Clark came in town to spend some time with Georgia and it was so fun to see him and the kids!
Here are some scenes from the day from when Lily took all the kids to a park and afterwards. I think Lily’s heart must have skipped a beat when Ammon decided to jump off the rope beam:
Today, I learned that Basil likes to drink from the hose:
Also, we went swimming and Clarissa fell asleep in the car.
At home, Ammon and Clarissa performed a beautiful dance on their stage.
Today felt special to me. Over the weekend, I felt God guiding me to a place of understanding that I have lost balance, focuses too much on work and allowed my stress levels to get too high. I’ve been trying to reorient myself to better balance, and today seemed to be evidence that I am headed in the right direction, because I found a lot of happiness today despite my lingering stress, fatigue and anxiety.
I had a wonderful workout this morning with my little fluffball, Basil. I call it the Dogout workout. I have an irrational amount of joy thinking of all the various meanings found in the name of the work out.
Okay, I guess its just too meanings, haha, but it still feels clever. The workout is a roughly one mile jog to a pullup bar, and then as many pullups as I can muster five times in a row, with a quarter mile run around the baseball diamonds between each set (4 total) either sprinting or striding (ideally) and then jogging home (but of course Basil runs and pulls me the last 3/4 miles because he’s excited to get home.) I had a lot of thoughts on my run, many of which I hope to write more about in my scripture journal tomorrow like trusting God, means trusting that everything will be OK if I live my values without compromise, and how feeling the Holy Ghost comes by living my values without compromise, and how in so many ways what I feel God is, is what I feel my inner most values to be.
At home I chatted with Lily a bit before my workday, which was nice. I then met with my dad, who is also my real estate agent for selling the home, and we made a ton of progress. We lined up a stager, a photographer, and made other plans. Work was very busy. I was very sharp in the morning, but got tired towards the end of the day. Around lunch time, I swam with the family which was so fun, and also very productive. Lily told me yesterday that her number one goal for the summer is to get all the kids swimming. Lily and I took turns working with the different kids and I think they mad progress (Lydia was at school). Lily and I also agree that Clarissa is unbelievably cute in goggles.
I caught up on blogging later in my work day because I was too tired to do Qualtrics work, but I eventually got a second wind and got more work done.
After work, Ammon and Clarissa got in a lot of trouble for something naughty they did, and Lily and I were super stern with them, but then we spent a lot of time hugging, and affirming them. I also snapped this picture of Ammon in his room. I’ve been wanting to capture how captivated he has been lately by coloring and sticker book art. It is really quite magnificent.
I also listened to Mary play the piano and I was blown away by her progress. I also got to listen to these beautiful duets from Lydia and Lily.
After putting the kids down, I folded laundry while Lily played the piano for me. She offered to fold clothes also, but I told her I’d way rather listen to her play piano while I folded, and it was so beautiful to hear her play Beethoven. Then we walked together in the perfect spring air.
It was a truly beautiful day. Thank you God for helping me smell the roses and find my balance again and thank you family for being patient with me when I allow work to swallow me.
After church today, we went to the Provo River trail right where it starts at Utah lake. Lily and the kids (sans Clarissa) biked. I walked with Basil and Clarissa (who was on a scooter).
We were delighted and surprised to see horses and goats on the trail
Then we grabbed subway and ate in the car on our way to Mt. Timponogos park right at the mouth of Provo Canyon. I biked with Ammon while Lily and the girls were at the dog park with Basil. Then we all went to the playground. We laughed when the static from going down the slide and the wind made Clarissa’s hair look very funny.
Afterwords we visited Georgia and Lydia and Mary got to see her room. They were so excited to see her place and have fun sitting in her chair that reclines electronically.
Lily and I both had incredibly intense weeks last week. Thursday night, I was on the verge of collapse emotionally and mentally, and Lily is pushing really hard to help the kids in improve in music and a variety of other things. It’s crazy to see their progress in music, reading, math and more. We both started the day extremely tired. I also went to Basil at 3 in the morning because he’s been having diarrhea due to a food change. We were so wiped out that we didn’t leave the house until 2:00 at which point we took care of some things at yard of the rental property to help prepare to sell it.
Afterwards, we ordered pizza and got together with Joe, Camille and their two kids. We really love that family. We had a wonderful time talking to them and we especially found insight as Joe told us about his battle with ADHD and how medication has changed his life. Lily and I took mental notes because the things he struggled with were the exact sort of things Lydia struggles with. Lydia really doesn’t want to take medication, but I hope she will be open to the idea at some point of how much better her life could be, and how she could shine even brighter if she gets some help for something that is not her fault.
Early in the day, Ammon got to pet a rabbit
In the evening we got together with the Kahler’s and all made Gnocchi and Home-made pasta together. It was a blast!
Lily raved to me about the park in Vineyard she took the kids to. I think it was for their preschool class. It looks like they had a ton of fun!
Today I spent some time during my workday helping to navigate some sprinkler repairs with the repairmen at our rental property. The kids were cute in the backyard while the grown-ups worked.
Today Georgia visited and spent time with the family.
Also, Mary has been begging to play election night for days, so tonight I obliged and had a wonderful time playing with her despite being completely smashed with fatigue.
Also, here is a video that Lydia took of Basil in the car.
Lily has felt like her body is breaking down because of all that she does for our family, which seriously is so much. Cooking, cleaning, music practice, organizing trips, scheduling and organizing lessons, teaching kids to be clean, polite, hard-working safe is an endless job that so often does not get the praise and attention it deserves.
The name of the game today was to give our heroine a BREAK. I walked the dog in the morning and the kids and I made her breakfast in bed. Lily stayed in bed until noon where she finished a book by Terry Tempest Williams.
The kids were amazing helpers. Not only did they help with breakfast, but Lydia made a sweet card, and Mary and Ammon made beautiful pictures for her.
In the afternoon, we took it easy and then her Georgia cme over and we had a nice Gyro dinner. It was so nice to see her. She is always so sweet and kind, even when she isn’t feeling the best, which she wasn’t tonight. I also got to talk to my mom, my grandma, and Suzanne on the phone.
Lily said it was one of her favorite, if not her favorite mother’s day ever. All we did was give her a break. That speaks to how hard she works for this family. I cannot wait until all the kids are in school and life is not quite so crushing of a pace for her. Lily, we love you! I love you and cannot thank you enough for all the thought and planning you put into our children an their future, all the imagination you put into creating joy, magic and wonder for them, all of the intention and discipline you put into their training, all the sweat and toil you put into giving them an environment that is clean and peaceful, and all of the love you put into your affirmations of love for them. We love you so much, and there could not be a better mother for our children!