Thanks for my dog

 OK, OK, fine! I complain about this lil rascal all the time, but I'll admit I'm still thankful for him.

*The rascal in question btw is my dog Raffi. Not my daughter Polly. 

She is an angel. Not a rascal.

Hope that clarifies things.

Thanks for the vote

That’s right! I voted! She voted! Matt voted! We voted!

Now Ida and Matt are downstairs watching the results and I am going to bed. I’ll see what changes await us in the morning.

Thanks for the goals

I've been joking about how running marathons is my midlife crisis. (Well, I'm like 50% joking.)

I've run 4 marathons since I turned 40, with tentative plans for a 5th in the spring. (If that one doesn't happen, I have solid plans for a 5th next fall.) I thrive with a goal. I'm grateful for the opportunity to reach this one, over and over. So far, so good!

Thanks for the seasons

It's November first, and you know what that means! 

(Thanksblogging!)

We had the elders over for dinner tonight, and they shared Ecclesiastes 3 with us, which is a lovely poetic ode to the variety of feelings and experiences we go through. 

Side note, I remember the first time I really thought about that famous chapter, which was when the song "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds was featured on my video yearbook in seventh grade. (Shoutout Clifton Cubs)

I have been thinking about seasons this year in particular, because summer went by WAY too fast. I was grumpy about fall coming, but it's been a spectacular fall so far. The trees are brilliant orange, yellow, red, purple. The skies are bright blue, and the sun has that pale, fall-specific tint.

Ida is working furiously on college applications. Theo is working hard on his mission. Lars is dropping seconds off his 5K time. Polly is surprising me every day with new skills she's learned. This is a season of big changes for the trees and for our family.

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

A psalm

I have too much to say. I sent my kids to school this morning and I’m sad about summer ending but happy that they are happy about school.

Yesterday morning before church Polly came in and asked for help understanding some of the Psalms (what they would be learning about in primary that day). We found a simplified Bible translation and she chose some to print off. 

We had an extended chat about Psalm 23 in particular and how it’s chock full of gems. (I even played her the first line of “Gangsta’s Paradise”… millennials will know…)

This morning after everyone had left for school, I found this taped next to her light switch in her room:

I’m so thankful for her and for the conversation we had yesterday about the psalms; thankful that this one touched her heart enough for her to hang it up where she’ll see it every day.

My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. 😭  

Thanks for the swim teams

 

Aren't they cute? lol. I made my kids pose for the professional swim team photos last summer because it was the last time they'd all be on the team together.

I've been reading the nonfiction book Young Woman and the Sea for book club (recommend!) about Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel, and her experience growing up in a world where women weren't allowed to swim competitively. It's made me extra grateful for the opportunity all of my kids have had to learn to swim and to be part of a team doing it. 

Polly in particular has taken to swimming, and she has continued to swim year round this year for the first time. It's a sacrifice, but she loves it, and happily goes to practice twice a week, and she's keeping her skills up, and I think it will pay dividends next summer when she ages up and has to swim 50s in butterfly instead of 25s (something she's been nervous about).

Plus lifeguarding has been a great summer job for my older kids.

So thankful for the swim team and for all my kids' swim instructors who have made swimming such a big and rewarding part of our family life.

Thanks for Polly

 

Oh this little thief of my heart. I am so grateful for our caboose who came to complete our family and fill up the house with giggles. Polly is funny, silly, affectionate, and kind; she swims a mean butterfly; she makes friends wherever she goes; and she made the sweet potato casserole all by herself for Thanksgiving. Hooray for Polly!

Thanks for Lars

 

Matt's description of Lars as a "loose nerve ending" (I think he first said this when Lars was like 3 or 4) has continued to be accurate. He's full of energy and sometimes literally bounces off the walls. He gets his energy out by talking, asking questions, running around, running up and down stairs, wrestling, hiding and scaring people. Oddly enough, he is also super-focused when it comes to household chores and he is my most dependable worker around the house. He is a whirlwind and I couldn't be more grateful.

Thanks for Ida

 

Ida has worn the same shirt, same hairstyle and same facial expression every year in her high school yearbook photo. It's not that this explains her personality exactly, but it is classic Ida. She is funny, silly, generous, observant, extremely clever, extremely intelligent, extremely independent, a voracious reader, a solid wing-woman. I'm so thankful for my Ida.

Thanks for Theo

 

This cute boy is home for Thanksgiving. I love him SO much. When I saw him on Saturday morning he gave me the biggest strongest hug--he's definitely the best hugger out of all my kids! I am so thankful for everything Theo has taught me, everything he continues to teach me, I'm thankful for his goofy sense of humor and his love for sports and for BYU, and I'm especially thankful that he's having such a great start to his freshman year. What a guy. 

Thanks for Harry

 

That's my brother Harry next to me at our nephew's wedding. Do you know what it's like to have a brother who's 10+ years older than you? In my eyes, Harry was always the coolest guy, who had things like a boa constrictor in a glass tank in his room, and purple suede Doc Martens. He left for college when I was only 7. Then he lived with us again briefly when I was in high school before he got married, and I used to raid his CDs for my mixtapes (thanks to him for my love of funk in particular, but also Harry Connick Jr., Madonna, Depeche Mode, and George Michael) and spray his cKone cologne on myself when he wasn't home.

He taught me how to drive uphill in his stick-shift truck. He made a sign for the window that said "SHAQ FOR PRESIDENT" when the Lakers were in the finals. When I was a senior in college he came to BYU for one semester to finish his degree and we took 2 classes together. I am so thankful for this cool older brother who I know loves me and who still teaches me stuff.

Thanks for Noah

 

My "little brother" is obviously bigger than me now and has been for some time. I am thankful for Noah's insights, the connections he makes, the things he notices that no one else notices. He has always been sensitive and funny and musical and super smart. Thankful for Noah!

Thanks for Hannah

 

Sister number three!

This lady is my BFF, my roommate for more years than anyone but Matt, my queen of inside jokes, my confidant and my fashion icon. Love Hannah and so thankful for her.

Thanks for Matt

 I'm not sure how this photo ended up on my computer but I am here for it!

Today on Matt's birthday I am so thankful for the man I married. 22 years later, best decision I ever made. and I'm not afraid to say it's the best decision he ever made too...

Thanks for Phoebe

 

This is a much older picture but I just like it!

My sister Phoebe knows exactly how to make things more beautiful, more fun, more of whatever they need to be. And this is also a good picture for this post because she always makes me laugh. I'm thankful for Phoebe!

Thanks for Bonny

 

Swiping through my photos and I found this darling one of my sister Bonny. I'm so thankful for Bonny. She is the ultimate oldest sister, always making sure everyone is comfortable, always setting an example, always offering a warm welcome to newcomers. I want to be like Bonny when I grow up.

Thanks for the fire

 

OK I figured out how to post photos from my computer... so maybe I'll start doing that again!

This fall I am super grateful for my fireplace. (No, it's not a pizza oven, despite its appearance) We tried using it the first year we lived here and the house got smoky inside so that was a no-go. We had a couple of inspections and realized we needed to completely re-line it and also do exterior work on the chimney. Saved up for that and two years later, voila, we have a working fireplace! I love building fires and I love the smell of woodsmoke and I love the snap-crackle-pop of an active fire. I think this guy will get a lot of use from our family.

Thanks for sleep

Sleep is harder for me than it used to be. I can still sleep like a rock if given the opportunity, but I rarely get the opportunity. Dog barking, kids' alarms going off, my air purifier going on the fritz and beeping like it's lost its mind... then there's all that middle-age hormone stuff that sometimes pops in completely uninvited and wakes me up when it has no business to. 

BUT last night, the fates converged and I slept until almost 9 am. Whew! 

To be very fair, it's also thanks in part to Polly and Matt, who were both already up and dealing with the dog. And it's Saturday, so no alarms. Ida and Lars are both still fast asleep, bless them and their teenage brains.

Thanks for the teachers

I chaperoned Polly’s field trip today and I am ex-haus-ted. It was fun to chat with other parents though as well as her delightful teachers. Gosh, how many teachers have taken care of my kids over the years? I’m going to do some math and figure that out. Thank you, teachers!!!

Edit:

This is not counting church, seminary, piano, voice etc. teachers. That would probably be another 50+…

They each went to 2 years of preschool with about 4 teachers each = 8

3 of them went to 7 years of elementary school with 2 teachers each year (I’m counting IAs, but many classes did have 2 fully licensed teachers) plus PE, music, band, art, and STEAM teachers; and Polly has been there 6 years.

3 of them went to 2 years of middle school with 6-10 teachers each year (10 for Theo, 6 for the others)

High school, 6-10 teachers each year (10 for Theo, 6 for the others); 4 years for Theo, 3 for Ida, 1 for Lars

It’s been a minute since I had to do real math but that is APPROXIMATELY 100 unique teachers who have helped my kids in school since we started Theo in preschool in ~2010.

That’s allowing for some repeats. It might be more like 60, if I really sit down and figure out which teachers had more than one of my kids. (I adjusted for this with the elementary specials teachers.) Approximately 60-100 unique teachers plus a whole bunch of the church and music variety. BLESS THEM ALL.

Thanks for the plumber

 Our hot water started acting weird back in like August. It would sometimes get hot and sometimes stay lukewarm. An appliance guy looked at the water heater, then a plumber, then another plumber, then my dad when he was here visiting. It seemed to stump everyone and so we got a couple of quotes to replace the entire heater (not cheap) but then something the second plumber had said about a shower cartridge stuck in the back of my mind. I experimented a little with the flow of the hot water and reached out to that second plumber (who had given me his cell phone number in case I had questions) to see if he could come back and investigate some more. This is becoming an unreasonably long story but suffice it to say that he did come back (twice actually), and he did solve the problem, and he did save us over 5 grand in the process. Bless you, Mike the Plumber!