Whole Wise Woman

I have this friend, Anna. I met Anna when Stanton was in Dental School at Ohio State. Anna was a few years older than me and had 2 children; I was newly married. She was assigned to be my Visiting Teacher. I enjoyed her visits every month (along with her companion, Maria) and faithfully put away all of my newly married non-toddler-proofed stuff every time they visited. In my eyes, Anna was the ideal wife and mother. She had a testimony, she was opinionated, she wrote music, she had perfectly behaved children, she read lots and lots of books, and most of all, she baked homemade whole wheat bread. In my newlywed mind the pinnacle of womanhood was the ability to bake homemade bread. Stanton's parents bought us a wheat grinder and I had my trusty red check cookbook. I made my first loaf with visions of Stanton walking in the door, briefcase in hand, me in an apron, holding a wooden spoon. The Donna Reed theme music played in my mind as I mixed and kneaded the dough. I set it out to rise, then checked it at the appropriate time. I was shocked to find it had not risen at all. In my delusional state, I figured it would rise while it baked in the oven, so I put it in. When the timer rang, I cheerily opened the oven door, greeted by what can only be described as a solid brick. I couldn't believe my eyes! When Stanton arrived home, he kindly tried to eat the loaf, only to cease for fear he might break a tooth.
At this point you could easily assume I asked my friend for a lesson in bread baking. Looking back, I realize that would have been the logical action, but my pride was strong and foolish. Instead, I ruined loaf after loaf after loaf (I am not exaggerating when I say nearly 20 loaves of bread ended up in the garbage). I looked in other places for tips and insight, but try as I did, I could not make my bread rise. Finally I tried a recipe that changed way the yeast was added. For the first time I made a loaf of bread that actually looked like a loaf of bread! Stanton and I were so excited to slice into that beautiful loaf. As Stanton made the first cut, I was dismayed to find two huge tunnels right through the middle of the loaf which caused it to be quite doughy in parts. I tried to look on the bright side and was doing well with it until the doorbell rang. There standing at the door of my apartment was Anna, holding a loaf of steaming hot, perfectly risen, perfectly baked wheat bread. I did my best to smile and thank her for her kindness, but when I closed the door, I broke down in tears. Stanton, in the kindness of his heart, suggested we throw that loaf in the garbage can and enjoy the one I had made. He was, as you can imagine, relieved when I said that wasn't necessary. He enjoyed every bite of that delicious bread and even though my ego was utterly bruised, I had to admit it was amazing.
Time passed and we all graduated and moved away. Eventually I learned how to make very good homemade bread. As I look back on that experience, though, I have to roll my eyes at that very foolish girl who put herself through so much frustration and ruined bread when she could have learned about bread baking from a master. There are so many spiritual lessons I've learned as a result of this experience.
I've continued my communication with Anna over the years, but it has been quite limited over the last several months. On Mother's Day, I received an email from Anna with a poem she had written for all her friends. I was completely inspired by her words. Yet again, I was presented with an opportunity to learn from this great woman. As we have renewed our communication, I have sought her advice and thoughts and have been blessed for it. I am so happy to have learned from my earlier mistake.
Anna gave me permission to share her poem. While it is based upon the role of mother, I feel like it has implications for all of womanhood and even membership in the Lord's church. Anna is a gifted composer and has worked hard with her sister in law Rachel (another OSU dear friend) to share that music with others. Visit their website, Faithsong Music -- you'll be so glad you did.

Whole Wise Woman


My bed is half made, the flowers half laid
In their beds, with pots askew.
The floor is half swept. The jam is half kept,
With berries still left to do.

The washer’s half loaded. The dryer’s half folded.
The closet is sorted part way.
The bills are half opened. The dishes half soaking,
And dinner is just underway.

My list half completed and feeling defeated
I think about what I have done
In my day’s disarray. Without any dismay
My accomplishments rise one by one.

The scriptures were opened. The prayers were all spoken.
I love you’s and hugs out the door.
Their voices were ringing. I smiled at them singing
Of wise men who built near the shore.

Maybe all of my half-nots will someday be wholes,
But today I’m content to ensure
That my children, whole-hearted, converted, concertedly
Walk in the way of the Lord.

Anna M. Molgard
©2008 Faithsong Publications L.L.C.
http://www.faithsongmusic.com/
This piece may be copied for noncommercial use.

And another of her poems that seems to have been written for me at this very moment:

A Soft Answer


I’ve done a lot of listening.
I haven’t had a choice.
When I woke up this morning
I’d completely lost my voice.

When speaking to my children,
Whether happily or mad,
They couldn’t tell the difference
Since a whisper’s all I had.

No matter what I said to them,
They simply whispered back.
Their tones reflected mine,
Their speech a simple, whispered rasp.

I noticed something happening,
A softer sort of change.
I started really listening.
It felt a little strange.

I started hearing things
I’d been too loud to hear before.
I stopped my interrupting,
Hearing them speak even more.

My life could be more peaceful,
My actions more sincere,
If I learned to really listen,
Drop my voice, by choice, and hear.

Anna M. Molgard
Proverbs 15:1
©2008 Faithsong Publications, L.L.C.
http://www.faithsongmusic.com/
This piece may be copied for noncommercial use.

Photoshop Fun -- and Mother's Day Extended

As a result of our both being out of town, I got an extra day of Mother's Day gifts. This is the beautiful bouquet I received today. It is a lovely decoration, yes, but even more fun to play with in Photoshop! Thanks, Stant.

Before and after 1

Before and after 2

Such a Fun Weekend!

Stanton was out of town for some business, so I decided to take the kids up to my folks' house to visit. What a great weekend! Friday night we went to my absolute favorite place to eat -- Rupe's Burgers. The kids must have been starving because they ate like horses. Or maybe they have terrific taste in burgers and fries like their mom? We, of course, saw a million people either I knew or my parents wanted to introduce me to. I guess one of the fun things about being from a small town?

Saturday we went to visit my sister who is pregnant with twins and on bed rest. It was so fun for the cousins to play and they did play! Everyone got along well, which is thanks in large part to my very well behaved nieces and nephew -- They bring out the best in my three. Mom had to take pictures with Cindy and I and our bellies. And I actually appreciated it, as I have very few pictures of myself (the result of being the one taking the pictures all the time...). Take a look though at this weirdness. Cindy is pregnant with twins and is 33 weeks along. I am pregnant with one and am 26 weeks along. Notice anything odd? Like the fact that we are pretty much the same size? A little depressing, yes. But it was so fun to see her. She has become one of my best friends as we've become adults -- that was not the case in our younger years, but I love her and look up to her so much. It was a very fun way to spend the day.

The evening was spent visiting my favorite neighbors and then attending the wedding reception of a good friend. She was radiant and happy and beautiful. It's fun to see friends making good choices and inviting that kind of happiness into their lives. It was fun to catch up with her family, too, and meet her husband.

Oh, but before that (how could I forget?!) the kids got to see Baxter with Grandpa.

Today (Mother's Day) was also a lot of fun. We went to church in my home ward where mom and dad still live. It took me a while to remember names, as it always does, but it's always so good to see the people who helped shape my character as a youth. And the meeting happened to also be the missionary sacrament meeting talk thing of my neighbor, Mike M. He's obviously much younger than I am, but he and his brother Chris (who is also on a mission) were such great friends and I absolutely love them. It was a happy accident that I got to be there to say goodbye to him and I'm so glad for it!

Brigham before church this morning -- riding on Grandpa's saddle

The kids all did well in their respective classes and came out with cute Mother's Day cards and gifts. That's so much fun! They were all excited to share them with me -- which was really the fun part of the gifts anyway. I am sure thankful that I have these little children. They are little miracles and I recognize more and more that I have done nothing to deserve them. I have only the privilege of being thankful for them and doing my best to help them become good people whose lives are a tribute to the God who gave them to me. I love them so much.

Opricate

Have you ever climbed over the backseat of the van to get your caterpillar that fell and then jumped back over and landed on your book without hurting yourself? Well, then congratulations! You have opricated.

The next time this happens to you, just say a little thanks to Chloe for helping you know what to call it.

Mom, Who is Rocko Bama?

This is the question Lily was so intent on having answered while listening to Rush Limbaugh. Why was she listening to Rush Limbaugh, you ask? Well, I guess you could say I'm brainwashing them. Or trying to stay awake while driving to Idaho. That's more like it.

I'm visiting my folks this weekend. The second best way to spend Mother's Day -- and since the first is unavailable (Stanton is out of town), I'll take second best. And I'll love it.

If you need me, I'll be explaining to Lily that Rocko just might be our next president. I can hear the conversation now:

Me: Barack Obama is running for President.
Lily: But President Monson is the President.
Me: Well, he's the president of the Church.
Lily: What's the Church?
Me: Where we go every Sunday.
Lily: I've never seen President Monson there before. Will Rocko Bama be there?
Me: Let's talk about this in November....

Great Photoshop Tutorial and Actions...And Another Excuse to Show Pictures of the Kids

I've been having a lot of fun with the photos from Emma's awesome shoot. The Pioneer Woman has a site full of great (I'm assuming) ideas. But I particularly love her photography section. Now, if I'm being honest, and I'm feeling honest right now, I have to admit that I have not read and put into practice all of her great basic photography tips. That'll have to wait until I am on top of the laundry...and by on top I do not mean walking over it, which seems to be the case lately. But what I have loved are her Photoshop tutorials. They are awesome. And now I am especially loving the free! action kit she has put together. You download it, open it in Photoshop, and then use it to your hearts content. It's nothing short of radical. Yes...radical. Be sure to read the other tutorials and information about them. It actually does help. But once you get into Photoshop and start playing around you'll be hooked!



Take a look at my header -- and then visit the Pioneer Woman.

Lovin' Me Some Jack Johnson

Got lucky and found this concert from Hawaii without even looking for it... If you haven't experienced Jack Johnson yet, watch or listen to this and I think you just might be sold....and you can thank me later.

Under Construction...

I'm working on a new template, but it's gonna be a bit. Gotta get Photoshop back on this computer....oh, and then figure out how to do this whole "design your own template" thing. Like I said, it might be a while...

Photo Shoot

Em came up on Friday night and took pictures of the kiddos. She shot 600 of them! Thank goodness for digital cameras. The kids had a ball--particularly Chloe, our little super model poser. Em did a great job and we love the pictures.

Hope you don't mind, Em, I just copied them from your blog instead of linking!

Thank You Aunt Emma!

And aren't these kids just cute?! Yes, they are.

Lest I Be Ungrateful

I must report that it has been sunny and beautiful for about 3 days straight here. Maybe our bouquet worked? I know it wasn't the SUV.
Emily took pictures of the kids on Friday night. Chloe fell off a wall and scraped her arm pretty bad. The kids "helped" Stanton outside all day Saturday, I ruined our bathroom with my paint job. They all got sunburned -- Chloe's was particularly humorous because it was a patchwork around her bandages from said wound. That night, we got a babysitter and went to dinner and a movie. Olive Garden and Iron Man. I loved Iron Man. It's the best super hero movie I've seen in a long long time. Loved it.
Sunday was nice enough to walk to church and play outside afterward.
Today the kids played outside for almost the entire day. And I remembered sunscreen.
Tonight we're planting the rest of our garden.
Yes, Spring is springing and we are loving it.

On Motherhood and Being Better

It could be that Mother's Day is next week. It could be that I've been struggling as a mother lately. It could be a lot of things. But this is what it's turned out to be. I wrote this on my new personal journal blog. I didn't edit it like I would a regular blog post and it is very long as a result, but it's authentic. I feel like I want to share it anyway. So, this is me, sharing my thoughts on Motherhood and Being Better.

Any ideas on how to fix this mess?

I have been wanting to redo my bathroom for a while. I found the perfect towels and accessories and decided to get brave and paint the walls. Now I understand why Stanton wanted to hire out the painting of our basement.







Look at the mess I made! I must not have stuck down the tape well enough, because the ceiling is a wreck (so are the baseboards, for the record)! How can I fix this? I'm thinking crown molding? If you have an idea that's less labor intensive than that, I'd love to hear it. Even on how to touch up the ceiling or remove the brown paint from it without removing the white underneath. Anything! Help!

The Bright Side of Cooler Weather?

We decided to make the best of a cold day and built a fire in the firepit. The kids totally thought we were camping and wow, were they excited to roast marshmallows!


Comparing last night to our attempt at campfires last year made me appreciate that the kids are getting a little older.

Some New Cards

These are my attempt at Gate Fold cards, a cute new technique I learned over at Splitcoast Stampers. They open in the middle and have backgrounds inside, too.

I am really liking the rhinestones on the wedding card!

Look, Spring, We Made You a Bouquet

We're begging...Pleeeeeeease come and stay!

When we woke up to snow on the ground we knew we had to take drastic measures. Believe me, at our house, pulling out the scissors, glue, and mod podge are drastic measures.

And check out that cool toilet paper roll vase Chloe's holding. It's pretty mosia-riffic.