Memorial Day and More

Spirit, that made those heroes dare

To die, and leave their children free,

Bid Time and Nature gently spare

The shaft we raise to them and thee.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

  I am grateful to the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for my country.  Their dedication and willingness to die for this nation help me to appreciate more my home here in the United States.  I admire the strength it must take to step up and serve.

  Skip and Grandpa Gary, both veterans of Vietnam, were in my mind yesterday as we celebrated our Memorial Day.  We attended a ward picnic with sprinklers for the children.  We spent a few hours at the church house eating our picnic and enjoying the nearly 90 degree weather.  Mykelle and Evan had a great time playing on the slip 'n slide and in the sprinklers while I chatted with friends and Adam played basketball.    We had a nice spot in the shade but I still had to eat several ice-pops to stay cool- I couldn't help but feel bad for my family in Utah who woke up to an inch of snow on their lawns!

Unsure?

Testing it out...

Enjoying it! 

Superstar!

All the parents hiding out in the shade

Hope, Evan, John- nursery friends!

She was tired and just wanted her icee!   

    So my hair is growing out... again.  And I remember now how much I hated it when I was 16 and why I don't like to see pictures of me with my short hair- it's a puffball and it's going CURLY!!  But only at the back of my head and on the sides.  How annoying is that??  You'd think I would learn and just be grateful to HAVE hair at all, and I am grateful, but can I just complain a little about it please?   I am definitely happy to have hair, though I wish I didn't have to go through all the phases of growing it out (I know Dad, "Wish in one hand and spit in the other").  This time around I do plan on getting it cut so it's not a helmet-head for several months.

I am told I look very much like Jake!  Sadly, I agree :)

See the wings on the sides?  I can't calm them down no matter what I try.

  Since my hair has been coming back I do have killer eyelashes!  I actually have had to trim them because they were so long on the bottom they were hitting my face and it was uncomfortable.  My fingernails are growing out too- the ends are still darker than the rest (they look kind of dirty), and each nail has a big white ridge in it that I imagine is from the last big chemo session.   My body is starting to get back to normal!  Now if I could just get rid of my hot flashes...

Her eyes are getting better!  The little toy is "Shnoodlebops"

   This morning I had a thought I often have when I'm with my kids...  Who would have ever thought I'd be saying THAT?   Mykelle had brought Shnoodlebops to the table (her McDonald's friend) and asked in her friend's voice that the friend be allowed to say the blessing.  My response to Shnoodlebops:  "You can't say the prayer because you have to be a person to say the prayer."  And Mykee takes it in stride as if it's a completely normal thing to say.  I wish I could remember all the silly things that have come out of my mouth since having kids.  If you have any please post them!  I know I'll think of more later...

Notice the basketball...

    I thought the pics of my kids and their toys were funny because they are usually not allowed to bring toys to the table at mealtime.  Evan did throw his blanket down on the floor but hid the basketball behind him so he could keep it at the table.  I didn't see it until he was half way finished!

Mykee Moments:  Yesterday at the picnic Mykelle had a teeny tiny bug crawling on the blanket near her.  She kept moving out of its way and I told her just to squish it with her plate or napkin.  She looked at me like that was the grossest thing in the world and kept eating- all while moving her legs to avoid the bug.  So I quickly reached down and squished the little thing.  Immediately Mykelle started complaining, "Mom!  Did you just squish it??  It was my FRIEND!  You squished my FRIEND!"  I apologized profusely through my laughter and promised her not to squish her next little friend!

This morning Mykelle showed me that she can open up the child-proofed closet door with the medicine in it (she was so proud!).  I told her she needed to be extremely careful with that closet because medicine can be dangerous if we take too much and we need to make sure Evan can't get into the closet either.  She asked, "I could die?"  I said, "Yes, or it could make you very sick and you could go to the hospital."  "I would go to heaven and live with Jesus and Heavenly Father and live with them forever?"  My response, "Yes, until I died a long time later and finally got to be with you again.  I don't want that to happen though so let's be careful with the medicine."  Thoughtful expression on Mykee's face and then a big smile, "Mom, guess what?  Jesus said Mykelle can stay with her family and not die right now!!"  Thank you, Jesus!  :)



The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.  ~Benjamin Disraeli