How To Spend A Day

It's become an unwritten rule that orthodontic treatment equals skipping school. Oh, and having your mom buy you lunch.

So it was today. And in a strange way, I like it when this happens, because I have her all to myself. No one to text. They're all in school. So, she's stuck with me.

She requested I buy Cake Flower for a cake she wants to make. And also enlisted my help to get her Converse squeeky white again.

Luckily, I grabbed a $5 craft kit at Target, and the Baby Child and I crafted together. And she talked to me {gasp}. I might venture to say she liked me. For at least 30 minutes.

I hung it in the kitchen over our missionary board. She looked at it and said, "I like it." I nearly fainted on the floor from the whole experience.

 

 Every now and then these teenagers give you the briefest glimpses of the girl they are inside. Today I shared several hours with that girl, and I adore her. A day well spent.

 

When To Stop Caring

You wouldn't believe what mounds are in the other daughter's rooms.

When they were little, I spent 99.8% of my time cleaning up. I thought I would die holding a broom in my hand. Little people produce large messes.

And then they grew up. You'd think the messes would diminish. Nope. They just rotate to their bedrooms. I literally avoid going in those rooms unless it's necessary. And I advert my eyes. On the good days I humor myself and count all the bottles, chip bags, cups and bowls. I have a strange way of entertaining myself.

Oh, and by the way, when we moved into this house a made a grand, final, foot-stomping rule that food stays in the kitchen. You hear me? The kitchen only!

I clearly have authority around here. In fact, in order to have authority, they'd actually have to listen to the words that come out of my mouth. That right there is the real culprit.

At some point, I stopped caring. About a lot of things. Teenagers will do that to you. It's like they whittle you down to a nub. And the list of what you really care about becomes quite small. Crap all over their bedrooms? I'm over it. The words you decide to speak to me? Ah, now there's something that's on the list.

There is freedom in not caring. About the stuff that doesn't really matter. Take a look at the list of all the things that drive you crazy and just remove a few (or a lot) items. It's rather life changing.

From Erma Bombeck:
"My theory on housework is, if the item doesn't multiply, smell, catch fire, or block the refrigerator door, let it be. No one else cares. Why should you?"

Amen.

Y'all, We Went To The Rodeo

The Rodeo. It's a Spring Break tradition with my sister. And this year? I'm down to one kid who will actually go and only with a friend. I had to bribe her to take a picture with me. Life with teenagers.

This year we discovered that Wednesdays are half price. That means all of Houston and Louisiana and probably Florida were all there. I've never seen so many people in one place. And a majority of them were wearing cowboy boots.

We ate corn dogs and treats and rode carnival rides until we were sick. The best kind of fun.

Can't wait until next year. It may just be me and the twins by then. I'll work on my bribery and blackmail skills. Maybe I'll get 2 teenagers to come instead of just 1. What a likely story.

Saying Goodbye

She's been gone for 14 days. It's taken me that long to look at the pictures I took on the day she walked to her airport gate. I can't really describe what her absence has done to my heart. Pride and sorrow all combined. It's a strange state to live in.

We stood at the end of the security lines and hugged her tight. Each one of us taking our turn.

I held her as tight as I possibly could and whispered in her ear how much I loved her. And then I looked into her eyes and told her she was brave and courageous and inspiring.

We walked her all the way to the security check point. All of us with tears. My heart pounding so strongly, I thought it would stop.

And then she was gone. With one final wave goodbye. Her final words, "I'll see you soon." The Lord carried all of us that day. Her to Utah and us back home. I'm pretty sure He's still carrying me.

 

And the dearest of friends were on the other end of the plane trip. There to catch her and take care of her. She and her friend Emily are both serving missions in California, just different ends of the state.

They drove her to the MTC (Mission Training Center), hugged her tight and handed her off.

And now she's been gone 14 days. We've gotten 2 emails from her so far. I reread them over and over, just to hear her voice in my head. She's immersed in learning Spanish and loving her companion and district. She bears her testimony of the truthfulness she knows. Just like a missionary.

I don't think about the journey ahead. I can't. I simply focus on today and send her name up to heaven in all the ways I know how. What she is doing with her life, serving the Lord with everything she's got, is so inspiring and monumental. Her courage reverberates through our family. She is our light.

If you want to read her letters home to us, we've created a blog: The Missionary Life of Hermana Foster. Feel free to follow along.

Her Farewell

A missionary farewell is a strange day for a parent. First off all, I want to take my people and squeeze them all together forever. United time is ticking away. So our family unit becomes extraordinary in all it's ordinary ways.

You watch your child stand at the church pulpit and teach. She also bares testimony of truth, especially her truth. And as a parent, your heart is so full of pride and sadness and hope, so all you do is cry. You look at her in awe and cry.

And then she sings. Oh, when she sings. My heart tries to capture every word and hold it close. Because music is ingrained into her very being. And when I watch and hear her, I am caught in her beauty. I am reminded of her unfailing example of what it means to be a righteous, warrior of a woman.

It is such an honor to be this girl's mother. I was created for her, and she for me. And for the next 18 months we are both giving our hearts to the Lord. Mine is in letting her go. Hers is committed to teaching the Savior's truth. Noble, and honorable, and great, but also hard. Pretty much the perfect recipe for growth.

I gave Sam a necklace for Christmas. It's titled, "The Ties That Bind". It's five perfect circles centered inside one another. The 5 rings represent the 5 of us. This family of ours. For we will be with her with every step she takes and every door she knocks on. We will be right there on the hard days and cheering for her on the glorious days. And every night when she lays down to sleep, we will be right along side her holding her together with our love. What a mission for us all.

Santa Rosa, California is getting one awesome Sister Missionary.

The Day After

Merry Christmas, Y'all.
I hope it was the loveliest of days.

And now it's the day after. The day you look around and realize you've got to find room for all this new stuff you just brought into your house. Why does this day always look like a tornado hit the family room? And the kitchen?!

I'm up early this morning with a migraine. #storyofmylife. And I've walked around to survey all the work I have to do today (or next week), and somehow my eyes don't see the mess. They sweep past the piles and decor. All my eyes see are blessings. Oh, and gratitude. Yes, gratitude for sure.

My blessings feel ever reaching today. My college girl is home. She leaves for her mission in 10 days. I'm drinking her in every minute. Yesterday I got to see my kids open presents with bright eyes and laughter. And when they opened something that they really wanted, That. Is. The. Best. I think I'm addicted to their joy.

The Husband and I hugged each other and took a good look at all we had created together. A hot mess and a whole bunch of awesome, all wrapped into one. That's pretty good odds. That man is half my soul. Truly.

These people are my very life strings. And yesterday I just got to soak them in and watch them glow. There really is no greater gift. Gratitude feels everywhere.

I hope you had the merriest of a Christmas.
I hope you got to gather with your people and just love each other. With presents thrown into the mix. That makes for the perfect kind of recipe.

Today, in all the aftermath, look around and see your joy.
It's goodness and gratitude and family.

Happy Holidays, friends.

Jealous?

Only the most special of friends gift you with a blow up moose head for Christmas.
The entry has never looked more chic.