Practice, Prayer and a Wannabe Pianist

About five months ago I was summoned to the stake offices to meet with a member of the stake presidency. Now Mark happens to be part of that group so naturally I thought he might have some inside information.

He answered honestly that he didn't know the details but since I was meeting with President Baker it most likely involved a Primary assignment.

No problem, I thought. I had just been released from being the music leader in primary after nearly four years. I am comfortable with callings in primary. Primary is my area.

President Baker is a good friend of ours. I wasn't nervous at all. We talked for a few minutes and then he told me the assignment he had in mind for me:

To work with the Spanish Ward in their primary music. They wanted me to be the chorister for a few months and then to be the pianist indefinitely.

I answered that I will do whatever I am asked to do but there were a couple of concerns.
1. I don't speak Spanish.
2. I'm not a pianist.

He smiled and told me that the kids all speak English and as far as the piano goes, Heavenly Father would help me with that one.

He was right about the kids. Perfect English, perfect Spanish. They are absolutely amazing.

The difficult, challenging, worrisome part was the piano. My partner Julie and I trade off weeks and she is an ace pianist. The "play anything on a moment's notice" type.

Shortly after Christmas, a Spanish speaking chorister was called and my piano playing duties began. I practiced, I prayed, I practiced, I prayed. I just didn't want to be a distraction by fumbling the notes and I wanted to make it easy for the new song leader.

The twins saw my anxiety. A couple of Sundays (not a fast Sunday) ago I was getting breakfast for everyone and Lincoln said he didn't want anything. "I'm going to fast for you today Mom" he said. "I want you to know that you can do it!"

I was humbled by his sweetness. He really wanted to help me and this was a way that he could. After church that day he pulled me into my room. "Mom, do you want to be with me when I break my fast?" he asked.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as we knelt together in prayer. My son pleading to the Lord on my behalf. He asked Heavenly Father to bless my hands that they wouldn't shake and that I would be able to play well. It was one of those moments I will never forget.

Since then Ive seen myself improving. Rachel tells me how great it sounds when I am practicing. "Wow!" she cheers "You're awesome!"

Yesterday before we left for church, Rachel offered a simple and sincere prayer that I would be able to get through "How Firm A Foundation" (4 flats in that hymn) with no mistakes. And guess what? I did!

While I am not worthy to claim the title of "pianist" with practice, prayer and and the faith of my twins, maybe that day will come.

Milestones

Last night was one of those bitter sweet milestones that come with parenthood. My Lincoln officially graduated from cub scouts.

I remember buying that trusty blue shirt when he turned eight. I got it plenty big so that he would have room to grow. The shirt that started out touching his knees now fits just right.

Yesterday as I was gathering a few items to take to the ceremony I started to fight that familiar lump in the throat / tears in the eyes feeling that always comes with these kinds of occasions.

I was Linc's den leader for the first two years. Growing up with no brothers, I had no idea what I was doing. But little by little we figured it out.

I thought of all the activities (Cubs in the Kitchen was especially memorable), the crafts, the experiments, the fieldtrips. All those belt loops, patches and pins, but mostly all the fun we had along the way. Rachel came to every den meeting. She probably earned as many awards as the boys.

I felt deep appreciation for the leaders that have taught him well. This past year he was able to earn all 20 webelo pins! That is some dedicated leaders. I feel so grateful to have such good people surrounding my boy.

During the flag ceremony I started to get a little emotional. The clubhouse was filled with younger scouts and their families. We also had family and friends who came to support Lincoln. I bit my lip in a fruitless effort to stop its quivering. I swallowed hard and blinked harder.

They dimmed the lights and called Mark, Lincoln and me to the front. Cubmaster Bruce put on his Indian head-dress and told of an old legend that Mother Earth taught the animals of the forest about helping other people.

Then he asked Lincoln if he would commit to be of service to others all his life. Lincoln said he would and after repeating the scout law and oath he was ready to cross the bridge from cub scouts to boy scouts.

He turned around and looked up at me. "Mom, this is the last hug you will ever get from me as a cub scout" he said. Then he threw his arms around me extra tight.

"Don't cross the bridge!" I wanted to shout. I thought about scooping him up and running out the door.

I watched him in his "too big" boy scout shirt as he crossed the bridge into growing up. Tears came, I couldn't help it. My heart swelled with love for this kid. His blue eyes, his freckled nose and gappy smile. I love the person he is and the glimpses I see of the man he will become.

As I was packing away that trusty blue shirt last night I could see in my mind's eye another little boy with blue eyes, a freckled nose and gappy teeth.....

I could see Lincoln showing his own son that old and faded but ever trusty blue shirt, with all its patches and pins

.....and that thought made me smile.

January Survival Guide

Ahhh January.
Snow. Ice. Approximately five hours of daylight.
Being cold, having a cold.
Long underwear, flannel pajamas.
Gray skies. A valley inversion.

Ahhh January.
Here are a few tips for making it cheerfully through this dreaded of all months.

1. Before the new year begins, clean the house top to bottom. Mark it on the calendar. Enlist the help of your husband and kids. Tell your husband how sexy he looks while doing house work. This will inspire him to go the extra mile. Before your very eyes the Christmas decorations will be packed up, floors will be scrubbed, furniture will be dusted and the house will sparkle.

2. Try your hardest to have a set of twins mid January. Their birthday will be a good distraction. You can busy yourself with all kinds of fun ideas. When they turn eleven, it may be tempting to get depressed over the way they insist on growing up. If this happens, pull out the big guns, plan a surprise trip to Disneyland.

Wake them up early on the morning of their birthday and get on a plane to Mickey and five days of sunshine.


3. Accept the snow for what it is. You will appreciate the water when summertime comes. Let the kids sled, build snowmen and have snow ball fights all they want.

4. Finally, spend the last three days of January in San Diego ALONE WITH YOUR HUSBAND.
I know it is hard to leave the kids, I get that. Heck, in the last eleven years, we have left ours a grand total of six nights. But warmth, sunshine, sunsets at the beach, sand in your toes, chocolate cake at midnight if you feel like it, a handsome husband all to yourself......

trust me, this is as good as it gets.

AHHH January.

Monday Notes To Self

Don't sleep an extra ten minutes when it snowed the night before.

It is not worth it, EVER.

Sleeping ten minutes over will throw your whole morning off.

The twins will be ten minutes behind schedule and so will Mark. The kids will miss the bus which means that Mark will have to drop them off at school.

Long story short: You will be forced to go on a date with this guy.....

Remember that it is not easy to shovel outside while your one year old roams free in the house. It is distracting stopping every two minutes to run in and check on her.

I realize that it seems like a good idea to sit her on the couch with her cup and Playhouse Disney. But when you're 15 months old you have better things to do like climbing up on top of the table with a jug of milk and snagging a box of Jr. Mints from the pantry.

If you are going to serve left over mashed potatoes and gravy for lunch and yogurt for dessert, it's probably a good idea to eat BEFORE bath time.

View the permanent marker on Rachel's bedspread and pencil sketches on the floor as signs that there is a budding artist in the family.

Last note to self- remember that climbing on tables, Handy Manny, potatoes and yogurt in the hair and art work in unconventional locations won't last forever. Someday, you will miss these things.

14 Days of Valentines

Attention romantics everywhere!

It's that time of year again....

14 Days of Valentines!

My sister in law, Carrie (you know, the one with the closet from heaven) inspired me last year to start a Valentine tradition. We had so much fun with this that it is definitely a keeper.

The idea is to start on February 1 and for 14 days do sweet things for your sweetheart.
It doesn't have to be fancy, just heart felt.

I sat down this morning and put my plan together.

Day 1

I am one lucky girl!

(Love letter and picture of me)

Day 2

For just the two of us.

(Formal invite to a private dinner, etc, etc on Valentine's Night)

Day 3

Three beautiful children.

(Pictures for Mark's office of the twins and Samantha. Also love notes from them)

Day 4

Four necessities for a fun date.

(Lunch gift card, movie gift card and two boxes of candy)

Day 5

Five family treats at Leatherby's.

Day 6

Six sticky love notes hidden around the house, car, etc.

Day 7

Seven items for breakfast in bed.

(2 egg omelet with ham and cheese, toast, hashbrowns and juice

Day 8

Eight slices of pie.

(I'll pick up a Marie Callendars banana cream on Saturday for a Sunday night treat.)

Day 9

Nine reasons we love our dad Family Home Evening.

Day 10

Ten fingers to give you a massage after a long day of work and church.

(Include a bottle of oil)

Day 11

Eleven kisses.

(The lip kind and the chocolate kind)

Day 12

A dozen of my favorite memories.

(Poster board with pictures and notes about some of our most special memories)

Day 13

Thirteen love songs loaded on the ipod.

Day 14

Lunch celebration with the kids. (Balloons, heart shaped pizza)

Private evening for just the two of us. (wink, wink)

Spread the love! Your husband will feel like a million bucks, I promise!

Check the dollar store and the 1.00 bins at Target for cards,

pretty boxes, bags, ribbons, candles, etc.

PS Don't forget to post your own ideas so that I can file them away for next year.

You can get other ideas from Carrie by clicking here

Happy Valentining!

Ten Things I Learned While Cleaning Out My Closet

1. I have a SEVERE case of closet envy. I visited my sister in law, Carrie a few weeks ago and got the tour of her new house. Her closet, oh her closet. There are not adequate words. My idea of heaven includes Carrie's closet.

2. Apparently I like to buy the same item only in different colors. Three of the same sweater, one gray, one red, one tan. That observation held true with shirts and shoes too.

3. After several years, I came to terms with the sad fact that I will most likely never be a size 6 again. I had a few old items that I have been holding on to just in case. The hangers were dusty and it was time to say goodbye.

4. My wardrobe consists mainly of tee shirts, hoodies and jeans. Dull, practical, borderline pathetic.

5. I no longer have the drive to have matching hangers and clothes categorized by color.

6. However, wire hangers are still not permitted on the premises. And clothing must all face the same way.

7. When it comes to getting ready for bed, I have a good supply of flannel pajamas, cozy robes and slippers. I am a regular at Bath & Body Works and my year's supply is carefully stored on the top shelf.

7. The lone Victoria's Secret bag had accumulated some dust. Something I am going to work on in the coming year.

8. Thanks to my sweet mom and sisters I actually have several cute purses and bags. I'm just waiting for Samantha to get a little bigger then I will be retiring the big brown purse I use that doubles as a diaper bag.

9. Mark is a tidy man. He keeps his side clean and orderly.

10. If you guys were really my friends you would turn me in to TLC's What Not To Wear.

Eleven Twin Things

Eleven years ago today was the happiest day of my life to that point. Our twins were born.

Maybe it was that we had a five year struggle to get them here that made their arrival so miraculous, so joyful. I have still not come down from the thrill of having them.

In honor of # 11 I would like to share eleven sweet things about having twins.

1. They came with a bond that only twins can share. Although they each had their own nursery, they had to sleep together in the same crib or else they cried. In the morning when they would wake up, Lincoln's forehead would be plastered in Rachel's boogies from snuggling up during the night.

2. They also came with all boy, all girl personalities. Rachel is everything pink and sparkly. Lincoln is all about anything that involves a ball.

3. Although they are very different, they complement each other. Rachel keeps Linc organized and on time, Lincoln reminds Rach that mud pies and being goofy are good things.

4. They always have each other to lean on. When Lincoln was eight, he had to try out for baseball in front of about 200 people. He worried and worried for a solid week about how it would go. When the day finally arrived he bravely stepped up and did his best. I could see the fatigue and relief in his face as he finished and walked toward me. I held out my arms. He passed right by me and collapsed in Rachel's arms instead.

5. They are each others biggest fans. When Lincoln is up to bat, Rachel gets so nervous, she can barely look. On dance recital day, Lincoln sits through two recitals in a row without complaint.

6. They take care of each other. One day I was volunteering in their kindergarten class. They came in. Lincoln took off his backpack and handed it to Rachel. She went and hung up both backpacks. While she was doing that, he went and found their name cards and put them on the floor.

Rachel makes sure Lincoln gets his vitamins each day. Often when Linc is getting a drink or a bowl of cereal, he will ask Rach if she wants something.

7. They defend each other. Last summer I took them and some friends to the park. Some older boys were following Rachel and her friend around, trying to talk to them. Lincoln and his buddy noticed and came up with a plan. They went up to the older boys and Linc yelled, "Stay AWAY from my sister!" then Lincoln and his friend ran away as fast as they could.

8. They are teaching each other how to get along with the opposite sex. Rachel reminds Linc that girls don't like boys who burp and are loud. Lincoln informs Rachel that boys like girls who know how the game of football is played.

9. They know each other inside out, kind of like an old married couple. They finish each others sentences. They know the other's likes, dislikes better than I do.

10. They rarely argue. They get annoyed with each other now and then but they have never hit the other or called him or her a name. I can't remember them ever yelling harshly at each other.

11. They are my joy. There is nothing I would rather do than be their mom. It is my privilege in every way. They are double the joy and double the fun. They are not perfect kids but they are the perfect kids for me.

Happy Birthday my twins! I love you.