A Poem

Kellie wrote a poem that was chosen to be published by Creative Communication. I thought I'd include it here:

Nighttime Hours

The cool night breeze,

blowing the once illuminated leaves across the sky.

Each blade of grass flows evenly through the meadow.

A cold shiver runs down my spine,

the sweet smell of rain fills my nose.

A drop, and then one more,

the rain sprinkles, filling my mind with memories.

Then it stops, clearing my thoughts once more.

A distant clock dings, ten o-clock.

A flow of darkness closes in as the street light goes off.

I look up, the luminous moon is a light in my darkness.

Radiant stars guide me home to a quiet house and warm bed.

Tiny crickets chirp a simple melody.

I slowly drift to sleep,

there I lay waiting for nighttime hours to start again.

A Great Dad

David has been working with Jenna on her post moves in basketball - a lot. She goes to practice for 2 1/2 hours every day and then he goes down and works with her one-on-one for another hour after that.

At her last game, she got the ball, did a beautiful post move, made the basket and was fouled. As she walked to the free throw line, she looked right up at her dad in the stands and pointed to him with a huge grin. I looked at him and he was beaming back at her, then he said to me, "We practiced that move over and over."

It was the coolest moment. I was so proud of her for executing what she'd practiced and for inviting her dad to share in the joy.

Oh, and she made the free throw, too.

Braces Buddies

Kellie, Alissa, and I are officially "Braces Buddies" - a distinction the girls thought up when we put our teeth in prison a couple of days ago. It hurts. It really hurts. We are all on a voluntary liquid diet because our mouths are so sore - I've lost 2 lbs.!

Our orthodontist called this morning to see if we were still his friends. Not yet, but maybe someday.

Saying Yes

My bishop called me in and said, "So your husband tells me that you have a little extra time on your hands." (Thank you, dear.)

"Well, yes, that is true."

"We need someone to serve at the MTC as an investigator for the missionaries to practice on. It would be 8 hours a week. Is that something you could do?"

[Pause while I decide if I'm ready to take this on.] "Yes."

Oh, and we also wondered if you would be willing to be the Girls Camp Director. Don't you have two girls going to camp this year?"

"Three actually."

"Are you willing to do that?"

[Another pause while I consider this one because I know what I'm getting into, having done it before.] "Yes."

I knew at the moment I was saying it that these "yes's" were big for me. I have been saying "no" to many things lately because I just didn't have it in me. My well was dry. I needed time to fill it up. I am happy to report that the well has been getting fuller.

I get to be busy again, with good things that keep me close to my family.

Happy. :)

New

I purchased new bedding. I love it! I seriously sleep better under it. I've spent the last two days finding new drapery and new shower curtains and new rugs. I was thinking this morning about new: new year, new resolutions, new life. There's just something about new...I think that's why one of the most popular air fresheners is "new car smell."

I like the idea of starting with something fresh, something that hasn't been used up, damaged, altered, marred. Our first house as a married couple was new. We were the first to live there, the first to paint walls and hang pictures and make memories. When I dream, I am in that first house (trying to figure out how to make my whole family fit - it was a small home!)

I love the early morning because it is the start of a new day. I am usually the first in my house to greet it and I relish the quiet and beauty of the sun coming through the windows and the peaceful sleep of my family and knowing that I have hours in front of me to accomplish whatever I have to do.

I am thinking that I need to make a plan for the new year. With the loss of my mom, it is even more apparent to me that I want to live life deliberately. To take what is new and work it into something meaningful.