Kindergarten for Claire

Time flew by and somehow earlier this week I was dropping off Claire for Kindergarten!  I was always so emotional when the boys started Kindergarten and I expected to be with Claire but I was not.  I thought it was totally weird but as I thought about it more I realized that in the past my tears have been out of worry. Worry that I didn't enjoy every single moment.  Worry that things will change Worry that they would miss me and need me.  Worry that they didn't know what to do.  Worry that they wouldn't make friends. 

Things are different with Claire.  I know I didn't enjoy ever single moment.  I accept that as impossible. I know things will change that that's ok.  She is so darn competent and sure of herself that I knew she wouldn't need me.  She can handle herself.  She is my first child that knew several children in her class on the first day of school and I can't tell you how much that placed my mind at ease.  After watching the boys for so many years go on without her she knew exactly what to do.  

Claire goes in the afternoon and things were calm all morning.  She was ready to go all morning and impatient for the time to come.  When we got there she played on the playground for a few minutes and lined up like she'd been doing it her whole life.  She gave a confident wave and "goodbye mom" and then she was gone. It's fun to see her excitement and pride that she isn't being left behind anymore.  Claire was very disappointed to see me outside the classroom the first day and that I walked her to the car instead of letting her walk alone with the boys and the other kids in carpool.  So the second day I refrained (that was hard) and let Luke do his job.  He loves picking her up and walking her to the church where I pick them up. Claire loves being with him.  Time continues to pass and I don't try to hold onto it as much anymore.  I've found that each stage and each new chapter brings new moments of beauty.
         

Back to School For Gage and Luke

Our experimental summer of less activities has finally come to an end.  I learned a lot this summer about myself and about my kids.  Being less involved activities sure made us more involved with each other and made us more appreciative of school when it rolled around.  I will remember this summer for talks with my kids in the twilight, movie nights and sometimes days, laughter, board games, imagination, playing with Sarge, Legos, and conflict resolution.  I am declaring it a success.

Gage was excited about his teacher until we went to Back to School Night and actually met the teacher.  Gage and I both came home saying things like, "Your teacher was very....interesting" because we weren't able to think of anything nicer to say.  The teacher told the parents and students that he is very sarcastic.  All I can say is it better have been sarcasm when he said to me, "I assume your literate?" So funny I forgot to laugh. He also told Gage he is annoying.  Gage has always enjoyed being the favorite of pretty much every teacher he has ever had so this will prove to be a growing experience.  I'll be watching closely.

Luke was blessed to get one of the nicest and smartest teachers his school has to offer.  She also had Gage in the 2nd grade and when she saw Luke she gave him the biggest hug and said how excited she was that he was in her class. He was beaming and it is just what he needed.  He has actually been excited to do homework!  Some TLC goes a long way with Luke.

(Tim painted these shoes for the boys.  They love them!)

When the first day came I had planned to park the car and at the very least wait with Luke.  Both boys declared that was TOTALLY unnecessary.  You mean I got up and did my make-up for nothin' kid?  I asked Gage to at least walk his brother to the line and he assured me he would.  We pulled up and Gage hopped out and had vanished while Luke was waiting for the auto van door to open.  Dude!?  I had to move along because cars were behind me so I drove super slow and then I saw that Luke had caught up to Gage.  My eyes were misty when I saw their two blonde heads together and Gage's hand on Luke's back guiding him into line.  I circled around and parked anyway and got out to stand with Luke.  Mother's privilege!  I think Luke was relieved when he saw me.

Claire started Kindergarten a few days later (more on that later) and this will be the only year all my kids are at the same school at the same time.  I am soaking it up while I can!

         

Enchanted Fairy Forest

 

I came across a pin on Pinterest about an Enchanted Fairy Forest in Kamas Utah.  I've been trying to plan day adventures for me and the kids and this sounded perfect!  Driving there was so beautiful and so much further away than I anticipated.  But it was worth the drive.  It was the most charming hike II have ever been on.  For instructions on how to get there go here.  The Forest was huge and filled with the cutest fairy dwellings.  The kids were totally enchanted.  Actually me too.  There are more fairies without homes so you can bring your own and the forest will continue to grow.    

 

Tim was off work for much of July after his project wrapped so he was along for the adventure.  If you go you need to wait until after spring run-off so you can pass this creek bed in safety. 

 

 

Who needs to go to England when the fairies have their own Stonehenge?

This fairy has a mansion.

These guys were a favorite. 

It just kept going and going.....

Native American Fairies....

This one was my favorite.  I love swings.

Fairies must have keep farm animals. 

Women and the Priesthood: My Two Cents

 

 

The climate in our society recently has caused me a lot of thought; particularly as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The debate surrounding whether women should be ordained to the Priesthood causes me concern for my boys and my girl.  It seems we live in a time where society would have boys and men apologize for their manhood as much as it wishes to convince girls that they have somehow received the short end of the stick.  It appears that girls cannot win unless boys lose and the whole thing frightens and saddens me. 

I feel blessed to be a woman and honored to be a mother.  When I hear other women aspire to have the same duties as men I truly feel confused.  I believe one of the greatest gifts that has been given to women is one of a willing and loving heart.  A heart that is capable of strength that can only be measured by an eternal ruler.  I think of the beauty of my body and it's ability to grow life beyond my own.  The love that I feel for my children is unique and incomparable to any other form of earthly love.  I think of women who are not able to have children and see in them the capability to achieve this love without bearing their own children.  The desire to serve and succor seems to come so easily to women.  I've known some women where this is not true and yet they seem to be the exception that proves the rule.  When I ponder the Lord's relationship with women I see trust.  He trusts to women a sharing of his procreative power and literally endows our bodies with the ability to grow life.  Men obviously have a part in that process as well but it is comparatively small.  On the other hand, when I look at the Lord's relationship to men I see trust as well.  He has given to them the authority to act in his name but only to bless others.  Women are not left out of the blessings of the priesthood just the administration of it.  I honestly feel like I'm blessed twice!  I know there are some that will point to fatherhood and say it is synonymous with motherhood.  As someone who has lived without a mother for the last 31/2 years I can attest that fathers, no matter how righteous, make very poor substitutes.

I once sat in the Draper temple in the chapel there and truly saw for the first time a huge painting of the risen Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene. I think for the first time in my life I understood the value that women hold in the heart of the savior.  I saw in Mary the very essence of womanhood.  Sensitivity, devotion, love, concern, and a natural desire to serve were the female gifts that brought Mary and other faithful women to the tomb.  She alone sat and wept for her Lord.  Christ's apostles were doers and their faith lead them to act and to do and Mary's faith led her to feel.  Her feelings must have been of great importance to the Lord because He appeared to her first and in private.  God needs doers and feelers and he made both.  As society encourages women and girls to abandon their sensitivity in favor of male attributes I feel like we will all stand to lose something very special....the Marys around us.

Some women who believe that women should be ordained sight examples of how capable women are and that they could easily fulfill priesthood roles.  I wholeheartedly agree that women are capable of lots of things and yet is capability the only consideration?  In my current role as Primary President I could easily name ten other people, men and women, who are more capable than me to be Primary President.  However, the Lord chose me to lead the children in my ward at this time.  Perhaps, I have something I need to learn or maybe the children have something they need to learn from me or perhaps the people who have been called to follow have something they need to learn as well.  Such is the beauty of the gospel.  The Lord knows each one of us and he knows where each person will grow the most. I think one of my biggest concerns with the women asking, sometimes demanding, for priesthood ordination is that it feels like they are trying to counsel the Lord about what is best for them.  The relationship between men and women does not have to devolve into an us or them scenario.  Men and women can have differing responsibilities but have equal importance in the sight of society and surely God.      

If, when my Claire turns twelve, she looks at her male counterparts as they pass the sacrament and believes that she is somehow less or that she has been overlooked by not holding the priesthood then I will have failed miserably as both a woman and a mother.  My hope is when she sees her male peers act in their priesthood offices that she will feel joy in her heart that they have the opportunity to serve as the Lord has asked them to and that she will give reverence for their office and for the trust that has given to them.  I hope she won't feel the need to push off "girly" things to achieve the world view of value.  I hope she will cling to her innate value that was placed their by a loving Heavenly Father

If, as my boys age and hold the power of the priesthood, believe that they have been given license to control women then I will have failed miserably as a mother.  My hope is that they will see their authority as a calling of service and one where their love for others can be more deeply developed.  I hope when they look at women that they will have reverence for her gifts one of which was their gift of life.  I hope that they will recognize that women have dignity, purpose, and deserve their respect. I hope they don't feel like they have to apologize for their gifts and that they show gratitude for the gifts given to women.