Wrenched Hearts

Some dear friends of our family tragically lost their 18-year-old daughter this past weekend.

Words have been tossed about in my head as I try to put my feelings into something tangible. My father wrote a message to us this morning that did that for me. Thank you, Dad. I love you.

This morning, I would like to comfort my family.

Yesterday, Peggy and I held Trevor and Leila in our arms as they shook with grief. Over the years the fabric of our families' lives has been woven together in a tapestry of so many feelings and memories. Our children have tended their children. Peggy has taught them in primary. I have been with their children in scouting and youth programs. We have enjoyed the love and art of the photographic treasures they have created for David and Tanya, Bethany and Brandon, Cory and Rachel, and for each of our younger children as they graduated from high school. There are so many fond memories from the past and a promise of more to come. A hole was ripped from our tapestry yesterday when we discovered Kiersten's life was taken in a tragic fall up in Big Sky.

Three summers ago, as I was driving out of the Sierras with my Aaronic priesthood boys, we learned of Tyler Broberg's death. He was 17 and a delight to know. Just months later, Evan Salgado died in a solo car crash, and Cory lost the association of fellow Marines while serving us in Iraq. Then, just over a year ago, Amanda Shoemaker lost her young life in a train accident in Ventura. The loss of Steve just months ago is still fresh in our hearts. We struggle to rework our tapestry and mend the holes so mercilessly torn from it, and as we step back and see some progress, another pull and tear appears, and we mourn with Trevor and Leila.

So what comfort do I have to give as this list lengthens and we wonder why, and watch as our friends and family suffer? Just this...I know the Savior. I know he loves each of those who are lost from us for a time. I know he loves us who remain here to help and lift one another. And I know I love each of you.

And for the loss of so many of our young friends and loved ones, I want to share a thought from Paul, whose words so often bring me comfort;

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known (1 Cor 13:12)

We stand on the earth, and our view is finite. We can't see past mountains unless we climb them. We can't see tomorrow until it becomes today. I remember a poem by Carol Lynn Pearson, a favorite poet in my youth.

POINT OF VIEW

Sun and mountain meet.

“Look,” I say.

“Sunset!”

But I forget

That far away

An islander

Wipes morning

From his eyes

And watches

The same sun

Rise

What's birth?

And death?

What’s near

Or far?

It all depends

On where you are.

And finally, one more...

OF THE MYSTERIES

I only know as much of God and the world

As a creature with two eyes must;

But what I do understand I love,

And what I don't understand, I trust.

Summer Music Workshop:Picture of the Day

Summer Music Workshop:Pictures of the Day

Summer Music Workshop:Picture of the Day

Today was a whirlwind of fun that ended with only half of what I had planned actually happening. After everyone had left I realized I hadn't even had a chance to pull out the camera. Oops!

Summer Music Workshop:Picture of the Day

Summer Music Workshop:Picture of the Day

California Adventures : The Final Post : Santa Barbara

Our big outing for the week we were in California was a drive up to Santa Barbara. We started out at the Ty Warner Sea Center on Stearns Wharf. We weren't sure how "into it" the kids would be, thinking it might be a little old for them, but decided to give it a try anyway. We are so glad we did! The kids were fascinated and so were the adults.

First stop was the shark tank. I love how open both kids were to touching all the little creatures. Their mommy? Not so much. I was very content to be the photographer.

Checking out the starfish and crabs in the touch tank.

Time to do some real science:
Send the bucket down to the ocean floor.

Investigate what we dug up.

It doesn't look like much does it? You would be surprised at how much sea life is in that pile of what appears to be junk.

William is Super Recycler or something like that. The last part of the exhibits consisted of several tanks and such teaching kids about taking care of the oceans. William wore the cape and learned how he can be a hero by keeping the ocean clean.

And the final stop was the puppet stage. The place that both kids still insist was their favorite part of the science center.

After lunch on the pier

(Brandon is probably pondering Marie's potty accident at this moment.)

and a failed attempt at a family picture

partly due to the fact that William insisted on being a pirate,

it was time to hit the beach again.

I've said it once and I'll say it again. Beach + Bethany = Bliss. Pure bliss. My Utah grown husband and children are believers too. Thank goodness.

P.S. Thanks, Aunt Sara, for playing with the kids while me and my big belly lounged and took pictures.

California Adventures : Slip N' Slide and S'Mores

It's been over a month since we have been home from California. I am about to have a baby. I am going to have a lot of life to document here soon and if I can't get it all on the blog now, I never will. It's time to giddy-up and get caught up. So, brace yourselves for a lot of pictures ... or skip all of them. To each his own.

After discovering we had left William's swim trunks at the beach I made a quick run to Target to replace them. I was the hero of the day when I came back with a $5 slip n' slide (and, of course, new swim trunks). I love my job.

Later that night it was time to bust out the fire pit, uh, thingy and enjoy some s'mores. Can we talk about how much dessert I consume when I am on vacation. It's ridiculous ... and quite delicious ... and requires a lot of "detox" when I get home.

William-ese

Mommy: Laying on the couch trying to recover from a long day and sleepless night due to Braxton Hicks contractions.

William: Mommy, you sure are cute when you are sleeping.
Not gonna lie, this kid has my heart a thousand times over.

California Adventures : Juicing Grapefruits

The harvest on the citrus trees was meager this visit, except for the grapefruit tree. The grapefruit tree always seems to have an abundance of fruit.

William could have been happy juicing grapefruits for hours. Drinking the juice? He took a couple of sips and turned up his nose.

Marie was quite the opposite. She downed a glass of pure juice without even a pucker. Who is this child?

California Adventures : The Beach

She was content to scoop sand and water in her "swimming pool"that Grandpa, Daddy, Aunts Sara and Alisha, and Uncle Stephen dug for her.

Most of his time was spent running ...

with a few pauses to check out the current sand creations

and to have random conversations with any stranger that was willing to listen

and then it was back to running.

They didn't stop all day, until Grandpa discovered a way to keep them down.

My mom and I were there, too.

Lounging. Making sandwiches.
Swimming. Reading. Sleeping.

(OK, I didn't swim. Sadly enough. Obvious reasons.)

... you know, all the necessary activities to make it a

PERFECT DAY ON THE BEACH

California Adventures : Pamper Party

One afternoon I sent the boys off to see "How to Train a Dragon," leaving Sara, Marie, and I home with time to fill. Marie is old enough now that she knows when she is missing out on something (darn it), so we bribed her happiness with some "Enchanted" and some pampering.

The truth? She hardly watched the movie and fussed through having her hair and nails done. The pictures don't tell that story though. I really should take more pictures of her unhappy so that I have proof of her moodiness. Or maybe I'll just stick to the cute stuff and let all the negative memories fade away ....

First, she insisted on doing my nails. Yeah, that lasted about 15 seconds, which was when she wanted to open up the nail polish. Fat chance of that happening.

This was her first experience with nail polish. I have hesitated to introduce the stuff to her. Visions of nail polish on walls, carpets, and clothes run through my head when I consider it.

I figured Grandma's house was the perfect place for the introduction to take place. Not because I want her house covered in the stuff, but because then I can buy a year or two (or at least a couple of months?) before Marie realizes it isn't something that is exclusive to Grandma's house.

Isn't it so cute? Maybe it is worth the potential mess to do it more often. Just look at that adorable chubby foot? Proof that she has just a little bit of baby left in her.

The best we could do at a shot of the "final product." Like I said, she was a bit fussy. Just call her Miss Priss ... with some dang cute curly hair.

California Adventures : Picking Blueberries

It looks like such a perfect day, doesn't it? Picking berries in the California sunshine with the ones you love the most. Ah, bliss.

Too bad both kids peed their pants within 5 minutes of each other after we had been picking berries for a matter of moments. We were prepared for Marie's accident. William, on the other hand, we haven't had to pack extra clothes for him in ages. He got a new pair of shorts and a pack of underwear out of the deal, but not after having to hang around in wet clothes for a bit. *shudder*

Ah, parenthood. We washed that loveliness down with In N' Out for lunch and some blueberry crisp later that night.

Good enough for me.