Kindergarten is Over

We have no kindergarten graduation, but today is the last day of school.  On Monday they had a Bear Pride Assembly.  Every child earn exactly one award, and only one award.  They were for different character traits.  When I was in elementary school we did it every 6 weeks, instead of once a year and always listened to the Yellow Rose of Texas, but never the National Anthem. It was years later, like a decade and half before I knew it was the song was the Yellow Rose of Texas, it was instrumental, it sounded like it was recorded back in 1910, and then recorded off an old phonograph on to a tape, and then played on big speakers. It seemed like everyone always got millions of awards at my assemblies.
Anyway, here is J at his, I didn't realize there was an assembly until about 40 minutes prior.  If I would have known, we might have combed his hair, or at least made him wear matching clothes.  We all have our proprieties in life and right now those are not mine.  Mine lately has been the baby quilt, and park days.

 Here he is with his friend.  Thankfully I'm friends with his friend's mom.  I'm not sure I would have survived kindergarten without constantly texting her back and forth.  No kindergarten is not hard, but it is confusing as first time as a parent in public schools.

 And here are the little sisters.  My daughter is almost a year younger than her friend, and then the youngest sister is a less than a year and half younger than my daughter.

Normal Conversations

Last night my husband and I were having a seemingly normal conversation about a fairly common topic.  Then near the end I just wanted to smile.  He said a seemingly normal opinion, and yet I was reminded of the charity and humanity he possesses, and I was glad he was my husband. I think he has a great capacity for charity, much more than the average person, he denies knowing what I'm talking about, and said he has no charity for anyone. He says he is very self interested, but to me he reminds me of Jacob in Chapter 2, when it says,

2 Now, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, according to the responsibility which I am under to God, to magnify mine office with soberness, and that I might  rid my garments of your sins, I come up into the temple this day that I might declare unto you the word of God." 

My husband would say he only serves others, to rid his garments of sin, but as his wife I see him possessing great charity for those he serves.

3 And ye yourselves know that I have hitherto been diligent in the office of my calling; but I this day am weighed down with much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls...

  And for the sake of my husband's pride, I will end the post now, with no further explanation, and the post a more light hearted post in hopes it distracts viewers from this one.  I have no journal for myself at this point, so right now the blog in slightly vague terms has to serve. The moral of the story is I'm sure you can guess who I'm madly in love with.

Temple

For a few weeks, I really felt like I should attend the temple.  I've really struggled with regular attendance now that I have to drive an hour instead of 20 minutes.  Yes, I realize an hour distance would be a huge blessing for most of my members in my church, but for me I've had to completely change my pattern of attendance.  Two Saturdays ago I didn't feel like I had the time, but I went anyway.  I ate right before I went in and then felt sick the whole hour I participated.  I wondered why I felt so strongly to attend.  I was grateful for the blessing of the temple, but still.  My pregnancies and the temple don't go so well.  Out of three pregnancies, I have now almost passed out twice, and during the other pregnancy a worker asked me if I was going into labor, I said I sure hope not, I still have three months left.  But yes, I did have regular contractions during the whole two hours. I did not get near passing out two saturdays ago, but I still felt awful.
The following sunday in church, my friend shared a story.  She said a few months ago, she hadn't been to the temple for the month.  She was so busy she figured she might skip it.  But she went anyway, then of course she had enough time to get everything done.  If we put the temple first, we always have enough time.
I didn't think much of it at first, but the story stuck with me and I kept thinking about it.  Finally I realized that is why I got more done that Saturday then I ever get done on Saturdays even with being gone for 3+ hours at the temple.  When I went to bed that Saturday I wondered how I had enough time.  I was glad I heard the story, I needed that reminder in my life.
My daughter also reminded me of something, when I got home, I need to take her to temple so, she can be on the grounds and maybe catch a glimpse of a bride.

Saturday morning

We were in the car during the Saturday morning General Conference session.  Our plan at first was to listen to it streaming on my husband's phone.  Unfortunately we were driving in the middle of no where, and the streaming wasn't quite up to 3G capabilities. Which meant I was super excited to read The Ensign when it came out this month.  This are my two favorite quotes from Saturday morning, that I shared with the girls I visit teach. By the way I loved Boyd K. Packer's talk, in my opinion it showed a different side of him than some of his other recent talks.



The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood. Husbands and wives should understand that their first calling—from which they will never be released—is to one another and then to their children.

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them by BOYD K. PACKER

The Father’s plan designated the pattern of the family to help us learn, apply, and understand the power of love. On the day my own family was organized, my sweet Ann and I went to the temple and entered into the covenant of marriage. How much I thought I loved her on that day, but I had only begun to see the vision of love. As each of our children and grandchildren entered into our lives, our love has been expanded to love each of them equally and fully. There is seemingly no end to the expansive capacity to love.

The feeling of love from our Heavenly Father is like a gravitational pull from heaven. As we remove the distractions that pull us toward the world and exercise our agency to seek Him, we open our hearts to a celestial force which draws us toward Him. 

He Truly Loves Us by PAUL E. KOELLIKER of the Seventy

Spring 2012 General Conference

The Third's Third

I am 27 weeks.  I think that means I'm in my third trimester. Who could really ever know these things.  I know if you take 40, and divide my three I'm now in the last third.  Except if you give birth at 40 weeks, you really have only been pregnant for 38 weeks.
I'm starting to get stressed about this baby's birth.  The due date is the 16th, J and N start school the 21st.  Just for the record my babies come after their due dates, like at 40 and half weeks.  Do you know what 40 and half weeks for me is?  The 20th or the 21st.  Ahh!
Luckily Grammy should be here.
Everyone is getting excited about baby brother.  N asks me constantly when are we going to the doctor to get baby brother out?  Little does she know she is not coming.  Brent wants to stay home with N, but I told him that's not an option.  He also recently expressed the desire to give up on natural childbirth, since it doesn't work for us anyway.  He said we go in, and once they put me on pitocin, we are getting the epidural before we are tired.  He apparently doesn't believe in the power of going as long as possible drug free.  There is a chance I put that thought in his head.  I need to start thinking about my expectations, but I really don't want to. The 6 year old is constantly talking about his desire to see the future so he is better at Poptropica computer game, that sounds nice with the baby.  Someone please look into the future and tell me what decisions would make child birth for the third time the easiest.
This baby is quite strong, and I must be big enough for strangers to now ask me about my pregnancy.

Joy School Graduation

Remember my post about Joyschool being over.  Well we had graduation on Monday night.

 Tah dah, the five graduating girls. Poor Nan, her head is small, so her hat wouldn't stay on.

Follow Up

As a follow up, Yes, the chaos drove me crazy during the science fair.  I know you can't complain unless you are willing to fix something. I have fantastic ideas, like have the judges judge the projects, before you let the children who didn't do a project run around without supervision with the idea that they are "looking" at the projects. Next year, might not be my year to volunteer, but I'm thinking maybe 2nd grade.  I guess it depends on what my 8 month old is like.