BE MINE

Spring?
The trees want to believe it; they are bud-tipped. Daffodils and pushing up out of the ground. Squirrels are frisking and birds are busy chirping and nest-building. Skunk roadkill is on the rise (stinky AND messy). I have seen a few wasps and even swatted a rather large-ish mosquito.

But, it's not really there. Yes, Thursday was a balmy, wonderful 71 degrees. Turn off the heater and open up the windows! Yet by Friday, it was below freezing again. Saturday even saw a few, short-lived white flakes. Huddle down into those blankets once more!

The Crazy World of Mary Poppins
The hardest thing for me to reconcile on our busy, full schedule it Analiese's rehearsals. I'll tell Jonathan he can have the car and then turn around and realize he can't - Analiese has rehearsal before he gets home from work. I've done it to him at least twice now. I feel bad about that.

We went for a second round of sponsor-hunting this week. I just accompany her; she does all the talking. I think we've visited about 15 different businesses. She's had four sponsors, a few maybes and several nos...but everyone was willing to put up a poster when the company gets them. I think she's been very diligent (I would have dragged my feet, went out once...and only briefly) and I'm proud of her efforts.

She received her production t-shirt Friday evening.

Now, we'd hoped she would have had it BEFORE we went schlepping around for sponsors, but such is life. She's happy, though. It's been so much fun for her and an amazing opportunity.

More Babies
Okay, just one. I went over Wednesday to one of my MS's homes. The pregnant one. Well, she was pregnant until they induced her Monday morning. Now she has a sweet little baby boy.

I went over to help watch her toddler because the dad had work and the kids had school. Supposedly, Mom wouldn't come home from the hospital until that evening. But she managed to talk the doctor into letting her leave that morning. So when I got there, she was sleeping in bed with the baby and I was out in the livingroom with the toddler. Holding down the fort, as it were.

She did come out a little later to eat and try and feed the baby (he just wanted to sleep!). That's when my fun came in. I got to hold him while she ate lunch. Two days old! So tiny! But I had to give him back...he kept rooting at my finger...and this dairy's been closed for years!

She was back in her room sleeping when the kids came home. I had promised them PB chocolate chip cookies when the baby came so I had brought some, along with some soup I'd made, rolls, and a couple ham-and-cheese quiches (kid-friendly) for their freezer for later. Let me tell you, the minute they saw me, they asked about those cookies! The oldest, funnily, told me what kind of cookie I could make for them the next time I came over!

Sweet Valentine
I feel like our family is so close with love and unity right now. Everyone is thinking of and looking out for each other. Valentine's Day was another example of that.

I'd purchased little things for my seminary kids and small boxes of chocolate for my home kids (what else do I call them? My blood kin? LOL) and a large box for Ken (of course). I'd purchased an appropriately swarmy card for Ken - I really liked the message - and wrote personal notes for Jonathan and Analiese.

Ken and I made a special dinner for the missionaries that evening - grilled Italian chicken, green beans, pasta, and homemade cherry pie.

Look at those cut-outs! First time I've tried that!

Ken took me out to lunch, since we knew we had dinner guests. Plus, he purchased a special DVD of a movie I really liked. For some reason, it's been hard to locate. "Undercover Blues," with Kathleen Turner and Dennis Quaid. You should watch it. It's so cute and funny. Actually, the whole family did that afternoon...we laughed at it's silliness.

Jonathan came home from Walgreens the evening before with chocolates for everyone and a red rose for me.

I gave him an extra kiss - I love flowers. Wednesday night at YW, Analiese had dipped chocolates and brought them home for the family.

  See how thoughtful everyone was?

VIP Slow
Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Chinese New Year is interminable.

One of the workshop teachers this week (I try to do two every week) asked me how I was doing. I told him these last two weeks had me nervous. He said, "It's the same for everyone. It's the worst time of the year for teaching." So, I've let my anxiety simmer down a bit. I think they have one more week of the holiday, maybe two. I'm being positive here...March WILL be better!

Evening with a General Authority
It's that time of year for Seminary & Institute teachers to come together and watch a broadcast from Salt Lake. Our Stake provided us with a lovely take-out dinner from a popular Mexican chain here at the Institute, inviting our spouses as well, so we could dine, socialize, and enjoy the broadcast. Ken had to work, so he was unable to come, and neither child wanted to go with me, so I went solo.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband was the speaker this year. When he was introduced, it mentioned he became an Apostle in 2015. Has it really been that long? He's one I don't know very well, though Jonathan said he'd visited the Guatemala CCM (MTC) when Jonathan was there.

His message was sweet and poignant. He mentioned that the Prophet had asked him to be on the Utah Governor's task force about teen suicide. It was heartbreaking to hear the statistics and to think of the pain that these kids are going through. The upside of his message was about Jesus Christ's Atonement and how we really need to teach it and get it into the hearts of these kids. To give them hope and a reason to keep trying. The adversary it trying to stop these noble young souls from growing up and contributing to the kingdom. My momma bear instinct kicked in...I so want to love and protect them! But I do what little I can do, even if Elder Rasband called us "first responders."