Quote from Brennan:
"I wish we had a friend to play with, but it's in your belly."
awwwww.
If any of you are interested, there are lots new pictures and videos on www.dropshots.com/deseretdesigns. The ones from the trip start on May 12...just if you wanted to see them. If not, no biggie!
Grandma MaryBert and Brennan
Grandma MaryBert and Jackson
Grandma with Jeni and Brooklyn
Papa Jeff and Jackson
Brooklyn after she got mad her mama left and cried herself to sleep.
I'LL RACE YOU...a bounce house with a kiddie race track and tons of cool kiddie cars. After playing, the kids were famished, so we went to CiCi's Pizza. I learned Jackson LOVES alfredo pizza. He ate 2.5 pieces, which is a lot, even for some adults (but not me, I think I ate 20 pcs.)
Local Sprinkler Park. The kids loved spending an afternoon at the splash pad. And they REALLY loved being silly.
For those of you who don't know, Brennan and Maddie have been bosom buddies since early, early childhood. Melissa and I met in Sept. of '03 and we became friends. We were together quite often, so of course our two cute kiddos were, as well. As they grew up, they loved to be together, even though there isa 9 months age difference between them...no big deal as a 5/6 year5 old, but kind of a big gab at the age of 1/2. Age hasn't mattered, though, and these two hagve stayed friends, through moves to different states and everything. They both start kindergarten in the fall, so any age gaps have pretty much disappeared now. It was pretty funny when we were getting ready to leave...Brennan wrote his phone number on a paper and gave it to Maddie so she could call him. His first time to give his number to a girl friend...aw, how cute.
We made it to LA finally (another 7 hours) and are glad to be out of the car. Thanks Daddy for picking us up, even if it was a LONG trip for you.
Now we're resting up and taking it easy. The kiddie 4-wheeler's battery has already died once, so you know the boys are having fun...oh, and watch out because JACKSON is tall enough to drive that crazy thing now!!!!
Waiting for Tuesday...Jeni's ultrasound and then she and Brooklyn comes to visit. YEA!
Oh, and Bart, I love you and hope it wasn't too hard to tame our jungle of a yard all by yourself.
Imagine my surprise when the knock at the door this afternoon was flowers...for me! With our finances on a spending freeze, I knew these weren't from Bart (or he'd be dead meat!)...so, who were they from???
Only one of my best friends ever, Jamie Girl! Thanks for helping cheer my up. I plan on bringing them on the trip with me, so I can enjoy them on the drive.
Thanks to everybody who has called or sent an email or just said a prayer for our family right now, while Bart works so hard to find a new job.
Also, while I am thanking people, I'd like to thank Lexi, for the great peach tree we got a few weeks ago. I won a contest she did on her blog and her prize was a baby peach tree, delivered right to my door at the optimum planting time. What a great prize (even if I was the only one to enter!) We can hardly wait for the tree to grow and fresh peaches to abound.
We're leaving for our trip Monday. Today I have been packing and getting things in order. Brennan and Jackson are ecstatic that it is almost time to see Grandma and Papa and PawPaw. They've both been doing some packing of their own. I wish I wasn't going to be around when they find out that the Star Wars suit case full of toys and socks is staying in Omaha while we go away.
At least they are trying to be helpful...
We leave for our "big adventure" Monday. Brennan had his last day (for him) of preschool today and what luck...it ended with a party...a Mother's Day Tea, actually. The children "pampered" the mothers and sang some very sweet songs. They also served us our treats and made lovely table decorations for us to take home.
Brennan has changed so much during the past school year. I can hardly believe it's almost officially the beginning of the end...Kindergarten leads to first grade leads to junior high leads to graduation and college and marriage and grandchildren and retirement!!!! AHHH!!!!
A very special thanks to Mrs. Bockes and Mrs. Watkins...they work so hard each day to prepare the children for the future. Brennan can write his entire name as good as any elementary child, color a picture mostly in the lines, and skip, gallop, and hop on one foot, all thanks to their love and patience. He would not try for me, even with bribes of fruit bites or trips to the park or "special" movies. BUT, say Mrs. Bockes would like you to try X, and Brennan was quick to respond. Thanks ladies, because of you, grandparent birthday cards are much more personal and really have that "awww, how cute" factor. (Which, after all, isn't that why we send our children to school, anyways, so they can learn to be even MORE adorable???)
Children are so lucky. They get to just cry whenever they feel bad, mad, sad, glad, whatever. Adults, however, are expected to hold all of their emotions in, maybe letting out a little laugh, or grimace, or frown, a trickle of a tear now and again.
How come adults have to hold it all in? It isn't good...because when you get to your breaking point...all your emotions come pouring out and there is no way to slow it or stop it until everything that is weighing on your heart, soul, and mind for the past bit of forever is out in the open and ready to be healed.
BUT...unlike children, a pat on the back or a glass of milk and a cookie doesn't make everything all better. You still have problems. You still have hurt. You still have worry. You still have gut-wrenching fear that makes you want to throw up. You've just cried your guts out and feel tried PLUS the other emotions.
I was really touched today during sacrament meeting at church. It was fast Sunday and up until a few minutes before sacrament meeting began, I was still wishing I'd stayed home so I could take a nap (the downside of 15 hours of scrapbooking) while the boys were at church. Then, as I was going towards the chapel, I saw a man I thought looked familiar. I said, "Are you Bro. X.", to which he answered yes. I got really excited and told him not to go anywhere, I had a present for him in the Primary closet. I ran and got the present for his baby, Leo, and delivered it. When he told me his wife was in the mother's room, I was even more excited. See, in Oct., his wife had to have an emergency c-section to deliver her very premature triplets. Two of the three were only able to grace this world for a small amount of time. Leo, the second child, survived, and was making his first appearance at church at 6 months of age.
I was able to chat with Bro. X's wife and meet the sweetest little boy, too. So...my mood improved a bit because I have kept that family in my prayers whenever I think of them and their struggles and I was glad they were doing well enough that they could venture out to church.
Then, Brennan bore his testimony. It was funny because he wanted to go, but then experienced the "technical difficulties" and said he was "too shy" (odd, I know!) So, Bart, being the superdad that he is, told Brennan to whisper his testimony in his ear and he'd relay it. It was so sweet and simple.
Brennan was thankful for his family, and class at church or something and then he said, "I am so glad I get to go see my Grandma and Papa Jeff next week." It validated our trip. I've been worried that 4 weeks is a long time to leave Bart, but when Brennan said that, I knew our trip was worth missing our loving husband/dad for a while.
Well, when Brennan sat down, Jackson said, "My turn!" over and over again, even asking nicely, "May...I...Love...You?" (his question for anything he really wants) So, I thought, "What the heck?" and brought him up so I could bear my testimony. I went quickly (Jack was being so good I didn't want to jinx it) then held him up to the microphone. I was nervous about what he'd do, but he looked very proudly at the crowd, said "bww" and then beared his face in my neck...awww, just melt your heart, right?
Well, I was feeling pretty good that things were going well when Bro. X got up to bear his testimony. Now, here is a man who lost 2 of his 4 children recently. Do you know what he said? He said he is grateful to be a father "again" (oldest son is 18 or so), even if Heavenly Father called two home early. He shared his strong testimony of the plan of salvation. He was able to be happy, even though he and his wife had lost so much.
I was touched by his strength and I pray that my testimony of the plan of salvation of Heavenly Father is as strong as his. I am grateful I was at church and able to hear his words and reaffirm my belief. I am thankful I have two kind and loving parents who ingrained these basic gospel principles into me, so that I have something to lean on, when times get tough. My family is so wonderful, and I am grateful for our health, happiness, and humor.
I am not a gardener. None of us have no green thumbs, though Brennan does have a slightly black/brownish thumbnail on his left hand.
The other day our neighbor was out and we were chatting over the fence. She noticed our "flower bushes" and asked if they were azaleas? Now, in LA I know they are azaleas because that is what blooms in everyones yards in the spring...do we have a little bit of LA in our own back yard? If so, how lucky for us, esp. since they are purple for LSU!!!
Light breakfast, lunch & dinner
SNACKS, SNACKS, & more SNACKS!!!!!
Goodie bag FILLED with products for each person
Raffles and Prizes throughout the Day
In store SPECIALS & SALES all day long - for croppers only!
Demos and Make-N-Takes using lots of products
Freebies and giveaways all day
T-shirt (register by April 18th to get shirt that day!)
Enjoy a few cocktails in your FREE Koozy with dinner –
(cocktails for those croppers over 21, of course, but a koozy for everyone!)
{awesome...JUST what the OB ordered:-)}
