Our crazy life continues...

It has been a while since I last posted.  Life has been a whirlwind but in a kind of good way.  If we roll back the clock to July 22nd..... where do we begin??

With my awesome missionary returning!!!  Yay!! It sure was an interesting morning.  We were all counting down the hours until 9:15 a.m. arrived.  Baylie hastily made a couple of homemade posters ( No, I was not that Mom, the one that orders a huge banner complete with pictures and maps to welcome Jeremy home ).  We rushed into the airport and waited for Kyle who so kindly parked the car for me so I could find my spot to wait for my Elder to give me a long awaited hug.

We were pleased to be greeted by another family in our Stake who also had a son returning from Brazil.  We were so excited to see both of our sons returning together, as they had been set apart together.  We hugged and talked.  Two more friends came to take pictures for the blessed moment.

Finally, Baylie came running down the walkway telling us she could see Jeremy.  We all searched and before we knew it, there he was!!  We all gave him a big hug or two.  He then saw The Lehnardt family and said " Um... Jason isn't on the plane"  His mom was shocked and asked if he was kidding. I mean really... where is my son?!?  Jeremy said he did not connect with the rest of the group in Sao Paulo and he had no idea where Jason was.  We all kind of stood around and waited as the plane emptied and talked a bit, I tried to comfort his Momma and then, well, I took my missionary home after wishing the family the best.  I felt so guilty but so grateful MY missionary was the one to deplane on time.

We all returned home with Jeremy who was astonished at being in an air conditioned car, listening to English and driving on paved roads in his home town.  His English returned very quickly and we enjoyed hearing the slight accent he picked up.  His stories were wonderful and we enjoyed every single second.

He shared is crazy green grass tea, gifts and more stories.  Alex soon arrived.  He had been picked up by a good family friend at the airport so I could spend time with Jeremy.  Before I knew it the boys were off and running and Jeremy was done being home, hugging and telling stories!

We finally met up again at the Stake President's office for him to be released.  Jeremy brought every single mission journal with him to return and report on the promise of writing every single day.  It was a wonderful, spiritual experience to hear him recount many experiences that helped him grow and become the wonderful young man he is.  He was then released and we were on our way.  We ran into The Lehnardt family who finally had their son in tow.  He had missed a connecting flight but landed 2 hours later.  All of the missionaries in his group were bumped up to first class, so I guess it was worth the delay for them.

After the release, we then went to Jeremy's single requested location: Red Robin!  He had been craving an American hamburger for months.  We all ordered and I was grateful for the $25 gift card my mom had sent us.  It was going to be a pricey meal.  But we cherished every moment.  Alex had left for a friends house so it was just the  six of us.

Just as we were finishing up our meal, our waiter approached me and told me that he had never had something like this happen before but a gentleman who wished to remain anonymous had paid for our meal in full!  We were all surprised and could not imagine who had been so kind towards our family.  It was such a wonderful blessing and such a great example to my children of how generosity can bless the lives of others.

Later that night as we knelt in family prayer, I felt so wonderfully blessed and grateful for my children.  Especially the opportunity we have shared as a family supporting a missionary.  It was by far one of the best days of my life!

To be continued...

Time sure does fly by.  These two cuties were heading off to work one Saturday morning and I had to take a quick picture to save the moment.  Five of our six kids have been employed by Culver's and we are so happy with the great work experience they have been blessed with

Thinking about all of the details of prom can make one weary....

Luckily... we made it through.  Don't my kids look great??

Baylie had a great time singing in the Stake Youth Choir at Stake Conference.  She even had a solo and did a great job!  I was so proud of her.  She has such a confidence about her.

My kids are growing up so fast!!  I sure love them!!

Catching up

I didn't realize how wonderful it is to maintain my blog until a few nights ago when Baylie needed to remember life events for each year in her life for a class at school. Because it was 10:30 at night and I was tuckered out, it sure was handy to check the blog to spark a few memories. 

So as I sit in my warm van watching the first soccer game of the season, I thought I would catch up and share some pictures. Maybe I will feel less guilty about camping out in the car instead of freezing my tooshka off on the sidelines. You win some and you lose some!

Brandon has a great time camping out at Watkins Mill State Park last night with his thinned out scout troop. A lot of boys are out of town for Spring Break. We almost jumped in the van and headed out for Utah, but the responsible financial nerd in held strong so we will stay home this year. I am grateful for the comfort of prayer as this was actually a tough decision for me but deep down, after praying about it, I know it is best for us to stay home. 

I sure enjoyed Baylie's concert on Thursday night. We are so blessed to live in a school district that puts a lot of time and money into music programs. It is a joy to watch her play in the Symphonic Orchestra. 

This little guy sure has warmed the hearts of everyone in the family. He gets more attention than the rest of combined. It's a good time in our lives to have a dog and I almost feel bad we didn't get one sooner. I am not a dog person nor an animal lover, but Mikenzie is and I love seeing her eyes light up every time she sees her dog. And to hear Brandon's happy laughter today as he blew past me upon his return home searching out his puppy for the first hello from home. 

I was beyond thrilled to see Kyle post this on Instagram the other night as he was at the Stake Center waiting for his mission interview with the Stake President. His papers go in next Wednesday!  I am so very grateful he is serving a mission. 

This picture really touched my heart. I took Baylie to a friend's house so she could take a few pictures around their property for her digital photography class. She was shyly walking around snapping pictures when our good friend offered to give her a ride over to see the new calves. I appreciated him going the extra mile-- literally. And lucky for B, there was a brand new calf that even our friends weren't aware of. 

 

Life sure is full of wonderful moments. It's easy to loose track of them quickly. Modern technology is awesome!

Well, the game is over. More pics to come in my next post. Love playing catch up!

Be grateful!!

Do You Know?

To the son who has forgotten all of the good, wonderful happy times in your life....
this post is for you.

Do you know how much I truly love you?  Do you know how much my heart aches to mend fences and move forward? Do you know how very emotionally weary I am?  Do you know I pray for you every day, put your name on the temple roll every week and fast for you every month?

Do you know how overwhelmed I was as they wheeled me out of the hospital with my beautiful 8.4 pound newborn baby boy.  My first son,  My oldest child.  They just let me take you home.  No questions asked.  They just trusted that I would be a good mother...probably more than I did.  Do you know it has taken me 20 + years to finally accept that I did my best?  That I spent years and years beating myself up for not being a perfect mom?  For not having a clean enough house? For losing my temper? For struggling with 6 little children under my feet, plus an extra 2 for a while? Do you know I loved you instantly and gave you everything I had, every day until I was exhausted and then I would wake up the next morning and start all over? 

Do you know the first and only time I ever called 911? It was when you were 9 months old and I thought you were choking on a cracker.  Do you know the fear that washed over me in a second?  I was all alone in a basement apartment and you were sitting in your blue high chair.  Suddenly you were coughing and sputtering.  So, I called 911 in a panic and by the time I told them I was pretty sure my first child was dying right before my very eyes you coughed up a little piece of cracker and through watery eyes, smiled at me and resumed eating your cracker.  Do you know how sheepish I felt for bothering the very busy 911 people?  Do you know I don't think I have ever told your dad that story because I know he would chuckle and my pride doesn't like being laughed at?  Do you know I worried about you from day one and still do?

Do you know which mole was your first mole?  I do.  It's on your left leg, between your ankle and your knee.  It's grown a lot over the years but I remember the first time I noticed it.  I was giving you a warm bath, getting ready to put you into your jammies and then take you for our evening stroll.  It was our little routine, just you and me before all of your rambunctious siblings were a part of the mix.  Your dad worked nights so we would head over to Grandpa's to spend time with him because Grandma worked nights as well.  I would drop dad off at work and away we would go.  You in your car seat and me behind the wheel of my shiny red Toyota Carolla that I adored.  It was my first car that officially belonged only to me.  I named it Chae-- translated from Spanish means "dude".  I had to sell it so Dad could go to medical school.  It was the only time I have ever cried about giving up an inanimate object.  And boy did I cry.  Did you know your mom cried over selling a silly car? Do you know Grandma Nielsen put arms around me to comfort me and then told me to suck it up and get over it? Do you know I loved her for that loving but tough way of hers? 

We would have dinner with Grandpa and then you would take a warm bath.  We would head out walking the familiar streets of the neighborhood that I grew up in.  I could hardly keep your busy little self in the stroller for the first few blocks, but as the sun set and the world calmed, so did you.  After a while your eyes would get heavy and we would end up back at Grandpa's where I would quietly open the garage door, roll the stroller into it's parking spot, slide your sleepy little soul out of your stroller and into your carseat.  I would say goodbye to Grandpa and we would head for home.  

Do you know I can still remember putting you into Clifford The Big Red Dog pajamas one evening at Grandpa's house.  Grandma was there and you went running out of the bathroom as fast as your little legs would take you and Grandma just laughed and laughed at how darn cute you were.  Do you know how much I loved you?

Do you know why you have a scar above your belly button?  I do. Is it still there?  I know how that scar came to be.  It was your first chicken pox.  You caught the chicken pox from friends in Iowa.  I'll admit, we had a chicken pox party as they were spreading like wildfire in our apartment complex and we figured we might as well get it over with. So we played for the afternoon and about a week later, lo and behold, there was the first little pox, presenting itself in all it's glory.  I had the virus as a baby and had no idea what was in store for us.  Before I knew it, you were covered from head to toe with little pox and your fever was spiking quickly.  I had figured you wouldn't get too sick as you were my healthiest child who never got sick.  But this little bug sure got you down. You were so very sick and I was so very worried. I even made Dad come home from studying to give you a blessing because I was convinced you were sicker than any other child had ever been from the chickenpox. Do you know Dad laughed at my worry? 

Did you know you fell asleep in a oatmeal bath?  I guess it was so warm and soothing that the moment I turned my back, you were fast asleep, floating on top of the water, like it was a cloud of comfort.  It still makes me smile, that picture of my sick little boy, covered in spots, sleeping like an angel in a bathtub. Do you know I was your nurse?

Do you know that the only time I have ever run out of gas was while we were on our way to a primary activity in Rapid City, SD.  I called dad to come and save the day and you worried that he would bring jet fuel from the airport where he was working insted of regular gas.  So many worries in that little 7 year old head of yours. Do you know I think you are inquisitive?

Do you know you would ask me such complicated questions at the age of 4,5,6,7,8,9... that I couldn't even understand the question let alone come up with an answer.  The question of how quickly the rocket booster falls from the space ship once it has detached?  That was a question you asked me one day driving home from preschool.  I still don't know the answer but I'll bet you do, along with an explanation of the answer along with many other brillaint facts that maybe if I had known... that maybe if I could have answered... maybe you wouldn't be so eternally mad at me. Do you know I think you are brilliant? Do you know I think it's wonderful you have an insatiable appetite for knowlege?

Do you know the first day of preschool and kindergarten I didn't cry when we parted because I was just so stinkin' proud of my little boy.  I was so excited that you were with your friends and could learn and grow that big brain of yours.  Do you know I think you are capable?

Do you know the first day of first grade in Pennsylvania I was just as terrified as you were?  Dropping you off at the huge elementary that seemed more like a fortress?  You looked terrified.  I pulled out a pen and drew a smiley face on your palm and told you to look at it everytime you were afraid and to remember how much I loved you?  Do you know I still love you as much as I did that scared little first grader all those years ago? Do you know there was a rotten bully who sat next to you on the bus every afternoon the first week who you thought was a friend even though he slammed your head into the window?  That it was me that went marching down to the fortess, stormed into the gates and demanded that you be moved to a new seat, closer to the bus driver with a student your age so I knew you would be safe?  Do you know I was your protector?

Do you know I cried when you were baptized because I was so grateful I had a husband who was a worthy priesthood holder?  And that my chest almost burst with pride when you were ordained a deacon?  And a teacher? And a priest? And an Elder? That I am pleased as punch that you are an Eagle Scout and a seminary graduate? That I am thrilled you were accepted to BYU?  Do you know I am your biggest cheerleader?

Do you know I have thousands of wonderful memories? Do you know how much I wish I could hug you and welcome you home with open arms and an open heart?  Do you know how much we all miss the son and brother that brought us so many smiles and laughs?

Do you know living in the past will not help you move forward? Do you know how much I think about you every day?

Do you know how much your Heavenly Father loves you and that no matter how much pain you may be carrying around, He can lighten the load if you let Him in?  If you open your heart and let Him, He can heal you?

You have tried everything.... except the only thing... that will bring you the healing and peace you are seeking.

Do you know our doors are always open?  You will always be our child.

Do you know, I mean really know you are of worth, have value and that you mean something to us?  That the world is and can be a better place because YOU are in it?  Do you know YOU can make a difference?  Do you know it is a simple as making a decision to move forward, to be happy and to embrace all the Heavenly Father has blessed you with?

Do you know it's okay to have weakness and faults?  That you can overcome them and develop them into strengths?

Do you know how much a mother loves a son?
 Do you know I love you?  I do!

My terrible, horrible, very bad, no good day...

This morning was not a good one.  It actually started last night and dragged into the early morning hours.  Nothing I can't handle, but honestly, I am kinda tired of "handling" things. This has been a long, long year and I am really tired.  Not only has it  been a long year, we are gearing up for an even more challenging year ahead.  To say I am discouraged is an understatement. 

My kids weren't horrible this morning.  Two out of three attended seminary.  Kyle gave me a bit of an irresponsible attitude when he realized he overslept and was late for school ( again... senioritis is really kicking in lately ).  He tried to tell me he was going to fail a quiz because his mom didn't wake him up in time to study.  I don't think so.  

Just as I pulled into the high school parking lot to drop Kyle off at school, I received a text from B asking me to bring her the camera for her class.  My first and only thought was  " No... I'm not doing that today".  It was 8:30 and she needed the camera by 9:00.  I just really did not want to rescue today.  I am tired of rescuing my kids.  So, I told her no and she said   " Okay ".  Just like that.  Just like Baylie.  Always sweet and understanding.

After dropping my two boys off at school, both late, I came home and looked at my slightly disheveled house.  I wandered around, smiled at our sleeping puppy and felt tired.  I made a conscience decision to go back to bed.  I usually don't, but today was a pull the covers over your head kind of day.  A I don't want to face the day, kind of day.  It's all too much to deal with kind of day.  I just can't take another step, kind of day.

You see, last night my husband finalized his arrangements to go to California to work for the next year, without us.  Lest you be concerned, we are all good.  It was a tough decision, but with Kyle graduating in 4 months and Jeremy coming home from his mission in 6 months and Mikenzie graduating early, it's just best the family remain in our home here while James sets out after yet another lofty career move, one that we are praying is an answer to our prayers. 

It is really hard to "feel good " about said move when there isn't a single cell in my body that wants to move.  We really love it here.  Take the humidity away and it would be almost perfect.  The schools have been great, friends have been awesome.  My kids are so very happy.  We love our ward and all of the people in it.  I like the neighborhood, the city, the whole area.  I love the church history that we are surrounded by.  And now, we are in a position where we need to say goodbye to it all.  And move, to crazy California.  Somewhere I swore I would never live.  But, the career opportunities have all  but dried up here.  James hates his jobs and is tired of working 70 hours a week only to be broke, exhausted and discouraged at the end of every pay period.  There are so many pros to moving, but so many hurdles to jump over just to get to said pros.  So he is leaving and I am staying.  Single mom, again.  We've done this before, but I am tired and it doesn't sound too fun this time around.

My real discouragement comes not from all that I listed above, but from my lost little lamb. Wandering.  Lost.  Confused.  Defiant. Stuck. Lonely. It is truly heartbreaking to see such a brilliant, funny, handsome kid so utterly chained down by his own thoughtless and kind of dumb decisions.  And he is just swirling around in circles, not even realizing how truly lost he is and how much ground he has lost.  Difficult. Frustrating. Ornery. Angry. Resentful. Rebellious. Hard hearted.  Bitter. Spiteful. Not words I would have ever chosen to use to describe any of my children.  And yet, he is.  He is all of that and more, but I am the mom and I am trying to be polite.  

The hardest part is the solution to almost all of these problems is right before his face and yet because it is "conforming" to something his parents want to him to have, he rejects it.  I am so heartbroken over this prodigal son.  He hates me.  He resents me.  He " will never forgive " me.  He promised me one day he would make me regret choices " for the rest of my life" and he sure is living up to that promise, all to his own self defeat and destruction.  

What exactly have I done to my child to make him so hateful?  Nothing really.  Absolutely NO abuse whatsoever.  We moved when he was 14, to a better city with greater opportunities.  We sent him to work at Scout camp at 16.  We "made" him earn his Eagle.  We "forced" him to graduate from seminary.  We tried and failed at getting him to study for good grades.  And he hates me/us for all of it.  He has warped memories of only having one sock for church, being ignored and not having glasses that he needed ( yeah, I'm talking about the $400 glasses still sitting in a drawer right this very minute, because they cost $400 and I can't bear to toss them out ).  He laments that he is not the favorite ( can parents even have a favorite? )   Claims he raised himself from the age of 11 years old. The word mission will cause an nuclear explosion like none other.  

I don't even know how to deal with this adult child anymore.  I don't know how to heal this relationship that he has cast aside.  I send letters that go unread.  I send care packages that are never appreciated.  I make sure he has birthday and Christmas gifts galore without even so much as a text to say thank you.  We can't joke.  We can't tease.  We can't even give each other a hug.  He is not the only one that is lost.

So, my heart is heavy today.  My shoulders do not feel equal to the tasks that lay ahead of me.  But I got out of bed... Tucker had to go out, so... I got out of bed.  I washed dishes and did the laundry.  I cleaned and organized.  I had some chocolate.  And I will take another step forward.  I am going to the temple to find some peace tonight.  I can only pray for the comfort that only Jesus Christ can give me.  The comfort that I wish my son could find, and apply and change his life with. Pray for me.  

Time to pick up the kids and be the strong mom.

Be grateful!!

Super Mom!! Or not...

Tonight was a hectic one.  James is out of town and I found myself suddenly "overbooked".  The girls needed supplies for tonight's Young Women activity, dinner needed to be cooked, Kyle needed help with a paper that is a day overdue.  I also had visiting teaching at 6:30 as well as a Court of Honor AND a soccer banquet to attend, both of which started at 7:00 p.m.

So which child do I choose?  Brandon who had earned two rank advancements?  Not something that happens everyday, plus he worked pretty darn hard to earn those little badges.  Or Kyle?  My senior, my starting varsity player, who claimed it was no big deal if I didn't come, he didn't care anyway.  

Surprisingly, I was able to go to both.  No, I didn't split myself into two mommas, although there have been many a day I certainly wished I could do that.  Especially during the toddler years.

First up was running to the store for a bottle of Sprite and some "decorative" candy with Mikenzie.  It wasn't a very long ride nor was it a big shopping trip.  But we sure enjoyed one another's company.  Some alone time, which my kids are lucky to get these days.  We talked about her friends, Spanish and Algebra classes.  Her little sister, her big brothers. Christmas gifts, moving to California eventually. It's amazing how much you can get in during one 20 minute errand.

Next was dinner which I prepared with a sink full of dishes and limited counter space while trying to read Kyle's paper on a laptop.  Lecturing myself the entire time about keeping a cleaner kitchen, I was able to cook up a nice pot of Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with garlic bread.  ( Full of fat and carbs... I know.  Nary a veggie was to be found in tonight's meal )  A quick prayer was said and the kids each grabbed a bowl and headed to the family room to watch Chopped: Grandma vs Grandma.  Silently cursing myself for not having a beautiful, healthy meal prepared 30 minutes earlier and served around the family table  ( because it was loaded with freshly folded laundry and I didn't have time to order kids to put everything away) I ran out the door to go visit a sister in our ward at 6:30 on the dot.

I kept my visit brief and excused myself at 7:00 to run up to the church.  Court's of Honor always have a flag ceremony, prayer, announcements, blah, blah, blah. Nothing too terribly important, right??  Arriving at 7:10, I slipped into the back row just in time to hear scouts listing things they are thankful for like "needed necessities and stuff ".  After that enlightening exercise that only 12-16 year old boys can provide, we were on to the awards.  I stopped myself from requesting Brandon go first and waited patiently for "our turn".  Luckily, he was 3rd in line and he moved along quickly.  With two mother's pins on my shirt, a picture and a hug from my now favorite Boy Scout, I excused myself and drove quickly to the high school.

I arrived just in time for the final round of ice cream sundaes and before the real ceremony began.  I caught Kyle's eye and a subtle but sweet look of relief swept over his face.  My tough teenage boy really did care that his mom was there. We all listened patiently as coach after coach thanked the parents for their dedication, the players for their character and explained post season training in detail.

Finally the individual teams were given a round of applause and it was all over.  That's it, the senior year of soccer has officially ended.  Part of Kyle's identity, a  big part of his identity,  as well as something that he is incredibly proud of, has dissipated overnight.  As we walked out we talked about future plans and all that life has in store for him.  I was grateful I could have that brief discussion with him as we drove home together.  It is hard to lay down one treasure for another, but in a year from now, he will be somewhere in the world serving The Lord and that is the greatest treasure anyone could ask for.

As soon as we arrived home, the overwhelming mess of kitchen hit me.  Kyle quickly reminded me we needed to work on his paper.  The girls wanted to say family prayers and go to bed.  I cracked open Preach My Gospel and read part of Chapter 8 ( as advised by the G.A. that I listened to earlier today on The Mormon Channel while I was cleaning the house ).  I asked each child what they had learned and quickly got " it's good to set goals..."  Good enough!  Onto family prayers with the obligatory play time with Tucker until he isn't so cute anymore and everyone is ornery.  That's right, no official scripture study.  But at least it was a church publication... we will do better tomorrow night. 

Kyle and I dug into his paper.  It needed a lot of "work".  I edited, cut and pasted, discussed, encouraged until we got that 7 page paper done by 10:30.  I sent a very tired Kyle to bed with his very bloodshot eyes.  Wondering if I "helped" too much, I re-read the final draft and hoped he would get a good grade on our... ah hemm...his paper.

As I tipped toed upstairs to turn the ceiling vents on so I could clean the kitchen while my kiddos drifted off to sleep, I checked each room and then started downstairs to do the dishes.
My grandmother's oft recited saying came to my head:

" Can't sleep a wink with dishes in the sink!" 

bounced around my head along with the constant whisperings about my failure as a mother because my oldest still isn't ready to serve a mission.  That little voice NEVER goes to bed.  It is always ringing in the back of my head. Can you say "eternal failure"?  Am I failure? Is he? As I washed the pots and pans I thought of the many mornings I would very loudly wash these same pots and pans, dropping baskets of laundry on the floor, all while the radio was blaring so said child would not feel comfortable in a warm, cozy bed and sleep through seminary.  Do I regret "making" him graduate from seminary?  Not letting him quit 6 weeks before graduation? Was I wrong?  Was I right?? Will I ever know if I did anything right with that child? Does it matter, he is who he is, right?? Have I only lost a battle or have I lost the entire war?? Will I ever know??

As I again reflected on the evening I was pretty darn proud of all that I accomplished.  I did a lot, on my own.  Seriously, I was almost, literally, in two places at once tonight! I wondered if my kids saw the stress in my eyes or heard it in the tone of my voice when they need one last hug before they went to bed.  Or if they will even remember Court's of Honor or soccer banquets? I hope they remember their mom was always there for them. Especially for the big stuff.  Including seminary!

Maybe they didn't eat a meal around the table tonight, but they sure enjoyed watching           Chopped: Grandma vs Grandma together and were all cheering for "Alma" to win as I ran out the door off to visit teach.  Maybe they will remember their mom was dedicated to her church and beliefs. Maybe they will laugh and tell their children " My mom was so crazy... unorganized... awesome... supportive..."  Or maybe tonight will just blend into the hundreds of other crazy nights we have had as a family.

 One thing I know for sure is, this Supermom has truly been blessed with great kids!

Be Grateful!! 

He really is a great kid... and when I say he, I mean all of them

Tonight at 9:00 our home was filled with chaos.  I had just returned from Parent Teacher Conferences, which went amazingly smooth.  The usual comments from teachers:

Kyle is a great kid.  Full of personality, a lot of "personality".  He's going places, I can't wait to see where he ends up. And a new one: He has really matured over the past few months ( say what??)

Mikenzie is doing great, no complaints.  She is so sweet. Such a hard worker.

Baylie is such a joy to have in class, I wish I could clone her ( me too ).  

I would love a classroom full of Baylies.

Brandon is doing excellent.  Very bright. Love having him in class. 

As I walked into my home it was not a welcome sight.  Dishes were still piled high from making dinner for the missionaries that we hastily packed as we ran out the door, still steaming hot and 15 minutes late ( as usual ).  The window for conferences was closing quickly and we had no time to tidy up before we left.  James was busy working on the computer trying to finish last minute business before he left for his weekly traveling work assignment.  The dog was hyper, chasing toys and begging for food.  The boys were watching a sports program, as usual.  Mikenzie had just returned from work and Baylie from a volleyball game.  It was a typical teenage activity filled night.

We quickly huddled the family together for a few reminders, a spiritual thought and a family prayer before James left for his business trip.  As we tried to find some semblance of peace, Tucker came running in with James' sandwich he had prepared for the road, which caused a loud round of laughter.   The kids were teasing one another ( borderline bickering but we held the line ).  We managed to get our thoughts and concerns out ( seminary attendance is slipping around here ) and finally a family prayer.

James gave me a quick kiss and yelled over the now not so borderline arguing to call him when things calmed down a bit.  I jokingly told him to expect at least an hour.  Once he left and I had regained some control of our home I got to work organzing and cleaning.  Brandon finally put down the balls, the hot pad and whatever else he was harassing Baylie with and discovered he had math homework to do.  Mikenzie was in the shower, Kyle was already in bed and Baylie was doing her usual milling about, as she has to burn every single last cell of energy before she can finally drop off to sleep.  I tackled the dishes and the laundry, started to pick up shoes and  backpacks that had been discarded around the house a few hours earlier.

Slowly but surely the house became our home once again.  Lights were dimmed, the dishwasher was humming and peace was beginning to fill the air.  As I took a deep sigh of relief at the quick progress I made I saw this wonderful sight:

Brandon, who 15 minutes earlier had Baylie almost near tears due to his relentless teasing and hyperness, had quietly asked for help with a difficult math problem.  Baylie, who had just asked Brandon less than 10 minutes earlier" Why can't you just GO AWAY??"  willingly helped him until he understood the correct steps to the math problem.  I even heard a "please" and "sorry " ( not for the teasing, but for taking the pencil out of Baylie's hand too quickly ).

Amazing!!  Peace!! Kindness!! 

My children never cease to amaze me.  I think I am doing something right...

Kyle also greatly impressed me tonight.  In a rare sighting of humility, he returned to his old job ( the one he left because it was " the worst job ever " with hopes of making loads of cash at a " way better job " which turned out to be a total dud of a job due to his hectic soccer schedule).   He humbly went to his former manager and asked for his old job back.  That took a lot of maturity on his part and I am so impressed.  I know grown men that wouldn't take that big bite of humble pie.  He did it all on his own.  Just earlier that day I wondered how much time we should give this restless child of mine before we started to pressure him into looking for another job.  I would have never guessed he would return to his old employer ( on his own nonetheless ) and ask for a job. As mentioned earlier by a teacher or two: He really is a great kid!

And when all was said and done, even this guy was ready for some peace...

Be Grateful!!