Sometimes the sad and heavy things in the world feel distant, but this month, several of those things came close to, or even within, our circle. It was frightening and disorienting, and it made the thought of writing a little monthly recap like this feel quite trivial. But I am grateful for the things that bring me joy and the moments that make up my life, so I am going to continue to share them as something to hold onto as the dark days continue to come. This month we spent time . . .
Slowing . . . down at the cabin. We spent part of the Labor Day weekend at the cabin. Mike's sister and her family were also there, and we had such a peaceful, relaxing time. Sonja says that she always sleeps so well when she's there; the worry and stress of life seem to melt away beneath its spacious trees. I surprised myself by sleeping in until 8:30am, so maybe it's the same for me too. As usual, many games were played, and personally, I was happiest walking the trails around the cabin. I'm so glad we decided to go, even for just a short time.
Joining . . . with family to celebrate Declan's first birthday. Over the past year, he has captured all our hearts with his bright eyes, wide smile, red hair, and squishy rolls. He is pure delight, and we just love him so much. It has been so sweet to see my sister and her husband become parents this past year, and they threw this party with style.
Abandoning . . . the binky. Silas has been a true binky baby and loved that thing like it was his most precious treasure. In April, we weaned him off of it during the day, but he was still using it at night. I was totally fine with this except that the binkies had had it: they were getting old and cracking and aging. It wasn't safe to use them anymore, and it didn't make sense to buy new ones for a three-year-old. When we were at the cabin, Silas somehow forgot about it when he went to bed and went the whole night without it (still not sure how that happened), so I decided we couldn't let that opportunity go and had to make a clean break of it. But that accidental first night was misleading. There followed many nights of crying, wailing, pleading, and very poor sleep. But ice cream saved the day again! No binky for three nights earned an ice cream cone. We did this reward three times, and by the end of the third time, Silas was pretty good without it, and our sleep was almost restored to normal.
Finding . . . out where our niece, Addie, is going on her mission. We watched her open her mission call with the sword of truth (a family tradition) and there was an audible gasp across all the family and friends who were there when she read that she was assigned to labor in the China Hong Kong mission. It wasn't what anyone was expecting (least of all, Addie), but she has the determination to embrace a difficult language and the enthusiasm to immerse herself in a new culture. (Her dad, on the other hand, was walking around in a bit of a daze for the rest of the night. . . )
Beginning . . . orchestra. Ian auditioned for an orchestra in the spring and finally began to go to rehearsals this month. It is so different to play with a group rather than on your own, and I am amazed with how well he is doing after just a few short weeks. I have been staying for rehearsals since they are far enough away that it doesn't really make sense to drop him off, drive home, and then come right back to pick him up. I have been so impressed with the director and the kids and the whole program itself. I'm grateful Ian's teacher encouraged him to audition for it. Our elementary school choir started back up this month as well, and I am happy to be helping with it once again.
Coming . . . together for a neighborhood tailgate party. Everyone sported their college gear (Utah fans definitely outnumbered BYU fans), and we all mingled and ate and chatted on a beautiful fall evening in a gorgeous space.
Polishing . . . rocks. I brought home a handful of rocks from the beach on Prince Edward Island and decided to polish them. I purchased a rock polisher and then began the month-long process. It was fun to see how they changed and became more refined with each step, and they are now as soft and smooth as a baby's bottom.
Hiking . . . a little. The fall colors are so fleeting, and I never feel like we maximize our time with them (because we don't!). But Mike and I managed a short hike one evening, and then most of the family went to Silver Lake later in the month (along with thousands of other people; maybe that's why we don't go as much as I'd like: the congestion up and down the canyon is no joke.). The colors at Silver Lake were especially spectacular--worth facing the crowds for.
Discussing . . . a book. We finally had our summer family book club. We read The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers. I knew as soon as I read that book back in May that I wanted the whole family to read it. It's so good and funny and unique. We enjoyed discussing it but maybe enjoyed the food even more. Mike made fresh peach pie, and it was late summer in a bite.
Visiting . . . the Provo farmer's market. Our main purpose was to stop by Mike's cousin, Rachel's booth (Bakewell) and buy some of her New York style cookies. It was so fun to surprise her and support her business. But besides that, we just made a day of it and had the best time: we met up with the Gardners and got kolaches from Hruska's for breakfast; then we all headed to the farmer's market where we bought the aforementioned cookies and also an art print, a yummy mint julep, some squash, a purple pepper, and berries. After the farmer's market, the Gardners went home, and Mike dropped me off at Harmony, a yarn and fabric store, where I spent a happy hour perusing while he went to the BYU store. Finally, we went for a long walk all across campus, searching for Brother Williams' office where we first met, reliving various classes, and being flooded with the best memories.
Joining . . . a walking challenge. One of my childhood friends put out an invitation on Facebook to join her for a walking challenge through the end of the year: 20 minutes a day for 20 weeks. I decided to participate for two reasons: I really enjoy daily walks, but sometimes (especially once it's cold and dark) I could use a little motivation, and there is nothing like a challenge to motivate this Type A girl. And also, besides my friend, her mom and one of her sisters were also participating, as well as another childhood friend, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to reconnect with them. We document it with a photo or screenshot of the workout and post it on the group. It has been going for two months now, and I haven't missed a day yet.
Attending . . . SEPs. With four kids now in junior high or high school, it presents an impossible number of teachers to try to meet with (upwards of 25!). So I chose the ones I actually had a question for or had never met before or that my kids particularly like (for example, Aaron's AP government teacher). There were no unwelcome surprises, and I found myself really grateful for so many good teachers who are making a positive impact on my kids. Our favorite one that we got to meet with was Aaron's seminary teacher who happens to be an old friend from our married student ward days. That felt like such a full circle moment. Also somewhat related and of note, Bradley was nominated as Student of the Month and he and Mike went to a breakfast honoring the recipients in each of the grades. At the very end of the month, Aaron and I went to a CCR meeting with his school counselor to discuss graduation(!), college applications(!), scholarships(!), and plans post-high school(!).
Exploring . . . Yellowstone. We have wanted to go to Yellowstone for years (neither Mike or I had ever been), but the thought of crowds of people always scared us away. However, Aaron being a senior has really put on the pressure to make some of these memories we've been putting off. So we decided to take advantage of a Friday that the boys had off from school and just go. We're so glad we did! It was absolutely amazing, and even though I have no other Yellowstone trips to compare it to, I'm convinced that mid-September must be the perfect time to go. The weather couldn't have been nicer, and even though there were still people, we never felt like we couldn't see what we wanted to see or do what we wanted to do.
With over 300 photos, I really should probably write up an entire Yellowstone post, but sometimes done is better than perfect, so I'll just share a few highlights here instead: I'm convinced that Yellowstone is as close to visiting another planet without actually leaving Earth: the geysers, steaming ground, boiling mud pots, vibrant pools, and desolate trees at the mercy of the volatile landscape felt like something other-worldly.
One of my favorite surprises was Morning Glory Pool; we almost didn't take the time to walk over to it but decided we might as well, and when I saw it, I couldn't believe it was real.
Besides all the truly unique stuff, there were just some really beautiful spots as well, and the hike to the top of the Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon was one of those. So breathtaking. We spent all of Friday and most of Saturday in the park, and even though there was so much we didn't get to see, we felt like we really maximized our time (we used this virtual guide throughout the trip).
And the cherry on top happened less than a minute before we exited the park when we saw a black bear saying goodbye to us.
Learning . . . how to color. Silas figured out what it means to color in the lines, and now he's producing masterpieces like this:
The other thing Silas has been loving lately is going to the library for their weekly scavenger hunt. They hide pictures around the library based around a theme (desserts, pirates, etc.), and he finds them, checks them off, and then gets a little prize at the end.
Teaching . . . a knitting class. I had the opportunity to teach a class at my favorite local yarn store, Handwork, and I took it! And I'm so glad I did. I had four students, and they were four of the nicest, kindest, most gracious people I've ever met. The class focused on making the A.N.T. Hat, and even though I had practiced demonstrating all of the steps multiple times, when it came to the actual teaching, unexpected things came up. (Of course they did! Everyone knits slightly differently and learns in a variety of ways.) It was a challenge to think on my feet and come up with explanations and solutions in the moment, and sometimes I was more successful than others, but my students were always so patient with me, and I appreciated that so much. I felt like I was in my element and doing something I've always wanted to do. I loved it so much that I'm already scheduled to teach another couple of one-session classes making ornaments for the holidays.
Reconnecting . . . with a favorite nurse. I was just cleaning up after teaching the first session of my knitting class when someone came over to me to say hi. I looked up and was surprised and delighted to find that it was our very favorite nurse, Kathy, from all of Aaron's time in the hospital. I have hoped to run into her over the years, and honestly, the yarn store was probably my best chance since she is also a knitter. (But it turned out it wasn't actually an accidental meeting because she had seen me on Handwork's Instagram page and purposely came to Handwork on that day because she knew I would be teaching. Somehow that made me even happier.) Anyway, it was so great to catch up with her (and find out that she's retiring in just a couple of weeks!). What a blessing she was during a dark, scary time.
Playing . . . at a fall festival. Sounds like a musical event, but it wasn't. The garden center by my parents' house puts on a fun (and free!) fall festival every year. They have a giant slide up on hay bales, corn pits, fun decorations, tire swings, bounce pad, zip line, etc. Silas' favorite part this year was definitely the slide.
Finishing . . . some projects. This month saw the end of some bigger projects: I finished a lace shawl that I had been pacing myself, row by row, through for the past two months. It turned out to be the lightest, floatiest, most ethereal thing I think I've ever made. It wasn't for me though (stay tuned for next month to see who I made it for). With the leftovers, I made a bookmark based off of one my brother made for me a few years ago. I also finished knitting a cardigan as well as sewing a dress to wear with it. The cardigan was very straightforward and easy to knit; the dress, not so much. I had to make multiple adjustments, and even then, the fit isn't quite right. But I'm glad I persevered because I think it looks perfect with the cardigan--exactly as I envisioned it. Finally, I also knit a cute little pumpkin that was a fun, quick project.
Celebrating . . . Bradley getting another year older (14 now!). His birthday fell on a Tuesday, which meant Max and Mike had left by 6:25, Bradley and Clark had left by 6:55, Aaron had left by 7:20, and the rest of us had left by 7:45. In other words, hard to have much of a celebration when everyone had to rush off. However, his birthday bucket was filled with fun things for him to enjoy right away, Mike picked up fresh bagels before leaving, he opened one present before school (a BYU jacket), and Silas and I took him Raising Cane's for lunch. In the evening, he opened the rest of his presents before going to young men's, and then we all had cake once everyone was finally home. Bless this easygoing kid.
Loving . . . a performance of Two Pianos, Four Hands. I had never heard of this play, but it was recommended by one of my piano students and her family, so I purchased tickets on a whim. The night of the play, I didn't really feel like going out and even said something like, "Is this even going to be any good? We're probably going to wish we had stayed home." It was the exact opposite. Instead, it was one of the highlights of the month for me, and I left the play texting all my musical friends and family to try to go see it in the two days it had left (and couple of them did!). It was just phenomenal: a cast of two men and a set consisting solely of two grand pianos, but the story that was told and the music that was shared resonated deeply; I laughed, cried, commiserated, and related. Even though it centered around music, it explored themes of inadequacy, failure, and success that most people would relate to. And the talent of the two actors was off the chart. Not only did they have to be accomplished actors who could each play multiple characters, but they had to also be gifted pianists, technically and artistically proficient alone and together, impressively and seamlessly choreographed. This felt like a once in a lifetime chance to see this show since it's a rare person who possesses all of the necessary skills to pull off something like this. So glad we went!
Planning . . . Homecoming. Perhaps most exciting, the football team won their homecoming game, which hasn't happened in a long, long time. As far as the actual date and dance, Aaron's group consisted of six couples. They went axe throwing during the day and then to dinner at Mumbai House. They stayed for most of the dance and then went to one of the boy's houses afterwards. Aaron was home well before curfew, which I don't think has ever happened before.
Learning . . . of President Nelson's death. He was a leader for our time, that is for sure. It's truly remarkable all that he accomplished in his 101 years on earth. One of my favorite things he said was, "Do the spiritual work to seek miracles. Prayerfully ask God to help you exercise that kind of faith. I promise that you can experience for yourself that Jesus Christ 'giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.' Few things will accelerate your spiritual momentum more than realizing the Lord is helping you to move a mountain in your life."
That's it for September. Praying for peace and kindness in October and trying to bring both of those into my own circle of influence. Take care!
