Sunrise, Sunset

Swiftly flow the years
One season following another 
Laden with happiness and tears

I can't believe how swiftly time is flying. So I turned 40 this year: what is the big deal? :) Let's see, I am getting wrinkles, and I had some pre-cancerous spots burned off my face, but even growing my bangs out still left me looking like I might turn 14 this year! What I notice most about the time passing is that I want to cherish the moments with my children more. Sarah, already a sophomore, barely has a couple of years left at home! I love being able to visit with her after school, to play violin and harp together, to help her put a zipper in her skirt, to correct her French pronunciation, to laugh together. I love working side-by-side with her in our home doing whatever, or going shopping together. I love each of those moments of individual time with Nate, Julia, Rebecca, Eliza, Peter, and Anna--when I get to tap into their minds and hearts and really savor their personalities. And time all together is wonderful, too. Swimming, biking, or doing jigsaw puzzles on our summer vacation, or listening to Huck Finn in the long hours in the car, celebrating birthdays--it's all good. I love the funny things they say . I love watching funny youtube videos together. I love cheering for children at their events. I love reading books to the younger children on the couch, or holding hands with a child before she falls asleep, or hearing Peter sound out words in his first books. I laughed at trying to get the carrot to stay in the snowman's head as Anna and I played in the snow together. I love getting their hugs and "I love you's" everyday. There is so MUCH to enjoy! With children so close, life is laden with happiness.

(Here's what happens when you write about yourself last: you get posted first! Oh well!)

Amazing Grace and Viva La Vida

I understand that "Viva la vida"means "live the life" in Spanish, si? I like to think of it as the Spanish carpe deum, and Nate is doing a really great job of "seizing the day" this last year. He's been willing to stick his neck out to try some new sports, including track, football and basketball. Adding in sports practices and games to our family schedule has been a true evidence of grace to me. Getting the family schedule to work is always a miracle, and I have seen Heaven supporting Nate's desires to fit in this physical activity while he is still doing his best to take care of school, Duty to God, and Scouts. Things just work out for getting him where he needs to be. It's certainly amazing to me how God can be involved in our lives even down to small details like carpools and practices. We're really proud of Nate for the courage he has shown and the effort he's putting into learning and trying hard in these sports.

This photo of him in his football uniform (minus the jersey/shoulderpads) holding his bagpipes is a great story. Nate told his coach that if their team went undefeated and won the championship game, that he'd play his pipes after the game was over. His coach agreed to it. Since I hadn't dropped off Nate early for his final game, we were totally surprised while watching from the stadium to see Nate out there blowing up his pipes and cranking out "Amazing Grace ."

Say Yes (to Happiness)!

In the beginning of the year we heard a song called "Say Yes" and I think Julia has personified that song. She is learning to value and excel in things that are worthwhile and important, such as prioritizing school work and setting goals and staying away from harmful activities, thanks to great teachers at school and at church, and great older siblings. She really enjoyed a program at school prepared by our city's police department that reinforces wise living habits. She finished her Faith in God award and loved turning 12 this month so she could move from Primary to the Young Women group in church. She's very dedicated to her school work and excited to be setting goals in Personal Progress. She was a great swimmer on swim team this summer. She loves to help out, like when she made dinner one night as a surprise for me! That was awesome!

We love Julia's smile, cheeriness, wisdom, and thoughtfulness in our home. What a gift she is!

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

Rebecca loves to sing. She is a "songbird," as one of our grandmothers called her. This fall, she joined a children's choir. She always comes home happy from choir! She also had the chance to audition for a children's choir that would be singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the annual Christmas Concert. Her dream came true when she got to sing with them on December 13.

She didn't love her costume so much, but she did love the singing and getting to take a photo with Natalie Cole after one of the shows. This program will be broadcast on PBS in December 2010. (If you watch, she is on the right side in the middle of the men, very front row, middle child--the cute one with the glasses--just in case you wanted to know!).  She really is one of the herald angels in our home, and not just because of her singing. She is hardworking, helpful, hugging, and happy, and loves to be home!
(I could have chosen "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" as Rebecca's song, since she has been waiting over a year (over 2?) for that difficult top tooth to come down. But it finally is! Next Christmas, she'll have that complete smile again!!)

When I am Baptized

I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain
And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again
I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain
I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

This song, "When I am baptized," reminds me of how Eliza described her baptism. Eliza looked forward to turning 8 this year so that she could be baptized and confirmed as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She wrote, "I felt energetic and happy. When I came [up] out of the water, I felt really pure inside." Eliza has always been radiant, but she seemed especially so on her special day.

I Am Learning How to Spell

Peter has taken Kindergarten by storm. He learned how to write his name in preschool, but ever since he started learning to sound out and put these sounds together, he has not only been excited to read everything he can, but to put his signature on nearly every location he can think of (leather car back seat, bed rail, metal filing cabinet, wall, side table drawer). This has its pros and cons. One of the pros is that he is learning where NOT to write his name.

It's much easier to laugh about it now since he is child #6. I like my friend's idea, that  Peter and Anna should honor Sarah and Nathan (and Julia and Rebecca and Eliza) on Pioneer Day, since they had to pave the way for them in kinder parenting.
Reading and writing isn't the only great part of Kindergarten for Pete: it's also birthdays at school, losing a tooth, and being home part of the day to help out and play.

Ten Little Indians

Lane's parents always said they raised "all chiefs and no indians." This could be true of our family, but we are discovering that our youngest child, Anna (4), is a real "firecracker." She often assumes the role of big chief ordering a bunch of indians around. Recently, Rebecca, Eliza, and Anna all dressed up in their ballet garb and were flitting and pirouetting around the family room. Anna, with that big, booming voice (from dainty, petite frame) commanded, "Everybody! Everybody! We're going to have a performance!" It is so typical of her. Her take-charge side keeps us all laughing!

We really enjoy Anna's petite stature. She barely crossed the 30 lb. threshold this year! She gets very excited to climb on the weight scale. (Who do you know that gets excited to do that?) "Mom! Come and see how much I weigh!" she'll call out when she's in my bathroom. I always go look, and we have a little cheer together about it. Ah, childhood, "when all you have to do to lose weight is take a bath."

Song in the Night

After we brought in our suitcases from having finished the 10 am to 8:30 pm drive from California to Utah, Sarah made a beeline to her harp and sat down to play. After playing through "Song in the Night"  and a few other pieces, she moved to the piano and started on Christmas songs. I talk a lot about music when it comes to Sarah because she loves it so much, and it adds so much peace to our home. (The only time it doesn't is when she moves out of the post-dinner clean-up scene to go play on the piano. Then everyone protests and says it's unfair that she gets to play piano when they have to do dishes! That's when I have to play Judge Mom and decide what I want most: peaceful music or more kitchen hands.)

The reason I chose "Song in the Night" as representative of Sarah's year is that this year harp has been a true love for her, and this song is her personal zenith right now. It's an awesome tune: it shows off a lot of the different sounds a harp can make. Since Sarah finished the last book of Suzuki Harp repetoire, she now gets to pick the pieces she wants to learn! This song was her first choice. Not only that, but Sarah's favorite time to play harp is in the evening, so the title is fitting.