That explains it…

Subject: Max

Time: 5:17pm

Caption: So that’s why he wouldn’t stop crying! Max was a mess this afternoon. The tears, the drama, the constant begging for me to pick him up. (Not his usual mode of operation at all!). So I shouldn’t have been surprised that 8 minutes after setting him on the couch- so I could drain the boiling water off the pasta and not worry about burning the crying child with his arms wrapped around my legs- I walked over to get him and found him passed out.  He slept all through dinner, woke up, and then went back to bed an hour later. Max isn’t sick- he’s just gone a couple of days without a nap and life just got the better of him today. It’s okay- I totally understand. Life gets the better of me sometimes too.

Words to Live By

A story was told at church today that really struck me. It was a simple illustration of how the choices we make when we are young- the ones that seem like absolutely nothing at all at the time- can direct the path that we take as we move along through life. The talk given was on agency and the story revolved around the speaker’s seemingly small decisions to keep the Sabbath Day holy. He shared a couple of the small decisions he made early on that led to later on down the road- when life was significantly harder and more stressful- and the man was in dental school with a wife and small children, and he found that his previous choices had created for himself a pattern that allowed him to maintain Sunday as a day of rest. A day to spend with his family and to meditate- instead of a make up day to study or get other things accomplished. He shared what a blessing that had been in his life.

The man spoke plainly and he spoke the truth- so what he said really struck me as a profound example of the importance of small, consistent choices in all that we choose to do. It was a reminder to me that it matters how we spend our free time and it matters how seriously we approach daily prayer and scripture study. It also was a reminder to me that I need to be much, much better.

Who wants to be a Cowgirl?

Emmaline has a new hero (and it’s not me).

At school today Emmaline had the privilege to stand in line for a personally autographed picture of “Miss Mississippi High School Rodeo 2010” Mary Catherine Reynolds. Emmaline was BEYOND impressed. She carefully folded the autographed picture multiple times for safe keeping and when her friend on the bus tore it, she protected it until she could lovingly tape it back together as soon as she got home.

She hung it on her bulletin board, where only her most prizes possessions go. Emmaline complimented me by telling me that my “teeth are almost as white as the lady’s teeth in the picture!”- “they’re only a little darker”.

I have mixed feelings about her idealization of a pageant princess (albeit a cowgirl princess). I have issues with pageants in general and (in my opinion) their objectification of women- but after thinking about it, I think that this girl today probably just looked like a real life Barbie doll to Emmaline and that it’s probably not a sign of a Emmaline’s future pageant career.

3 things

1. Yesterday Elder Ingram from the Quorum of the Seventy attended our sacrament meeting. He was interesting and he spoke directly to me when he said that it is our responsibility to Go Out and Rescue. I’ve been thinking about this one a lot and how it relates to me, Ernie, the kids, our families, our neighbors, the other members of our ward and what the Lord expects of me.

2. Ernie and Nigel very nearly avoided a terrible car accident on their way home from Ernie’s speaking assignment yesterday. I’m so thankful they were protected (Ernie glanced in the rearview mirror seconds before the accident would have happened) and that Ernie’s reaction time was fast enough to get out of the way.

3. Not to brag or anything, but I seriously feel like I won the lottery by getting the four kids that I have! If I could have picked- even knowing, or maybe especially because of knowing then what I know now- I for sure would have picked these four kids.

Max Had a Birthday!

Our little baby- that sweet, cuddly little guy- turned 3 today!

When I found out I was pregnant with my fourth baby (Max), I was certain that I was having a girl. Not because I was sicker, or because I had a spiritual prompting. No, I thought I was having a girl because I was certain that Heavenly Father truly understood me and He knew my need to have conveniently paired children for bedroom sharing. 2 boys, 2 girls- it was going to be perfect. Obviously that didn’t happen and needless to say, Heavenly Father did truly understand me. He knew that I needed Max much more than I needed conveniently paired children.

Max has been a joy to our entire family since the day he was born. I can say that in all honesty. Max completed our family and all of us are better for knowing him. He’s a fiesty thing these days, but he’s still incredibly sweet. He has followed me around the house today, so happy about all the birthday preparations, whispering, “I love you Mommy”. Max likes to introduce me to people and he usually says, “Hey! This is my Friend! Her name Mom!”

Max ADORES his Daddy. He also adores Ernie, Nigel, and Emmaline. Max loves Buzz Lightyear and motorcycles. Trucks, trains, and cars. He really loves preschool. He likes to go places. He likes to pretend that when we drive around town we are in a video game and he gives running commentary like, “Oh NO! We going crash that car!!” or “MOMMY! WE GOING UP A HILL” or “Mommy, we going DOWN a hill- WHEEEEEE!”

Tonight was his birthday party. We had some family friends over, we grilled out, we lit a fire, and we ate cupcakes.

Max was in heaven.

 

I’m Officially IN LOVE…

… with this dress!

I also love Ernie, who helped me get this photo into my blog!

Updates

Ernie and I got home from our delightful trip to Orange Beach,and within 15 minutes of being home- we looked at each other and realized we should have stayed gone longer. That being said, I still have felt very refreshed.

This past week was a busy one. I am enjoying the kids tremendously and Ernie and I are still feeling very schmoopy towards each other- always a plus!

A few pieces of Smith life:

• I finally decorated for fall and more immediately- for Halloween. Decorating for Halloween is one of my least favorite things to do, but the kids love it and I actually like the decor I came up with this year. The kids are getting older and they’re starting to push my “no gross-out, or evil, or creepy stuff” rule, but I will not budge on that one. We managed to do just fine without cleavers and blood (ewww).
• Ernie jaunted off last week to Wisconsin for 3 days. I missed him very much. I also really enjoyed cold cereal for dinner with the kids.
• The weather was pleasantly cool here for about a week. It was delightful. Then- just when I thought we were home free, it shot back up to the mid-90s again.
• Max is loving his preschool. That is $80 a month well spent.
• I found the most amazing product to clean the grout in my tile countertops and floors- called La’s Totally Awesome. I would HIGHLY recommend it. I also used it to remove an ink stain from the carpet, which did not come out with regular carpet cleaner. It totally got the ink out! As an added bonus, it comes in a concentrate, so you can stretch it so much further than one bottle. Best of all: I buy it at the Dollar Store! Seriously! 
• Worst news ever: I killed my neighbor’s dog on accident. (As if I would ever kill a pet on purpose.) It was awful and traumatic and Ernie has been saying for a year now that it was going to happen because Zoe- precious thing that she was- never learned to be afraid of cars. On Friday night, in her excitement to play with my kids, she chased my van down our driveway while I was pulling in and she got too close to the rear passenger tire. It was terrible. She was a Shiapoo and our sweet little Zoe never went anywhere without a bow in her hair.

So, odds and ends are up to date. I’ve been thinking a lot this past week about how more than anything, I’m just glad to have the kids and the husband that I have. We make a good Smith Team.

Kids? What kids?

I had two blissful days of respite from the demands of parenting. It was awesome. Quiet. Uninterrupted conversation. A trip to the beach that didn’t include a single beach toy. Delicious food.
     
Do we look happy? Do we look relaxed? Of course we do!
Two days was not long enough, but I’m so glad that we were able to sneak away- even if it was just for a couple of days.

It’s Been a Long Time Coming

Ernie has been begging. Begging, I tell you- to get away, just the two of us. This begging has gone on for at least 3 years and grad school, babies, moving, etc have all conspired against us and prevented us from having such a weekend as the one I am have right now. Yep- at this very moment I am typing a quick blog while Ernie reads his book and I am watching the boats float out on the Sound. We snuck away this weekend (we didn’t even tell the kids until last night) and we are spending two days at Orange Beach in Alabama. A few happy thoughts:

• It’s silent in the condo right now because no one is talking. How novel.
• I am really looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow and waking up whenever my body decides it wants to wake up. No alarms, no one crying about cereal.
• I have downloaded a 1000 page book to the Kindle to read at the beach tomorrow- and I will read without worrying where the kids are and without the constant mental headcounting.
• Ernie and I had a delightful, leisurely dinner and I plan to repeat that experience tomorrow night (as opposed to having to wait until the next date night).
• I like still really like Ernie. After 15 years, he’s still my BFF.

This little break (mini-vacay, if you will) is wonderful. It’s been a long time coming and I feel lucky to be here. I won’t take it for granted.