This weekend we made the trek to Kentucky to visit 1. my nephew, who is staying with some family, 2. the family, and 3. my mom, who was visiting everyone. It was a ball - Bethany has 5 of her own and Teaq made 6, and this weekend the kid count ballooned to 7 with Solei! Oh, and it was also Solei's 2nd birthday!!!
This is Bethany, the saint who manages to corral all the kiddos and stay sane in the process:
This is my nephew Teaq. He just walked out of the house wearing this like it was completely normal. Solei adoring her amazing Gama. Again with the Gamma loving...
You would not believe this van...
Happy birthday!!!!!
Jared distracted Solei while Bethany did the fastest french braid pigtails I've ever seen - it was gorgeous, but there's a good chance the only time she'll ever look like this again is if Bethany comes to visit! All the kids post-nursery and primary. All the boys - including Teaq here - wore crowns along with Solei for the birthday festivities. Real men do pink.
Birthday pumpkin pie! Lots of candles to allow all the boys to help blow it out. Daddy was generously given a 1/4 of the entire birthday pie. He then ate the whole thing!
I love these 3 generation shots!
My personal favorite - Gamma and brood on the way into Chuck E Cheese. Picnic!
Movie time- all the kids lined up in the bed and patiently watched a movie about fish or something. It was hysterical!
Turns out our little girl loves hoops - that's handy, seeing as she'll probably be 8 feet tall.
I think that's enough for now. Happy 2 years, Solei!!!!!!!!!
Husband has recently railed against me for not posting enough on this blog. Personally, I think his posts are either 1. so blasted cute or 2. so blasted educated, that I just bring the blog down with my uneducated, uncute self. But nope, Husband is actually angered at my blogging lack, so I will regale you with a post, inspired by the fact that Solei's 2nd birthday is approaching in less than a week - I give you:
My Tribute to Heavenly Father's Plan Especially Involving Motherhood
The first thing I understood about the Plan of Happiness was that families were Heavenly Father's classroom. I don't where I got this idea, especially since I have always known that I didn't not particularly want to be a mother - prossibly due to the fact that I know how genuinely rotten I was to my own mother and was quite worried that I deserved a little horror just like me. But as I learned about the Plan of Salvation - how we came to this earth to learn, to make mistakes and to grow and how we can all return to live with our Heavenly Father again - it just occured to me that nowhere else did I learn anything as valuble or as important as the lessons I learned interacting with my family - watching my father and mother serve others, in the church and their children - learning to love my brothers despite how much I wanted to kill them - and learning about our heritage and feeling gratitude for the sacrifices my ancestors went through to bring my family the blessings of the freedom of this country and the joy of the gospel. So in my mind, the only way I could ever think of a family was as a classroom.
After I was married, I prayed that perhaps my dislike for mothering would disappear and that I'd love serving my family. I did get pregnant and had a beautiful, healthy litle girl- but the dislike did NOT disappear. I wanted to love her, and I really wanted to love being a mother, but the postpartum depression was more than I'd anticipated, and suddenly being in intense pain all the time from giving birth and trying to nurse and not getting any sleep made me wish every day that one of us would not be there in the morning. Those first few months, I didn't bother getting dressed in the morning, I'd just sit in our house trying to get Solei to eat, to sleep, and try aiming her away from me when she threw up. She was not a happy baby - she was appalled at the lack of control she had of her body and appalled at my lack of compassion or skill. The only time she really came alive was when my Brasilian sisters would come over and hold her. I watched them intently, trying to learn what they knew - how to love this creature that was making my life so miserable.
This is where I learned my first lessons of motherhood. Most of all- I learned empathy for Solei. She was a full grown spirit stuck in this strange body and strange place where she couldn't communicate or understand anything. I felt exactly the same way, so far from home, sick and unable to speak the language, and I learned to try and give her comfort like my Brasilian friends would comfort me. Slowly I began to see her personality shine through when she was given the things she needed to feel at peace. I saw myself in her smiles, because I understood why she cried so much more.
Coming back to the States I learned different lessons. I returned to my home country, but as a completely different person with different needs and responsibilities than I had before. And I hated it. I was living in someone else's home, I couldn't be free do do anything easily because of Solei who was constantly demanding more freedom and trying to jam her timy fingers into light sockets or crawl down staircases. I didn't know how to get her to stop, so I watched other mothers with children and tried to teach like they did. I learned that watching for examples to teach her is invaluble. We are taught by our Heavenly Father by others examples, and I learned that He will always send me friends who are much more competent than I to teach me.
And with her age - and all the boundaries I worked so hard to set and all the rules I've tried to teach her - every month, she has become more of a person, and I've been able to starting seeing fruits of all those difficult labors. There's the genuine love she has for anything that moves, the way she will say please and thank you, the way she'll hug my neck when she knows she's been naughty and cry "I so sorry mommy!!" I guess I'm a results kind of person, and those long months where all my best efforts were met with hysterical crying and being covered in vomit made mething that none of my efforts were good enough. But seeing my toddler fold her arms, bow her head and thank her Heavenly Father for SpongeBob SquarePants has taught me that I just had to be a little more patient, and my blessings would come.
Before I got pregnant and was praying that if I did have a child, I would be able to learn to love them, I had a dream. I had given birth to a little girl and I was not quite sure how I felt about her and the whole motherhood thing. I went to visit her in the hospital, and all the nurses were around this bright, blonde haired little girl who was laughing and charming the socks off of them. She made me smile,a nd I watched how she made every person who met her smile, and it made me fall in love with her right there in the dream. The dream gave me hope, and I felt like I had enough courage to think about getting pregnant.
When Solei was born, she had dark hair and was as uncharming as a newborn can be. I was confused and wondered where the little girl from my dream was. The dark hair eventually gave way to blonde curls and a few months ago, I caught Solei laughing at herself in the mirror - and realized that she was now the little girl I'd seen in my dream. I don't know if I had anything to do with bringing out her bright personality, but it had happened. She does indeed amaze and charm everyone who meets her. I learned that blessings will come from everything if I don't expect them in my timeline.
On that vein, I've been aware that I should think about expanding our family, and terrified at the thought of Solei seeing how dark pregnancy and new motherhood made me. I've felt like I should at least try because I'm supposed to, but have had very little hope of it being different from the first time. And as I've waited, I've become more aware of how much I have grown to love what I have now, despite the hardship it began with. I don't know if Heavenly Father will send another soul to our family to live through what Solei had to endure for so long, but I don't worry about that. I'm so thankful He knows me and loves me enough to have sent me the most perfect-for-me spirit He had. I still pray that if I become a mother again that I'll learn to love them, and I also ask that I not have another until I am really ready. I'm so thankful that I've had the last year to really get to know the spirit inside her crazy body, and to learn to fall in love with serving another person this much. Every day I spend with just her, I feel a gratitude I never expected to feel and I don't want for anything else.
One thing I detest is when people say those common phrases - "You'll never have another good night's sleep again!" or "Say goodbye to having an adult conversation again!" or "Say hello to a sagging tush - you'll have have that pre-baby body back!" I heard so many of them before I had Solei and thought they were all true, and I sobbed on the delivery table, unwilling to push because I didn't want this horrible change everyone had spoken of to happen to me.
2 years into motherhood, I sleep like the dead, my relationships with my friends and husband are stronger than ever, and my body is as fabulous as it was pre-Solei. I wish I hadn't heard so much negativity, and I'm so thankful I've learned not to believe the naysayers. My Solei has proved to be the exception to every rule. True, she does drive me bonkers, but with every day I've known her, I've learned how to diffuse her, to redirect her and to get what I need. Lessons that I couldn't have learned anywhere, but right here with her her every day.
I'm so thankful for this this classroom. With every lesson I learn and every roadblock overcome, I am more and more aware of how much my Heavenly Father knows and loves me. And I couldn't have learned it any other way.
We have now officially started Potty Training. Although I've been potty trained for about 30 years now, it's not as inherent as one would think to teach someone else how to use a potty. Saturday I got her out of bed and we pulled out the potty, put it right in front of the TV (to keep her sitting there) and off came the diaper. She went!!! We made a big to-do calling grandparents and such. The process was repeated by my lovely wife (she was the trainer, not the pottier) this morning.
I'm still not sure that she understands that she went in the potty and that what was in the potty came out of her.
Any thoughts on the best way to train a child to potty correctly??
The University of New Mexico chapter of Kappa Upsilon Chi turned away John Bundy because he was LDS and not "Christian".
"The basic requirement for members is that they have faith in Jesus Christ as their savior and they follow Biblical theology," [Mark] Nelson said. "We follow the Bible alone as scripture. The (Church of Latter Day Saints) follows the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon."
"Brent Webster, head of the national chapter of Kappa Upsilon Chi, said the UNM branch was right in its actions.'The statement of beliefs is what we ask every member to agree to be part of the organization,' he said. 'We require people not only to believe in those but also to be pursuing a relationship with Christ.'
Webster said Mormons do not fit these requirements, but Baptists, Catholics and Methodists do.
'What Mormons believe is not a traditional Christian belief,' he said. 'We have different Christian denominations in our fraternity. There are doctrinal differences between the denominations, but we hold the same traditional beliefs.'"
Personally I am disappointed that an organization would have such an outdated viewpoint and not stand corrected by someone. Hopefully the example of members of the church and their efforts to combat this label succeed in changing these views.
In my classic style, I found Mr Nelson's email address (I'm still looking for one for Brent Webster) and sent him the following email:
Dear Mr Nelson,
I was very disappointed to see that your organization “the UNM chapter of Kappa Upsilon Chi” refused admittance to a potential member based solely on the fact that he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Views such as these are extremely outdated and don’t benefit anyone.
There have been significant advances in communication between denominations. While I will not downplay the fact that “Mormons” follow a strictly 1st century line of Christianity while “other Christians” follow a modified 4th century and later versions of Christianity, the basic tenants are the same. It’s a shame that this is not recognized.
How can you say you follow the Jesus of the bible and not allow all who profess to follow him full fellowship in your organization? You claim to follow the same Jesus who communed with the Samarian woman at the well in spite of her being Samarian? The same Jesus who taught the parable of the good Samaritan? The same Jesus who called Saul of Tarsus, the great Christian persecutor, to follow him and preach his word? If Jesus could open his heart and ministry to these people who did not share in his gospel, why can’t you?
If excluding people who accept Jesus Christ as their savior from participation in a group meant to serve the world and praise his name is what it means to be a Christian to you, then I count myself lucky that you do not consider me to be one of you.
May the Lord open your hearts and minds to accept all those who seek for Christ.
Sincerely,
PLEASE email Mr Nelson YOUR thoughts at: rnelson1@unm.edu
We all know I'm a blog addict, and I could spend all day reading and talking to all the invisible people and friends I've made out there. There are a few amazing bloggers who take the call to share ourselves and our religion with the world to another level as well as being hilarious and sweet mommy bloggers. One of their own - Stephanie Neilson - was in a plane crash with her husband and a instructor in Arizona August 16th. The instructor died shortly afterwards, and both Stephanie and her husband remain in critical condition, Christian with burns over 30% of his body and Stephanie with 80%. Their 4 beautiful children are being cared for one of her sisters, one of the most famous of LDS bloggers, Cjane, who is how I ran into the whole bunch.
I have to admit, I read them all with a twinge of envy, from their incredible writing skillz, and their ability to find joy and beauty in motherhood and life. I'm not the only one - their story was just picked up by the New York Times and scores of "lurkers" are coming out of the woodwork to show support and help raise funds for their recovery - the medical bills are expected to be in the millions. It's beautiful to read how every day, strangers are finding new ways to help.
I cry every time I read about their road. Since I gave birth, I have this remarkable ability to cry at EVERYTHING. Sappy sitcoms, commercials, papercuts, it's crazy. For those of you who knew me before, you know I already cried all the time, but it's actually 100% worse now, hard to imagine, but true! But I cry as a mother and how I can't imgine how their amazing family is making everything work so beautifully. I also cry as a sister, because I can't help to be reminded of my family's personal tragedy just a few months ago, when my sister-in-law Megan was killed in a car accident. My brother Quinn is slowly recovering, and their son is so well-cared for it amazes all of us daily. I rejoice in the blessing of our knowledge of the atonement and the blessing of being sealed in the temple has been to Quinn. I see Cjane, who after years of infertility finally has a beautiful baby boy, is now caring for a newborn and her sister's 4 children while dealing with her own grief. I don't know how I can help my own brother. His son is in a better place than any of us could have dreamed, and my parents are there for Quinn when he needs them, just a few miles down the road. I've asked Quinn countless times how I can help - I'm so lost and useless it seems. He always just tells me to love my daughter and be a good aunt. If we could add up all the prayers I've made maybe I'd feel useful, but right now all I seems to be doing is sending good vibes.
Although - I've learned from Solei - you can never have too many people to pray for.
Something that I love about these latter days is that there are fashion options for those of us trying to stay modest. So many companies are trying to help out and give us clothing that covers and is attractive, and there's help in the media from ELIZA magazine. I don't mean to just plagerize, but they say it better than I can:
Eliza Magazine is created for women who want to be stylish, sexy, and engaged in the world while retaining high standards in dress, entertainment, and lifestyle. Eliza strives to bring you the best of fashion without any of the trash. We will not uncover the sexual secrets to make him want you, promote people who are glitz with no substance, or glorify lifestyles that we know do not bring happiness. We are dedicated to finding up-and-coming fashion lines, showcasing pieces that are worth the big price tags, and discover deals that are just as hip at your local low-end department stores−along with presenting articles on uplifting entertainment, current issues, creative ideas, and life in general.
The world may be changing, but at least there's something like this for our world. Thanks, ELIZA!
Eamonn McCann: What if Mormons are right and Catholics and Protestants wrong?
Why are the Catholic bishops so concerned about Mormons baptising dead parishioners? The Mormons didn’t invent baptism of the dead. The practice has a significant history within mainstream Christianity. The decision to order its abandonment was taken only after heated debate, and was a close-run thing.
What’s the difference, anyway, between baptising the dead and baptising babies? A tiny infant will have as much understanding as a dead person — none at all — of the complex philosophical belief-system it’s being inducted into when baptised, say, a Catholic. Transubstantiation? There’s daily communicants go to their deaths without any clear understanding of the concept. So what chance the mewling tot?
Indeed, given that all Christian Churches believe that the soul lives on after death and retains understanding and consciousness of self, doesn’t it make more sense to baptise dead adults than live babies?
Apart from which, if the Catholic bishops hold that the beliefs of the Mormons are pure baloney (as they must), and their rituals therefore perfectly meaningless, how can it matter to them what mumbo-jumbo Mormons might mutter over Catholic cadavers?
The current controversy has been prompted by Archbishop Dermot Clifford and Bishop Bill Murphy complaining to the National Library in Dublin about records handed over by the Church being made available to all and sundry. The Mormons are believed to have taken advantage of this facility to comb through parish records and baptise the souls enumerated therein, a batch at a time.
The bishops stepped in after the Vatican warned all national churches earlier this year about Mormons misusing diocesan records. I have heard it suggested that the alarm of the Holy See had escalated after reports that Mormon multiple baptisms were regularly breaking the official record set by General Liu Kung Lee who, in one afternoon, baptised seven regiments of Chinese soldiers into Christianity with a fire-hose.
Let’s look at the facts as understood by the early followers of Christ. For more than 300 years after the Crucifixion, baptism of the dead was widely accepted, its biblical basis located in 1 Corinthians 15, 29: “Otherwise, what shall they do who are baptised for the dead if the dead rise not again at all? Why are they then baptised for them.” In other words, a deceased person could be baptised by proxy: otherwise, how could such a person be included in the Ressurection? A good question.
The radical Cerinthians and the Marcionites were especially energetic baptisers of the dead. It was to wrong-foot these sects, seen as competitors with the official Church at a time when it was consolidating its position as the State religion of the Roman Empire, that the Synods of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397) voted, after bitter debate, to condemn the practice.
Interestingly, a clear trace of baptism of the dead has lingered in official practice to the present day, in the form of prayers for divine intercession on behalf of the unbaptised souls. Prayers for intervention were encouraged in Catholic schools in the 1950s. For all I know, this remains the case.
Baptising the dead might be seen as analogous, too, to the Jewish prayer of intercession. Which serves as a reminder that US Jews put a halt to galloping post-mortem Mormonism a couple of years ago by arguing that deJudaising those who’d perished in the concentration camps constituted a profound insult to Holocaust victims. Following talks in New York between leaders of the two religions, the Mormons backed off.
The key point is, surely, that all religions believe that the soul, after death, at last knows what’s what — whether Hinduism, Free Presbyterianism, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, Catholicism or whatever is the true religion. What if it’s Mormonism? What if it’s an everyday occurrence on the other side that Catholics and Protestants are left standing dumbstruck at the Gates, gasping: “Mormons! Who’d have believed it?” And maybe a wife berating her husband: “There! I told you it would be the Mormons! But would you listen?! Now it’s eternal hellfire for the two of us, I hope you’re satisfied.”
In that scenario, shouldn’t all members of all other religions be literally eternally grateful to the Mormons for sharing their saving grace even unto and after death?
If, on the other hand, it isn’t the Mormons at all, those who turn out to have been right can wave a merry farewell to the crestfallen followers of Brigham Young as they trundle downwards to their eternal comeuppance.
"Come to the demolition derby!" he said. "I think they're going to race some cars beforehand, it'll be fun!"
We got there just after 7, they didn't start smashing anything on purpose until around 11. What a culture shock it was! Jared took me to Dixie Speedway with some of his coworkers (yes, "dixie") and we got hip-deep in local culture.
The racing was NUTS! The track was dirt, and short, so it seemed like most of the racing was turning., and the trick with turning was to not go spinning out of control what with the ground being nothing but red clay.
Thank heavens Jared remembered ear plugs! Although some noseplugs would have helped too - the smell of gas and dirt was intense... WHEWEE!
I actually got really into it. The loud and the shaking when a race started was pretty exhilarating, although a co-worker and I agreed that the whole driving-slow-because-they-need-to-clear-an-accident-but-the-guys-in-the-back-now-have-a-chance-to catch-up-to-the-guy-in-front-who-WAS-half-a-track-ahead-and-now-they're-right-behind-him-trying-to-over-take-him-all-sneaky-like seemed pretty unfair. But what do we know?
Oh, and the guy waving the flag was fabulous. Really splendid technique.
I do have to say my favorite moment of the night was when Jared got up and announced "I'm going to buy something fried."
Predictablly, he came back wanting to change careers because the idea of charging $3 for $.15 of batter and powdered sugar sounded awesome. And it was numnummy!
Oh - and no pics of this - but did you know there's cars that race that have 2 drivers - one with the wheel and one in charge of the gas and brakes?!? And the nuttiest thing was - those cars had NO accidents in their race, unlike all the others with one driver! We should get that done to our van. Solei could steer!
Then at the end came the demolition derby. It was too dark to get decent pictures or video, but it was not at all what I expected. The junkers drove up, the flag came down and they just started ramming into each other. I thought there'd be some kind of pagentry or something, but nope, just smashing. And yes, there was fire. Very gratifying. And very awesome.
I learned back when I lived in Texas to just set aside my comfort zone and enjoy what the world around me had to offer, even if it did seem pretty nutty. I wish I'd learned it sooner, but I am having a ball experiencing this southern thing! This is right up there with the monster truck rally we went to on our first anniversary:)
Everytime I open our page I see that silly grin and it's driving me nuts.
Life has been crazy the last few weeks. Our home was host to a music camp for a week. It drove wife to the edge. She apparently doesn't like screaming 6 year old girls all day long. She's also working on a new album with her band "The Border Collies" as well as one with her treo "Tres de Solei." In preparation for a huge month of September where they are playing 7 different show in just one month.
Work has been insane for me. It's "crunch time" in the toy business and my brain is at full capacity. I created this massive spreadsheet to track all of the forecasts we have from our customers and all the orders I've placed to my factories. If you don't count sleep, I spend more time with this spreadsheet than I do with my wife and child.
Our ward (Church) has begun a focus on "Missionary Work" and being the Assistant Ward Mission Leader (assistant mission leader for my congregation) I'm kind of in the middle of everything. It's an interesting place to be.
We had visits from my sister and brother and thier spouses and families. Nana was in grandma heaven with so many kids. They had SO much fun spending time together. Our Daughter LOVES her cousins and every day would ask for "PAPA-NANA house" to go play with them. We can't wait for them to come back!
From the cute child file:
Daughter is learning how to pray. She is really really good at it and prays basically on her own. On Thursday evening she was praying over dinner and she asked to "Bless Spongebob". I think we need to cut down her TV time.
An Anglican leader talks about his new book that exposes the correct view of heaven on The Colbert Report (Someone should tell him he's ripping off Mormon theology...)
This week has made me realize how lucky I really am. I have an amazing wife who loves me and does so much for me. Sometimes it's not until someone is absent that you realize how important they are to you. I need to do better at recognizing that and letting her know that.
Based on the reports I have heard, my wife is having a great time with her siblings. Our daughter is having the grandest of times with her grandmother and other relatives. They are both having the time of their lives. Reva bought two extra SD cards to capture all the memories, so I'm sure she will post loads of photos. I, on the other hand, can't wait for their return.
I have been banned from the family reunion. Who gets banned from a family reunion??
BANNED by none other than my wife. My own wife banned me. Apparently I don't travel well and would spoil her fun. No beach, no Grilling out, no put-put golf, no aquarium, no daughter, no wife for one whole week.
Instead I have to stay home and try to keep myself occupied. Alone in a cold (actually hot) and lonely house.
Sorry, today is one of those we-need-to-update-but-there-isn't-anything-interesing-to-say blogs. So instead, you get whatever is on our memory card.
You're welcome!
So for Jared's birthday, he wanted to go garage sale-ing, since it's something he loves and I ... not so much. We ended up with this:
How much would you pay for a Pow-pow-power Wheels? 20 smackers. It's hilarious - she can press the "gas" and go, but she can't use the steering wheel. You gotta come over and see it!
Nothing earth-shattering here, she just likes walking around the house with her hat over her face. Yes, she does bump into stuff.
My trio band (Tres de Solei - nope, still don't have a new name) played a pretty awesome gig this weekend at a Highland Games in north Georgia. It was a BLAST!! We kind of stole the show once or twice, and layed in a downpour for one set. Soggy, but still happy!
And as fun as it was to play, I also got some awesome girl time and we had a ball. Mostly messing around twith the timer button on Michael's camera.
And last but not least - here's a shot of Jared, our favorite daddy on this Father's Day.
This morning when he went to get Solei out of bed, she stood up and said "I love you!" Coolest gift ever! (except for all the stuff he's been buying for the last few months and saying they were birthday and Father's day gifts - the scooter, the meat grinder and sausage maker, the projector that turned our basement into a movie theater, and a 6 pack of IBC root beer) Solei adores her dad because he's patient when I'm not, loving when I'm moody, and crazy when she is too. He's the one with the guts to do her hair every Sunday morning, to teach her how to fetch stuff for us, and the person she reaches for when she's happy or sad. Yay, daddy!!!
It almost makes me want to have more... just because he told me we had to. But the thought of having another one still makes me want to throw myself in front of Solei's Power Wheels. I'm currently negotiating pushing back the baby thing a few years - although who here has ever known me to be able to resist Jared's mind games? I think he needs to spend some time with a really horrible baby. Anyone have one you could lend us for a few hours??
And speaking of fathers - dad was giving his ukelele a test drive, and ended up giving Solei some hula lessons today. Thank heaven for fathers!
Oh BOY have I been excited for today!! It was Solei's first day of swimming lessons!!!! And she's been freakishly pumped - every now and then, she'd look up and ask hopefully "Class? Swimming?" And due to some massive preparation, we squeezed into one of the few parent and tot classes at the local aquatic center - 3 weeks, two days a week - all for $20! There are so few spaces, you have to register within the first few minutes or you won't get in. But I DID!! WOOHOO!!! (I tried to get a good shot of her in her suit - this at gives a good idea of the adorability)
With all that build-up, you'd have thought it would have gone a tad better today, but we are talking about a 19 month old here.
1. We were a few minutes early, and she wanted in the water NOW. I told her nicely not yet, and she was the only child to throw a MASSIVE tantrum. Whee!
2. When we finally got in, she went bonkers and wanted out of my arms, while all the other chilren lovingly grabbed onto their mommies. I asked the teacher if I could let her drown just a little bit to let her know what would happen if I wasn't holding on for dear life, but she advised against it. She was right. At the very end, I dunked her under once, and she got hysterical. I forgot how much she hates water in her eyes - she'd have hated the rest of the class (even more;)
3. Once she realized I wasn't letting go, she proceeded to spend the next 20 minutes (of a 30 minute class) smiling broadly and proclaiming over and over - "Alldonealldonealldonealldonealldonealldonealldonealdonealldone!!! (etc.)" So I had to use all my trickery to keep her in the water and amused. Phew!
When we got in the car, I asked if she'd had fun, and she smiled and shouted "FUN! Swim class!!" So I think she's willing to go back... I might go back too. Well, for $20, I'll do just about anything;)
So with all that insanity, you'd think I would be completely opposed to having any more - and you'd be right. Apparently, I really dislike babies. But I committed to this family thing and siblings are a part of it. Dagnabit. And with Jared turning 32 this weekend, he's afraid he won't be able to chase any more kids much longer. Old man and all that.
Since the last one was a shock and a half, we're trying to plan out the next one - and that's where y'all come in. We figure the best time to give birth next time is in the spring - not too pregnant at the Christmas rush but not big and preggo during the summer either. So it looks like we are trying for getting pregnant July or August, and wouldn't it be fun if we were ALL PREGNANT at the SAME TIME?!? We're trying to recruit some other baby-ing couples, but so far, no luck. Come on, people!! It's the Summer of Love ! Do it for your country - er.. blog friends?
The Setup: Our daughter has a set of leapfrog letters that stick to the fridge and they have a base unit that sings songs when you put the letters in the base unit. She loves to play with it.
Imagine this: Daddy (me) is washing dishes and daughter is playing at the fridge. She'd moved to the other side of the fridge where I couldn't see her. After a few minutes of strange noises I turned and asked:
"Solei dear, what are you doing?"
A little head peeks around the corner of the fridge and this is the response I get:
"Pooping."
"Pooping?"
"Pooping"
She was right. She's a quick learner.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
We should be used to it, but it still stings when it happens. The LDS church has been inexistance for about 178 years now, and yet the intolerance and hatred always seems to surprise and hurt. The Washington Post did an article about how the community in Washington D.C. was trying to block the building of one of our churches on 16th Street (with about 45 other churches in the vicinity) for various reasons. The nastiest part of the article was this little tidbit:
And the Mormons are finding little support from the neighborhood's clergy, including one pastor who said his objection is rooted not in architecture, but theology. "They don't accept Jesus as the Messiah; they accept him as the prophet," said Edward Wilson, pastor at Church of Christ, a block from the Mormon site. "It's wrong, I disagree with it, and I wouldn't want them in the neighborhood."
To get a job as a pastor, those people have to at least have a graduate degree in religion - yet, I lowly religiously uneducated gal that I am know that the doctrinal issue he has with us is something he should bring up with the ISLAMIC church. That's their view, not ours. We're the flippin' Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints! And you don't want someone in your neigborhood you disagree with? Blegh. So Jared found their church e.mail and sent a note to the offended/offending pastor:
Dear Mr Wilson,
This afternoon I read the story on the proposed new Church on 16th Street in the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/23/AR2008052302750.html?hpid=moreheadlines). Hopefully the Washington Post mis-quoted you in reference to the beliefs of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The quote reads: "They don't accept Jesus as the Messiah; they accept him as the prophet."
Your quote could not be more untrue. My guess is that you were mis-quoted. I'd suggest contacting the Washington Post and asking them to correct the error so that you can set the record straight. Individuals so misquoted, who have failed to do so, have often lost credibility on matters of religion, and my assumption is that you are not interested in that happening.
If you were quoted correctly, I would direct you to the following website (created and maintained by the same church) which repeated attests and testifies of the divinity and saving mission of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: http://jesuschrist.lds.org. They do not hold Him to be a mere prophet: "Mormons" do, indeed, accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Messiah, the Alpha and Omega and their personal Savior. They are grateful for his mission and sacrifice and strive to live lives, showing their devotion to the Lord by blessing his children around the world.
With Love and Respect, etc.
I hope this pastor reads this with a little more compassion than he usually does with those "untouchables" he disagrees with. This is my issue with religions where people are paid to teach others -it's a business, not a faith.
Rant over. Enjoy the holiday - go hug someone you don't agree with!
If you aren't family, don't watch this. It's short, but it's not for the adults - it's a kiddo distracter. Solei wanted to watch it over and over and over again. Well, mostly because it's all her, but it's cute nonetheless. You've been warned.
I needs help, people. My celtic trio is in need of a new name... like, today, and I can't for the life of me think of one. I like band names like The Charms, Solas, Oisre, The Cardigans, Bad Haggis, Flogging Molly, but finding one that fits our sound is though .
It's the three of us, two chicks and the world's most awesome guitarist. I thought maybe I coul find some cool Gaelic word with the Gaelic dictionary, and that's a start, but I need a word that describes us and is also not completely confusing. (You can check out our Myspace here for audio)
Jared informed me that our blog is boring, to anyone who is not as completely enamoured with our daughter as we are. Well, is THIS boring??
Don't ask me how he talked me into it, because I don't think he did. I really don't remember him actually asking if he could have one.
Go ahead, ask him why it's so practical. And a total buy. Realy, he'll tell you. He's already had one person he extoled its virtues to go out and buy the exact same bike. Same color. Creepy. One reason he desperately needed it was his old scooter could only go about 35mph, and even though he just commutes 3 miles to work, 35 just ain't gonna cut it with Atlanta drivers. Even if it is the back streets.
That's the old one. Italian. Actually used as a mail scooter. In Italy. They apparently don't care about getting their mail very quickly.
Okay, I know that my mom reads this so that is at least ONE person who is enamoured with our kid. So that picture was for her.
And that one.
Nana and Papa came by and tried it out. Nana refused to get on if Papa was driving. Heehee. I'll post the video of that later. Unfortunately I didn''t get a shot of Papa wobbling down the driveway.
I'll leave you with this disturbing shot of suburban, WASPy housewife stangeness.
I'm finally getting around to posting these pictures of Easter. I've been super busy not cleaning my house. My mom got Solei this uber cute dress and I desperately tried to get a decent picture for her. The results:
1. She wouldn't stop moving!
2. Girl has to sit sometime.
3. Okay, I could NOT get a good shot of the whole dress what with al the moving and such, so we gotta take whats we get. Look how faboo the dress looks on her, mom!
4. Dress. Plus a crazy look, but check out that dress!
5. Believe it or not, this is the best family shot we got. The next one was with Solei running away from us.
This is Bethany, the saint who manages to corral all the kiddos and stay sane in the process:
This is my nephew Teaq. He just walked out of the house wearing this like it was completely normal.
Solei adoring her amazing Gama.
Jared distracted Solei while Bethany did the fastest french braid pigtails I've ever seen - it was gorgeous, but there's a good chance the only time she'll ever look like this again is if Bethany comes to visit!
All the kids post-nursery and primary.
I think that's enough for now. Happy 2 years, Solei!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and the guy waving the flag was fabulous. Really splendid technique.
Predictablly, he came back wanting to change careers because the idea of charging $3 for $.15 of batter and powdered sugar sounded awesome. And it was numnummy!
How much would you pay for a Pow-pow-power Wheels? 20 smackers. It's hilarious - she can press the "gas" and go, but she can't use the steering wheel. You gotta come over and see it!
Nothing earth-shattering here, she just likes walking around the house with her hat over her face. Yes, she does bump into stuff.
My trio band (
Go ahead, ask him why it's so practical. And a total buy. Realy, he'll tell you. He's already had one person he extoled its virtues to go out and buy the exact same bike. Same color. Creepy. One reason he desperately needed it was his old scooter could only go about 35mph, and even though he just commutes 3 miles to work, 35 just ain't gonna cut it with Atlanta drivers. Even if it is the back streets.
