If You Knew Why...

So, this is one of my rare thoughtful posts. Be very glad that most of the time I refrain from posting my thoughts and feelings. Let's just say that the last eight months have been quite the learning and growing experience (tacked on to the learning and growing experience of the 2 years previous to that) and leave it at that. I actually composed this almost a month ago and then most of it got lost in cyber space. I was frustrated by this and just decided to come back to it later. So here I am finally coming back to it. And after I finish this, I intend to do another post that actually has some news about what we have been doing the last month. So stay tuned, those of you (most of you) that don't care about my thoughts at all, but just like to hear what's going on. And if you don't care about either of those things, I'm not sure why you're reading my blog in the first place.

A few months ago, I was on my way to pick up my daughter from school and had a very disconcerting experience. I was turning right and as I straightened back out following the turn, my steering wheel made a funny clunking/grinding noise and kept going to the right. I was able to force the car to straighten out in a few seconds but it was obvious that something had just gone very wrong with my steering wheel. Since I was only a few blocks from home and had several little people in the car with me, I decided to try to make it back home with my crippled car. Because I knew I had a problem, I approached my next right turn very cautiously. I slowed way down and turned VERY slowly. A car came up behind me during this process, and the driver promptly made his annoyance at me known. I'm sure he was thinking that I obviously had no business driving a motor vehicle since I couldn't make a simple right turn at a normal speed and without my car jerking crazily. After completing the turn, I let him go on past me so he could be on his way.

This experience made me contemplate how often I might quickly judge someone, show annoyance, and rush on my way--never slowing down enough to find out what is really going on. Is something broken in their life? Could they use my help and compassion rather than my annoyance and judgement? Just as this driver may have shown me more patience and understanding if he had known that my steering wheel was malfunctioning, I can be a more compassionate and helpful person if I slow down and find out what's going on with those around me. I can help them with their problems instead of making it more unpleasant for them.

(Oh, and I did make it home O.K. and then got my van towed to the shop to get the steering wheel repaired.)

Jet as Marc Brown

This past Monday, Jet had a program at school. It was part of a book report project. First he had to pick a famous person. Then he had to get that person approved, find a book about that person, and read it. Next, he had to fill in an outline of important facts about that person. Then make a poster with photos or drawings and important and interesting facts about that person. Next he had to memorize a 1 1/2 minute piece where he talked as if he were that person, sharing facts about that person's life. Finally, he had to dress up as that person and recite his memorized piece in front of his teacher, his classmates, his parents, his classmate's parents and his classmate's noisy younger siblings. The program is called "The Time Machine" since they all pretend to actually be the person they have learned about, coming forward from the past.

It was Jet's first major school project. And I am so happy that he is old enough now to have major school projects. You know, the kind that the child can't possibly do entirely on his own so the parents have to get involved at least a little bit. Sigh. (Yes, I know they are valuable and educational and sometimes even somewhat fun. I am just lazy and don't like having homework now that I've graduated from college. I still love learning about things. For example, I recently watched a show about Anne Frank aired on T.V. in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day and then read The Diary of Anne Frank again and then researched about all kinds of things related to World War II and the holocaust and went on to read two related books. But on my own schedule with no deadlines thank-you-very-much.)

So back to Jet. He chose Marc Brown, the author of the Arthur books, among other books. Marc Brown is actually still alive so he didn't really need a time machine but that's O.K. I really enjoyed this school program because it was interesting. Atom was with me and even he was entertained by it. The kids all did a great job. But of course, Jet did the best of all of them. :) I wish I had a way to load video clips from my camera but alas, I don't. Because he did a great job--he didn't forget his part or get lost and he didn't even look nervous and he spoke in a loud, clear voice. And our finicky video camera actually favored us by working so I got it all recorded. But I don't have a way to load it, so you'll just have to settle with a few lousy photos from our not-so-great camera (although I am very grateful for its digitalness.)

This is him waiting nervously for his turn (he is sitting next to Clara Barton):

And this is him after his successful finish (that's his teacher snapping his photo):

He took a few Arthur books and a D.W. stuffed animal to hold as props but he forgot and left them in his classroom. Great job, Jet.

Retro Wednesday: Minnie

Thirteen years ago this Saturday, we became parents again:

Jumble and Niles with Minnie at the hospital

I help Jumble hold Minnie for the first time.

Just got home from the hospital--May 2nd. Once again I've had no sleep! I don't sleep in hospitals. And my babies will insist on arriving in the early morning hours so I get no sleep the night before. Minnie arrived not quite so early as Jumble--at about 9:30 a.m.--after a 5 1/2 hour labor. So I guess I got a little sleep--the kind of sleep you get when you are 9 months pregnant and huge and uncomfortable! But they are definitely worth it! :)

Here's a few photos of Minnie through the years:

1 day old--May 2nd


1 month old--June 7th
4 months old--August

1 year old

2 years old

3 1/2 years old

4 1/2 years old

4 1/2 years old--long, blonde hair--became her trademark!

Kindergarten

Soccer--kindergarten


1st grade
Soccer with Dad--1st grade

2nd grade

2nd grade--long hair!

3rd grade

Soccer--3rd grade

4th grade

soccer--4th grade

5th grade

6th grade

7th grade

Happy 13th Birthday, Minnie! Now we will officially have two teenagers. Heaven help us!

Retro Wednesday: Jumble

Sixteen years ago today, we became parents. This is our first family photo:

(Yes, we were tired! We both worked all day on the 20th, my labor started at about 10:00 p.m.--right after we climbed into bed for the night--and Jumble arrived about 6 hours later--at 4:03 a.m. on the 21st. This was later in the evening of the day Jumble was born and I hadn't slept at all that day either. I don't sleep well in hospitals. And they were mowing the lawn outside my window, and testing the fire alarm, and etc., etc.)

April 22nd--we went to stay at my parent's house for the day after leaving the hospital.

We lived in Wymount Terrace--BYU married student housing. Someone had the ward calling to put up posters outside the doors of families welcoming new additions! So this is Jumble and I with her sign.

Here's a few photos of Jumble through the years:

2 weeks old--May 10th.

5 months old--September 24th.

1 year old

2 years old

3 years old

4 years old

With dad--her soccer coach--almost 5.

5 years old

Kindergarten

With Dad--her basketball coach--kindergarten

1st grade

2nd grade

Swim team--8 years old--the Centennial Stingrays

3rd grade

Swim team 9 years old--Centennial Stingrays again

More soccer with Dad

4th grade

Volleyball--4th grade

5th grade

Volleyball--5th grade (yes, she broke her arm in the middle of the season--that is a cast on her left arm)

6th grade

7th grade

8th grade

9th grade

10th grade--2nd year in American Fork Marching Band (she hates her 1st year marching band photo so I'm not posting it)

10th Grade

We had our family party last night since we have YW and Niles has a work meeting tonight:



Jumble had to be at school early this morning (not a great gift for her!) and she went out to find this surprise on our driveway:





She has some great friends! They taking her out for lunch today, too. Happy Sweet 16, Jumble! We love you!