Sunday, August 30, 2009

last boat ride

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we loved our boat. chris loved it the most. when we first got it, he wanted us to ride always. i was always not quick to agree. with four children, one being a toddler, the thoughts of having to hold him down and worry about the others... who will be taken over board? who will push someone into the water? which child will fall off the front of the boat to be torn to shreads by the propeller? will this be the time we see the alligator in the wando river as he is biting eddie's leg off? not too appealing.
but then we would be together and see the dolphin and the fish and the birds and enjoy the water. only a few fights over where the best seat is, or if they can stear now, or why we don't honk the boat's horn over and over and over.

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my views
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two years ago, all four children were in school for some of the day, so we took advantage. only two of us. in the boat. quiet. calm. blissful. peaceful. lovely. the days noah would come he was reluctant unless we had a packed picnic. (tyrant i would call him.)

before our move we hadn't decided if we were going to sell the boat. two days before the move, chris listed the boat on craig's list and it was gone in two hours.

a bit sad, we asked the buyer if we could keep it a day or two so we could take one more ride.

my sister and two of her daughters and one grand baby were visiting so we all loaded in and enjoyed the scenes.

so glad we did.

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chris waiting for us to board
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madie and her baby valentine (i think she was holding on for her baby's dear life)
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shem creek
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cooper river bridge

Monday, August 24, 2009

soul mates

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whenever we travel to arlington, the first thing merry asks is when will we be having a girls' night. she then continues to call me and call my mom and call my sisters, asking when girls' night is. most times we always schedule a night of dinner and a movie. with all the girls that can make it.

usually lana can never make it.

she has a standing date with grandpa.

it's not just girls' night out either. it's museum day. or pool afternoon. or cookie night at kasi's. as we all get ready to leave, she gets ready to snuggle next to grandpa. they watch tv. usually news or cooking shows or sports. when we return home, lana is most times sound asleep. unless grandpa is sound asleep. that's when csi miami is on or cold case files.

i think maybe she enjoys being alone without her siblings or her mother telling her what to do. she can have her own blanket without sharing. she doesn't have to move over on the couch. maybe it's being able to get ice cream at wee hours of the night. who knows?

sometimes i have to drag her from her protected nest and make her get some sunlight and interact with other human beings. sometimes my mom has to drag grandpa out to get some sunlight and interact with other human beings.

i say two peas in a pod. kindred spirits. like grandpa like granddaughter. soul mates met.

i love that someone that loves her maybe as much as i do is taking good care of her while i enjoy other human beings.

thanks grandpa.



Saturday, August 22, 2009

catch up

getting ready to move. moving. unpacking. still unpacking.
we did some fun stuff in between. gonna try to catch up.

starting with T-BALL.
Photobucket noah played his first year of t-ball. loved it. professed he was maybe the best player on the team. (he must get his humility from his father.)
i think only once he complained and didn't want to go. that was when he was sporting a fever. but then he decided he had to be there for the team. and went.
once, ok, more than once, maybe even three times, we forgot, or got the time wrong or went to the wrong ball field. after the 3rd or 4th time, noah explained that wouldn't be happening anymore.
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noah: "i love this tball. it's awesome! every singe time we get a snack, a treat AND a drink!"
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009

this is way too long, but...

i just returned home from my parent's house. have been there for 6 days. love it. the house and my parents. wanted to stay longer because every day i got to see this.
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and hold her. and smell her. and touch her wonderful hair. and stare at her for a long time. and change her. and contemplate ways to steal her home. but noah said he would call sean, her father, and tell him what i had done. (thanks a lot noah! i thought you loved me the most.)
but look at her! i want her!
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i also love and missed my husband so we came home.
i had to stay one more day because the temple isn't open on monday.

i got to the temple in time to make the 8 o'clock session. the kindly white clad gentleman took my little card, scanned it, changed his expression and asked: "how long has it been since you've been here?" me: "well, a long time." (my. i thought they didn't judge at the temple.) he then showed me the date...2006, and informed me it had expired.(in 2008, not 2006, just fyi.) me, expressing disbelief: "huh, that's the wrong one. i just got a new one." i quickly found my not expired card, handed it to the little man and he then informed me it had not been entered into the computer.

OH MY GOODnESS! I'M GOING TO MISS ThE 8 O'CLOCK SESSION!! I JUsT WANT TO GO TO THe TEMPLE! JUST ONCE! YOU JUsT TOLD ME IT HAD BEEn A LONG TIME!

i didn't really say that, but that's what i was thinking.

man: "please do me a favor and take this to the clerk and tell him it hasn't been entered. and take your old card and put it in your journal."

me: "ok. i will."

me, to another old man clad all in white: "he told me to ask for the clerk. this has not been entered into the computer."
old man 2: "he let you in? he's not suppose to do that...come with me."
me to self: i'm not going to make the 8 o'clock session...
old man 2 to old man 3: "this lady was allowed in because they told her at the front desk her card had not been entered...and to come to the clerk..."
i saw these two men give each other the eye. but number 3 said to follow him. so i did.
after he replaced some returned keys in a door that was having a hard time opening, he had me follow him..
old man 3: "we have to log in every time. this computer takes forever. i hope this works. no. let's see. maybe this does. no. hum, oh here we go. ok, what's your name...here it is. is this your bishop? do you think he's at home at this hour or at work.(home?) hello, bishop young, this is old man number 3 at the washington dc temple, i have a YOUNG LADY here and she wants to attend the temple after a very long time (he didn't really say the very long time part.)"

this is were there was silence. for a long time it seemed to me. was my recent bishop telling why my card had not been entered? did he deem me not worthy and had purposely asked the clerk to not update my renewed temple recommend?...i just want to make the 8 o'clock session...that's all i want to do...

old man 3: "ok. thank you very much. you have a wonderful day. now let's see here. usually you just click on this and it automatically updates the records. but that's not working. (he gives a little chuckle.) let's see if this works. no. (he tries again. still didn't work.) i can do this... ok. now, is this you? wait. i just called south carolina and it says here your ward is in richmond."
me: "yes, i just moved from sc to richmond."
old man 3: "well, i don't think that's right. i should call your current bishop. did this work...yes. i think it did. we're all set. here's your card. enjoy your day."

i made it to the 8 o'clock session.

i sat there, all clad in white, thanking my heavenly father for his spirit that instantly engulfed me. engulfed me with comfort and strength and love and peace. i'm sitting in the quietness, thinking how overpowering the world is. kicking myself for not coming to the temple more often because of the love i feel within those walls.

whenever i enter the temple, i also think of a short story by steve martin. CRUEL SHOES. about these incredibly ugly pair of black and white pumps.

"...both were left feet, one had a right angled turn with separate compartments that pointed the toes in impossible directions. The other shoe was six inches long and was curved inward like a rocking chair with a vise and razor blades to hold the foot in place""Put them on me.""But...""Put them on me!"Carlo knew all arguments were useless. He knelt down before her and forced the feet into the shoes.The screams were incredible.Anna crawled over to the mirror and held her bloody feet up where she could see."I like them."She paid Carlo and crawled out of the store into the street.

why do i think of this as i enter into the temple? because i think about the cruel shoes being the world. there's nothing worse then having to walk around in shoes that are killing you. but you have to do it sometimes. i have to live in the world. i even wanted to live in this world and i have to accept all that is handed to me, cruel and otherwise. i love my life. really love it. but sometimes it seems "cruel." but i have a respite.

the temple.

in the temple i can take my shoes off, put them aside, take care of my sores, rest my burdens for a bit. when it's time to enter the real world again i actually want to put those shoes back on. i'm reminded as i sit feeling the love of the lord, i'll have another opportunity to take my shoes off again and gather that which i need to walk my life.

i'm happy the 3 kind, old men let me in there yesterday. it had been too long.

p.s. just one more.
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Monday, August 17, 2009

luisa betty

just a peek.
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watching. holding. kissing. touching. smelling.
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a new baby. can't get enough. might have to stay forever.
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Friday, August 7, 2009

it's been 10 days

on the 1st day i realize we don't have a washer and dryer AND refrigerator.

on the 2nd day purchase washer and dryer AND refrigerator. my mom and dad and merry arrive to help unpack. yeah!! only 2 hours away!

on the 3rd day washer and dryer AND refrigerator are delivered. mom and dad and merry leave with ceily and eddie. i love grandparents.

on the 4th day lana, noah and of course me, get in the car and drive to arlington. yeah! only two hours away!! get to hold new baby luisa. also get to see all the cousins.

on the 5th day get up very early and drive home from arlington because we have to go to church. church starts at noon. yeah!!

on the 6th day unpack.

on the 7th day unpack.

on the 8th day ceily and eddie return to south carolina. i drive them to the drop off point. they quickly jump into another's car and leave me alone.

on the 9th day chris and i are alone. for the entire night. this is the same day lana and noah spend the night with grandma and grandpa. yeah! only 20 minutes away! (i love grandparents.)

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our backyard