Easter

Easter Sunday was a treat from beginning to end. We had planned to attend Music and the Spoken Word as a family, but forgot that the age limit is 8 years old. Nathan took the younger two over to the visitor center, and I went in with Cameron, Jason, and Tiffany. We had seats near the front, and enjoyed the whole program. After the program we spent some time walking around Temple Square. I think we usually take the family there when the whole world gathers to see the Christmas lights, so it was fun to be there when it was not extra busy, and it wasn't freezing! We went back to the hotel, checked out, and stopped by the This is the Place monument. I am ashamed to say that I have never been there before - how does that happen? I grew up in Utah, for goodness sakes!! We spent the rest of the day with our friends in Park City. They had organized a big Easter egg hunt in the back yard - they even went to the effort to shop vac up the majority of the deer and elk poop pellets that sprinkled the yard. We wouldn't want them to be mistaken for chocolate Easter eggs, now would we? We did chuckle a bit, because the oldest son had been out "helping" hide the eggs (He is at least 30). He opened several eggs and ate the candy, then filled them with gravel and put them back. My Andrea opened three such eggs, and was a bit more cautious about just opening the egg and dumping the contents into her bucket after the first gravel filled one! :-) We enjoyed good (great) food, wonderful friendship, and a beautiful day.

Spring into new focus?

The semester has drawn to a close. Physiology is done, nutrition is complete, and I have one final test to finish off human development. Two A's and one B. 10 more credits under my belt...or on my transcript, I suppose...and the prerequisites for nursing programs are done. Two programs have been applied to, and the wait is in full swing. And I find myself curiously floundering. I have let the bathrooms be dirtier than normal, have trimmed down the menu plan to meals that can be prepared in five minutes or less, and the wood floor has been spot mopped for a month. But I have the oddest sense of needing something to do! I threw my heart and energy into successfully getting through these classes, and I'm having a hard time pulling myself into the new - old - current phase of house cleaning and projects. My sister informed me that I had this same problem when I was released from a responsible and time consuming church calling several years ago. Is this a basic flaw in my character?

I have concluded that I have adjustment problems. I dive in head first to opportunities (just not into cold swimming pools), and coming back out is painful. On the other hand, once the transformation has occurred, my appreciation for the past experience increases, and I'm thrilled to have moved past it. The constant is my cute little family (can my 6'4'' tall fifteen year old be called "little"?) that takes up my first love and attention. There is always more than enough to do with them and for them. They make me laugh, and sometime make me grind my teeth. Over spring break we spent lots of uninterrupted time together, and it was wonderful. (More to come on that...I haven't downloaded the pictures yet) I may feel the pain of change, but the joy and work of the experience is worth it!

Where do they come up with these things?

Derek played in his soccer game on Saturday. It was freezing cold, little snow flakes were blowing around, and I didn't bring a hat for his little ears. When he was out, he would come sit on my lap, and I would try to warm up his ears and hands. He turned to me and said, "Mother, I love you so much!". I said, "I love you too, buddy!". He said "Oh man, I was trying to make this romantic, and you ruined it!"

Sick child...

This little one is typically a happy, energetic, sweet little thing. She is not perfect (lest you get the wrong impression), but she is delightful! So having her sick is just the saddest thing. She has been dragging for a few weeks - maybe fighting this sickness off? Who knows! On Thursday she fell asleep at 5:00 pm. I couldn't let her just sleep because her brother was singing in his first grade program and we all went. She just drooped against me through the whole thing. That night she came in to my room around midnight, saying that her stomach hurt...and then she started to throw up. I caught it in my hands, (I am supermom, and it was a small amount. Completely contained) and we hustled into the bathroom. After getting her cleaned up and giving her the barf bowl, she wanted to stay with me. I let her climb into my bed and proceeded to watch the clock slowly make its way toward morning. I don't sleep well when people are touching me! Finally, at 5 am I asked her if I could carry her back to her bed, and she said it would be ok. Then I taught an uninspired aerobics class at 6 am. She has been throwing up two or three times a day since then, and I finally took her to the doctor today because she couldn't sit up, wasn't going to the bathroom, and didn't want to drink anything. The after hours clinic sent us to the ER, and they put an IV in to get her hydrated again. I would have a picture of it, but, funny enough, I didn't think to take my camera with me. So, she is back home with a cool bandage on the hand from her IV, and we hope she will get better now.

Be aware of the dangers of adventure...

My sister Julie came to Utah to have a fun outing with her husband. They got set up with a helicopter that would drop them over a ski run. They put on suits that remind me of flying squirrels, that allow a person to glide when falling, and land on the powdered mountain side. Julie jumped out of the 'copter, practically flew to the mountain, and began skiing. Unfortunately, she fell and broke her leg in three different places. At least that is the story she told people for the first week, just to see what kind of reaction would result. People believed it, at least a little bit.

THE REAL STORY - Julie and McKay went skiing at Wolf Mountain. They were having a great time until, half way through the day, Julie fell, and her bindings didn't release. She broke her leg in three places, and she had to get a plate and six screws in her fibula. Which story sounds more interesting? :-) The pictures are good, regardless.

More cool leg pictures

Where do babies come from?

My physiology class has been very enlightening for my 7 year old son. My book was opened to a page showing the progress of a baby moving from the uterus, through the birth canal, and out into the world. Fortunately, the picture didn't involve the mother (on this page), simply the baby.



My little guy looked at the picture (this isn't the exact one, but close), and said "Wow. So that's how I got squished out. No wonder I get headaches!!" There you go - migraines explained. Andrea (age 5) chimes in from the table across the room "Yea, I got squished out too!" Then Derek turns to me and says "Now all I need to know is how I got IN there." I told him that I would be happy to explain how he "got in there" anytime he wants to know. He thought it over for a second, then said "I think I need to be a lot older before I find out about that." He turned and wandered away. I have been giggling about it ever since!