Act 3; Scene 54: My Friend

To start this post off, I have to say that Robert and I may have over planted our garden. 

Especially where lettuce is concerned.

We have had lettuce coming out of our eyeballs for about two months now; and I just can't keep up with it! Recently I've taken to filling a gallon zip lock bag with freshly cut lettuce and delivering them to some of our neighbors.

The other day, I took a bag over to a sister I visit teach. She has three kids and, similar to my sis-in-law Angie, always has so many fun activities that she is doing with the kiddos. She is full of fun and energy and...well, more experienced than I am. I guess you could say I look up to her.

When I came to give her the lettuce, she was on the phone. She gave the appropriate, "Hang on just a second" to the person on the other line. I handed over the lettuce and said a quick hi and bye since she was occupied. On my way down the porch steps and on her way back into the house (dragging her 18 month old in with her) she continued her phone conversation. She said, "Yeah, my friend brought some lettuce from her garden." Then she shut the door.

As I pushed the stroller down the sidewalk, I felt all happy and excited and flattered inside. She had just called me her friend to someone else. Not just, "a lady in the ward," or "my visiting teacher." Granted, she may have just been trying to think of a way to describe me to this other person and that was the first word that came to mind--it wasn't a big deal. It was just an off-hand descriptor. But! I was surprised about how much that particular phrasing, my friend, affected me. I didn't know she considered me a friend. I felt included. I felt "cool." I felt like I meant something. I felt valued. 

Since this experience, I have been thinking about the times in the scriptures when the Lord calls one of the prophets His friend. Suddenly that has a lot more meaning to me. That term isn't an ordinary term, it is really special. It's about an intimacy and kinship. It's about more than an acquaintance, more than even a good acquaintance. It's about love and respect. It's about sharing burdens. It's about long conversations. It's about having fun.

Wouldn't it be awesome to be called friend by the Savior of us all? 

I definitely want to build my friendship with Him. 

Happy Sunday, all.

 

Act 3; Scene 53: How to Eat a Cookie

And then snap a cute picture with Mom and Dad

The "I didn't do it!" face at 11 months

Images courtesy of Uncle Luke, cookie courtesy of Grandma McFarland (and Mom, for giving it to him).

Act 3; Scene 52: A Day in the Life

Today, I have been completing the finishing touches of our summer cleaning, aka, get things ready for Grandma and Grandpa Center, Aunt Katie and Jeremy to stay with us.

I am trying to tidy the house.

This is what I am competing with:

Good thing that part of the house was tidy to begin with.

Then Tommy "stole" the birthday present I got for one of his little friends.

I'm thinking I might have to get him one of those, too :-)

Ah well, back to cleaning during nap time!

Act 3; Scene 51: As Little Crawling as Possible and as Much Stretching as Possible

Happy Friday

Act 3; Scene 50: Remembering

Today is my grandparent's 66th wedding anniversary. Tonight my grandpa is taking the family out to his favorite spot, Golden Corral, to commemorate. My grandmother passed away just over a year ago, and since arranging this little anniversary celebration tonight, I have been thinking of her today.

Remembering.

I remember how much she loved her family. She framed pictures of her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and stuck them in every nook and cranny in her perfectly kept, 1960s style  living room.

I remember her letting us get into her pots and pans, cookie sheets and muffin pans to make "dinner," which we then served to her and any other adult around, course by course (they were always very large "meals" with LOTS of desserts).

I remember playing jewelry store with all of Grandma's fancy jewelry. She would come into my store (aka, the kitchen table), look at my display, and purchase jewelry from me. Over and over and over.

I remember helping her bring in all of the plastic flowers and yard doo-das when rain threatened.

I remember helping her rake up all of the sticks and apples that had fallen to the ground after the said storm (and I mean EVERY stick and EVERY apple).

I remember Grandma teaching me to play her organ in the back room, and singing along with the 1940s songs she taught me to play. I also remember her singing to her 1940s music program on the radio on Friday nights.

I remember Grandma letting me slice the boiled eggs with the cool egg slicer for the potato salad.

I remember Grandma making special "plain" jello with cool whip just for my brothers, since they didn't like all of the "stuff" in her jello.

I remember Grandma telling us about the time when she was telling my dad the story of Peter Rabbit for bedtime, and she was so tired that instead of the farmer catching Peter Rabbit, she said, "And here came Tarzan." She and Dad would laugh and laugh about that story.

I remember when Grandma couldn't quite remember what she had said, and would say over and over, "You're doing alright?" and, "I love you, it's good to hear from you."

I remember the last Christmas that she was able to come down to Salt Lake she came to our Christmas concert that has become a tradition. She watched me sing and listened with a big smile on her face the whole time.

I remember that same Christmas as she was getting in the wheelchair to go back home she started crying and said, "Don't remember me like this."

Don't worry, Grandma. What I remember is how memorable you made my childhood. All of the fun that we had together playing make believe. Your kindness and generosity towards us. Your love for all of us.

Happy Anniversary, Grandma and Grandpa McFarland.

Act 3; Scene 49: Kicking off Summer with a 5k!

This morning, we woke up early.

(Funny...we're always trying to get the baby to sleep in longer....)

We got dressed up in running attire, and headed down to Springville.

On the way!

Slightly bleary eyed this morning

We joined the entire city of Springville and all of their friends

These pictures just don't capture how many people were there. When we started the race, we couldn't even run because there wasn't room to! We took up the entire road, all packed in like sardines. There were 2,258 runners!

And we lined up for our first stroller 5k! 

All bundled up for the chilly morning

 

 

Both of these pictures were taken while we were running. In action, baby!

And we did it! Robert and Tommy at 30:30, and me tailing them at 31:20

Pretty good for pushing a stroller and squeezing through the crowds

Then we gathered apples, bananas, popsicles, power bars, water bottles, and cheese sticks and found a place to camp out on the grass and wait for the drawing. (Tommy ate a whole banana, might I add)

They had $10,000 worth of prizes to give away, and man they had tons of cool stuff. We were really hoping to win something.

And I DID!

A $20 gift card to Olive Garden and......a whole bunch of iced tea. Nestea, to be exact.

...

Me wondering what I will do with all of this iced tea

We thought we'd hang around for the whole drawing to see if Robert could win one of the bikes, or Visa gift cards, or trampolines, or tents...

But we decided to head out a bit early for this little trooper.

All in all, a very successful morning. We got all sorts of yummy treats, a t-shirt, gift card, AND a workout. 

We'll definitely be here next year!

Happy Saturday, all!