offered some unexpected opportunities to visit with good friends.  On Wednesday night I got together with three other old friends (from back when our oldest children were babies) and we had a great time talking.  It was good to fit it in before one of them moves to New Mexico.  (We’ll miss you, Janelle! And Andrea, we really missed having you there!)

2.  My oldest son spent the week at Scout Camp.  While he was gone I  tore his room apart, organized and cleaned things, did his laundry, and hung a few pictures on the wall.  It was nice to welcome him home to a clean, comfortable room.  Actually it was just nice to welcome him home.  We really missed him.  He came home bigger, stronger, tan, hair sun-bleached, more confident, happy.  And yes, he came home taller than me.  We measured today.

3.  I spent much of the week caring for a daughter with a fever.  On the worst day, she spiked a fever of 106 degrees.  Yes, you read that right.  Scary.  We’ve had some high fevers around here, but none that high.  Gratefully, we rushed her to the bath and were able to lower it fairly quickly.  She had a tough week but seems to be doing well.

4.  My oldest son loves cookie dough.  Yesterday I made a batch of cookie dough minus the eggs (yogurt instead).  I rolled it into balls and froze them.  As he put one in his mouth, he said, “THIS is why I came home.”  Spoken like a true teenager.   It’s been funny to watch him raid the freezer.  He’s nearly finished them off.


5.  This week we also tore apart the other boys bedroom.  We cleaned, picked up every little Playmobil piece under beds, moved the furniture around, hung a new picture and it looks like a new room.  It was fun to have the children get so excited and help out.

6.  This one is going to be long, but I promise it will make you laugh.  We survived Church.  Some days that is a bigger victory than others.   In sacrament meeting alone we experienced the following:
-baby threw pacifier twice, sending it rolling across the room -baby, who can now walk, wants nothing more than to leave our pew and walk around in the aisle -5 year old asks to wear Mom’s ring, then gives it to the two year old who throws it on the ground, sending it rolling under the bench two rows back.
-5 year old whines, saying “I want to go get it” at least 50 times, but Mom won’t let her go get it because it would be disruptive, so several kids keep climbing down on the floor to check on it, which is just a different version of being disruptive.
-by the end of the meeting the ring has disappeared.  We never found it.  That’s the last time the girls are playing with my jewelry in church!
-4 year old was crying for no reason other than being at church before the meeting even started -2 year old opened the hymnal and started singing to herself.  Borderline activity, but innocent and quiet enough that I just had to remind her to whisper.  Suddenly she climbed off my lap and lay on the floor with the book, and began singing “Tomorrow” from the movie Annie in the middle of someone’s talk.  She wasn’t whispering.
Funny that I thought today would be a great day at church since the children were all rested, had eaten a big meal right before we left, and we’d arrived early.  Oh well.   (I guess we’ll wait and see if the families who sat near us are back next week or not.  Hopefully we didn’t drive them away!)

7.  The real highlight from Church was hearing our 13 year old son speak about his experiences at camp.  He had everyone laughing, but drew some parallels to gospel principles.  He did a good job.  I love that kid.

8.  Combined some recipes to make a new dessert tonight.  We all enjoyed it and had enough to share with the neighbors.  I’ll share the recipe soon.  Here’s a look at it, glistening in the evening sun as we headed next door.  YUM!


9.  Lastly, I experienced a personal disappointment this week that was very discouraging, but I think I’ve made it out on top.  Kind of like the song by Blue October, “Jump Rope”.  UP, down, UP, down… life’s like a jump rope!

It’s hard to believe that this is the last week of July.  Let’s make it count!  Good luck!

Jennifer