Tonight was one of those rare occasions when the planets all align and everything is, for just a brief moment, simply pefection. I dream at night of things like this, and frankly, the dreams just never measure up to the real thing.

We had decided well in advance that we would not get a tree until my finals were over for the quarter and everyone was looking forward to this weekend when we could go out and get one. For once, everyone was planning the same thing with their time and were ready and waiting at the appointed time. Just after sunset, as we were all bundled up and headed out the door, a few snow flakes began to fall. Mason jumped in the driver's seat and we were off.

After trying at least 5 tree lots and farms last year at this time, we stumbled onto a small tree lot just on the corner of 124th St and Avondale Rd. on the other side of Education Hill. Last year, our considerable efforts were not feeling successful at all until we found this little spot. After hours of looking and looking at overpriced and really ,basically, ugly trees, we found our ideal tree about 3 minutes after we got out of the car and for far less than the other places we had visited. The guy who ran it was nice and the tree was gorgeous, so we decided to make a B-line there.

Christmas music on the radio, snow falling outside and everyone chatting and singing along to the carols playing on the radio, it seemed to me that we arrived at our destination far too quickly. That would prove to be the only disappointment of the day. The snow was falling harder and faster every minute. We found that we had the tree lot to ourselves. The friendly proprieter had an open fire and passed out small candy canes when he heard that this was Pim's 1st ever snow. The pungent frangrance of pine, along with laughter and smiles permeated the crisp air as we all spread out to find the perfect tree. It was magical. Just the kind of day I wish I could have with my family every day of my life.

It's such a blessing to be a family and share this life with those we love.

My little Gray_D_Bug!

August 1 my baby girl finally arrived from her trip to Brazil. It was a little longer than I think she thought it would be, but it really helped her grow and learn. I could see and hear the growth in her before she even arrived!



While in Brazil, she stayed with Barata, Jackie and Lol (who was an exchange student here last year at LWHS). They were so loving and generous with her. Gray didn't speak any Portuguese when she left, but they made sure to help her around and she learned to speak a little while she was there. Lol said she had never met anyone who picked up Portuguese as fast as my baby girl did! But I already knew she was amazing! Gray loved it in Brazil and can't wait to go back for Carnival!

Gray and Lol became very close while she was there and they did most everything together. Lol and Jackie even attended church with Gray while she was there. Gray said they really liked the church and would like to know more about it! They took Gray everywhere and treated her like she was family. Gray loved the the first few weeks at the house by the beach at Marica and said the beach Copacabana was awesome too! But her favorite place seemed to be Cabo Frio where Jackie's sister lived. Gray said it was beautiful there. After Jackie went back to work and they went to stay at the condo in Rio, she and Lol took the bus to the house in Marica and back to Rio several times, so they were pretty independent there.

I think Gray got pretty homesick. We chatted on messenger everyday while she was gone. She left feeling pretty sure she wanted to go far away for college once she graduated. She returned rethinking that plan. :) I'm sure by the time graduation really rolls around I will have driven her sufficiently crazy that she will again be anxious to spread her wings!

This month or so was really a learning experience for Gray. She had a great deal of time to think about her life and what she wanted it to be. She was exposed to things in a way that she never had before and made some realizations about herself and her life. She was able to experience a great deal of independence, but exercised great discipline and maturity in her decisions. She really put herself in a situation that stretched her and I think those challenges brought new found courage and amazing growth. I am so proud of the things she did to help herself grow toward the person she really wants to be!

Summer Ends...

I can't believe it's September! Time flies and so much has happened this summer. The weather has been perfect these last few days... "no weather" as a sweet friend of mine would say. You know... the kind of weather that is so mild that you never notice it unless you are revelling in it. Not too cool, or hot... no rain or wind to speak of.. just complete perfection. Now imagine 10 or 15 straight days of that, and you know exactly what I'm talking about. I love it!!

So... on the last day of July, Mason returned from he and John's Excellent Adventure. They visited Edinburgh, London, Geneva, Bern, a village in the Swiss Alps (where he and John were chased by rogue cows), Lille and Paris in France. Mason continued on alone to Stutgart, Vienna, Slovakia, Prague and Budapest. He stayed with friends along the way who generously took good care of he and John. It was an amazing trip!

They toured castles and the Highlands in Scotland, saw The Police in Hyde Park, London and took The Chunnel from London to Paris. On their way to Geneva from London, he had his wallet with passport, credit cards and several hundred dollars in cash stolen on the Eurostar (he thinks by employees of the rail line). He called me in the middle of the night completely distraught and frankly, I thought from the sound of his voice that John had been killed!! :( But this challenge brought him growth and some sweet experiences as well. A generous Brit heard Mason's distress in the train station and gave him $100 (American) and then left before Mason could even thank him. (Bless you, whoever you are!) Mason successfully gave a whole police report in French all on his own and finished his trip to Geneva with only a small slip of paper from the French authorities as ID. Once in Geneva, the Friedli Family took him under their wing and helped him get to the Embassy in Bern to get a new passport. The family was extremely generous with Mason and insisted on helping him with some money. I can't believe it still, but I am so grateful.

Bastille weekend in Paris and then it was time for John to head home and Mason to continue on his own. Through Germany and Austria and on to Slovakia where he stayed with Julia Malinovska and her family who generously hosted him for a couple weeks. While he was there he visited Prague and Budapest. He loved the friends he made there and plans to go back! On his way back to London to catch his flight home, he stopped off at the home of my exchange student from high school in 1984-5. Beatrice and her family warmly welcomed him in Stuttgart and they had a great visit! I was so thrilled when Mason returned! It was good to have him home again!

A good friend recently said that the effect the trip had on him was easy to see. He seems more confident and adult... ready to take on the world.... I suppose that he already has! There are countless things one can learn from a trip like that, but what I hope Mason will learn for himself is that he has been generously blessed and has potential far beyond his own ability to conceive and that righteous choices are the only way to fulfill that potential. I pray he will know how much his family and his Father in Heaven love him and desire only the best for him. I am so blessed to be his mother... I hope he knows what an important role he plays in our family!

Quiet

It's my favorite time of the day... the smack dab middle of the night! I hate going to bed... I always have. And part of the reason is that I miss out on this part of the night. I love the stillness of a sleeping house, street, city... I love the tiny lights that pierce the night sky... I love the possibilities that come with hours on end where the phone doesn't ring and the world is stopped- allowing me to catch up. I love that I can get so much done all on a forgotten bankroll of time. I love hearing the house and all it's creaks and moans, ticking and humming like the body of an old man after a long, hard day's work. That harmony joined with the sweet melody of a childs deep sleepy breathing is such a contrast to the cacophony of daylight and business as usual. And when I've gotten all that I want from it, there is still the bliss of surrendering to my heavy eyelids and slipping off into a slumber both instant and deep. Really, it is the quintessential free time.

Travel, Guests and Airport Runs

So, in the past week, I have been to the airport 6 times and will go again tomorrow to drop one more off. It's starting to feel like everyone is going somewhere but me! Mason off to Europe, Gray off to Brazil with Lol and Jackie, Deb went to San Fran, Julia and her mom back to Slovakia, and tomorrow Diana back to Molodova. Everyone is leaving and I am going to be here at home holding down the fort I guess. I sure miss both my kids and the girls. At least my kids are coming back and I am so grateful they have this opportunity to travel.

Adding insult to the injury of all my babies leaving me, is the price of gas! Almost $100 to fill up my tank these days and it's only going to get worse! Between the airport construction, drivers with no common sense or courtesy and gas prices, I am not sure the luxury of a car is worth it! Time to tune up the old bike and add baskets!

It Begins!

I should start with a warning that I tend toward verbosity.... and bragging about my great kids. Other than that, I am pretty open. No real secrets and pretty much any part of my life could end up here. So buckle up, hang on and enjoy the ride!

Today is the first official day of summer!! Kids are done with school for the Summer as of the 18th!! YAY!! Mason is officially a senior and Gray is a junior.... Man... how time does fly and things change so much, so fast!

As of today, Mason is in Scotland and Gray is at Youth Conference, so I am basically on my own. The last 6 weeks have been unbelievably crazed. Getting Mason ready for his European tour (as many as 10 countries) and Gray ready for Brazil all while trying to tie up finals on top of working was a bit of a job. But Mason is off and on his way and hopefully Gray will have her Visa in time to leave on Tuesday as scheduled! (Stay tuned here for photos from the babies adventures!)

It's kinda a crazy thing. I don't like my kids to be away from me. I love having them around and don't find parenting to be anything but wonderful. But between Mark living in Utah, and the kids travels, they seem to be gone from home more than most. I am so excited they get to travel and see the world (hopefully, my time will come soon) and am so extremely proud that I can trust them so much as to let them venture out on their own. But, Dangit!, I miss them! I love their sweet faces, their thoughts and ideas, having their friends fill my house, and teenage kisses as they head off to bed (way later than I think they should) or out the door to school or to hang out with friends. I love text messages about their latest crush, asking for help, advice or permission, even the ones that express frustration with me for some reason. I love being a mom. I love being their mom. They really are such amazing human beings. I am so lucky they belong to me! I often say Heavenly Father sent me angels because real children wouldn't last long at my house!! I'm not all that amazing, but they really are. I'm not sure how that happened, but I'm really glad it did!!