Weekend Update

I thought I should post a quick report of our weekend, since I need something to write about on my blog! :-)

Saturday we had one house showing scheduled for the afternoon, so Brian worked on the yard in the morning trimming bushes. He discovered a little bird's nest in one of our larger bushes that had some baby birds and one egg in it. (I saw the nest but didn't have anything to stand on at the time to actually look inside it.) The kids of course were enthralled with this and excitedly told the neighbor kids who came down to look. One of the older neighbor girls (who is 8) ended up taking the nest out of the bush completely (I'm not sure if she was wanting to take it down to her house or what...). In the process of all this, the little egg got dropped by one of the kids and broke. I'm not sure what happened to the baby birds (Brian thinks he saw them over in one of the other bushes).

When it was time for the house showing, we loaded everybody up and drove up to a Toyota dealership. Brian has been looking more at trucks recently (we've been planning to buy one to replace the Infiniti we sold and so we can return his sister's Xterra before too much longer). We wanted to look at the Toyota Tundra and see if the whole family fit and take one for a test drive. We didn't quite all fit as well as we hoped -- the front ended up being bucket seats instead of a bench seat so there were only 5 seat belts, but we squoze everybody in for the short test drive. We're still reading reviews and looking at all the options.

Poor Hayley caught the little stomach flu bug that Courtney had. She threw up outside in the "treehouse" on Saturday morning. I was really worried that she'd throw up again all over the carpet but fortunately, she only threw up the one time. (It seems to be a mild bug thankfully.) Today McKay was complaining about his stomach hurting so he only ended up going to Sacrament Meeting and then coming home from church early with Brian, but he never actually threw up.

I had a busy Sunday today! They asked me last week if I would speak in Sacrament Meeting today with the high counselor (there were also two youth speakers). I guess they figured they had to get one last speaking assignment in before we moved. The topic I was given was "service within the family." I got several nice compliments afterward so I guess that means it went okay.

I also got a call yesterday from Courtney's Primary teacher asking me if I could substitute in Courtney's class. So I had that lesson to prepare as well. Courtney's class is one of the smaller ones -- only 5 kids and she is the only girl. The 4 boys can be pretty rambunxious (especially a couple of them). It was a struggle to get them all to stay sitting in their seat and not making strange noises or annoying the person sitting next to them. The lesson was titled "Jesus Christ Has the Power to Heal" and so I told Brian's tractor story as an example of a priesthood blessing used for healing. The kids were actually quiet and attentive during the whole story -- it certainly had their attention. (If only the entire lesson was that way...)

And the last bit of news is that I made an appointment for McKay, Hannah & Courtney to get updated on their shots this coming Wednesday afternoon (only they don't know it yet). At Hannah's last well check, the pediatrician mentioned that she needed her chicken pox booster, which they had been out of for quite a while but finally had some in supply. We didn't do the shot at the time, but I want to get all the shots we need before we move and lose our insurance. So I talked with the nurse and found out that the 3 older ones need the chicken pox booster (Hayley isn't old enough yet for hers) and that McKay also needs the (optional) HepA shots (the girls have all had theirs -- it's a fairly new requirement for preschools and kindergarten but they're not requiring it of the older kids). I can't decide when to break the news to them -- none of them are going to be happy about it (especially Hannah who I know will stress and get herself all worked up in a frenzy over it). But I think they probably need a little "prep time" to get used to the idea. And I'm sure I'll be promising a stop for ice cream on the way home too...

Oh-- one more thing -- in my talk today, I told about the great example of service that my wonderful mom has been in our family. I shared a poem that my dad sent me a copy of several years ago written by my mom's visiting teaching companion, Sister Melville. I put a copy of this in our family newsletter at that time, but thought I'd post it again here for those that have forgotten about it. I had a few people tell me afterward how much they liked the poem (and one even wanted a copy of it). I just want my mom to know how much I love her and appreciate her!

For Beth

She is a "quiet one" -- has always been,
She says. I think she means she's shy, a bit,
And disinclined to seek attention when
She logically might. She likes to fit
Discretely in, and shows a delicate
Sure sense for camouflaging self. One might,
Deceived by reticence inveterate,
Be blind to all her depths -- miss the delight
Of knowing one who lives a "quiet" life aright.

For here there is no empty, arid well,
Nor yet a stagnant pond, inert and grim.
She is a pool whose quiet waters tell
Of deep resources, hidden streams abrim
With life and love. She's uncomplaining in
Affliction, yet with every breath
She finds some chance to serve, however slim.
I'd joy to meet my Savior at my death
Could I but say, "I was a quiet one -- like Beth!"

--C. Melville