Family Home Evening Talents

Each Monday night, we have Family Home Evening. It is a time for us to have some planned family instruction and fun time. We start with a song and prayer--the kids usually all lead the music, waving their arms to the beat. Then we have family talent time, where anyone can share a talent. These were last nights: Warren played, "I'm an Indian"--his first song to have both hands playing at the same time and doing different things. Abigail frog-hopped across the room from "lilypad" to "lilypad." Avery announced, "Chugga, chugga woo woo! Avery is a potty-train!" My kids have not yet understood that to be potty-trained is not the same as a train. So, they just all think that Avery is a potty-train. After talents, we have a lesson; last night's was about forgiveness and repentance. Afterwards we invite one of the children to share their testimony--basically what they know about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ--with us all. It is always a sweet surprise to hear the sincerity as they speak of knowing that God loves them. Next we always practice some skill; last night it was "the morning routine." We had the kids start out in pajamas in bed and go all through getting dressed, making beds, potty time, praying and breakfast--except our "breakfast" last night was dessert. Bumpy dessert--Jennings family standard, what else? We end with another song and prayer, and then play a game if there is still time. Last night it was a quick puzzle. And that is family night. You don't have to be a member of my faith to have it! I encourage you to do it no matter who you are! And it doesn't have to have as many parts as ours. Just pick a time and be committed to it. If you want to see our "talents", you can watch them below. :)

What it's Like to Be a Kid

Madeleine at 1 Month

A month ago Madeleine, you joined our family. Life was good before you came, but the love, peace, happiness, unity and laughter you brought with you make life even better now. Warren, Abigail and Avery all love to hold you, as evidenced by W's list to do during Spring Break--"huld Madlin." Dad loves to hold you, too. One night after caring for your needs and calming you, knowing Dad had work to do, I said, "It's okay if you set her down now." Dad looked back sheepishly and said, "Oh, I know. But I just want to keep holding her." He did. Even more notable is that I love to hold you. My mind is such that it is constantly racing ahead to the next thing to do. But your sweet spirit invites me to slow down, to linger, to live in the moment.

When you came you had huge cheeks; those were gone within the first few days, though your cheeks still draw loving comments and kisses from all. When you were born, you were our little blob; now you hold your head up, especially to look over our shoulders. You can turn your head and follow my face and voice around the room. I noticed that over a week ago. When you were born, your brief smiles seemed accidental and fleeting. Now--to the wonder and delight of anyone who notices--you smile in response to sustained attention. As promised, you truly bring happiness to those around you. You spit up a lot, and I am constantly checking over my shoulder before I go out to see what surprise you have left me there as evidence of your love :)
You are so content. Content to eat (and you eat in about 20-25 minutes, much faster than some of your siblings did as newborns). Content as we do our best to get you to burp--usually a well-rewarded experience. Content as you are awake and held by siblings, propped in the boppy, rocking in a swing or on a walk. Content as you drift off to sleep for a great nap; you never wake up after just a few minutes. You repeat this little cycle every 3 hours, give or take 30 minutes, and you only awaken once during the night, usually at 3:30. I guess you are what people call, an "easy" baby, or a "good" baby. But I don't like that last name--even if you were cranky and unpredictable, I'd still say you were good.
You bring out the good in others, you remind me to speak softer and gentler. You calm wiggly children. You inspire acts of service, and bring smiles to everyone who sees you. Thank you for these gifts and for choosing to come to Earth. I am so happy you are my daughter.
Love, Mom

Queens Pizza

On the recommendation of iheartmesa, Andy and I stopped into Queen's Pizza for dinner last night. Remember that I am an adventurous pizza eater, a bit of a pizza snob. In our marriage of almost 7 years, I think we have ordered pizza on our own maybe one time? I love to make pizza at home and load it up with anything that isn't pepperoni or plain cheese. For an example, check out this entry. So I was still a little leery of eating out for pizza, but I was encouraged by the fabulous aroma of last week's visit to Queen's when I picked up a menu and the friendliness of the owner.
Well, I was not disappointed. We ordered the Queen O' Clubs--a 16" thin crust--but thick around the edges--topped with olive oil, fresh garlic, mushroom, basil, tomato and balsamic vinegar (that last ingredient wasn't listed, but I could taste it and it was fabulous.) My mouth has not been so happy in a long time. Really. I get happy just thinking about how good it was. It was $17.95. We also ordered cheesy garlic bread, and it was awesome, too. Topped with rosemary and the perfect blend of soft and crispy, it was so good.

Queen's is located at 125 W. Main, right in the heart of downtown Mesa. The bottom of their menu says:

"Support your local pizzeria! Say no to bad chain pizza, call 480-964-1609."
They have awesome takeout specials, like an XL 18" cheese pizza & 1 dozen wings & free garlic cheese bread all for $19.99 with FREE delivery! (I suppose you could ask to pay extra and upgrade your pizza to one of their gourmet offerings.) That is what I will be eating next time I order pizza. They have other takeout specials, ask when you call.
One of the reasons I say that I love where I live is because we are close to downtown Mesa with it's funky blend of businesses, it's few restaurants, the library, MAC etc. Well, I've decided to put my money where my mouth is and start supporting more of the downtown life. If you like good pizza, I encourage you to do the same.

Going Green

Every St. Patrick's Day, my mom and her twin put on a party. This year it involved eating green eggs and ham, green grapes, green Hi-C, sausage and bran muffins (they were brown--just pretend.) We all wear as much green as we can and take a picture (note Sam's multiple layers of green shirts.) Then we played some goofy games and ate golden treasure (convenient that chocolate comes wrapped in gold.) Our families love any excuse to get together.
On another related note, we are using cloth diapers for Madeleine. Andy's cousin Julie uses them and we talked a bit about it, so she offered me all of her stuff her son has outgrown. I'm not I would ever have tried it if I'd had to make the initial investment, but since that was covered, we've been doing them. Here's why: I like that I am not throwing away diapers and I like that I am not buying diapers. Basically I'm a little bit green and cheap. Maybe my water bill will skyrocket and prove me wrong for both reasons, or maybe once Madeleine's only food source is not me and her poo stinks I will not be able to stomach it, but right now it is easy. And they really are cute.
(But I have no problem with other people using disposable diapers. I don't think I feel strongly enough about either to try to talk anyone into using either one. So please don't feel any pressure.)

Cousin Friends

The day my cousin's son Cooper came over, he, Warren and Abigail had all sorts of fun running obstacle course races in the backyard, refereed by my next door neighbor Jim and his super-loud whistle. Then Jim treated the kids to Popsicles. After that, Warren and Cooper went on bug hunts--they were entertained for hours. The culmination of their effort was this slug race down our backyard slide. Even with gravity on their side, slugs don't move very quickly, but this did not deter the boys at all. Look at the delight on their faces.

Beckam is the lone first cousin that my kids have in town. He is 3 months younger than Avery and they have become great friends. When we got separated on a walk--Avery with me, and Beck with G-ma Lindy--Lindy told me Beckam cried the whole time for Avery. They had a blast splashing in the fountains at the MAC. After seeing how much fun the kids had with their cousins, I am more committed to arranging times for them to be together. After all, isn't that why choose to live here in Mesa? It's not the weather, for sure (well, this time of year, it is, but I mean in the 6 month long summer :)

Breaking for Spring

Warren and Abigail are on Spring Break for 2 weeks. Yesterday he made a list of the things he'd like to do during that time. It was totally his project: he got the paper, thought up his own ideas, spelled and wrote them alone. It reads:
BUZZ [Buzz is the name of the free bus that circulates our area; Warren has wanted to ride it for a long time, so we took it ot the library]
HiCiN [Hiking]
PRC [Park. Today he went with my mom and brother to the park to go fishing]
???
WOCH STRS [I think this is WATCH STARS, but I think he means watch the Star Wars movies]
TiM WiTH AVRE [Time with Avery]
PUT UWA [Put away]
HULD MADLIN ]Hold Madeleine]
BASPRO [Bass Pro]
MEOOZEM [Museum]
SPRING BREAK [Spring Break]

Tonight my grandparents stopped by for a visit. My grandpa has "got the punies," as he would say, but my grandma said it perked him up to come over to our house. Warren asked grandpa, "Can you read this?" and to my surprise, my grandpa read them the whole book. Avery and Grandma were off seeing Avery's room so that Avery's excited chattering and squeals would be far away from Grandpa's hearing aids. Tonight Warren prayed for "Grandpa Lewis--or whatever mom's grandpa's name is that was over here." My kids still have all but one of their original great-grandparents alive, plus their 4 grandparents, so sometimes the names are a bit confusing. The other night Abigail referred to these grandparents as, "Grandma Diana and that boy that lives there--I think Grandpa Lewis?" That boy. Ha ha.

P.S. If you love the picture of Warren in the wagon, check out the photographer here.

Little Stories

Avery was so cute, Andy couldn't resist taking a picture. She likes wearing hair flowers for about the first 5 minutes. Then they come out. Last week she had on a really big flower, but then took it off. When it came time to leave, she was looking for it, a bit stressed out, and told my dad exasperatedly, "Papo, I'm founding my flower!"

We played scripture pictionary last week for Family Night. This is Abigail's drawing of a sheep. I love all the little swirls. Next is a drawing of a pioneer and her covered wagon. She really enjoys drawing, cutting and writing right now. And she is very good at it, too.

A few days ago Avery wanted to call my mom on the phone, she wasn't answering. So we called my dad and talked to him briefly instead. She told him she was reading a book and he said that next time he saw her he wanted to read one to her. Well, "next time" turned out to be a surprise visit about an hour later as he traveled between lunch and meetings. My dad has always been crazy about babies, and he is thoroughly in love with his grandkids.

Last weekend we told Warren we'd take him to McDonalds to use a gift card he had. On Friday--the before the planned trip--he asked Andy, very matter-of-factly, "Dad, can we launch a robot into space tomorrow and go to McDonald's Monday instead?" He really sees no limits to what he can do. I puzzle over the fine lines between encouragement, reality, nurturing dreams...
For example. he has been a bit perplexed for a while over who he can marry. Warren is 5. He asks me periodically, "Mom, who can I marry?" or "Mom, how can I ever get married if none of the girls at my school will marry me?" Well, we sat down to dinner Tuesday and he announced, with a great look of content and relief, "I've found found the girl I'm going to marry. [Insert huge smile here with twinkling eyes] Her name is ______ _______." He continued, saying she was a girl who stayed "all day at school" like him, and when we asked him how he knew that she was the girl he wanted to marry he said, "Because she wants to marry me too, and no other girls want to marry me."

I am a Child of God

First family photo. I love it.

Last Tuesday when I was in labor, and having pains, I thought of the Savior suffering in Gethsemane, pleading for relief, but still saying, "Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine, be done." He had a choice, and yet he continued on so that each of us could be spiritually reborn. My appreciation and love for Jesus Christ deepened as I experienced my own pains for another, and knew that still, His were far greater than my own, and made all the joy in life that I have possible. I thought of this chapter from Isaiah 53: (underlining is there because I copied and pasted from lds.org, and all of those have footnotes)

1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 ¶ Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. I love how we become his "generation," his "seed", his children because of the "travail of his soul." There are so many words here that describe giving birth: bear, grief, satisfied, seed, generation, stricken, borne our griefs, carried our sorrows--the imagery really is beautiful to ponder.

Another experience in the hospital. There was a miscommunication about when I needed to check out, and for a while I thought, and had been told that we'd need to check out by 3:07 am the day after I had Madeleine. This was being told me at about 9 pm. I hadn't seen my doctor yet, the pediatrician hadn't been by for Madeleine, there were some standard tests that have to be done no earlier than 24 hours after birth...I was very concerned and stressed and trying hard not to feel like a thief sneaking out in the night and instead trying to be brave. It wasn't working. I was so exhausted, having no sleep the night before, and only about 5 hours that day, all broken up by nurses and feeding Madeleine and visitors. While my wonderful nurse went off to straighten things out, I asked Andy to read something from General Conference. He looked for a moment--prayerfully I'm sure--and then read in a confident voice, "God Loves and Helps All His Children." Just hearing the title, I felt comforted, loved, reassured. Not about the outcome, but that whatever happened, it would be okay, even good. Whatever information the nurse came back with would be okay, because I knew that God loves and helps all His children. (It turned out we were able to stay until anytime that day, so we left comfortably just before noon.)

Both of these experiences deepened my testimony that God the Father and Jesus Christ know me personally, they love me, they have prepared the way to happiness and peace now and throughout eternity for me. I know that the restored Church of Jesus Christ is that plan and holds all the priesthood keys necessary to perform the ordinances required for me and my family to be together eternally.

More Fun than My Remote Control Race Car

The first time Warren held you, Madeleine, he looked up, eyes full of love and wonder, and exclaimed, "This is more fun than my remote control race car!" He meant it. Every morning since we've been home, he comes directly into my room--where I am usually feeding you--to hold you or just be by you.

When we first told Warren that you would be a girl, he didn't seem to mind. But as he got asked more often--"Did you want a brother?"--he began to wish a little bit for a boy. A few days before you were born, though, I asked him, "Warren, how do you feel about getting a new sister? Warm fuzzy, or cold prickly, or a combo of the 2?" He replied, "Both, because I kind of want a brother, but Avery is my friend, and Avery's a sister, and maybe this new baby will be my friend, too." I think he was right.

When Warren visited you in the hospital, he drew this on the whiteboard: you in a baby carriage and him alongside you. He also wrote your name "MALDLiN."

When we came home the first time, dad and I found this on the calendar: "MATILiN BRiThEA." The words from Abigail's favorite primary song come to mind: "God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be. This is how He shares His love, for the family is of God."