I Have Issues

You all know I have issues.  I am always too busy, too crazy and have WAY too much going on.  The problem is:  I like it that way!  However, somewhere in the past several weeks I have missed my opportunity to stop and document what really matters. 

I love this time of year.  I love Thanksgiving. I love Black Friday. I love Christmas Shopping. I even love the 900 parties.  There are class parties, ward parties, work parties, family parties, primary parties and orchestra parties.  Given that it’s only December 8th we have already checked several off the list.  But first…

BLACK FRIDAY…

Need I say more!

Why yes I do..  What I hope to remember from this year.

Shopping from midnight until 9:00 a.m.

The less sleep I get the sillier I become.

Sleeping over at my parents house with my sisters.  There are some things that never change.  My dad still woke up at 3:00 a.m. to go on the tow truck.  He still turns on the same lights and sits in the same chair while he puts on his boots.  What an incredible comfort there is in familiarity.

Breakfast at Einstein’s with my mom, sisters, aunt and cousin. These are 5 of the women I love and respect most in the world.

Jill’s cartwheel in the mall.  I will leave it at that!!

What I missed this year:  No trip to IFA for Uncle Loyd… Girls you know what I mean!!

On the evening of Black Friday we took the girls to the Nutcracker.  We ate at the Coppermill first and then went to the ballet.  With the exception of auditions to the Chicken Bak Bak club at intermission on the stairs they were great! Thank you Grandma for a great evening.

One of Taylor’s best friends was Clara.  That was an added bonus to an already great evening!

Taylor and Mary after the ballet.

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving was the ward party.  It was my final event as activities chair.  My Bishop always tell me that I don’t need a committee because I have Jeff and the Watrins.  He is right.  Thank you to Jeff, Kim and Shea for all their extra help! We had a great turn out and even better… I am done!

The following weekend was our traditional “Salt Lake Weekend.”  This is one of my favorite weekends all year.  My kids talk about it the entire year and anytime they are asked to share a favorite family tradition they usually share this one. 

We shopped hard and ate a lot.  Jordan came home with a 2 foot tall Rapunzel doll with more hair than I have ever seen on a doll.  Taylor also came home with hair!  Seriously.. she bought some of those hair clip things to make you hair look longer.  Weirdo!  She is growing up!  Mitchy bought his usually assortment of tanks, helicopters and Star Wars Stuff.  Another great weekend for the memory books!  Thank you Mom and Dad!

All of that was wonderful!  However a few days ago I got a “payday” as a parent.  Often times as my kids stumble through life I wonder about my effectiveness.  A few days ago a ward member of mine was in a really bad accident.  The Ward did a fast and at breakfast I was telling my girls about the fast and to remember Brother Lindley is all of our prayers during that day.  I talked about how I was fasting but how I wanted them to eat at school and etc.  Taylor told me this “Mom, I will just not eat anything really yummy or like a treat or anything.  That will be the way I fast.”  Now, that probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to most of you but her spirit and intention was so strong.  My hope is that in a few years, if she is ever struggling I can refer her back to this post and remind her of her unshakeable faith when she was 10.  Her strong desire to do the right thing for the right reasons.  I am blessed to have children who have such a pure spirit!