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September 20, 2007 - Birth order
and how it effects us. That's the topic that's been on my mind all day. Clay is my youngest (age 10) with 7 older brothers
and sisters. Now, that's got to effect you. No doubt about it. This is homecoming week at his school and since he goes to
a fairly small school - the elementary kids get to participate in the homecoming festivities along with the high school kids.
Today was Hawaiian day and he wanted to dress up (as he has for pajama day and camo day and opposite day). I took him to the
thrift store and we found a Hawaiian shirt. Emily had leis and he had flip flops and khaki shorts. I figured that was a pretty
authentic costume. But he found a little grass skirt set at WalMart that included a skirt, two flower bracelets and a small
lei. He begged me to buy it and when I dropped him off at school today he was wearing the small lei around his head, the bracelets
around his ankles and the skirt - over his khaki shorts - around his waist. To most people this might not sound so amazing
for your average 10 year old boy. But my older kids are pretty reserved. I can't imagine any of them wanting to wear such
a thing to school - let alone actually going through with it. When I told my husband his response was, "You should have
said NO to the grass skirt." Maybe I should have. But I think it's interesting how different he is from the
others. And I think it's a lot to do with him being the youngest. He's always had an appreciative audience. He really does
think whatever he does is great. The older kids weren't nearly as confident. I was the oldest of five children. I'm bossy
and feel responsible for the happiness of everyone around me. But maybe I can't blame that on my birth order - maybe I was
just born that way. Butch has an older sister but she says he's always thought he was the oldest. So maybe it's more
of a state of mind! September 11, 2007 - Today I've spent quite a bit of time reflecting on what happened 6 years ago - thinking about what has transpired
since then - and been grateful for all the soldiers and their families who have sacrificed so that our country remains free.
I had a great trip to Utah. Tommy and I drove it in about 29 hours (not including the 5 that Butch made us stop in Grand Island,
Nebraska to sleep). Tommy did a lot of the driving - which made the trip easier for me. He is settled into his student housing,
loves his roommates, knows his way around Provo, has been called as 1st Counselor in the Elder's Quorum Presidency, taught
Gospel Doctrine on Sunday, is doing well in all his classes and - so far - hasn't starved to death. He should find out about
the job he's applied for at Sundance today or tomorrow. So once that's settled I'll mark him off my worry list. Jamie and
Paris are settled into Wymont - thanks to Paris's mom, Wendy. They should both have jobs by the end of today and so they are
low down on my worry list. Grace had to get a new battery for her car yesterday - but I'm not worrying about her too much.
Laura keeps getting good reports from the doctor - but she's pretty high on the list until after the baby comes. Cathy and
family are doing great. Ricky's company has moved to a new location and he's got his office all set up. Emily, Andy and Clay
survived well without me here for a week. And Butch did so well at being me that I'm wondering if I should transfer some of
my duties to him permanently... I've been tired and draggy since I got home. I've been blaming it on jet-lag but since I've
been home almost a week - that excuse is starting to wear thin. Maybe I'll just blame it on old age. That one can't be
argued with!!!! Hazardous Duty is out and the early reviews are very good. Covenant has picked it up as their Book Club 'Book
of the Month' for September - so I'm supposed to be working on trivia questions, etc. for that. I guess I'd better get busy.
August 23, 2007 - We're
back from the beach and had a wonderful time! I can't even describe how great it was to have all of my kids and grandkids
in the same place at the same time. The weather was nice (if hot) and the water was beautiful and I honestly can't think of
a single complaint (and that's amazing for me!!). Today we move full-force into wedding mode. Paris goes through the temple
tonight and the wedding ceremony is tomorrow night. Then the reception is on Sat. Today I have to alter bridesmaids' dresses
(which the girls have been swapping around trying to find the size that best fits Laura's stomach. Grace's dress was the one
that appealed to Laura the most and she has been very kind to accomodate Laura (and baby Dracula) - even
if the size she ended up with is a little snug. So today I will be doing alterations and will hopefully get everyone happy.
I wanted to share a little mini-miracle - since sometimes I have to be reminded that in spite of my shortcomings - the Lord
really does love me and is mindful of me. Ordinarily I get my royalty checks around the 15th of February and August. Obviously
- these are much anticipated dates around our house. This year, particularly, because of the wedding and the fact that all
my kids were visiting and we had planned a trip to the beach - I needed it. There was a mixup at Covenant and mine didn't
get mailed with the other checks. Then Booksellers arrived and no one could correct the problem until last Thursday. We were
planning to leave for the beach on Saturday but couldn't until I had my check deposited. So the whole trip was in jeopardy
as we waited to see if someone from Covenant had been able to overnight the check to me on Thursday (for arrival on Friday
morning). On Friday morning Emily was running late (she's NEVER late - it's always the boys who cause us trouble there). So
I left her and took the boys to school. I planned to come back and take her on - but she begged to wait until the beginning
of the next class to avoid walking into first period late. So we waited. As a result we were driving down our street
toward the school at an unusual time. We saw the FedEx truck and I paused - thinking it might be coming to our house
and knowing the driver would have a hard time rousing anyone to answer the door. He stopped two houses down and ran up to
make a delivery. I waited to see if he'd go to our house next, but he turned around and left. So I sat there thinking that
it was a strange coincidence that I was expecting something and my neighbors two doors down got something.
Then I had the strangest yet surest
feeling that the envelope the FedEx guy had just delivered contained MY check. I don't know these particular neighbors
and wasn't even sure if they had answered the door or if the envelope had been left on their porch. I wasn't sure what to
do, but finally decided to go up and check. So I parked my van in front of their house and ran up their steep hill of
a yard. And on their porch was a FedEx envelope addressed to me. If I hadn't seen the FedEx man make that delivery I never
would have known that the check had been delivered. The check not only wouldn't have made it into my bank account on
Friday, but it could have been weeks before we sorted through the whole thing. In the meantime our mini-vacation would
have been impossible. As I drove my daughter to school I told her I was going to call FedEx the minute I got home. And then
she taught me a lesson. She said "Why do you want to get that man in trouble, Mom? The Lord got you your check."
So I won't be making any calls to FedEx. I'll just bask in the feeling of being blessed. August 13, 2007 -
This prompt post - only days after my last one, is not really a sign that I'm getting better organized. It's just that
my life is about to go CRAZY and I knew if I didn't post today I might not get a chance. On Saturday ladies from my ward and
Paris's ward gave her a very nice bridal tea. People are so generous with their limited time and limited funds. Then in addition
to church we attended another bridal shower and I cooked twice. Today we're having cable installed for the first time in twenty
years. That's a little treat that Backtrack is providing to my family. The kids are excited about that - but for me the installation
process is going to be one more thing I don't really have time for. In addition to the cable (and all the normal driving people
around that I do) I've got to get my house clean and ready for Grace to arrive tomorrow. Laura and Josh get here on Thursday
and from then on it's going to be - on the good days - controlled chaos. You can just imagine what it will be on the bad days...I'll
check in when I can to prove I'm still alive. August 8, 2007 - It has been really busy around my house lately and promises
to get worse (better - whatever!). Butch's mother has been in the hospital with pneumonia and that's been scary. She's doing
better now, but is still in rehab and may never get back to the level of independence she had before. The wedding plans are
in full swing and even though I definitely prefer mother of the groom - there's a lot to be done no matter who's mother you
are! I don't have a dress yet. I'm dieting and looking for bargains on ebay. Hopefully I'll get skinny and find a deal at
about the same time (I have more hope for the deal than the skinny). Paris's bridal shower is Saturday and Grace flies in
next Tuesday. Then Laura and Josh arrive on Thursday and her baby shower is next Saturday. Afterwards we leave for the beach.
We come back on Weds. The wedding is Friday night and the reception is Saturday night. Then the newlyweds will be gone
for a week. Tommy and I leave for Utah on the 29th and will try to have the electricity turned on in Jamie and Paris's
apartment for them before they arrive. I'm not promising much else. The chances of all this coming off without a hitch are
- well - zero. I have a list - but it's so long I get confused just reading it. But, if life has taught me nothing else, I've
learned that it will all be over soon. My older kids will be gone and I'll be missing them again. So in the midst of all the
chaos - I'm going to try to enjoy just being together. I'm going to try. July 23, 2007 - Harry Potter Mania – Like most everyone else in the world,
I guess, we’re a part of the craze. I haven’t read the books personally – although I plan to. My kids love
them – even Cathy who is 27 – so I know I’ll enjoy them. But there’s something to be said for waiting
until the final installment comes out before beginning a series. And it’s a little daunting – I’ll admit.
The books are so long and my time is so over-scheduled already. But anyway, I had to work at the temple on Friday night and
my 14 year old son Andy was leaving for Camp Daniel Boone (an all LDS Boy Scout Camp taking place as we ‘speak’
in North Carolina) at 6:00 on Saturday morning. He had most everything packed but had been unable to locate his scout shirt
– which was an absolute requirement. So I offered a cash reward and left my other kids searching while I went to the
temple. When I returned home – in spite of the chance for financial gain – the scout shirt was still
missing and my kids had torn my house apart in the vain search. There was no time for me to look then since we had to go get
in line at Wal-Mart to purchase a copy of the final Harry Potter book (which Andy insisted that he had to have for the
long drive to camp). While my kids stood in line I shopped for scout trip snacks. We finally returned home with not one but
two books (since Andy was taking his copy to camp and my daughter didn't want to wait over a week to read it). Then my two
oldest sons came home later with two more books. That's FOUR books just for my family. No wonder Ms. Rowling is a gazillion-aire!
Back to the Scout-shirt-saga, I prayed for help in finding the shirt – since there was no way to buy or even borrow
one between then and when the scouts were leaving that morning. For some reason I kept thinking it might be in the hall closet. Frequently
I fill garbage bags with wrong-season or outgrown clothes and stick it in that closet until I have time to really sort through
it (which sometimes actually happens). There were three or four bags in the closet. I pulled out the first two with no luck.
Then I opened the third and saw that it contained towels. Now, I don’t love doing laundry – but I don’t
stick dirty clothes in garbage bags. I dumped out the bag and there was the scout shirt along with the towels and several
other items of clothing that my boys wear on a regular basis. Andy promised that he had no idea how those clothes got in that
bag. Then I called Clay and he said, “Oh, now I remember! Right before my birthday party I was cleaning my room and
I put that stuff in there.” He’s lucky I was too happy about finding the shirt to strangle him. So then I had
to wash it and sew on some new patches and add a couple of merit badges to Andy’s sash and review what he’d packed
and organize his snacks. I was exhausted when I finally went to bed at 3:00 am – but pleased that we had everything
done. We set two alarms for 5:00 and I left Andy reading while I tried to get a little rest. He got up at 5:00 and took a
shower, but let me sleep until about 5:45. Then we loaded the van and were headed to the church (which is fortunately only
2 minutes away) when I rememberd the letter to Andy that I was supposed to have written. The leaders are going to pass
the letters out at a spiritual moment sometime during camp and they were supposed to be full of heart-felt,
deeply meaningful things. I left Andy sitting in the van while I ran back in and typed up a quick “I love you”
letter. It was heart-felt if not well thought out. All I could say was – You know I love you since I took you to Wal-Mart
in the middle of the night for a Harry Potter book and found your scout shirt so your scoutmaster won’t kill us both.”
I’m sure that will elicit all kinds of spiritual thoughts. Oh well. Everything else is going pretty well. Abbie is ready
to start school (she has her supplies and a backpack) and baby Andie is growing and smiling and cooing. Laura is in Idaho
alone while Josh works in Portland. She's sad, but busy and the time will pass quickly (or so we keep telling her). Paris
is back in Alabama - so Jamie is happier. Tommy was ordained an elder a week ago and is getting excited about going to BYU.
Emily and Andy are NOT excited about starting school in less than two weeks. Clay is excited about school starting. What
a difference a few years make! June
29, 2007 - Can you believe that I have the July recipes posted already? Actually, several things have worked out
perfectly lately - putting me 'ahead' in some areas of my life - which always scares me. My mother died right before Thanksgiving
in 1982. After she died we found that she had completed all her Christmas shopping so we all had gifts from her. This was
not something she ordinarily did - so it made me wonder if she had a premonition that her time was short. Hence, whenever a
lot of things I've been worried about get settled all at once - I become concerned about my mortality. I've
been worrying Laura and whether her baby is growing (since she's so skinny). But we found out yesterday that her baby is a
boy and he's just fine! In fact he's BIG for his gestational age so they told her he might come a week earlier than her original
due date!!! We are all so excited (especially Clay who has been dying to have a nephew so he can teach the poor child 'sports'
- he's already planning a trip to Idaho). And I've been worried about them finding an apartment. They thought they
were moving to Portland - but to keep Laura from having to change doctors they've decided that she will stay and Josh will
work in Oregon and come home when he can. But they had already given up their lease on their apartment so they had to
find something by July 19th. Well, they found one -cheaper and with a better layout than the one they have now - so I can
quit worrying about that.
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June 2, 2007 -
I apologize for neglecting my journal this week. It was girls' camp for our stake and while I was not as involved in it as
some from my ward - I still made several trips to the camp (which is about 2 hours away). On Thursday I had the opportunity
to give a few workshops on Journaling - which was a lot of fun. While Emily was at camp her oldest sister, Cathy, 'madeover'
her room. It was a big surprise and Emily is still in shock over the transformation. Yesterday I turned 49. Only one year
to go before I reach the big half-century mark. I marvel at the passage of time. I don't feel old, but I'm certainly getting
there fast! I was well-remembered by family and friends. Butch bought me a new dress (or paid for one - he let me pick it
out myself). Cathy and Emily made a delicious birthday dinner. They gave me a gift card and, under Cathy's direction,
my kids wrote me poems - which I will include at the end. Andy also painted the living room (I was inspired by Emily's room
makeover) as his gift. And as a special bonus by granddaughters were over here most of the day and I can't think of anything
better than that. Tomorrow Andie will be blessed and we are all looking forward to that. Several family members will drive
in for the event and then we'll get to visit during a lunch afterwards. Life is crazy and I am often stressed (or frustrated
at my inability to accomplish all I want to). But I am very thankful for all my blessings - especially my family. I have wonderful
parents and grandparents, I have a good, kind husband, healthy, happy children and incredibly beautiful and intelligent granddaughters.
I should be ashamed to ask the Lord for one more thing. Birthday Poem - Today is your day and we’re
all glad That you were born and married our Dad. Since
we can’t all be there to celebrate with you These little poems will have to do. Cathy- You
sewed me a bubble suit and gave me perms You cleaned my scars so I wouldn’t get
germs. And now I know when I’m in a jam We
can always count on Gram. Laura- Pretty soon you’ll need a cane I do not think you’re
insane I’m pretty much saying you are the bomb I hope you have a happy birthday Mom. Jamie- Roses are red Violets are blue Who wouldn’t want A Mom just like you. Grace- I like my Mom, she’s
really nice She helps me a lot – especially when I had lice She gives me money when my cash flow’s low And to her all my love…
I will show. Tommy- (Coming soon) Emily- You, Mother dear, Should not fear For what I say, Will be
nice at least today. Don’t think you have to hide in a cage, Cause I think you look good for your age! Andy- Mom’s birthday is a special day It’s a day we all say “hooray” It’s the day right after
May And I have to do all that she may say. Even though it’s tough for me If I look on my family
tree I know she’s my Mom No matter what
I may do wrong. She doesn’t like
to turn on the air (conditioner) For reasons I don’t know why She always says she cares And I know that’s not a lie. She always tells me I am good Even though I don’t do what I should. She is always in a good mood And she always makes me lots of food. Clay- The Stupendous Mom She lives in a suburb So her meals are superb My blessings are abundant Cause the things she does are
redundant. I love her so But she never wears a bow Funtendes is her type But she is so stupendous. May 15, 2007 - I had a great trip to Utah/Idaho/Arizona! I got off the plane on Thursday in the middle of a thunder storm
(I didn't know they even had them in the desert!!!) Then that weekend in Idaho it snowed. And finally, for my last few days
in Utah the temperature topped 90 degrees. So I got to experience just about every kind of weather!!!! All my signings were
great. I appreciate everyone who took the time out of busy schedules to come and meet/see me. I enjoyed spending time with
my western kids too. On Sunday we went to church with Laura and then drove up to Yellowstone. The kids didn't fight and the
weather was perfect. I visited Old Faithful and Fishing Bridge (where my parents met). It was like being in Heaven for a little
while. I hated to leave - but missed the family members left behind - so I'm back in Alabama. They did very well without me
(maybe TOO well). Now I'm just trying to get caught up on everything I should have done while I was gone. That shouldn't take
more than a year or two...
December 29, 2006 - From the sublime to the ridiculous...or maybe it's all just ridiculous. I don't
know. First let me say that I am enjoying my kids every bit as much as I thought I would. On Saturday night after I made my
last run to Walmart and we were all settled in the house anticipating the arrival of Christmas Eve and Jamie on Sunday. Then
Christmas Day on Monday and Laura, Josh and Grace on Tuesday - my feelings rivaled those I had as a kid waiting for Santa
to come. It's funny how as you get older the things you get are so much less important than the people you're with. Anyway,
the kids are here and while there have been occasional squabbles - for the most part it has been wonderful and I can't
even think about tomorrow morning when I have to put most of them on a plane headed back out west. There have, however, been
a few dark moments. First, Butch has been sick. He took three days off work so he could be here with the kids and he's spent
most of it in the bed with a nasty cold. I think he's shared it with me but I'm using Zicam every 4 hours and hoping to delay
the worst effects until after the kids leave. Second, when Laura and Josh arrived I checked them into the Hampton Inn near
our house. It's a fairly new hotel (we have about 10 new hotels near us because of a water park that is also close by) and
not the cheapest but supposedly the best - so I got them a room there. On Wednesday morning when we went by to pick up Laura
and Josh for a trip to the temple (my nephew was getting his endowments and all of my endowed kids and their spouses were
there - very nice) there were two ambulances and five police cars parked in front of the hotel. Later we learned that a guest
had committed suicide. I was glad it wasn't a murder and I know there is nothing the hotel could have done about that, but
it made me question my choice of hotels... Anyway, when I checked my kids in I paid almost $400 in cash to cover the cost
of the room for 4 nights so that my debit card would not be charged. But yesterday morning I checked my bank account online
and there was a $414 charge from the Hampton Inn. I called - upset - and was told that I would have to call the
bank and find out what the hotel needed to do to reverse the charges since each bank had different procedures (not a
good way to handle an unhappy customer). I called the bank, they said the hotel should know what to do and that if any
overdraft fees were involved the hotel would have to pay them. So I called the hotel again. Once I told them that they might
have to pay fees if their mistake overdrafted my account, the girl asked for the bank's number and said she would find out
how to take care of it. A little while later she called and said the charges would be reversed off within 2 hours. Well, today
when I checked - the charges are still there. I called the 1-800 number, explained my sad story and was told that I would
have to call the local hotel again - that the national number had nothing to do with it. But the lady did suggest I wait until
9:00 and ask to speak directly to someone in the accounting office. Needless to say, I am not happy. I plan to give my kids
some money to go shopping today (a last, late gift from Santa) and can't do that if I don't have the $414 in my account.
We'll see what happens at 9:00 but obviously I won't be doing commercials for Hampton
Inn. Sorry to any Hampton Inn employees who might read this. I'm sure it's an isolated incident. And I'm not sure if this
qualifies as a dark moment or a great opportunity. Since I'm an incurable optimist I'm going to go with the second choice.
I found out late yesterday that Seagull and Covenant have been purchased by Deseret Book. My initial reaction was positive
- I like the idea of working for the Church, so to speak. But change is always a little scary. I like the way I have things
with Covenant for the most part. I love my editor and the managing editor and, well, everybody at Covenant. I never officially
met the previous owner, Lew Kofford, but I was in the same room with him once and I did exchange a few emails with him. I
know that my contract could be better and I hope that switching to DB ownership (even if they keep the Covenant label the
way they still use Bookcraft) might help there. And I feel like I sell enough books that they will keep me as an author -
but I could be wrong. They might decide my books are too similar to ones written by one of their authors (there's a lady who
writes for DB that I met once and I can't remember her name but her books are about a small town in Alabama no less!!!)
Right now I publish about 2 books a year. DB might want only one (in which case my kids will have to take turns going
to college). Right now when a new book comes out Covenant pays for me to fly to Utah and do book signings. DB might not
(which means I won't get to see my Western kids as often as I have in the past). I feel especially uneasy because I'm
so far away. I would expect the new management to invite the authors in to meet them, discuss the above mentioned concerns,
etc. Which will work great for authors in the SL area - but for folks like me... I've read a few articles and they all
say that they expect some of the Seagull stores to close even though Sherri Dew said they weren't planning to close any. It
only makes sense that if you have a DB store and a Seagull store across the street from each other - one is going to have
to go. And I have so many friends in the Seagull Stores - so I hate that. And prices of books will amost surely go up. The
article said that Seagull would remain a discount bookstore - but if there's no competition I expect that the books will sell
for a less-slashed price. But anyway, we'll see how it all works out. Now I've got to get back to fighting with Hampton Inn. March 27, 2007 - My how time flies - even if you're
not having fun...I'm recovering well from my surgery - just more slowly than I would like. I went back to the doctor yesterday
and she said that at 4 weeks I should be about 60% normal. I feel more normal than that (probably 80%) so I guess that's good.
I still haven't finished the re-write of my book for the fall, but I hope to do that today. Then I still have a Christmas
story hanging over my head...maybe tomorrow? Cathy is more than ready to have her baby. She only has a couple of weeks to
go and we're all so excited. Laura is still experiencing morning sickness but she should have that mostly behind her in another
week or so. I'm looking forward to May when I get to see her. I also look forward to the signings and the opportunity to see
some of my reader friends! Well, back to work... March 5, 2007 - Well, I survived my surgery. It went just as planned and I am recovering (if not as quickly as I'd
like to!!!). My family has taken wonderful care of me and we've had many offers of assistance from friends and neighbors.
I'm thankful to have it in the past and look forward to being back to my old self again. February 26, 2007 - Well, it's 4:00 in the morning and I'm supposed to be
packing to go to the hospital but I had to stop and type in a short entry to all my friends and readers. I'll be out of commission
for a few days - but soon as I can I'll post again. Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes that you've said (or thought)
in my behalf. I'm sure all will go well. February
19, 2007 - Happy President's Day! Cathy has an ultra-sound early tomorrow morning so Abbie is spending the night with us -
so that will be our celebration. I've had some interesting experiences over the past couple of weeks. First, I had a kidney stone
a week and a half ago. It's my fourth - so I knew exactly what it was as soon as the pain started. My first reaction was -
why do I have to have another one! My next reaction was - thank goodness this is happening now and now while we were in New
Orleans! While I was at the hospital they did a CT scan and found that I have a dermoid cyst on my right ovary. So, next Monday
I'm having a full hysterectomy. The doctor said these kinds of cysts are almost never cancerous so I'm not worried about that.
And unlike the old days when I'd go in to have a baby - my family is now totally self-sufficient. They won't even miss me.
But my emotional reaction has surprised me.
I thought it would be a relief - and it is. Still I can't help thinking of when I first started having monthly cylces. There
was so much ahead of me then - happy times, sad times - lots of babies. This final end to the baby stage of my life is sad.
I really loved that time of my life - even though it was hard. I loved being able to hold them and kiss them anytime I felt
like it - not just when they will allow it. I loved the baby smell and all the little clothes. I loved knowing they were all
safe in bed nearby each night and I loved wondering what the future held for them. Like every other turning point in life
- I'll accept it, then embrace it and move on to the next one. But right now I'm a little blue. Thank goodness there's so
much going on around here I barely have time to think!!!!
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May 1, 2007 - My trip to Utah and Idaho is just
two days away! It has seemed so far into the future for months and now it's kind of slipped up on me. I am so anxious to see
my western kids but realized the other day that it's going to be especially hard to leave here with baby Andie so small and
changing daily. Abbie has spent a lot of time with me over the past few weeks - so I'll miss her extra too. I guess I'd better
accept that I'll never have EVERYONE I love together at the same time. I have to learn to love the ones I'm with (hey - that
sounds like a song...). Yesterday was Abbie's 5th birthday and we've celebrated for days. We capped off the festivities with
a combined FHE here last night. Emily and Andy had decorated with streamers and balloons. We had pizza and Cathy brought cake
and ice cream. Abbie and Clay entertained themselves by blowing up balloons and then letting them go so they flew all around
the rest of us while we fought over turns holding baby Andie. I told Cathy next time she really needs to have triplets. With Mother's Day coming up I have to make a comment on motherhood and and grandmotherhood. I
only have 2 grandchildren - but considering the number of children I have - there should be many more in my future
and I can hardly wait! Having babies was wonderful and I've grieved over the end of that stage in my life. But I'm starting
to get a glimpse of how incredible being a grandmother is going to be. My grandkids make me so happy. I love watching them
and talking to them and kissing them. And since I'm not actually charged with the responsibility for RAISING them
- I'm always 'fresh' when they come over. Because I love my grandchildren I appreciate my daughters (and eventually
some daughters-in-law) for giving me the opportunity to be a grandmother. And it makes me wonder if that's how Heavenly
Father feels. Does He appreciates it when we have children since that extends His posterity? Does our willingness to
be parents give Him happy moments - watching our children as they grow? I hope so. I believe so.
April 18, 2007
- Baby Andie arrived safe and sound at 10:36 on Monday, April 16th. She is beautiful and perfect in every way. Cathy
did very well during the delivery and they came home from the hospital today. I feel so blessed and thankful to have little
Andie with us finally. She looks a lot like Abbie did and a lot like Cathy did too. Ricky's genes will fight through eventually!
I see a lot of him in Abbie now. I'll give more details later - but I'm playing catch-up (or giving it a shot anyway!) April 16, 2007 -
Cathy is in labor!!!! I'm headed to the hospital now but had to take a minute to let everyone know! I can already tell that
Baby Andie is going to be a kind, considerate child. She's waited until Cathy got her school work mostly done, waited until
they got their new air conditioner installed, waited for me to get over the migraine I've had for the past 4 days AND came
on Emily's birthday so I don't have to plan anything in the way of festivities! I'll report in with more info later! April 10, 2007 - Martha VS
Mary Dilemna - Is it just me or do most women struggle with balancing the temporal and spiritual? It's something that has
dogged me all my life and I've determined (once again) to re-prioritize. I think partly it's because for most of my life
temporal issues have been overwhelming. My mother was sick from the time I was in the third grade. While she was still able
to manage household duties she wasn't able to DO them. So during my childhood/youth there were always dishes to be done, groceries
to be bought, meals to be cooked and laundry to wash. Then when I got married I wanted lots of children. I was blessed
to achieve that goal - but along with lots of children comes lots of (you guessed it) dishes to be done, groceries to buy,
meals to cook and laundry to wash. I'm never caught up. Getting ahead is impossible. So I've always identified more with Martha.
After all - somebody has to do all the routine things - if not how will they ever get done? I've even tried to re-interpret
the scriptures (and the Lord's mild reprimand to Martha). Surely He was glad that there was food to eat when He finished His
sermon. Maybe He didn't really mean that Martha should have stopped cooking and cleaning long enough to listen to the Son
of God...But as years went on I had to accept the truth. The Lord really did mean exactly that. While temporal things
are important - they aren't the MOST important. Martha should have set aside her housekeeping duties and listened to what
the Savior had to say. She should have had the faith that the temporal things would be handled somehow. After all - her
guest had blessed a couple of loaves and a few fishes and served a multitude. Prior to Easter I made many temporal
preparations. I purchased baskets and candy and bunnies and dye. I bought groceries for our Easter feast and felt like things
were in readiness for the holiday. Then while I was working at the temple on Saturday our kitchen drain got clogged up. Butch
tried Liquid Plummer and finally resorted to taking the pipes apart - all to no avail. So I was faced with the prospect of
preparing an Easter feast with a stopped up sink. I was beyond desperate. Cathy and Ricky and Abbie came over that evening
and offered us some Industrial Strength Drain Cleaner they had purchased in a similar situation. It worked and by late Saturday
evening I was back in business. On Sunday morning while the kids were enjoying the contents of their baskets, I mentioned
that there had been a day when the 8 baskets for all my kids stretched across the entire fireplace and that the 4 we had seemed
skimpy. Clay kindly pointed out that next year there would only be 3 since Tommy would be at BYU for Easter. Then he went
on to say that actually this was Tommy's last Easter ever at our house since after next year he'd spend 2 Easters on his mission
and then he'd be back at BYU and then married...At church I shared this with a young mother and she said that instead of baskets
she had given her children a small chocolate Easter Bunny and a new set of scriptures. Now there's a concept - a religious
Easter gift... My Easter feast was a disaster (the Jell-O got too 'set' before I tried to mix in the Cool Whip so it was chunky,
the rolls didn't rise, Walmart was out of Pepperidge Farms Stuffing mix so I bought another brand for my Chicken Poulet and
it was awful). So that evening I sat around wishing I'd been more like Mary - enjoying Easter's spiritual aspects instead
of trying - like Martha - to keep up with only the temporal things. Especially since I failed so miserably. It's a lesson
I've 'learned' before. Maybe this time it will stick... April 2, 2007 - I want to take a minute to thank everyone who has participated in the various
contests I'm running. I've enjoyed reading the 'memories' and the reviews and the title suggestions have been very helpful.
My editor at Covenant has asked me to give him the whole list of everything anyone has thought of and he will present it to
the committee tomorrow. We should know our title in about 2 weeks. That's pretty exciting. I have a new winner for the book
reviews - check that page for details. And since Backtrack will be 'out' in a few weeks I'll soon have LOTS of winners. Cathy
hasn't had her baby yet. She went to the doctor today and they said 'no progress' since last week. They've been having some
trouble with their air conditioner and I told Cathy I think little Andie just wants to postpone her arrival until she's sure
things are 'cool' at her house! We're all anxious for the big event but we want Andie to be ready - so we're trying to be
patient. Laura graduates on Friday and her husband Josh graduates on Saturday. What a weekend! She is mostly past the morning
sickness - so I'm glad for her. Jamie is going to take a couple of classes during the spring term at BYU and then he's coming
home for a couple of months. Grace is working at both Seagull and Gold's Gym, trying to save up money and pay off bills anticipating
the beginning of Cosmetology school in the fall. So she's only coming home for a couple of weeks in August. We're trying to
get Laura and Josh to come too and we'll have a little reunion! Tommy is about to graduate (he could tell you the number of
days but I can't). He's leaving the library after 2 years to work full-time for Alabama Adventure Waterpark this summer. Emily
will assume his job at the library (fingers crossed here - we're pretty sure but until she's actually working there's always
the possibility that something could happen). Andy's got football practice all summer plus a Ward Youth trip to Nauvoo, Youth
Conference and Camp Daniel Boone (Boy Scout camp). So he'll stay busy. Clay will be bored out of his mind here with me. Maybe
Cathy will loan Abbie to us sometimes. I'm feeling almost 100%. I was beginning to think I would always hurt - but except
for an occasional pang - I'm fine. And SOOOO glad. I'm way behind on things - but at least I feel like doing some of them.
Butch is sticking great to his diet. We made a deal - if he stays on his diet I let him handle our money (and don't spend
any). It's a win-win situation the way I see it... 2. I was a great liar as a child. I amazed my
parents with the details I could come up with to support an untruth. Finally when I was about six my mother helped me
to understand the difference between fiction and lying. Some friends visited our tiny house in Glen Iris Park and our dog,
Blackie, snapped at one of the children and his teeth barely scratched the skin . The next day I went down to visit with Miss
Eugenia Akin, our landlady, as was my usual custom. I told her about the dog-bite story and she nodded and murmured appropriately,
but didn’t seem terribly interested. So, I enhanced the story. By the time I was finished there had been copious amounts
of blood and a visit from an ambulance – and you’d better believe I had Mrs. Akin’s full attention. Unfortunately
she went straight to my mother to demand more details – which led to the discussion about truth and lies and storytelling.
My mother explained that it was okay to make up stories, but you had to tell your listener at the first that it wasn’t
true. Honestly I’ll admit that it takes some of the fun out of it… 3. I took Hula lessons in Hawaii. My father graduated from medical school during the Vietnam
war so he had to join the military immediately to avoid being drafted. He chose the Army and his first assignment was Tripler
Hospital in Honolulu. While there I took professional hula lessons and when my grandparents came to visit I agreed to
demonstrate what I’d learned. My grandfather recorded the performance with his home-movie camera. I was wearing a red
bathing suit and had a grass skirt tied around my waist as I meticulously execued each move. Then my little sister Julie steps
into the scene wearing ONLY a grass skirt and copying each move I made. Of course she stole the show. There are no hard
feelings – but that effectively ended my hula career. 4.
I was on a game show when I was in the 6th grade. It was sponsored by PBS and called “Who Knows
the Answer?” Apparently we didn’t. My three-man team was eliminated after the second round. 5.
I worked as a janitor for Jefferson County Schools. Schools are a problem in the area where I live. Every little
municipality wants to have their own system and depending on the tax-base, etc. some are good and some are bad. It just so
happens that the ones we are zoned for are very bad. In order for our kids to go to the county schools – which are much
better – one of their parents has to work for the county system. Since Butch already had a job – that left me.
Once we decided that I should get a job with the county schools I applied all summer long but never got any of the office/teacher
aide jobs. Finally it was getting close to time for school to start and I was desperate – so I applied for everything
they had. I was hired as a janitor at the brand new Shades Valley High School. The principal was from Bessemer so he understood
my situation and promised that the first time there was an opening in the office – he’d let me switch. So
I started and it was hard. All the other janitors were men and I didn’t fit in well with them (or even try honestly).
The school was beautiful and new and almost a pleasure to clean – but pushing that janitor cart around was sometimes
humiliating and always hard work. After only a couple of months a lady in the office decided to take a job with the city and
the principal said I could have her job. I was so excited – felt so blessed. They asked me to continue doing my janitorial
duties until they could find a replacement and I agreed happily. The day before I was to start my new responsibilities the
principal called me into his office and said that the woman hated her new job at the city and had asked to come back to Shades
Valley. Since she’d been with the school for almost 10 years he’d felt obligated to agree. So, I was back to being
a janitor with no office job in sight. I can’t even describe how I felt. Disappointment, anger, frustration, a sense
that the rules of fair play had not been observed. To make it worse I was at work and couldn’t just cry until I felt
better. I had to keep smiling and telling everyone it was okay – which it wasn’t. Then I found out I was pregnant
with Clay – my eighth child at age 39 and I was still working (hard) as a janitor. Not a high point in my
life. A few months later another lady in the office quit and I was given her job. Clay has been a blessing to all of us and
I never regret his birth. But sometimes I look back on that experience and wonder why – why did I have to wait for that
office job? Why didn’t it just work out the first time? The only thing I can think of (besides the obvious of teaching
me patience and to appreciate what I have) is that I needed to learn that the Lord loves other people too. The Lord answered
that other woman’s prayers and she got her job back at Shades Valley. Answering her prayer with a 'yes' meant my prayers
had to wait – but not for too long. And I still do toilets – I just don’t get paid for it. January 10, 2007 - Well, I'm
already 10 days late on making my New Year's Resolutions. I guess that means 'stop procrastinating' needs to be close to the
top of the list... Actually, here's my take on resolutions. I know that most people make them and most people don't keep them.
Many people say that because of this we shouldn't even bother. But I believe that by setting a few goals and at least trying
to accomplish them - we're better off than if we aren't trying at all. I had to teach the Enrichment Lesson last night on
- you guessed it - goal setting and how to start off the new year right. So I made a list of everything I'd like to change/improve
about myself and my life. By the time I got finished I was completely depressed. So after prayerful consideration of the problem, I
decided that this year I would limit myself to a list of 15 things I'd like to do better. I picked the three most basic and
I will work them for the month of January. Assuming I'm doing well on them at the end of the month - I'll add one new one
for February and by the end of the year I should be pretty much perfect (on those 15 things anyway). We'll see how that works
- but that's my plan. And we did get some good news yesterday. Tommy was accepted to BYU for the fall 2007 semester - so we
are excited and proud (and scared and sad...what will I do without him? once he leaves I'll only have 3 at home - what will
I do when they're all gone???) December
30, 2006 - Here's a quick update on what I think I understand now about the Deseret Book purchase of Seagull and
Covenant. According to sources on both sides of the issue - it was an acquisition, not a merger. Seagull Book Stores will
continue to operate under their own management teams and retain their own name. They will even continue to be in competition
with Deseret Stores - it's just that Deseret will benefit no matter where people buy their books. The same is apparently true
for Covenant. The staff will remain the same except for Mr. Kofford - who didn't have a real hands-on role for the past few
years as far as I could tell. My opinion, for what it's worth, is that we will see a gradual increase in the prices of books
sold at Seagull Stores. Their prices will still be discounted, but probably not as drastically. And books by Deseret
authors will be much more prominently displayed in Seagull Stores. I hope that Seagull doesn't just become a bargain basement
Deseret Book store where you can get all the discontinued or damaged books. But I'm sure Seagull Stores won't be as blatantly
partial to Covenant books as they have been in the past. I also think that as people leave the Covenant staff (voluntarily
- hopefully) they will probably be replaced with Deseret people (which isn't a bad thing). So it looks like for the most part
my writing life remains unchanged. No new, more generous contract - but I won't be out on the street either. All in all, I'm
considering that a good thing. And since I have to put Grace and Laura and Josh on a plane home today - I needed a good thing
to cling to... Oh well.
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February 5, 2007 - My husband's
birthday was on Saturday and I needed to do some research for a book I'm writing that takes place in New Orleans, so I suggested
that we go there for the weekend. I was able to find us a room at a really nice hotel in the French Quarter for half price
and Butch took Friday off work so we could leave early. Then the kids asked if they could come. Now, originally I had this
planned as kind of a romantic weekend but what could I tell my kids? I said I'd have to ask their father. He said it was fine
with him - so the kids came along. It's about a 5 hour drive from our house to New Orleans. Our room was great with
a balcony that the kids could sit on and watch the happenings on the street below without actually getting involved! They
saw a lot of drunk people, some street singers, a few fights and a couple of wrecks. Emily said it was great - like watching
a movie. On Saturday morning the kids and I toured the French Quarter (Butch had no interest) I visited the French
Quarter once before when I was about 13. It still looks pretty much the way I remember it - seedy but fascinating (as long
as you avoid Bourbon Street - it's just a little too over the top - even in broad daylight). I love old things and the architecture
there is unique. The sidewalks are made mostly of brick or stone. Along the streets there are lots of restaurants and
bars and shops. There are also houses - which from the street look like they are in terrible repair. But then you see
a little narrow alley and if you look down it you can see into courtyards with some amazing gardens. Maybe they show an unimpressive
side of their homes to the street to discourage robbery? Or maybe it's just to be mysterious. Next we drove through the
warehouse district that was hard-hit by Katrina. It was sad to see so much devastation still there after 18 months. Most of
the houses still have the red or black X's spray painted on the front indicating that they'd been checked for survivors and
the number of bodies found, etc. The houses are mostly vacant and falling down. There are very few operating business
(no fast food places, no gas stations - everything is just deserted). Then we did a tour of downtown New Orleans - which still
shows a lot of signs of damage as well. My kids were so thrilled to see the SuperDome, but disappointed that no Saints players
were in the vicinity. Clay did talk me into buying him a Reggie Bush Saints jersey (vowing that it could count as his Valentine,
Easter and birthday gift). The rest of the kids got cheaper T-shirts. We went out to dinner for Butch's birthday that night
and we told him we'd go somewhere Cajun (which he would have loved) but he knew the kids wouldn't eat anything unusual - so
we ate at Outback which was still a treat - three of the four kids we had with us had never eaten there (we normally don't
get out much!) Butch and I stayed up late on Sat night watching HGTV. I just love those shows where they fix up houses. Then
on Sunday we drove around a little more and headed home. It was beneficial for me (in terms of writing my book) and a good
family experience. Now it's back to real life...Ugh... January 24, 2007 - I was ‘tagged’
nearly a week ago by my dear friend Kerry Blair to list Five Things Nobody Knows About Me. Now this presented something of
a challenge. Obviously there are more than five things that most people don’t know about me – but finding Five
INTERESTING things (which although not spelled out in the assignment was implied I think!!!) was a challenge. After a
week of consideration, this is what I’ve come up with: 1. I was
born with a tiny cyst on the bridge of my nose that had to be removed surgically when I was six months old. The only thing
interesting about this, really, is that my mother recorded an account of my birth which included a detailed physical
description. She said I was small (5 lbs, 13 oz) red-faced, with a smashed nose and that little cyst between
my eyes. She didn’t come right out and say that I was a pitiful sight – but as mentioned previously I can pick
out an implied intent. She said that when my father came in to see me for the first time (a 19 year old Alabama boy far from
home) he studied me for a few seconds and then turned to her with tears in his eyes and said, “How can anyone believe
there’s not a God?” My father could see past my imperfections. I’ve always treasured that knowledge and
I appreciate my mother for recording the moment. December
12, 2006 - Christmas is less than two weeks away. I can't believe how fast time goes by. Yesterday I was in the post office
and a lady behind me read a poster that said "Twenty-five Days of Christmas" but she thought it said "Twenty-five
Days until Christmas" and got her hopes up. Unfortunately, we don't have nearly that long to get ready. In some ways I'm past ready. I'm very anxious to see my
children and have them all together for the first time in 2 1/2 years. I'm anxious to gather with my grandparents and father
and brothers and sisters on Saturday. That's the really good part of Christmas to me. I told Butch that I'd heard on the news that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest
travel day of the year. He said, "Yeah, everybody's trying to get to Grandma's house." And I said, "Unless
you ARE Grandma's house." And at that moment it hit me - It's a big responsibility being Grandma's house. I
have so many wonderful memories of Christmases past and I want my children and grandchildren to have good memories too. But
I've learned that it's not as easy as my grandmothers made it seem! I don't know how other people approach a big (almost impossible task) like the perfect Christmas -
but I'm a list maker, so I make lists. I list all the days until Christmas and write what I need to accomplish each day. Of
course, I never accomplish everything I've listed on any given day, so I have to bump some things to the next day. Finally
I end up on Christmas Eve wtih a hundred things still to do - and no time. At which point I put away the unfinished list until
next year! And speaking of lists. My kids
are list-makers too. Especially around Christmas time. I've now got three taped to the refrigerator - that also change on
a daily basis. They see what someone else has listed and add it to their list. Or they cross something off (usually right
after I've purchased it...) Some of the things they've listed are ridiculous (like firearms) and some are just not possible
(sportscars) and some are just not happening (my husband hates video games so anything related to them is pretty much a for
sure no). They don't have high expectations, but they have a lot of fun with it. Now back to my list for today. We'll see how much I can accomplish and how much will have to be
rolled-over to tomorrow...
December 4, 2006 - I had a wonderful, busy trip to
California. Craig Nelson and his wife Bev own 6 (soon to be 7) LDS bookstores in Southern California. So when Craig picked
me up at the airport on Friday one signing was already underway. Jennie Hansen, Michele Bell and I did three signings
that day and then spent the night with the Nelsons'. On Saturday we were up bright and early (we left at 7:00 California time
- which was 9:00 Alabama time so I felt like I got to sleep in). We did three more signings that day. We got to meet a lot
of nice people and I was introduced to the In and Out Burger for the first time. If any of you live in that area I encourage
you to visit the Ensign Bookstores. They are very nice and the Nelsons are great. I got home
on Monday evening and my family had gotten along pretty well without me - which was both good and sad. Then I spent last week
finishing the edit on Backtrack - which is now finally, mostly, done. Thank goodness! I'm going to put an updated excerpt
from it on the What's New page. Covenant has asked Jennie, Michele and me to do a short Christmas story for next year that
will all be combined into one book and the proceeds will benefit a charity (maybe the Perpetual Education Fund - we're not
sure which yet). So that's kind of exciting. I've sketched out my story and hope to get it done this week (since it's easier
to think Christmas during the season). Then I'm going to buckle down and do Christmas. We have
always had a real tree at our house. I'm not sure why, but it's become a tradition. Two years ago I bought a little
fake tree and put it in my living room - hoping I could ease my kids into the idea of an artificial one for our
main tree in the future. Then last year I bought a nice big artificial tree on half-price sale after Christmas. All year
I've worked on my kids, hinting that an artificial tree would be better than a real one. But I can't convince them. They were
insistent - even the grown ones who don't live here. So Saturday night we went to the Christmas
Tree stand and bought yet another live tree. We tied it to our van and drove it home and dragged it in (leaving that traditional
little trail of pine needles as we went). The tree is fairly small this year (much to everyone's dismay) but it was easir
to get into the tree stand. We got lights on it and candycanes and all the old ornaments we've been decorating with forever
(reindeer made out of popsicle sticks with one eye missing - treasures like that). And everyone (except me) was happy. Which
I guess is the most important part of the whole process anyway. So the moral to this journal
entry is - beware what traditions you start because you might be stuck with them for a long, long time! November 21, 2006 - Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope it will be a wonderful day in all your homes! I know it will be in mine since it centers around food and eating - it
just doesn't get any better than that. I will finish my new book (which I am calling Hazardous
Duty for now) today. I meant to have it done on Friday, so I'm right on schedule. My editor has already sent me Backtrack
with his corrections and places where I need to make clarifications or just plain changes. He needs it back by next Monday
(everyone please stop laughing) which will be even more of a challenge since I'll be in California Friday through Monday.
But he gave me a hardcopy and an electronic copy - so maybe I can use my time on planes. We were
supposed to host my husband's family for the Thanksgiving meal this year. It's not a big group so it wasn't going to
require many adjustments. But last Friday my kids were out of school and I was trying to finish Hazardous Duty and Backtrack
had arrived in the mail and the house needed to be cleaned and I was having company for Thanksgiving - and so I thought to
myself - let's paint walls! So we did. We painted the kitchen, Emily's room and my bedroom. During all the painting we also
made countless trips to WalMart for more paint, more tape, more rollers... Anyway, it looks good and I was so crazy to begin
with - I don't guess it made me any worse. The kids and I started trying to remember how many
times we have painted various rooms in the house. We figure that one small bedroom that has belonged to several different
children over the years - has been painted at least 10 times. Now, I know that probably sounds crazy to some of you.
But painting is my only real attempt at home decor. It's cheap and makes a big difference in a short time. And if it turns
out terrible - all is not lost. You just go buy another can of paint.
November 10, 2006 - It's almost
Thanksgiving - almost CHRISTMAS - almost 2007! I don't know where the time goes. I finished the rough draft of my new,
non-Haggerty book yesterday. Now I'm going back and fixing everything (well - most everything) which is an involved process
that takes almost as long as the draft itself. But it's infintely more satisfying because the manuscript finally starts looking
like something I'd be willing to see in print! When I 'finished' yesterday and started making a list of all the things I wanted
to change at the beginning, I realized that this is one of the reasons I love writing. My life
has been out of control - well, really for as long as I can remember. My mother was sick when I was growing up and so things
were never really 'normal' then. We all had responsibilities that most kids don't have and you never knew when my mother might
get worse, temporarily, and that always caused more upheaval. I thought when I got married that I could have more control
over my life - but I found that my husband thought he was in control (I've finally convinced him otherwise, but I digress).
Then we started having children and any thoughts I'd ever had of being in control disappeared. Writing is theraputic for me
because I have complete control over my characters - they really do exactly what I tell them to (very refreshing for the mother
of 8). November
4, 2006 - Today is the birthday of my brother Curt and my brother Will. I've got my fingers crossed that I
remember to email them both with good wishes. This entry will be mostly newsy. And I don't have much time before I have to
leave for a drive to Huntsville (2 hours north of us) to attend a Family History seminar (it's on the new system and my daughter
pointed out that since I don't really know how to use the old one I might not get much out of it, but I'll try). Then tonight
is our Stake Conference and Butch has to speak at every session including the Priesthood leadership one at 4:00. Butch's uncle,
who was the stake president in Huntsville Stake and one of the finest men I've ever known, died suddenly last Friday. He had
just turned 66 and had no history of heart problems - but died of a massive heart attack. That leaves Butch's mother as the
only surviving member of her immediate family. Bill Brown was an important role model in Butch's life. Since his father wasn't
a member of the Church, Bill baptized him and ordained him to every priesthood office. He was our bishop when we were teenagers,
drove us to the Washington Temple for youth trips twice, was in attendance at our wedding in Washington and at Cathy's wedding
in Atlanta. I still can't really believe that he's gone and I know the world isn't as safe a place as it was a week ago. His
wife said something that I thought was so insightful and I hope she won't mind me sharing it here. There was speculation
among the family members as to whether Bill had any indication that he would be leaving this life soon. He was a stake president
and a very spiritual man - so it stands to reason that he might have gotten a couple of clues. But his wife, Virginia, said
she didn't think he had any idea. And her reason was that Bill has done everything the Lord has asked of him all his life
- without complaint or argument. And she felt that if the Lord had prepared him for this - he would have felt the need to
argue - or at least plead with the Lord for more time with his family. And the Lord spared him that. It has really made me
think about how short life is - how fast every day flies past me - and how you never really know you'll see someone you love
for the last time. Butch says I've been being so nice to him. I'll probably get over it - so he'd better enjoy it while he
can! On a happier note, my nephew, Logan Walton Brown, got his mission call yesterday to Uruguay (I hope I spelled that right
- and I guess I'll learn how over the next two years!). I'm so proud of him and excited for both him and his family. My sister
has already sent out two missionaries. Did I mention that I'm so proud... Well, I'd better get ready to go and learn things
that are over my head. That's actually something I AM familiar with! October 23, 2006 - Well,
it's the week before Halloween and even though most of my children are grown past the costume age - guess what I'm doing?
You're right - making costumes. Sewing is a very valuable skill and I guess I'm thankful that my mother taught me how to do
it - most of the time that is. Not really right now. Clay is 9 and the only one of my kids who SHOULD want a costume. I thought
I was being so smart. I told him he could have any costume available at Wal-Mart. This was an offer my older children would
have been thrilled with - back in the days of cutting a sheet into strips and wrapping them from head to toe (mummy)
and putting on old clothes (bum) and (only once - I swear) cutting leg and arm holes in one of those orange leaf bags
with a jack-o-lantern face printed on it (pumpkin). Clay accepted my offer and I sent him and Emily to the
costume section while I bought groceries. They came back later with a devil costume - complete with horns and a pitchfork.
Now this was not the costume I would have chosen and it even (briefly) crossed my mind that my husband might have an objection
to it. But I had told Clay he could pick out his own costume and since several kids had come to the ward party in previous
years as a devil - I decided it was okay. Well, when Clay showed the costume to his father - Butch said flatly that no child
of his was going to the Ward Halloween party dressed as Satan. And no amount of discussion could change his mind. So, still
determined to avoid the sewing machine, I let Clay pick out a costume on Ebay. He found a Star Wars costume that was reasonable
(Anakin as a child) and I ordered it - feeling very proud of myself. Then Tommy, my 17 year old, said that they were having
a costume contest at school. He and a friend had decided to be Obi-Wan and Anakin as an adult. He requested that I make him
an Obi-Wan costume. He was willing to pay for the materials and I was so thankful he didn't ask me to make the friend's costume
too - that I agreed. I mean, this is my child who has never caused us a moment's trouble, pays his own bills (car payment
AND insurance) so what could I say, really? Then Emily found out I was making a costume for Tommy and asked if I'd make her
a clown costume to wear to the ward party. She never even dresses up for Halloween - so this was completely unexpected. But
the fact that she wanted to participate more fully in the party seemed like a good thing - so I agreed. And paid for her material.
All this to say that I've bought two costumes and am making two. So much for good intentions. Thank goodness Andy said he
just planned to wear black so he could jump out and scare people in the scary house the Young Men are planning. Now I just
need to figure out how to explain all this to the people at Wal-Mart when I return the devil costume...
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