Braceless Teeth!

Connor's Awesome!

Constant Change

Christopher Pei
Picture from Google Images

Tai Chi master Christopher Pei said to me (okay so he was on a DVD) that,  "The beauty of Tai Chi is about change.  Everything around us is changing constantly and we cannot stop the change, but we hope to harmonize our self with the change."

It is true that everything is changing constantly.  Kindergarten registration was today, and for the third year in a row, I didn't sign anyone up!  My oldest daughter is married!  My hair never stays the same length but grows, is cut, and grows again -- in the oddest colors!  Okay, maybe gray isn't so odd.  Our new house isn't so new anymore, and the cars we have now are not the same as the one we started out with as newlyweds (Hallelujah!).

I think there are changes that we need to harmonize ourselves with, like those above, and things like my food allergies that showed up, for the most part, after I was married.  My wishing that food allergies didn't exist doesn't make them go away, and wishing my hair would stay a beautiful golden blond, or whatever color it really used to be, doesn't make it so.  Many changes just happen, and we harmonize with them by accepting that, and coming up with a plan to handle our new reality.

However, there are some changes in society, or our communities around us, that we must harmonize ourselves with in a different way.  There are changes that would move people away from God -- changes in society's values, and morals, and perspectives. We harmonize with these changes by making a plan to deal with them that stays true to our beliefs, and to our knowledge of the truth.  Rather than molding ourselves to merely accept the changing forces, we must harmonize ourselves to the reality that we might stand judged and alone!

So, in my handling and harmonizing with constant change, I hope I will harmonize with changes in a way that moves me toward God and not away from Him, because I believe this is where happiness is found.

Angels are Smiling

Image from Google Images.  I tried to discover the name of the artist, but failed.

Sometimes I think that you fly like an angel
Showing up just when I've needed a friend
Sharing your love and your great gift of kindness
Helping my day have a happier end

Some days have sunshine, children, and good times
Joy multiplies with a friend there to share
Laughter, and warmth, and the peace of a person
That I know as someone who really does care

Storms come with dark clouds and lost expectations
Pain that can burrow down into your heart
Sorrow that pulls the tears from inside you
A heavy load lifted when a friend carries part

Then there are days that seem to last forever
Or days that fly past at the great speed of light
Days where the ups and the downs come together
With the help of my friend, these days turn out right

Chorus:

Angels are smiling, for you, my friend.
They will stand by you each day till the end.
They'll hold you up if your knees start to falter,
For in you they see our Savior's good friend.

This is a song that I wrote for my friend Shannon for Christmas.  I just got around to making an imperfect recording.  I tried for a perfect one, but I only tried twice!  It's a long song when you're singing to the camera.  You can check out my frustrated look at the end when I miss the last note on the guitar.  Just click on Angels . 

While I wrote this song for Shannon, it applies to all of my angel friends.  I am very blessed.

Rockin' at the Roller Derby

Shellie, Sherie, Derek, Connor, and Clayton.  Picture by Howard

A couple of weeks ago Derek and I took Connor, and went with some friends to see their daughter participate in a roller derby.  This is something we never would have even known existed in our little Utah community if it wasn't for this friend's daughter, who we'll just call Wham Bam, since that's what she goes by at the derby.

On the way there we learned about "jammers" and "blockers" and how points are added up.  Unfortunately, our team, whose name I have forgotten, lost.  However, we had a good time with our friends cheering for their daughter (Wham Bam).  I even recognized another member of the team.  I think she was one of Tia's instructors in hair school!

It was not an expensive date, especially since we forgot cash so our friends paid our way in :-).  We did pay them back, and it was the most unique date we've been on in a long time!  Every now and then it is good to have an adventure, and try something new.  Derek enjoyed it, and said he can now check it off his life list (because I'm sure it was on there in the first place!)

A Week in Summary

Does it seem like I don't write very much lately?  For some reason writing has seemed hard, and I haven't done it.  Last week was busy, but it was a good week.  The day after the paper bag game was a day where my Mom did genealogy, my Dad worked on repairing the wall where the old mirror was, and I was grumpy, but managed to sand and stain the bathroom cabinets for the first time and make dinner, so I was rather proud of myself.  Poor Jake stayed home sick, and was home all week.  He is much better now, but his cough doesn't sound much better, especially in the morning, and so I kept him home today too.

The before it got too far picture.

Wednesday Derek stayed home, and between him and my Dad lots of things got accomplished.  The new countertop was put in, the wall was finished and painted and the new light went in.  I pretended to do genealogy with my Mom but quickly decided I didn't know what I was doing, and so I just enjoyed seeing how far back people had been able to trace our genealogy.  Pretty far!  One line I looked at went back to the 1500s.  I thought that was pretty good.  Derek, trimmed trees, and I can't remember if it was this day or the next that I re-stained the doors and drawers.  I wasn't as good of a hostess for this day and didn't make dinner.  My parents kindly found their own food to eat.  Luckily I had some bottled fruit on hand!

Thursday my parents went off on the rest of their trip and I went to the allergist where I discovered that I am allergic to outdoors.  Grasses, Mountain Cedar Trees and Sage Brush were the worst.  I was tested for 58 things and was allergic to 50.  Maybe one of those doesn't count so then I would be only allergic to 49, including cats and dogs.  I'm hoping that getting allergy shots will have the side affect of getting rid of my oral allergies which make it unpleasant to eat raw fruits and vegetables.  Thursday night Kayli and I went to play futsal with some fellow ward members.  Not many of us had spectacular skills, but we ended with a tied game, got good exercise, and had fun in the process.

Friday I put the bathroom back together and got to go to dinner with Derek.  Saturday I was really tired and fell asleep while Derek worked, and Sunday was a good, busy day full of church, worship, and family.

I forgot to take a picture of our bathroom before the remodel.  I thought I had one somewhere from when our house was for sale, but it must have disappeared with the demise of our last computer.  So here are some pictures of the process, and the result.  It will have to be good enough.

The Paper Bag Game

Monday, after Connor told us stories about Porter Rockwell, my Dad and Derek went to take the big mirror out of the master bathroom as the beginning of a redo the bathroom project.  The rest of us, except my Mom, played The Paper Bag Game.  My Mom was a great audience as the rest of us stood on one foot and tried to pick up our paper bags with our mouths.  No hands allowed. 

Some nose dives and acrobatic one legged leaps happened as we cut the bags shorter and shorter.  The winner is the person who can pick up their bag at the shortest level, and stand back up again.  Jake, predictably, was the winner.  Derek took a few pictures of us lined up from winner to me, the "loser".  I felt like I did pretty well so I wasn't really sad.  Plus, if Derek had been playing he would have lost.  He is not flexible in the way that is needed to be a paper bag game champion!

*We occasionally played this game at family home evening when I was young.
**I beat Kayli until she knew we were going to take pictures, then she decided to try harder.