Jumping through January

Ryan passed the sacrament for the first time in church Sunday.  Eddie drew him a chart and explained the different routes resulting in a quiet confidence.  He's a very big baby boy.

Some of my very favorite photos are selfies they take on on my phone......

especially when we are gathered around the table for our Sunday games.  Maddie won Catan.

Molly took a good long hour and drew the "Creation."  Clever.

The MLK BBQ was a success -- these crazy teens swam in that 47* pool -- the adults did not.  Maybe next year I'll surprise them and try it.  Maybe.

These two had orthodontic adjustments.

My nice friend took me to lunch for a belated birthday celebration.  

This girl lives in a hoodie and dies on her phone.

School pretty much looks and feels like this:  Eddie tolerates.  Molly celebrates.  Ryan capitulates.  Mother dictates.

Austin and Molly went on a date to a wedding.  They went to dinner first, and then spent the night socially.

Maddie, Eddie, Ryan and I went to the temple for the BNY event.  I (with my amazing counselor) planned and orchestrated five hours of 110/youth and leader entertainment and worship.  

I came home exhausted.  But, seminary is now my only calling, and I feel so much lighter. 

Andy was super kind and gave his indoor rock-climbing gym buddy pass to Meg.  They spent the early afternoon together.  Meg reported that Andy climbs just like Austin -- with accuracy and finess.

Sister Babcock reported:

• I had to sew my couch.
• "Ed, I'm deligating all my homecoming festivities to you."
• "I've been pondering a life of accumulation versus a life of service."

And an exchange between Maisie and Austin:

    Maisie: "I hit 16 months on my mission."

    Austin: "It's felt like 61."

    Maisie: "Aw.  I miss you, too."

Elder Babcock's report:

• "I can testify of Jesus Christ anywhere -- in the street surrounded by drunks, in an Uber and in the store."
• 3 baptisms

January, Just Because

Grandma B. testified of Jesus Christ today.  The entire congregation could feel her sweet spirit and message of hope.

Ryan received the Aaronic priesthood and was ordained to the office of a deacon, and Eddie was ordained to the office of a teacher.  They posed Sunday evening with their priesthood progenitors.  These good men have the aurthority and power to act in God's name.  Miraculous. 

I don't even know what is happening right now.

These four friends went to mutual together.  Molly and I stayed home and put Valentine's decor up.

We made a paper chain with 45 links in honor of Maisie's upcoming return.

Maisie's plant has a new birth just in time to be greeted in person.

We finished an entire year of grammar in just over a semester.  Our new books come next week.  I love grammar so much.  Just so much.

Maddie accompanied Eddie to Freshman night.  Eddie will attend high school this fall.  What?  

Day three recycled hair.  (I'm even getting used to sleeping on the overnight curlers. But I'm not getting used to my permanent wrinkles.)

Mi familia gave me a bit of grief when I wanted to change the channel while folding their laundry.  That was an automatic recalibration -- they folded their laundry, and I got at least an hour of my time back.  

After CFM they carefully spliced their copies of the OT together -- proving the magic of surface friction.

I ate an entire bag of almond m&ms.  That was a treat, literally.  These are my lovely flowers that smell.  Who would have guessed?  They make us all a little happier.

Skiiers gonna ski --even when it's 67* at home.

My Grandma Edna Jenalyn Guymon would have been 98 on Friday.  I read her childhood poetrty book, read her favorite story book, The Selfish Giant, ate granola with fruit and nuts, and bought/ate Entenemann's cream cheese danishes.  I also waved with a straight elbow and floppy hand.  She is missed.

We bought Entenmann's doughnuts in her honor.  As a child our family would visit her house, and she took us to the Entenmann's factory store wherein she purchased delicious danishes and pastry delights for $1.  Those were good times.

Saturday's chores.  Let's just say Miss Molly and I were the only ones that fully completed our tasks.

More updates from our young adults:

Andy living his best life with his besties, while paying tuition and making ends meet.

Nick's update:

• My companion broke a chair.
• We buried a cat.
• We practically burned a forest down.
• We threw a mattress over a wall.
• We ate a delicious box of chocolates.
• We went bowling at a mall.

"But there were also lovely things:"

• listened to the BYU devotional talks: "Be 100% Responsible" and "His Grace is Sufficient."
• two baptisms
• gave a blessing in Portuguese
• 200 days on the mission -- more than 500 left

Maisie's update:

• "As I get closer to the end of my mission, bits of my personality come back.  Someone go listen to 'Linger' by Royal Otis." (You know I did.  I've had it on repeat in honor of her.)

That's one nice daddy.  He doesn't even look as if he's holding 60 pounds in his arms.  

Hastag New Year New Me

Is it too early for Valentine's bed?  I thought not.

Kimmie found these dresses for us.  Darl.

My four "littles" spend every second together on weekends -- soaking up all the time separated during the week.  Watching them love each other fills my soul.

Seminary is a thing now. (Well every other week.)

This little girl spent the week healing from a severe cold.  She slept in until 10am every morning and whimpered every other second.

Ryan is now apart of the Young Men's program.  Eddie had wrestling, so Austin and Ryan went to Ryan's first activity together.  "It was fun," was his report.

We're working hard over here.

I received a new calling -- 3.5 years as the stake YW president has been swapped for early morning seminary teacher.  AHHHH!  Each of my seminary graduates glazed me up and walked me through the reality of why my new calling is really going to be great.  I needed to feel and hear their confidence in me.

My cute friends celebreated my birthday with lunch at Mai Thai.  These ladies are wonderful and true.  Love them.

(Good skin day.)

Birthday flowers.

Saturday Eddie had a wrestling match.  He took first.  His one loss went into triple over time.

Austin harvested these tomatoes -- it's still so strange that our best garden efforts are in the late spring and late fall.  Yum.

 The missionaries' update via a joint call:

Maisie: "I'm going on three exchanges!"

Nick: "That's sick!" Then he muttered something in Portugese.  He often follows up his English with Portuguese and his Portuguese with English.  He's often speaking both languages interchangeably,  simultaneously, and flawlessly.

Maisie: "Pray that I'll get my MTC teaching job."

Nick: "You'll be lit."

Maisie: "My hair is so healthy."

Nick: "I'm balding." And, "I ate NINE bananas yesterday."

Then the conversation switched and I expressed extreme trepidation and hesitation with my new calling: seminary teacher.  Those two servants of the Lord whipped right in and buoyed me up with praise and confidence.  Maisie had me read from PMG, and then Nick testified of what she taught.  Here is our exchange:

Maisie: "It's really hard to fell worthy when God asks you to do hard things.  It's hard to feel competent and worthy.  John 13 teaches us that the Lord washed one part of the apostles' bodies, not their whole body.  You are just one part of their conversion, not all of it.  Give solid reasons WHY by pointing each lesson back to Jesus Christ.  Teach them to turn to principles when life is really hard."

Nick:  "You teach with the spirit everyday in your home.  You know how to do this.  Jesus Christ's gospel is a gospel of HOPE.  When they feel the spirit, they'll want to change."

They concluded:

Maisie: "We believe in you!  Get a priesthood blessing when you need help.  Be you, do your own thing based on the promptings you receive."

Andy is running again.  He and Becca on working on a 15 mile "fun" run in March.  They run all over town.

His home MTC photo came up from four years ago.  Love this RM.

Meg reported that the twinnies say prayers in sync.  They each take a turn and copy each other.  There is always an echo at prayer time.  "They love to pray."