A First

I have no real explanation for the time between posts.  I have had plenty to write about, but I seem to get caught up in the day to day stuff and by the time I can sit down to write about an adventure I just don't have the energy to relive it. 

My blog posts are not journal entries anymore, so I really need to dig down deep and start writing rather than just journaling the day to day  ( or month to month) events of my family.  I really need a place now to write what I think and feel.  I don't make New Year's Resolutions.  It has never been my habit, but if I did make one it would be in the department of improving my creative writing.  Sometimes I just can't resist sharing the funny things that happen with my kiddos and I intend to post pictures and little movie clips to my hearts content, but I am making a choice to try to write more what I think and feel. 



We just celebrated our five-year anniversary over the New Year's weekend.  It is a first for us.  Never before have we made an effort to observe our anniversary complete with an overnight babysitter for our kids.  It was a conscious choice on my part to celebrate.  It all started a few weeks ago with the arrival of my January Ensign.  The first article I read was What Happily Married Couples Do by Douglas Brinley.  I read it and reread it and made my husband listen as I read it to him.  It is full of really practical and truthful counsel.  Now on this side of the celebration I am so grateful we did.  I can see the importance good memories and special effort to spend time together.  We made some wonderful memories. 

My parents shared with us a little gift package that my dad had won through his work.  It was good for one night stay at a local hotel, movie tickets (complete with popcorn and drinks), and dinner at Famous Daves. Grammy bravely agreed to keep Rider and Lydia over night ( a first for them and ME).  Austin stayed with Grandma Peggy for lots of cousin time, which he loves most in life.  We had some time before we passed off our kiddos to Grammy, so we decided to check in early and let them swim.  We now know that it would have been enough to just let them ride the elevator a few times, eat the complimentary cookies and jump on the beds.  It was almost better than Christmas for them.  The hotel pool was being remodeled so we trudged across the property to a neighboring hotel that was sharing their pool.  I declined to suit up and left it to my hero husband.  The shallow end was 3 feet, so we spent our time at the jacuzzi walking around the built in benches.  Lydia lost her footing and went backwards under the water.  I was sure she was drowning and jumped in to save her IN MY JEANS AND SWEATER.  The pool party ended at that point.  I pouted like a wet cat all the way back to our hotel.  This didn't dampen the spirits of our little ones.  They got to eat more warm cookies and ride the elevator until it was time to go to Grammys. 

I fought with myself over pouting and ruining our evening and just trying to find the humor.  Thanks to my husband the humor won.  I bought a new "outfit" at Target and we went about our evening.  Dinner was so great and the movie was not terrific, but it was fun to go to a grown up movie.  I had to make little decisions all night long to enjoy the moment with my husband and not miss my babies.  It is evidence to me that I need to allow them time away from me more.  Lydia was fine because she will take my mom in place of me almost always, Rider I was worried about.  I knew his head was dancing with the fun he could be having at the "hotel home."  I couldn't stop worrying about him all night.  I am really a little ashamed to say that I snuck out at 6:30 a.m. and went and picked them up.  My parent's home is just two blocks away from the hotel.  I brought them back to have the great of adventure of eating breakfast at the hotel and watch cartoons while jumping back and forth on the beds.  They were so happy!  My husband, not so happy with me, but he indulged me. 

All this jabber jabber, and what is it that I feel?  I am in a constant state of choosing.  It is that beautiful gift of agency that was given to each person.  There are a million significant and insignificant choices throughout a day.  I feel like I am refining my ability to tune into the "better choice."  I want for my me and my family to have a trail of wonderful choices leading to wonderful memories even when there may be obstacles.   That leads me to my next favorite article Living the Abundant Life by Thomas S. Monson.  I will have to save that for my next (hopefully less than two months) post.

Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies and Wet child is not a good choice!

This should have been our first warning as Lydia began rolling into the water.  She was getting alittle too comfortable.