plumbing

I cleaned out bathroom drains on Friday. Three of them. It was really gross. The smell reminded me of the perms I used to get in the 70's. We had to do them outside because the smell was so strong. Who knew that the combination of water, hair, soap and spit could create such nastiness. As gross as it is it is nice to be able to turn on the water and have it flow through the system without getting backed up.

This of course made me think on my sweet Zoe who has been struggling with painful constipation for the past two weeks. She has missed a lot of school, shed a lot of tears, spent a lot of time on the couch-and on the piano since I wouldn't let her watch TV while she was out of school. We weren't sure what it was, but an x-ray (and to be quite honest her smell) after 10 days confirmed that she had non-obstructive impacted bowels. Good Times. Zoe has been on some heavy duty laxatives for the past 5 days-which create their own form of abdominal pain. She gets to take them for the next month to get everything flowing normally through the system.

Problems like plumbing make you realize how grateful you are that everything works and even more grateful that you have the tools to fix it when things don't work. It also reminds you how much maintenance is required to keep everything in our lives working smoothly.

Like that ever happens...

The third shift

My kids have been back in school for a month. I don't have enough space on my h-drive (that is what my kids call it) to download the photos on my camera. Not that I would have taken the time to wax poetic about them anyway. As I was leaving my daughters class after volunteering this week her teacher asked me what I did with all my free time since all my kids are in school. I just chuckled and said "what free time?" I recently read, and re-read the text of a talk by Julie Beck (General President of the Relief Society) from Women's Conference. She talks about the role of mothers in the home and how they can spiritually lead their families. She said a lot of great things in her address, but I keep thinking about her comment regarding shift work "I have learned that a good woman with the help of the Lord can usually work two to two and a half shifts. However, no one can work all three shifts." So here I am in the middle of the third shift and wondering who I can pawn off the rest of my shift to so I can just go to bed. Perhaps I will leave the dishes for my first shift tomorrow morning.

Tooth Fairy

Today we drove from SLC to Phoenix.
No fun.
We stopped in Beaver for breakfast at McD's and they had a Red Box (LOVE Red Box).
Reed rented the Tooth Fairy.
The tooth fairy is coming to our house tonight.
Heidi pulled out a loose tooth during the show.
Zoe pulled out a loose tooth after we got home.
Molly has a loose tooth, but it is not quite ready yet.
Can I just say that when it comes to pulling out loose teeth, my kids are super tough.
But not as tough as the tooth fairy in that movie.

Freedom isn't free

In preparation for Memorial day there has been some thoughts around our house as to what our freedoms mean. Zoe asked me on Saturday "If we live in a free country how come nothing is free?"
Profound.
I explained that people are free to charge whatever they would like for something and we have the freedom to choose to buy it or not. Never miss an opportunity to plant the seeds of capitalism.
We live in a great country that has been defended from its inception by great people. I am grateful to be free, and realize that we appreciate more those things for which we have had to pay a high price.

daddy sees dead people

Sometimes you say something and your kids hear not what you said but a similar word that they think you said.
Hear my tale...
Tonight Reed went to Seminary graduation. He came in, changed, grabbed food and was out the door and I tried to explain to the kids where he was going.
Tanner still did not understand and had his sisters try and tell him that dad was going to cemetery graduation.
As the kids were getting ready for bed Tanner exclaimed that Dad was the lucky one because he got to go and see all the dead people. This immediately piqued my interest because I wondered if he was remembering a recent funeral or if someone had shown him the Sixth Sense. Heidi immediately understood and explained that daddy was at that cemetery thing.
Mystery solved. I am glad that with all the crazy things I have to deal with the paranormal is not one of them.

Easter Requiem

Awake my soul!
No longer droop in sin.
Sing all praise to him
whom the battle with death did win.

We sinners all together
have reason to rejoice;
He broke the bond of death for us
with angels raise your voice.

Gather on your journey
those who are heavy laden.
Share the joy of Him who lifts
for you are his handmaiden.

Mother, wife, sister, friend,
daughter, child of God.
He will welcome all who enter in,
the pathway he has trod.

As this Easter day closes I want to add my testimony to those I have heard this day, that Jesus Christ lives, he loves us, and he wants us to be happy.

Lion Day

Because it is March Tanner has been learning about lions and lambs in preschool. Yesterday we had cold, rainy weather. After we arrived safely home from preschool and closed the weather behind us he announced to me "Mom, Today is a lion day." And it was. (As a closer for the lion day we trimmed Tanner's mane, he did a lot of growling over the ordeal.)