Where's the Lesson?

I feel like I'm pretty good at looking for the growth or the "lesson" in the challenges that come into my life.  I want to learn from them, grow from them and then move on.  This weekend I had an experience that is leaving me empty on how this "works for my good".  I will spare you the details, but in short...I was the first one to arrive on the scene of a fatal head on collision on our way back from camping.  It was really awful and my little ones were in the car with me and saw way too much.  Once we were finally able to get through the wreckage and head back to Payson, I had time to contemplate all that had just happened.  Because we were heading to the park for our big 4th of July picnic and lots of people were there, I never had time to really process and be sad about all that had occurred.  I fought back tears most of the afternoon and evening and sometimes wasn't so successful, but it wasn't an appropriate time to deal with it.  I couldn't hold back, however, when as Katy lay on my lap trying to go to sleep, she mentions that she can't stop thinking about the car crash and that maybe if the fireworks would start, she would be able to stop thinking about it.

The next day (after a terrible nights sleep), I was busy and distracted and was feeling like I was good, I was past the emotional part of it and now I could just move on.  I was wrong.  At mutual, unfortunately with all my Laurels right there, it all came out.  We had an amazing presentation on patriotism and the flag and the story behind the writing of the National Anthem.  Then they played the most beautiful rendition of the song I have ever heard.  That song always bring my emotions to the surface but tonight was different.  I felt the pride and love and.... like I was going to puke.  It was so weird and confusing and by the end I really felt sick.  During the closing prayer, the tears started to fall and that was the beginning .

I quietly went out the front door out into the dust storm we were having and let it all out.  It was a little scary and I felt completely awful that my own children had to see me like that.  I guess I just needed to cry it out.  Whitley called Glade to let him know she was worried and ask him to come home.  He called a couple of our good friends who came over to give me a blessing.  I'm so blessed to have so many loving people around me.  It was a really long night and my head was killing me, but I think the worst is over.  I'm still plagued by the questions of why was it me and why couldn't I help someone and why couldn't I "do" anything.  Hopefully I can let that go, I'm sure it could eat me up if I let it.  Life happens and it's not always good.  My greatest relief is that it was not me with my littlest children in that accident, for a moment or two difference in time and it would have been.  I know there are so many who have experienced similar things, every accident has a "first on the scene", but it's always someone else.  I'll be fine and I pray that that horrible hour will seep out of little Katy's mind as well.  I'm comforted to know that as they cried and waited in the van, they immediately turned to the Lord, I shall do the same.

Cruise - Day 6

The last day of our cruise was another "fun day at sea".  It was really chill and we mostly hung out.  It was way too windy to do anything up on top of the ship so we stayed inside most the day.  We took another dance class where we learned the Thriller dance and then there were lots of trivia games through out the day.  It was also our final formal night where we got to get dressed up in our fancies again.  After dinner we attended the farewell show where passengers got to sing as famous people.  It was then that I remembered  why I don't watch Idol or So You Think You Can Dance type shows.  For some reason sitting and watching people perform just isn't very fun to me.  Wasn't exactly the best ending to my cruise, but it's all good.  We had a great time and I can't wait to go on another!

Cruise - Day 5

Disclaimer: None of these pictures are of anyone I know.  Although this was an amazing adventure, they totally screw you when it comes to pictures so we really don't have any of us.  Actually, I have a few on a waterproof camera that I will get developed some day but for now, these will at least give you an idea of what we did.

We started with a really awesome 20 min boat ride from one side of Puerto Vallarta to the other.  I loved it!  Then we rode these really cool military type buses up to the beginning of the trail.  From there, we donned our protective safety wear and hopped on mules to get to the very top of the mountain where we would start our adventure down.  The very first zip line was just under a thousand feet long and 250 feet in the air.  Suprisingly, I wasn't even scared.  It was so much fun!  In total, we did 9 ziplines, repelled down a water fall and did a free fall repel, went over a few bridges and did one "surprise" zipline that landed you right in the water.  Other than the end being tainted by the whole picture rip-off, we had an amazing time.

This is the first zipline, it was so beautiful.

The free fall repel started up on that platform and you just went straight down. Luckily, they pretty much did all the work for you cuz I was not good at repelling!

My mule was so slow and totally stubborn..a mule...can you  believe it?  We eventually made it to the top, very slowly.

This is the waterfall we repelled down.  I hated this part.  I've never repelled and after this I never want to again.  I couldn't figure it out and ended up upside down twice.

Groovy buses we rode in.

Bo's Belated B-day Party

Bo's birthday came at a really crazy time this year so we elected to wait till school was out to have his party.  Then many of his friends were out of town so we waited even longer.  Finally it all came together!  We went to a place called Jambo (previously Jeepers and Jungle Jim's).  Bo took his most beloved friends: Eli, Braydon, Tanner and Kimball.  Jenny and her two little ones came and kept Katy and me company.  We only stayed a couple of  hours, but they all had a great time.  After, we ate pizza in the car since the two littlest fell asleep shortly after buckling them in.  He was very happy with how it turned out and sometimes it's even kind of fun to have your birthday twice!

My Crazy, Mixed Up,No Good, Wonderful Saturday

This Saturday was like no other.  We got home around 11 on Friday night from our opening night of Annie and I was awake by 5 am on Saturday.  I couldn't go back to sleep but I wasn't worried about it cuz I knew I could take a short nap before our performances today.  I got up and made rubber pancakes for the kids and some extremely scruptious home made bread.  I headed to the grocery store to make sure we were ready for Sunday dinner and as I left the store, I looked at my phone and saw I had 6 missed calls.  I called home to be informed that Katy had gashed her chin open and it was really bad.  I wasn't too worried, I figured a little super glue and we would be fine.  This was at 11 am, I was supposed to check in at the theater at noon for our 2pm performance.  I got home to find her chin a gaping hole.  We loaded up and headed to urgent care and were so blessed that there was only one other person there and two doctors.  She was a real trooper and only did a little crying and some wimpering.  To numb it they have to put the needle right in the sore and of course, that didn't go over well and by the end, we were both crying.  She came through a true champ and 7 stitches to prove it.

You get this from doing...

This!  She tried climbing up it and it fell and so did she.


We were out of urgent care by about 12:45 so we drove through McDonalds (part of the bribe to get her to hold still) and headed home to grab our stuff and head out to the theater.  We got there around 1:25 and had to hustle into hair and makeup.  A little bit of a frazzled way to start a show.

The shows went well, Mom and Whitley brought the kids to see the 2pm show...yes...Katy came and loved it.  I was so tired by this time I just wanted a short nap.  After eating pizza and subs provided by the theater, I found a little costume closet in the Drama room and curled up and snoozed for half an hour.  Woke up with about half an hour to spare to redress and remake-up.  Perfect.  The second show went well as well, but I was so ready to be done by the end.  Once it was over, I was trying to quickly gather the kids so we could go home and get to bed when my phone rang. 

Some guy had found Jack across the street by his business.  Mind you, his business is right by my house, he was not far away at all.  BUT, he was concerned that we would let him roam around out in this heat and said he was considering just taking him to the pound.  I spent a good ten minutes explaining Jack and his habits and how he was really fine....Just let him go!!  ( I didn't say that part)  They had actually driven him farther away from our house looking for a rescue.  I finally convinced him to just leave him in our yard and that I would be home soon.  I'm expecting doggie CPS any day now.  Not what I needed at 10:30 at night after this day. 

It really was an eventful day and I'm so grateful for all the good family and friends I have to help out and to support us.  I'm grateful for the talents and means we have been given to allow us to participate in things like this.  It's been a great experience.  BUT, I'm ready for a little rest.

Stephen plays a hot dog vendor, a servant and a homeless guy.  I play a "loving couple" a "loving family" a servant and a homeless woman. Glade plays a homeless guy, the masked announcer, and the judge.  Dalin plays a newspaper boy.  Brooklyn plays an orphan and the daughter to our "loving family".

Brooklyn is right in the middle during "Hard Knock Life"

This is our homeless scene for "Hooverville".  Glade is in the middle with the stocking cap and tan coat and I'm on the left with the red scarf on my head.

This is Dalin selling us a newspaper.

Stephen offering a hot dog.

I'm on the stairs, fourth from the top.

You can kind of see Glade back there looking like Zorro as the masked announcer.

Stephen and I are in this line but it's too far away to point us out.

Tid Bits

Just a few of the things we have been doing around here this summer.

If you count, there are 6 of my kids gathered around with foam blocks.  They were launching something at them to see how many they could knock down.

I asked them to go be creative and this is what I got.  They moved the tramp, disconnected the slide from the playcenter, found a tarp and turned on two hoses.  Pretty good.

These are the things I will miss when my kids are too big.

I never tire of finding little things like this around the house.

Katy came crying about 9 am morning cuz she "had nothing to do!"  My mind went straight to the classic paper bag puppets.  I printed out a few patterns and withing a few minutes, I had every kid asking for one.  They made about 8 puppets and then video'd a puppet show.  All in all about an hour and a half of occupied time NOT including anything with a screen.

Lessons of the Week

Honesty - in short: we found money floating in the lazy river, one dollar stuck to Brooklyn's leg, one to the guy behind us and the lifeguard pulled a 10 out as well.  Brooklyn thought it was her lucky day but I told her we needed to give it to the lifeguard.  The guy behind us was definitely not following suit AND I was pretty sure the lifeguard was having a lucky day as well.  I explained to Brooklyn that it wasn't ours and if I had lost the money I would hope someone would turn it in.  When we came by again, the lifeguard offered it back to us saying no one would care about a dollar.  We declined.  Not five minutes later I heard a little boy asking around for the money his mom had lost.  I pointed him to the direction of the "lucky" lifeguard and Brooklyn quickly  pointed out the little boy to the guy behind us who still wasn't giving up his dollar.  On my next trip around, the lifeguard let me know someone had claimed it.....I know. Ü

Obedience - Sometimes it really doesn't pay to insist on having things your own way.  It will lead to homelessness.  AND saying your sorry is worth it.

Persistence - you can win a standoff with a chihuahua.  It may take a little while but with enough courage and a handful of rocks, you can win!

Teamwork - a house can go from a dump to presentable in about 4 minutes if everyone helps out!