Wolf Badge

So, as promised, here is the photo of Jet getting his Wolf Badge. He'll be a Bear by next pack meeting so just in the nick of time. He was pretty excited about it. He is anxious to start going to Bears. Man that year went by fast! Now I have to go back to the scout store and cough up for a Bear kerchief, slide, and book.

(Isn't Niles doing a great job of looking like he loves this stuff? Secret: Niles doesn't love scouts! So of course he has been called to do scouts in every ward we've lived in. He is currently the Webelos leader, again. To clarify, he loves building relationships with the boys, just doesn't love the overall program. His scout shirt still has his Grand Canyon Council patch and old pack numbers on it. He told me not to worry about changing them, so I haven't! Maybe if I change them, Murphy's Law will take over and he will get released. He DID strongly encourage me to sew his "trained" patch on his shirt that he earned by attending some painfully long and boring meetings years ago. He wants to make sure no one thinks he needs to go back to any of those training meetings. So I sewed his "trained" patch on for him. He is still wearing his "Scout-o-Rama" patch from the Ore Ida Council in Idaho in 1996. While he is doing something he dislikes, he likes to look the part!)

This photo reminds me that I have to mention that my husband got me the best Christmas present ever! See how I am wearing two layers? Well, he had the bright idea to get his always freezing wife some performance gear clothing--you know the kind of thin but warm clothing that outdoor enthusiasts wear to stay warm while engaging in their numerous outdoor activities. Only thing is, I need them to stay warm indoors. I don't care if they don't look fashionable and make me look slightly bulky! I LOVE them. I have been much warmer ever since Christmas. The only thing I could ask for is more of them. It is making this Utah winter oh so much more bearable. I'm very grateful that he thought of this for me. But that is just the kind of guy he is!

Safe Journey

As you all know, Jumble was involved in a bus accident with her band last October. Her woodwind instructor and friend, Heather Christensen, was killed after attempting to steer the bus to safety. While the bus still crashed, and many of the students were injured, there is no doubt that Heather succeeded in saving the lives of every other person on the bus. It's been three and a half months and we are still trying to feel back to normal around here. Jumble has really had a hard time with anxiety and depression since the accident. She's doing better now, most days! And most days, I think we are going to make it through this.

This experience has definitely been life-changing for her, as well as for me and for Niles. It has been a time of extreme gratitude, but also a time of intense grief. I am grateful for the things we learn from our experiences in life, even though the learning can sometimes be very painful. I've had these thoughts running through my head frequently over the past few months, and have finally succeeded in writing them down in sort of a poem. I'm not sure I'm finished with it yet. But I thought I would share it anyway. It's just a little piece of my testimony that has been strengthened because of this experience.


Safe Journey

Veterans honored
Through music and marching
Traveling home
A busload of musicians
Unaware
Every soul is in peril
No Direction
Life in the Balance
As the driver slumps unconscious
Over the wheel
And the bus leaves the safety of the road




One teacher...
Sees the danger
Without hesitation
Grabs the wheel and
Provides Direction
Steers the bus safely
Between dangerous Lava Rock Outcroppings on one side,
A Deep Ravine on the other
The bus comes to rest on its side
Her life freely given to save so many others

Later that night
I lie awake by my child's hospital bed
Bruised lung, broken heart, but still with us
I ponder about the one
Who stepped up to the wheel
The spirit whispers words into my mind:
"Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13)
Love and Gratitude fill my heart
There are no words. . .
I cannot tell how I feel
When I think of the one
Who loved enough to give her life
for one so dear to me

My heart turns...
We are all on a journey
Traveling home
Me and everyone I care for
And billions I don't even know
Sometimes Unaware
Every soul is in peril
In Need of Direction
Eternal Life in the Balance
As we all make choices
That take us from the safety of the path



Our Savior
Knows the Danger
Without hesitation
Rescues us
Guides us safely
Between temptation, sin, despair on one side;
Grief, illness, poverty, pain, depression and death on the other
The Atonement Accomplished
His Life Freely Given to Save us All
I ponder about the Son of God
Who said, "Here am I, Send Me"
The spirit whispers words into my mind
"I am the way, the truth, and the life:
No man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6)
Love and Gratitude fill my heart
There are no words...
I cannot tell how I feel
When I think of the One
Who Loved enough to suffer and give His life
For me
For those I love
For all mankind

A Potty-Training Tale

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Atom.

He had an older brother named Jet.



When Atom turned 3 years old, his family's life was in a bit of a turmoil. His dad was living in Utah, where he had a new job, and the rest of his family was living in Arizona, where they owned a piece of real estate that they feared would be theirs forever. (They loved it but it was no longer convenient to own it.)



Which made it impossible to acquire a new piece of real estate in Utah.



This made Atom's mom not at all anxious to embark on the adventure of potty-training, with everything so up in the air. Besides, potty training and a house with brand-new carpet that must always look and smell immaculate is not a good mix.

Shortly after Atom turned 3, his family moved to Utah anyway, and were graciously allowed to live in Atom's grandparent's home.



This also did not seem to Atom's mom to be a good time to attempt potty training! Life was still up in the air, and she didn't want to have Grandpa and Grandma's carpets suffer.

When Atom was 3 1/2, the piece of real estate in Arizona finally sold (hooray!) so Atom's family could move into their own house in Utah.





About this same time, Atom's older brother, who was 7, and had, in theory, been potty-trained since age 4, was still having problems. So Atom's mom finally decided that she couldn't wait to see if it got better when life "settled down" and took him to the doctor, which led to discovering some unknown medical issues, which led to going to see specialists, which led to new programs and medicines with charts and stickers and etc. etc. Which made Atom's mom decide that there was no rush whatsoever to potty train Atom. Especially since Atom not only showed no signs of interest in the whole process, but actually expressed resistance to it.

So Atom's mom decided that she would rather wait until Atom was begging her to wear "big boy underwear" before she would "allow" him the privilege of potty training.




And so life went on and Atom turned 4. No begging.



And Jet turned 8. No begging from Atom.



And the regimens and medicine and stickers and charts continued. And Atom never even came close to begging to wear "big boy underwear."



So time went on. And Atom's mom started babysitting two little girls--almost 2 and 1 month old which definitely didn't make her feel like it would be a good time to try potty training reluctant Atom. And Atom still wasn't even close to begging.

So Atom turned 5. Still no begging. Atom was perfectly content to wear diapers forever.



Jet was almost 9 by then and almost 5 years of almost daily accidents and frustration and charts and stickers and medicine didn't make Atom's mom feel inclined to push Atom about potty training. After all, it's much easier to change diapers than to clean up messes.

Then one day right before Christmas, Atom's dad decided to "set a date" with Atom. A date to potty train. Atom's mom said, "Go for it, Dad!" So they decided that a few days after Christmas would work and Atom agreed to try it. Atom's Dad got all the supplies he thought he would need, and re-read the book about potty training in less than a day that didn't work on Atom's three older siblings.

And the fourth child was the charm. Piece of cake. It's like he's done it all his life. Atom is happy, and Atom's mom is oh so happy. And Atom's mom loves Atom's dad even more than before (is that possible?) and thinks he is just that much more wonderful than she realized before (is that possible?) And every time she realizes that Atom is finally totally potty trained with no fuss at all, it fills her heart with joy!

Now if we could just get Jet there.

The End

Catching Up

Maybe someday I'll be a regular blogger again. It's not looking too likely at this point, though. Here's a few photos and words about what we've been doing lately:

The week of Christmas we spent an evening at my parent's house watching the BYU Bowl Game. We had some good friends visiting from Nevada (we were in the same ward in Arizona years ago) and Niles went skiing with them that day. Then they came with us to watch the game and were introduced to the Pew family tradition of paint brush cookies.

Atom painting cookies

Jady and Dawn West with Niles. They were all exhausted from skiing all day.

Cousin Micah and Jet take a turn painting.

Logan and Preston West paint cookies with help from their mom. (Somehow I never got a photo of their daughter, Karsten!)

Minnie displays one of her artistic cookie creations. We loved having the Wests come visit and hope it becomes an annual tradition. They brought us a gift of something they had discovered called a "Cocomotion." It makes wonderful, creamy hot cocoa so now we think of them gratefully every morning while sipping our hot cocoa.

We spent Christmas Eve at the Cranes. We had a yummy dinner including homemade tamales by Nile's mom. Then we had a program with music and scriptures. Minnie and Jumble actually agreed to perform some pieces for the program. Rachael and Sarah also participated on the viola and piano. It was wonderful.

Christmas morning: Santa brought some surprises for the girls:

A fish tank with one beta fish and two African pygmy frogs for Jumble.

And a fondue pot with lots of ingredients to try it out for Minnie. Both of these things were not asked for, but things that Santa thought they would like. (Santa was right--whew!) I wasn't too sad about Minnie's fondue pot myself! (That may or may not have influenced Santa's decision.)


The boys got Star Wars stuff--no surprise there. Here is Jet looking a bit different than normal.

Santa knew that giving Atom the same thing would eliminate fights!

That afternoon was spent at the Pews, opening gifts with all the cousins:

Minnie received a quilt made by Grandma. It is made of scraps of cloth from all the birthday dresses Grandma gave her over the years. (Jumble already has one.)

Grandpa made Jumble's present--a shadow box to hold all her marching band photos and trinkets. This one has all her stuff from the 2008 season. (Now he just needs to make her another one for the 2009 season! :)) I know this was a whole lot of work but I think he enjoyed doing it (likewise about the quilt Grandma made for Minnie!)

Later that evening we went back to the Cranes for more opening of presents:

Atom anxiously awaits his turn to open. All kinds of fun and much-needed items were received there like coats, boots, shoes, jeans, shirts, a movie and even some AF band clothing for Jumble!

The Pew family came to our house for New Year's Eve. Everyone brought their own Chinese food (or Thai food or Arby's!) and it turns out everyone in Lehi and American Fork all had the same idea as all the Asian food places were overwhelmed with business. But we eventually all got to eat. Then we visited and played games until after midnight.

Minnie, cousin Emily and Tim.

Cousins Zane, Erin, and Taran.

Erick, Liz, Rachelle, and Minnie.

Niles--the Star Wars trivial pursuit master! He even beat Erick--who always wins every game he plays, for those of you who don't know. It was a night to remember! Jet looks on.

Atom plays with cousin Gwen.

So at least that gets us to the beginning of this month which is almost over. I was going to post a photo of Jet getting his Wolf badge, but the camera is in my closet and there is currently a toddler sleeping in there, so I'll have to add that later.