Billboard

Sometimes I get pointed out publicly in our Sunday congregation.  I'll just be sitting there, smiling at the speaker, enjoying what they're saying, and then that person will start talking about me in a very positive way, for the ENTIRE room to hear.  This has happened at least 4 times in the past year that I can remember.   It is so nice and so embarrassing at the same time.  Because, really, I'm not looking for that kind of attention and I'm N-O-T perfect (ask my family).  There are more deserving members in the congregation who are humbly, quietly living their religion every day, serving more, and following the Savior more diligently than I am.  Those are the people I'm trying to emulate.

This past Sunday I gave a short testimony and then a friend of ours, Bryce Perry, got up and talked about how he and his wife had bumped into me at the DMV and I was a "ray of sunshine," (we all laughed at that).  And then he said I was a "billboard for the Church."  We all laughed at that, too.  Boy, it was embarrassing and kind at the same time, for the reasons I mentioned earlier.

I am grateful for the gospel, though, and for my ward family, a group of imperfect people trying every day to be better, a ward family that supports our little family in all that we do.  So I guess I will stop complaining about their kindness and recognition and strive harder to be the person that they think they see.  This talk is a great place to start:  What Lack I Yet?

If I appear to be a "ray of sunshine," I have the Savior to thank for that.  For His Atonement and all that means.  It is everything.  I have my husband and kids to thank for that--our home is a happy place and I love my place in it, even on stressful, crazy up-and-down days.  And I have friends and family to thank for that, people who lift me up, make me smile, and encourage me.  Life is good!

Oh, hello!

This afternoon I was completely relaxed.

Wade and I jumped in the pool, which was finally cooled to just about perfect after being sauna temperature for a couple days.  We hung out while Rhiannon read a Harry Potter book on the patio, Oscar chilled in the grass, and then I got out for a bit.

After pulling a camping chair into the grass, I started tossing balls for Oscar, back and forth, fetch, fetch, fetch.  Rhiannon's reading, Wade's in the pool lounging around, and I'm sitting there in my swim suit.  Soaking the chair with water, tossing balls, enjoying the heat on my back, and marveling as I feel all the stresses and worries of a lifetime ooze out of me.  I put my head back and thought I was going to fall asleep, I was that zoned out and happy!

Then I heard a sound and Wade said, "Hello!"

I look up and there's this random guy in our backyard.  My first impulse was confusion and slight alarm, and then two things happened fast:

1)  Oscar took off after the dude barking like a crazy fool.  He reminded me of the hellhounds in the Percy  Jackson books.

2)  I realized I did in fact know the guy--he was here for our regular pest control visit scheduled for 5 minutes ago.

Boy, did I feel dumb and awkward, standing there in my sorta modest swimsuit, dripping wet, with our dog barking like he's going to take the guy's head off.  Mr. Pest Control was great, just stood there calmly as I got Oscar under control and tried to ignore that I was in my swimsuit.  Thanks, man!

Thanks, Mom!

This morning the house was quiet, except for the white noise of the dishwasher and the tick-tick-tick of the clothes dryer.  I sat down for a minute and thought about Mother's Day coming up next month.  I grabbed a catalog nearby and flipped through it, hoping I could find the "perfect" gifts for the wonderful moms in my life, my mom, my mother-in-law, grandmas.  Nothing jumped out at me, so I set it down and just let my thoughts go.

The first thing that came to mind was a snickerdoodle cookie.  One of my first cooking memories was being in a small, cozy kitchen with my mom and brothers, sitting on the countertop and rolling the little pieces of cookie dough in a bowl of cinnamon and sugar.  Man, those cookies were good!

I remembered how Mom would send us kids out the door to play so that she could have some rest (or read books).  I'm really happy that she tried to steal a little time for herself while raising 6 monkeys/kids.  I have a third the number of kids she has, but I still get tired and I still like escaping to a corner with a book! 

I thought about Mom being my companion, nurse, and shoulder to cry on when we were down at Loma Linda waiting for Rhiannon to be released from the NICU.  We were staying at the Ronald McDonald House, and even though I'd finally been released from the hospital, I was still pretty weak and needed help packing a small hole in my c-section incision.  Mom was kind and strong and incredibly loving and patient. 

I remembered being a teenager and giggling with Mom when boys would check BOTH of us out when we were driving around town together!  I thought of all the dresses she had made me, and the fun we had picking out fabric.  How she was really, really angry when I went bridge-jumping, because it was dumb and dangerous.  How she'd be sort of awake when I got home from dates and want to make sure I checked in with her before I went to bed.

I thought about the big smile that comes to my face every time I talk to my mom on the phone, how my heart feels lighter and happier, even if I'm already in a good mood!  How she's always so encouraging or sympathetic, about everything.

I love you, Mom!  Thanks for being YOU!

Turn off that spotlight, please!

It's official, folks.  I'm that annoying, loud, obnoxious mom at the baseball fields who just won't be quiet.  The really embarrassing thing is that I didn't know it until Wade's coach told me that this little pow-wow on the field between the coaches and the umpire during the game last night was all about yours truly.

Apparently a coach on the other team didn't think I should be in the dugout, that the official team mom and coaches were the only ones allowed in the dugout with the boys.  Maybe the guy didn't know that I had been asked to be in there to help the team mom who was going through cancer treatments.  Or that, yes, I had actually paid the extra $5 for the parent volunteer background check when I signed Wade up to play.  And no one said it, but I felt immediately that if I hadn't been whooping and hollering with the boys and drawn attention to myself that the spotlight wouldn't have happened in the first place.

An official guy with the league came and asked me some questions and I was cleared to be in the dugout for that game until they got some answers back, but I was deflated for the rest of the game and mortified.  But even then, I couldn't help clapping and shouting a little encouragement to the boys on our team.  I just get so into it and can't help myself!  Thankfully the boys won the game, in spite of me!