October 23rd, 2016

It's the last week of October! Scary, but not because of Halloween. Yeesh, the kids (mostly Maeser) are so excited.
 "Mom, is tomorrow Halloween?"
 "The next day?"
 "Another week?!!"

There is a desperate need for pumpkins here. We have resorted to painting clementines with sharpies.

We're continuing the tradition of homemade donuts instead of trick-or-treating, that we started last year. Maybe we'll perfect the art of making them. We have already perfected the art of eating them.

Dan's Dad popped in for dinner tonight. It really is the highlight of the week for the children. I can't wait until they are here more permanently.

The Sabbath is a delight. 

Conversations with Maeser this week:
"Mom, can you stand on a cloud?"
"Mom, you have to save me a banana. There's only 15 bananas left."
Life is tough when you are four, and you can't understand why mom won't let you eat 4, no 6, no maybe 8 bananas. But not that bad, I found Maeser on the roof of the car this week with Scout bossing him around. Check it out.

Scout is really becoming her own little person. She talks so well, new words every day. The video is her singing her favorite song. It is adorable.

And Dan brought back a Frozen princess dress, bad idea. She hasn't changed clothes in a week.

October and general conference

Conference weekend already! That means it is fall already! We can't wait to get conference next weekend.

All Maeser can talk about is snow. He almost tears up when he talks about it. Who knew that he loved it so much. Any time we call my parents he asks if there is snow in Utah. So when it finally snows in Hungary, send him a photo.

I hurt my foot in April, it is half better, not knowing how bad I injured it before I ran too early and am paying for it now. 😬 shorter and slower jogs for a bit.

Sunday evening game night.

We went to our first High School play ever. So great to do something like this with the kids.

And I took a floral arrangement class for my Visiting Teaching this month. It was awesome.

October 16

We had conference. I always leave conference feeling empowered and thankful for our priesthood leadership. This year there were so many talks given on hope, joy and the power of the atonement, and repentance. I was thankful for a few minutes to think about how I use (or don't use, or SHOULD use) the atonement daily. One my my favorite quotes was from Dale G. Renlund's talk:

When we understand how our sins can affect our eternal happiness, we not only become truly penitent but we also strive to become better. When faced with temptation, we are more likely to ask ourselves, in the words of William Shakespeare:

What win I, if I gain the thing I seek?

A dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy.

Who buys a minute’s mirth to wail a week,

Or sells eternity to get a toy?17 

But the best part about his talk was in his closing: 

I pray that the redeeming blessings of His Atonement may be yours now—and again and again and again throughout your lives,28 as they have been in mine.

And Elder Nelson's talk on JOY. And Sister Reeves talk from women's conference. And ... I guess I could go on and on.

I have thought so much about that last line though. And it happened to be the last line in all of conference as he was the last speaker. I am so thankful that the Atonement isn't like a ticket at a carnival. Once used on a ride we can't go again... but that no matter how many times, and it should be daily, we find ourselves falling short that we can try again, and again, and again. Even an Apostle needs the atonement.

Maeser has been wearing this Ninja costume for days.

Beyond conference, Dan flew to Chile. His first time in South America. Within the family, there was someone on almost every continent (no one in Africa) on Monday. That's something else I've thought about frequently. We have the capacity to do so much good. I am so thankful for family and the friendships and strength we have as a whole. With Dallin and Sarah in Europe, Hannah in Santiago, Dan/Dan/Rocky/Derrick all over Asia and North America... and Sarah/Julie/Abby/Amy raising 17 children, and not to discount Mom (who reaches 100's)- we have such a huge opportunity to teach of Christ. And that's just Dan's family. Christy and Leif and Mom and Dad in Utah, Ann and Jeff in the mid-west, Caitlin and Spencer on the east coast with Jeremiah in the Deep South... such an influence.

I voted. I hear our ballots won't be counted. But I voted anyway.

Mary has found an interest in the kitchen. With school out this week she has prepared at least 8 different meals. She got so carried away this afternoon that she made two whole loaves of bread into cheese sandwiches!

It seems that everything else was ordinary. But of familiar things this has been ringing in my ears:

"It seems to be human nature: as we become more familiar with something, even something miraculous and awe-inspirit, we lose our sense of awe and treat it as commonplace...Life changing truths are before our eyes and at our fingertips, but sometimes we sleepwalk on the path of discipleship. Too often we let ourselves be distracted by the imperfections of our fellow members instead of following the example of our Master. We tread a path covered with diamonds, but we can scarcely distinguish them from ordinary pebbles…If you have never felt such wonder and joy, I invite you to seek, study, and ponder the simple yet profound truths of the restored gospel.”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

A belated hello.

Late entry. Bad for me because I usually count it as a journal entry. Alas, I still don't have much time to write (kids are out of school for 10 days and Dan is out of town) but I'll include a link with some awesome photos. A friend took some family photos two weeks ago. And she was very generous in her writing, our house looks peaceful, what she didn't document were the tears, pillow fight turned ugly, and Moses crying to sleep. (All in the few minutes she was here.) That's the reality, but it is still beautiful. So enjoy the link, I'll write more soon. I promise.

http://www.januaryandmay.com/

September 25, 2016

A morning at the park.

Walking with Dan.

It was a normal, uneventful (so successful) week. I took Maeser to the library, which he loves. By the time I found him to leave, he took me to the counter to see the books for checkout. He'd transferred an entire 3ft section from the bookshelves, all on sharks and tigers.

I'm attaching school pictures, always entertaining.

September 18

It doesn't seem like much has happened since I last wrote.

Highlights- um...

Dan is in town. I find when he is out of town I take more pictures of the kids and more video clips. Which means the blog gets more too.

Scout may be the coolest cheerleader, ever.

Gentle Abe.​

Mary making a fairy garden.

Breakfast is better when Dan is in town.

September 11, 2016

Mom said the leaves are changing in Utah, Fall is a season I miss dearly. We are planning to visit Sarah and Rocky after her baby comes and possibly for Abe and Eliot's baptism. (More on that next week.) And the only drawback is it will be almost zero degrees. Zero. We get cold in the summer time when it reaches 60. But I can't wait.

It was fast Sunday, one of the most difficult fast Sunday's on the record. What makes it so is uncertain- late night before, wrong choice of food yesterday... what ever the cause, it is certainly humbling. It was actually a sobering day, lots of thoughts about choosing good, choosing light over darkness and knowing that we can never obtain happiness by making poor choices. I know that no matter how many errors we make, the gospel's purpose is to bring us back to God, and through that path, experience true happiness. But understanding the depth of that happiness can only be measured by the times we have felt prompted to repent and know that we fall short. It was a reminder to always be willing to humble myself and admit that I need Christ's atonement daily. Just as I need food daily (even hourly).

Maeser misses Dallin dearly. This afternoon he said, "Mom, I was going to play cars with Dallin yesterday, but we didn't." We talked about missionaries in Primary and he raised his hand and told everyone he was a missionary in Hungary and then the Primary president had him come up front to mark the map where you were. Excitedly, he marked all of Africa and the Indian Ocean. (Good luck with that next transfer.)

Scout is entering an adorable princess obsession, lots of dancing and dress-ups, dolls and coloring. I absolutely love it, she hums (praise to the man) and plays by herself.

Mary began playing rugby this week, Abe taekwondo.

(Maeser the chemist.)

And last, a few Maeserisms:
After wrestling with grandpa and realizing he was much stronger. Astonished, "You almost took my head and face off my body! It could kill me!"

"Mom, do you know what 'In an hour' means?"
"Yeah, it takes an hour."
"No, it means it will take a LOOOONG time."

September 5th

It's Monday, that means FHE. Tonight's lesson is on Honesty... it was going to be on good sportsmanship. Dan has started playing games with Abe and warning him in advance that he is going to win, and then walloping him. Abe has a really hard time losing. Anything. But we'll stage a soccer game for the activity and make sure each team wins some and loses some.

40% of the children have Hand Foot and Mouth Disease, it is very contagious, consequently we've been quarantined. Mary and Abe can go to school as long as they have no fever. If they do get a fever a rash will appear within 48 hours, and blisters last 5-7 days. It feels like a bad cold, but the blisters in the mouth usually decrease the child's appetite and most children get really sick when they become dehydrated. We don't seem to have that problem as Dan has stocked the kitchen with any child friendly beverage. It's almost like a juice fast over here. (Adults are virtually immune to HFMD, so Dan and I aren't worried about catching it.)

Being sick here make me so glad to have this house. I love that we don't have to leave. Riding bikes, swimming, jumping, reading, cooking... life is still the norm and Scout doesn't even realise she's sick. I remember when Mary got sick in our NY apartment and we stayed home for a week. I went crazy. I feel really thankful for what we have here. Minus Ru. Why does anybody get a puppy?

Mary researching the location of Atlantis.

Abe.

Scout, wishing she was old enough to join Maeser's gymnastics class.

Maeser being entertaining. Love the laughs.

Scout.

August 28, 2016

I'd say it was an uneventful week, we made the mistake of watching the new Jungle Book movie with Maeser, he has acted like an animal since. He only speaks rhinoceros.
I mowed the lawn for the first time in um... (I'm counting) 9 years. 9!

A self-portrait by Abe. I hope he never has to floss.

She is usually a very calm child. She could sit an color for hours. 

Schooled

August 21, 2016

Mary and Abe have been in school for a week and a bit. Maeser started this week. Nothing formal. Music lessons at Thunder Rock School next door to Dawaat Tandori (the indian place near Thomson Plaza), rock climbing, and Bob books (do you remember those?).

He has memorized about 40 pages from the books, he'll recite them in any order and on demand. I doubt he'll ever be able to read a real book. Maybe he has a photographic memory, and as long as someone reads it aloud to him he'll be able to recite it back."Dog sat. Dot sat. Mac did not nap.... " He's good.

Moses is teething, the process is painless, at least he'll never remember it. I can't wait until he is like a piranha and his mouth is full of teeth. We'll be done with this phase for life.

The neighbor died. He must have been famous, his funeral has been going on for a week now. I think traditional Chinese funerals are something like a wake. The family hosts relatives and friends for days and days. Their gate is left open, with tens of cars parked within walking distance. Choirs sing, food is served, flowers are piled out to the street. Ru has decided that this week, of all weeks, was the time to become a jailbird and we can't contain her in the yard. She has run through the funeral so many times I think they'll shoot her the next time she escapes. The last time she chewed through her leash and I went to find her. An old man met me in the street and with tears said, "It's a funeral." I felt so bad. Maybe I'll board her until it is finished. It's made me think a lot about the knowledge we have of God's plan. Death isn't an end to our relationships. With what little knowledge and understanding I have about grief and pain, I do know that it isn't the end, and I have faith that it is part of this experience where our souls (body and spirit) come closer to God. I wish, so much, that I could give that small old man some peace. Even if it is just keeping Ru away.

Oh, and we had 3 snakes in the house this week. Just small ones. Literally, they are classified as the smallest snakes on the planet.

Plums

In case you're missing Maeser, the boy is rolling across the carpet singing a song about poop. Ugg. 4 years.

We went to dinner on Friday night to Wild Honey. We didn't have plans to meet up with friends, but Brother and Sister Lifferth texted like 30 minutes before to see if we had plans. We told them to meet up. And then like 5 minutes before they arrived they texted to say they were bringing some friends. Their friends ended up being a general authority and his wife, Brother and Sister Meredith. They were cool, but we felt super young. Everyone else has kids in HS and they are almost 50 years old. I felt like I didn't have anything to say. My salad kept me company- warm goat cheese. Mmmm.

He and Scout are becoming better friends, she is old enough to play (take orders) this year. She adores him, He watches out the window for the bus to roll in. It will be a lot of fun to have him home.

Dan had a race in Malaysia yesterday. I woke up at 4:30, he was supposed to leave at 4:00 and he was still in bed. He had decided to scrap the race (heard there were crocodiles in the water) and do the race on his own. I think it was 30% harder that way. He biked almost 60 miles, ran 11 and swam 1.3.  I was impressed, I would have skipped it all together.

Pictures from the first week of school. He looks thrilled.

Sunday August 7

Brief this week.

Moses can eat anything, sit up and roll across the room and under furniture. Happiest baby alive.

Abe took another missionary discussion this week, we have a new Sister assigned to our ward. She is from Farmington and went to school with Rebecca Cutler. And her last name is Kershisnick. (The painter is her uncle.)

We also went to meet the new school teachers. Abe's teacher tried to impress/befriend/scare him. She was a little aggressive. Maybe she gets nervous at the beginning of the school year, I hope she mellows out. Abe doesn't really know what to think about her, she is completely opposite of last years teacher. Mary already loves hers. I think it is a good fit and hope she makes some good friends. (I looked at the class list and Rhys was also assigned to the same teacher. ARRG!)

This is the science room and the teacher really looks like that teacher from the magic school bus- earnings and everything!

Dan just got back from India, like minutes ago. India was a good trip, better that usual. More cows.

"Mom, I feel like I'm cool." Maeser after dressing for church.

July 30, 2016

We are just coming out of jet lag. No more 4 hour naps at 2 in the afternoon. And everyone is sleeping through the night. I know you hear the whining annually. Sorry. It's like the plague, unavoidable and awful. But, totally worth it. We had such a great summer. We are already making grand plans for next year. ("We" should be changed to "I".)

Small moments at our house:
Abraham finished reading the Book of Mormon. This has been entirely self propelled. He was so excited to finish that the last two nights he was reading we found the scriptures under his pillow because he took them to bed to read and wanted them when he woke. Adorable. Heart melt. Makes this momma proud. He started the missionary discussions today with two other primary children. He was quite impressive with his knowledge of the scripture stories an familiarity with the book its self. The missionaries asked the children to turn to Moroni 10. Which he did, but as the other children were looking up the scripture the Missionaries hinted that the book of Moroni was located at the end of the BoM. Abe disagreed with them as said that "Moroni is after the Book of Ether. If you look at the end of the BoM you only get Doctrine and Covenants."

The baby is crawling. Almost.  Everyone stops to watch and cheer when ever he is on the floor. And because he is a little prince and is never put down, this event happens about 4 times a day.

Robot Factory.

Dan, exhausted trying to sleep on the couch: "No go sleep. No sleep!" protested Scout. She is talking like crazy with new words like dangerous, "I can't go", bad dog, "I get the diapers and wipes". As you can see, we are moving on to short sentences, and it is adorable coming from a stout, slightly balding in front two year old.

I can only recall one other phrase from this week. Dan was reading to the children and said the word 'urgent'. He continued reading while Maeser asked repeatedly and at louder and louder volumes "What's 'urgent' daddy?!"

Photo cred: Scout

From Maeser

Dearest Dallin,

I am already for church and it is only 5:40 in the morning. I have been awake since 3 o'clock... because we flew back to Singapore yesterday and I can't SLEEP!

I went on the airplane and watched so many movies. And I watched Kung Fu Panda 3 times!

Then my dad took us to the beach to play. And we swam to the island with our dog Ru.

I love you Dallin. I miss you. I wish you were sleeping in my room again.

Love, Maeser.

July 16

This is it! The next time I write we'll be back in Singapore, or dead if we don't survive the flight. :-/

Not really hyped for the flight yet, but I've got 4 days to do that.

Hopefully we'll be boarding before Moses figures out to crawl, he is so close and is rolling all over the floor. Crawling really ages him, kinda makes me sad. But not really. It is cute to see him rocking around on his knees.

I was reading Alma 39:16-19. I felt impressed that this work was my work, not just full-time missionaries. "to declare these glad tidings unto this people, to prepare their minds... that they may prepare the minds of their children to hear the word..." Is the gospel is so much a part of my life that those around me notice it, or are drawn to it? Am I sharing it by just being?

I'm often in a frazzled or hurried state, I don't know that that state of being is helpful in sharing the gospel. I spent several minutes watching a woman who was calm and quiet this week. She was bright and happy and her eyes shown as she greeted others and genuinely showed interested in them. I didn't even know her but would have been happy to have shared a conversation with her or learned more about her composure. If I could imitate her behavior I'm sure more would be drawn to the light of Christ and feel the Spirit. I also watched several missionaries yesterday. We went to visit Temple Square, or as Maeser says "Square Temple". It was easy to tell which missionaries were new and felt anxious, they were very ambitions and active, while their companions were calm, full of happiness and peace. The work to be done carries a bit of responsibility and haste, but it also takes love and genuine interest in others and time. Several years ago I shared my testimony and a bit of the gospel with a friend, and this scripture makes me feel like I was doing the work, that "redemption should be made known unto this people as well as unto their children..." Be strong and faithful, love those you serve and a those you meet.

On to less important things, highlights this week include haircuts for the children attempted and failed by me. Pictures are proof. BYU Gymnastics camp for Mary and Abe, it was good exposure and a lot of fun, but they are so bad at gymnastics it is funny.

Sunday morning walk.

Square Temple.

Rockin.

Mary's first selfie.

Camp.