Soul Carving

The Problem We All Live With - painting by Norman Rockwell, 1964        Sitting in the half-light of the college classroom with 2 of my daughters, listening to Ms. Bridges' strong, soothing voice, I was thankful indeed that I hadn't given up. All the waiting and fretting had been worth it.        Weeks before, I had read about the opening night of the Norman Rockwell exhibit at the University's Museum of Art; how Civil Rights icon Ruby Bridges would be speaking, how the lecture was free and open to the public, but seating was limited. What a privilege, I had thought. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for my children. I decided to bring my oldest.        But then, of course, the challenges began to surface. Richard would be out of town that evening on a business trip, so I'd have to arrange for a sitter for the younger kiddos. Then there was a meeting - no, now two meetings I was expected to attend, schedu...

      Few things thrill me as much as an unexpected cloudburst. That initial surge of excitement that sweeps over me when I hear the rumbling of thunder, sense the clouds billowing in and see the wind lashing rain across the windows - it's pure magic. I don't ever remember being frightened by thunderstorms. My memories are of siblings congregating in sleeping bags while my mother opened the upstairs window and arranged the box fan in front of it. The flash of the lightening illuminated each individual fan blade - time standing still for one fleeting moment, again, and again. Even now, I always seem to sleep better with the rain. Whether it's the lullaby of pitter-patter on the roof or the brilliance and din of a full-fledged storm, I find it very soothing to the soul.      And then of course, there's the glimmering aftermath.       Everything is fresher, cleaner, brighter. The world seems new, vibrant with possibili...

       What to do for a date with your spouse when it's winter, you're 7 months pregnant, and you don't want to spend too much? Try the local nickelcade! There's one just down the road from us, and I found a printable coupon for discounted admission on their website. Of course, then we had to trade in some cash to get nickels in order to play. We cashed in enough that we had some left over for a follow-up date!         Pros: I'm too pregnant to play any type of indoor sport, but some of these arcade games required just enough physicality that I felt energized without overdoing it. The double player games added an element of friendly competition which Richard and I liked! Plus, unlike a date at the movies or a restaurant, we had a lot more control over how long it took. (When you've got little ones with a sitter, it's nice to have a flexible timetable).        Cons: Too many gory or sleazy games! They were pretty e...

This is what 34 weeks along with baby # 7 looks like: A big belly since baby girl is growing rapidly, (I've actually gained 4 lbs since this picture was taken) and a smirk, because I'm happy to be having another little one join the fam, but annoyed at pretty much anyone and everything else. Life is good, even though most of it is either too personal or too chaotic to allow me to share much of it here on the blog. But here are 2 truths (and no lies) I'm learning right now: 1. God is patient. And you should be, too. With yourself, your family, your co-workers, and that idiotic driver in front of you. Practice patience. Be happier. 2. Human bodies are a-maz-ing. Don't criticize them, and don't abuse them. Take some time to reflect and thank your body for all it does for you, even if it's not what you hoped it would do. (there's something else to be patient with - your own body!) That's all for now. Over and out. Choose happiness.

       When I drove past this creative mural on the way to the library, I knew it had to serve as the backdrop for this year's Father's day photo-shoot. My three-year-old happened to be wearing his homemade cape that day, so he was excited to get out and take a few pictures to test it out.        While we ran into a few challenges coordinating the wardrobe, and soliciting smiles from each kid (or, in the case of the baby, trying to snap the photo before she sat back down -- or fell over!) I was enormously pleased with how everything turned out.        Adding to the awesomeness factor was the comic book filter and themes available on the online photo editor I used. We ended up with this epic collage: I hope all you fathers out there had a SUPER day! (I know I felt pretty incredible after saving the world  a couple bucks with my  DIY photograph...

        I'm in need of married, LDS volunteers to help me out with a school research project. I'm enrolled in a Family and Social Sciences Research Methods class at BYU. Please follow the link to take a brief, online survey. https://byu.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3IRNSbhITDDjLVz If you are interested in the results of our research, leave a comment and I will be sure to share our findings with you at the conclusion of our project. If you know of any married, LDS individuals who would be willing to take the survey, please share/repost this link. Our goal is 300 participants.  Thank you, dear readers!

We fancy that God can only manage His world with battalions, when all the while He is doing it with beautiful babies.  When a wrong wants righting, or a truth wants preaching, or a continent needs opening,  God sends a baby into the world . . . perhaps in a simple home of some obscure mother.  And then God puts the idea into the mother's heart,  and she puts it into the baby's mind.  And then God waits.  The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and thunderbolts.  The greatest forces in the world are babies."  -- E.T. Sullivan