Thankful......and Exhausted!

As I lie in bed at just 7:30 on this lovely Black Friday evening, I feel thankful. But so, so tired! It's fine. Shulamith assured me that it's fine; it's okay to be simultaneously thankful and exhausted after three full days of holiday celebrations. First.... the thankful!

I'm thankful that four of our five children live here in the Salt Lake Valley: Isaiah in Salt Lake City, Seth in Orem, Eli in Herriman, and Shulamith just around the corner. They were all here Wednesday afternoon and evening, as we celebrated "Fakesgiving" (aka Thanksgiving one day early) in order to accommodate their various schedules. And not only that; they all slept overnight here, so we had even more time together. 

I'm thankful for their friendship with each other. Four diverse personalities they are, but one unbreakable bond connects them. You can feel it when they're together, and it's my happiest of happy places.

I'm thankful for their friendship with me. I know that some children grow up, make their own lives, and see their parents only occasionally. These four are some of my closest friends, and I see them often. This is a gift I never take for granted.

I'm thankful for the two who married our children, Mathew (Shulamith) and Amanda (Eli). Matt brings his unique humor and love for all things awkward; life would not be the same without him. Amanda is the "girl" Shulamith and I always dreamed of and wished for. 

(Before much celebrating began, Amanda and I made a Diet Coke run. Shulamith had this great idea that if we each bought two, they would last the whole day. Brilliant!)

I'm thankful all these amazing people are sealed to us by covenant. My anxiety causes me to worry more than non-anxious moms, and I'm working on that, but I know they will be with me eternally. I recently had a sign made for our home, after studying/teaching the Book of Proverbs. It is Proverbs 31:21 and reads, "She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet." Indeed!

Next... the exhausted!

Wednesday was devoted to cooking, cleaning, and decorating. Shulamith's daughter, Kennedy, was here all day, and thank goodness she was because I couldn't have done it without her. She literally decorated our entire house by herself, including climbing a ladder to trim the very tall tree. Then she made stuffing and helped me prepare and baste the turkey hourly throughout the day. Dinner was good; everything turned out well. Afterwards, we played "The Game of Things," and  (wait for it.......), I actually won! I never, ever, win. Board games are just another of the hundreds of things I suck at, so this victory needs to be memorialized here in this blog.

Thursday (aka the real Thanksgiving), I got up and made breakfast for everyone, bacon and cinnamon streusel french toast. Then we headed out to see a movie: The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and I'm pretty sure those were the only 120 minutes I sat down in the whole three days. Movie was good, not great, but good. Then back home to make soup from the turkey carcass. It was also good, not great, but good. In Isaiah's words, "Tastes just like everything else we ate growing up, bland!" Yep, cooking is on that list of hundreds of things I suck at. Later, though, Eli fried scones for everyone to eat while the bros played video games, and those were actually great! Thank you, Eli. 

By 10:30 last night, I was wiped. Isaiah and I were playing with Eli's one-year-old baby, Jane, but I had to take her back downstairs to her parents, so I could fall desperately into bed. Because the following day...today(!)...would be arguably the best day of the year: BLACK FRIDAY!! It's true. Shulamith and I look forward to this day with excitement and anticipation all year long, as we stash cash away in envelopes and dream of hot chocolate, Diet Coke, crowds, Christmas music, and an entire day of shopping! 

We set alarms for 7:00 a.m., dressed quickly, and I was at her house by 7:20. We hit Target, Costco, Fashion Place Mall, Ulta, and Deseret Book, with lunch at Cheesecake Factory in the middle, a seriously awesome and productive Black Friday!

And now I lie here in bed, thankful and exhausted, beyond ready for some "me" time, some down time, some time to read the second half of The Alice Network, which has taken a backseat recently to dumb essays that need grading. But not tonight. 

Finally, I am thankful for all of you my dear readers and friends, every one.

Christmas 2021: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful

It's 8:44 a.m., Tuesday, December 28 2021. I sit in my bed, sipping Diet Coke from my brand new Stanley Cup (thanks, Shulamith and Seth), eating apple pie, cream puffs, and a gingerbread cookie, while watching an episode of 911. This is only a slight shift from my normal morning routine, which includes a walk first thing and no food until noon (intermittent fasting). 

It's the day after Christmas, and every mom deserves a break the day after Christmas; am I right? So rather than restoring order to my post-Christmas disaster house, I'll happily continue my self-indulgence by telling you the story of Christmas 2021: the Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful:

The Good.

1. A finished basement, allowing us all enough room to sleep downstairs overnight on Christmas Eve. (Last year, we had to cram all of us into our bedroom upstairs, lined up wall to wall on air mattresses in sleeping bags.) This was a definite improvement. 

2. Matching Christmas pajamas. Years ago when this tradition began, only Shulamith and I participated. We'd buy each other matching pajamas for Christmas Eve, and they weren't even Christmas themed. In recent years, the tradition has grown into a family affair, with everyone participating except Isaiah and Shulamith's husband, Matt. Isaiah hates matching Christmas pajamas. No, really. The words "creepy" and "cultish" may have been spoken, but this item still belongs on the "good" list, because Isaiah is outvoted! Only because he loves me, did he agree to put on a black shirt and stand in the back for the picture. Mathew doesn't enjoy much of anything about Christmas, so no surprise he would opt out of pajamas. That said, he was kind enough to set up the timer on his phone to take the photo.

3. Spending December 25th with Eli and Amanda. On the years we need to move our Christmas to a different day in order to accommodate everyone's schedule, I usually stay home on the 25th and try to convince myself that it's not really Christmas and I can be perfectly happy relaxing alone, reading, and watching shows. However, there is always a tinge of melancholy, just a tinge, even though I know our joyous celebration is still to come... just not today. But this year, I was blessed to spend the 25the with Eli and Amanda, as they celebrated their first Christmas with their new baby. It was the loveliest! I spent most of the day snuggling a "Jane-in-a-gown," so Eli and Amanda could open their gifts to each other, along with ones they received from Amanda's relatives. Babies in gowns are my absolute favorite. My five wore them pretty much every day of their lives until they no longer fit in them. Thank you, Eli and Amanda, for inviting me; this could for real be my Dec. 25th tradition forever. 

4. Simple food. Years ago, after preparing a giant Christmas feast, Shulamith and I remarked to each other that "we are the only ones doing all the work, and we are exhausted, and it's not the way we want to spend Christmas." From that point on, we simplified. We eat yummy Chinese food from Fortune Cookie Christmas Eve. We have our trusted prep-the-day-before egg casserole for Christmas breakfast, then snack on copious amounts of cookies, candy, cream puffs, Hickory Farms treats (sent from my mom in Portland) throughout the day, followed by chicken pot pie and apple pie, both courtesy of Costco. This year we added some chocolate fondue at the very end, and all was perfection.

5. The blessings of a large family. In the early days, when I was crazy busy with five bickering children, debilitating anxiety, sleepless nights, so much to do and so little time for myself, I questioned my sanity. I still sometimes question my sanity, as we all do, but I am profoundly grateful we had our five incredible kids. It was worth any sacrifice we might have made to experience the love we felt yesterday. Only our oldest son and his daughter, who live in Maryland, were missing.

The Bad.

1. Waffles, trapped in his kennel all day. He actually loves his kennel, but he's usually only in it at night. I bought him a brand new bone to keep him happy and occupied and away from the Christmas chaos. 

2. Ruined surprises. There are 12 of us, and Shulamith and I handle all the details of selecting, ordering, purchasing, wrapping, and organizing gifts. We make lists. We check off items as we wrap them. We do all the things. And still, I always make at least one mistake. Sometimes it involves putting the wrong code on someone's gift. "Wait! No! That's not for you; that's for ___________." Gratefully, that didn't happen this year. Instead, I messed up and gave Mathew the tool for his Ooni backyard pizza oven before I gave him the actual oven. Oooops! I told him this was intended to build the suspense. I'm sure he believed me.

The Beautiful. 

1. This present. I know, I know, it's not about the presents. But you guys: just look at this glorious picture that will soon hang in the entryway of our home! It's called "Peace in Christ," and it's even more beautiful in person. Thank you Gerald, Shulamith, Eli, and Amanda, for this surprise. I am overwhelmed.

2. Eli, in animation. Our gift opening is a bit of a marathon. There are 12 of us, and we open presents one at a time, slowly, in order of age, youngest to oldest. It takes a minute. At one point, Shulamith was holding Jane, so Eli took over her picture-taking duty. He was taking tons of pics of Shulamith's kids, so I politely inquired, "Are you taking any pictures of MY kids, you know, for MY blog post?" So he took 14. They all look like this:

Beautiful for sure, but I wonder if he thinks he's an only child?

3. More pictures from our celebration yesterday:

Merry Christmas, everyone! Our love to all.

Theodore's Themes - Part III

 

32. Theodore was mad at Shulamith for some reason when they were driving in the car.

Theodore: Mommy, when I get home, I going to hit you. (And about an hour after they got home, he walked right up to her and did exactly that.)

33. Shulamith was cracking open a can of Diet Coke.

Theodore: Mommy, hold that Diet Coke with two hands!

34. Oftentimes Shulamith drives out to Bluffdale after dropping of her two big kids at school.

Theodore: Mom, are we going to Her's house now?

Shulamith: No, we are going to the store, then home.

Theodore: But Mom, Her is going to be so sad.

35. Theodore put his Build-a-Bear in Kennedy's car seat for their drive here to Bluffdale this morning.

Shulamith: Oh look, your bear is so happy in the car seat! He's even smiling.

Theodore: Actually, he is not smiling. He is just a stuffy.

36. Theodore wants to buy a car, every time we go to Target. They only cost a dollar, so Shulamith often lets him get one, but not always, and when she doesn't:

Theodore: See, it doesn't cost $100.

37. Theodore likes to go through the entire house and turn on every single light.

Shulamith: Theodore, you don't need to turn on all the lights.

Theodore: But Mommy, we need to see.

38. Theodore often has to ride in a stroller while Shulamith and I walk, and we often say we need to get out steps in (we both try to walk at least 10,000 steps every day).

Shulamith: Let's get ready to go for a walk.

Theodore: No, I don't want to do any steps today.

39. Shulamith was joking about how she killed their first dog, Kitty. She didn't. Kitty had a heart attack, all too common in Boxers. However, she was outside in the snow when it happened, so Shulamith worries that maybe the cold weather triggered her heart attack. We'll never know.

Shulamith: That was the year I killed Kitty.

Theodore: Oh no, Mommy! Don't kill her.

40. Theodore sometimes gets confused on the order of syllables, for example in the word "forgot."

Theodore: Mommy, you "gotfor" to read me a story.

41. Both Kennedy and Theodore have their soccer practices at the same time, but at totally different places, and Matt isn't off work yet, so Shulamith and I have been taking turns. This past week, Shulamith took Kennedy, and I was supposed to take Theodore, but before we could leave, Shulamith texted me that Theodore's coach emailed to say he was sick and canceling practice.

Me: Theodore, your coach is sick, so there is no soccer practice tonight. I'm sorry.

Theodore: (no response)

....later, when he was in the car with Shulamith...

Theodore: Mommy, Her is very mean. She didn't take me to my soccer game.

42. Shulamith and I were about to walk a loop around the block in our neighborhood.

Shulamith: Her and I are going for a quick walk. Swen, be sure to watch Theodore.

Theodore: And I will be sure to watch Swen.

43. Theodore really doesn't like spiders, and he thinks ants are also spiders. He was stomping an ant yesterday, over and over, but it was slow to die.

Theodore: It's not dead yet.

...stomp stomp stomp...

Still not dead.

...stomp stomp stomp...

There we go.

Now it died.

It not waking up.

44. Theodore woke up very, very early this morning. When Matt heard him, he got up to investigate and found Theodore crawling out of his room. Upon seeing Matt, he waved...

Theodore: I slept really fast.

45. Our pool opened last week, and Thursday it was 80 degrees, so we decided to swim. We all had our swimsuits on.

Theodore (looking at his stomach): I don't have a big tummy. (Looking at Shulamith): Mommy doesn't have a big tummy.

Shulamith: Who has a big tummy?

Theodore: Grandpa has a big tummy!

46. This morning Sbulamith gave Theodore a vitamin that happened to be red.

Theodore: Mommy, did you know that red is Her favorite color too?

47. I overheard Theodore having a full-on conversation with Siri. Couldn't hear Siri's responses, but Theodore was hilarious:

Theodore: Hi Siri! Can you hear me?

Siri: ______________.

Theodore: Can you play with me Siri?

Siri: ______________.

Theodore: Siri, would you be my friend?

Siri: ______________.

Theodore: I love you very, very much, Siri.

48. Me: Is that Woofie's new bone?

Theodore: Yeah.

Me: He seems to like it a lot! I should get one for Waffles.

Theodore: I can get a bone for my birthday and give it to you, so you can give it to Waffles.

49. Theodore: I hided your phone.

Shulamith: Why?

Theodore: Because I don't like the games on it.

50. Swen and Theodore have been fighting mercilessly lately. 

Theodore: I don't like Swen. I want him to go away.

Shulamith: Well, there are only five weeks left of summer, and then Swen and Kennedy will both go back to school. Then it will be just you and I during the day again.

Theodore: I want you to leave Swen at school forever.

Shulamith: Oh, I think you would miss him if we did that.

Theodore: I would NOT miss him. I want you to leave him there.

51. Shulamith ordered Swen some shoes for his baptism, using our Backcountry discount. They arrived today (too late for the baptism), and I brought them out to her car. As they drove away, Theodore was very quiet, until...

Theodore: Mommy, I really, really hate you and Her for getting shoes for Swen, and not for me.

52. Theodore: Why do you only buy stuff for Kennedy?

Shulamith (pushing a shopping cart containing a new leotard, tights, a pair of shorts, and a tank top, all for Kennedy): I don't just buy stuff for Kennedy.

Theodore (his hand palm up, moving from left to right to show all the things in the cart): Who are all these things for then?

Shulamith: Well, these are for Kennedy.

Theodore: See.

53, Theodore started preschool for the first time this month. We really thought he'd like it because he had been so excited to go, but he doesn't seem too impressed.

Theodore: I don't want to go to school today. I think it's kind of super boring.

54. Theodore got a new "big boy bed" when they moved into their new house back in February. His crib is being stored down in their basement, in case there is a Webster-Monson Baby #4 one day. 

Theodore (looking at his crib): I don't like my night night crib.

Shulamith: Why?

Theodore: Because I can't bet out of it. 

Shulamith: But we always got you out right when you woke up.

Theodore: But I like to get up by myself.

55. Theodore's preschool teacher thinks he has the cutest face.

Teacher: Theodore, you have the cutest face! Where did you get that face? Did you get it from your mommy?

Theodore: No.

Teacher: Did you get it from your daddy?

Theodore: No.

Teacher: Then where did you get it?

Theodore: I got my face from Jesus.

56. Theodore love to watch Shulamith's phone, but she doesn't want him staring at a screen 24/7. so she tries to find other things for him to do as well. As we were driving to a restaurant for lunch:

Theodore: Mommy, can I watch your phone?

Shulamith: Yes, but if you watch it in the car, you're gonna be "all done phone" when we're in the restaurant, okay?

Theodore: Okay.

We drove until the restaurant was in sight.

Theodore: Okay, I'm all done phone until we get inside the restaurant.

57. We were shopping for General Conference snacks!

Theodore: You need a cookie striped snack.

58. Theodore has a cousin in Matt's family who is just his age, and they are great friends. Last weekend they were at their grandparents' house and apparently trashed the basement with all their toys. Their grandpa asked them when they were going to clean up their mess in the basement. Theodore walked right over to Reuben, took both his hands, and looked straight into his eyes:

Theodore: Reuben, we do not want to clean up the basement.

59. Shulamith: Theodore, you need to eat breakfast.

Theodore: Why?

Shulamith: So you won't be hungry.

Theodore: Aren't we going to a food place after preschool?

(He obviously knows us well.)

60. So I picked Theodore up from preschool, and he had this toy metal airplane hidden in his shirt.

Me: What do you have in there, Theodore?

Theodore: An airplane.

Me: Were you supposed to take that home?

Theodore: Don't talk to me about that. My teacher will get mad at me.

Later...

Shulamith: Where did you get that airplane, Theodore?

Theodore: I hided it in my shirt, so no one could see it.

Later....

Shulamith: Where is that airplane, Theodore? We need to take it back to preschool.

Theodore: I put it in the bathtub and it went down the drain.

61. Theodore suddenly umped into Shulamith's unprepared arms, and she nearly dropped him.

Theodore: I didn't drip and die.

62. Today Theodore wanted a certain kind of granola bar, but they were out of them at Smith's.

Shulamith: Sorry, but they are out of those bars.

Theodore: That's why this is NOT the right store.

63. Me: Careful Theodore. I don't want Woofie to knock over my Diet Coke.

Theodore: But if he knocks it over, I will get you another one.

64. Theodore (when he heard my Ring Doorbell alert on my phone): Who is that? Did your grandma come to see you?

Me: No, my Grandma is dead.

Theodore: Who killeded her?

Me: No one killed her. When people get very old, they die and go live with Heavenly Father, and my grandma got very old.

Theodore: Yeah, and they also live with Jesus because Jesus loves everyone.

Me: That's right.

Theodore: I love Jesus!

65. Theodore and I are at his house waiting for Kennedy to get home from school, while Shulamith is at a doctor appointment with Swen. I'm sitting at Shulamith's desk in the flex room, so I'll see Kennedy right when she gets here.

Theodore: You can sit at Mommy's desk because she likes you.

66. Theodore: Ms. Dominica has her very own house, and she lives there. And she has a dog and a cat. At the same time.

Shulamith: At the same time?

Theodore: Yes, both.

67. Theodore and his friend Matthew like to play with foam swords and shields, which is all well and good until it turns violent.

Theodore (chasing Matthew): I will kill you. I will kill your husband and your wife and all your friends.

68. We were at McDonald's last week, and Theodore was in the play area chatting with some other kids.

Theodore: I have a brother. He's 10. He almost gets to drive a car!

Mother's Day 2020: You five are my everything.

Yesterday morning, during our social-distancing walk, Emily and I dove right into the most natural conversation topic: "How was your Mother's Day?" Of course there's the obvious. Quarantined holidays don't quite measure up. Since the shelter-in-place advice was first issued, our family has celebrated three birthdays, plus General Conference, Easter, and now Mother's Day. We also welcomed our missionary home, abruptly and prematurely. Life goes forward, COVID-19 or not, just differently.

Emily mentioned that she and Trent got to go somewhere together, kid free, courtesy of two of her sisters, who are currently staying at their house. Where did they go? I don't think I asked. Because really, where could they go? Maybe for a walk in a park? For a drive? To get some takeout? When they returned, her sweet sisters commented on the experience of caring for a 4-year-old and a 2-month-old. "Jeffrey cries and needs soothing, but then the second he is better, Evelyn needs a drink. Then Jeffrey is unhappy again because we put him down."

Rinse and repeat, the cycle continues.

"Welcome to my life!" Emily replied. Then she said something that resonated right through me. I'm paraphrasing here, but she noted how through this cycle of helping each kid as much as you can, then switching to the other, back and forth, you come out of it all feeling like no one's needs are getting met perfectly, and that you're not ever doing quite enough, even though you're trying with all your might. I told her I wish I could tell her that gets better, but I really can't. Cuz even though her kids are tiny and mine are older, I feel exactly the same.

Motherhood is the craziest gig. It's simultaneously challenging and joyful, frustrating and fabulous, heart wrenching and heartwarming. It makes us doubt ourselves on the daily, while highlighting more clearly than anything else, our divine nature. It tests us to our very core, as it digs deep to find the absolute best we have to offer. It's a paradox of feelings, often surfacing one on top of the other, as we move from kid to kid, from need to need, stretching in ways we never thought possible.

I often comment that I was a better mom to little kids and teens than I am to young adults. The former always felt like a a better fit. Seth is still technically a "teen," thank heavens! No idea what I'll do when he turns 20 next month. Let's not talk about it. Regardless, I am grateful beyond description for the chance to be a mom; no other role makes me happier, and this Mother's Day, though unusual, was still lots of fun.

Here are some highlights:

A few days prior to Sunday, Shulamith and I went on a hike to a place called Mill B South. I use the word "hike" loosely; it was just 0.5 miles. But the rushing water alongside the short trail was beautiful, and it was a great day. I see more hikes in our future this summer.

A few days before that, we decided to bathe both the dogs. We didn't get a picture of Waffles, but here's Woof:

On Mother's Day, itself, I awoke to Seth, carrying a plate full of eggs and chocolate chip pancakes. He has been bringing me breakfast in bed on Mother's Day ever since he was a little boy, and with the exception of last year (when he was in Paraguay), he hasn't missed a year. Over the years, the cuisine has definitely improved. He learned how to cook eggs on his mission. Protein was scarce in parts of Paraguay, so they threw an egg on just about everything.

Mid morning, Seth and I drove to the stake center, where our awesome stake presidency hosted a drive-by for the women in the stake. They wished me a Happy Mother's Day, and gave me an ice-cold Diet Coke, a Haagen-Dazs ice cream bar, and a dark chocolate truffle. We're talking legit treats. They also had plants, but I suggested they not waste a perfectly good plant on me. No doubt it would be dead before we ever made it home.

Next, the plan was to gather at a park for lunch, takeout from Buffalo Wild Wings. Isaiah volunteered to take everyone's requests and order and pick up the food. I requested my favorite sauce, honey barbecue, and mounds of the best onion rings on the planet. If you haven't had them, you're missing out. As we were about to leave, we found out that Eli was feeling sick (JUST a stomach upset, NOT the virus), so he and Amanda weren't coming. That was the only sad part of the day. In addition to not having them with us, I had really wanted to get a picture of me with all four kids who live here in Utah (our oldest son lives in Maryland). It was not to be. Instead, Matt took this one picture, and then Shulamith took one of me with my new Bluetooth headphones. I got two presents (!) from my nice children: new walking shoes, plus these headphones, for the times I have to walk alone, without Emily or Seth. I can listen to music or talk to my mom on the phone, hands free. Yay! It was such a fun afternoon. We laughed so much!

For the past 10ish years, I have spent Mother's Day at Macaroni Grill, where one or more of my kids was working. This year was different. Social distancing. No eating inside restaurants. But it was still good.

Thank you Luke, Shulamith, Isaiah, Eli, and Seth for the profound privilege of being your mom. I wouldn't trade this role for anything. You five are my greatest accomplishment (which isn't saying much because I suck at most things), but still.

You are my everything.

Where's my breakfast in bed?

For the past five years (maybe more?), I have received breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, courtesy of my youngest child, Seth. He sets his alarm to wake up in time to accomplish this before church. He usually comes into my room and says, "Happy Mother's Day, Mom! Breakfast will be coming soon." Here's one example. And another one.

This year, instead of bringing me breakfast in bed, Seth walks the flooded streets of Paraguay, for no other reason than that he loves his savior and desires to follow his admonition to "feed my sheep." He has now been out on his mission nine months. That's pretty long, I keep telling myself. It's even long enough to carry a baby to term, and you know how awfully long that feels, my dear mothers? Well, this mission has felt equally long. I've said it before; missionary mom-hood is not for wimps.

And I'm kinda wimpy, so.

Determined to make every holiday wonderful even though I miss Seth, yesterday Shulamith and I did our annual Mother's Day girls' day out. It was especially awesome this year. As I've said before, this day should more accurately be called, "How much food can two women stuff into their bodies in 12 hours?" We started with Krispy Kremes first thing in the morning, fresh and hot! Limiting ourselves to two each, we headed to the mall for massages. If you've never had a massage at Fashion Place Mall, I recommend it. These guys are so strong! When they say they do Chinese deep tissue massage, they aren't kidding.

From there, we headed to our all-time favorite Chinese restaurant, Fortune Cookie. Again, if you haven't been there, it's worth the drive to Riverton. I promise. Order the Crispy Beef. You're welcome.

We finished just in time to make it to a movie, and guess what? The theatre had reclining seats! I'm not even kidding. Matt's earlier comment about these seats, "This is a game changer" is 100% on point. Usually during movies, my knees get sore, stuck in one position for so long, Not anymore:

After movie popcorn, it was nearly time to eat again. Ahhhhhhh! But just as we were getting into the car, I gracefully spilled my newly-refilled, giant Diet Coke all over me. Yep, drenched right through. So cold! We sped home so I could change, then raced downtown to The Melting Pot, just 10 minutes late for our reservation. Whoa! Fortunately, dining at The Melting Pot is relaxing and never feels rushed. We enjoyed our fondue (both cheese and chocolate). It was a lovely dinner.

So question. What is the worst thing two women could possibly do after eating all day? Go!!

If you said try on swimsuits, you'd be right; nevertheless, that's exactly what we did. At three different stores. Clothes off. Swimsuits on. Swimsuits off. Clothes on. Over and over. You get the idea. It was hilarious. "I wonder what this might look like if we hadn't just eaten 3,000 calories?" I found nothing. Nada. Gar nichts. Shulamith found one seriously cute top, the only downside, the $88 price tag. She left it at the store.

We were both so tired by then but wanted to pick up cheesecake for the next day. Visions of lying in bed after church, intermittently napping and taking bites of rich, creamy cheesecake kept us motivated to wait in the giant takeout line at Cheesecake Factory.

And here I am, lying in bed, blogging, napping, and eating lemon raspberry cheesecake. Also, waiting to hear from Seth, and trying so hard not to fret about that. He transferred Tuesday, and I have no idea about his new area or what access he may or may not have to technology. Also, it's been raining and flooding all week. I heard on Facebook that President Hansen even asked the missionaries to stay inside one whole day. Thank you President and Sister Hansen for taking care of my baby, the one who didn't bring me breakfast in bed this morning, the one who walks the flooded streets of Paraguay.

The one I love so fiercely and miss so intensely.

It's been a good weekend, really good. Today, Isaiah and Shulamith and Matt (maybe?) and I will go to Macaroni Grill for dinner, the only way to catch a glimpse of  Eli and Amanda. Such hard workers they are. BTW, I have some exciting news about Eli, and that will def be the next blog post, so stay tuned,

Meanwhile, I look forward to Mother's Day 2021, when I'll have breakfast in bed and a hug from my baby.

Theodore's Themes!

So I hadn't thought to make a blog post for Shulamith's youngest son, Theodore, who is 21 months old. It hadn't occurred to me because he doesn't really talk. He says some words, a few more every couple days, but no, talking isn't exactly his deal. Isaiah (who didn't talk until he was well past three) often tells Theodore that talking is overrated, and Theodore agrees.

However, last night, Theodore said his first actual sentence, so my mom felt that I needed to start his blog (since I have ongoing blogs for Shulamith's other two kids). Well, okay then...

1. We are all avid Utah Jazz fans, and last night during the game, Theodore looked at the TV:
Theodore: (clapping hands) Ball, ball, yay, yay!

2. Shulamith has two friends who had baby boys the same month as Theodore was born, so they are all now around 22 months. Toddlers aren't known for their ability to share things, nor should they be expected to. The three babies were fighting over a doll stroller, to the point of screaming and grabbing it out of each other's hands. Finally, the mom of one of them decided to put it away. Unfortunately, it happened to be in Theodore's hands when she decided to take it. She was very nice: "Theodore, all done stroller. I'm going to put it away now," as she took it away from him. After a couple of minutes, Theodore got up, found a ball, walked over to the mom who took the stroller, and hurled the ball at her. Satisfied, he turned around and walked back to Shulamith's lap. Bahahaha! Shulamith says she's never been prouder of him.

3. Number 1 (above) was sort of Theodore's first sentence; however, I was in the grocery store with him recently, when he uttered his first COMPLETE sentence, with a subject-verb group:
Theodore (pointing at the candy on the shelf): I want candy!

4. Well Theodore is now talking up a proverbial storm. Lots of subjects, verbs, and objects, though not a lot of prepositions yet. Shulamith's husband's brother's wife (follow that!) recently had a new baby girl named Margot. Can I just mention here that Margot is seriously one of my favorite names? Okay, back to Theodore. Yeah, he's not super impressed with this baby, ESPECIALLY when Shualmith dares to hold her. But Shulamith loves new babies almost as much as I do, so of course she wants to hold her lots. Every time she did...
Theodore: Baby out! All done baby! Margot out!

5. So Theodore's latest method to get food is to scroll through Shulamith's phone to find a picture of a muffin. Then, he shows her the picture and says "Hungy!"

6. Today Matt's mom took Theodore, along with his cousin Reuben, to her house to play for the morning. When they were leaving Reuben's house:
Theodore: Bye bye house Reuben.

7. So Theodore loves a TV show called Blippi. He is actually going to dress as Blippi for Halloween. If you have somehow managed to escape any knowledge of Blippi, be grateful. Be very grateful. I thought Barney was bad (and it was!), but I dare say Blippi is worse. He's a grown man who dresses in an ugly blue shirt with orange suspenders and bow tie, along with a blue orange beanie. He dances and sings songs about garbage trucks and pizza and policemen and airplanes, educating toddlers about colors and numbers. To say his YouTube videos are repetitive is perhaps the biggest understatement ever made. And he wears glasses. A few days ago we were at Einstein's, quietly eating our bagels when Theodore points to a man sitting at the next table:
Theodore: Blippi!
(And yep, the guy bore a striking resemblance to Theodore's hero.)

8. One morning last week, at 6:00, Theodore was awake, so Shulamith brought him into bed with her and went back to sleep. Not long after, she awoke to Theodore leaning over with his face next to hers:
Theodore: Hot dog.
Shulamith: What?
Theodore: Hot dog.
Shulamith: You want a hot dog now?
Theodore: Yeah.
So she got up and made him a hot dog for breakfast.

9. A realtor was showing Shulamith's house, which is on the market, so she brought Theodore here to take his nap.
Shulamith: You're going to sleep at Her's house today.
Theodore: No sleep Uck house. No like that. Stupid Mommy.

10. Theodore continues to progress in making sentences, at least the critical words. He wanted to play with my phone.
Theodore: Mine Uck phone!

11. Swen often tricks Shulamith by telling her things that aren't true, then quickly saying "Tricked you!" Theodore obviously understand this concept. There were a dozen eggs in the back of the van, and Theodore noticed them.
Theodore: Eggs broke, Mommy.
Shulamith: Oh no, the eggs broke?
Theodore: Tricked you!

12. Theodore was mad at Shulamith in the car (can't remember why).

Theodore: Mommy, when I get home, I going to hit you!

"Chevron: $1.08," and other interesting things about my trip to Rexburg

Early Thursday morning, I got up and taught two Chinese (VIPKID) kids. Then I promptly went back to bed for an hour, before going to Waffle Love for breakfast with Shulamith. As I tried to pay for my churro waffle with biscoff and cream, my debit card was denied. I tried it again. Denied. What the...?

Whatever. I used my credit card, thinking I'd figure it out later, and ate my yummy waffle.Then we went home, so I could pack for my weekend in Rexburg, and I was on the road before I even remembered about the debit card situation. Not wanting to stop to look up phone numbers, I called Shulamith and asked her to call Wells Fargo, pretend to be me, and find out what happened. She did.

Turns out someone got hold of my debit card numbers and made two fraudulent purchases. Wells is very good at spotting those, and they immediately deactivated my card and tried to call me, but I was busy eating a churro waffle and didn't see the call come in. As they spoke with Shulamith (who was pretending to be me), they began to run down recent charges on the card to make sure the two they caught were the only ones. That's when things got a bit embarrassing. Sprinkled among a few other purchases was the repeated: "Chevron: $1.08." Over and over and over.

Finally, Shulamith said, "This is embarrassing, but I just really love Diet Coke," to which the Wells Fargo employee replied, "It's fine. My account says 'Starbuck's: $5.00' over and over."

I guess things could always be worse.

I arrived at Lindsey's house in good time, and it was lovely to see her, as always. I don't ever get enough time with her, but this weekend we got to have lunch together at Taco Time (which I chose because I'm really good at making decisions and she's not--haha), and then we went to Deseret Book to get Eli and Amanda's anniversary present. When I finally got back to their house after dinner with Amanda's family in Idaho Falls, it was pretty late already, and we stayed up even later chatting, but it was well worth any sleep deprivation because I miss her and David very much. I have learned that good friends are hard to find, and we are wise to cherish the ones we have.

Graduation, itself, was amazing. I am so proud of Amanda for this accomplishment and so grateful I could be there to see it. BYU-Idaho does mini "convocations," in each of its colleges, so graduates can be recognized individually as they walk across the stage. Amanda's brother saved everyone wonderful seats, and we could see her perfectly. Afterward, we took these pics to remember the occasion:

(photo cred: the amazing Alex Ellsworth)

With Amanda, the graduate, and Eli just one more semester to go, these two are definitely on the road to the next chapter in their life. Fortunately, that includes coming home to Utah to be with us. And the timing could not be any better, because I arrived home Saturday to Seth needing my insurance information and wanting me to take his picture in order to complete his mission papers. Eeeeek!

Friends, I am NOT an empty nester. I'm just not. I know others do fine with it, but it's not a good fit for me. At all. But not to worry! With Seth's papers going in soon and stating availability for July 15th, I'm guessing he'll leave just about the time Eli graduates and he and Amanda come home. 

Thank heavens.

Meanwhile, I'm off to Chevorn to make a $1.08 purchase. Don't tell anyone.

Christmas, 2016: Three Questions

With just one week left before Christmas, I wanted to share our annual Christmas letter. This year, I asked everyone the same three questions, and recorded his or her responses word for word. Enjoy!

 2016: Three Questions

1. What is your favorite memory of 2016?

2. What is your favorite TV show or recent Netflix binge?

3. What is your favorite past Christmas memory?

Erichsen-Websters

Seth
1. Today! I saved up $1,000 to buy a new gaming laptop, and it FINALLY arrived.
2. Breaking Bad
3. Late Christmas night 2013, after I had already gone to bed, my dad called me to say he was locked out of the house and asked me to come let him in. When I opened the door, he walked in with my WiiU. It was the best surprise ever!

Isaiah
1. Berlin. (Of all Isaiah's amazing travel destinations for his job, Germany was his favorite. Just ask Mom how jealous she is).
2. NBA Basketball.
3. Senior year in college, when I was poor, and you got me a laptop and a smart phone in the same Christmas.

Terrianne
1. Sitting next to Eli in the temple, and then watching as he was sealed to his bride for time and all eternity.
2. The Good Wife, except I am so furious that Will died, I may not watch the rest of the series. Seriously, I am so mad. If Fitz and Liv (Scandal) ever come back on, and Suits comes back, I won't even need Good Wife anymore. That will teach them to kill off my favorite character.
3. Waking up on Christmas morning, when Luke was three weeks old. Holding him in my arms, as I sat under the lights of our tree while Gerald cooked us breakfast. The little baby who made me a mother, the role that transformed my life and shaped my destiny.

Gerald
1. Spoken like a true introvert: Wandering the sandstone hills of Utah's Snow Canyon State Park at sunrise.
2. I've been unable to find a Netflix series that's as good as those I've already seen. My favorite current show is This Is Us.
3. Watching children show their excitement when opening Christmas presents – specifically, Seth surprised at getting his WiiU when he thought he had no more presents, and Shulamith with almost any article of clothing.

Monson-Websters

Shulamith
1. I have had a really rough year. It's hard to think of a favorite moment because it all sort of sucked. Can I choose a future 2016 moment? Yes, I think I can. I think Christmas day this year will be perfect and wonderful. Swen is 4, and Kennedy is 2, so they are the PERFECT ages for Christmas, and I can hardly wait.
2. Watching TV is my favorite thing to do at night when the kids are asleep. I can't pick just one. I loved watching Suits, The Good Wife, How I Met Your Mother, and of course my reality series Survivor and Big Brother!
3. In 2009, Matt drove up to Montana with me for Christmas, and he surprised me by proposing! I was completely surprised and thrilled. My other favorite Christmas memory was when I was eight, and my grandma surprised me with my own TV for my room. It was the best Christmas ever because I had been wanting my own TV forever. But then, on that same Christmas, in all of our stockings were notes telling us to pack our clothes because we were heading to Disneyland the next day! What?! It will always be the Christmas that stands out to me because there's nothing better than a TV and Disneyland in the same year.

Mathew
1. That one time I found that song that made me feel really good and tingly.
2. I have enjoyed binge watching my emotions bloom into a beautiful bouquet of contrasting colors and intensities.
2. When I had that crippling condition that had me tied to a crutch, and we all thought that things were just getting worse. When suddenly it seemed as though the entire world had a change of heart and my health completely rebounded. Then the culminating moment of it all when I jumped into the arms of that strange man and he lifted me up and I yelled, "God bless us, God bless us everyone!"
That was my favorite Christmas moment.

Swen
1. When we got our new dog, Woof!
2. Car washes (you-tube videos)
3. Getting new Christmas pajamas.

Kennedy
1. Being a princess for Halloween.
2. Blaze and the Monster Machines.
3. (It's hard to have a favorite Christmas memory when you've only been alive for two Christmases and you don't remember either of them, but Kennedy is super excited to make some Christmas memories this year).

Erichsen-Valentines

Luke
1. Having our new house all set up!
2. Mr. Robot
3. Opening presents by the Christmas tree

Desiree
1. Watching Evelyn dance in her dance recital
2. Seinfeld
3. Having my family together for a cozy and fun day

Evelyn
1. Playing with Pebbles!
2. Project MC2
3. Running downstairs to see what Santa left

The Newlyweds

Eli
1. April 8, 2016. Being sealed to my beautiful wife Amanda for time and all eternity! :)
2. Amanda and I have been into cooking competition reality shows lately! Food Network FTW. Netflix though, Breaking Bad, How I Met Your Mother, The Office are always good if you haven't seen those. Law and Order: SVU is one of the best shows out there. Watch it. Almost as good as Survivor! One of these days, this Christmas letter will talk about how I was on Survivor! One day...
3. Last year the week of Christmas, I proposed to Amanda! Also, way back in the day, I got a pet turtle for Christmas! It was my favorite animal at the time, and I was jaw-dropping surprised! RIP Speedy.

Amanda
1. Eli
2. Watching Eli sleep
3. Eli

And there you have it!

May we settle in this week, as day by day, inch by inch, we draw closer to the manger. As we feel the Savior's love, may we love each other better. As we feel his grace, may we be more gracious. As we experience the joy of his birth, may we bring joy to those around us. As we come to understand his perfect peace, may we live in peace, one with another.

From the Erichsen-Websters, merry merry Christmas!

You might not remember, but I always will.

As our kids get older, time plays funny tricks. Things that happened "just a short while ago" are entirely missing from their memories. Seth, for example, has no memory at all of ever living in Washington. We moved away when he was four, and really, it wasn't all that long ago. So this Mother's Day, to my five beautiful children, may I share some memories that you might not remember, but I always will.

Luke, you may not remember the Challenger explosion, January 26, 1986. You and I were together in a hospital room when it happened. I had crawled up into the big metal crib and under the oxygen tent in order to hold you in my arms as you struggled to breathe, your worst asthma attack yet. We sat there in that crib together as I watched the explosion happen live on TV. You may not remember, but I always will.

Shulamith, you may not remember New Year's weekend, 1988. You and I rode in an ambulance to Seattle Children's Hospital, where you would have an emergency procedure to remove a peanut from your bronchial tube. Note to self: Don't let older cousins give your toddler peanut brittle while she is jumping on the bed. It was so scary for me, but you were the brave and strong person you are today, even way back then. You thanked the nurse when she finished drawing your blood but firmly expressed your displeasure when she assumed that at age 20 months you would need a diaper: "I am not a baby. I do not wear diapers!" You may not remember, but I always will.

Isaiah, you may not remember fall of 1991, when Shulamith brought home chickenpox from kindergarten. This was before immunization was available, so most kids had to deal with the disease, but preferably when they were older than just seven  months. Luke got it too, so I had three kids with chickenpox. Luke and Shulamith lay on the couch, covered in pink Calamine lotion, and watched TV. They understood what was going on. You didn't. You looked up at me with sad, pleading eyes as if to say, "Mommy! Why can't you fix this?" And oh how I wanted to because you were so miserable. You may not remember, but I always will.

Eli, you may not remember when you and I flew to St. George to visit my friend Corrie and were in her home only five minutes before you tumbled down an entire flight of stairs onto the hard floor beneath. You were eight months old and had just barely learned to crawl; I wasn't accustomed to your sudden mobility. You cried. I cried. But in the end you weren't even hurt at all (thought I felt like the worst mother ever!). You may not remember, but I always will.

Seth, you may not remember the day you decided to walk to Haggen to get some Skittles. When you were barely four years old. I turned around, and you were gone. Vanished. Never had I felt such panic. Fear pulsed through my body as I searched for you. If I close my eyes, I can still feel the relief that flooded over me as I saw you pull into the driveway in the backseat of that police car. And though the cop was a total jerk to me, nothing mattered except that my little baby was safe. You may not remember, but I always will.

This weekend we made a few more memories. Eli was here but spent nearly all of his time slaving away at the Mac Shack. We managed to fit in breakfast together Saturday morning, and like I told him, even a tiny visit is better than none at all. I miss him. Today, Shulamith and I sneaked away after church and ate yummy Buffalo Wild Wings, just the two of us, the two mommies. It was a warm-up for our "real" Mother's Day celebration which will come sometime in the next couple of weeks and will include such things as The Melting Pot, pedicures, a movie, and massages. Uh huh, be jealous. This evening, Gerald and Amanda and I dined at Mac Grill, served by Eli, with Seth busing tables and Isaiah serving in the section right next to us.

Restaurant work isn't easy, especially on Mother's Day. All three of them worked the entire afternoon and evening with no break. They say millennials don't know how to work. I disagree. These three are some of the hardest working people I know, and I am so proud to be their mom.

My dear children, Mother's Day 2016 will soon be only a memory. And you may not remember, but I always will.

"Wake up and read your scriptures, you lazy bums!"

Seven days a week, at 4:30 in the morning, this is what my friends Trudy and Frank wake up to, an alarm which is a recording of Frank's voice. Yes, you read that right: 4:30 a.m.! When they hear this alarm, "Wake up and read your scriptures, you lazy bums!" they wake up, pull out their tablets, and read the scriptures for 30 minutes. Then Frank promptly goes to back to sleep (it is the middle of the night, after all), and Trudy gets up, exercises, eats breakfast, showers, and prepares for work.

Not gonna lie. This sounds like a total nightmare life to me. I am the girl who needs nine hours of sleep each night. Do not disturb me between 10:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. But they are committed to this program, and I admire their dedication. It was so great to spend time with them this past weekend; Trudy and I resumed our walking regimen as though it had never ceased. Oh how I miss the benefit of a consistent walking partner.

In order to get up at 4:30 a.m., they go to bed super early, so after they retired for the night, Gerald and I headed out to visit my friends Teresa and Randy in their new house. If laughter is good for the soul, the four of us should have some pretty healthy souls right about now. We are all in the process of raising teenagers AND, at the same time, launching our older kids into adult life, and if that's not a laughable matter, I don't know what is. Thanks Marchant-Zachers for the fun evening!

"I have my list ready," texted Jay, in preparation for our lunch therapy session Saturday. "I have mine too," I replied. Jay and I have a bond; I don't know how better to describe it. We "get" each other, and it's a friendship that transcends time, space, demographics, everything. We sat at Applebee's, our regular therapy location, for over three hours. There weren't five seconds of silence. When you haven't seen your therapist in five years, well, there's lots to say.

All this was actually superfluous to our principal reason for being in Billings: Eli and Amanda's open house to celebrate their marriage. What a joyous event that was. I had worried not many people would attend. Would anyone attend? Five years is (as Eli would say) "a minute." My worries were unwarranted. Lots and lots of nice folks showed up to say hello and congratulate Eli and Amanda. We chatted. We reminisced. We ate cake and ice cream. We lamented how grown up all our kids have become. It was free and easy, just the way we like it. Perfect. Eli and Amanda were utterly exhausted from an unbelievably busy week, but they were troopers.

And there you have it. Our road trip to Billings, complete with snowy scenery, buffalo in the road, and joyous reunions with so many, many friends.

And if you're wondering what to do at 4:30 tomorrow morning, wake up and read your scriptures, you lazy bums.

Those Mother's Day Breakfast-in-Bed Meals Improve with Time

Breakfast in bed. What greater luxury is there? But what about when the cook is five? We moms have all experienced the peanut butter toast mess carried ever so proudly on a tray by a five-year-old beaming with joy for her accomplishment. The love is almost indescribable. But then we have to eat it. Okay, maybe you actually like peanut butter toast. I don't really. But yes, I've eaten it. And I'd gladly eat it again if I still had a tiny tot to make it for me.

However, I want you to know that these Mother's Day breakfast-in-bed meals do improve. They improve proportionately with children's increasing age. That five-year-old's peanut butter toast turns into cinnamon/sugar toast with a fruit bowl on the side by the time your child is seven or eight. And then...at some point, he learns to make pancakes! And you think to yourself, “Wow, this is way better than peanut butter toast.”

And the time goes by. At age 10 or 11, your child reminds you the night before to “stay in bed.” By now, she is actually cooking real food. You might get eggs, maybe even bacon, possibly waffles or french toast. As you awake to the frenzy of clanging pots and pans, you wonder what is happening to your kitchen. Will it ever be the same? But then, in walks your sweet 10-year-old with a plate of slightly undercooked eggs and overcooked bacon, with a flower handpicked and in a vase, and your heart melts all over again. All thoughts of messy kitchens vanish.

And the time goes by. My youngest is now 14. Last year on Mother's Day, he was determined to prepare a gourmet breakfast-in-bed for me, which he served in courses. First, he brought a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice and one of my favorite bran muffins. Next came an omelet with green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and cheese. This was followed by pepper bacon and blueberry pancakes. At the very end, he brought me a See's maple pecan bon bon, the best candy on the planet.

It was lovely and delicious, and he did it all with very limited help from Gerald. Indeed, the Mother's Day breakfast-in-bed meals improve with time; still, my heart misses the peanut butter toast mess and the sweet five-year-old beaming with pride.

Like Brother, Like Brother

On this cool, October morning, Seth awoke at 7:30 a.m., showered, dressed, and waited patiently until I got up at 8:00. I don't think I've seen him awake before noon on a Saturday in at least a year. Why this day? This day was the release Pokemon X, a 3DS game Seth pre-ordered using his precious babysitting cash. I took him to breakfast at Kneader's, then on to GameStop, where I waited in my warm car while he waited in a cold line for the store to open at 9:00.

He comes from a long tradition of video-gamers. I remember Christmas of 1999. It was the first year a video-game system found its way into our home, in this case the Nintendo Game Boy Color. Eight-year-old Isaiah had wished for it with a child's desperate longing, never imagining one could ever really be his. But I was on a mission, and it took exactly that to get one of these things; they were extremely popular that year! I had visited several stores, and the story was the same: when a shipment of the hand-held Game Boy Color consoles comes in, every one of them is sold in less than an hour. What was a Christmas mom like me to do? And a pregnant one, at that! Yep, Seth was with me on this endeavor, though he knew it not. I was about three months' pregnant at the time.

After searching countless stores with zero success, I finally appealed to the mercy of a kind salesman at GameStop in the mall in Burlington. "My eight-year-old really wants one of these. And he has no idea he might get one. And it will be the best surprise ever. Is there any way you can help me?" He took pity and offered to take my name and phone number. As soon as a shipment came in, he would call me. If I could get over there before they were gone, one would be mine. I remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday when that phone call came. They received three units: one pink, one yellow, and one teal blue. "I'm on my way. Be there in 10 minutes. PLEASE save me either the yellow or the teal. I don't think he wants pink."

I was in my car and on the road in a matter of seconds. Ten minutes later, I held in my hands what would be the best surprise of Christmas morning: a shiny, teal blue, Game Boy Color. It would be the last gift Isaiah opened. I wouldn't even put it under the tree ahead of time. He would think he had opened everything, and then I'd bring out this one last gift. It went flawlessly. The surprise was everything and more than I anticipated. Isaiah looked at me with those giant, ocean-blue eyes with thick, dark eyelashes, his mouth wide open, and once he could speak, said in astonishment, "A GAME BOY COLOR! YOU GOT ME A GAME BOY COLOR?"

For the next three months, he played, but never by himself. Sprawled over him constantly was six-year-old Eli, straining every muscle he had to see the screen in Isaiah's hands. Isaiah was so patient. He never told Eli he couldn't watch. He never pushed him away. He never complained. March 13th was Eli's seventh birthday. He had a face full of chicken pox and had been home from school all day, miserable and itchy, a sad way to spend a birthday. But you should have witnessed the attitude transformation when he opened his only present, a bright yellow Game Boy Color. Let the gaming begin!

That was 13 years ago. Since then, Isaiah and Eli have bought, sold, and traded a wide array of gaming systems, along with countless games. I can't begin to remember all their names, but one stands out in particular. On November 19, 2006, Nintendo released its latest and greatest game system: the Wii! It was anxiously anticipated by gamers everywhere, including my two teenage sons, then 15 and 13. In order to get one on that very day, you had to pre-order it and then go to the store, take a number, and wait in line all day until midnight when it was released. Yep, Isaiah and Eli did just that. Walmart, my least favorite store on the planet, had set up an entire room in the back just for these people who would be squatting there all day. I stopped by several times, bringing sustenance to my waiting children in the form of candy, soda, and a McDonald's dinner. By midnight, I was home in bed, but even then it took the boys three more hours to get their game system because they had to wait for their number to be called. Eventually, they made it home, but of course they couldn't just put the thing away and go to bed. No way!

Seth was born into this world. Wait, actually he was part of this gaming world even before he was born, as he unknowingly accompanied me in my quest for that elusive Game Boy Color for my Isaiah-pie all those years ago. No surprise, Seth joined right in just as soon as he was old enough to hold a controller. He can play with the best of them and does so regularly. This new game he bought yesterday is played on the hand-held Nintendo 3DS, a few generations past Isaiah's first Game Boy Color.

I'll say straight up that, personally, I don't love video-games. In truth, I've never played one but I don't think I'd like them. I don't like animated-type stuff, and I really hate violence. Plus, I'm painfully awful at games of any kind; from board games to card games to electronic word games, I totally suck! When I play games, I lose so badly that I often wonder if I am mentally challenged but no one has had the nerve to tell me? So it's not likely I'd excel playing video-games, and in addition, they are crazy addictive. That said, video-games have created a bond among Isaiah, Eli, and Seth, which has now extended to Mathew. Though spread out 14 years from oldest to youngest, they are connected. For that, I am thankful. Admittedly, I get frustrated with the constant gaming, but even so, I do not regret going to the store on that cold day in 1999 and begging that nice GameStop salesman to save me a Game Boy Color.

Like brother, like brother.

Mother's Day Seth Style

After a day like no other, I awoke Sunday to the aroma of something delicious cooking in the kitchen. Told to stay in bed, I happily obeyed. Soon, Seth began to bring me breakfast, one course at a time. As an appetizer, he brought caramel cinnamon rolls and milk.

This was followed by scrambled eggs. Then pancakes. And for dessert, the absolute best piece of candy See's makes: a maple pecan bon bon! I don't remember when I felt this pampered. He told me he wanted it to be like an IHOP breakfast, with lots of different foods. It was better than IHOP because I got to eat while relaxing in bed. I should acknowledge that Seth enlisted Gerald's help cooking. In all Mother's Days past, Gerald has told me that I am not his mother and, therefore, he does nothing to honor the day. This year, however, Seth somehow convinced him to help cook breakfast, and I'm pretty sure the outcome was considerably better than it might have been otherwise.

I was subbing in Gospel Doctrine at church that day and also doing a special presentation for the primary children during the third hour, so I worked a bit on both those things before getting up to shower. Church was nice; both Sacrament Meeting speakers did an excellent job presenting their topics of spiritual gifts and faith and tying both topics into honoring the mothers and all the women in our lives. Spot on, both talks! My Sunday School class was super fun; man I love to teach Gospel Doctrine! My skit for the primary kids was rather unpolished and impromptu, but there was much laughter and the kids seemed to be entertained, so win/win.

On our way home, my phone rang. Without even checking caller ID, I answered. Guess who???!!!??? Eli! He had tried to Skype with us, but we were "offline." That's because he forgot about the time change and that we would still be at church. I was so shocked to hear his perfect little voice that I fell right into tears. I knew we would be Skyping later, but I did not expect him to call me. On my cell phone. Right then. Sheesh! We hurried home and connected to Skype. Words cannot express how wonderful it was to "see" and talk to our missionary; you're just gonna have to imagine. And unless you are a missionary mom, yourself, I'm not sure you really can.

We each spent some quality, individual time on Skype, all except Isaiah and Mathew. Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year for restaurants, right next to Valentine's Day. Everyone works. Doubles. At one point, Isaiah texted me asking if Eli had called yet because Isaiah thought he might get a short break soon. "He's on right now! COME HOME!" Sadly, Isaiah's next text was to tell us his break had been canceled.  Blah. Dumb restaurant. Both he and Matt got home much later, long after Eli was gone.

Gerald and Seth went geocaching up in the mountains, and Shulamith and I made quiche lorraine for Mother's Day dinner. It was a quiet afternoon and evening. Perfect, though. And much more in line with Seth's idea of Mother's Day. Whew!